Day 31: Aladdin

Aladdin (1992)

Starring: Scott Weinger, Brad Kane, Robin Williams, Jonathan Freeman, Linda Larkin, Lea Salonga, Frank Welker, Gilbert Gottfried, Douglas Seale, Jim Cummings, Bruce Adler, Charlie Adler, Hal Smith 

Songs: "Arabian Nights," "One Jump Ahead," "Friend Like Me," "Prince Ali," "A Whole New World"

Aladdin is the thirty-first Disney animated movie, and is based on the Arab folktale of Aladdin and in the magic lamp from One Thousand and One Nights.  It tells the story of Aladdin, a poor young man who finds a magic lamp with a genie inside.  He uses the Genie's help to try and win the heart of the beautiful Princess Jasmine.

The idea to make an Aladdin movie originated with lyricist Howard Ashman.  The story was initially to be about a younger Aladdin who had a mother.  The story was eventually reworked when Jeffrey Katzenberg ordered the script to be rewritten.  Aladdin became older, more of a leading man, and Alan Menken and Tim Rice (who replaced Howard Ashman after he passed away) added and changed some of the existing songs.  Jasmine was also retooled into a stronger character to set her apart from some previous Disney heroines.

An interesting fact is that the character designs were inspired by the rounded, flowing lines of the artist Al Hirschfeld's style.

This is a movie I love and always have loved.  I find it fun and entertaining, as well as beautiful to look at and listen to.  The animation is technically impressive as well as stunningly beautiful -- and the CGI elements and traditionally animated elements are blended nearly perfectly.  Not as seamless as Beauty and the Beast, but still very good.  The music here is some of the best in any Disney movie, and the voice acting, of course is top notch.  Robin Williams is at the top of his game as Genie, but all the other performers own their characters as well.  In short, everything works about this movie... as evidenced by the huge financial and critical success it received.

But despite loving this film quite a lot, I feel like I don't have much to say.  However, the movie probably speaks for itself, as the best movies do.

What I Liked: The music.  The love story between Aladdin and Jasmine.

What I Disliked: Nothing, unless you count the fact that it made me feel a tad nostalgically sad over Robin Williams' death. 

Should You Watch This Movie: No question about it.  Of course!

Day 30: Beauty and the Beast

Beauty and the Beast (1991)

Starring: Paige O'Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, Jerry Orbach, David Ogden Stiers, Angela Lansbury, Bradley Michael Pierce, Rex Everhart, Jesse Corti, Hal Smith, Jo Anne Worley, Kath Soucie, Brian Cummings, Alvin Epstein, Tony Jay, Alec Murphy, Mary Kay Bergman, Frank Welker  

Songs: "Belle," "Gaston," "Be Out Guest," "Something There," "The Mob Song," "Beauty and the Beast"

Beauty and the Beast is the thirtieth Disney animated feature, the third film of the Disney Renaissance, based on the French fairy tale by Jean-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont.  It tells the story of Belle, who goes to take her father's place as a captive in an enchanted castle where she falls in love with the Beast.

Much like The Little Mermaid, the idea to make this movie originated with Walt Disney in the 1930s.  Attempts to develop the story happened in the late '30s after the success of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and again in the 1950s, but it never quite took.  In the 1980s, after the success of Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, the studio revisited the idea of Beauty and the Beast.  In 1989, Jeffrey Katzenberg decided the movie should be re-envisioned as a musical in the style of The Little Mermaid.

This movie, of course, was one of the most successful movies Disney had ever made, both financially and critically.  It was the first (and, until 2010, the only) animated film to be nominated for a Best Picture Academy Award.  It also had three of its songs ("Belle," "Be Our Guest," "Beauty and the Beast") nominated for Best Original Song, which "Beauty and the Beast" won.  The film was also the first Disney movie to be adapted to a Broadway musical.

Overall, this film is beautiful -- the animation, the backgrounds, the voice acting, the music... all just stunning.  The CGI elements and traditionally animated elements are blended perfectly here, and it honestly looks the most organic of any of the movies so far that have blended the two techniques.  And the music, of course, is some of the best -- Menken and Ashman at the top of their game.  This movie is special in that it is definitely a piece of art, but it also works amazingly well as entertainment.  It's safe to say that I love this movie.  I loved it as a kid and love it now, just a really lovely film.

What I Liked: The backgrounds.  Some of the most beautiful backgrounds ever in a Disney movie.  Jerry Orbach as Lumiére... oh gosh, what a performance from such a wonderful actor.  But most of all, the song "Something There," which is probably my favorite Disney love song.  One of my favorite stories connected with this movie is that lyricist Howard Ashman gave Paige O'Hara as Belle the one word direction "Barbra" to get her to deliver the line, "new and a bit alarming," as he envisioned it -- with the inflection Barbra Streisand would have used.   

What I Disliked: Honestly, nothing.

Should You Watch This Movie: I can't believe you're even asking me this.  Of course!!

Day 29: The Rescuers Down Under

The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

Starring: Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, John Candy, Adam Ryen, George C. Scott, Frank Welker, Tristan Rogers, Peter Firth, Wayne Robson, Douglas Seale, Carla Meyer, Bernard Fox, Russi Taylor

Songs: A score composed and conducted by Bruce Broughton

The Rescuers Down Under is the twenty-ninth film in the Disney canon.  One of the few animated sequels Disney released theatrically, it follows 1977's The Rescuers and is inspired by the books by Margery Sharpe.  It tells of Bernard and Miss Bianca going to Australia to save Cody, a little boy who has been kidnapped by a poacher.

Interesting facts about this movie include the fact that this was the first Disney animated film to be completely colored digitally using the CAPS program developed by Pixar.  It also makes more extensive use of CGI than any previous film.  This film also was released theatrically with a new twenty-four minute Mickey short -- "The Prince and the Pauper."  This film also carries the unhappy distinction of being the only film during the period known as the Disney Renaissance that wasn't successful.  This film received mixed to poor reviews and didn't turn a big profit at the box office.

Overall, I would actually have to say this movie is more enjoyable than the original.  Story wise, they're probably about equal, but the animation here looks better and there's more comedy.  This is a movie I liked okay as a kid.  It was never a favorite, but I never disliked it.  I did sort of forget about it as I got older, more out of a general aversion to sequels in general.  Nowadays, I do rather like this movie.

What I Liked: Joanna!  She's hilarious.... the scene where she's trying to steal the eggs is just about the highlight of the movie.

What I Disliked: The CGI elements are more noticeable than they were in The Little Mermaid.  This isn't make or break, but it is pretty obvious.

Should You Watch This Movie: Yeah, I'd recommend it.

Day 28: The Little Mermaid

And thus we begin the Disney Renaissance with...

The Little Mermaid (1989)

Starring: Jodi Benson, Christopher Daniel Barnes, Pat Carroll, Samuel E. Wright, Jason Marin, Kenneth Mars, Buddy Hackett, Ben Wright, Paddi Edwards, Edie McClurg, Kimmy Robertson, Caroline Vasicek, Will Ryan, Frank Welker, René Auberjonois

Songs: "Fathoms Below," "Daughters of Triton," Part of Your World," "Under the Sea," "Poor Unfortunate Souls," "Les Poissons," "Kiss the Girl," "Happy Ending"

The Little Mermaid is the twenty-eighth animated Disney feature, and it is loosely based on the Danish fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen.  It tells the story of Ariel, a mermaid princess who longs to live on the land.  She falls in love with the handsome human Prince Eric, and trades her voice to Ursula the sea-witch for a pair of legs and a chance to make the prince love her back.

The idea to make a Little Mermaid movie dates back to the late 1930s, just after Snow White was completed.  The studio planned to make this one segment of a package film all made up of Hans Christian Andersen adaptations.  However, like many of the other story ideas that were proposed at the time, it was never made because the war changed a lot of plans at the studio.  The idea came up again in 1985, but was originally rejected because the studio was planning a sequel to the hit movie Splash and didn't want another mermaid movie to compete with it.  But soon the project was greenlit and production began in earnest in 1987.  

An interesting note is that this movie required more special effects animation than any Disney film since Fantasia, back in 1940, because of the underwater setting.  Also, this film was the last film to use animation cels, as all future films used scanned and digitally colored drawings.  

This movie, of course, is the start of a new era in Disney animation, known as the Renaissance.  That is because most of the movies over the previous two decades had either been commercial or critical failures.  There were some minor successes, but Disney needed a smash hit... which this movie provided.  It got excellent reviews and was a big financial success.  The studio even decided to take a risk and release the movie to home video shortly after it left theaters (which was unusual, at the time) and because the movie made so much money (as the top selling VHS of the year) all future Disney releases would come to home video soon after leaving theaters, rather than waiting several years as the studio had been doing.

I really like this movie.  It's beautiful to look at with crisp, clean animation and picturesque backgrounds.  The voice acting is top notch, and the music (provided by Disney legends Alan Menken and Howard Ashman) is awesome.  I loved it as a kid, and in fact in my earliest years, Ariel was my favorite princess (before I discovered Aurora).  When I was a kid, I didn't know a single girl my age or around my age that didn't love this movie.

What I Liked: I love a lot of things about this movie, but honestly my favorite moment is right after "Under the Sea" when Sebastian and all the fish are standing there, out of breath like you would be after a big production number with all that singing and dancing.  And they look and Ariel's gone.  I don't know why but that moment is the most hilarious thing to me.

What I Disliked: Umm... Ariel makes me feel old.  What?

Should You Watch This Movie: Better question is why haven't you already?

Day 27: Oliver & Company

Oliver & Company (1988)

Starring: Joey Lawrence, Billy Joel, Cheech Marin, Richard Mulligan, Roscoe Lee Browne, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Dom DeLuise, Taurean Blacque, Carl Weintraub, Robert Loggia, Natalie Gregory, William Glover, Bette Midler, Frank Welker

Songs: "Once Upon a Time in New York City," "Why Should I Worry?," "Streets of Gold," "Perfect Isn't Easy," "Good Company"

Oliver & Company is the twenty-seventh Disney animated film, based on Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.  In this version of the story, Oliver is a kitten looking for a home and he falls in with Fagin's gang -- a group of dogs.

This movie was originally going to be called Oliver and the Dodger, and there was talk of making it as a live action adaptation of the musical Oliver!.  When that idea was abandoned, and they decided animation was the way to go with this project, there was discussion of making this a sequel to The Rescuers, and that the lonely child that eventually became Jenny Foxworth would be Penny in her new life.  This movie also made even more extensive use of CGI than previous films.  It's one of few Disney films that is definitely and decidedly modern in its setting, and it even has product placement from Coca-Cola, Sony, USA Today, and many others -- so that the film's New York City would look authentic.

Though critical reviews were mixed, the movie was a success at the box office and Disney decided to make an animated feature a year from that point on (which, most years since, they have).  

Again, I feel like there isn't much to say here.  I liked this movie a lot as a kid, and I still like it now.  In terms of this blog and your faithful blogger, this movie is significant for two reasons -- one is that this is the halfway point in the Disney animated canon, number twenty-seven of fifty-four.  And also because this film came out the year I was born.  Many of the coming movies I saw in theaters, which is something I couldn't say of the earlier films.

What I Liked: Billy Joel.  I mean, that answer had to be expected.  Also, how cute is Oliver?

What I Disliked: I'm not sure if it's just me being a biased Billy Joel fan, but nothing in the movie really brings the excitement like "Why Should I Worry?."  I wouldn't say it's downhill after that because there's a lot of fun and cute moments, but the best scene probably shouldn't be so close to the beginning of the film.

Should You Watch This Movie:  Yeah, go for it.  It's totally watchable.

Day 26: The Great Mouse Detective

The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

Starring: Barrie Ingham, Vincent Price, Val Bettin, Susanne Pollatschek, Candy Candido, Frank Welker, Alan Young, Diana Chesney, Eve Brenner, Melissa Manchester, Basil Rathbone, Laurie Main

Songs: "World's Greatest Criminal Mind," "Let Me Be Good to You," "Goodbye So Soon"

The Great Mouse Detective is the twenty-sixth animated Disney feature, based on the Basil of Baker Street books by Eve Titus.  The story tells of Basil, a mouse version of Sherlock Holmes, who (with the assistance of his Watson, Dr. David Q. Dawson) helps little Olivia Flaversham find her father, who has been kidnapped by the evil Professor Ratigan.

This movie is another early example of blending CGI elements and traditionally animated elements.  It blends a bit more naturally, and is slightly less noticeable, than it was in The Black Cauldron.  This movie went into production when two animators (Ron Clements and John Musker) left the production of The Black Cauldron and began work on this project.  Originally, the movie was to be called Basil of Baker Street, like the books, but Michael Eisner didn't like the name, and felt that "Basil" sounded "too British."  This became something of a joke at the studio.  Another notable fact about the film is that Basil Rathbone, for whom the main character was named, provides the voice for Sherlock Holmes in one scene, through the use of an old recording.

This is another one where I feel like there isn't much to say.  I like this movie a lot... I did as a kid and I still do. 

What I Liked: Vincent freaking Price!  He was perfect for Ratigan.  Also the fact that Ratigan made a recording of himself singing his villain song.  Just wow.

What I Disliked: Mr. Flaversham made me think about Scrooge McDuck (since they're voiced by the same actor and have nearly the same voice), which made me think about Mickey's Christmas Carol.  And really, Christmas was over a month ago.  This is ridiculous.

Should You Watch This Movie: Yes.  I would recommend it.

Day 25: The Black Cauldron

The Black Cauldron (1985)

Starring: Grant Bardsley, Susan Sheridan, Nigel Hawthorne, John Byner, John Hurt, Freddie Jones, Arthur Malet, Eda Reiss Merin, Adele Malis-Morey, Billie Hayes, Phil Fondacaro, Peter Renaday, James Almanzar, Wayne Allwine, Steve Hale, Phil Nibbelink, Jack Laing, John Huston, Brandon Call, Gregory Levinson, Lindsay Rich

Songs: A score composed and conducted by Elmer Bernstein, performed by the Utah Symphony Orchestra

The Black Cauldron is the twenty-fifth Disney animated feature, based on The Chronicles of Prydain books by Lloyd Alexander.  The stories come from Welsh mythology, and this film is inspired by the first two books.  It tells the story of a young boy named Taran, a pig keeper who has to keep the evil Horned King from getting a magical cauldron that will allow him to rule the world.  Taran is aided by a young princess named Eilonwy, a bard named Fflewddur Fflam, and a little creature named Gurgi.

This movie is notable for quite a few reasons -- it was the first Disney animated movie released with a PG rating.  It was the first Disney animated film to make use of CGI.  It also introduced the Walt Disney Pictures Sleeping Beauty Castle logo (a variation of which is in the sidebar of this very blog).  There was also some controversy around the film as it was still being produced.  Jeffrey Katzenberg, the Disney studio chairman, decided that the movie needed to be cut for time and for content, so he intended to do it himself and eventually talked studio CEO Michael Eisner into agreeing with him.  The film's release was delayed nearly a year and it was cut by twelve minutes.  

This movie looks really nice, with gorgeous backgrounds and a unique color palette.  Story wise, it's much more fantasy oriented than any of the earlier films, and it is darker in tone as well.  It even sounds different, seeing as there are no songs but instead a lovely, moody score by Elmer Bernstein, who had just been nominated for an Academy Award for his work on Trading Places and is still widely celebrated for his work on Ghostbusters.  Watching the Disney movies in order like this has made this one stand out more than it might have otherwise.  I honestly think it's a rather good movie... but it was so different from what people were used to, it got mixed reviews and did rather poorly at the box office.  

This isn't a movie I ever saw as a child (I think I was probably around sixteen when I did see it for the first time), but I liked it when I first saw it and I like it now.  It's not a favorite, but I think it might have risen in my estimation today.

What I Liked: The special effects animation -- the smoke and the fire look really realistic and cool.  The overall darker feel of the film without being over the top sad.

What I Disliked: There could have been a few more light moments thrown in to ease the tension in certain places.  I feel like there were some jokes, but there could have been a few more... if they were in the right spots.  This is actually a minor quibble though.

Should You Watch This Movie: While I see where it wouldn't be for everyone, I definitely think you should give it a shot.

Day 24: The Fox and the Hound

The Fox and the Hound (1981)

Starring: Mickey Rooney, Keith Mitchell, Kurt Russell, Corey Feldman, Jack Albertson, Pearl Bailey, Sandy Duncan, Dick Bakalyan, Paul Winchell, Jeanette Nolan, Pat Buttram, John Fielder, John McIntire

Songs: "Best of Friends," "Lack of Education," "A Huntin' Man," "Appreciate the Lady," "Goodbye May Seem Forever"

The Fox and the Hound is Disney's twenty-fourth animated feature.  It's based on the novel by Daniel P. Mannix, and it tells the story of unlikely friends Tod and Copper, an orphaned fox and a hunting dog in training.  Tod is raised by Widow Tweed, and Copper belongs to her neighbor Amos Tweed, a hunter.  The two become friends as youngsters, but as when they grow up they are forced to feel like they must be enemies.  

This movie began production in 1977 and is kind of on the cusp of two eras of Disney animation -- and two generations of creative talent at the Disney studio.  The animators that had been Walt Disney's go to in the previous decades -- a group he affectionately referred to as the "Nine Old Men" -- were mostly nearing retirement, and the next group of animators (the likes of Don Bluth, John Lasseter, Glen Keane, and many of the other animators that would go on to play pivotal roles in the Disney Renaissance that began with The Little Mermaid) were beginning to take over the production.  The two groups clashed over how to handle the story and the design of the film, and Don Bluth walked out with eleven other artists to start his own studio (and would eventually be responsible for films like The Land Before Time, Thumbelina, and Anastasia).  Replacing those animators and resuming work on the film delayed the release for over a year.

This film looks really pretty.  The backgrounds are very picturesque, much more pleasing in their colors than The Rescuers.  The animation is very nice and skillfully done.  Considering the fact that the film began production with one team and finished with another, it's surprisingly cohesive.  

This is a movie I liked as a kid, but I didn't watch it often because it was intense and made me sad.  I feel the same way about it now... I like it still (probably less than I did then, however) but it's not one I would watch for fun.

What I Liked: The character designs!  The animals look fantastic -- realistic but still charming and cute.

What I Disliked: It's so sad!  Like, yes, I know that's the idea.  And sometimes angst can feel good, but it's just sad.  That's why this is a movie I wasn't looking forward to re-watching.

Should You Watch This Movie: If you can stand the heartbreak.

Day 23: The Rescuers

The Rescuers (1977)

Starring: Bob Newhart, Eva Gabor, Geraldine Page, Michelle Stacy, Joe Flynn, Jim Jordan, John McIntire, Jeanette Nolan, Pat Buttram, Jimmy MacDonald, Candy Candido, Bernard Fox, George Lindsey, Larry Clemmons, Dub Taylor, John Fielder, Shelby Flint, Bill McMillian 

Songs: "The Journey," "Rescue Aid Society," "Tomorrow is Another Day," "Someone's Waiting for You" 

The Rescuers is the twenty-third Disney animated feature film, based on the books The Rescuers and Miss Bianca by Margery Sharp.  It tells the story of Bernard and Miss Bianca, two mice from the Rescue Aid Society, an international charitable mouse organization whose headquarters is located inside the UN, going to rescue an orphan named Penny from the clutches of the nasty Madame Medusa.

This film started development in the early 1960s, but production didn't begin until around 1973, alongside another project called Scruffy that was eventually abandoned.  This movie went on to be the most successful animated feature the studio had made since The Jungle Book, and the first and last smash success without Walt Disney until The Little Mermaid began the era known as Disney's Renaissance.

This movie looks and sounds fairly different than any other Disney movie up until now.  Like Bambi, most of the songs are not sung by the characters, but are a part of the narrative.  And the backgrounds in this film are very muted and have much warmer, moodier colors than previous features.  This film also has a different look in terms of the outlines around the characters.  When xerography was first used, it produced thick, black outlines that were much more noticeable.  By the time this film was made, however, they were able to make subtler lines.  This film is also less comedic than most of the films that preceded it in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

This isn't a movie I had strong feelings about as a kid.  I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it.  I would say I liked it well enough and I feel about the same now.  However now that I'm older (and more knowledgeable about old sitcoms), this one is a bit nostalgic for me because it has Dr. Bob Hartley from The Bob Newhart Show, and Lisa Douglas from Green Acres!  

What I Liked: Bob Newhart and Eva Gabor.  I mean c'mon.  The voices are great for those characters.  Also, Madame Medusa's character design and the fact that she looks like Carol Burnett as Miss Hannigan in Annie.

What I Disliked: I wouldn't say I hated the music, but it does sound dated and scream 1970s to me.  Not my favorite Disney soundtrack.

Should You Watch This Movie:  Ehh, it's not a must see, in my opinion.  Worth it to watch at least once though, probably... especially for Disney diehards and fans of Bob Newhart.

Day 22: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)

Starring: Sterling Holloway, John Fiedler, Junius Matthews, Paul Winchell, Howard Morris, Bruce Reitherman, John Walmsley, Timothy Turner, Ralph Wright, Hal Smith, Clint Howard, Dori Whittaker, Barbara Luddy, Sebastian Cabot

Songs: "Winnie the Pooh," "Up, Down Touch the Ground," "Rumbly in my Tumbly," "Little Black Rain Cloud," "Mind Over Matter," "A Rather Blustery Day," "The Wonderful Thing About Tiggers," "Heffalumps and Woozles," "When the Rain Rain Rain Comes Down," "Hip Hip Pooh-Ray!"

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is the twenty-second Disney animated feature, based on the Pooh stories by A.A. Milne.  Because these books were not as popular in the US as they were in England, Walt Disney felt that instead of making a feature film right away, it would be better to produce shorts that would familiarize an American audience with the characters.  Because of that, I'm going to split this post up and talk about each segment, like I did with the package films in the early days of this blog.

• In Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, Pooh goes in search of honey -- first by rolling in mud and disguising himself as a little black rain cloud and then by dropping in on Rabbit unannounced for lunch.  He eats so much honey at Rabbit's house that he ends up getting stuck in the doorway.  This featurette was released theatrically in 1966, shown before The Ugly Dachshund.
• In Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, the Hundred Acre Woods has a storm.  This leads to Pooh meeting a bouncing tiger named Tigger and hallucinating about "heffalumps and woozles" in a scene reminiscent of Dumbo's Pink Elephants on Parade.  Later, Piglet is washed out of his home and Pooh ends up being declared a hero.  This segment was theatrically released in 1968, shown before The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit.  It won the Academy Award that year for best animated short.
• In Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too, Tigger's constant bouncing gets everyone in trouble when Rabbit decides to teach Tigger a lesson.  Later, in the winter, Tigger and Roo bounce into a tree, and Rabbit sees another opportunity to teach him a lesson.  This segment was released theatrically in 1974 and shown as a part of a double feature with The Island as the Top of the World.

These featurettes were collected, and a shorter fourth segment and some wrap-around material were added to form the feature film, which was released in 1977 and became a big success financially.  Though Walt Disney had been gone for over a decade, his instincts were proven to be right once more.

Again, I feel like there's not really a lot to say about this movie.  It's charming, fun, funny and it feels good to look at and listen to.  The songs are very kid friendly.  The animation is clean and pretty, and the character designs are very warm and cuddly and inviting.  Everything adds up here to make a great movie.  This is one I loved a lot as a kid and I still love it a lot now.

What I Liked: Roo, who is the cutest child.  Also the Gopher character saying, "I'm not in the book!" when he comes on the screen, which is a great joke since that character isn't in Milne's book.  But mostly Rabbit sticking a picture frame around Pooh's butt and trying to use it as a decoration in his house.

What I Disliked: Nope.  I didn't dislike any of it.

Favorite Segment:  While I love them all, I think the best is Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree.

Least Favorite Segment:  I didn't have one.  They're all fun!

Should You Watch This Movie: Definitely.

Day 21: Robin Hood

Robin Hood (1973)

Starring: Brian Bedford, Monica Evans, Phil Harris, Roger Miller, Andy Devine, Peter Ustinov, Terry-Thomas, Carole Shelley, Pat Buttram, Ken Curtis, John Fiedler, Barbara Luddy, Billy Whittaker, Richie Sanders, Candy Candido, J. Pat O'Malley

Songs: "Whistle Stop," "Oo De Lally," "Not in Nottingham," "Love," "The Phony King of England"

Robin Hood is based on the English legend of the same name, and tells of the famous outlaw who "robs the rich to pay the poor."  This film uses anthropomorphic animals in all the roles -- foxes, bears, lions, badgers, etc. 

Originally, this movie was going to be about Reynard, a fox from medieval European folk legends, who was also an anthropomorphic trickster.  But at the time the movie was in original development (in the mid 1960s) Walt Disney didn't feel that Reynard would make a good hero for a family film.  The project was scrapped, but the character designs were used for this film.  

(Reynard in an 1869 children's book by Michel Rodange)

The film was given a low budget by Disney's standards and some of the animation is reused from several earlier films, including Jungle Book, Aristocats, and even Snow White. I feel this is done skillfully and doesn't look cheap, plus it's not excessive. It probably wouldn't be terribly noticeable to someone who wasn't watching all these movies one right after the other, or having it pointed out to them.  And the animation here is clean and it looks very pretty.  Visually, I would say the movie is safe -- as in it doesn't take risks.  But using country music and animals in a movie about an English legend was risky, and somehow it works.  It's fun and weird, but it works.  This film turned out to be a big success at the box office, and the song "Love" was even nominated for Best Original Song at that year's Academy Awards, but it lost to Barbra Streisand's "The Way We Were."

This was a movie I liked a lot as a kid and I still like it a lot now.  Again, I feel like I don't have much to say!

What I Liked: So much.  It's a really funny movie.  But honestly, Sir Hiss resting his head on the folds of his body, like a petulant, pouty kid resting his head on his arms, is adorable.  And Little John and his costumes...

What I Disliked: Least favorite question.  Honestly, nothing stands out to me as something I disliked.

Should You Watch This Movie: Do I even need to answer this one?  Of course you should!

Day 20: The Aristocats

The Aristocats (1970)

Starring: Eva Gabor, Phil Harris, Gary Dubin, Liz English, Dean Clark, Roddy Maude-Roxby, Scatman Crothers, Sterling Holloway, Paul Winchell, Lord Tim Hudson, Vito Scotti, Thurl Ravenscroft, Pat Buttram, George Lindsey, Hermione Baddeley, Charles Lane, Nancy Kulp, Ruth Buzzi, Monica Evans, Carole Shelley, Bill Thompson, Peter Renaday

Songs: "The Aristocats," "Scales and Arpeggios," "Thomas O'Malley Cat," "Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat"

The Aristocats is another of Disney's lovable animal movies, in the tradition of One Hundred and One Dalmatians.  It tells the story of Duchess and her kittens, pampered pets of Madame Bonfamille, who names them as the heirs to her will.  When jealous, greedy butler Edgar learns this, he decides to get rid of the cats.  While on their way back home, they meet O'Malley, an alley cat, and get into tons of adventures.

This movie is a delightful blend of classic Disney and then-modern Disney.  It has beautiful backgrounds that tend more towards being stylized, and the character designs are all very inviting, if that makes any sense.  But this movie has a wonderful sense of humor and the music is all fun and enjoyable.  It's really no wonder this became a big box office success.

This was one of my favorites as a kid, and it still is to this day.  Because of that, I feel like I don't have as much to say... but since I'm babbling, that's probably not a bad thing! 

What I Liked: Again, pretty much everything.  But in particular, the opening song by Maurice Chevalier, which was his last professional work.  The kittens being thoroughly enchanted by O'Malley.  Uncle Waldo.  I mean, come on... that dude is hilarious.

What I Disliked: The dialect humor and pretty much everything the Siamese cat says in "Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat."  It's gross, it's fairly offensive, it's entirely unnecessary.

Should You Watch This Movie: Definitely.  Absolutely.

Day 19: The Jungle Book

The Jungle Book (1967)

Starring: Bruce Reitherman, Phil Harris, Sebastian Cabot, Louis Prima, George Sanders, Sterling Holloway, J. Pat O'Malley, Verna Felton, Clint Howard, Chad Stuart, Lord Tim Hudson, John Abbott, Ben Wright, Darleen Carr, Leo De Lyon, Hal Smith, Ralph Wright, Digby Wolfe, Bill Skiles, Pete Henderson

Songs: "Trust in Me," "Colonel Hathi's March," "The Bare Necessities," "I Wanna Be Like You," "That's What Friends are For," "My Own Home"

The Jungle Book is the story of young "man cub" Mowgli and his adventures with friends Baloo (a bear) and stuffy Bagheera (a panther).  It is loosely based on the Rudyard Kipling novel, as Disney hoped to repeat the success of The Sword in the Stone (another movie about a young boy and based on a novel).  This was the last animated movie Walt Disney was alive to be a part of.  It was released about ten months after he passed away, but his instincts were right, as this movie was a big financial success.

The original treatment for the script of this film was apparently much darker.  Story man Bill Peet took his cues from the darker tone of Rudyard Kipling's novel, and Walt Disney ended up feeling like the script was too dark for family entertainment.  Most of Peet's original ideas for the script were dropped, but one thing that remained was the fact that in the book (which is much more episodic in nature, and difficult to adapt to a screenplay), Mowgli went back and forth between the jungle and the man village, but Peet felt that Mowgli returning to man should be the film's ending.  

One thing I've always liked about this movie are the backgrounds.  They seem especially rich, and the way the characters look in them is very organic.  Plus, the music is undeniably fun.  It all feels very youthful, for lack of a better word, without feeling childish.  The movie received mixed reviews, and some critics at the time said the movie lacked action, but I disagree.  I feel like there's enough excitement, enough jokes, enough music... everything is balanced well.

This is a movie I loved as a child and I still love it now.

What I Liked: Oh man, it's such a fun movie.  I like the fact that it's a really enjoyable experience.  Additionally, the baby elephant, voiced by Clint Howard is adorable.  Also this:

What I Disliked: I hate to say this and be that person, but there was a really noticeable lack of girls.  We got the cute little girl at the end, who as far as I know doesn't even have a name, and the elephant colonel's wife.  No, it's not a make or break deal with the film (because I do still love it) but if I had to point out one thing, it would be that.

Should You Watch This Movie: You're going to get tired of this answer, but yes.  Yes, you definitely should.

Day 18: The Sword in the Stone

The Sword in the Stone (1963)

Starring: Rickie Sorensen, Richard Reitherman, Robert Reitherman, Karl Swenson, Julius Matthews, Sebastian Cabot, Norman Alden, Martha Wentworth, Alan Napier, Thurl Ravenscroft, Jimmy MacDonald, Ginny Tyler, Barbara Jo Allen

Songs: "The Sword in the Stone," "Higitus Figitus," "That's What Makes the World Go Round," "A Most Befuddling Thing," "Mad Madam Mim," "Blue Oak Tree"

The Sword in the Stone is the eighteenth Disney animated feature, based on the T. H. White novel that tells of young future king Arthur (who goes by Wart) being taught by wizard Merlin and his pet owl Archimedes.  After Sleeping Beauty didn't perform very well financially, the Disney studios decided to focus on movies with more kid appeal -- stories about animals and/or young boys, because Walt felt that was his best chance for success.  It paid off well, as this movie was a big money maker, though critical reviews were mixed.  It does have the happy distinction of being the first film to feature music by the Sherman Brothers, who would go on to create the memorable songs in Mary Poppins.  This film also has the unhappy distinction of being the last animated film that Walt Disney was alive to see released.

The animation in this film is really sharp and clean.  The backgrounds are less stylized than either One Hundred and One Dalmatians or Sleeping Beauty, but the look is very nice.  The character designs and the backgrounds work really well together.

This is a movie I didn't have much of a connection with as a kid.  I didn't dislike it, but it wasn't a favorite.  I would have to say I feel the same about it now.

What I Liked: The dishes washing themselves during "Higitus Figitus."  The adorable female squirrel.

What I Disliked: I have to be totally honest and say that this movie, while cute, was a tad on the boring side.  It felt longer than it was.  I didn't hate it, but after the awesome movie yesterday (One Hundred and One Dalmatians) this was a bit of a let down.

Should You Watch This Film: If you're a Disney diehard or a fan of Arthurian stories, definitely.  You can probably afford to skip it otherwise.

Day 17: One Hundred and One Dalmatians

This film begins the next era in Disney animation: the Xerography Era.

One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)

Starring: Rod Taylor, Cate Bauer, Betty Lou Gerson, Ben Wright, Bill Lee, Lisa Davis, Martha Wentworth, Frederick Worlock, J. Pat O'Malley, Thurl Ravenscroft, David Frankham, Barbara Baird, Mickey Maga, Sandra Abbott, Mimi Gibson, Tom Conway

Songs: "Cruella de Vil," "Kanine Krunchies," "Dalmatian Plantation"

One Hundred and One Dalmatians is the seventeenth Disney Animated film.  It is based on the book by Dodie Smith, who always secretly hoped her book would become a Disney cartoon.  The story begins with bachelor Roger and his bachelor dog, dalmatian Pongo, meeting and falling in love with human Anita and her dalmatian Perdita.  Soon the dogs have fifteen puppies, which are stolen by the conniving Cruella de Vil and her henchmen, so the dogs go on a rescue mission to bring their puppies home.

One criticism leveled at yesterday's film Sleeping Beauty is that it was pretentious and aimed to be too realistic, but that is not a criticism you can make here.  The art in this movie is very modern -- bold, stylized, and fun.  But it is a lot like Sleeping Beauty in that it is fairly unique in its look.  This was the first film to make extensive use of the xerography method, which used the xerox machine to copy the animator drawings onto sells, as opposed to inking and painting them, as was the traditional method.  The xerography method not only gives the movie a different look, with bold, blacker lines, it also allows the audience to see more of the animator's original work because it cuts out that middle step of inking and painting.  There are times when you can see construction lines on the screen... that's really exciting for an animation nerd!

This movie is also different in that it is the first to have such a thoroughly, unmistakably modern setting.  And the lack of songs (though it is scored throughout) is also something different from most of the earlier features.

This was and still is one of my favorite Disney movies.  When I was little, I got a dalmatian puppy myself, and he became my best friend.  His name, of course, was Pongo... so now that that dog is gone, sometimes this movie can feel bittersweet, but I do still love it.

What I Liked:  Again, I could say everything.  But... I love how Pongo and Perdita refer to their humans as their pets... you just know that's how our animals think of us.  And i also like that when you look at the backgrounds in Roger and Anita's townhouse you see that they have numerous framed photos of their dogs on the walls.  That's precious to me.  Also, Anita's outfit when they take the dogs for their evening walk.  I mean, hello:

What I Disliked: Hmm... let me get back to you on that, as nothing springs to mind.  Well, I mean, I do hate when people put a red collar on Perdita and a blue collar on Pongo, because in the movie it's clearly the other way around.

Should You Watch This Movie: Absolutely.

Spotlight on Sleeping Beauty Castle

In light of the last movie being in production around the time that Disneyland was being built, I decided to do an extra post about Disneyland, and about the Castle in particular.

Disneyland opened on July 17, 1955, less than a month after Lady and the Tramp was released to theaters.   Originally the castle at the gateway to Fantasyland was going to be Snow White's Castle, but it was decided that naming the castle after Sleeping Beauty (and showing it on Disney's popular new Disneyland television show) would help promote the film.  The castle is only 77 feet high, but appears larger because of forced perspective (meaning the design elements of the castle are larger and wider at the bottom than at the top).  It was inspired by the Neuschwanstein Castle in Bavaria, Germany, which was built between 1869 and 1892 by Ludwig II of Bavaria.  The Disney Parks in Paris and Hong Kong also have Sleeping Beauty Castles, though really only the Hong Kong one is modeled after the original at the Disneyland Resort in California.

Neuschwanstein Castle:

In 1957, the Sleeping Beauty Castle Walkthrough attraction opened and presented park visitors with the opportunity to see scenes from and inspired by the movie, two years before the movie even opened.

In 1977, the vignettes in the walkthrough were redesigned, this time in the style of the store windows on Main Street, with dressed and posed mannequins.  These dioramas were used until the walkthrough closed in 2001 (and remained closed until 2009, when it reopened with the original look).  One of these dioramas still exists -- in the Enchanted Chamber shop under the castle.

Another fun fact is that for the first few years the walkthrough was up, visitors received this pretty booklet as a souvenir:

The Castle's exterior is one of very few structures from Disneyland's opening day that remains more or less the same as it was nearly 60 years ago.  But the Castle does get decorated for the Christmas holiday season every year and was repainted in 2005 for the park's fiftieth anniversary celebration.  It's also the focal point for the fireworks shows the park puts on.  But most important in regards to this blog is that the Sleeping Beauty Castle logo has become the icon for Walt Disney Pictures.  In this way. even people who haven't been to Disneyland have been able to see the Castle, and that's something very special indeed.

Day 16: Sleeping Beauty

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Starring: Mary Costa, Eleanor Audley, Verna Felton, Barbara Jo Allen, Barbara Luddy, Bill Shirley, Taylor Holmes, Bill Thompson, Marvin Miller, Candy Candido, Dallas McKennon

Songs: "Hail to the Princess Aurora," "The Gifts of Happiness and Song/Maleficent Appears/True Love Conquers All, ""I Wonder," "Once Upon a Dream," "Sleeping Beauty," "Skumps"

Sleeping Beauty is Walt Disney's sixteenth animated film and his third fairy tale princess (following Snow White and Cinderella).  At the time, it was the most expensive film the studio had ever made, so it did not make up the then exorbitant production cost of over six million dollars.  The film tells the story of the Princess Aurora, who is cursed as an infant -- before she turns sixteen, she'll prick her finger on a spinning wheel and die.

Production on this film took nearly the entire decade of the 1950s.  It ceased production for about two years while Walt and the company focused on Disneyland... but because Disneyland and this movie were in the works at the same time, the castle at the entrance to Fantasyland is Sleeping Beauty's Castle, as opposed to Snow White's, as had been originally envisioned.

This movie looks and sounds so beautiful and so unique!  Everything about it is lavish and rich, starting with the charming character designs and how they stand out against the backgrounds.  The art direction, color styling, and backgrounds were done by Disney artist Eyvind Earle, whose unique and dramatic style helped to give the film the "living tapestry" look they were going for, inspired by medieval art.

Backgrounds from Sleeping Beauty:

The Unicorn Tapestries, a series of tapestries made in the Netherlands between 1495 and 1505 that influenced the art styling of the film:

The music for this film is the score to the Sleeping Beauty Ballet, written in 1890 by Pyotr Illyich Tchaikovsky (yes, the same Tchaikovsky who wrote The Nutcracker).  The music is, of course, beautiful and paints almost as much of a picture as the beautiful backgrounds.  When people talk about Disney movies all being similar or blending together, I can only assume they've never seen this movie, because despite similar story points to earlier fairy tales, it's unlike any movie before or since.

When I first saw this movie, I immediately fell in love with it.  I was like nine then, and even now, at twenty-six, I'm still in love with it and would still call it my favorite.

What I Liked: Again, I could say everything.  But to single out a couple of things -- the scene in the cottage with the fairies trying to bake and sew and getting into a magic fight over what color Briar Rose's dress should be.  The stellar performance by Eleanor Audley as Maleficent is also amazing, one of my favorite performances ever.  And the scene at the end where Aurora and Phillip dance off into the clouds.  Walt Disney had had the idea way back in the time of Snow White, and they tried it on that picture and Cinderella but were unable to make it work until this film.

What I Disliked: Nothing.

Should You Watch This Film: It will come as no surprise to you that I say yes, you definitely should!  If for no other reason than how unique the film is compared to the other Disney movies, even to this day.