Disney Dreams Come True World Tour Arrives in Taiwan, Unveiling Classic Animation

By Li Xinyi, compiled and reported

 

The Disney Animation World Tour Exhibition has come to Taiwan!The National Museum of History will host the “Dreams Come True: The Art of Disney’s Classic Animation” special exhibition from tomorrow (the 10th) through March 14, 101 (2012). In addition to displaying numerous never-before-released hand-drawn production materials from classic animations and introducing the mysterious animation-making process, the exhibition will also screen seven selected animated clips, taking both adults and children on a journey through a fairytale time tunnel.

The Walt Disney Animation Research Library houses nearly 60 million pieces of work, documenting the evolution of Disney animation since 1928. The “Dreams Come True” exhibition has selected over 600 highlights from this collection to be displayed in Taiwan, allowing the public to see why Disney animations have become classics. Remember the jazz-loving chubby alligator Louie and the firefly Sparky who fell in love with a star in *The Princess and the Frog*? Or the clownfish in *The Little Mermaid*? Supporting characters often play pivotal roles in Disney stories, which is one of the key elements that make Disney classic animations so captivating. Additionally, transformation often serves as a crucial turning point in Disney narratives — for example, the Beast turning back into a prince just before the last petal falls in *Beauty and the Beast*.

Scene design is also a vital component. The production team of *Beauty and the Beast* traveled to the French countryside to study castles, medieval architecture, churches, cobblestone roads, wall textures, and — of course — the local cuisine and wine. In *Tangled*, the structure of the kingdom was modeled after famous European landmarks such as Prague’s Charles Bridge. These backgrounds enhance the artistic quality of the animations.

The works brought to Taiwan for this exhibition include sketches, design drawings, scene paintings, character designs, sculptures, precious manuscripts, selected animated shorts, as well as work desks used by early-, mid-, and late-period animators. The rich collection spans from early animations (*Three Little Pigs*, *The Ugly Duckling*, *Mickey and the Beanstalk*), classics like *Snow White*, *Cinderella*, *Sleeping Beauty*, *The Little Mermaid*, *Beauty and the Beast*, and *The Princess and the Frog*, to more recent hits like *Tangled*. This diverse array allows audiences to take a delightful stroll through the time corridor of Disney classic fairytales.