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11. Philip B. Swift on The Dark Side of Disney

05.02.2016 by Dan Heaton // Leave a Comment

Philip B. Swift, director of The Dark Side of Disney


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Walt Disney World is a mysterious place for kids; there is so much hiding behind the curtain. For a certain group of fans, that curiosity never goes away. Even as adults, they still look for new ways to explore the parks. This was especially true during the ’80s and ’90s when the resort was still evolving into a giant. In his documentary The Dark Side of Disney, Philip B. Swift talks to a small group of these fans who take a different approach to what they love. One of them is his mom, who travels solo to Walt Disney regularly. The parks function like church for her and allow for a short break from daily life. They act a bit differently for each person in the movie, including Leonard Kinsey, who wrote the book inspiring the film.

Poster of The Dark Side of Disney, directed by Philip B. Swift

On the latest episode of The Tomorrow Society Podcast, Swift joined me to talk about the process in making the film. He also discussed what drove him to become a filmmaker, his childhood trips to Orlando, and why Disney interests him as a subject. Even if you aren’t the type to sneak into backstage areas, there should be a lot for you to enjoy. There are quite a few great stories about The Dark Side of Disney and Swift’s debut feature The Bubble. That film covered the residents of the town of Celebration near Walt Disney World.

Show Notes: Phillip K. Swift

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Categories // Tomorrow Society Podcast Tags // Documentaries, Horizons, Interviews, Movies, Podcasts, Walt Disney World

About Dan Heaton

Dan’s first theme-park memory was a vacation at the Polynesian Resort in 1980 as a four-year-old. He’s a lifelong fan who has written and podcasted regularly about the industry. Dan loves both massive Disney and Universal theme parks plus regional attractions near his hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. His favorite all-time attraction is Horizons at EPCOT Center.

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