Show Notes on Dream a Little Deeper: The Rescuers
Walt Disney Productions released a second animated feature-length film in 1977: The Rescuers. Originally intended as a B-film for the new recruits to practice on, the film was going to take place on one of Margery Sharp’s books on the Prisoner’s Aid Society that took place in the arctic. However, after the A-team’s project got shelved by the company’s executives, they swooped in and assumed creative control over the fim, basically scrapping all the original plans and using Sharp’s second book, Miss Bianca, as inspiration. Clashes between the veteran and new animators caused veteran director, Wolfgang Reitherman, to step down from the project and favorite newbie, Don Bluth, to quit entirely and start his own production company. Despite the dramatics behind the scenes, Rescuers premiered to critical and audience acclaim.
Primary Source
The Rescuers dir by Wolfgang Reitherman, John Lounsbery, & Art Stevens, (1977).
Books
Demystifying Disney: A History of Disney Feature Animation by Chris Pallant (2011)
Disney & His Worlds by Alan Bryman (1995)
Drawing the Line: The Untold Story of Animation Unions from Basko to Bart Simpson by Tom Sito
Walt’s People: Talking Disney with the Artists who Knew Him, Volume 12 by Didlier Ghez
Mouse Under Glass: Secrets of Disney Animation & Theme Parks by David Koenig (1997)
Of Mice and Magic by Leonard Maltin (1987)
Newspaper
Sun Journal - Walt Disney Productions returns to animation by Bob Thomas
Videos
The History of Walt Disney Animation Studios + (Part 5) - Animation Lookback by ElectricDragon505
The Rescuers (1977) - Uncut - Controversial images scene restored - TheRetroMike
Websites
AP News - Disney Recalls 'Rescuers’ Video
Funding Universe - The Walt Disney Company History
Wikipedia - Disney anthology television series
Wikipedia - Donn Tatum
Wikipedia - The Rescuers
Wikipedia - The Walt Disney Company
Yahoo Entertainment - Cruella de Vil's Comeback That Wasn't: See Long-Lost Sketches of Iconic Villain in 'The Rescuers' (Exclusive)
Interviews
Sam Van Haren
Sam is the Associate Editor at Talk Film Society and is currently studying graphic design. He hosts the podcast Keanue Believe It, a Keanue Reeves retrospective, and appears on other TFS podcasts.
You can find Sam on Twitter @SamShotFirst and you can listen to his podcasts Keanu Believe It, Going Helms Deep, and TFS Assemble on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Soundcloud.
Jenna Lazenby
Jenna is a tired non-coffee addict from Texas. She hates and loves everything, and that’s the best way she can describe anything she does.
You can hear more from Jenna on her podcast, the Opinionated Podcast. For show updates, follow it on Instagram.
Erica Fada
Erica is a masters candidate at Loyola University Chicago, studying social work and women and gender study. They do Taekwondo & love reptiles.
You can follow the adventures of their reptile children @benni.andthe.mans on Instagram.
