There is just something about concept art from Disney and Pixar movies that I find utterly fascinating. The way characters and backgrounds evolve from sketches to reality never ceases to amaze me even after all these years studying the art of animation.

I love seeing new designs come to life and I really enjoyed what I saw in Chronicle Books new book, The Art of Hoppers.

There is something that reminds me of Walt Disney's Beaver Valley and something that is just brand new and exciting. 

I hope the movie will do extremely well at the box office. As to the art book, I already cherish it. 

 

My good friend and fellow Disney historian Nunziante Valoroso is trying to locate the first dubbed version of Cinderella in Italian and would appreciate any help that you could provide. (Email me at didier.ghez@gmail.com if you have any info about this.)

Here is what he told me:

[Here are the things we know on the first Italian dubbing of Cinderella

Written by Roberto de Leonardis and directed by Mario Almirante it was recorded in Rome at CDC (Compagnia doppiatori Cinematografici)

Among the voices were Tina Lattanzi (The Queen in 1938 dubbing of Snow White), Mario Besesti (Italian voice of Stromboli in Pinocchio) and Stefano Sibaldi (narrator in Peter and the Wolf and in many Disney documentaries and voice of Timothy Mouse in Dumbo)

Cinderella had the voice of Giuliana Maroni (famous character dubbing actress) and for the songs of Deddi Savagnone .

This dubbing was used only for first edition of 1950 and the reissue of 1958. The following reissue of 1967 would have a new dubbing, always made by Roberto de Leonardis that is still used, also on Disney+.

The funny thing is that Disneyland records issued a storyteller LP of Cinderella in 1965  with this first dubbing and never changed it, reprinting it also on CD in the 1990’s! So we, as children, went to cinemas and listened to the 1967 voices then, at home, listened to the old dubbing (Italian storyteller records were generally made recording music and dialogue directly from our local soundtrack)

We have always had in Italy the curiosity to listen to the COMPLETE first Italian dubbing… (The LP contained only 45 minutes, some clips were used in “Disneyland” episodes dubbed BEFORE 1967)

Do you think something could be done? ]