Walt Disney Treasures - Behind the Scenes at the Walt Disney Studio
As Walt Disney's fame grew during the 1930s, people wanted to know more  about his studio and how the "Silly Symphonies" and Mickey Mouse shorts were  created. Although Disney seldom allowed visitors, he periodically offered  viewers peeks inside into the studio through the films in this collection. In  1937, Disney madeA Trip Through the Walt Disney Studiosfor his  distributor, RKO, to help the marketing campaign forSnow White. This  in-house documentary was later reworked and released as a trailer for the studio's  first feature asHow Walt Disney Cartoons Are Made. In 1941, humorist  Robert Benchley toured the studio and chatted with the artists inThe  Reluctant Dragon. But the film was released during a bitterly fought strike  that belied its cheerful depiction of the studio.During the '50s, Walt used his studio as a backdrop for several episodes of theDisneylandTV series. "The Story of the Animated Drawing" traces the  history of the medium, including re-creations of Emil Reynaud's Théâtre Optique  (1892-1900) and Winsor McCay's vaudeville routine with his landmark filmGertie the Dinosaur(1914). "Tricks of Our Trade," which focuses on the  creation ofSleeping Beauty, shows staged footage of four of the  celebrated "Nine Old Men"--Marc Davis, Milt Kahl, Frank Thomas, and Ollie  Johnston--sketching. In the DVD bonus material, host Leonard Maltin traces the  development of the studio facilities from a Los Angeles garage to its present  location in Burbank. Maltin also chats with Disney legend Joe Grant, who cowrote  the "Baby Weems" sequence inReluctant Dragon. Recorded at the time of  Grant's 94th birthday, the artist displays the sly wit that continues to inspire  animators. (Unrated: Suitable for all ages: cartoon violence)--Charles  Solomon