Disney100: The Exhibition at Excel London

Whether uninterruptedly since childhood or confined to those early years of life, everyone has, at some point, encountered Disney. Many remain hypnotised by a particular song, mesmerised by a character’s bravery or have grown attached to a classic feature; others might find themselves just repeatedly hearing a movie’s tunes due to the little ones at home. A common element for all is the colourful and enticing presence of the company, which celebrates its centenary this year. For the occasion, the Disney Archives have been opened and a curated selection of props, drawings and figures are now touring the States and having landed in London, catering to both Disney fans and the casually curious. Indeed, the exhibition, currently on display at the Excel, delves into the history and the varied facets and realms of the movies, books, music and theme parks the entertainment organisation encompasses.

The first room introduces Disney’s story, beginning with its inception, or, better to say, the mind behind it: young Walt Disney, who, obsessed with drawing, back in October 1923, signed up for a series of silent shorts featuring a live-action girl and her adventures in Cartoonland. His next big project, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit, didn’t result in major headway, but those initial endeavours taught Walt how to lay the foundation for the future. It really all started with a mouse: with the creation of Mickey Mouse in 1928, leading to a remarkable rise with the publication of a book and the big classics of the 1940s, such as Fantasia, Saludos Amigos, Dumbo and Bambi, then the opening of Disneyland California in 1955, and eventually the expansion into digitalisation and live-action remakes in the 21^st century.

The history lesson pretty much concludes here, as the next nine rooms are organised thematically rather than chronologically. However, the numerous captions highlight the timeline of the breakthroughs. The second area, titled Where do the stories come from?, showcases how Walt Disney was drawing inspiration from the vast literary, theatre and cinematic heritage for producing both new and original retellings of old tales. Each new feature-length film represented an advancement in some aspects, be it the approach to the musical score, as in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, or the camera techniques. These sections are filled with drawings: in this age of AI, it’s beautiful to get close to tangible craftsmanship – the meticulous strokes, the shading, the preliminary sketches.

From the third room onwards, visitors explore the complex making of Disney’s masterpieces and uncover the reasons for their enduring appeal across genres and generations. This includes adventures under the seas and in galaxies far far away, the nuanced personalities of the characters (whether the cunning Cruella de Vil or the comically supportive Olaf), the magic of the sounds, the multiplane camera and the animatronics. Each area draws connections across the entire spectrum of animations; for instance, for the music, Circle of Life from The Lion King plays in the background while smaller screens equipped with headphones invite you to experience the different melodic intonations of songs from Encanto and Moana in different languages. The principles and ethos of Disney’s work never changed, from its origin to the present. The layout of the exhibits, though, can occasionally get the main focus lost and, without many suggested directions, the arrangement might seem somehow disjointed, especially for the visitors less familiar with each of the characters displayed.

The genesis of Walt Disney Records follows the increased emphasis on musical elements: dramatic entrances (or exits) in Broadway style are subtly woven throughout the features, with the score becoming an integral part of the narrative. The room of Innoventions provides an educational perspective on how “story drives creativity” leading to significant technological strides. The Wonder of Disney offers an enthralling glimpse of the joy of a theme park designed for both children and adults, wrapping the exhibition up into the real-world experience beyond the screen.

Disney100 embodies the ethos, the visionary outlook and inventive dynamism of the founder, peppered with inspirational quotes and anecdotes. The frustrations and constructive failures encountered in the journey are just in the initial section, the biography. Overall, it seems to be ambitiously aiming at quite a broad target audience: on one hand, it offers an abundance of informative content, including process analyses, behind-the-scenes insights and chronological event breakdowns, utilising a range of linguistic styles; on the other hand, it integrates a few interactive elements.

Walt defined the soul of Disney: a dream-making factory that consistently stands the test of time through its ongoing renewal and its mastery of storytelling, marked by depth and creativity.

Cristiana Ferrauti

Disney100: The Exhibition is at Excel London from 13^th October until 21^st January 2024. For further information visit the exhibition’s website here.