On this day in history, January 10th, in 1932, Walt Disney Productions company widely distributed it’s famous “Mickey Mouse” and “Silly Symphonies” cartoons. These cartoons featured skillful and vivid artistry, compelling storytelling and utilized the ground breaking technology at the time – technicolor and synchronized sound. [1] And Mickey cartoons were a welcome relief of color, sound, humor, and family fun for many experiencing the worst of the Great Depression.
Mickey cartoons continue to entertain and over the decades Disney has continued to use the creative mix of artistry, storytelling, and technology to great effect. A more recent example is the 1995 Disney/Pixar production of Toy Story. This film was the first fully computerized, full-length, animated feature ever produced. The Toy Story series continues to entertain kids and adults alike with its emotionally gripping story, clever use of art and song, and innovative engineering and technology that allows a story to live. [2]
It is fitting to marvel at the genius, creativity and ingenuity of the Disney production team, whether it be for “Mickey” in 1932, Toy Story in 1995 or Frozen in 2013.
Ultimately however, these films should point us to the genius, innovation of the Creator God and to the greatest story that He has written in the Bible. Within the 66 books of the Bible is found God’s creative hand to write the most compelling story about a holy, loving and perfect God who created man in His image and then, at ultimate cost to His Son, rescued His own people from their sin so that they could be righteousness and enjoy His presence forever.
God is fulfilling His story everyday in the lives of His people. Each child of God has a fascinating biography of the Creator God at work. There cannot be enough films made nor books written to capture all of God’s unfolding story. To repeat the disciple John: If every [work of Jesus] . . . were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written” (John 21:25).
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