Influential Disney Artist Is Commemorated As Google Doodle Honours Mary Blair

Today’s Google Doodle honours Mary Blair who, on Thursday night, was also commemorated by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Blair was the first woman to hold a major position within Disney Animation, making a place for herself among the founders of the company (who were often referred to as the Nine Old Men). She is best known for her incredibly influential work on Alice In Wonderland, Peter Pan and my mother’s all-time favourite, Cinderella. Frighteningly, she is also responsible for designing the It’s A Small World ride.

Alice In Wonderland was re-released in February to commemorate its 60th anniversary and is not part of the Diamond Edition of releases, although Cinderella is scheduled to be the Fall 2012 release. Due to the high demand for IMAX screenings of certain classic movies over the next few years, it is possible this will change to coincide with either a Little Mermaid or Aladdin Diamond Edition.

Last year’s release for the fall was my personal Disney favourite, which is Beauty and the Beast. Who knows when it will return to the Disney Vault, however (seriously, that thing is to classic animated movies as the Arkham Asylum is to Batman’s rogues gallery), as earlier this month saw the release of 2011’s fall movie.

The Lion King Diamond Edition is a 4-disc set containing a 3D Blu-ray, 2D Blu-ray, DVD and digital copy. Dropping on the same day was this trilogy collection - 8-disc set, which contained all the same features as the Diamond Edition release, plus 2D Blu-ray and DVD copies of both the direct-to-home video prequel and sequel movies. Lady And The Tramp is scheduled to be the next release for the line, which is slated to be sometime in the spring of 2012.