TOP
TENS: DISNEY MOVIES
Welcome,
readers, to another new segment: Top Tens! So far, you've seen some
scant pieces of my work, but poetry and short stories are only a part
of me. I wanted to give you all a look at J. A. George, the person,
and not just J. A. George, the writer. I resolved therefore to
present a more casual side of myself by presenting lists of some of
my favorite things, and that's what led to the creation of this
segment! On the very first presentation of Top Tens, I wanted to
list some things that I liked, that everyone else can identify with
as well.
The
easiest subject I had in mind was, of course, the cinema! The
subject of movies is something that most, if not all, people can
really appreciate, and of course, everyone has their likes and
dislikes. From that point, therefore, the problem is to identify a
specific type of movies that a lot of people enjoy, the most out of
any other kind. My solution: Disney movies!
Disney
movies have been regularly charming us since 1937 (the release year
of Disney's first animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs),
and no other studio has had highs and lows that were quite similar.
Many believe the Golden Age of Disney ended when Walt Disney himself
passed away in 1966, thus making The Jungle Book (1967) the
last film in this Golden Age. However, some of the most memorable
Disney movies in immediate recollection were spawned during what many
call 'The Disney Renaissance'. Films like The Little Mermaid,
Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King were made during
this shining period between 1989 and 1999. Nowadays, business is
booming once again at Disney, with new films like The Princess and
the Frog, Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph, and the newly-released Frozen
receiving box-office riches and critical acclaim the world over.
But,
no matter when you were born or which era you grew up on, chances are
you loved Disney movies at one point in your life. And if you did,
the odds are even better that you still do. With all this in mind,
I'd like to offer you a look at my favorite Disney movies, and my
reasons for loving them, starting from the bottom up. I hope you
find some of your favorites on this list as well; one or two of them
may even surprise you!
10
– The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
This
was an interesting move on Disney's part, then and now: the release
of, essentially, a double-feature. The Adventures of Ichabod and
Mr. Toad was a combination of two starkly different stories that,
contrary to the title, have nothing to do with each other. The first
is The Wind in the Willows, the classic story of rich,
reckless playboy J. Thaddeus Toad, who's ever-changing obsessions
lead to a craze for automobiles and running afoul of gangsters who
cheat him out of his property. The second story is, in my opinion,
where all the action is—The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, the
Washington Irving yarn about a schoolmaster haunted by the spirit of
the Headless Horseman.
The
Wind in the Willows was not quite as interesting to me as a kid,
and it remains largely that way today. I will not say, however, that
it wasn't enjoyable. It had great characters and an interesting
plot, but it just didn't resonate with me the way the other feature
did. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, however, has always been
one of my favorites, and not just the film, but the Washington Irving
book, as well as many adaptations of it. My admiration for Tim
Burton's Sleepy Hollow and the ABC Family TV movie The
Hollow stem from my enjoyment of this movie, its characters, its
setting, and most especially, its villain, the Headless Horseman. If
one would look back on every Disney villain ever created, one might
not find one that succeeded the way the Hessian did. All other
villains were stopped or killed before their goals are met; the
Headless Horseman is unique in that he met his only goal—to kill
Ichabod Crane. That was what most attracted me to the story, along
with Crane's somewhat flawed attempts at attracting the wealthy young
Katrina van Tassel, his hilarious rivalry with Brom Bones, and the
final chase sequence that seals his fate.
All
in all, this movie's low position on the list is a result of being
really only half the movie I'd wanted to see. While The Wind in
the Willows is enjoyable by itself, the contrast between it and
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is palpable, and in my opinion,
The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is really the main attraction.
Still, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad gains my
admiration, and if it means watching the second feature, I will
gladly enjoy the first.
9
– The Jungle Book
As
I previously mentioned, The Jungle Book was the last film Walt
Disney personally supervised before his death in 1966. The film came
out a year later, and it is one of the most memorable movies from
that Golden Age. Like many of the movies on this list, I've been
enjoying this movie since I was a very small boy; some of my fondest
childhood memories include mimicking Baloo's movements while singing
along to “The Bare Necessities”. With an impressively catchy
soundtrack, loveable characters and animation that proves Disney's
skill in the field, The Jungle Book finds its spot in my list
well-earned.
Why
is it so low on the list? For starters, the plot is probably the
most basic of any movie on this list; Mowgli, the Man-Cub, must be
returned to his own kind before the vicious Shere Khan finds him and
kills him, and along the way, he runs into a host of zany animals
that get him into many unusual situations. It's essentially
situational comedy in the jungle. Also, like many Disney films (not
limited to the ones found on this list), it completely takes full
liberty with the source material—in this case, the actual novel,
The Jungle Book, written in 1894 by Rudyard Kipling.
That's
not to say that these details don't make the film enjoyable,
otherwise, it wouldn't be on this list. In fact, the
characterizations in the movie were so popular, they gave rise to two
animated television series in the 1990s, TaleSpin
(of which I was also quite fond as a child) and Jungle
Cubs. Any and all reasons for this film's low point on the list
do not in any way serve as a deterrent; The Jungle Book is an
enduring and endearing classic, and it will always be one of my
favorites.
8
– The Rescuers Down Under
Sadly,
this is one of Disney's more obscure titles, the reason why it is so
low on this list. This was Disney's first attempt at a sequel, being
a continuation of The Rescuers (1977), and is one of the only
sequels produced by the main animation company. This movie, due to
more than just the difference in time periods, is leaps and bounds
ahead of its predecessor in many ways. The characters are funnier
and much more likable, the plot is a bit more complicated, and the
animation is absolutely breathtaking. It is a feature that received
none of its proper due when it was first released, and remains to be,
in my opinion, Disney's second most overlooked endeavor (to see my
opinion of the first, continue reading).
In
the first place, I give credit to Disney for returning Eva Gabor and
Bob Newhart to their original roles for the film, while at the same
time praising the brilliant idea to cast George C. Scott and John
Candy (the two best performances in the film). I give equal praise,
as I said, for the incredible animation, as well as an impressive
musical score that doesn't have to fall back on musical numbers to
seize interest. The character development is one of the main details
that makes the characters so appreciated and relatable (in
particular, Bernard's jealousy of the suave and adventurous kangaroo
mouse, Jake), and this makes the situations they're in much more
harrowing. Even more gripping is the film's villain, a truly grim
and despicable antagonist, played by George C. Scott—what better
kind of villain, in a film mostly about animals, than a vicious,
manipulative poacher?
Even
if you haven't seen the first movie, I strongly recommend this one,
if for no other reason than to give it the fan following it deserves.
Maybe someday, Disney will wise up and re-release The Rescuers
Down Under in 3-D? Now that would be one hell of a ride!
7
– Tarzan
I
had only a fleeting knowledge of the story of Tarzan of the Apes
(by Edgar Rice Burroughs) when this movie was first released, but I
credit it with giving me a much more thorough understanding of it. I
also credit this movie with beginning my fascination with the music
of Phil Collins. In regards to the movie itself, it is impressive in
every respect: the story, the characters, the animation, it all
demonstrates Disney's prolific talent in weaving a great story with
eye-catching visuals.
Tarzan
is, of course, the story of a human baby raised by gorillas in the
African jungle, who grows up to be their jungle protector. In his
manhood, he meets his own kind for the first time, and is faced with
the decision of either staying with his gorilla family, or going to
be with the humans who discovered him. This aspect, in particular,
has potential for a lot of emotion and strife, and it conveys many
scenes this way effectively. The action scenes are animated
vibrantly, and I paid special interest to Tarzan's movements through
the trees; the animators went the extra mile of creativity by
relating Tarzan to a modern-day skater as he moves across branches.
The brisk pace of these scenes pick up the heartbeat, as well.
Topped off with great comedic characters and a drum-based soundtrack
that, at it's peak, can be absolutely feral, Tarzan is a movie
I'll gladly watch many times over.
6
– The Princess and the Frog / Tangled
There
are two movies in my number 6 spot, mainly for two reasons. One:
they both came out during a time in which Disney seemed to return to
its fairy tale roots and reignite their former glory days. Two:
honestly, I enjoyed them both so well, so equally, that I couldn't
decide which should take this spot. Not wanting to lose any of the
other movies on the list, I find myself giving them equal status on
my list.
The
Princess and the Frog was released in 2009, and it seemed to be
the spark that relit Disney's great passion for making top-quality
movies. A stylized retelling of the classic Frog Prince fairy
tale, this movie's gorgeous animation, well-developed characters and
stellar jazz-style music (largely written by Randy Newman) puts it
above and beyond the status of other movies released several years
before it. It does seem to retain details of the princess movies of
old, including the obvious princess-centered title, which I believe
is the reason it didn't perform quite as well as it should have.
However, the story is refreshingly complex, and the cast are loveable
in their respective roles (especially the lovely vocals of Anika Noni
Rose and the wickedly strong bass of Keith David, the latter of whom
I've been a fan since his days as the voice of Goliath on Disney's
Gargoyles). Overall, it is a good start to a new golden age
at Disney, which continues even now with the critically-acclaimed
recent release, Frozen.
Tangled,
another stylized retelling of a well-known fable (Rapunzel),
was a great and pleasant surprise for me. As much as I enjoy some of
Disney's softer fare, that, as I've said, was The Princess and the
Frog's only true weakness. Tangled not only included the
princess aspect that is true to Disney norm, but could also be seen
as an action-adventure feature, perfectly balanced to bring in a more
diverse number of viewers. Once again, the characters are instantly
loveable (the horse, Maximus, is just hysterical), the story is
brilliantly written, and it was the perfect time for Disney to
experiment with a new animation style—combining elements of CGI and
traditional animation to create the look of an oil painting.
Finally, the last detail in its favor is the music; the soundtrack's
cornerstone song, “I See the Light”, makes me cry every time I
hear it.
I
would say that Tangled is superior to The Princess and the
Frog, but it would only be half-correct, just as it would be half
true to assume the reverse. Both movies deserve the acclaim and
accolades they've been given; and both movies deserve an equal spot
on my list. With films like these emerging and helping Disney take
back its place at the top of the animated film market, I eagerly look
forward to seeing Frozen.
5
– Beauty and the Beast / The Little Mermaid
Once
again, I found myself in a real dilemma in choosing one film for this
particular spot. In this case, it was a combination of two great
movies begging for a high spot and my 1990s blood calling out to me.
As such, fairness persuaded me to place these two movies together:
the two movies that were the start of the 1990s Disney Renaissance,
as well as the childhoods of myself and many of my peers.
Both
movies reminisce of the days when Disney specialized in retelling
classic stories with a twist. Both movies center around a female
protagonist who longs for a meaningful change in life (in the case of
Ariel, it's a life above the water, while for Belle, it's something
beyond her simple village life). Both involve these female
protagonists essentially dealing with the devil, each one causing the
major change they seek, though not in the way they imagined. The
main divergence point: Ariel's desperation for her goals leaves her
short-sighted in her judgments, especially over her 'benefactor',
Ursula; Belle's main antagonist (the Beast) is slowly whittled down
in force, eventually softening enough to become the answer to both of
their causes for suffering. The other aspects of these movies that
set them apart from others; just about everything. The animation is
spectacular, the characters are lovable, and the memorable songs
continue to be sung out loud by children and adults everywhere.
I
imagine, though, that most would disagree with my choice to place
these two at the same level; many agree (including, I expect, the
Academy Awards, who chose it as the first animated film in history for
a Best Picture nomination) that Beauty and the Beast is
superior. In most cases, I agree, but my choice to place these two
together was not entirely based on quality, but also on status.
True, Beauty and the Beast is an excellent film, easily one of
Disney's best, if not directly at the top. But, as I've said, The
Little Mermaid was the movie that began that grand new age of
Disney, the age that spawned hit after hit for over a decade. One of
these hits includes Beauty and the Beast, so in this sense, it
can be said that Beauty and the Beast owes its existence to
The Little Mermaid. Another reason I felt the need to pair
these two: The Little Mermaid was released in 1989, the same
year I was born (in fact, exactly one month after my date of birth to
the day), so I, quite literally, grew up with Ariel. Therefore,
The Little Mermaid holds a special place in my heart just as
much as Beauty and the Beast.
I
know its unusual for a man to say such things about movies more aimed
at female audiences, but quite frankly, I don't give a damn. These
are two great movies, and in my honest opinion, they are on par with
each other.
4
– The Black Cauldron
I
mentioned that I would explain my opinion of Disney's most underrated
film in this article, and here it is: 1985's The Black Cauldron.
Made close to the end of a string of sub-par films between Walt
Disney's golden years and the '90s Renaissance, The Black Cauldron
was based on the novels of Lloyd Alexender, The Chronicles of
Prydain. The Black
Cauldron is my number 4 on this list for mainly one reason: it is
unique in almost every way. It was Disney's first film to use
computer animation (if only very briefly), it was Disney's first PG
rated movie, and it took viewers to a much darker place than many
other Disney films dared to go. To me, that is what is most
enjoyable about the film; it attempts to instill honest-to-God fear,
something at which only a handful of Disney films attempted, and even
fewer succeeded.
In
the movie, Taran, a young 'assistant pig-keeper' is persuaded by his
guardian to keep their magic soothsaying pig, Hen Wen, from the
clutches of an evil king. Along the way, he meets a crew of misfits
that help him in not just keeping the pig safe, but from preventing
the villain's ultimate goal: to find a magic cauldron that has the
power to raise the dead. Once again, Disney's striking visuals make
for an impressive display, but sadly, the character development is
somewhat lacking. If there had been more time, energy and funding
put into a movie based on The Chronicles of Prydain novels, I
imagine the story would have made the characters much deeper and more
likable. What makes up for this, in my opinion, is the gutsy
decision to create a darker, more harrowing piece. The movie shows
blood in more than one instance, the climax involves an army of
zombies ('deathless warriors' or 'Cauldron-born' in the film itself),
and speech involving death and murder are more prevalent in this
movie than any other. The Black Cauldron is also unique in
introducing the first truly terrifying villain since the Headless
Horseman—the Horned King (voiced impeccably by John Hurt).
Finally, no other movie has quite as gruesome or graphic a death
scene for the villain as the death of the Horned King—if you don't
believe me, see it for yourself.
While
character development was lacking, I will not say it was completely
absent. The small amount of the characters' personalities we get to
see are likable and funny, and what I believe to be the best part
about them is a fairly ironic twist at the movie's climax—Taran,
the main protagonist who longs to be a hero, endeavors to sacrifice
himself to stop the Cauldron's magic, but in the end, it is the comic
relief sidekick, Gurgi, who ends up being the most noble. This
causes a (better late than never) character change in Taran, and he
then realizes what truly matters in life. This contributes to an
important decision he must make at the end of the movie, proving his
maturity.
Was
The Black Cauldron one of Disney's best achievements? No.
Does it have flaws? Absolutely. But overall, I think its the flaws
of the movie that make it so fascinating to me. Despite receiving
little-to-no attention from its makers and not having nearly as many
viewers as any other Disney film, The Black Cauldron remains
one of my favorites, and even if it never receives any proper
recognition, it always will be. In fact, I consider it special for
that reason alone; that I seem to be the only one capable of
appreciating it.
3
– The Lion King
This
was the movie that truly set precedents all over the world, easily
outclassing other movies on this list and rivaling Beauty and the
Beast and The Little Mermaid simultaneously. The Lion
King remains the record-holder for highest-grossing
traditionally-animated film of all time, has spawned a sequel, a
spin-off film, a spin-off television series, and a multiple
Tony-award-winning Broadway show. This is also the Disney movie that
I remember most from my childhood: the vivid characters, the
brilliant animation, and some of the most memorable songs (written by
Elton John and Tim Rice) in the history of the Disney continuum.
The
story of The Lion King, centering around the dethroned prince
Simba of the Pride Lands and his struggle to regain his dead father's
throne, takes many of its cues from the Shakespeare classic, Hamlet.
The king dies by his brother's hand, the prince is visited by the
specter of his father while abroad, and he must return to reclaim his
kingdom, which has since been usurped by his greedy, murdering uncle.
However, true to Disney form, the climax is the largest divergence
point for the two; instead of the majority of the main cast dying one
after the other in the final two acts (the prince, his love, the
uncle, the queen, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern), the protagonist
succeeds, saves his kingdom, and takes his rightful place as the
successor to the king's throne. In this way, we as children were
given a great insight to the world of high culture and weren't even
aware of it. That combination of high-culture and that endearing
Disney charm is the winning formula, and it would be a long time
before Disney would match it, much less outdo it.
As
I mentioned, the animation is spectacular; the movements of the
characters (all of them African animals) and the setting of the
African savannahs, jungles and deserts are captured with near-perfect
precision—no surprise, as the animators studied African flora and
fauna thoroughly during development. The characters are some of the
most memorable in Disney history, including the three henchmen hyenas
(portrayed hilariously by comedians Cheech Marin and Whoopi Goldberg
and voice actor extraordinaire Jim Cummings) and the comic relief
characters, Timon and Pumbaa (played with excellent chemistry between
Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella, respectively). The music, written and
composed by English musician and superstar Elton John and legendary
English songwriter and lyricist Tim Rice, can still be heard,
remembered and recited with perfect clarity all over the world (not
the least of which is the Academy Award-winning “Can You Feel the
Love Tonight”, which was thankfully not left off the soundtrack as
originally intended). This incredible combination of elements create
a movie that, were it not for the intervention of two other Disney
films, would easily make it to the top of my list.
2
– The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Taking
my number two spot is a movie that has all the fantastic visuals,
charm, wit and culture as The Lion King, but takes a higher
spot due to its deep, emotional connectivity: The Hunchback of
Notre Dame. This, along with The Black Cauldron, is one
of the few Disney films that succeeds in instilling true fear and
taking the viewer to a darker side of animation. However, The
Hunchback of Notre Dame succeeded effortlessly where The Black
Cauldron struggled, and managed to keep the audience deeply
invested in the plot and characters, which are much easier to connect
with emotionally, in my opinion, than The Black Cauldron, or
even The Lion King.
Admittedly,
this movie is the only one on the list, along with the latter half of
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, whose source material
I read. In the case of this movie, the basis was Victor Hugo's
classic 1831 novel, Notre Dame de Paris. Many screen
adaptations have been created to emulate Hugo's masterpiece, but few
pull it off with the same deep and powerful emotion quite like
Disney's version. In classic Disney form, its stylized retelling
weaves the yarn of the deformed bellringer of the Notre Dame
cathedral, Quasimodo, and his horrific appearance keeping him from
the love of his life, the gypsy Esmeralda. Also true to the usual
Disney formula, the tragedy that ends the story is retold to make a
happy ending for the heroes of the story. As mentioned, The
Hunchback of Notre Dame does well in immersing the story in
darkness and presents references that are downright audacious—lust,
sexuality, religious hypocrisy, social dichotomy, crime and
punishment, death, and murder. In fact, I am convinced that the
comic relief characters (a trio of gargoyles and a goat, which are
actually very likable characters) are the reason this movie wasn't
Disney's second PG-rated film.
With
all this in mind, it would be difficult at first to determine the
decent qualities of this movie that save it from suffering The
Black Cauldron's fate. The answer is simple: everything. This
movie is leaps and bounds ahead of The Black Cauldron (and
perhaps any movie on this list) in terms of heart and soul, the
characters are well-developed and relatable, and the overall film
just has a sense of power and awe that is lacking even in such gems
as Beauty and the Beast. In fact, in relation to this, one of
my favorite scenes is during the climax, in which Quasimodo rescues
Esmeralda from being burned at the stake, takes her back up to the
top of the cathedral, holding up her unconscious body, and repeatedly
screaming “Sanctuary!” The scenery and the score lend themselves
to the film's grand and powerful presence, and the songs—helped
along by the surprisingly impressive vocals of Tom Hulce, the voice
of Quasimodo—while not quite as memorable as those from films
before it, are still used strategically to create that emotional
connection that endures from start to finish.
In
the end, my reason for loving this movie, besides its palpable
emotion, is very much the same as my reasons for loving The Black
Cauldron—it conveys a necessary darkness to it. Many Disney
movies, past and present, misrepresent the world as a charming place
where nothing can go wrong. Ironically misrepresenting the work of
others, Disney has asserted that, although things may turn out for
the better in the end, it may not be in the way one would like them
to be. Case in point (SPOILERS START HERE): although Quasimodo pines
for Esmeralda, they do not end up together in the end, however,
Quasimodo is regarded for his heroism and welcomed into the
community, something he longs for throughout the story (SPOILERS END
HERE). This was also a rather risky, yet necessary, move for Disney;
this ending signifies that not every goal can be achieved, and that
failure, while painful at first, can be outweighed by success in
other areas. It is all these traits that convince me that The
Hunchback of Notre Dame is one of the greatest Disney movies ever
made.
However,
it falls short as my number one favorite. That honor belongs to . .
.
1
– Aladdin
This
has been my favorite Disney movie since 1992, when I first saw it in
theaters as a three-year-old. As a child, I enjoyed the stunning
visuals and the lovable characters (particularly the hilarious Genie
portrayed by Robin Williams), and as an adult, the story of
Aladdin, the underdog “street rat” who pines for the
princess continues to be particularly special to me. On further
reflection, Aladdin surpassed The Hunchback of Notre Dame
on my list mainly for one reason: balance. The latter is emotionally
driven, and has its good comedic and whimsical moments, no doubt, but
it rarely makes time for a break from the dark, soulful setting to
lift the hearts of viewers. The former, however, exchanges most of
the moodiness for more lighthearted moments, and the balance between
the two is pitch-perfect. The two movies are otherwise identical in
quality; The Hunchback of Notre Dame still reserves some
comedic and romantic moments for viewer comfort, and although some of
the sense of awe-inspiring grandeur is lost from Aladdin in
the exchange, it is not completely absent (the Cave of Wonders and
Jafar's transformations are proof of that).
Aladdin,
as I've said, tells the story of the orphaned beggar boy who meets a
princess, falls in love, and uses what he believes to be his only
method in winning her love—the three wishes of a magical genie. As
with many Disney films before it and many since, it is loosely based
on an existing fairy tale—the “Aladdin” story of The Arabian
Nights—and is retold in the classically whimsical Disney style.
The moral of the story is one that has resonated in my mind since
before I could understand morals: that being true to oneself is
better than material possessions, and that having strong morals,
determination, and good friends can lead to better things. For a guy
like me, who's spent most of his life unlucky in love, it gives me
hope to know that, even in a make-believe world, the idea that a
street rat can get the princess in the end is not totally
unbelievable.
With
all of the comparisons made here between Aladdin and The
Hunchback of Notre Dame, the basic plot elements must be pointed
out as well. Both star an unlucky protagonist, taught all his life
that he'll never be anything more than what he is, who pines for a
gorgeous woman who shares a special connection with him somehow.
Both leading men make decisions to change their social standing; both
leading women are outcasts in their own way, and both villains hold a
high position of power that they use for their own ends. However,
where differences are concerned, the contrasts cannot be stronger.
In The Hunchback of Notre Dame, the protagonist is cast out by
a society that shuns his deformities (thereby separating him from
Esmeralda by their looks), whereas Aladdin is ostracized due to his
destitution (separating him from Jasmine due to their social status).
And finally, as I mentioned, the endings to these two movies are
very different; whereas Quasimodo's main goal is fulfilled only
partially, Aladdin's main goal is not only fulfilled, but to the
highest degree. To me, this is a step-up from the number two movie
on this list; The Hunchback of Notre Dame had that sense of
realism that young viewers need, but realism doesn't always work as
entertaining cinema, especially Disney cinema.
I've
said that Aladdin is more balanced in its moods compared to
The Hunchback of Notre Dame, but that would only be scratching
the surface—its really more balanced than any other movie on this
list, and perhaps many more that are not. The Legend of Sleepy
Hollow and The Black Cauldron utilized darkness and fear
in their stories, with a hint of humor in the former to balance the
suspense. Tarzan, The Rescuers Down Under, The Jungle Book,
and The Lion King had more adventure and thrills, and the
latter gave us plenty of humor and heart along with it. The
Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and The Princess and the
Frog were far more romantic than anything else, and the latter
had a healthy dash of adventure. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
and Tangled were the most balanced of all the movies on this
list aside from my number one movie, but whereas I've explained where
the shift in mood makes Aladdin superior to the former, the
latter is as far back on the list as it is solely because it is more
recent. I realize that it may sound biased, but the movies I grew up
with, the ones that are the most memorable over the decades, are the
movies I have the most loyalty for, and I'm sure other children of
the 90s like myself will agree with me.
In
short, Aladdin has all the elements that make a truly amazing
Disney movie—action, suspense, adventure, romance, heart, soul,
humor, spellbinding visuals, an enduring story, beloved characters,
and mesmerizing music—and has them all in the right proportions.
It's the reason Aladdin is still my favorite Disney movie, and
it is probably the reason it has been since I was three years old.
Honorable
Mentions
Here's
a list of Disney movies I wanted to include, but didn't quite make it
to my top 10 list, and a small synopsis for each:
The
Sword in the Stone
Based
on the T. H. White novel of the same name (which is itself inspired
by the Arthurian legends of Britain), this was the last film Walt
Disney saw through to the very end (he died in the middle of
production of The Jungle Book). While I enjoyed the visuals
and the story of the young underdog Arthur (“Wart” in the film),
the story itself, along with most of the music and some of the
characters, just didn't have the same spark that makes them as
memorable as those in its successor, The Jungle Book. Still,
The Sword in the Stone is a movie that makes me smile every
time I watch it; its comedic charm was more than enough to convince
me to include it on this list in some way.
The
Great Mouse Detective
This
movie was based on the series of childrens' books, Basil of Baker
Street by Eve Titus, and was the tentative follow-up to the
sub-par performance of The Black Cauldron. The movie was much
more successful than its predecessor, and it's easy to see why; the
movie's light humor and relatively simple mystery plot was engaging
for young and old viewers alike. Although the characters were not as
memorable (with the exception of the villain, Professor Ratigan,
played brilliantly by Vincent Price), some of the scenes in the movie
are the pride of Disney continuity, most notably the climax in the
gears of London's Big Ben clock tower. All in all, a watered-down
Holmesian mystery for kids may sound doomed to fail, but Disney
managed to pull it off with enthusiastic success.
Oliver
and Company
Notably
the last film before the Disney Renaissance, Oliver and Company
is a loose retelling of the Charles Dickens classic, Oliver Twist,
re-envisioning the main characters as animals and relocating the plot
from 19th-century England to 1980s New York. A
localization of a classic piece of English literature may seem
shocking, even blasphemous, to most admirers of the story, and the
decision to supply the movie with the 1980s sounds of Huey Lewis,
Ruth Pointer, Bette Midler and Billy Joel sounds even worse.
However, the formula is surprisingly charming and works quite well.
While not nearly on the scale as most of the movies in the top ten,
Oliver and Company has charm, pizazz and heart, and it is
another movie I grew up watching (and will gladly watch it again
anytime).
Mulan
Mulan
was an unusual move for Disney, as the film is based not on a book or
story, but a poem—the ancient Chinese poem known as “The Ballad
of Mulan”. Like the poem, the movie tells the story of a young
Chinese woman who masquerades as a male soldier and takes her sickly
father's place in the army. Surprisingly, the only real difference
between the two (aside from renaming the protagonist from Hua Mulan
to Fa Mulan) is the way in which she was discovered. In the movie,
she accidentally reveals her identity near the end of the movie,
while the poem says she fought in the army for over a decade before
retiring, and at that time, she revealed her true identity of her own
volition. Mulan was another movie that fell just short of Disney's
highest expectations, but is still a highly enjoyable film. I
particularly praise the ironic genius casting of Eddie Murphy—a
black comedian, known for his boisterous style of comedy, in an
almost entirely Asian cast—as Mushu, a character that is supposed
to be a secret throughout the entire movie. Mushu, as well as many
of the characters, are funny and engaging, the music shines, and the
plot keeps focus and interest from beginning to end. While not on
the same level as Aladdin,
Beauty and the Beast or Tangled, Mulan
belongs on this list, if only as an honorable mention.
Fantasia
2000
One
of Disney's few sequel projects, Fantasia
2000
was the follow-up to one of Disney's most iconic films of all time,
Fantasia.
As such, the film doesn't follow a set plot, but rather is a series
of short stories, sans dialogue, that are each told through vivid
animation and classical music. Each vignette is introduced by a
celebrity host, with the exception of the first, an abstract story in
both visuals and plot, expressed through Beethoven's legendary Fifth
Symphony. Steve Martin comically introduces the Pines
of Rome
(Ottorino Respighi) segment, illustrated by a pod of flying whales,
which is a beautiful piece to the eye and the ear. Music legend
Quincy Jones introduces George Gershwin's Rhapsody
in Blue,
an interesting piece which tells the story of several bohemians in
the city whose dreams are stymied by their everyday lives. One of my
favorite segments is Bette Midler's introduction of the story of Hans
Christian Andersen's The
Steadfast Tin Soldier,
backed by the sounds of Dmitri Shostakovich's Piano Concerto No. 2
(the story, true to Disney fashion, is altered to make a happy
ending). The
Carnival of the Animals
(Camille Saint-Saëns), introduced by James Earl Jones, calls out to
the non-conformist in me as it illustrates one flamingo, in a flock
of his conformist comrades, who breaks away from routine by playing
with a yo-yo. Stage magicians Penn and Teller introduce the original
Fantasia
segment, The
Sorcerer's Apprentice,
starring Mickey Mouse in one of his most beloved roles—the young
apprentice who tries to cast his master's best spells, despite
lacking the experience to do so. Following up this section is
composer James Levine introducing Edward Elgar's Pomp
and Circumstance,
which stars more animated Disney stars, Donald and Daisy Duck, in the
ancient myth of Noah's Ark. Ending the film is Angela Lansbury's
introduction to Igor Stravinsky's The
Firebird Suite,
my favorite piece in the film, which displays in gorgeous detail a
forest spirit and an elk escaping from the destructive rampage of a
gargantuan bird of fire. String these entrancing visuals, backed by
a mellifluous classical soundtrack, and you have a film that not only
lives up to its predecessor, but will surely carry on the Fantasia
traditions for decades to come.
Wreck-It
Ralph
The
final film on my honorable mentions list is another fairly recent
film, Wreck-It Ralph. Belonging in the same category of
movies as Tangled, The Princess and the Frog and
Frozen, Wreck-It Ralph contributed to the most recent
revitalization of Disney's passion for exceptional movies. The story
is, of all things, a homage to classic video games, and tells the
story of an arcade game villain who wishes to be adored, and strives
to become a hero. The unusual casting of John C. Reilly and Sarah
Silverman (neither of whom seem particularly apt to voice roles in
childrens' movies) works unbelievably well, and their characters, as
well as many others, are likable and relatable (as much as video game
characters can be, anyway). There is also a certain amount of
creativity that should not only be praised, but applauded—Game
Central Station, one of the key settings of the film, is the central
hub where all arcade-based game characters can meet, and is contained
inside the outlet snake to which all the arcade games' plugs are
connected. Also, one particular scene that made me laugh was a scene
inside the Sugar Rush game (a candy-based racing game), in
which the palace of the game's ruler, King Candy, is being guarded by
giant Oreo cookies that emulate the castle guards in The Wizard of
Oz (right down to a parody of their iconic chant: “O-REE-o,
YOOOO-um!”). The only detail about this movie that makes it an
honorable mention instead of a part of the top ten: the plot. A
villain that becomes a hero is a plot device that had been used
earlier, in the DreamWorks film Megamind (also establishing
that the long-standing Disney-DreamWorks rivalry is still very much
alive and well). With that said, everything else about Wreck-It
Ralph calls for a place on this list, and here it shall be.
Thank
you for joining me on this retrospective. I hope you share the love
I have for these movies, and if you haven't seen them or found a
reason to appreciate them before, I hope I've enlightened you. Some
of these movies aren't necessarily the best ever made, but do not
regret watching them at all, and if I garnered some enjoyment from
them, then Walt Disney Animation Studios must have done something
right. If you do share my adoration for any of these movies, it goes
to prove my original intentions for this article: that, although I
strive to be famous, I have not, nor will ever, forget that we all
have something in common: Disney.
Thank
you again for your time, and for your eyes.
-- J. A. G.
