“The Films of Ron and John” Film Festival

Ron Clements and John Musker are two of my favorite animation directors at Walt Disney Animation Studios. The directorial duo are responsible for making two of the great films of the Disney Animation renaissance during the late 1980s-early 1990s, specifically 1989’s The Little Mermaid and 1992’s Aladdin (one of my all-time personal favorites). 

Ron and John have directed five other films for Walt Disney Animation Studios: 1986’s The Great Mouse Detective, 1997’s Hercules, 2002’s Treasure Planet, 2009’s The Princess and the Frog, and 2016’s Moana (which was just released last weekend and it’s fantastic).

To celebrate the pending release of Moana, Walt Disney Animation Studios put on a retrospective of Ron and John’s films at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California last month. 

I attended two screenings in person at the El Capitan–Treasure Planet on October 10th and The Great Mouse Detective on October 11th–and I watched the other films at home on Blu-ray. I had the distinct, geek-out pleasure of meeting Ron and John before the Treasure Planet screening where they signed some stuff for me and the other 49 people that were first in line. As a happy and unexpected bonus, they then watched the film in the row immediately in front of me after they introduced the film onstage (many thanks to the ticket lady at the El Capitan who happened to sell me a ticket on that row). I felt like I had died and gone to Disney Animation heaven.

Waiting to meet Ron and John (sorry about the blurry pic)

Cool art cards were given out at every screening. Here’s the one for “Treasure Planet.”

Art from the specific film was on display, too. Here are some of the pieces from “Treasure Planet.”

Ron and John talking “Treasure Planet” before they sat in right in front of me for the film’s screening

The screening for The Great Mouse Detective was really enjoyable and informative, too. While Ron and John didn’t attend in person (they gave their remarks in a pre-recorded video played before the film), in attendance were co-director and Disney Legend Burny Mattinson and director and animator Rob Minkoff. 

Waiting in line (and geeking out) to meet Burny Mattinson and Rob Minkoff

Signed art card for “The Great Mouse Detective”

Art from “The Great Mouse Detective” on display

The “Mighty Wurlitzer” organ at the El Capitan

Burny and Rob talking about the production of the film

My only regret is that I couldn’t stay in California for a week to see all six films on the big screen. My thanks to Walt Disney Animation Studios and the El Capitan Theater for putting on such a classy and cool event.

All images © Disney