Favorite Disney animated feature? (Non-Pixar)

[mac56]

Poll question: Favorite Disney animated feature? (Non-Pixar)

I'll admit right away that I prefer their lower-budget ones: "Aladdin", "The Emperor's New Groove", "The Sword In The Stone", "Ichabod and Mr. Toad". But even so, "Sleeping Beauty" was visually stunning, "101 Dalmiatians" was miles ahead of the pack in use of technology, and "Fantasia" was a landmark by any definition.

What say you?

Naturally, not all are listed here. Only a representative nine and an "other" option.

[Az]

1. You have indirectly discovered the B-Group in Disney

Disney has a couple projects going at any given time. The one they focus on is the A-Group. This one gets all the money and all the attention. Which means that it gets commiteed to death. The B-Group is the lower cost group which means they don't get the attention or the control from the committees. This means they have more artistic freedom and can explore things.

[mac56]

2. dig it

Gimme the B-Group every time.

[democracyindanger]

3. But which are the B-group?

Some of those listed were hugely important projects for Disney--Snow White in particular.

Side note, the Fantasia sequel is excellent. According to the DVD, Uncle Walt envisioned Fantasia as a constantly changing movie, with new shorts swapping out.

[Lorien]

6. Er, OK. I worked as an animator for Disney

for a number of years. The high priority projects (in Peter Schneider's mind) changed from month to month, mostly depending upon how and given film was doing with test audiences, but this was later in the studio's history. Prior to 1992, the vast majority of the talent at the studio focused on one film at a time. It was forbidden for any of us to turn our attentions onto a following project until the one on our plates was completed.

Yes, less meddling ususally resulted in better films, but in the past decade there was so much meddling with EVERY project that the studio closed it's doors.

[Az]

8. Details details

Running on rumors here. In particular I am curious as to what went on in regards to the apparent stealing of plots and characters from Japan(ie Atlantas/Nadia, Lion King/Kimba etc). In viewing such movies its clear someone was mining Japan for ideas. But no credit was given. Any insite?

[Lorien]

9. We paid off the Japanese creator of Kimba

actually, the original title for "The Lion King" was "Kimba, king of the jungle" (they said they changed it because lions don't live in jungles-of course, that's not the only reason). So it wasn't really "stolen"; his studio was reimbursed for not calling Disney on all the similarities, but if you walk into the artist's studio (and I can't remember his name), you'll see side by side images of their "Kimba" and our "Lion King" that make it obvious to anyone what really happened.He can't say that we took the story line from him, but nothing stops him from demonstrating it in his own studio!

As for "Atlantis"; that mess was largely inspired by a comic book creator who developed the artistic direction and character designs for the film (again, brain fog here; his name escapes me. I can ask a fellow animator who would remember if you really want to know). Many of the artists who work at the studio were into Japanese animation, but Disney management largely was not. So in that case, I don't think that there was any effort from the business end of the company to steal anything that had been successful overseas, I think it was more a matter of individual artists being inspired, and imitating more as a matter of flattery than thievery.

Most of the post Lion King films would have been better without the input of Peter Schneider, Tom Schumacher, and Michael Eisner (whose only comment after seeing the rough reel of "the Hunchback of Notre Dame" was not "why are we making this as an animated film"? but "so, do those gargoyles fly"?) Jeffery Katzenberg really DID contribute a lot to the success of earlier films, but after Lion King he was "leashed" by Eisner, and then left on his own (and never recovered creatively). Peter and Tom became obsessed with Oscar gold after losing Best Picture to "Silence of the Lambs" by 30 votes. They're two guys from Broadway who wanted validation from the Hollywood establishment, so they decided that our animated features had to be more "serious" to win their approval ("Beauty and the Beast" our narrow loser, had singing teapots fer chrissakes! It didn't lose because it wasn't "adult"; that's not what Disney films are about)! Thus began the beginning of the end. It was bad leadership and a foolish goal that killed the studio, not stolen anime, IMHO.

[The Animator]

30. I haven't seen the Japanese film, maybe that's why I think...

"the Lion King" is Disney's Hamlet.

The prince in exile returns to confront his murderous, usurping, uncle; after being confronted by the ghost of his slain father, the rightful King of Denma... um... Pride Rock.


"Lion King II" aka Romeo and Juliet

Two adolescents fall in love despite the fact that their families have maintained a long running and bloody feud.



I'm waiting for "Lion King 33 and a 1/3" aka Julius Caesar.

[democracyindanger]

10. Cool

It's a shame that Disney, once the leader in animated features, pissed it all away. Walt Disney's head must be rolling over in its cryogenic container.

[YOY]

28. When not slavering over the bloody flesh cuban children

[auburngrad82]

4. Dumbo is another good one

I love the Pink Elephants on Parade segment. :)

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

11. Second vote for Dumbo here

:thumbsup:

[Chovexani]

5. Beauty and the Beast

Best one they ever did.

[Lorien]

7. Thanks

from those of us who "done" it. :hi:

[ChavezSpeakstheTruth]

12. Nice work then!

And thanks. I hate to admit it but I was young and under the effects of certain powerful hallucinogens when I saw it in the theater.

Let me say again - THANKS!!

:)

ps - it was excellent without em too!

[Hong Kong Cavalier]

15. I have to second that.

Beauty and the Beast was simply stunning.

[deepthought42]

22. Beauty and the Beast! My favorite movie - period.

Ever since I saw it in theatres when I was 9 ( I saw it twice, which was a lot for me back then!). Sometimes I swear I'm like Belle it's freaky...lol

[sakabatou]

23. Seconded

[Siyahamba]

13. Robin Hood

I know the animation is far from perfect, but I love the story and the characters.

[Lorien]

14. The animation was amazing in that film

we had a lot of instructional videos at Disney that included examples from "Robin Hood". Milt Kahl and several other members of the "nine old men" did some of their best work on that movie, especially when it came to handling dialog (I have loads of copied pencil tests from that film stashed away for study). The problem was the art direction; it was done using the xerox technique, plus the animators wanted their work " un fussed around with"; it wasn't cleaned up, so construction lines popped on and off the characters. Animators love that kind of thing, but the public sees it as "messy".

[Az]

16. And it gave us the Hamster Dance song

It's the recurring song of the minstrel in this wonderful movie.

[Forkboy]

25. Robin Hood is the only Disney movie from my childhood that STILL cracks me up.

Easily my favorite.

[starroute]

17. Alice, because it did most to mess my head when I was little

Peter Pan gave me a taste for swashbuckling adventure. And Fantasia was my favorite around the time I was in college. But Alice -- especially the Tulgy Wood sequence -- was more tripped out than anything else I knew.

And I'm real fond of the pink-and-grey ocean, besides.

[Lorien]

18. Ward Kimball had a big hand in that one

and he was indeed "tripped out" when they made it.:smoke:

[LifeDuringWartime]

19. Vincent

the short by tim burton. the nightmare before christmas is also great, but i dont think its technically a disney film?

[Lorien]

20. I think it was

he was still working for the studio when he made it.

[4_Legs_Good]

21. No Bambi?

I think Fantasia takes the cake for me, but Bambi also ranks up there.

All in all I'm not a fan of Disney, especially anything since (and more importantly - INCLUDING) the Little Mermaid.

david

[RiDuvessa]

24. Sleeping Beauty

Probably not so much for the story with its stereotypical "damsel in distress" theme. More for Maleficent, who I consider to be Disney's most evil villain ever! She is great! That one part where she is taunting the prince while he's in the dungeon. And her lines!

"Now you will deal with me O prince, and all the powers of Hell!"

What a great line!!!

"A forest of thorns shall be his tomb, born through the sky on a fog of doom, Now go with a curse, serve me well, round Stefan's castle, cast my spell!"

What a great villain. I love a great movie villain.

[moggie]

26. Spirited Away

Heh heh, I know that's cheating, but although you said "non-Pixar", you didn't say "non-Ghibli"! As a result of the aforementioned plagiarism case, Disney ended up distributing Studio Ghibli films which didn't already have international distribution. Spirited Away is gorgeous: sumptuous animation, a wonderfully realised spirit world, and a main character who undergoes convincing emotional development, from sulky brat to admirable young person. It has laughs, scary bits, plenty of eye candy, and very little saccharin.

[Lorien]

27. I worked on "Aladdin". It wasn't "Low budget"

I think that we spent over 85 mil on that pic. "101 Dalmatians" was far cheaper by comparison.

[YOY]

29. None of the above

Sorry. Disney pablum makes my stomach queasy.

[keroro gunsou]

31. other

Lilo And Stitch. Any movie that have an alien rocking out to Elvis can't be all bad. Plus the commercials were hysterical... "get your own movie..." with the guitar riff from Back in Black... gotta love Stitch...

[Lithos]

32. Sentimental favorite is

a tie between the Aristocats and Fantasia. However, in my household, Beauty and the Beast is more likely to be playing as it comes across more like a Broadway musical than animated movie musical.

L-