The Reluctant Dragon

Release Date: June 27, 1941

Watch Date: January 18 – January 21, 2023

 

    I find it surprising that more supposed ‘Disney fanatics’ haven’t watched this film. I can’t imagine a good reason for it. A chance to get a highly cultivated tour into the early Disney film studio? Who could pass that up?

    And that is really the main reason to watch this movie. Is it an accurate representation of how the studio actually worked? I have no idea. But I hope it is. I hope the place that so inspired Walt Disney was just as magical and positive as this movie says it was.

    Again, there’s some racist moments. Oddly specific racially stereotyped elephants. As a Latino there was a Goofy sequence that Bob found particularly distasteful, but coming off the back of Dumbo – anything is an improvement.

    The animated shorts are actually, probably, the least interesting parts of this film. I want to see how the studio works! But I will say that they are at least integrated well. Showing how sound effects, animation and story boarding works. And it all comes together as a fully formed short, our titular “Reluctant Dragon”.

    “The Reluctant Dragon” short is cute, though it does rub me the wrong way, and I’m not sure why. It’s a very classic Disney short and getting to watch it ‘with’ Walt lends a sense of something extra special to the whole affair.

    If you love Disney, or you’re at all interested in how old studios worked, this is the movie for you. It manages to be funny and interesting, though again I can’t vouch for the accuracy of the portrayal. It will always have a soft spot in my heart, and luckily Bob didn’t hate it, because I doubt it will be the last time we watch it.