Walt Disney, a name normally connected with Mickey Mouse, Snow White or any of his other magnificent characters of fantasy, also had another, lesser known interest. Disney was fascinated with the world of tomorrow; the world of advancing science and exploration the world of science fiction.
When Disneyland premiered on ABC TV in the fall of 1954, its opening credits focused on the diversity of both the show and the amusement park after which it was named. The announcer intoned that we would see, "...from Fantasyland, stories of wonder and delight; from Adventureland, tales of nature and excitement." But the most exciting announcement for most youngsters, was that of "Tomorrowland, stories of space and the world of tomorrow."
True, Disney was not especially known for his science fiction stories rather, his reputation, was built upon his full length cartoon features, most of which were stories of pure fantasy. Yet, in the newly opened Disneyland [park], one of the major features was the TWA rocket flight to the moon, and the Disney folks had just finished a new movie version of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. But even so, this new TV venture promised much to the viewers of the time.
In 1943 Disney had made his first venture into the science fiction world. The Disney company had contributed hundreds of man-hours and millions of dollars to the American military effort during World War Two. When Major Alexander de Seversky published his book about the growing power of the Air Force and its possible uses in modern warfare, Disney was convinced. Although Seversky's ideas were refuted by the higher echelons of the military, Disney decided to produce a documentary that would present the new ideas to the American people.
The finished film, replete with fastidious animation of huge bombing raids and scenes from the past, and future, History of Aviation, was a phenomenally powerful propaganda piece, and a remarkably sucessful look at air power in the near future.
In 1954, Disney released the remarkable Richard Reischer version of Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. Here, all the elements of the Disney Sci-Fi to come, were laid out and solidified. The story, from the pen of Jules Verne, is classic in scope and content, and follows the adventures of Professor Aronnax and his assistant aboard the submarine Nautilus, built and commanded by the mad visionary, Capt. Nemo.
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