Notably Disney

Everything helps tell a narrative in a Disney animated feature or short, from the script and music to the characters and effects. No truer is this than a core feature of every picture: the scenic art. These backgrounds paint a picture of the tone and context. Over the years dozens of Disney animated films and even more cartoons and shorts have set the stage for incredible backgrounds that sometimes don’t get the center stage attention they deserve. But in Chronicle Books’ new September title, The Wonderful Worlds of Disney: The Scenic Art of Walt Disney Animation Studios, we see so many of these examples with commentary from some of the artists who brought these creations to life. This book is written by Didier Ghez, the renowned author of countless Disney books including the They Drew As They Pleased series. On this episode, host Brett Nachman brings Didier back to Notably Disney to discuss the process of curating the art and illuminating the stories from the animators' perspectives. The Wonderful Worlds of Disney debuts on September 29 from Chronicle Books. It will also be available wherever you get books, including Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Check out more of Didier's content on his Disney history blog that showcases info on new and forthcoming book releases, as well as find him on the Disney History Institute Facebook group. Feel free to reach out to Brett via Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected]  New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first Tuesday of each month.

For years one space online has represented a hub of Muppets information, news, opinions, and fun content, and it’s called ToughPigs.com, so it only made sense to enlist two of its key figures for a tribute episode to the 30th anniversary of one of the Muppets’ classic parodies: Muppet Treasure Island. Setting sail with host Brett Nachman are Joe Hennes, ToughPigs Co-Owner & Editor-in-Chief / Executive Producer of the Muppet Fan Podcasts with ToughPigs.com channel, as well as Ryan Roe, ToughPigs Co-Owner, Head Writer, and Co-Host, Editor, and Producer of the Movin’ Right Along podcast.  Check out all of the ToughPigs content, including articles and podcasts, on their website. You can follow ToughPigs on BlueSky, Instagram (@ToughPigs), TikTok (@ToughPigs), and YouTube. Follow Joe on Instagram (@ToughPigsJoe) and Ryan on BlueSky (@MeRyanRoe).  Feel free to reach out to Brett via Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected]  New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first Tuesday of each month.

Here on Notably Disney we often think about the background score as setting the mood and energy of the visuals we are enveloped in. Composer Mike Rubino plays a major role in accomplishing that, whether in contributing scoring to marketing materials for films like Avengers: Endgame, Tron Legacy, Dumbo, and Planes: Fire and Rescue, to composing the background music for updates to Disneyland’s Mickey’s Toontown and, more recently, Walt Disney World’s Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. His work can also be found across projects like Nickelodeon’s It’s Pony series and the podcast Telepathy Tapes. Today on Notably Disney host Brett Nachman speaks with Mike on to unpack a cool career where he has had his hands in some incredible ventures.  Check out Mike's music on his Spotify, as well as following him on Instagram (@mvrubino)! Feel free to reach out to Brett via Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected]  New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first Tuesday of each month.

Studying Disney has reached a new level of appreciation in academic settings through the relatively recent debut of the International Journal of Disney Studies. In this journal readers can find a variety of pieces about all aspects of The Walt Disney Company with a scholarly sensibility. On this episode of Notably Disney, host Brett Nachman welcomes on the journal’s co-editors - Dr. Rebecca Rowe, Assistant Professor of Children’s Literature at East Texas A&M, and Dr. Lisa B. Fiore, Assistant Dean of Graduate School of Arts and Sciences at Tufts University - to share how this publication came to fruition and what to find within its content, among other topics.  Check out more about the International Journal of Disney Studies via its website, Instagram (@ijdisneystudies), and via publisher Intellect Books' Instagram (@IntellectBooks). Feel free to reach out to Brett via Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected]  New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first Tuesday of each month.

In the new book Disneyland and the Rise of Automation: How Technology Created the Happiest Place on Earth, scholar Dr. Roland Betancourt deconstructs how Walt’s original family park served as a foundational space for automation during a time when humans increasingly relied on technology for many of their needs and desires. This well-researched title from Princeton University Press explores how many of Disneyland’s foundational attractions have relied on sophisticated technologies to make modern mechanical magic. Dr. Betancourt is Chancellors’ Professor in the Department of Art History at the University of California, Irvine. On this episode we discuss the book’s development and content.  Learn more about the book on the Princeton University Press website. Feel free to reach out to Brett via Bluesky @drnachman and Instagram @drnachman, subscribe to the podcast, and send your feedback to [email protected]  New episodes of Notably Disney debut on the first Tuesday of each month.