With the release of Disney's live action remake of "Christopher Robin," on August 3,2018, Winnie the Pooh fans, old and new, rejoice in the revival of the classic children's book character who frolicked in the Hundred Acre Woods, originally created by the English author A.A Milne.
As a child who was deeply devoted to teddy bears, (I owned many such as Teddy Ruxpin, Care Bears, and multitude of other soft, fluffy bears), it was a very natural inclination for me to love Winnie The Pooh, who ultimately played such a pivotal role in my love for Disney, and created many tender and fond memories for me a young child, while also occupying my mind from a very lonely childhood.
The original anthropomorphic character was based on a teddy bear owned by the son of Milne, Christopher Robin Milne. The teddy bear, who was originally named Edward, was renamed "Winnie" following the admiration of a Canadian Black bear often visited at the London Zoo, who's owner originated from Winnipeg, Canada, and the moniker "Pooh," a name bestowed to a swan fed by the young Christopher Milne. The inspiration derived from the beloved black bear earned the bear surreptitious recognition in England as the Fort Garry Horse Regimental Mascot, becoming a beloved attraction at the London Zoo.
The conceptualized idea of the endearing, fictional bear evolved from the effects of World War I, when Milne was injured during the First Battle of Somme in 1916, ironically during his time in the trenches experiencing Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (at the time known as shell shock). The bear, initially known as "Edward" was featured in Milne's publicized poem called "Teddy Bear" in 1924, but did not debut as Christopher's Robin's "Winnie The Pooh" until it was featured and published in a London Newspaper called "The Evening News" on Christmas Eve in 1925, commissioned as the first chapter of the "Winnie The Pooh" book.
The books were originally illustrated by E.H Shephard, and produced in over 25 languages with over 20 million copies by 1996, even gaining recognition with The New York Times, featuring a Latin version on their best seller list in 1960. It was not until 1961 that Walt Disney Productions acquired licensing for Winnie The Pooh, releasing their first animated film in 1966, featuring the golden bear with his little red shirt, becoming one of the most beloved characters in Disney franchise history, next to Mickey Mouse. Winnie the Pooh has been featured in a wide array of historical memorabilia, theatrical and direct to video films, as well as countless renditions of the animated bear in motion pictures.
The live action debut of the upcoming Pooh Bear, set in Post- War London time frame, features a rendition of a more emotional tale of the bittersweet and tumultuous dynamics between a father and his beloved son, and the bear that would change their life forever, intertwining the fictional elements with real world attributes. The film follows a grown up Christopher Robin who faces the moral dilemmas of prioritizing family values versus work values (a dilemma at which we may all relate at one point or another) and the question, "What to do? What to do?," and suddenly like magic, an old friend appears to provide guidance to deal with the challenges of life in the most nostalgic way.
The good natured, golden fur bear who has a great affinity for honey turns 93 this year and we all can't wait to see his face on the live action, big screen. Now, off to surprise my love with two tickets to see his favorite childhood Pooh Bear as well (although, he would never tell a soul). Ha.
