Once Upon A Disney - podcast cover

Once Upon A Disney

Andie Redwine and Larry Brenner
An educational podcast detailing principles of screenwriting and storytelling using Disney narrative filmography from the 20th Century.
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Episodes

The Love Bug (1969)

VRRROOOM! Andie and Larry explore the highest grossing movie of 1969 starring a little VW bug named Herbie. Explorations include obstacles and complications, strong characterization, and what makes an antagonist a true villain.

Feb 17, 20221 hr 9 minSeason 2Ep. 18

Lady and the Tramp (1955)

Larry and Andie dig into this 1955 classic, asking lots of hard questions: how should a protagonist function, where should this film start, and why isn't Lady the hero of her own movie?

Feb 09, 20221 hr 7 minSeason 2Ep. 17

Bonus Episode- Fluppy Dogs (1986)

In this bonus episode, Larry takes a look at the Fluppy Dogs, a one hour Disney special that aired in 1986, never to be seen again. Larry summarizes the special, then focuses on how one goes about building a pitch for intellectual property in need of a reboot.

Feb 02, 202230 min

The Black Hole (1979) with Denis Hennelly

Director Denis Hennelly comes on board with Andie and Larry to analyze this 1979 Disney venture into space. Topics include Chekhov's Gun, 70s storytelling, and storytelling parallels with 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.

Jan 26, 20221 hr 20 minSeason 2Ep. 16

The Rescuers (1977) with Storme Wood

Director Storme Wood joins Andie and Larry for a lively discussion analyzing 1977's The Rescuers. Subjects covered include dramatic questions, inciting incidents, and where the story really should start!

Jan 19, 20221 hr 7 minSeason 2Ep. 15

The Muppet Movie (1979)

Larry and Andie talk The Muppets in their first full-length feature film. Two Mahnishtahnahs, three climaxes, and an explanation of multiple meta-references? Why, it's almost as if the Muppets wrote their own screenplay!

Jan 12, 20221 hr 3 minSeason 2Ep. 14

Dumbo (1941)

Join Larry and Andie for a conversation about Dumbo, the little movie that could. We compare Timothy Mouse to Jiminy Cricket, talk about the use of music, and discuss how empathy is built for a silent protagonist.

Jan 05, 202255 minSeason 2Ep. 13

Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier (1955)

Andie and Larry discuss Disney's first all-American film, spliced together from three episodes of the Disneyland television series. Special emphasis in this podcast given to historical consideration in storytelling.

Dec 30, 20211 hr 3 minSeason 2Ep. 12

Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983) with Kiki Petrosino

Poet Kiki Petrosino joins Andie and Larry for a look at Disney's take on the Dickensian classic, A Christmas Carol. Topics include casting choices, notes on screen adaptation following source material, and some wacky trivia in Game Time With Larry!

Dec 22, 20211 hrSeason 2Ep. 11

Aladdin 2: The Return of Jafar (1994) with Nivi Engineer

Larry and Andie tackle Aladdin 2: The Return of Jafar with the help of Nivi Engineer, discussing the shortcomings of a sequel film designed as the pilot for an animated series and the importance of consistency between films in a franchise.

Dec 15, 20211 hr 4 minSeason 2Ep. 10

Gargoyles: Awakening (1994)

More from the 90s Disney Afternoon Programming Block! Larry and Andie tackle the first five episode miniseries of the long arc animated series Gargoyles. We talk pros and cons of serialized cartoons, seeding the pilot for later payoff, and how this near perfect franchise deserves a revival!

Dec 08, 20211 hr 2 minSeason 2Ep. 9

20,000 Leagues Under The Sea (1954) with Brett Niethamer

The Holy Goof's Brett Niethamer joins Larry and Andie to discuss Disney's epic underwater adventure. Highlights include the film's historical significance in cinema, the importance of seeing a movie through the lens of the intended audience, and the layered portrayal of Captain Nemo.

Dec 01, 20211 hr 9 minSeason 2Ep. 8

Bonus Episode- The Wuzzles (1985)

Larry's on his own today, talking about the 1985 Disney TV show, The Wuzzles. What are the Wuzzles? WHY are the Wuzzles? He reviews the first three episodes of the Wuzzles series, then talks about why your tv series always needs to explore your core concept.

Nov 24, 202143 min

Brave Little Tailor (1938) & Mickey and the Beanstalk (1947)

M-I-C-K-E-Y...Why? Because he's where it all began! Join Andie and Larry as they dig into two of Mickey Mouse's biggest hits. Topics include narration and aesthetic distance, protagonist problems, and how Donald Duck really does steal every scene!

Nov 18, 20211 hr 2 minSeason 2Ep. 7

The Jungle Book (1967)

Join Larry and Andie for an in-depth look at the last animated feature to bear Walt Disney's imprint. We talk protagonist problems, characterization, and the difficulty in isolating a climax for this film.

Nov 10, 20211 hr 8 minSeason 2Ep. 6

The Watcher In The Woods (1980)

Happy Halloween! In this fan-requested episode, Andie and Larry talk extensively about how horror movies work and how this film is a bit of a miss.

Nov 03, 20211 hr 3 minSeason 2Ep. 5

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

In the second film in our Halloween trilogy, Larry and Andie dig into this classic Tim Burton tale. Highlights include suggestions for Oogie Boogie and Larry's thesis on what holiday this film is *really* all about.

Oct 28, 202157 minSeason 2Ep. 4

Escape To Witch Mountain (1975) with Nancy McCabe

For the first film in our Halloween series, author Nancy McCabe joins Larry and Andie to take a deeper look at one of their childhood favorites. The trio discusses film tone, how special effects save the day, and the problem with introducing a protagonist mid-movie.

Oct 13, 20211 hr 3 minSeason 2Ep. 3

One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)

Join Larry and Andie for a discussion of this 1961 classic Disney hit, including what they believe would improve this story for modern viewers.

Oct 06, 20211 hr 2 minSeason 2Ep. 2

Toy Story (1995) with Lynnell Edwards

Season 2 of Once Upon A Disney kicks off with Toy Story, Pixar's first feature length narrative. Join Andie and Larry and their special guest Lynnell Edwards for a discussion about obstacles, themes, and breaking the rules.

Sep 29, 20211 hr 13 minSeason 2Ep. 1

Cinderella (1950)

Larry and Andie round out Season 1 of the podcast with exposition, building tension, and a comparison of Cinderella to Snow White.

Aug 25, 20211 hr 3 minSeason 1Ep. 20

The Parent Trap (1961) with Cassie Brower

Disney writer Cassie Brower joins Larry and Andie for this Hayley Mills classic. Dramatic irony, shifting protagonists, a greeting from Minnie Mouse - this episode has it all!

Aug 18, 202158 minSeason 1Ep. 19

A Goofy Movie (1995) with Joseph Myers

The List Live podcast's Joseph Myers joins Andie and Larry to discuss economical storytelling and rounding flat characters.

Aug 12, 20211 hr 9 minSeason 1Ep. 18

DuckTales: Treasures Of The Golden Sun (1987) with Taj Whitesell

Writer Taj Whitesell joins Larry and Andie for a look at the series engine for the original DuckTales animated series. We discuss tools needed to build a series plus super foiling and the need for an audience surrogate.

Aug 04, 20211 hr 14 minSeason 1Ep. 17

The Fox And The Hound (1981) with Holly Beck

In this episode, Larry and Andie are joined by Holly Beck to talk The Fox And The Hound, a film that marked a departure from traditional Disney happy endings.

Jul 22, 20211 hr 3 minSeason 1Ep. 15

Freaky Friday (1976) with Lauren Milberger

Lauren Milberger joins Larry and Andie for a talk about the body-switching genre, gender politics in the 1970s, and why this film did not require voiceover.

Jul 14, 20211 hr 11 minSeason 1Ep. 14

Alice In Wonderland (1951) with Kira Obolensky

Larry and Andie are joined by award-winning playwright Kira Obolensky to dig into the background, characters, and episodic nature of the mad world of Wonderland.

Jul 07, 20211 hr 10 minSeason 1Ep. 13

The Journey of Natty Gann (1985) with Jennifer Geraghty

Jennifer Geraghty joins Larry and Andie for a look at this underrated Disney gem - a coming of age female protagonist set against the antagonizing backdrop of the Great Depression.

Jun 23, 20211 hr 14 minSeason 1Ep. 11
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