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The Extended Universe

How Disney Killed the Movies and Took Over the World
By Vicky Osterweil
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Brief Description
A provocative history of Disney’s rise to cultural dominance, pulling skeletons from the corporate closet to decode the political messages hidden in all of your favourite childhood movies. Vicky Osterweil takes us on a quest to discover how Disney’s 'imagineers' have made it impossible to reflect... Read More
Format: Hardback
$5499

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A provocative history of Disney’s rise to cultural dominance, pulling skeletons from the corporate closet to decode the political messages hidden in all of your favourite childhood movies.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

A provocative history of Disney’s rise to cultural dominance, pulling skeletons from the corporate closet to decode the political messages hidden in all of your favourite childhood movies.

Vicky Osterweil takes us on a quest to discover how Disney’s 'imagineers' have made it impossible to reflect on the wonders of growing up without thinking of Disney's movies, amusement parks, and merchandising. Drawing on extensive interviews with filmmakers, screenwriters, union organisers, and Disney 'adults' alike, Osterweil unearths reactionary political commitments and maleficent legal manoeuvres so cartoonishly evil they would make one of Walt's own animated villains blush.

Along the way, Osterweil braids together corporate skullduggery with a not entirely unsympathetic analysis of some of Disney's most famous movies. The result is an entertaining and convincing case that Disney's entire business model has been built upon a ruthless and fanatical insistence on intellectual property rights – from Steamboat Willie to Avengers: Infinity War and beyond!

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9798888903667

Publisher: Haymarket Books

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 14 April 2026

Country: United States

Imprint: Haymarket Books

Illustration: Illustrations

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 139.0mm

Height: 215.0mm

Weight: 300g

Pages: 336

Collections

Arts & Culture Biography & Memoir Global History History & Archaeology History & Military Musicians, Movie Stars & Creative Biographies Non-Fiction Pop Culture: Best-Selling Books Vicky Osterweil

About the Author

Vicky Osterweil is a Philadelphia-based writer, agitator, and worker whose first book, In Defense of Looting, described historical struggles for liberation in the US. She is a member of the anarchist journal CAW and has written about the intersections of film, politics, and culture for publications such as The Paris Review, Art in America, Al Jazeera America, The Baffler, Dissent, Lux Magazine, and The New Inquiry, where she was also a culture editor for many years.

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