The release date for Disneyland Handcrafted has been announced. This feature documentary from Leslie Iwerks takes a look at the year leading up to the opening of Disneyland. Viewers will get to see the excitement of Disneyland coming to life over 70 years ago. During the course of this feature, there will be the opportunity to see behind the orange groves and see the making of this magical place. Starting on January 22, 2025, it will be available on Disney+ and also on the Disney YouTube channel.
Disneyland Handcrafted
The film includes ASMR moments and was created using only rarely-seen footage that Leslie handpicked through the Walt Disney Archives. It gives a unique look at the thoughtfulness and the care that were put into the development of Disneyland. Disneyland Handcrafted will provide an up-close, first-hand look at many of those who were on hand during the construction of Disneyland during some difficult conditions. This documentary also promises to show a lot of footage that has never been seen before as well.
A Deep Dive Into the Past
The process for bringing this documentary to life included Leslie touring the Walt Disney Archives and tracking down binders full of film reels. This led to the discovery of historical reels that had never been scanned before. This included some raw 16mm footage that was shot and then never used for Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color. Leslie and her team were able to produce high-resolution scans of all of these reels without a timecode. This led to them then restoring beautiful, once-forgotten shots ofthe early days of Disneyland. They were then put onto a hard drive through the utilization of a brand new and revolutionary process.
This distinctive archival footage is going to allow viewers to get an unpolished, fly-on-the-wall look at what was happening during the construction of Disneyland. From seeing what Adventureland looked like during its third month of construction or seeing how Tomorrowland began to take shape with the stress of opening day on the horizon, fans will see the sights, sounds, and first-hand accounts of the real artists, craftsmen, and Walt Disney Imagineers who were there in Anaheim in 1955.
This is a film that will be a treasure for Disney fans, as can be seen by watching the trailer below. The creation of Disneyland was a revolutionary change in the world that has led to multiple Disney parks around the world in the decades that followed.
Disneyland Handcrafted | Official Trailer
Leslie Iwerks
Leslie Iwerks is an Oscar and Emmy-nominated filmmaker. She also comes from a family that is steeped in Disney legacy. Leslie is the granddaughter of Ub Iwerks (Walt Disney’s original animator and the designer/co-creator of Mickey Mouse). She is also the daughter of Don Iwerks (Disney camera technician and inventor). On top of all of that, she is the producer and director of Disneyland Handcrafted.
Two Disney Legends
Both Ub and Don Iwerks were film pioneers who also became Disney Legends. Ub Iwerks worked at Disney in its early days as an animator and special effects wizard. Years later, in the ’50s, Don Iwerks worked at the company. He eventually oversaw the Studio Machine Shop and the Camera Service Department.
Ub Iwerks, Leslie’s grandfather, and her father, Don, were instrumental in a large portion of the creativity that helped take The Walt Disney Company to such incredible heights through the years. This includes the creation of Mickey Mouse, the invention of the multiplane camera, and even the development of the 360-degree camera that led to the first Circle-Vision 360° film format! These are the types of incredible things that Leslie grew up seeing around her. They were also a part of what helped her become the Academy Award-nominated filmmaker years later.
Projects by Leslie
Leslie Iwerks, having grown up surrounded by Disney history, has frequently been able to explore the Disney studio lot. While doing this, her mind was filled with an imaginative spirit that continues to fuel her dedication to innovative storytelling. Throughout her storytelling career, she has found that stories that meet the intersection of business, creativity, and visionary thinking are interesting to her. Her career was launched when she shared her grandfather’s story in 199’s The Hand Behind the Mouse: The Ub Iwerks Story. She was able to share her family legacy with the world through her filmmaking with this film, with the full support of Roy E. Disney.
Through the years, she has also shared other stories that can be found within The Walt Disney Company. This includes The Pixar Story and The Imagineering Story. To bring these stories to life, she has utilized technological innovation and her keen attention to detail that uses Disney-filled filmography.
Are you excited to see Disneyland Handcrafted when it arrives on January 22, 2025? Have you seen Leslie Iwerks other projects? What are you most looking forward to with this new documentary? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!
