Behind the Scenes of Walt Disney and Salvador Dali’s Destino
A new book detailing the friendship behind the cinematic art wonder
Shelved for over 50 years before its completion and ultimate release in 2003, “Destino” is a short film of exceptional beauty. Its origins also stem from a seemingly unlikely collaboration between the world’s most famous animator Walt Disney and surrealist artist Salvador Dali. And yet, unlikely is an inappropriate word here. Not only did Dali and Disney appreciate each other’s work, they were longtime friends. In 1945, Disney paired Dali with in-house illustrator John Hench and the two created 150 pieces of art that would stand as the backbone of “Destino”—a project shuttered by financial woes and revived half a century later for its cinematic artistic merits. All of this and more is chronicled in writer, director and producer David A. Bossert’s new book “Dali and Disney: Destino, The Story, Artwork and Friendship Behind the Legendary Film.”
Bossert’s tribute features all 150 pieces of original artwork. There are story sketches and developmental art pieces, but further, there are photographs of correspondence during the project’s advancement. This alone offers an insider perspective into the two collaborators and their burgeoning relationship. Finally, Bossert explains how the original seconds-long piece of animation from 1946 was dissected, restored and reassembled to create the final film—in conjunction with references from Dali’s original notebooks and the work of animators from Disney Studios France and Destino‘s director Dominique Monféry. Altogether, it’s a valuable, well-researched and aesthetically pleasing book on one of the most fascinating film collaborations in history—with insight enough to appease lovers of both artists’ work.
Pre-order “Dali and Disney: Destino” on Amazon for $28. It will be released on 20 October 2015.
Images by Cool Hunting
