The Disney golden era began in 1937 with the release of their first full length animated feature film ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’. This movie, which many regard as the greatest animated film of all time, elevated the status of animation from the realm of silly gag reels into that of the fine arts. With ‘Snow White’ receiving countless accolades and winning numerous awards for its artistry, lifelike movements and revolutionary techniques, Walt Disney Animation Studios would continue to release success after success for the next five years.

One standout film from this era was ‘Fantasia’. Released in 1940, critics celebrated its innovative use of the multitrack stereo, which allowed for each instrument to be recorded on a different track and edited separately, enhancing the quality of the movie’s score. In addition to this, the music of this movie is unique in that, rather than merely underscoring the visuals, it is intertwined with them, allowing for both to drive the plot forward.

‘Bambi’, the last of the Disney golden era movies, is considered by many to be the best film of the era in terms of animation quality. In order to capture the lifelike movements and scenes within the 1942 film, live deer and other wildlife were brought directly into the studio so that the artists could study them. These three movies, along with ‘Pinocchio’ and ‘Dumbo’, are what brought Walt Disney Studios and animation in general into the mainstream.