Connection
Walt Disney Animation Studios
If you like this company, let us know!
Walt Disney Animation Studios, headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, is an American animation studio that creates animated feature films, short films, and television specials for The Walt Disney Company. Founded on October 16, 1923, it is a division of The Walt Disney Studios. The studio has produced 54 feature films, from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937 to Big Hero 6 in 2014.
Originally founded as Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio in 1923 and incorporated as Walt Disney Productions in 1929, the studio was exclusively dedicated to producing short films until it expanded into feature production in 1934. In 1983, Walt Disney Productions named its live-action film studio Walt Disney Pictures. During a corporate restructuring in 1986, Walt Disney Productions was renamed The Walt Disney Company and the animation division, renamed Walt Disney Feature Animation, became a subsidiary of its film division, The Walt Disney Studios. In 2006, Walt Disney Feature Animation took on its current name, Walt Disney Animation Studios after Pixar Animation Studios was acquired by Disney in the same year.
For much of its existence, the studio was recognized as the premier American animation studio; it developed many of the techniques, concepts, and principles that became standard practices of traditional animation. The studio also pioneered the art of storyboarding, which is now a standard technique used in both animated and live-action filmmaking. The studio's catalog of animated features is among Disney's most notable assets, with the stars of its animated shorts – Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Pluto – becoming recognizable figures in popular culture and mascots for The Walt Disney Company as a whole.
Walt Disney Animation Studios, today managed by Edwin Catmull and John Lasseter (who also manage Pixar), continues to produce feature films using both hand-drawn animation and computer-generated imagery (CGI). Its 55th and 56th features, Zootopia and Moana, are currently in production; the former is scheduled for release on March 4, 2016, and the latter is scheduled for release on November 23, 2016.
Best films
Filmography of Walt Disney Animation Studios (123 films)
Production
Add to a movie list
Tron (1982)
, 1h36Directed by Steven Lisberger
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Fantastic, Action, Adventure
Themes Films about computing, Jeu, Transport films, Superhero films, Sécurité informatique, Films about video games, Road movies, Cyberpunk films, Dystopian films, Children's films, Chase films
Actors Jeff Bridges, Bruce Boxleitner, David Warner, Cindy Morgan, Barnard Hughes, Peter Jurasik
Kevin Flynn (Jeff Bridges) is a software engineer, formerly employed by the computer corporation ENCOM, who now runs an arcade bar called Flynn's. He wrote several video games, but another ENCOM engineer, Ed Dillinger (David Warner), stole them and passed them off as his own, earning himself a series of promotions until reaching Senior Executive VP. Having left the company, Flynn attempts to obtain evidence of Dillinger's actions by hacking the ENCOM mainframe, but is repeatedly stopped by the Master Control Program (MCP), an artificial intelligence written by Dillinger. However, since its inception the MCP has become power-hungry, illegally appropriating business and even government programs and absorbing them to increase its own capacities; it informs Dillinger of its plans to subjugate The Pentagon and the Kremlin, and expresses interest in China with its request for Chinese-translation programs, blackmailing Dillinger into compliance with records of his theft of the games.
Vincent (1982)
, 5minutesDirected by Tim Burton, Leonard Nimoy
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Fantasy, Animation
Themes Films about children, Children's films
Actors Vincent Price, Leonard Nimoy
Vincent is the poetry story of a 7-year-old boy, Vincent Malloy, who pretends to be like the actor Vincent Price (who narrates the film). He does experiments on his dog Abercrombie in order to create a horrible ravenous Zombie dog. He is obsessed with the tales of Edgar Allan Poe, and it is his detachment from reality when reading them that leads to his delusions that he is in fact a tortured artist, deprived of the woman he loves, mirroring certain parts of Poe's "The Raven". The film ends with Vincent feeling terrified of being tortured by the going-ons of his make-believe world, quoting "The Raven" as he falls to the floor in frailty, believing himself to be dead.
The Watcher in the Woods (1981)
, 1h23Directed by Vincent McEveety, John Hough
Origin USA
Genres Science fiction, Thriller, Fantastic, Fantasy, Horror
Themes Films based on science fiction novels, Ghost films, Children's films
Actors Bette Davis, Lynn-Holly Johnson, Kyle Richards, Carroll Baker, David McCallum, Frances Cuka
Helen and Paul Curtis (Carroll Baker and David McCallum) and their daughters Jan (Lynn-Holly Johnson) and Ellie (Kyle Richards), move into a manor. Mrs. Aylwood (Bette Davis), the owner of the residence, notices that Jan bears a striking resemblance to her daughter, Karen, who disappeared inside a chapel near the village 30 years previously.
, 8minutesOrigin USA
Genres Animation
Themes Films about animals, Mise en scène d'un ours, Musical films, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Hal Smith, Will Ryan, Ray Erlenborn, John Fiedler, Jim Cummings, Ron Feinberg
Christopher Robin presents Pooh with an interesting new gift—a calendar. Pooh has never seen one before, and Christopher Robin explains that it's a way of keeping track of the days, weeks, months and seasons. The calendar stops at each season, as we watch Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Rabbit and Owl in the Hundred Acre Wood exploring the world around them and noticing the changes. Among them: the water in the pond becomes hard and slick when it gets cold.
The Fox and the Hound (1981)
, 1h23Directed by Ted Berman, Art Stevens, Richard Rich, Don Hahn
Origin USA
Genres Drama, Comedy-drama, Adventure, Musical, Animation
Themes Films about animals, Films about children, Film d'animation mettant en scène un animal, Films about dogs, Films about foxes, Musical films, Buddy films, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Mickey Rooney, Kurt Russell, Pearl Bailey, Sandy Duncan, Pat Buttram, Jack Albertson
After a young red fox is orphaned, Big Mama the owl, Boomer the woodpecker, and Dinky the finch arrange for him to be adopted by a kindly farmer named Widow Tweed. Tweed names him Tod, since he reminds her of a toddler. Meanwhile, her neighbor, a hunter named Amos Slade, brings home a young hound puppy named Copper and introduces him to his hunting dog Chief. Tod and Copper become playmates and vow to remain "friends forever". Slade becomes frustrated with Copper for frequently wandering off to play and puts him on a leash. While playing with Copper at his home, Tod awakens Chief. Slade and Chief chase him until they are confronted by Tweed. After a violent argument, Slade threatens to kill Tod if he trespasses on his farm again. Hunting season comes and Slade takes his dogs into the wilderness for the interim. Meanwhile, Big Mama, Dinky and Boomer attempt to explain to Tod that his friendship with Copper can no longer continue, as they are natural enemies, but Tod naively refuses to believe them, hoping that he and Copper will remain friends forever.
Popeye (1980)
, 1h34Directed by Robert Altman
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Romantic comedy, Action, Adventure, Musical, Animation
Themes Seafaring films, Films about music and musicians, Transport films, Pirate films, Musical films, Children's films
Actors Robin Williams, Shelley Duvall, Ray Walston, Paul L. Smith, Paul Dooley, Richard Libertini
Popeye, a sailor, arrives at the small coastal town of Sweethaven ("Sweethaven—An Anthem") while searching for his long-lost father. He is immediately feared by the townsfolk simply because he is a stranger ("Blow Me Down"), and is accosted by a greedy taxman. He rents a room at the Oyl family's boarding house where the Oyls' daughter, Olive, is preparing for her engagement party. Her hand is promised to Captain Bluto, a powerful, perpetually angry bully who runs the town in the name of the mysterious Commodore. In the morning, Popeye visits the local diner for breakfast ("Everything Is Food") and demonstrates his strength as he brawls with a gang of provocative ruffians who give him and the other customers a hard time.
Herbie Goes Bananas (1980)
, 1h30Directed by Vincent McEveety
Origin USA
Genres Fantastic, Comedy, Fantasy, Adventure
Themes Films about children, Sports films, Transport films, Films about automobiles, Auto racing films, Road movies, Children's films
Actors Cloris Leachman, Harvey Korman, Jack Perkins, Charles Martin Smith, Stephen W. Burns, John Vernon
Loosely picking up where Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo left off, protagonist Pete Stancheck (Stephen W. Burns) has inherited Herbie from Jim Douglas, and travels to Mexico (Puerto Vallarta) with his friend Davy "D.J." Johns (Charles Martin Smith) to retrieve the car. There, they befriend Paco (Joaquin Garay, III), a comically mischievous, orphaned pickpocket.
, 1h37Directed by Charles Jarrott
Origin USA
Genres Adventure
Themes Seafaring films, Transport films, Aviation films, Dans un avion, Children's films, Disaster films, Films about aviation accidents or incidents
Actors Elliott Gould, Geneviève Bujold, Rick Schroder, Vincent Gardenia, Dana Elcar, John Fujioka
A jaded pilot named Noah Dugan (Gould) is unemployed and owes a large amount of money due to his gambling. He goes to an old friend, Stoney (Vincent Gardenia), who owns an airfield. He is offered a job flying a cargo of animals to a remote South Pacific island aboard a B-29 bomber, a large plane well past its prime (having born the brunt of U.S. combat against Japan decades earlier during World War II). Bernadette Lafleur (Bujold) is the prim missionary who accompanies him. Bernadette has raised the animals at an orphanage and is close to two of the orphans, Bobby and Julie (Schroder and Tammy Lauren).
Midnight Madness (1980)
, 1h52Directed by Ronald William Miller, Michael Nankin
Origin USA
Genres Comedy
Themes Children's films
Actors David Naughton, Michael J. Fox, Stephen Furst, Maggie Roswell, Eddie Deezen, Andy Tennant
Leon (Alan Solomon), a genius, summons five college students to his apartment and challenges them to participate in his latest game creation: The Great All-Nighter. He tells them about his game and instructs them to form teams. At first, the leaders refuse to play. However, rivalries between them lead all five to change their minds by the game's start time.
The Small One (1978)
, 25minutesDirected by Don Bluth, Richard Rich
Origin USA
Genres Animation
Themes Christmas films, Films about religion, Children's films
Actors Sean Marshall, William Woodson, Olan Soule, Hal Smith, Joe Higgins, Gordon Jump
Outside of the city of Nazareth, a young boy and his father own four donkeys. Three of these donkeys are young and strong. The fourth donkey, Small One, is old and weak, but the boy loves him anyway. Everyday, the boy and the donkey play together before they go to work, helping the boy's father to collect wood.
The Rescuers (1977)
, 1h17Directed by Art Stevens, Wolfgang Reitherman, Richard Rich, John Lounsbery
Origin USA
Genres Comedy-drama, Fantasy, Adventure, Musical, Animation
Themes Films about animals, Films about children, Politique, Film d'animation mettant en scène un animal, Musical films, Political films, Buddy films, Children's films
Actors Eva Gabor, Bob Newhart, Geraldine Page, Joe Flynn, Johnny Flynn, Robie Lester
In an abandoned river boat in Devil's Bayou, a young orphan named Penny drops a message in a bottle containing a plea for help into the river. The bottle washes up in New York City, where it is recovered by the Rescue Aid Society, an international mouse organization inside the United Nations. The Hungarian representative, Miss Bianca, volunteers to accept the case and chooses Bernard, a stammering janitor, as her co-agent. The two visit Morningside Orphanage, where Penny lived, and meet an old cat named Rufus. He tells them about a woman named Madame Medusa who once tried to lure Penny into her car and may have succeeded in abducting Penny this time.
, 1h14Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, Richard Rich, John Lounsbery, Edward Hansen
Origin USA
Genres Musical, Animation
Themes Films about animals, Film d'animation mettant en scène un animal, Films about pigs, Mise en scène d'un lapin ou d'un lièvre, Films about birds, Mise en scène d'un ours, Mise en scène d'un tigre, Musical films, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Sterling Holloway, Sebastian Cabot, John Fiedler, Junius Matthews, Paul Winchell, Barbara Luddy
The film's content is derived from three previously released animated featurettes Disney produced based upon the Winnie-the-Pooh books by A. A. Milne: Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree (1966), Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day (1968), and Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too (1974). Extra material used to link the three featurettes together was added to allow the stories to merge into each other.
, 25minutesDirected by John Lounsbery
Origin USA
Genres Musical, Animation
Themes Films about animals, Mise en scène d'un ours, Mise en scène d'un tigre, Musical films, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Sterling Holloway, Sebastian Cabot, Clint Howard, Paul Winchell, Junius Matthews, John Fiedler
During the fall, Tigger has been bouncing on anyone he comes across for fun, especially Rabbit when he is gardening, which angers Rabbit, so he calls a meeting with Pooh and Piglet and formulates a plan to prevent Tigger from bouncing abandon Tigger in the woods, and find him the next day so hopefully Tigger will stop bouncing on his friends unexpectedly. Initially the plan seems to work, but when Rabbit, Pooh, and Piglet cannot find their way home, Pooh makes a suggestion about following a sandpit in order to find their way out of the forest. In an attempt to prove Pooh wrong, Rabbit wanders away. Pooh and Piglet then fall asleep, but are woken by Pooh's empty stomach. He explains to Piglet that his honeypots have been calling to his tummy from home and that he couldn't hear them over Rabbit's voice. Pooh and Piglet find their way out of the forest, but are immediately bounced by Tigger. Piglet, realizing that the plan failed, mentions Rabbit's plan, and Tigger goes into the forest to find him. Rabbit walks through the forest by himself, and is scared by numerous noises such as a caterpillar eating a leaf and frogs croaking. Rabbit tries to run away in a panic, only to be tackled by Tigger. Rabbit is humiliated that his plan to lose Tigger had failed. Tigger explains to him that "Tiggers never get lost", and takes Rabbit home.
Robin Hood (1973)
, 1h23Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, Edward Hansen
Origin USA
Genres Adventure, Musical, Animation
Themes Films about animals, Film d'animation mettant en scène un animal, Films about foxes, Musical films, Buddy films, Children's films
Actors Phil Harris, Andy Devine, Peter Ustinov, Terry-Thomas, Ken Curtis, Brian Bedford
Alan-a-Dale introduces the story of Robin Hood and Little John, two outlaws living in Sherwood Forest, where they rob from the rich and give to the poor townsfolk of Nottingham, despite the efforts of the Sheriff of Nottingham to stop them. Meanwhile, Prince John and his assistant Sir Hiss arrive in Nottingham on a tour of the kingdom. Knowing the royal coach is laden with riches, Robin and Little John rob Prince John by disguising themselves as fortune tellers. The embarrassed Prince John then puts a bounty on their heads and makes the Sheriff his personal tax collector, who takes pleasure in collecting funds from the townsfolk including hidden money from the crippled blacksmith Otto and a single farthing from a young rabbit, Skippy, who had just received it as a birthday present. However, Robin Hood, disguised as a beggar, sneaks in and gives back some money to the family, as well as his hat and a bow to Skippy in honor of his birthday.
The Aristocats (1970)
, 1h18Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, Edward Hansen
Origin USA
Genres Comedy, Musical theatre, Fantasy, Adventure, Musical, Animation
Themes Films about animals, Films about music and musicians, Film d'animation mettant en scène un animal, Films about cats, Films about dogs, Jazz films, Musical films, Children's films, Mise en scène d'un mammifère
Actors Phil Harris, Eva Gabor, Scatman Crothers, Hermione Gingold, Robie Lester, Gary Dubin
In Paris in 1910, mother cat Duchess and her three kittens, Marie, Berlioz, and Toulouse, live with retired opera diva Madame Adelaide Bonfamille, and her English butler, Edgar. While preparing her will with lawyer Georges Hautecourt, Madame declares her fortune to be left to her cats until their deaths, and thereafter to Edgar. Edgar hears this through a speaking tube, and plots to eliminate the cats. Therefore, he sedates the cats by sleeping pills in their food, and enters the countryside to abandon them. There, he is ambushed by two hounds, named Napoleon and Lafayette, and the cats are stranded in the countryside, while Madame Adelaide, Roquefort the mouse, and Frou-Frou the horse discover their absence. In the morning, Duchess meets an alley cat named Thomas O'Malley, who offers to guide her and the kittens to Paris. The group briefly hitchhike in a milk cart before being chased off by the driver. Later, while crossing a railroad trestle, the cats narrowly avoid an oncoming train, but Marie falls into a river and is saved by O'Malley; himself rescued by two English geese, Amelia and Abigail Gabble, who accompany the cats to Paris. Edgar returns to the country to retrieve his possessions from Napoleon and Lafayette, as the only evidence that could incriminate him.