What do you guys feel are the best Disney films?
Personally, I feel that the mix of light/dark that colored a lot of Disney's films from 1988 to 1996--starting with Oliver & Company and ending with the Hunchback of Notre Dame--was perfect. These were films not only aimed at kids but instilled a moral message in the viewers, for children. Each film had a certain message to it. For example, Hunchback gave the implicit message that beauty wasn't simply what was on the outside. They weren't the mindless, child aimed films of today. They were deep, beautiful films, with beautiful art and most importantly, heart.
My favorite Disney films are as follows:
1) The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
2) The Lion King (1994)--Probably the most beautiful Disney feature ever
3) The Little Mermaid (1990)
4) Aladdin and it's sequels (1992, 1994, 1996)
5) Pocahontas (1995)
6) Oliver & Company (1988)
7) Beauty and the Beast (1991)
8) The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
9) Hercules (1997)
10) Mulan (1998)/The Great Mouse Detective (1987)
Personally, Hunchback and The Lion King switch for the number one spot depending on my mood.
South of the South. Definitely.
Bt
Song of the South is actually a beautiful movie and looks incredible in how they mixed the live action and animation. It's equal parts beautiful and brilliantly innovative. I'd actually consider it one of the best Disney did. It's also...let me think of the best way to say this...OFFENSIVELY RACIST! It's a shame that such an important film had to be sullied with such ugly racism. Then again, it's not as racist a Birth of a Nation, and that film still gets shown on Turner Classic Movies every so often (though it was also a film that defined everything we know in cinema.)
As for my favorite Disney, it's a tough choice, but definitely nothing past Beauty and the Beast. The following films lost the timelessness for me. Aladdin was entertaining, but not what I call a great film. And the Lion King, while visually very good, is one of the most overrated films of all time in my opinion. Right up there with Forrest Gump.
My favorites, in no particular order would be:
Beauty and the Beast
Cinderella
Mary Poppins
Dumbo (racist crows aside)
Sleeping Beauty
Robin Hood
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh
And a special shout out to Black Cauldron which, while incredibly flawed, is a fascinating departure from the Disney formula and kind of atmospheric in its own odd little way.
I love the original classics, "Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs","Pinnochio","Sleeping Beauty","Alice In Wonderland".... but I'll always have a soft spot for "The Jungle Book". My parents took me to see it in a little theatre in a small town in the Adirondack Mountains of New York State when I was a wee lad - we were on vacation, and we went to this old-school movie theatre.... I remember the smell of the popcorn, and I loved the songs. I must have sang "Bear Necessities" over and over the rest of that camping trip. That was, like, 25 years ago for me and I still recall it vividly.
Bt
The Little Mermaid will always be my top Disney film...sentimental reasons but I just loved the music, the story, I loved everything about that movie. I'm pretty sure I can blame Ariel for me wishing I were a natural redhead!
After that, Beauty & the Beast, The Lion King, and Aladdin are all close seconds, I'm not sure I could rank them really.
And the Fox & the Hound is another classic that I love, and that makes me cry every time I see it.
Disney has made some great movies. I'm not their biggest fan, but I'm not much for movies, either way. But, it's sad... My step-brother used to work at Disneyland in Anaheim, California. At that time, the management announced that Tangled would be their final 'Princess Movie' because all the little girls have changed - they don't want to be princesses; they want to be "Hot"! So, now, the theatres will be getting fewer good-hearted movies and getting more 'Jailbait' movies! Yuck!
(I'm getting to be too much like Christopher Titus as it is; this isn't helping. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa4ZSym36WM)
That seems kinda silly to me. Little girls will always want to be princesses at some point. :)
I am very much looking forward to learning more about & possibly seeing "Brave" next year, though.
For me:
1. Beauty and the Beast (Belle's pretty, and she's a nerd! ^_^)
2. The Great Mouse Detective (I'll watch anything that has Mr. Holmes in some form)
3. Aladdin (Eye candy)
4. The Hunchback of Notra Dame (Amazing songs)
5. The Three Musketeers (I'm not sure why, but I loved it as a kid.)
Quote from: DawsonJ on August 03, 2011, 01:39:13 AM
My step-brother used to work at Disneyland in Anaheim, California.
Sweet, my mama worked there for thirteen years before we moved to Seattle-ish when I was a toddler, and Grandpa and Uncle Steve retired from Disneyland. :highfive:
Haids' Top 5 Animated Disney Movies1.
101 Dalmatians. I've heard many complaints over the years that this movie is boring, that the 2-D backgrounds don't do it any favors, blah blah blah. But for some crazy reason, it has always been my favorite Disney movie. When I was little (I mean REALLY little, like younger than preschool age) I would sit on my best friend's dining room table while we ate Top Ramen and barked with the dogs as the movie played. (The dining room table was the best vantage point, since we weren't allowed to eat in the living room.) Anyway, I don't remember the first time I saw it, or why it's my favorite, but for reasons beyond my knowledge, it simply
is.
2.
Aladdin. To me, this movie is the epitome of kindergarten and being so young. I remember the Christmas after it came out, Santa gave my sister and I all Aladdin-themed stuff, including Princess Jasmine pajamas. Woohoo! Perhaps that's the reason Jasmine goes down as my favorite Disney princess...and also, DJ Tanner's boyfriend, Steve, (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donna_Jo_Tanner_(Character)) does the voice of the title character! !!!
3.
The Lion King. I was the rock star of my second-grade class because I saw this TWICE in the movie theatres. :pleased: Anyway, I love that this movie is so kid-friendly (Jonathon Taylor Thomas as Simba--OMG!!), yet it has such deep underlying themes that you really don't appreciate until you're an adult. For exmaple, I discovered that it was modeled after Shakespeare's
Hamlet. What seven year-old knows THAT?!
4.
Hercules. Yes, I know. There is relatively
none of the actual legend included in this movie, and Disney took its own artistic liberties with it. But I've always loved it! I've always had a thing for Greek mythology, so when I saw a Disney movie based on a Greek legend at the age of ten, I was absolutely reeled in. Plus I love the songs: "No chance, no way/I won't say I'm in love!"
5,
Mulan. TOTAL girl power movie! I still cry at the end of the movie every time I watch it, when all the citizens of China bow to her. Gah! Gives me goosebumps just thinking about it!
Honorable Mentions: Beauty and the Beast (the first movie I ever saw in the movie theatre), A Goofy Movie, and Sleeping Beauty. (For a girl who's as girly and sparkly as I am, you'd think I'd have more than one "princess movie" on my top 5 list. Hmmm.)
1) Story of Menstruation (1946) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeT45BELVzY)
Well, since I usually have trouble arranging stuff in order (besides good ol' SoM there), I'll just thrown them in random order:
Lovebug (1968), Blackbeard's Ghost (1968), Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972), Dragonslayer (1981), Escape to Witch Mountain (1975), Return to Oz (1985), Emil and the Detectives (1964) and Watcher in the Woods with the original ending (1980).
Oh. My. Goodness. :o
Wow. While parts of that were educational, the rest was....so not helpful!
I'd like to compare that to Kotex's most recent efforts, which I find hilariously awesome: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpypeLL1dAs
Though there's nothing Disney about it :P
Quote from: Haids1987 on August 06, 2011, 07:15:40 PM
A Goofy Movie
I'm stupid for forgetting this! The best and the most sincere "father & son"-movie ever made. Some of the themes usually come a bit too close to home with me. Especially this scene (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3QyLRkGLPs). It's a special feeling, when you realize that you're the only one in the room that is over twelve.
Quote from: MikPal on August 10, 2011, 07:19:26 AM
Watcher in the Woods with the original ending (1980).
!!! I so thought that I was the only one who grew up on this movie! Rad, man, I'm psyched! "It's the name of the puppy--Nerak!"
I can't check out the mestruation thing right away, but I'll be back later to see what that's all about. ;)
Quote from: Haids1987 on August 10, 2011, 06:28:16 PM
I so thought that I was the only one who grew up on this movie!
I'm talking about the version that begun with the burning doll face in the background while the titles are rolling and with the best damn creature design ever in the ending (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bkpf2IzmMVg). Cellophane will get you a long way if you know how to use it.
Quote from: KatieHal on August 03, 2011, 06:28:09 AM
That seems kinda silly to me. Little girls will always want to be princesses at some point. :)
And some never grow out of it. ::)
(Posted on: 13 August 2011, 23:48:56)
Quote from: MikPal on August 10, 2011, 07:19:26 AM
1) Story of Menstruation (1946) (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PeT45BELVzY)
That is strangely hilarious. XD
Quote from: Deloria on August 13, 2011, 03:56:22 PM
Quote from: KatieHal on August 03, 2011, 06:28:09 AM
That seems kinda silly to me. Little girls will always want to be princesses at some point. :)
And some never grow out of it. ::)
(Posted on: 13 August 2011, 23:48:56)
[quote
You know, that reminds something that I heard during Vanhojen tanssit (The Senior's Ball) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vanhojen_tanssit). It's a party during the second year of the upper secondary school, where students dress up in their best and learn to dance 11 old time dances. I found some footage (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaQGLQPVIE4) from the same school I danced my dances in 00 and 01. Luckily no footage of my dancing has survived, since I had a long ponytail and all my dancing partners were girls that had lost their boyfriends to unknown activities or early incapacitation by booze. So plenty of sad tearful faces and plenty of flasks hidden in stockings, but hey I could dance the dance then and I can still dance all of them today. Good times, though I'm not going to post any pictures.
Ok, back to what I heard about princesses...
During the very first minutes of the very first rehearsal, our gymnastic treacher, a less than 5 foot tall former ballet dancer with a stick she would use to whip our legs straight, yelled from the top of her lungs that "This is finally the time for you tramps to have a permission to be princesses! To float like butterflies! Some of you may like it and those who don't, get out now! I don't want to waste my time with you!" I think two or three couples left.
Haha! I think I want to hear more stories about this dance teacher, and also want to turn her into a character in a story sometime :)
In no particular order, my favorite disney movies are as follows:
The Lion King
Beauty and the Beast
The Little Mermaid
Aladdin + two sequels
The Rescuers Down Under
Tron Legacy
And just because I can, I'm also going to list my favorite Disney Channel Original Movies:
The Thirteenth Year
Can of Worms
Halloweentown
Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge
Halloweentown High
Return to Halloweentown
Smart House
Minutemen
Read It and Weep
Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century
Zenon the Zequel
Johnny Tsunami
The Color of Friendship (for a DCOM, this is surprisingly deep XD)
Phantom of the Megaplex
The Luck of the Irish
The Poof Point
Twithces
'Twas the Night
The Scream Team
You Wish!
Kim Possible Movie: A Sitch in Time
Now You See It
Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama
Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior
Quote from: dark-daventry on August 15, 2011, 02:17:56 PM
In no particular order, my favorite disney movies are as follows:
The Lion King
Beauty and the Beast
The Little Mermaid
Aladdin + two sequels
The Rescuers Down Under
Tron Legacy
And just because I can, I'm also going to list my favorite Disney Channel Original Movies:
The Thirteenth Year
Can of Worms
Halloweentown
Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge
Halloweentown High
Return to Halloweentown
Smart House
Minutemen
Read It and Weep
Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century
Zenon the Zequel
Johnny Tsunami
The Color of Friendship (for a DCOM, this is surprisingly deep XD)
Phantom of the Megaplex
The Luck of the Irish
The Poof Point
Twithces
'Twas the Night
The Scream Team
You Wish!
Kim Possible Movie: A Sitch in Time
Now You See It
Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama
Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior
Where's Susie Q?
Quote from: Sir Perceval of Daventry on August 15, 2011, 04:32:10 PM
Quote from: dark-daventry on August 15, 2011, 02:17:56 PM
In no particular order, my favorite disney movies are as follows:
The Lion King
Beauty and the Beast
The Little Mermaid
Aladdin + two sequels
The Rescuers Down Under
Tron Legacy
And just because I can, I'm also going to list my favorite Disney Channel Original Movies:
The Thirteenth Year
Can of Worms
Halloweentown
Halloweentown II: Kalabar's Revenge
Halloweentown High
Return to Halloweentown
Smart House
Minutemen
Read It and Weep
Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century
Zenon the Zequel
Johnny Tsunami
The Color of Friendship (for a DCOM, this is surprisingly deep XD)
Phantom of the Megaplex
The Luck of the Irish
The Poof Point
Twithces
'Twas the Night
The Scream Team
You Wish!
Kim Possible Movie: A Sitch in Time
Now You See It
Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama
Wendy Wu: Homecoming Warrior
Where's Susie Q?
Ah, I forgot all about that movie; that brings back so many memories. I'll add that to the list soonish.
(Warning: Serious fan girling is about to commence. Skip if you don't want to read sheer and shameless obnoxiousness)
Ah DCOMS were awesome back in the day! I watched those like it was my job. My favorite was Brink. I had a slight crush on Erik Von Detten and I thought the skateboarding was awesome (started to watch the X Games after that movie). I loved it when Brink threw the milkshake in Val's face. I also liked Zenon (Supernova Girl, anyone?), Halloweeentown (first one, didn't see the others) the Thirteen Year and Smart House. Ah Smart House. I thought it would be the coolest thing to have a house like PAT. That is until she PMSed and went haywire on everyone.
Okay back to the original thread. My favorite Disney movies are
1) Aladdin and the two sequels. I could quote 75% of Aladdin if I tried. Iago was my favorite character. The sarcasm and wit he had. I loved it. Gilbert Gottfired is the perfect voice for the character. My favorite quote (That I like to use in real life) is "Oh there's a big surprise. I'm going to have a heart attack and die from that surprise!" King of Thieves and Return of Jafar were the only good sequels (as opposed to Mulan 2, which obliterated one of my favorites and i like to pretend it doesn't exist).
2) Mulan. Whole movie is perfection. Mulan is a role model for girls to look up to. She stood up for what she believed in and tried to save her father in the process. Also it came out when I was 10, starting to enter that preteen phase of trying to figure out your place among your peers. So I could relate to "Reflection". I still love the song 13 years later. Eddie Murphy as Mushu... priceless. "Hey dragon, dragon not lizard. I don't do that tongue thing". Finally I liked "True to your heart" by 98 degrees (one of my favorites from that era). Although at the time Nick Lachey was just the one in the red coat since that was the color he was wearing.
3) the Lion King-LOVE this movie. Has the right balance of emotionality, humor and evil. It still makes me horribly sad when I watch Mufasa dying. Also a lesson I have carried with me from the movie is this:
Rafiki: "It doesn't matter, it's in the past"
Simba: "Yeah but it stull hurts
Rafiki: "Oh yes the past can hurt. But you can either run from it or learn from it." (Not sure if this is exact from the movie. But truer words have never been spoken.)
And I'm a huge Simba and Nala fan girl. Nala is my favorite heroine. Always has been since I was 6 (when I saw the movie). Timon and Pumba are awesome too.
4) Hercules- I'm trying to find the words to express for this one. I always identified with Meg and saw bits of myself in her. Now it's even more so that I'm an adult. I Won't say I'm in Love is my jam and I can seriously relate to the beginning "If there's a prize for rotten judgment, I guess I've already won that". Also I like Hades. He's a funny villain but also cunning. He knows what he's doing and is a good manipulator. I could also relate to Hercules because I was picked on a lot for being different in elementary school.
Quote from: KatieHal on August 14, 2011, 04:46:29 PM
Haha! I think I want to hear more stories about this dance teacher, and also want to turn her into a character in a story sometime :)
Well, you're in luck, since I found her in one of the videos (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjdIaby5kz0#t=02m27s). That's her in the background for 30 seconds with the stick that she uses to keep up the pace in polonaise and announce the next song. Kinda disapointing since when I was dancing I remember she dressed up like this:
[spoiler](http://kotisivu.dnainternet.net/palsiom/t_1/liikam.jpg)[/spoiler]
Quote from: dark-daventry on August 15, 2011, 02:17:56 PM
Tron Legacy
Could somebody please explain to me why people like this movie? I think Tron 2.0 (http://www.mobygames.com/game/tron-20) did a much better job with updating the visuals of the original Tron and offering a sequel that explored computer technology from within while at the same time having a statement about corporate espionage in our modern world.
Quote from: MikPal on August 17, 2011, 09:19:16 AM
Quote from: dark-daventry on August 15, 2011, 02:17:56 PM
Tron Legacy
Could somebody please explain to me why people like this movie? I think Tron 2.0 (http://www.mobygames.com/game/tron-20) did a much better job...
Okay, I'm coming off of a "I just watched TRON Legacy two days in a row" high, so I'm pretty amped up on all things related to The Grid at the moment. :futuristic:
I've never played TRON 2.0 before, so I can't compare, but I'm a total TRON fangirl. As most everyone here knows by now, I started off hating Legacy--but this was only because I'd never seen the original. After I saw the 1982 TRON I was hooked. I rewatched Legacy a couple times and this is why I'm addicted now:
-First and foremost, the nostalgia of the first one. The lightsuits!! The Recognizers!! KEVIN FLYNN!! There were a lot of references to the first, and everytime I watch Legacy I pick up on a new one, however small. (i.e: the pool of whatever that liquid is that gets them drunk inside Flynn's safehouse, the lights turning on when Flynn's bare skin touches them, etc)
-The Dude and Bruce Boxleitner came back for the sequel, and the original TRON director, Steven Lisberger, came back as the producer of Legacy. This is pretty much the same reason as my first one, but it's exciting to see the same characters you remember coming back for more.
-The father-son relationship is one of the main reasons this movie gets to me. The "long time" scene where Sam and Kevin meet again for the first time in twenty years brings me either on the verge or right to tears. It's moving, the music is incredible, and it's an overall powerful scene. Later on, when they're on the light ship (or whatever it's called :P) and the two Flynn boys are catching up, it's such a sweet, endearing moment. The way they talk about Kevin's motorcycle, the Lakers and the Celtics, and WiFi is so effortless and cute--you can see that they would have stayed good friends throughout their lives, had the circumstances allowed it. And at the end, on the bridge right before the portal, it's absolutely heartwrenching [spoiler]how Flynn sacrifices himself for his son.[/spoiler] He can see now what his priorities always should have been, and the audience feels exactly what Sam feels as it happens.
-On a semi-related note, I gotta gush a little on Flynn. Yes, he's become a recluse and an eccentric, and he's found peace in his situation with his "Zen thing," but deep down, he's still Kevin Flynn. It's so funny to see this 61 year-old man say things like "digital jazz, man!" and "We gotta split, man." And talking about his motorcycle longingly--so funny! That's Flynn, that's his attitude. He might be all Obi-Wan Kenobi now, but he's still the arcade owner and programmer of Space Paranoids that he always was.
-Quorra. Ohhh, Quorra. She's awesome! She's badass, fearless, smart, and beautiful. This chick kicks some serious digital butt! Her innocence and naivite is adorable, and she's selfless down to the lighted leather boots she wears. She always puts Flynn's needs before her own and doesn't consider it a sacrifice in so doing.
Oh my. I could go on and on, but I believe I've bored you enough, Mik. ;)
QuoteAs most everyone here knows by now, I started off hating Legacy--but this was only because I'd never seen the original. After I saw the 1982 TRON I was hooked.
I think I saw Tron first time in -96, it was about the time I also learned that Star Wars had sequels (Don't judge me, I used to use a bar stool as a steering wheel for my X-wing when I was 8 years old watching the ending of the original SW. Of course my friend at the time wanted to play "house", so we agreed that the X-wing had an oven to bake bread). So, I can understand the nostalgia, but I just can't find it in Tron Legacy.
Quote-First and foremost, the nostalgia of the first one. The lightsuits!! The Recognizers!! KEVIN FLYNN!! There were a lot of references to the first, and everytime I watch Legacy I pick up on a new one, however small. (i.e: the pool of whatever that liquid is that gets them drunk inside Flynn's safehouse, the lights turning on when Flynn's bare skin touches them, etc)
You know, the visual side of Tron Legacy is one of the reasons why I don't like it. Nothing looks as magical as in the original tron. Everything looks like it is in real world. There's smoke, realistic textures and real clouds. Tron 2.0 had this weird world design where everything really looked like they were a visual representation of the different elements of a computer. It had corrupted hard drives (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oW9quNfirIg), firewalls (http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/tron-20/screenshots/gameShotId,49445/), kernel.exe (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OiLA1q4ky-c#t=0m17s), internet (http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/tron-20/screenshots/gameShotId,48749/), an old mainframe with old programs (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84wJ8-KfesM) that you had to overclock to get connection and even a PDA (http://www.mobygames.com/game/windows/tron-20/screenshots/gameShotId,49439/) that could not run more than one program at a time. To top it all off, everything felt like it was built on top of the old technology. Like recognizers are used as simple transporters and bits have been reduced to door knobs while bytes (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0vZ19CfD0A) do their job now.
Quote-The Dude and Bruce Boxleitner came back for the sequel, and the original TRON director, Steven Lisberger, came back as the producer of Legacy. This is pretty much the same reason as my first one, but it's exciting to see the same characters you remember coming back for more.
Boxleitner was in Tron 2.0 reprising as Alan Bradley. Cindy Morgan was also in it too. If I understood correctly Tron 2.0 was based on a earlier version of the script by Lisberger. Flynn doesn't appear in it, but you can follow some Emails where you can read exchange between Flynn and Alan. The letters about the aftermath of Lora's death are really sad as Alan tries to make do with being a single parent and Flynn for once sounds really serious.
Quote-The father-son relationship is one of the main reasons this movie gets to me. The "long time" scene where Sam and Kevin meet again for the first time in twenty years brings me either on the verge or right to tears.
It's funny that in Tron 2.0 the main character is Alan's and Lora's son, Jet (http://tron.wikia.com/wiki/Jet_Bradley). The father-son relationship is there also with Alan being forced to raise Jet alone after Lora dies. There are Emails scattered throughout the game where you can follow Jet's life with all the anger and problems of a teen trying to find his place in this world. Sure he starts out as a complete a****** who has done some juvvy jail time and gets an easy job form his dad's company through nepotism, but in the end he has to rise above what he was before. To become a mench, as a scriptdoctor would say. Personally I liked the story in Tron 2.0 because its biggest conflict comes from within the main characters and only they can solve it.
Quote-Quorra. Ohhh, Quorra. She's awesome! She's badass, fearless, smart, and beautiful. This chick kicks some serious digital butt! Her innocence and naivite is adorable, and she's selfless down to the lighted leather boots she wears. She always puts Flynn's needs before her own and doesn't consider it a sacrifice in so doing.
Sounds kinda like Mercury from Tron 2.0 (http://tron.wikia.com/wiki/Mercury), just replace Flynn with Alan. She even gets formatted when making sure Jet gets to safety. Later she can be found again, but without any memory of Jet earlier since she's not the same program that got formatted.
Now that I think about, it feels like Tron Legacy is a retooled version of Tron 2.0 for the post-MTV generation. Heck, Tron 2.0 even had Tron legacy code, that you had to compile by finding a compiler in a bar with a DJ.
I get a real kick out of these kids who's favorite Disney films are all the 90's crap they put out. I mean, some of the films are good - but crap like Pocahontas and Hercules? That stuff pales in comparison to the films that Walt Disney put out between the 30's and the 60's.
Bt
Lady and the tramp, american tale, aladdin, fox and the hound, and others.
American Tale isn't Disney, it's Don Bluth. But I do love that one myself :) Same with the original Land Before Time, another Don Bluth film.
Don Bluth worked for Disney, until he stuck out on his own in the late 70's. I always loved his take on The Secret of NIMH.
Bt
NIMH is good stuff.
secret of nimh all the way. It used to scare me when I was a kid. The Black Cauldron is a disney film that used to scare me as well. I also remember a cartoon movie that I can't remember the name of, but pretty much it was this giant bull made of fire trying to kill all these unicorns, and then it got pushed into the ocean.
Quote from: Blackthorne on August 18, 2011, 11:39:22 AM
I get a real kick out of these kids who's favorite Disney films are all the 90's crap they put out. I mean, some of the films are good - but crap like Pocahontas and Hercules? That stuff pales in comparison to the films that Walt Disney put out between the 30's and the 60's.
Yeah, stupid young ones! They don't know the happiness that comes from seeing thousands of tiny critters driven to their deaths by the filmmakers or seeing your favorite cartoon character blowing his or her head off.
----
I find it interresting that most of the stuff mentioned here are animations. Are the live action movies of Disney, Buena Vista, Touchstone or Silver Screen Partners really that forgettable or non-Walt Disneyish in a way that we wouldn't consider them "Disney films"?
Just found this list of all Disney films (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_notable_Disney_feature_films) on Wikipedia. Some might suprise you.
Quote from: MikPal on August 20, 2011, 07:14:56 AM
Quote from: Blackthorne on August 18, 2011, 11:39:22 AM
I get a real kick out of these kids who's favorite Disney films are all the 90's crap they put out. I mean, some of the films are good - but crap like Pocahontas and Hercules? That stuff pales in comparison to the films that Walt Disney put out between the 30's and the 60's.
Yeah, stupid young ones! They don't know the happiness that comes from seeing thousands of tiny critters driven to their deaths by the filmmakers or seeing your favorite cartoon character blowing his or her head off.
Yeah. Cause ALL classic Disney Films contain those elements.
Bt
Quote from: Big C from Cauney island on August 19, 2011, 10:07:31 PM
I also remember a cartoon movie that I can't remember the name of, but pretty much it was this giant bull made of fire trying to kill all these unicorns, and then it got pushed into the ocean.
That was The Last Unicorn.
Quote from: LadyTerra on August 20, 2011, 10:11:17 AM
Quote from: Big C from Cauney island on August 19, 2011, 10:07:31 PM
I also remember a cartoon movie that I can't remember the name of, but pretty much it was this giant bull made of fire trying to kill all these unicorns, and then it got pushed into the ocean.
That was The Last Unicorn.
It was a great movie too. Amazing feel.
All Dogs Go to Heaven, while a non-Disney movie, was also IMO amazing. A childhood favorite. And Balto. And Fern Gully. All great, non-Disney animated films.
I always forget to mention Who Framed Roger Rabbit! Jeez, that movie was a staple in my house when I was growing up, and it ranks number five on my list of all-time favorite movies, not just Disney movies.
(Posted on: August 22, 2011, 12:42:21 AM)
Quote from: LadyTerra on August 20, 2011, 10:11:17 AM
Quote from: Big C from Cauney island on August 19, 2011, 10:07:31 PM
I also remember a cartoon movie that I can't remember the name of, but pretty much it was this giant bull made of fire trying to kill all these unicorns, and then it got pushed into the ocean.
That was The Last Unicorn.
:smitten: Another staple in my house as a little kid. I have that one on DVD now, and l just watched it for the first time since I was little. It's kinda scary! I'm actually amazed it didn't freak me out more as a young, impressionable toddler. :P
The cartoon movie The Black Cauldron is utter fail. Granted, it spawned the Sierra game that was the first one I played, which both got me into Sierra games and into the book series the movie/game was based on....but that movie was such a poor adaptation of the book, ugh.
The Princess and the Frog was actually quite good, in my opinion. It definitely had that classic early 90s Disney feel to it. I'm surprised no one has mentioned it.
Little Mermaid will always be my favorite. I grew up with them all though.
I'm happy to see Hunchback getting some much deserved love. It is one of the most artistically beautiful Disney films in recent memory. Beauty and the Beast is a close second in terms of sheer visual beauty. Watch the Beauty and the Beast bluray if you get a chance--the background paintings are f****** AMAZING.
The visuals in Sleeping Beauty will always be one of my hands down favorites as well. Did you know they designed that movie to mimic the look of Medieval illuminated manuscript paintings and tapestries? Can you say, f*** yeah?! lol.
Speaking of Blu-Ray versions, has anyone seen any of the EARLY Disnely movies, like Pinochio or Snow White, on Blu-Ray? It seems to me that the video quality wouldn't be any different than a DVD. I don't see how any old set of film can be up-converted to Blu-Ray standards. It's like a friend of mine says, "You can't polish a turd; you can only roll it in glitter."
Quote from: DawsonJ on August 23, 2011, 02:31:43 AM
Speaking of Blu-Ray versions, has anyone seen any of the EARLY Disnely movies, like Pinochio or Snow White, on Blu-Ray? It seems to me that the video quality wouldn't be any different than a DVD. I don't see how any old set of film can be up-converted to Blu-Ray standards. It's like a friend of mine says, "You can't polish a turd; you can only roll it in glitter."
Well... DVD had a resolution of 720X576 (PAL) and BluRay can go up to 1920X1080. Those old Disney films were shot and distributed on film which doesn't have a resolution. Most of the old films that have been transferred to digital forms for preservation usually use 2K, 4K or 8K resolutions that you can show on the white screen without a loss of quality. So, you really don't up-convert anything.
Unless you convert stuff from media with lower quality like VHS, Beta or Laserdisk.
Quote from: Lambonius on August 22, 2011, 07:41:59 PM
The visuals in Sleeping Beauty will always be one of my hands down favorites as well. Did you know they designed that movie to mimic the look of Medieval illuminated manuscript paintings and tapestries? Can you say, f*** yeah?! lol.
It is a striking visual choice on their part. And Sleeping Beauty has one of, if not the, greatest villains in all of Disney. There is just nothing redeeming about Maleficent. And they don't pull any punches with her either. She's just straight up evil and if that scares your kid, well tough luck. Because Maleficent doesn't care and if you don't invite her to your next party she will end you.
And I do agree, Katie, that Black Cauldron was a failure, but I just can't bring myself to totally condemn it because it is such a unique failure. There's no singing, the animation style is different from other Disney movies, it has a decent atmosphere, and the Horned King is easily the most frightening and evil villain Disney ever did. Like Maleficent, the Horned King is just apologetically scary (for kids.) It's also pretty violent for a Disney film what with the undead army and the Horned King's leathery skin being pulled off by the cauldron. Oh and of course how could I forget that [spoiler]the adorable little comic relief character commits suicide! I mean, yeah, he gets brought back to life, but still! SUICIDE![/spoiler]
So yeah, it's technically a failure but definitely a failure worth checking out. It's just so unlike anything else Disney did before or since.
I'll just say the way the Black Cauldron is dealt with in the actual books is much better, and highly recommend you read them. Chronicles of Prydain by Lloyd Alexander!
Ah, Maleficient--the honey badger of the Disney world!
All dogs go to heaven! classic. I will also have to pick up the last unicorn. And Katie, I couldn't agree more abouth the black cauldron.... The whole chronicles of Prydain series was phenomenal! I still have my 5th grade summer book reports on the whole series from like 20 years ago. Incredible. The black cauldron movie was ok, but nothing at all compared to the books. not even close. The sierra game was cool too.
Who framed roger rabbit also awesome. Man, I know this thread is disney, but so many good ones not disney!!
Man, keep this coming, it's an old school movie reunion!!! This should almost be in the 90s thread, since I saw most of these classics in the 80s and 90s.
I'm going to build a time machine to go back to all the cool stuff. Whose coming with me?
Quote from: MikPal on August 23, 2011, 04:53:37 AM
Quote from: DawsonJ on August 23, 2011, 02:31:43 AM
Speaking of Blu-Ray versions, has anyone seen any of the EARLY Disnely movies, like Pinochio or Snow White, on Blu-Ray? It seems to me that the video quality wouldn't be any different than a DVD. I don't see how any old set of film can be up-converted to Blu-Ray standards. It's like a friend of mine says, "You can't polish a turd; you can only roll it in glitter."
Well... DVD had a resolution of 720X576 (PAL) and BluRay can go up to 1920X1080. Those old Disney films were shot and distributed on film which doesn't have a resolution. Most of the old films that have been transferred to digital forms for preservation usually use 2K, 4K or 8K resolutions that you can show on the white screen without a loss of quality. So, you really don't up-convert anything.
Unless you convert stuff from media with lower quality like VHS, Beta or Laserdisk.
Good point about DVD vs Blu-Ray resolution; I didn't know about that difference. But, when you watch a video on Blu-Ray, it's a whole different feeling and experience than, say, DVD or any of the previous media. Is the Blu-Ray 'effect' totally lost on Disney's older films when they are released in the new format? I haven't seen any, so I don't know.
The perfect example of the aforementioned "Blu-Ray Effect" is the demo commercial for Transformers that is often seen in stores such as BestBuy and Sears. Although the demo of Avatar seems appropriate, too.
Maybe it's just me, but on the Disney DVDs for a lot of the old films (like Snow White; even newer ones like Beauty and the Beast), the art seems...idk..touched up somehow. Maybe I just miss the old grit that VHS grain brought. But the films just look newer than I remember looking as a kid.
That is generally what the phrase "digitally remastered" means.
Quote from: KatieHal on August 25, 2011, 08:14:18 AM
That is generally what the phrase "digitally remastered" means.
In some of the television commercials for the DVDs, they actually show the comparison of the original version vs the Digitally Remastered version. It's quite a difference. Although, the commercial examples don't seem any different between DVD and Blu-Ray.
Quote from: Sir Perceval of Daventry on August 25, 2011, 07:38:16 AM
Maybe I just miss the old grit that VHS grain brought. But the films just look newer than I remember looking as a kid.
What you saw from VHS or an old CRT TV was a much more softer image than the one you can see in a theater or on a modern HDTV. Less details and usually a much more smaller screen making the image a bit more blurry. To see a comparison of different formats, mr. Herranen has done an amazing page (http://www.modeemi.fi/~leopold/AV/ResolutionComparison/) for just that.
Quote from: KatieHal on August 25, 2011, 08:14:18 AM
That is generally what the phrase "digitally remastered" means.
Yeah, films have the same problem as every other material: They get worse the more they age and the oldest usually just rot away. That's why preserving them in digital format is a good idea if you also want to give people the chance to see it. Becauser of the damage to the original film, they're usually digitally repaired to look like what they originally did back in theaters. They'll remove the dust particles (the white or black spots), scratches (the black lines) and color correct the whole thing to boost up the faded colors. Usually Disney does this the best (http://www.dvdizzy.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=304517&sid=d0cc7c7094f516e903ec074ec678a7b4), though some seem to want the version they saw back on VHS.
Heh, this reminds me that I once worked on a film restoration. A silent film from the 1910s' originally hidden from the Soviet invaders and recently re-discovered in milk cans. The whole thing was scanned and you just remove dust and scratches by wiping out a piece of the frame to reveal the lower layer that was usually the frame two or three frames before or after. Save and repeat for about 86 400 times at least on a 60 minute film. You can do the same thing easily in After Effects 7 or Photoshop CS 5.5. Sometimes the frames looked like they were beyond repair and usually it's better to leave them be instead of screwing up the original frame. But sometimes you feel like taking on the world and just do your best. The frame underneath this text is my best.
(http://kotisivu.dnainternet.net/palsiom/t_1/Film_compare.jpg)
Now that's frigging art!
Quote from: DawsonJ on August 26, 2011, 09:51:19 PM
Although, the commercial examples don't seem any different between DVD and Blu-Ray.
DVD had a resolution of 720X576 interlaced with a bitrate of 8mbps at best quality, Blu-Ray can play video with resolution up to 1080x1920 progressive at 27mbps. Chack the page by mr. Herranen I linked earlier and you can see a visual comparison of the two. Now, if you're a cynical b****** like myself who just wants to skip this Blu-ray thing, 'cause I already have a closet full of DVDs and no interrest in buying them again in Blu-ray, there is something (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra_High_Definition_Television) much much better on the horisont than a mere HDTV. Last date I heard was 2015, but we'll see.
Now, I'm definitely pro-DVD, but I'm impressed with Blu-Ray technology. But, personally, I think it's a complete waste - except for higher resolutions - to transfer an 80-year-old animated movie onto Blu-Ray. I just don't see a reason to do that. Yes, Disney has made some definite quality improvements through Digital Remastering. But, it can only be Remastered to a point, so it'll never be up to par when compared to new movies that are recorded in high def with the intention of releasing it on Blu-Ray. To me, it would be like taking an audio recording from 1920 and putting it onto an SACD in (emulated) 5.1 surround sound. Or, like building a $250,000 house in a neighborhood of $5,000,000 houses - it'll never be comparable.
Quote from: DawsonJ on September 12, 2011, 01:11:38 AM
But, personally, I think it's a complete waste - except for higher resolutions - to transfer an 80-year-old animated movie onto Blu-Ray.
The quality of that 80-year old animated movie was way much better than what we today call HD. In the movie theaters you could sometimes see the texture of the paper it was painted on or the shadows of the inks on a cell. DVD or VHS didn't have a resolution good enough to show them in full glory. A passable glory yes, but not in full. Even old films were better in quality than HD. Old black and white films used to have shades of grays and clarity that are missing from modern film stocks. What you see on TV is nothing compared to what it looked like in the theater.
I have a soft spot for Alice in Wonderland (probably one reason why I like KQ7)
Other than that....
Robin Hood.
The Sword in the Stone
Sleeping Beauty
Mary Poppins
The Little Mermaid
101 Dalmatians
Tron
Aladdin
I also used to really like Return to Oz as a kid. It was one of those movies that scared the crap out of me, and I could never watch by myself, sort of like Temple of Doom :)
Return to Oz is freaky as hell! I've got it on DVD now, and it still freaks me out. Mombi is freaky, what with all of her heads! The wheelers.... man, that movie is just freakishly awesome. Scared the bejesus out of me as a kid!
Bt
Quote from: Cez on September 18, 2011, 11:58:18 PM
I have a soft spot for Alice in Wonderland (probably one reason why I like KQ7)
I really liked the DVD release of Alice in Wonderland. They had a new video composition, and a new recording, for a long-lost song entitled, "I'm Odd" by the Cheshire (?) Cat. But, Sterling Holloway was long passed at the time of the recording, so they had Jim Cummings (the voice actor who took over for Sterling Holloway - Winnie the Pooh, Kaa the snake, Cheshire (?) Cat, etc. - when he retired) sing the newly released song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Hb0iFH0AHk
Lion King. Such an absolute brilliant movie.
Aladdin
The Lion King
Beauty and the Beast
Pinocchio
Aladdin is the best and my favourite. Hercules isn't bad either. I'm trying hard to think of others I really enjoyed. Lion King was great, but not my favourite. Princess and the Frog I really liked.
Oh yes, The Rescuers Down Under!!
I would like to amend my list by adding Nightmare Before Christmas. I remember tears welling up in my eyes when I first saw him shot down.
Nightmare Before Christmas is barely a Disney Film. They merely had the story rights, which forced them to be a producer on the flick. They didn't even have faith in it - they released it under the "Touchstone" banner originally, and when it became a cult hit, they suddenly wanted their name on the DVD releases.
Bt
Disney gets a bad rap for bowdlerizing fairy tales. Truth is, it's nothing that the Victorians didn't already do! Remember the era Mr. Disney would have grown up in, with their insular cult on "innocence" and "family" - those were the versions he was likely to hear.
1) Snow White: The animation is about 80 years old and STILL gorgeous. In fact, it's one of the prettiest movies ever made! The costumes, the singing, the style. Oh, and the chase scene at the end holds up amazingly well. Grimhilde (the Queen) was also inspiration for one of my all-time favorite villains.
2) Beauty in the Beast: Oh, the voice acting alone. Robbie Benson gets typecast as the good princes because he's THAT good at it. Add in David Ogden Stiers playing the fussiness for all it's worth, Jerry Orbach playing against type to flirt up a storm, Angela Lansbury flaunting that Broadway voice...And animation that is WORTH IT.
3) Fox & the Hound: It turns me into a blubbering wreck every time. It has nothing to do with the source material, which is pretty much a nature guide. What it becomes is a high tragedy of when the powers of friendship and love are NOT enough to conquer a nasty reality. There's no happy ending, just "carrying on."
4) The Little Mermaid: The original is beautiful, operatic, and depressing as hell (Andersen was likely gay, definitely suffering from clinical depression, and usually in a state of creator breakdown). Disney's take is plain fun. Ariel is not a passive woobie, Eric pulls out a couple awesome moments, Ursula has a delightful Villain Song. And it was their return to actually springing for top-notch animation!
5) Winnie The Pooh: The voice acting was wonderful. The animation was deliberately sketchy, just like the books. And the whole tone was gently comedic. Sometimes, you don't need something over the top to be good!
Honorable mention?
The Tron movies: People forget this one's Disney. Hell, Disney spent the better part of the 80's and 90's trying to forget they ever bankrolled it in the first place! It grossed less than expected, the video games based on it made more cash, and a lot of critics and theater goers frankly did not understand it. A few funny things happened, though...one of them was the Internet. Another was Pixar. A third strike was Square-Enix cooking up Kingdom Hearts and saying "We wanna turn THAT into a level!" A surprised Disney company blinked hard and said "What?!"
Cheesy? You bet! Strange? Oh, yeah. Had a lot of moments that made you blink and go "how the hell did they fly THAT one past the censors?" Check. Word to the wise, though, re-watching the first after you've seen the second is like chugging tonic water - the bitter aftertaste is going to linger.
@Allronix- Which Winnie the Pooh are you referring to in number 5? Do you mean one of the movies in particular, or a series - like The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, which marked the end of Sterling Holloway's "Pooh" & Paul Winchell's "Tigger", and the beginning of Jim Cummings' career as both characters?
(Also, "Beauty AND The Beast", not "in".)