Dreams Come True: A Celebration of Disney Animation
on ABC
By Ally Matteodo
The
holidays always bring forth a myriad of family-friendly viewing options.
Amongst these delights, the Best TV Show of the Week is best represented by
ABC’s Dreams Come True: A Celebration of Disney Animation which aired at
8:00 p.m. ET on Friday, December 4th. In honor of The Princess
and the Frog, the first film from Disney using traditional animation
techniques in ten years (which arrives in theaters Friday, Dec. 11th),
this program takes an early look at this modern day fairy tale, and also takes a
retrospective glance at the many classic Disney animated films throughout the
years. Hosted by Vanessa Williams, celebrities such as Kristin Chenoweth, Miley
Cyrus, Serena Williams, Dick Van Dyke, Ty Pennington, Ne-Yo, Anjelica Huston,
Sigourney Weaver, Whoopi Goldberg, Elton John, Jamie Lee Curton, Selena Gomez,
Betty White, Magic Johnson, Emeril Lagasse, and Terrence Howard all discuss
their favorite Disney memories and songs. In addition, Anika Noni Rose, the
voice of main character Tiana in The Princess and the Frog talks about
how the new movie varies from those in the past, but also contains many of the
same elements from previous Disney classics that inspire children and adults
alike.
This
program is a magical journey down memory lane. Dick Van Dyke remembers the
first animated Disney classic, Snow White, and following suit the rest of
the celebrity commentators weave their reminiscences throughout this incredible
body of work, with memories of such magical films as Fantasia, Bambi,
Pinocchio, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Alice in Wonderland, 101 Dalmatians,
Mary Poppins, and Lady and the Tramp. Then there is discussion of
what is considered the Disney renaissance, with the release of The Little
Mermaid in 1989, followed by Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion
King, and Pocahontas. These movies all possess incredibly catchy and
memorable scores and songs that augment their charm and timelessness. Although
everyone agrees that the new digital movies are wonderful, there is something
softer and incredibly special about the hand-drawn animation that people yearn
for. In addition, these movies all contain heroes and heroines who dream big:
Aladdin dreams of living in the palace, Pinocchio dreams of being a real boy,
Ariel dreams of becoming human. These dreams come true for the characters too,
even though there are some bumps along the way. A quote from Walt Disney
summarizes the theme: “All you dreams can come true, if you have the courage to
pursue them.” This trip into the world of Disney is the perfect way to gear up
for the newest movie, and also a welcome excuse to revisit old familiar
classics.
Best TV Show
of the Week
The Parents
Television Council -
www.parentstv.org
