Between Books - The Revised Vault of Walt

Jim Korkis in The Revised Vault of Walt makes some of his earlier writings found in the out-of-print The Vault of Walt available again in print. In this newly revised edition some stories have been removed, largely to make a smaller edition. In this new version, 14 of the original chapters have been removed, with five new additions in their place. The new five chapters cover:

• “Eating Like Walt” – A discussion of Walt Disney’s favorite foods.

• “And the Oscar Goes To…Walt Disney” – Highlights from Walt Disney’s numerous Academy Awards.

• “The Carousel of Progress” – A history of the ride currently at the Walt Disney World Resort.

• “The Man Who Shot Walt Disney” – An essay on Disneyland photographer Renie Bardeau.

• “The Song of the South Frequently Asked Questions” – A preview of Korkis’ book Who’s Afraid of the Song of the South.

Otherwise the stories carried over from The Vault of Walt appear largely unchanged, except for some editing to the “Introduction”.

I think the first obvious question is why a revised edition? The clearest reason is the original The Vault of Walt is now out of print and not readily available. With a new publisher who has bought the content and which also published Who’s Afraid of the Song of the South it was decided to put a new edition into the market. Korkis states in “The Welcome to the Revised Edition”,

I wanted a more streamlined, travel-size version available at a more affordable price. It was agreed that doing so might attract new readers who were intimidated by the size and the price of the original edition, despite all the good reviews.

And honestly, one of the first things I noticed when I saw my copy was the smaller size of this revised edition. Which of course lead me to seek out what was removed.

Since the chapters are essays the removals do not take away from the remaining chapters. Some removals seem logical, such as “Song of the South Premiere” which is a topic now covered now in Who’s Afraid of the Song of the South. Others like “Santa Walt” and “Return to Marceline 1956” were some of my favorites since they covered the lives of Walt and Roy O. Disney. I am one of these readers who was not intimidated by the size of the first edition. In fact, I reveled in the original, giving myself three weeks to savor the book. But Korkis and his publisher do promise a Vault of Walt Sampler for Kindle in the future containing the missing chapters.

Of the new additions, they are typical of Korkis’ writing, so Korkis fans will enjoy the style. They are clear and factual. The chapter of Walt Disney’s food favorites led me ask if the Between Wife would make Walt Disney’s chili recipe, I was told she liked her’s better. Despite her resistance, the chapter really shows how Walt Disney’s tastes were simple, likely due to his upbringing. And the chapter on the Academy Awards really highlighted for me the recognition that Disney received for his film innovations. And the chapter on Bardeau provides an intimate glimpse of Walt the man and employer to me. The only one that did not hit with me was Song of the South chapter, mostly due to the fact I have Korkis’ full book on this topic. The FAQ really just highlights topics you can find more in depth in that book.

When I reviewed The Vault of Walt I stated, “This book is excellent and should be on the shelves of every Disney library.” So is this statement still true. First, I am someone who liked the bigger edition, and even with the additions the revised version is 9 stories short. Some may actually enjoy this fact due to the smaller size. But some of my favorite chapters are now absent. And this new edition seems to have a printing problem in the second half of the book with type that appears smeared though still readable, in my copy. But, the original is out of print! And honestly, the secondary price for the original is outrageous. Just checking as I write this review there are copies listed on Amazon for over $500. So I simply cannot recommend seeking out the original. If you did not get a copy of the original, you must purchase The Revised Vault of Walt, since it financially makes sense and has plenty of the content I enjoyed in the original. Then once the Kindle sampler is released, you will be ahead of the game with access to more tales than the original offered. If you own the original, I would suggest the Kindle edition to get the new essays for a lower cost than a print edition.

I found The Vault of Walt to be a surprise hit for me. And I am thankful that Theme Park Press and Jim Korkis have found a solution to make most of this content available at an affordable price. When their plan is complete, we will all have access to more content that the original provided without missing a few car payments.


Review Copy Provided by Theme Park Press

Update: The publisher contacted me after posting this review and reported he completed a check of the copies he had on hand looking for smeared ink.  The copies he had did not have the ink issue, so this is not an universal issue and my copy is likely an exception.

Additionally, he added that The Vault of Walt Sampler will be available in early March 2013 for $3.99.  And he reports that along with the stories that were not reproduced in The Revised Vault of Walt that four additional stories will be added.  So readers who have not yet enjoyed the Vault of Walt but purchase the Sampler and The Revised Vault of Walt will have nine more stories than the original provided with a decreased cost even when combining the two titles. 

On a side note, this is really why I enjoy working with independent publishers, responsiveness.  These publishers generally listen to the fans and their concerns.  So thank you Theme Park Press and others that I have reviewed for in being attentive to your customers and fans. 

Between Books - Who's Afraid of the Song of the South?

Jim Korkis provides inside stories in Who’s Afraid of the Song of the South? And Other Forbidden Disney Stories, in the style of his earlier book The Vault of Walt. The book is divided into two main parts. The first 100 pages focuses on the controversial Disney movie The Song of the South. Korkis examines this film in depth including outlines of the screenplay development, casting, music, premiere and of course the controversy that emerged from it. Along with discussing the movie he also delves into other historical aspects of the Brer family, including the Uncle Remus comic strip, the Song of the South song, a biography of author Joel Chandler Harris and the development of the Splash Mountain attraction. The final 150 pages provides a variety of “forbidden” stories that Disney history, especially official history, does not typically cover. These tales include Disney educational films on menstruation and venereal disease, a Mickey Mouse story that includes suicide, the myth of Walt Disney’s last words, Tim Burton’s early tenure with Disney animation, Ward Kimball and his attempts to develop a factually based UFO production, and several more.

The focus on The Song of the South has lead to several discussions around my workplace. The film clearly still captures the interest of the general public, even if they have not seen it. I loved hearing co-workers who would not call themselves Disney fans note that Disney history is a reflection of American history. And Korkis’ writing helps make this point as he discusses the greater background in which The Song of the South was developed, released and the changing opinions of the film as time passed. As Korkis discussed the fact that James Baskett, who played Uncle Remus, would not have been able to attend his own premier due to race laws I was deeply saddened. But it also helps provide context to a greater issue in Southern history and the prevalent racism of the day. Korkis does not whitewash the history of this Disney film. He makes it clear that a major criticism, and a legitimate one, was the inability of the story to firmly establish the setting in the Reconstruction era instead of a pre-Civil War south. Viewers have had difficulties understanding that Uncle Remus and other African Americans on the production were free and not slaves. From my own informal surveys of those who have seen the film, the criticism is valid since 50% of those I polled believed the film was set during the slavery era. I would warn the title however is a little misleading. So, if one is looking for a book that provides in-depth discussion of this topic, they will likely be disappointed that the entire text is not focused on the film. Others who enjoy Korkis’ writing style and his “inside baseball” type tales will likely be satisfied if not thrilled with this format which shares stories from over 60 years of Disney history.

Korkis’ writing is very clear and easy to read. I do think that with the topics he presents, especially in the “forbidden” realm, that it should be noted that Korkis presents his tales with a respectful tone. Honestly, some of these issues, including a pornographic poster and Disney’s educational films, could easily lead to snickers in any boy’s locker room. Instead, Korkis presents these tales in a way where even the silliest reader will not blush or snicker.

Two personalities rise to the top for readers. Walt Disney is linked to many of these stories and of course The Song of the South film. Disney has been criticized for being racist in allowing this film to be released. Instead the picture that Korkis presents is a man who was deeply sensitive to the race issue. He did not move forward with the original script treatment which he saw as highly racist. And he went to extremes to correct the tone of the initial draft. Additionally, he was very supportive of James Baskett, even advocating the actor receive a special Academy Award for his portrayal of Uncle Remus. You must applaud Disney for producing a film that featured a significant African American cast, one in which it would be impossible to edit out those characters for Southern audiences, which was often done for Southern theaters. Second, Ward Kimball and his quirkiness shines. In this case a short essay on UFOs and Kimball was one of my favorite essays. Those familiar with Kimball’s career will find it easy to believe that he was a UFO true believer. And one cannot help but smile as you read of Kimball retelling Wernher von Braun’s tales of the Roswell Crash and trying to get UFO footage from Air Force officers. It just makes it clear that we need the Kimball biography, which will further expand our understanding of this unique creative man!

Jim Korkis in Who’s Afraid of the Song of the South? presents Disney historical issues that are largely “forbidden” or ignored topics. His analysis of The Song of the South is informative and sure to kick off many discussions. His exploration of other topics is serious and helps uncover episodes in Disney history that many readers will not be aware of. Who’s Afraid of the Song of the South? is a successful follow-up to The Vault of Walt, and anyone who enjoyed that original offering will be pleased by this newest book.



Review Copy Provided by Theme Park Press