Disney Classics In Order - No. 8 Make Mine Music

That whole “save money after the Second World War by making anthology films” approach is still going on (we’ve got a couple more to go after this) so it’s quite an odd stretch in terms of Disney films. There aren’t any other like it after we get out of this run (with the possible exception of Fantasia 2000)

Make Mine Music (1946)
Directors:- Jack Kinney, Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, Joshua Meador, Robert Cormack
Based Upon:- Lots of different things, really

The One Where
- Ten separate short pieces of animation are linked together by no real theme other than “music” - most notably “Peter And The Wolf” and “The Whale Who Wanted To Sing At The Met”.

General Viewing Notes
- This is a definite step up on the weirdness of the mish mash that was The Three Caballeros. They’ve wisely decided against a specific theme and also gone for some more experimental animation pieces, some of which are quite fun.
- There’s still a feeling of Disney wanting to get the Fantasia formula to work here. There are some good shorts in the mix but still a few that feel a little worthy and dull.
- “Peter And The Wolf” is utterly delightful and worth the price of admission as is “The Whale Who Wanted To Sing At The Met” (although be warned, that one’s pretty dark).
- I’d never seen this film in its entirety before but, thanks to the UK Bank Holiday programme Disney Time which compiled together clips and shorts alongside a C-list presenter, I had already seen “Peter And The Wolf” and “The Whale Who…”.

Disney Tropes
Just the one really - we get a Fake-Out Death in Peter And The Wolf (and a surprising number of actual deaths in other parts of the film).

It’s That Voice Again
Sterling Holloway is back again for some narration duties on Peter And The Wolf - we’ll be hearing a lot more from him in some really iconic roles.

Things You Notice As An Adult
The “The Martins And The Coys” segment is quite surprising for a Disney film in that it has both alcohol and a lot of comedy gunfire. Not what you’re used to seeing from the House Of Mouse. It’s also weirdly depressing - everyone dies except one couple who then have a miserable life - as is the ending of “The Whale Who…” (which I must have blanked out)

Classic Songs - Are They?
Well, more “classical” in some cases than “classic” (ah ha ha). Other than Prokofiev and a number of opera snippets, not really.

Any Good Then?
It’s got some great moments and some that you just sit through. It’s an upswing on the previous film and doesn’t plumb some of the depths of Fantasia but we’re still not quite hitting classic territory here. Worth watching “Peter” and “The Whale Who…” and maybe skip the rest.

Next One Of These
Come on, stick with it, we’ve still got anthologies to watch…