Destino: Disney+ Talk

17th November 2020

One aspect I love about streaming services is that they will recommend viewers films and shows that they may not be aware of and Disney+ is no exception. After writing about Pixar’s first short ‘Luxo.Jr’ last week, another short was recommended to me which was ‘Destino’.

‘Destino’ is a 6-minute Disney short film that was released in 2003. However, the short had been in production for 50 years and was a collaboration between Walt Disney and surreal artist Salvador Dali. The film tells the tragic tale of a mortal woman who falls in love with Chronos, the personification of time.

The short was originally storyboarded, and a minute of the film, was animated in 1945. However, due to financial trouble (due to World War 2), production ceased and interest in production decreased even further as the years went on.

The short could be mistaken for an early segment of ‘Fantasia’ and it’s not surprising that Roy Disney was also working on ‘Fantastia 2000’ at the same time as completing this in 1999. To furthermore help its authenticity, John Hench was brought in as the main artist…whom had worked on the original storyboards in the 1940’s. The abstract visuals are accompanied by the song ‘Destino’ which was performed by Dora Luz and recorded before the film started production in the 1940’s. While the studio, at the same time, loathed the quality of the recording, I think it works with the surreal visuals and helps give the film a dream-like portrayal.

The symbolism that is portrayed by each of Dali’s art pieces is something to admire as well. The various landscapes of the film’s setting constantly change to show the two characters that they could never be together; they are complete opposites in terms of how much time they’ll have with each other. It’s tragic but beautiful.

Streaming services can recommend viewers the most obscure or interesting films and shows but, in some cases, it can recommend a piece of history. This was a collaboration that I was not aware of but am glad I watched. While the transitions between shots is a little frustrating, it’s a small complaint given that this project nearly didn’t see completion at all, and this was the best way that it could be finished and connected together.

While I would recommend ‘Destino’, I would mainly recommend this to anyone with an interest in film and animation history, or if you are wanting to see something that’s different from modern animations. This is a short film that will not be for everyone, and that’s ok. Whether it’s liked or not, it’s still a piece of Disney history that was nearly forgotten about.

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