This post will be a little awkward as I am going to blog about both movies at one time because they are so similar and created with the same intent. Many don't realize how these movies came about and it was because of the war, the government was taking over the studios for basically propaganda films. These films were created to improve ties with South America and educate Americans of our neighbors to the south. I don't really put these in personally with the list of the actual feature animation, because they are basically travelogues especially 'Saludos Amigos', they are part live action and each is just basically several shorts strung together. To me with the live action, I don't understand how these sit on the feature animation list, where movies like 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit?', 'Mary Poppins', and 'Bedknobs and Broomsticks', all similar but are considered live action films. Out of the two 'Saludos Amigos' is probably the least favorite of the two, it's only 42 minutes long and is more of a documentary on South America than entertaining as 'Three Caballeros' was. Plus 'The Three Caballeros' contained a bunch of really toe tapping songs, which gave it more of a Disney Animation feel to it. 'Saludos Amigos' also stands out because its the only animated film to open in South America before North America and 'The Three Caballeros' had its world premiere in Mexico City. This time in the Studios history is really odd, stupid war, I mean you go from Bambi to these shorts movies to Cinderella. You have these two great movies bordering on these five films that kinda are like the odd men out. You may not see Panchito and Jose that frequently or used that much, but I really think this was a huge boost for Donald Duck. Like 'Pinocchio' this movie would not get passed the censors with Jose always smoking a cigar in a kids cartoon and its nice to see that at one point in time people weren't so dumb, as to see a smoking bird and say "Gee I want to be like him and smoke." So be that as it may, I don't see why they make the main list, but I do still like them, and I think they did play an important role in Disney's history and even when you look at it American history for its bringing together two countries. I don't think now a days, had they had the need for films like this (basically educating people on current affairs), they couldn't do it. I think Walt had that know-how, that story-telling ability and people skills needed to pull of films such as these.
For you park goers 'The Three Caballeros' has been getting more and more presence in the parks over the years. They are centrally located in the pool at All-Star Music, Panchito has his own gift shop at Coronado Springs, and they are also the stars of the re-imagined Mexico Pavilion boat ride now named "Grand Fiesta Tour". You'll often find them many times in topiary form by Mexico or during Flower and Garden Festival and Donald now has a well themed meet and greet next to the Mexico Pavilion. I must say they were well incorporated into the boat ride, its hard to think back to the old ride and not hearing the theme song and music playing in the background. You know one thing I've noticed since I started on this little pet project with Disney Animation is that the films really are important to WDW, so far every film in some way has a tie into Walt Disney World, and again its the animation, not the live action movies that play the part. Also since I've started watching, I have noticed that I catch my self paying more attention to detail in the parks and really piecing together how epic Disney is as a whole and how much of its history as a company plays a role still today.
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