This beautifully produced Disney short film takes some liberties from the original popular story in order to drive home its anti Nazi message. IMDb has this to say about the film:
"Produced as a propaganda short during WWII, warning audiences not to believe anti-American propaganda. Originally the film was to have had more direct references to the war: Foxy Loxy would have read from "Mein Kampf"; and the chicken's graves would have been marked by swastikas. But Walt Disney decided to keep the film generic so that it would not become dated after the war".
The film's concept is brilliant, and the animation is top notch.
I don't know who drew the model sheets, but the animators used those exact designs, no adjustments were made.
Milt Kahl focused on the main character, who is playful, not very smart and likely to believe anything he is told.
Here is the rough model sheet for Chicken Little followed by Milt's design explorations.
More character model sheets, including the villain Foxy Loxy, animated brilliantly by Ward Kimball.
A very brief version of the storyboard.
Watch the film right here:
You can purchase the complete Disney Wartime DVD set here:
thanks.
ReplyDeletewhat i really love about disney animations and animators is the way of felling free doing the things all over the process of work.we can see that on roughs and sketchs.i like to see that kind of stuff.very simple lines,loose skin, which means a lot for the concept that you have in mind.the best part for me without a doubt.i hate rules.
have a nice weekend,Andreas.God bless you.
Milt Gray said before he swore he had seen the original print for CHICKEN LITTLE where he reads the 'Mein Kampf' book; but it was shown at a kiddie matinee in Burbank back in 1965. The animator drafts certainly verify his account, as the original ending was written as: 'Oh yeah? Dat's how it ends in Mein Kampf!', instead of the other line we all as today.
ReplyDeleteWith or without the "Mein Kampf" references, this short is still ten times better than the 2005 feature-length. Really adore the character designs here especially.
ReplyDeleteNoticing Foxy Loxy's designs here, they did shorten his nose a bit in the final version, kinda gave it that sort of tiny bulbous look the studio often used on a few characters. The face almost resembles Brer Fox from Song of the South a few years later.
DeleteThis was such an interesting short. It certainly has a darker ending than most Disney productions do, and I really loved the character designs. Know if only I get that CGI picture of the same name out of my mind...
ReplyDeleteI'm glad I never saw that film Natalie, wasn't worth my time! I did see this short though many times in the 80's on The Disney Channel and never knew the WWII origins it contained within it, but taken out of that era, it's still an effective lesson as presented, though I do recall once seeing it as a filmstrip in school where the final part involving the Fox having done the dirty deed didn't get shown for some reason.
DeleteCocky Locky - made my day! thank you for post)))
ReplyDeleteAnd yet I never thought twice of such a name anyway since that was from the story anyway (the author or whoever that passed this on really liked rhyming these names).
DeleteI've seen a number of production elements that clarify the "Mein Kampf" version of the cartoon as having been the original release version. It was a postwar reissue that changed it to the "apolitical" version we see today.
ReplyDeleteShame we don't get the original version to watch at all.
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