Oh boy it’s a top ten list!
Everyone likes making them,
and everyone likes pouring scorn onto them.
I gotta get in on that action! ;-)
I didn’t think too hard about
my list and my opinion isn’t complete as there are about 8 films I’ve yet to
see (although if Oliver & Company is a major omission be sure to let me
know!). There are a couple of unofficial
entries in there as well just to mix things up. This is all just for a bit of
fun – please don’t take it too seriously if I pass on your favourite. I tried to have an even mix between older and more recent films. Declaration of bias towards 2D works!
10- Snow White and the Seven
Dwarfs
The original and still one of
the best. Snow White was a game-changing
film made in a world that didn’t think a feature length animation could hold
anyone’s attention. It’s an entertaining
fairy tale for all ages, with a scary and melodramatic streak that’s starker
than most of Disney’s modern efforts. A
classic in the truest sense.
9- The Nightmare Before
Christmas
Originally a Touchstone film,
but as of 2006 was absorbed and rebranded as a Disney film proper. Nightmare Before Christmas is a wonderful
stop-motion animated film. The spooky
settings and character designs are great but it is the songs which are the
highlight here. It’s a Christmas film
that you’d happily watch in July.
8- Sleeping Beauty
For my money Sleeping Beauty
was the last classic made during Disney’s lifetime. It is a lesson in good storytelling where
plot progression takes precedence over focusing on any individual character,
and it absorbs you. Also, bonus points
for the amazing backgrounds.
7- The Little Mermaid
Chronologically The Little
Mermaid finds itself sat between the tired-looking Oliver & Company and The
Rescuers Down Under, and then you start to realise how ground-breaking this
film was. A fresher approach to its
format and design that essentially laid the groundwork for a generation of quality
features. If you look up the ‘Disney
Renaissance’, it starts with this one.
6- Tarzan
Any film that gets me to not
rage at Phil Collins songs has to be doing something right. Tarzan has some of the most kinetic action
sequences you will see in a Disney film.
Brian Blessed’s voice work is the finishing touch.
5- Aladdin
An indulgence on my
part. Most Disney lists will have a
favourite from the author’s childhood.
This one is mine. Funny, exciting
and has excellent songs. You’ve probably
all seen this one so I won’t bore you further.
Pure entertainment.
4- The Princess and the Frog
It’s a classic fairy tale
scenario done with the usual twist, but this time without the expected modern
sass or cringe-inducing knowing winks!
Preceded by a bunch of so-so films, this film had me thinking ‘oh yeah,
Disney is back!’. So of course soon after
this Disney stopped making 2D features, so what do I know?
3- The Emperor’s New Groove
Proof that a good script can
make use of a flimsy plot. It has
appealing and well-developed characters, and is extremely funny. I’ve watched this film too many times that I’ve
kind of ruined it for myself. Still
highly recommended as it seems to have passed by a lot of people.
2- Pinocchio
A wonderful film that wears
its heart on its sleeve. It’s also
technically astounding. Next time you watch
pay close attention to as many details in the animation as you can. It will feed your creative mind.
1- Fantasia
In terms of ambition and
scope nothing else on this list comes close.
Yes there are lapses in certain segments (centaurs and ponies), but terms
of its overall execution I don’t see what more Fantasia could have done. Fantasia is serious work that is creatively
and technically through the roof, with an attitude towards sound production
that changed the history of cinema. Don’t
bore your kids with it, wait until they’re a bit older so they can fully enjoy
it.
And that’s my list! Please don’t hate me if I missed your
favourite. It’s a tricky list to make,
and sacrifices had to be made (or I just forgot them).
Honourable mentions.(a.k.a. stuff that almost made it or would be on there any other day):
Victory Through Air Power – A
curio from the Second World War that falls outside of Disney’s official numbered
films. An engaging insight into some
contemporary thoughts from the time.
Wreck-it Ralph – The only
Disney CG film I considered to any real extent.
It’s original and fun. Why don’t
we get more stuff like this?
Saludos Amigos – An animated
jam session full of party energy.
Atlantis – It’s a quality
adventure film. A little different in tone
and feel to other films on this list, and that’s why it’s a good one.
Winnie the Pooh – Currently
stands as Disney’s final 2D feature, although Disney’s UK marketing team
ignores its status as their 51st film. Made with love, very funny and criminally
overlooked.
Dishonourable
mentions (a.k.a. stuff people would expect to see in a top ten and why they're not there):
Beauty and the Beast – It’s a
very good film, cementing the work that The Little Mermaid started. I chose Aladdin as my token nostalgia entry, and
this may very well be the equivalent for many.
Omitted due to constraints more than anything else.
Lilo & Stitch – 75% of
this film is quite possibly perfect.
However the final 20-odd minutes are super-generic and it’s painful and just
ugh WHY WOULD YOU DO THAT!?
Lion King – I like a lot of
this film. However I find that a lot of
the songs are way too happy-go-lucky for the otherwise dark revenge plot. Imagine Macbeth played to ‘I Just Can’t Wait
to Be King’ and maybe you’ll see the kind of thing I mean (I’d still keep
Circle of life and Hakuna Matata however).
What would your top ten Disney films be? It might be fun to do more top tens like this so any suggestions would be good.
