Disney Memories, and Notes

The following is another piece I wrote this past fall. For some reason, I couldn't find my original jump-drive copy, so what is written below is from a printed copy. Long story short, it's based on childhood memories, which, I'm sure (hopefully), many of us grew up with as well. Enjoy.

Disney Memories

In the movie section on the west side of the library there are
three shelves full of VHS tapes, all
Disney classics. I pull out titles at random
and recall:

Alice in Wonderland - High school art class,
sitting at my desk,
drawing and painting.

Aladdin - Kindergarden, laughing along
with my classmates as we
clap hands and sing songs.
That classroom bacame an art room.

Toy Story - My dad's house
out in the country in Iowa, in the snow
with my brothers and sisters,
sledding, making snowmen, having snowball fights.

101 Dalmatians - Day care, running and playing
toy guitars and drums with friends.

Sleeping Beauty - My babysitter's house, sitting
in front of her T.V., eating a bowl
of Kraft Mac & Cheese.

Fantasia - On the couch in front of the T.V., sitting next to
my brother and sister; they can't take their eyes off it, especially when
Mickey brings the broom to life.

Disney Sing-Along-Songs - My friend Brandon's house, the blue one
with the round window on the second floor.

The Lion King - My mom and I walk
passed the poster at the theater
as I quote Timon's lines.

Snow White - The back row of the theater,
I call my teacher who took me that day,
"The dwarfs are on!"

Beauty and the Beast - Auditorium
at the Arts Center, I dance
as a utensil, or "dingle-hopper," as Ariel would call it.

Dumbo - I haven't really seen this yet, just
a clip or two at Grandma's house. I think
I'd like to see an elephant fly.

Written by B.E. Kerian, on 12/15/2010



What I noticed as I re-read this piece this afternoon is that there's a lot of interesting, visual transition going on. I initially developed this idea of going from one place to a similar-yet-different place in each stanza. As I'm re-reading it, I'm visualizing the type of camera movements or shots that would work if this were a short film. (I, for one, think it has potential.)

In my opinion, the Disney Classics on VHS are probably the most ideal and memorable of the videocassette era. For one thing, it was a whole new medium at the time (remember, this was the 1980s that this started). And two, because they are simply timeless movies that will live on; the videocassettes may not, but at least they are a reminder of a nostalgic, innocent, and simple technological time. I'm not dissing the technology that we have today; I respect the DVD and Blu-ray mediums and all that. What I am saying is that the VHS, I hope, will be remembered as the medium that first brought these timeless films to our living rooms. For me, they are my first memories of these films and will always have a special place in my heart.

B.E.