Janet Wasko - Understanding Disney

1 Title page Understanding Disney THE MANUFACTURE OF FANTASY Second Edition JANET WASKO polity

2 Copyright page

3 Preface and Acknowledgments

4 1 Introducing the Disney MultiverseFrom Mickey to Marvel From universe to multiverse Studying Disney Why another book (and a second edition) on Disney? Notes

5 2 Disney History(ies) Walt Disney, the man Once upon a time . . . “It all started with a mouse” Hooray for Hollywood Hollywood’s Horatio Alger Disney’s Folly The animation factory Conflict in Wonderland World War II: Disney and the US government Postwar period Diversification, Disney-style Genius on ice? The Disney corporate legacy Notes

6 3 The Disney Empire The evolution of corporate Disney In Walt’s shadow Team Disney and the Disney Decade The unraveling of Team Disney The Iger rejuvenation Expanding the brand Muppets Pixar Marvel Lucasfilm 21st Century Fox Owners, directors, and managers Stock ownership and control Directors and connections Managers and money Dissecting the Disney empire Studio Entertainment Theatrical markets Home entertainment market Television and other markets Disney Theatrical Group Disney Music Group Media Networks Cable networks ESPN Inc. Disney-branded channels Broadcasting Broadcast television Television production and distribution Domestic television stations Equity investments Parks, Experiences, and Consumer Products Parks and resorts Other Disney vacation experiences Consumer products Merchandising licensing Retail Online business Games and interactive experiences Publishing and digital media Direct-to-Consumer and International Mickey Inc. Notes

7 4 Corporate Disney in Action Working together: synergy in action Case study: Frozen (2013) Pre-release strategies Film release Post-release promotion/activities Case study: Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) Pre-release promotion Force Friday Merchandise madness Final pre-release events Film release and beyond Beyond case studies: other examples of synergy Expanding the Multiverse: building the brand, maintaining franchises, and deepening the demographics The Disney Princess franchise Controlling the Multiverse Controlling intellectual property Case study: the Oregon Duck Controlling labor: working for the Mouse House Studio workers/animation Theme-park workers The rewards: salaries, promotions, perks Mickey as Teamster Controlling through tough tactics Conquering the world: Disney’s globalization Global agility: political persuasion Global opportunities: exploiting labor Making the magic: technology Media content Theme parks Consumer products Disney research Marketing The Mouse Playing nice: corporate social responsibility Philanthropy Environment Summary: corporate responsibility = public relations Conclusion: the bottom line, after all Notes

8 5 Analyzing the World According to Disney Approaches and methods of studying media content What is Disney? The Classic Disney model Characteristics of Classic Disney Classic Disney stories Reinventing folk tales Narrative style Classic Disney characters Classic Disney themes and values Individualism and optimism Escape, fantasy, magic, imagination Innocence Romance and happiness Good triumphing over evil Revised Classic Disney Disney as art: aesthetic analysis Walt Disney, the artist, the auteur Disney as art Analyzing Mickey Mouse Critique of Disney’s interpretation of children’s literature Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs Classic Disney and Snow White Feminist analysis of Disney products Introducing a feminist analysis of popular culture Women in Classic Disney Women in Revised Classic Disney The Little Mermaid ( 1989 ) Frozen ( 2013 ) Progressive Disney or Revised Classic Disney? Disney’s representation of race Marxist analysis/the imperialist Disney A note on Disney comics Disney’s representation of the natural world True-Life Adventures The Living Desert Disney as a model for nature films Disneynature Reading the Disney Multiverse Notes

9 6 Dissecting Disney’s Worlds History of Disney’s worlds Current overview Disneyland Resort Walt Disney World Resort Tokyo Disneyland Resort Disneyland Paris Hong Kong Disneyland Resort Shanghai Disneyland Resort Analyzing Disney worlds Themes from a theme park Synergy Commodification/consumption Commercialization/corporatism “I’m going to Disneyland” “Backstage magic” Predictability and expectations Control, control, control Control of the theme-park experience Control over imaginations Control as a motif Control over the appearance and behavior of employees Control over the environment Control over its destiny Classic Disney and beyond The past: Walt Disney’s America Back to the future? Mobility/transportation Postmodern analysis and synthetic experiences Celebration: living in a Disney world? Disney parks outside the United States Tokyo Disneyland Disneyland Paris Hong Kong Disneyland Shanghai Disney Understanding Disney’s worlds Notes

10 7 Disney and the World Defining Disney audiences/consumers The Disney brand Audiences or consumers? “Children of all ages” Studying Disney audiences Disney’s market research Academic audience research Early academic research on Disney audiences Studying Disney, gender, and audiences Other Disney audience studies Global Disney/international audiences Disney confessions Disney archetypes Disney fanatics Disney lifestyle Disney birthdays Disney weddings Disney collecting/Disneyana Disney fan clubs Disney publications Disney fans Disney consumers Enthusiastic consumers Admiring consumers Reluctant consumers Disney cynics Disney disinterested Disney resisters Disney antagonists Appropriating The Mouse “Professional” appropriation of Disney Artists Popular media Film/video/television Magazines/popular press/books Disney films/self-references Fan appropriation of Disney Disney fan creations Fan fiction Fan art Fan films/videos/music Fan games Disney’s response to appropriation Disney fans and foes Notes

11 8 Living Happily Ever After? Understanding Disney in review So what have we learned about Disney? The universal Disney The Disney Multiverse Disney endurance? The sacred Disney The vulnerable Disney? Notes

12 Appendix

13 Index

14 End User License Agreement

1 Cover

2 Contents

3 1 Introducing the Disney Multiverse

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