The time has come, my little friends, to talk of other things. Of Carroll tales, acid trips and some nonsensical things.  This episode, we get into the classic Alice in Wonderland. Listen along as we follow the decades long journey Walt took to get Alice to the big screen, the incredible voice talents behind these iconic characters, and try to decipher just what in the wonderland is going on here!  Find Cracking the Vault on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram @CrackingtheVault_Podcast, and give us...

As our summer comes to an end, join us for the remake of a Disney classic that launched the career of one young star!  We chat about the questionable parenting styles of Elizabeth and Nick, the GIANT leaps the audience has to take to follow the film's premise, the adorable performance of Lindsay Lohan, and much more! Find Cracking the Vault on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram @CrackingtheVault_Podcast, and give us a follow and a review to leave your thoughts on Apple Podcasts! HUGE shout out to...

What could be more entertaining that an early 90's Disney Live Action Baseball feature starring Danny Glover, Christopher Lloyd and Joseph Gordon-Levitt?? Hearing two nerds who know nothing about sportsball discussing it! This episode, we gaze upon the gem that is the 1994 remake of Angels in the Outfield. We discuss how we really, truly, don't understand Baseball, and how the movie holds up all these years later.  Find Cracking the Vault on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram...

Shut. UP! This episode is all about The Princess Diaries! We discuss the Meg Cabot story that came to life courtesy of Garry Marshall, starring 18 year old newcomer Anne Hathaway and Dame Julie Andrews, in her first feature film in 15 years! We discuss the changes from book to screen, the garbage human that is Mia's best friend Lilly, and much more! Find Cracking the Vault on Facebook, TikTok, Instagram @CrackingtheVault_Podcast, and give us a follow and a review to leave your thoughts on...

Ka-Chow! This time around, we get stranded in Carburetor County as we look back on the gem that kicked off Pixar's second biggest franchise to date, Cars.  We discuss the meticulous process of animating anthropomorphic cars to be as life-like as possible, the debate over placement of eyes on said cars, and just how many times can one podcast use the word Ka-Chow? Join us as we look back on the massive franchise that all started 15 years ago! Find Cracking the Vault on Facebook, Instagram...

This week, your favorite Disney nerds end our discussion of the Disney adaptation of Victor Hugo's The Hunchback of Notre Dame. We dive into just how dark Frollo's spiritual and literal descent becomes in the second half of the film, what changes were made in the relationship triangle of Quasi, Phoebus and Esmerelda, and how the ending compared to Hugo's original work. Join us for part 2 of this 25 year old gem! Find Cracking the Vault on Facebook, Instagram @CrackingtheVault_Podcast, and...

SANCTUARY! In this episode, we gaze upon the 1996 gem adapted from Victor Hugo's classic Gothic novel. In a first for Cracking the Vault, we split this topic into two episodes as we talk for nearly two hours about the first HALF of the film. We dive into the casting of this gem, the liberties taken with the Hugo classic to adapt it to the screen, and the pure evil that Disney presented in villain Claude Frollo.  During our Tangled episode, we debated who was the most evil Disney villain...

Join us this week as we venture to the mythical world of Atlantis! On the 20th anniversary of this underrated gem, we get into the casting choices, the amazing look of the film, and how every aspect of the production was treated differently than just a Disney animated feature. Android users: Cracking the Vault is now on Podcast Addict! Find us anywhere you enjoy your favorite podcasts! Find Cracking the Vault on Facebook, Instagram @CrackingtheVault_Podcast, and give us a follow and a...

Drink up me 'earties, yo ho! On this second episode during Movie Attractions May, we hope aboard the MASSIVELY successful first installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, The Curse of the Black Pearl. Before we can get into the epic-scale that was Gore Verbinski's pirate adventure, we look into the history of the Disneyland attraction which inspired the film, its evolution from Walt's original vision of the attraction to the still wildly successful ride we know today. We then...

Happy Cinco de Mayo from your favorite vault cracking couple! Today we review the 1944 Package Film celebrating Latin America...The Three Caballeros. We dive into a brief history lesson as to what U.S. government agency pushed for this feature, and why. We also go through the experimental film that followed Saludos Amigos, utilizing a very...lascivious Donald Duck.  This month is Movie/Attraction May, where we examine gems that either inspired or were based upon Disney Parks Attractions....

Travel back 25 years as we gazed upon the second gem brought to the world by the minds of Tim Burton and Henry Selick. We examine the Roald Dahl adaptation by discussing the author's previous disillusionment with the adaptations of his works, the fever dream that ended up on film, and the BONKERS theory held by Jamie about what REALLY happened to James Trotter.  Find Cracking the Vault on Facebook, Instagram @CrackingtheVault_Podcast, and give us a follow and a review to leave your thoughts...

On this episode of Cracking the Vault, we embark on a voyage to 1989 to explore the vast wasteland that had become Disney Animation. For decades, the company had no clear direction and was quickly plummeting toward a crash and burn ending. That is, until theatrical songwriting team Alan Menken and Howard Ashman joined Disney to present their animated feature The Little Mermaid! Hear all about the dismal shape the company had been in, the desperate move toward something completely different,...

On this, the final episode of Mary Poppins March, we travel back to Number 17 Cherry Tree Lane and find Jane & Michael Banks all grown up. It is 25 years after the events of the 1964 and everyone's favorite nanny is back! We dive into the journey to get this sequel made that started back in 1965 as well as the events that led to the stars aligning just right for a sequel 54 years later. Close out MarchyPoppins with a feel-good nostalgia-fest with all new songs and same beloved familiar...

On chapter two of our Mary Poppins March, we tackle Disney's film behind the film...Saving Mr. Banks. On this episode, we dig into the background of the woman behind Mary Poppins, P.L. Travers, before discussing Walt Disney's well-documented 20+ year courtship of the film rights to her beloved nanny. We get into what the Disney film got right, what they got wrong, and what are some things that were completely left out altogether from the story behind the making of Mary Poppins.  Find...

"Practically Perfect in Every Way" is not only a signature catchphrase of an iconic Disney character, but it also sums up the topic of today's episode. We kick of #MaryPoppinsMarch with Walt Disney's crowning achievement from 1964 starring Dame Julie Andrews. Listen as we review the classic PL Travers story, briefly touch on the battle of wills between Travers and Disney (with more to come in our next episode) and the friendly rivalry that took place between Mary Poppins and another beloved...

Let's Ride! On this edition of Cracking the Vault, we look back at Pixar's second full length feature, A Bug's Life. We explore the more in-depth process of animating this feature compared to Toy Story, go through the powerhouse talent that was the cast for the film, as well as touch on the rivalry between A Bug's Life and a conveniently similar film released the same month by the studio run by a former Disney executive! Find Cracking the Vault on Facebook, Instagram...

For this edition of Cracking the Vault, we took to social media to find out what our loyal listeners wanted to hear. It was quite close, but the winner was the 2003 drama Holes. As we break down this live action favorite, we discuss the stellar casting choices, the math behind just how many holes we see in the film, awful lizard CGI almost a decade after Jurassic Park blew audiences away, and much much more! Find Cracking the Vault on Facebook, Instagram @CrackingtheVault_Podcast, and give...

On this episode, we get intergalactic and dive into the 2002 animated hit Lilo & Stitch! We discuss Stitch's origins as a failed children's book character over 15 years prior to his film debut, the original plan for him in the movie, and so much more. Those who stick around until the end will also hear something never before heard on our episodes! Find Cracking the Vault on Facebook, Instagram @CrackingtheVault_Podcast, and give us a follow and a review to leave your thoughts on Apple...

In our first episode of 2021, we get into the animated classic 101 Dalmatians! We discuss the cost cutting measures used in the animation of Walt's 19th animated feature, the process of working with author Dodie Smith to bring her literary hit to the big screen, and much more! Ever wonder how many black spots can be found in the entire movie? Tune in to find out! Find Cracking the Vault on Facebook, Instagram @CrackingtheVault_Podcast, and give us a follow and a review to leave your thoughts...

God Bless Us, Everyone! On this special Christmas bonus episode of Cracking the Vault, we dive into the animated featurette adaptation of A Christmas Carol. We briefly get into the the origin of this Disney adaptation, voice acting and burials at sea...yes, you read that right! Enjoy your Christmas festivities while taking a listen to our take on this classic, as hear from our special guest co-hosts at the end as well! Find Cracking the Vault on Facebook, Instagram...

On this episode, we close out 2020 with the 1994 Christmas favorite, The Santa Clause! Hear how a film written by a comedy duo, directed by a first time feature film director, starring a stand up comic turned TV Star...would seal the fate of one of Disney's most beloved live action Christmas films. We discuss the origins of the idea behind the film, the legendary Saturday Night Live alumni who turned down the lead role, the literal painstaking process behind turning America's "tool man" into...

Join on us a journey to the Inca Empire as we talk about Disney's 40th animated feature, The Emperor's New Groove. We briefly touch on what this film was SUPPOSED to be, coming off the heels of the massive success of The Lion King. We get into the brilliant casting voices, the impact the film has had on meme culture, and why it earned the nickname (likely by only one person) the "swiss cheese" of Disney movies.  Find Cracking the Vault on Facebook, Instagram @CrackingtheVault_Podcast, and...

Meet Rapunzel. Living in a kingdom called Corona, isolated in her home, passing the time by cleaning, baking, playing games...is this 2020? Nope. On this episode, we gaze upon the gem that is Disney's 50th animated feature on the 10th anniversary of the film's release. We look into the game of Telephone that was the source material, the nearly 14 year long pre-production of the film, and so much more! We end the episode with a lively debate between who is the most evil Disney villain.  Find...

We cover a milestone in this episode of Cracking the Vault! 80 years ago, Walt Disney brought to life his vision to combine animation and classical music...and it all started with a mouse. Find out how his initial idea to create the ultimate Silly Symphonies short, turned into his 3rd (and currently longest) animated feature film!  Journey back with us to the genesis of Mickey as we know him today, and see the mouse make his feature film debut in a role which would revitalize his popularity...

A manic toad, a superstitious schoolmaster, two famous narrators, two literary classics, one wild ride! We close out October with our discussion of the 1949 Package Film The Adventures of Ichabod & Mr. Toad. Ride along with us as we get into the roller coaster that was getting these animated shorts together, some of the creative constraints the writers and animators were under due to the infamous "Hays Code," and hear just how these protagonists are viewed now through the fog of childhood...