Disney+ has arrived at long last and we’ve had a week to explore all the nooks and crannies. We’ve profiled much of the original content in our handy MiceChat Disney+ guide (HERE). But once the gee wiz of what’s there wears off, you’ve probably noticed some glaring examples of what’s missing.
Disney has already made it clear that several popular feature films won’t be on the Disney+ service for some time while they’re still under contract with other content providers. But there are still a lot of other titles that would be great to see included in the new streaming service. Here’s just a handful of examples, though everyone is likely to have their own favorites they just can’t wait to view.
Disney wartime shorts (1942-1946)
During World War II, Walt Disney pushed his production facilities full steam towards supporting the American war effort—including plenty of anti-Japanese and anti-German propaganda. Many of these shorts featured Donald Duck as the lead, including The New Spirit and Spirit of ’43 (intended to promote the need for Americans to pay their income taxes to support the war) and Der Führer’s Face. And while there’s no way to escape the racist caricatures in many of these films, Disney+ thus far has seemed willing to include such material with a disclaimer. These films are fascinating historical time capsules—and you might even be introduced to a character who ultimately became Scrooge McDuck.
Mickey Mouse Club episodes (1950s and 1990s)
Disney+ will tease you with just one episode of the original 1950s Mickey Mouse Club TV series: the Oct. 3, 1955 premiere episode that introduced the live-action Mouseketeers—including then-13-year-old Annette Funicello— singing and dancing their hearts out. Unfortunately, that’s all you get to see for the moment, and there’s a whole generation out there that might enjoy a nostalgic re-visit. That goes for the 1989-1994 revival as well, because who among us wouldn’t be keen on looking in on the young crew of future stars that included Christina Aguilera, Justin Timberlake, Britney Spears and—in case you’d forgotten—Ryan Gosling and Keri Russell.
Disneyland Opening Day Broadcast (1955)
Disney’s financing partner for the California theme park was ABC. So it was on that network that the Disneyland TV series was broadcast. On the opening day of the new park, ABC went live to capture the unveiling with Walt Disney and a constellation of stars. Hosted by Art Linkletter and including guest commentators like Bob Cummings and Ronald Reagan, the 2-hour show captured all of the events on July 17, 1955, including Walt’s iconic dedication speech, a Main Street parade and a performance by Davy Crockett himself, Fess Parker. It’s a chance to see how Disney was selling the themes of the park’s various lands, and while the more infamous logistical challenges of that day might not be captured for posterity, it’s still a wonderful moment seeing kids stream across the drawbridge of Sleeping Beauty Castle into Fantasyland for the first time.
Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color (1961-1969)
As with the Mickey Mouse Club, Disney teases with one episode—in this case, the wonderful 1966 episode Disneyland Around the Seasons—but leaves us wanting much more. Granted, many of the series’ televised episodes included broadcast of theatrical features, plus some of the True Life Adventures available now on the service. But there’s still a wealth of great material out there, from Walt’s own hosted segments to the animated bits that introduced Ludwig von Drake. Those who want to immerse themselves in Disney history—and that certainly includes a lot of Disney+ subscribers—would have a field day (or week, or month).
The Muppet Show (1976-1981)
The way the Disney company has handled the Muppets since acquiring the property in 2004 has been frustrating to say the least. While Sesame Street created the Muppet brand, the wonderfully anarchic syndicated variety series defined the sensibility—and characters—that elevated the best of the feature films (including 1979’s The Muppet Movie, which is available on Disney+). Sprinkled throughout the 120 episodes are wonderful sketches and interactions between the Muppets and guest stars like Elton John, Steve Martin, Madeleine Kahn, John Cleese and Alice Cooper. C’mon, Disney, we need our Mahana Mahana.
The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
Long considered the black sheep of the Star Wars family, this 90-minute TV special is generally hidden from sight. Admittedly, it’s pretty weird, including guest stars like Bea Arthur and Harvey Korman, plus a musical performance by Jefferson Starship. It is, however, historically noteworthy as the first-ever appearance of Boba Fett, so it’s a natural tie-in with the success of The Mandalorian. Now that the show has made Life Day canon once again, it’s time to bring this one in from the cold and give another generation a chance to see it on something besides bad transfers on YouTube.
Splash (1984)
There are so many things about this fanciful fairy tale (about a regular guy who falls in love with a mermaid) that are historically significant, both generally and for the Disney company in particular. It was notably the first film released under Disney’s Touchstone Pictures banner, as the company sought to branch out into more adult features. The film’s title made its way into the name for the theme park attraction Splash Mountain, as a way to placate then-CEO Michael Eisner, who wanted the entire ride to promote the movie. And it was the movie that made Tom Hanks—the guy who would eventually play Walt Disney himself—into a star.
The Straight Story (1999)
Director David Lynch might be best known for his surreal, definitely-not-for-kids, creations like Eraserhead, Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks. But once upon a time, he made a G-rated movie for the Disney company as well. In this feature based on a true story, Richard Farnsworth plays Alvin Straight, a septuagenarian Iowa man who takes the only transportation available to him—his riding lawnmower—on a long journey to visit his ailing, estranged brother (Harry Dean Stanton). Farnsworth was nominated for an Oscar for his performance, which he managed to deliver while terminally ill with prostate cancer. It’s a lovely, warm-hearted movie that deserves to be re-discovered.
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Let’s Hear From You
That was just a list of the shows that I’d Like to see added to Disney+. What have you found missing in Disney+ that you’d really like to see added soon?
