The Mouse Machine: Disney and Technology. J.P. Telotte. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press, 2008. 232 pp. $60 hbk. $20 pbk.
Spend a day at any Disney theme park, and you can’t help but be dazzled by technology. Life-like singing birds, carousing pirates, and even pontificating presidents are a regular part of the Disney park experience. In fact, innovative technology has been a hallmark of the company since Walt Disney began filming his early cartoons in the 1920s.
The Mouse Machine: Disney and Technology by J.P. Telotte pays tribute to Disney’s technological savvy. The book offers readers an overview of how the man and his company have used cutting-edge technological tricks over the years to enhance a variety of media products.
Telotte is a professor at Georgia Institute of Technology, where he teaches film and media studies. He is also the author of several previous books, including Disney TV. His purpose in writing this book was to illustrate how technology has contributed to the Disney magic, “to offer a selective look at some of those often-unseen—or unconsidered—technological supports or developments that, in film, television, and the theme parks, have been crucial to the success of the Walt Disney Company and, at times, also a clue to its limitations.”
Telotte approaches the subject of Disney technology chronologically, be-ginning with Walt Disney’s use of sound for his Mickey Mouse animated cartoon shorts in the 1920s and working up to the Disney Company’s partnership with and eventual acquisition of Pixar Animation Studios, known for perfecting the use of computer-generated imagery (CGI) in animated films. Along the way, he offers a thorough history lesson about the growth and development of the Disney Company from a technological perspective.
Each chapter is devoted to a different aspect of Disney technology and how it was introduced to and eventually mastered by Disney himself and his staff. A segment on the early years of the use of Technicolor, for example, discusses the challenges faced by studio animators as they struggled to bring their creations to life in color while battling the early aesthetic hazards of the new technique.
One of the technological innovations that Disney is known for is the use of audio-animatronics, which employs technology to create life-like replicas of animals and human beings. Walt Disney showcased this at the 1964 New York World’s Fair, and today it is a staple at Disney parks throughout the world.
Telotte dedicates a chapter to the development of this technology, offering not only a description of how Walt Disney pioneered its use but also a critique of the impact these creations have on the average park-goer’s experience. He suggests that audio-animatronics can be used to manipulate visitors psychologically to alter their sense of reality. This offers a perspective on the impact of technology that goes beyond simply marveling at the sheer wonder of it all.
Another chapter focuses on Disney’s experiments with CinemaScope in films such as 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. There is also information on the influence of television on Disney’s work, as well as several chapters about the company’s eventual move toward digital technology in its films, which is such an essential element of today’s animated features.
Telotte has done a thorough job of delving into what goes on behind the scenes of a company whose ability to manufacture fantasy is driven by the inventive use of so many different aspects of technology. His book works effectively to enlighten readers about how the combination of human creativity and the proper technological tools can be used to engage audiences in a wide variety of entertainment media. It also looks at the darker side of how technology can so easily influence those who consume Disney products without questioning how or why things are as they appear to be.
In general, Telotte strives to show not only the many ways that Disney has been able to incorporate technology into its products but also how the company has used this technology to create the mystique that has helped it transform itself from a producer of animated short cartoons into a multimedia giant.
For those interested in how things work from a technological standpoint, The Mouse Machine offers insight into the inner workings of the various processes and how they can be applied to so many different forms of media. And for those interested in all things Disney, the book provides a fascinating tour through the creation, growth, and development of Walt Disney’s company to show how the magic is made and the impact it can have on audiences.
ANDI STEIN
California State University, Fullerton