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Thread: More Mouse: My Disney Top 5 - Underrated and Under-appreciated Disney Animated Films

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    More Mouse: My Disney Top 5 - Underrated and Under-appreciated Disney Animated Films

    My Disney Top 5 - Underrated and Under-appreciated Disney Animated Films by Chris Barry

    Chris Barry takes a look at his favorite unsung Disney animated features.

    Read it here!


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    Great list!! Robin Hood and Emperor's New Groove are two of my favorites, and it's sad how under-appreciated they are. Now I want to re-watch all five :-)


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    My sons just about wore out our VHS tape of Robin Hood, same with Atlantis, I crack up all the time with The Emperor's New Groove, only my older son likes Brother Bear and no one really liked The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The only good thing I can say about Hunchback is it had the great Mary Wickes voicing the gargoyle Laverne.

    "Beware the groove"

    "Although we think it's DOPEY that Pluto has been downgraded to a dwarf planet, which has made some people GRUMPY and others just SLEEPY, we are not BASHFUL in saying we would be HAPPY if Disney's Pluto would join us as an 8th dwarf. We think this is just what the DOC ordered and is nothing to SNEEZE at."

  5. #4

    I agree 100% with your selection of Brother Bear! GREAT film!
    Atlantis is pretty good too.
    I have to disagree in the STRONGEST possible way to your mention of Black Cauldron. That is hands down the 2nd WORST animated film that Disney ever made (2nd only to Home on the Range).
    I would have included Meet the Robinsons. If you want to talk about a film that gets no love, Bob Iger himself said he hated this film.


  6. #5

    I have a friend who also loves Hunchback and we argue about it all the time! I'm afraid I just don't see it. I like your other choices though, even if I wouldn't put Atlantis on my own list. I would replace it with Hercules which has really great music and is equally invisible. The random Thumper at Easter is also not enough of a presence for a film as beautiful as Bambi.


  7. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by jedited View Post
    I have to disagree in the STRONGEST possible way to your mention of Black Cauldron. That is hands down the 2nd WORST animated film that Disney ever made (2nd only to Home on the Range).
    Sorry but I feel The Black Cauldron is one of the worst films ever made, Disney or not, animated or not, period. Crude animation, dull/annoying characters, awful score, lame ending, etc. HotR is a Masterpeice by comparison.

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    My 5 favorite underrated Disney animation films:
    1. Make Mine Music
    2. Melody Time
    3. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr Toad
    4. The Sword in the Stone
    5. The Aristocats

    John

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    I can't imagine Disney ever promoting Hunchback. Old Quasi limping around the parks would scare kids half to death. And Esmerelda was kind of a shady character.

    As for Robin Hood, I love this movie and have ever since I was a kid. Now my kids love it, too. "I've got a dirty thumb". Wish Robin Hood was around a lot more.

    And for me Brother Bear was my favorite Disney film behind Bug's Life and Up. I remembe watching that film with just my wife. The only other people in the theater was a mom and two kids. I laughed so hard at that film, nearly teared up (but manned up just in time), and loved the score. The music is one of the best Disney has ever done, and that included Phil Collins and Tina Turner's songs. Just a great story overall. I've seen Kenai at California Adventure Park, and had my pic taken with a Moose cut out over at Disney Studios,but that was a long time ago.

    Working for Disney. No, no. Working (in a Modesto office) for (the money to take a trip to) Disney (World/Land)

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  10. #9
    Hunchback deserves every bit of hate it gets. Even if I factor out the fact that I love the book, it's such a weak, annoying movie in its own right. Once I factor in that the book is amazing, I wonder why they even bothered to make the movie to begin with. It's not Disney material, and trying to make it that way made it into an awful movie.

    Brother Bear was a fine enough movie, but the audio-commentary with Rutt and Tuke is hilarious. That is the version really worth watching

    Treasure Planet tops my list for underrated Disney films. I have no clue why people don't like it: the story is no different from any other Disney movie, and the retro-futuristic style is ingenious. I also enjoy Atlantis a great deal, but I can understand why it's not as popular. It's not just Science Fiction, but a type of Lovecraftian, Antediluvian story very much inspired by the work of comic writer-artist Mike "Hellboy" Mignola. That sort of thing isn't for everybody.

    I think Princess and the Frog is quite underrated. It's not a very daring film, choosing to play it very safe, but it is a fine film with beautiful art and setting, engaging characters, and some very well-handled scenes. More ignored than underrated are Disney's package films like Melody Time, Make Mine Music, Fun and Fancy Free, Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros. I enjoy all of them, with Melody Time as my favourite of the bunch.

  11. #10

    Oliver and Company is on the top of my list. In addition to the voice talents of Robert Loggia, Robert Mulligan, and Bette Midler, it features the voice of Billy Joel as Dodger. I believe this is Billy Joel's only acting role, an admirable job in my opinion. I also enjoyed the feature song "Why Should I Worry?" Sure, there have been many treatments of Oliver Twist over the years, but this is a good one.


  12. #11

    I agree with a lot of the opinions on this board, it's amazing how many good Disney movies have been collecting dust on the proverbial shelf.

    I really enjoyed Oliver and Company, I was working my first job at McDonalds when it came out and I remember collecting all of the value meal toys for my baby brother.

    Fox and the Hound is the favorite Disney movie that I never actually watch... because I'll end up blubbering like a baby. Such a beautiful story of friendship enduring through hardships... plus a strong endorsement of adoption.

    My pick for most underrated though is Treasure Planet. The animation is stunning, and I think like the beginning of Up that it did a masterful job of explaining the bond between Jim and Silver... the music montage set to "I'm Still Here" told a 2 hour story in 4 minutes. I tear up a little any time I hear the song.


  13. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Shortpix77 View Post
    Great list!! Robin Hood and Emperor's New Groove are two of my favorites, and it's sad how under-appreciated they are. Now I want to re-watch all five :-)
    Go right ahead Christy. Set them up and watch them all!
    And love the Groove-y (sorry) costumes!

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    Quote Originally Posted by DwarfPlanet View Post
    My sons just about wore out our VHS tape of Robin Hood, same with Atlantis, I crack up all the time with The Emperor's New Groove, only my older son likes Brother Bear and no one really liked The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The only good thing I can say about Hunchback is it had the great Mary Wickes voicing the gargoyle Laverne.

    "Beware the groove"
    I enjoyed all three gargoyles actually. It seems that Hunchback is a dividing line for many readers.

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    Quote Originally Posted by jedited View Post
    I agree 100% with your selection of Brother Bear! GREAT film!
    Atlantis is pretty good too.
    I have to disagree in the STRONGEST possible way to your mention of Black Cauldron. That is hands down the 2nd WORST animated film that Disney ever made (2nd only to Home on the Range).
    I would have included Meet the Robinsons. If you want to talk about a film that gets no love, Bob Iger himself said he hated this film.
    I really do like Meet the Robinsons. I think the scene where they introduce all of the wacky family members loses me. Too many characters. Too many different wacky things about them. I was never going to get too involved with all of them, so I don't see the point. I think this film suffered from bad advertising. The TV ad campaign didn't portray it well. I remember liking it so much more than I thought I was going to. I remember the ads souring me a bit, and I was pleasantly surprised.

    I have a soft spot for Black Cauldron. Not sure why, but I'm a fan.

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    Quote Originally Posted by worldlover71 View Post
    I have a friend who also loves Hunchback and we argue about it all the time! I'm afraid I just don't see it. I like your other choices though, even if I wouldn't put Atlantis on my own list. I would replace it with Hercules which has really great music and is equally invisible. The random Thumper at Easter is also not enough of a presence for a film as beautiful as Bambi.
    Hercules was a runner-up for sure. Big fan of this film. It was tough to narrow down the list. I agree on Bambi, but Bambi is universally well respected and makes "greatest lists" all of the time. I don't think these films get the respect that they deserve. Bambi does get respect.

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    Quote Originally Posted by worldlover71 View Post
    Sorry but I feel The Black Cauldron is one of the worst films ever made, Disney or not, animated or not, period. Crude animation, dull/annoying characters, awful score, lame ending, etc. HotR is a Masterpeice by comparison.
    Another Black Cauldron hater. I know they're out there. I'm in the minority on this one, but what can I say...I like it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by carolinakid View Post
    My 5 favorite underrated Disney animation films:
    1. Make Mine Music
    2. Melody Time
    3. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr Toad
    4. The Sword in the Stone
    5. The Aristocats
    Hey John,

    I thought about including the "package films" in your top 3, but sometimes I feel like they are a category onto themselves.

    Both Sword in the Stone and Aristocats were in the running as well. Good choices. Does it count that Marie has been out in the parks lately? Probably not. They could do more with these characters.

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    Quote Originally Posted by DisneyGator View Post
    I can't imagine Disney ever promoting Hunchback. Old Quasi limping around the parks would scare kids half to death. And Esmerelda was kind of a shady character.

    As for Robin Hood, I love this movie and have ever since I was a kid. Now my kids love it, too. "I've got a dirty thumb". Wish Robin Hood was around a lot more.

    And for me Brother Bear was my favorite Disney film behind Bug's Life and Up. I remembe watching that film with just my wife. The only other people in the theater was a mom and two kids. I laughed so hard at that film, nearly teared up (but manned up just in time), and loved the score. The music is one of the best Disney has ever done, and that included Phil Collins and Tina Turner's songs. Just a great story overall. I've seen Kenai at California Adventure Park, and had my pic taken with a Moose cut out over at Disney Studios,but that was a long time ago.
    Hey Gator,

    Esmeralda was apparently at the princess meal in Norway on occasion. I read that in a guidebook, but can't seem to find any photo evidence of her out there. I asked a character wrangler once and she said to me, "Oh Yes! We used to have some lovely Esmeralda's, but not is a long time." My daughter was heartbroken when she was a little girl. I'm not sure why, but this character stuck with her at a young age.

    Glad to see you're a Brother Bear fan. I also love the music. We've met Koda and Kenai in Animal Kingdom and Canada, but that was a while ago.

  20. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Cory Gross View Post
    Hunchback deserves every bit of hate it gets. Even if I factor out the fact that I love the book, it's such a weak, annoying movie in its own right. Once I factor in that the book is amazing, I wonder why they even bothered to make the movie to begin with. It's not Disney material, and trying to make it that way made it into an awful movie.

    Brother Bear was a fine enough movie, but the audio-commentary with Rutt and Tuke is hilarious. That is the version really worth watching

    Treasure Planet tops my list for underrated Disney films. I have no clue why people don't like it: the story is no different from any other Disney movie, and the retro-futuristic style is ingenious. I also enjoy Atlantis a great deal, but I can understand why it's not as popular. It's not just Science Fiction, but a type of Lovecraftian, Antediluvian story very much inspired by the work of comic writer-artist Mike "Hellboy" Mignola. That sort of thing isn't for everybody.

    I think Princess and the Frog is quite underrated. It's not a very daring film, choosing to play it very safe, but it is a fine film with beautiful art and setting, engaging characters, and some very well-handled scenes. More ignored than underrated are Disney's package films like Melody Time, Make Mine Music, Fun and Fancy Free, Ichabod and Mr. Toad, Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros. I enjoy all of them, with Melody Time as my favourite of the bunch.
    Hey Cory,

    I kind of like the fact that hey took a chance on telling a story that's not quite Disney material and I think they walked the line well. It's still pretty darn dark, especially for a Disney film. But, I see it has haters out there.

    I have a soft spot for Rutt and Tuke. One of the lithographs that came with the pre-order of the DVD release is of these two moose, and it's been hanging in my twin boy's room ever since. It fits them!

    Treasure Planet was probably tied for a spot on my list with Atlantis. I love Treasure Planet. It definitely doesn't get much loving either.

  21. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by gointowdw View Post
    Oliver and Company is on the top of my list. In addition to the voice talents of Robert Loggia, Robert Mulligan, and Bette Midler, it features the voice of Billy Joel as Dodger. I believe this is Billy Joel's only acting role, an admirable job in my opinion. I also enjoyed the feature song "Why Should I Worry?" Sure, there have been many treatments of Oliver Twist over the years, but this is a good one.
    I gotta say...I never quite got Oliver and Company. I can appreciate it. It deserves a place on this kind of list, but I'm just not that big a fan, but people are and it definitely gets ignored.

  22. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by JaySwash View Post
    I agree with a lot of the opinions on this board, it's amazing how many good Disney movies have been collecting dust on the proverbial shelf.

    I really enjoyed Oliver and Company, I was working my first job at McDonalds when it came out and I remember collecting all of the value meal toys for my baby brother.

    Fox and the Hound is the favorite Disney movie that I never actually watch... because I'll end up blubbering like a baby. Such a beautiful story of friendship enduring through hardships... plus a strong endorsement of adoption.

    My pick for most underrated though is Treasure Planet. The animation is stunning, and I think like the beginning of Up that it did a masterful job of explaining the bond between Jim and Silver... the music montage set to "I'm Still Here" told a 2 hour story in 4 minutes. I tear up a little any time I hear the song.
    Hey Jay,

    Fox and the Hound affects me the very same way! Good point on Treasure Planet. It was hard to leave both of these films off of a list like this.

  23. #22

    I've always been a big fan of the Robin Hood movie.. and was excited when it was added to Netflix a few weeks ago..

    I used to watch it all the time growing up.

    I also really enjoy the Sword in the Stone.. which has also been recently added to Netflix.


  24. #23

    Aristocats would definitely be in my top 5. I also think The Fox and the Hound is also really good. I haven't seen Atlantis.


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