But other chapters are quite weak. The authors clearly don't understand the world of motion pictures. They didn't research their subject well at all. There are a lot of simple mistakes that should have been flagged by a factchecker. The authors incorrectly report, for instance, that Miramax and Robert DeNiro's production companies are located in Los Angeles. Frank Wells is only mentioned as having `passed away' -- he died in a helicopter crash, a fact the authors never mention, something which demoralized the upper levels of the company and had a profound impact. And they obsess about someone whose screenplay was `ripped off' because Disney settled out of court for a small amount -- such nuisance cases are a dime a dozen in Hollywood and routinely settled to avoid the more expensive cost of defense, even if the claim is unfounded.
While not commenting on the authors' political point of view, it seems their critique of Disney animated films really belongs in another book -- that is an aesthetic consideration which has nothing to do with `greed'.
This book is truly the finest summation of why after enjoying and remembering fondly to this day my trips to Disney World as a child between 1976 and 1993 I will never go back again. Today, Disney had become the poster boy for promoting political correctness, anti-Christian, pro-militant gay agendas and that is something I can do without.
Particularly illuminating is the chapter on how one of the most special attractions at Disney World, the original "Hall Of Presidents" was changed and tampered as the result of one radical, out of step left-wing historian's denunciation of Abraham Lincoln's real speech as "McCarthyistic" and that the celebration of American leadership was "fascistic." Said historian was then given carte blanche to redo the whole exhibit, and to top it all off Michael Eisner decided to let Bill Clinton deliver some platitudes (which unlike Lincoln's speech had to be made up for him.)
Truly spellbinding, and a must read for those of us who wonder why the magic is now long gone from the Disney organization and its once magical theme parks.