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hough to most people the desert represents an area of arid desolation,
it is really a place teeming with life, including extraordinary
plants, desert tortoises, rattlesnakes, scorpions, kangaroo rats,
and roadrunners. A flash flood hits the desert, causing much of
the plant life to blossom anew.
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Academy Award® winner for Best Documentary Feature. The film stands
as a landmark of factual filmmaking. As Walt Disney had had a difficult
time convincing his distributor, RKO, of the value of the True-Life Adventure
featurettes, he had renewed problems when he produced his first feature-length
True-Life Adventure. Again they argued that audiences would not pay money
to see a one-hour-plus film about desert creatures. But again, Walt knew
they were wrong. This time he went to Roy Disney and together they decided
that it was time to part company with RKO and handle the releases of Disney
products themselves. So with a little trepidation, they made the break
and set up the Buena Vista Distribution Company, whose first release
was "The Living Desert." This film, made for only about half a
million dollars, made $5 million during its original release, and Walt
and Roy knew they had made the right decision. Released on video in 1986.
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A True-Life Adventure feature. Directed by James Algar. 69 min.
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