Since the 1930s the Walt Disney Company has produced characters, images, and stories which have captivated audiences
around the world. How can we understand the appeal of Disney products? What is it about the Disney phenomenon that
attracts so many children as well as adults?
In this major new book, Janet Wasko examines the processes by which the Disney company - one of the largest media
and entertainment corporations in the world - manufactures the fantasies which enthrall millions. She analyses
the historical expansion of the Disney empire, examines the content of Disney's classic films, cartoons and TV
programs and shows how they are produced, considering how some of the same techniques have been applied to the
Disney theme parks. She also discusses the reception of Disney products by different kinds of audiences. By looking
at the Disney phenomenon from a variety of perspectives, she provides a fresh and comprehensive account of one
of the most significant media and cultural institutions of our time.
This important book by a leading scholar of the entertainment industries will be of great interest to students
in media and cultural studies and will appeal to a wide readership.
