Walt – The Man Behind the Myth – DVD Review
The Film:
There isn’t a soul in the world that hasn’t been touched in some form or manner from Mr. Walt Disney. A pioneer in the field of animation, a visionary in terms of marketing and entertainment, this 2001 documentary offers a friendly look at the man and the legend. His humble beginnings are covered from his birth to his early years in Kansas City, most of these stories, told my family and friends in interviews, are some of the film’s highlights. Walt wasn’t a child of a magical kingdom like most of his characters would be, but rather a poor, hard working chap, who loved his country and Charlie Chaplin.
Walt – The Man Behind the Myth is a solid documentary, even if it feels like it was made for commercial breaks, its sprawling nature, covering wisely his downs as much as his highs, isn’t a picture perfect look at the man. It’s a bit overly long, even though it glosses over some of the more interesting aspects of his life, like the Disney Animator Strikes, his Communist cries at some of his employees, and his ‘a-head-of-the-curve’ eye for newer technology, as those are areas worthy of exploration, but the documentary serves as a warm, heart-felt tribute from friends and his surviving family to us, the fans, so it’s easily forgivable.
The film covers all of the big events in his life and in his company’s like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Fantasia, his foray into television at the birth of the medium, and the creation of the famous amusement parks. The film ends with Mary Poppins, his last real love affair into and for film, but the message is clear: despite all of his turmoils, his gift to us will never die. The documentary is certainly a great primer course to newbies into his life, but I can see some of the more seasoned fans, hearing and knowing all of this already. But it’s a journey and a story worth listening to, all about a man named Disney.
The DVD:
Audio/Video: Disney releases this non-anamorphic, sadly, but that’s its only real flaw. Everything is as good as a doc should be, audio included.
Walt: An Intimate View: Fans should check this out, which is deleted material as in more interviews that were excluded from the documentary, probably for time.
Making Of is a short conversation with the documentary crew on how that constructed the film and Actors, Directors and Friends features even more interviews with colleagues. Disney Legends features key animators talking about the man and the medium, Location Visits offers a quick look at the various locations seen in the film, and Home Movies wraps up the extras with a rare look at Walt’s personal life.
Conclusion: Walt is a nice look at the man and his legacy. It’s easily recommendable to Disney fanatics, but it’s way more accessible to newbies.
The Film: Rating: 
The DVD: Rating:
