Disniversity Podcast

Sailing away from The New World, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers are drawn in by the sound of clanging Parisian bells for a gothic twisted tale of monsters and men in 1996’s The Hunchback Of Notre Dame. Joining them to discuss one of the darkest films of the Disney Renaissance is master of the macabre (and all-round lovely guy) Mike Muncer, of The Evolution Of Horror podcast – stopping by to talk murder, morality, and musical motifs. Together, this intrepid trio discuss the story behind Victor Hugo’s novel, the film’s fire-and-brimstone energy (and imagery), that jaw-droppingly daring opening sequence, Alan Menken’s imperious score, a weird TikTok sound mash-up, and Jeffrey Katzenberg’s proposed starry casting that never made the screen. All that, and the heartbreaking question is posed: are those gargoyles actually alive or not? Start up the clanging chimes of doom! Next up: Hercules Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney. — Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Strange World. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.

Historian Camilla Townsend joins the hosts to discuss the historical context of Disney's Pocahontas and how it differs from the real story. They explore the controversy surrounding the film's portrayal of indigenous cultures and debunk the myths surrounding Pocahontas. They also highlight the portrayal of female friendship in the film and analyze the songs and side characters. The podcast concludes by discussing Disney's attempt to recreate The Lion King's success with Pocahontas.

After soaring over Agrabah and beyond, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers make the pilgrimage to Pride Rock to pay tribute to Disney’s regal Shakespeare spin: 1994’s The Lion King. And they’re joined by Simba super-fan Amon Warmann, for a bumper-sized discussion of the biggest Disney film yet. Together, they explore how the film accidentally stumbled into its Hamlet homage, how it rose from being one of the studio’s less-prestigious projects into a box office behemoth, and solve the ultimate question: is ‘Be Prepared’ a good karaoke song or not? Plus, Ben is thrilled by an alternate universe where a very different pop giant wrote the songs, Sam breaks down the dubious politics of the Pride Lands, Amon rhapsodises about Hans Zimmer’s score, and all three are mind-boggled by the bizarre lore of The Lion Guard. The Circle Of Life begins when you press play… Next up: Pocahontas Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney. — Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Strange World. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.

A whole new year, a whole new pod – film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers are back in the heat of the Disney Renaissance, getting a new fantastic point of view on 1992’s Aladdin. And they’re joined by esteemed podcaster-actor-comedian (and more) Paul Scheer! The How Did This Get Made? and Unspooled legend hops aboard the magic carpet for a deep-dive into Disney’s Agrabah adventure – discussing Robin Williams’ explosive vocal performance and the Genie’s expressive animation, how the film made Disney cool again to teenagers, the stage show musical number that somehow informed an alt-right movement, and the hard-as-nails platform video game. Plus, Ben posits a sequence as the culmination of Disney’s entire output thus far, we welcome the nichest Disniversity Legend yet – and discuss a wild rumour about Aladdin’s special rule at Disney theme parks. Ready to listen? Your wish is our command! Next up: The Lion King Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney. — Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Strange World. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.

’Tis the season to be happy and joyous, fa-la-la! In a very merry Muppet Christmas episode, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers present a festive bonus class – tackling the ultimate Dickens adaptation, 1992’s The Muppet Christmas Carol. Except, neither of them know very much about puppetry. Enter super-special guest Brian Herring – a professional puppeteer whose credits include BB-8 in Star Wars Episodes VII-IX, work on Prometheus, Hellboy II, and The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy – oh, and Muppet Treasure Island and Muppets Most Wanted. Bringing fuzzy-felt insights and stories galore, consider Brian the third ghost guiding you through a Christmas classic – talking the history of Disney and the Muppets, terrifying oil-soaked baby-faces, dry-ice mishaps, and the brilliance of Paul Williams’ songs. Come in, and know us better, listeners! Next up: Aladdin (at last, no really, we promise) Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney. — Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Strange World. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.

After a brief wedding-induced hiatus, we’re once again back! But before returning to the Disney Renaissance, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers are taking another stop on the long, winding Disniversity road trip – picking up hitchhiker Griffin Newman to talk 1995 cult favourite, A Goofy Movie! Film podcast aficionados will know Griffin from the Blank Check podcast – but he also recently lent his voice-acting chops to the role of chipmunk Pip in Disney princess-satire sequel Disenchanted. So, in this special bonus episode, Ben and Sam talk to Griffin about entering the Disney kingdom, Zooming with Amy Adams, singing an Alan Menken song, and more – before unpacking the magic and mysteries of Goofy and Max’s odyssey. Prepare to meet George G. Geefe, discover the true story of when and how Sam saw this film for the first time, uncover the unexpected offspring of the Goof Troop video game… and finally, answer a question that has plagued humanity for millennia: who the hell is Pete?! Next up: Aladdin (…possibly. Stay tuned.) Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney. — Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Strange World. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.

With Toontown (and the London Podcast Festival) in the rear-view mirror, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers get back to the main curriculum to tackle a tale as old as time, and songs as old as rhyme in 1991’s Beauty And The Beast. In another bumper-sized episode befitting the might of the Disney Renaissance era, we discuss the film’s credentials as a true Gothic Romance, break down the battle of problematic masculinity between Gaston and the Beast, get seriously confused by the actual nature of the curse, and talk about the tragic loss of the legendary Howard Ashman before the film’s completion. Plus, Ben does a terrible impression of a Sondheim song, Sam does an excellent impression of Tim Curry, and minds are blown by the incredible ‘snake-on-a-dancefloor’ Italian version of the Beauty And The Beast story. Be our guest, and get stuck in. Next up: Aladdin (after a short break) Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney. — Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Encanto. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.

“Is this thing on?” Taking a brief pause in the Renaissance Era, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers come to you LIVE from the London Podcast Festival 2022 to present a special live-action (in more ways than one) class on 1988’s Who Framed Roger Rabbit. Not only did it give Ben an excuse to finally watch the film for the first time, but it brought us face-to-face with Disniversity students at last – talking through Robert Zemeckis’ mind-blowing, medium-blending favourite. Get ready for a deep-dive into all the Disney cameos, explorations of the film’s cartoonish reality, the adorable wounded hearts of Roger Rabbit and Eddie Valiant, the terror of Judge Doom, the politics of Jessica Rabbit, and the very, very different novel it was drawn from. Plus, Sam gives an epic recap of the entire Disney story so far, and the audience delivers some very helpful sing-alongs. Regular class resumes next time! Huge thanks to everyone who attended the show, and to Kings Place for hosting. Next up: Beauty & The Beast Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney. — Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Encanto. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.

Following their deep-dive under the sea, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers are back on dry land to explore the very first canonical Walt Disney Animation Studios sequel: 1990’s The Rescuers Down Under. In this episode, we’re joined by Empire Magazine’s news editor – and huge Down Under fan – Beth Webb as we dig into Bianca and Bernard’s long-awaited second adventure, talking the film’s environmental themes, exhilarating opening sequence, the revolutionary CAPS system that catapulted the studio into a 3D future, and why it’s a vital puzzle piece in the Renaissance era. Plus, Sam takes a special field trip to the British Library, Ben reveals his love of mythical birds, there’s much discussion of two horrible lizards, and we find out why Sam particularly related to Bernard’s calamitous proposal attempts. Oh, and a warning: there are some truly terrible Australian accents on this episode. Our apologies to the entire nation of Oz. Next up: Beauty & The Beast Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney. — Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Encanto. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.

After a longer break than anticipated, Disniversity is back with the Renaissance era – bigger, better, and in this episode, wetter. Film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers are here to take you under the sea in 1989’s The Little Mermaid. In a bumper-sized episode, we explain where we’ve been for the last few months, before getting stuck into a Walt Disney Animation Studios classic that takes Hans Christian Andersen’s weirdly foam-centric fairytale and stuffs it with calypso bops. We dispute the studio’s worries about the film being ‘just for girls’, explore its queer themes and legacy, and the impact of legendary songwriters Howard Ashman and Alan Menken – plus, we pick our favourite fishes from the hot crustacean band, fight it out over the best song in the movie, get into a disturbing discussion of all the undersea creatures Sam would happily eat, and break down perhaps the greatest song lyric of all time: “Les poissons, les poissons / Hee-hee-hee, hon-hon-hon.” Boy, is it good to be back. Next up: The Rescuers Down Under Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney. — Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Encanto. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.