Verbal Diorama has released a three-part miniseries celebrating animator Don Bluth to mark its seventh anniversary.
The award winning movie history podcast, created and hosted by Em McGowan, is marking seven years since launch with a trilogy focused on three animated films closely linked to Bluth’s career.
The episodes explore An American Tail, The Land Before Time and All Dogs Go to Heaven, examining their place in film history and their contribution to animation beyond the Disney studio system.
The miniseries is available now across podcast platforms and forms part of the show’s ongoing focus on the history and legacy of cinema.
Em said: “Verbal Diorama is here to celebrate the history and legacy of movies, and has been the biggest joy of my life for the past seven years.
“I spent much of my early years watching the animated movies of Don Bluth, so turning seven felt like the ideal moment to celebrate the achievements of a filmmaker who shaped our lives, triggered many different emotions, and also proved that Disney was not the only animation studio that mattered!”
Commenting on the anniversary, Mercury founder Liam Heffernan said: “Bluth brought his visionary style to all three of these movies as a storyboard artist, and paying homage to his often unnoticed brilliance is an apt nod to Em’s extraordinary commitment to our industry.
“The podcasting world is a better place with her and Verbal Diorama in it. Happy birthday!”
Verbal Diorama has built its reputation on deep dives into individual films, exploring their production, cultural context and long term impact. The anniversary series continues that approach, focusing on Bluth’s influence and the emotional connection many audiences have with his work.
