Arguably one of the most recognizable symbols in the Western
cultural lexicon, or even that of Eastern cultures, is the silhouette of Mickey
Mouse. Popularized in the late 1920s by a series of short films, America’s
favorite rodent has come to represent the Walt Disney Studios and the Disney
corporation at large. While many individuals would be hard pressed to name a
single film that Mickey appears in, the ears logo has become entrenched in
popular culture, in part thanks to its simplistic circular design. The company
has utilized this circle theme in other deliverables, particularly in their
movie posters. While the story lines and animations styles may differ, the
inclusion of these symbols generates a sense of unity throughout the various
films’ posters.
A main archetypal definition of circles is inclusion. One
Disney poster where this is especially evident is for the 1991 movie “Beauty
and the Beast”. The rounded silhouette of the title characters in the middle of
the page enhances the idea that the story focuses on them and creates the
notion that the two only have eyes for each other. The light emanating from the
middle of the poster is reminiscent of the sun, signifying a cheerful, hopeful plot
line.
![](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aQzyG22vj2c/UXnx5DDbc3I/AAAAAAAAACM/_uOE_x4Z7FM/s200/The_Little_Mermaid_Disney_movie_poster.jpg)
Though the posters in question may not pay direct homage to
Mickey himself, there is a definite reoccurrence of the shape in the company’s
materials. As Mickey illustrator John Hench once quipped, “Mickey Mouse is made
up entirely of curves and that’s very reassuring. People have had millions of
years experience with curved objects and they’ve never been hurt by them. It’s
the sharp and pointed things that give you trouble” (Gabler, Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American
Imagination), which serves nicely as a tenet for Disney.
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