2006 Film and History League Conference
“The Documentary Tradition”
www.filmandhistory.org

AREA: Walt Disney and the Documentary Film

Along with a their line of animated short subject and feature length films, The Walt Disney Studios has a history, especially in the 1950s and 1960s, of “documentary” nature films including a series known as “True Life Adventures.” The weekly television show “The Wonderful World of Disney” in the 1960s and 1970s frequently showed these films and used “documentary” footage of the construction of Florida’s Disney World and Epcot. While Disney’s animated films have received a great deal of attention from film and cultural studies scholars the documentary films (some of which are also animated) appear to be an untapped reservoir of information on Disney and American twentieth century culture.

Questions for consideration: How were Disney’s documentary films reflective of a broader understanding of culture in the twentieth century? How were they indicative of “Disney” culture? How did the documentary films fit in with Walt Disney’s vision as both entertainer and educator? What technologies and techniques did Disney filmmakers contribute to the larger documentary film community?

We are inviting submissions on all aspects of Walt Disney and the Documentary. Deadline for submission is September 15, 2006.

The Film and History League conference details can be found at www.filmandhistory.org. The meeting will run from 8-12 November, 2006 in the Dolce Conference Center near the DFW airport.

Send all inquires and proposals to

Dr. Gregory J. Thompson
Rogers State University
Communications and Fine Arts
Claremore OK 74017

gthompson@rsu.edu