Mickey turns 94 this Friday and the director reveals: “There is a lot behind this image”

“It all started with a mouse”: Walt Disney’s iconic phrase to describe his empire is the backdrop to the documentary “Mickey Mouse: The Story of a Mouse”, which arrived on Disney+ this Friday, just on his 94th birthday of the most famous mouse in the world.

To celebrate this date, the spoke exclusively with Jeff Malmberg, the director of the documentary which seeks to present the story of the iconic character who has become synonymous with Disney itself, one of the most famous and powerful companies in the world.

The director commented on the importance of Walt Disney’s phrase that “it all started with a mouse”. “Something about Mickey being so small, he’s a mouse,” he started the live. “But you know, I think it’s essential to the character of Mickey that it’s… I think we’re all wondering if we’re good enough or old enough.”

“It kind of ignites this character. And I think Walt definitely used this idea of ​​being kind of someone who was trying harder, who was looked down upon. A mouse is something we take for granted. It is certainly something that he has struck repeatedly,” Malmberg continued.

Commenting on Mickey’s story, and how many people don’t know about it, Malmberg revealed that he himself didn’t know this story. “There is a lot behind this image. It’s really nice when there’s something below the surface level, [quando] below the surface level are other aspects. And again, it’s as if something so tiny, small, simple and insignificant has all this meaning inside of itself,” explained the director.

“That to me is always interesting, that’s what we’re talking about when we talk about this, we’re talking about these other things,” she continued. “So we could be talking about the Great Depression [também conhecida como Crise de 1929]we could talk about America in the 1950s, we could talk about all of these things, and somehow, in some weird way, he was there right around that time, and you can see us right through him.

The story of Mickey Mouse, throughout the documentary, is closely linked to the life of Walt Disney, the creator of the character who elevated the mouse to a cultural icon and symbol of his company. “It’s definitely something that Walt Disney has used throughout his career to make that comparison. It was he who pointed out that his alter ego was Mickey Mouse.

“It’s interesting to me that they were so close from the beginning, and as they separate, Walt’s life gets harder, it gets more complicated, let’s say. And he’s using Mickey every step of the way: Disneyland, television, stuff like that, to do things that he wants to happen, he can use his friend Mickey to do that. So it’s an interesting relationship that develops over time,” comments the director.

Regarding the documentary, Jeff Malmberg clarified that there were aspects that he wanted to include in the film, important aspects, with a funny approach, since it suited the character, but also an honest approach. “There were aspects that we wanted to make sure were there, so people could know about them and be able to talk about them,” he said.

And, to build this documentary, Malmberg relied on a resource that made everything much more visual: Disney animation professionals. “I would have found Mickey’s story interesting [o suficiente]🇧🇷 But have a current look to match Eric [Goldberg] and score [Henn] and Randi [Haycock], and that hand-drawn animation style, it’s really the same animation style that’s been done for 100 years. And it was really special.

“I’ve always enjoyed watching people create things, making movies about that and letting the audience watch people create things. So having that modern look was really wonderful and I also think it highlights the beauty of hand-drawn animation and how vital that is, it’s something that needs to continue.”

Finally, Malmberg praised the character he played in the documentary “Mickey Mouse: A Mouse Story”: “One of the reasons I like Mickey Mouse is because he is a character who tries and sees the bright side, who keeps going and who fails. You know? Continuously. So I think he has little value in the world. And I think the world is a little happier to see him. So I think it’s worth celebrating.”

“Mickey Mouse: A Mouse Story” is now available on Disney+.

The post Mickey turns 94 this Friday and the director reveals: “There is a lot behind this image” which first appeared on Olhar Digital.

Source: Olhar Digital

Camila

Camila Luna is a writer at Gossipify, where she covers the latest movies and television series. With a passion for all things entertainment, Camila brings her unique perspective to her writing and offers readers an inside look at the industry. Camila is a graduate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with a degree in English and is also a avid movie watcher.