Slate: How the Disney animated movie became practically synonymous with Broadway.

[mcurtiss]

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/...ed_a_turning_point_in_the_animated_movie.html

a pretty interesting clip in the article as well

The “Disney Renaissance” that spanned the late ’80s and lasted throughout the ’90s is a well-chronicled period in cinematic history. The behind-the-scenes stories are readily accessible to anyone with a passing interest in the legendary animation studio—the various box-office records and successes have been meticulously tallied, the Oscar nominations and wins notably recounted. But there’s another side of Disney’s spectacular run that hasn’t been as fully examined: the aesthetic effects of Broadway on the animation studio’s cinematic output.

Alan Menken noted in a recent Entertainment Weekly interview that with “Part of Your World” in The Little Mermaid, Disney embarked on its first full-on “I want” musical number—“that important moment where you engage the audience in the quest of the central character so you know what you’re rooting for.” Here, we’ll take a look at the significance of this Broadway-ification of Disney, as well as the many other musical theater influences that found their way into subsequent films like Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Pocahontas.

 

[prberk]

Film is a form of theatre, and it should not surprise anyone that a successful formula for musical theatre, when translated well (considering the different limitations and attributes of film vs. stage) is also a successful formula for musical film. MGM knew that in the '40s with their glorious technicolor film musicals, and so did earlier Walt Disney musical animated films.

I agree with the author's premise for the most part. It is just sad that Disney forgets the main formula (an engaging story, written with musical accompaniment that is well-done and advances the story) from time to time. Because otherwise, the freedom of animation is a great "stage" for it, with the ability to take us places the regular stage cannot.