DISNEYLAND HANDCRAFTED is a documentary that technically is more impressive than the story it tells. It captures the months leading up to the park’s opening and, through technology, turns old black-and-white photos and videos into color, complete with newly created audio. One standout moment features rare footage of Walt Disney overseeing a group of Imagineers during the initial design phase of Sleeping Beauty’s Castle. This meticulous attention to detail should provide Disney fans with a deeper connection to the park’s history.
Most documentaries these days feature talking heads, and no, I’m not talking about the ’70s-’80s band. What I mean instead is that documentaries will cut away from archival footage to a current-day subject-matter expert. This works in most scenarios. However, it also takes the viewer out of the experience. Instead, director Leslie Iwerks wisely lets the archival footage speak for itself, as audiences watch construction workers, artists, painters, landscapers, and more build Disneyland in record time.
Watching DISNEYLAND HANDCRAFTED is almost like a meditation. There’s not much plot outside of how a team of skilled workers came together through adversity to complete Walt Disney’s visionary dream. This helps it stand out from similar documentaries (THE IMAGINEERING STORY OR WALT: THE MAN BEHIND THE MYTH), which focus more on the story. And that meditation will take audiences back to a forgotten era of manual labor that’s breathtaking to witness. Seeing how each section of the park (Adventureland, Tomorrowland, Frontierland, and Fantasyland) comes together is like watching behind-the-scenes footage of your favorite film. You get insights into something you love, and it helps your fandom grow even further.
Final Thought: Walt Disney began building a place the world had never imagined. I’m thankful that Leslie Iwerks imagined a world where she could make countless hours of archival footage relevant. It’s a gorgeous exploration that any Disneyland fan won’t want to miss.
It’s available on Disney+.