Viewed in
2010
Formats
DVD
Premise
A documentary about the Sherman brothers, composers of many great Disney musicals from the 1960's.
Loved
The footage showing how the brothers worked together.
Liked
The music, the interesting dynamic between them.
Thoughts
It was a surprisingly compelling story, and the film makers did good job of telling it.
With a wealth of archived footage and in depth interviews, including Robert and Richard themselves, the film gave me a very good idea about the brothers' early years, their days at Disney, and how two people so in sync in creating art could be so far apart in life. By telling the story chronologically and clearly, I was able to understand the brothers' personalities, lifestyles, and complexities in their relationships.
At the same time, it was a celebration of their accomplishments. Beforehand, I was not aware of just how important they were to the success of Disneyland, Mary Poppins, or other Disney animated musicals. In fact, a great deal of time was spent on the creation process of the Julie Andrews masterpiece. My favorite parts were when the film talked about how catchy and annoying "It's a Small World (After All)" is, and the footage/explanation of how the brothers operated when they wrote music. I did not realize that they also contributed to non-Disney titles like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Snoopy Come Home.
By the end, I learned to appreciate the Sherman brothers' craft and influence, as well as the documentary's nostalgic trip. It also helped me further admire the depth and complexity in Mary Poppins's music.
What I would change
Nothing.
