126 – The Rescuers Down Under (w/ Beth Webb)

Following their deep-dive under the sea, film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers are back on dry land to explore the very first canonical Walt Disney Animation Studios sequel: 1990’s The Rescuers Down Under. In this episode, we’re joined by Empire Magazine’s news editor – and huge Down Under fan – Beth Webb as we dig into Bianca and Bernard’s long-awaited second adventure, talking the film’s environmental themes, exhilarating opening sequence, the revolutionary CAPS system that catapulted the studio into a 3D future, and why it’s a vital puzzle piece in the Renaissance era. Plus, Sam takes a special field trip to the British Library, Ben reveals his love of mythical birds, there’s much discussion of two horrible lizards, and we find out why Sam particularly related to Bernard’s calamitous proposal attempts. Oh, and a warning: there are some truly terrible Australian accents on this episode. Our apologies to the entire nation of Oz. Next up: Beauty & The Beast Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney. — Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Encanto. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.