Feature Animation Marathon

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BrandonH
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Feature Animation Marathon

Post by BrandonH »

I've been neglecting my Disney movies lately, and it's time to change that in a big way. I've decided to do a viewing marathon of all of the movies from Walt Disney Animation Studios, The Secret Lab (i.e., Dinosaur), and Pixar released from 1937 to 2008.

The following are my ground rules:

1. No movie that I have previously rated less than three stars will be seen. For fans of Lilo & Stitch, The Rescuers, The Three Caballeros, and The Fox and the Hound, let me say that I do find merit in those movies, but not enough to make them enjoyable movie experiences, and life is too short to keep watching movies I don't really like.

2. Rather than the same old chronological marathon, I'm throwing in a twist. I will watch all of the three star movies in order of release, then three and a half, four, four and a half, and five star movies. Rather than a roller coaster, it will be more of a steady ascent into Disney euphoria.

3. I will also be watching the bonus features on the edition I have, and I will talk about the better ones.

4. I will try to watch something every day, but real life does take precedence.

5. I will be highlighting the positive aspects for the most part. I've already said most of my criticisms in the various discussion threads for the movies, so I don't feel the need to rehash all of that here. The one exception will be that I will explain any reasons for revising a rating downward, although I hope that will not be necessary.

My hope is that in reading about all of these movies, some may be inspired to check out something they have not tried before or to relive the magic of an old favorite. At the very least, I hope the discussion will remind some people of the heights that Disney animation can achieve and why they are fans in the first place.

Later, I will return with my thoughts on the first movie in the sequence: Dumbo.
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Luke
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Post by Luke »

Sounds like a fun project. Good luck with it! I'm planning on finally doing a 1-48 animated classics run but I don't see myself getting close to 1 a day. In fact by the time it's done, #49 is almost certain to be out in theaters. Also would like to do the same for Pixar's smaller canon. It's just so hard finding time for such undertakings.
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Post by AwallaceUNC »

Cool! I look forward to seeing the posts you generate from this. I love viewing projects and am pretty much always engaged in one or more -- some of them I finish, some of them I never do.

I've done two 1 - 48 (well, forty-whatever it was at the time) run-throughs in the last few years and they were definitely worth doing! They were both a while back so I've recently started pulling out animated classics at random to revisit.

Happy viewing!

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Post by zackisthewalrus »

I've been wanting to do one of these for awhile and I'll hopefully get to do it this summer.
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Post by Neal »

Starting last fall, I began to watch every one of the 'canon' films in order, but added the derivatives (sequels, prequels, spin-offs, etc.) into their proper order.

First, I followed the canon by year of release. But then, I added the derivatives in where they made sense for the sequence of stories, so like:

The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning
The Little Mermaid
The Little Mermaid: Return to the Sea

I've completed up through all the Winnie the Pooh derivatives. I just finished Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie, so up next is The Rescuers.
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Post by yukitora »

I'd personally watch them decade by decade. Or 'era' by 'era' (in other words, i'd group the 70s with the 80s, and seperate the package films from dumbo etc).

I don't care so much about story than about the creation process, and this is much more evident watching them like this. Have fun! (I personally can't sit through a single movie without taking a good hour break every 40 minutes)
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Post by BrandonH »

Luke, I was a little unclear with my "watch something every day" comment. Some films, such as Snow White, Fantasia, and Toy Story, have so many extra features that I cannot watch the movie and all the features in the time between work and bed. I will make progress on them every day I can, though.

I didn't think I'd have too much to say about Dumbo, but I was wrong. First of all, I am revising my opinion of the movie favorably. It's going from three stars to three and a half stars. Maybe it's a need for the movie's message in these times, a better understanding of the movies of that era, or more familiarity with the movie itself, but I undeniably had a better time watching Dumbo than I did on first viewing. Some shots, scenes, and elements that I love include:

-Dumbo playing around in the bathtub
-Dumbo's private train car
-The first aid for the catty elephants: the matriarch's trunk in a sling, the giant ice cube, and the slab of meat over the eye
-Casey Jr. crossing the bridge at sunset
-The animation of the ringmaster and clowns in silhouette behind the circus tent
-The charming wild animals like tigers, giraffes, and kangaroos
-The wordplay of the song "When I See an Elephant Fly"
-The ice skating elephants in "Pink Elephants on Parade"
-"Baby Mine," which sent shivers down my spine
-Dumbo's first flight
-Dumbo's triumphant last-minute flight in the circus tent
-The reunion of Dumbo and Mrs. Jumbo at the end

The list above, while long, is not exhaustive, so that should be a clue as to how much great stuff is packed into the movie.

I have the 60th Anniversary Edition, which has some great extra material. John Canemaker's commentary is excellent, highlighting the history of various animators and voice actors, explaining some subtleties of the film that a viewer may not be consciously aware of, and giving the listeners some verve and personality that solo tracks often lack. This DVD takes me back a little to the golden days when commentaries were actually advertised on the back of the box.

I don't usually pay special attention to art galleries, but like the UD reviewer, I love seeing the art and photos of the Dumbo theme park attraction and Casey Jr. ride.

The Dumbo II preview provides an interesting look at what might have been. While I don't think a sequel is necessary, it would not have tarnished the legacy of the film, and from the bits shown, it would have been as good or better than some of the sequels and midquels we actually got.

Other supplements I like include the trailers, the celebratory featurette, the excerpt from The Reluctant Dragon, and "The Flying Mouse" Silly Symphony. In the Sneak Peeks category, The Hunchback of Notre Dame II actually has a pretty effective preview. Considering that I love the first movie, would I enjoy the sequel, or should I leave well enough alone?

Next up: Hercules
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Hercules

Post by BrandonH »

Hercules is structured like a Broadway musical, and that style of storytelling works very well with this mythological tale. I'm still going to call it a three-star movie. It still has its flaws, but it has a lot of positives going for it as well. Some of my favorite parts:

-All of the sequences with the Muses rock! The visual design, sensational singing, and stylized animation make their scenes a lot of fun.
-The first shot of Mount Olympus is breathtaking.
-The song "Go the Distance," as performed within the movie itself, is beautiful.
-Alan Menken turns in another amazing score.
-I love the animation of Pegasus. He's got so much personality in all of his scenes, and he is such a cute baby!
-The way that Meg says Wonder Boy in different contexts amuses me.
-Some cute cultural references include Air Hercs and the creation of the Venus de Milo.
-The way Herc responds to Phil's encouragement to use his head is priceless.
-The dedication at the end of the credits is quite nice.

"The Making of Hercules" is very much a fluff piece, but right now, it's the only way to get a look at the artists involved and hear a little bit about the filmmaking philosophy behind the movie. I would love to be able to upgrade my Gold Collection DVD to a loaded three-disc set someday. Please get on it, Disney!

Next up: Dinosaur

For films with such extensive extras as this, I will post some thoughts on the movie itself first. After I've looked at all of the bonus features, then I will come back to comment on them and perhaps expand on my initial thoughts on the movie.
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Dinosaur

Post by BrandonH »

Dinosaur is an ambitious, aesthetically pleasing film that could have been a masterpiece with a better story. My three-star rating for it might be a little charitable, but I still think the movie's good points outweight its shortcomings. What makes Dinosaur fun to watch?

-The gorgeous scenery, especially in the egg journey and nesting ground sequences
-The music of James Newton Howard over the big scenes
-Eema, brought to life with much spunk by Della Reese
-The spectacular meteor shower scene
-The courtship dance of the lemurs
-Two carnotaurs waiting at the cave entrance in the rain
-Teamwork and compassion are shown to be worthwhile and powerful

Next up: The extra features of Dinosaur: Two-Disc Collector's Edition
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Post by milojthatch »

That is a great idea, I want to do something like that myself. But what do you have against "Lilo & Sticth?" It was the last great Disney animated film!
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Post by Jules »

Keep the mini-reviews coming, BrandonH! They're very fun to read! :)
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Post by Barbossa »

A member of the Micechat board did an Amimated Marathon too, but a little differently. He stretched it out over a year and watched the animated movies on their release dates. I was thinking about doing the same, but when he proposed it, I still had a number of gaps in my DAC collection. Right now I'm still missing Snow White, Fantasia, Make Mine Music, Beauty and the Beast, and Fantasia 2000.
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Post by ajmrowland »

I've been planning on doing the same with my gf, soon. She hasn't seen that many. Hard time keeping under 12 hrs, though! :)
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Dinosaur

Post by BrandonH »

One more thing about Dinosaur that I really like is the back and forth cutting between the male and female lemurs getting their mating coaching. Our brains sure are wired differently, aren't they?

Though Dinosaur's 2-disc set is packed, I find myself with little to say about the features. Sections and featurettes that I would watch again are the development tests, demonstration reels, Designing the Dinosaurs, Creating a Prehistoric World, The Monster Cloud, Music, Sound Design, Abandoned Concepts, and Trailers. The Easter Egg with Walt Disney and the brontosauruses preparing for the World's Fair is pretty good, although I think that whole episode has been on DVD elsewhere.

On Disc One, the Film Facts Fossil Dig bits are okay, with the best being the progression reel of the meteor strike. The two commentaries are full of good information, but they tend to be pretty dry and technical. The first has a little more repeat value, since some of the story process is mentioned, but the comments by James Newton Howard on the second are also worth a listen. The best Sneak Peek is easily the one for Disney's California Adventure. It's great to see some costumed characters that aren't usually seen like Sebastian, and the humor is good.

Tomorrow, the three and a half star movies begin with Saludos Amigos.
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Saludos Amigos

Post by BrandonH »

For the bulk of the running time, Saludos Amigos is the very definition of mostly harmless. There are some nice bits in the beginning. The llama dancing under Donald Duck's direction, Pedro the Plane's school, the suspense of Pedro's struggle to return home with the mail, and the South American horse of Goofy are all fun to watch.

What elevates the movie several levels is the uplifting finale, "Aquarela do Brasil." It's filled with inspired transitions, visual animation, and some extremely catchy samba music. Donald Duck and Jose Carioca have great comic chemistry. The movie wisely goes out on a high note, giving us an ending that leaves me with a big smile on my face and makes me want to dance.

The Gold Collection DVD offers a theatrical trailer, which showcases some of the best parts of the movie, and a featurette called "South of the Border with Disney." This mini-documentary has some nice footage, but it reminds me too much of the travelogues I had to sit through in school. The highlights are Donald playing a South American rhythm game and Walt Disney trying out a local dance.

Next up: Melody Time
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Re: Saludos Amigos

Post by David S. »

I'm enjoying reading this thread, keep up the good work!

I have done similar marathons of DACs in the past and was planning on starting another one soon over the summer, chronologically, using mostly my DVDs but in some cases, my VHS for the ones I don't have on DVD yet (I have the majority, but a few I am holding out for a better edition, and in the case of Make Mine Music, all I have is a print recorded off the Disney channel since the DVD is so edited!

I'm glad you now have a higher appreciation of Dumbo, as it's my favorite DAC because of it's heart, charm, lovable central character, and nonstop catchy/memorable music, both songs and score!

It's interesting that your favorite segment of Saludos Amigos is "Aquarela Do Brazil". That's mine too, followed by the cute anthropomorphism of "Pedro".

What I love about "Brazil" so much is the EXTREMELY catchy music which is combined with colorful, clever, brilliant, seemigly "stream of consciousness" animation that IMO was just the first flowering of a style that would reach even greater heights in the next film, The Three Caballeros.

After the initial "Aves Raras" film of more traditional animation, the entire final 2/3's of Three Cabs plays out in the same vein as "Brazil", with sequence after sequence of unforgettedly catchy Latin music blended with colorful, often amazing, at times "psychedelic" visuals.

I know you said you didn't care for Three Cabs very much. I don't know how often you've seen it, but perhaps one day in the future if you watch it when you're in a "Brazil" type of mood, maybe you'll enjoy it more, like you now have a higher appreciation of Dumbo. Just don't expect a strong narrative story or the deeply touching emotional journey privided by many DACs. It's just good, festive, colorful musical fun!
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Post by BrandonH »

Here's a double shot of reviews.

Unfortunately, Melody Time was not as good for me this time as I remembered. Looking back on my old review, I liked Pecos Bill a lot a few years ago. Its main problem is that it is such a downbeat way to end the film. I like Roy Rogers a lot, so I may change my mind about this again, but today, I found Pecos Bill pretty disappointing. Since that's such a long section of the film, my current lack of enthusiasm for it explains why I'm dropping a whole star for the movie. I now consider it a 2.5 star film.

My favorite part of Melody Time is easily the Bumble Boogie sequence. It is pure visual and musical insanity of the best kind.

Once Upon a Wintertime starts out as a cute, sappy love story, but there are a few twists in there that make it a little more exciting and less sugary sweet than it could have been.

The other noteworthy section is The Legend of Johnny Appleseed. Johnny's angel is funny as he has to blow his raccoon skin cap to flip it the right way. My favorite of the little "varmints" is the skunk.

The Gold Collection DVD lacks any great bonus features. "Lambert the Sheepish Lion" has the most potential, and it's fun to hear Sterling Holloway's narration, but I can't buy into the premise of the short. The stork thing worked for Dumbo in a metaphorical sense, but it does not work for me that a sheep had the wrong species of baby.

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad served as a nice return to form for the Disney pictures. The highlights:

-The depiction of Toad's mania with motorcars
-The four leads are quite charming, especially Moley
-The entire chase for the deed and escape from Toad Hall
-The trial is full of humor, including subtle bits like Mr. Winkie cleaning the witness stand like it was a bar rail
-"The Merrily Song" aka "Nowhere in Particular"
-Narration on both parts is superb, especially the rhyming narration on The Wind in the Willows
-The hand-shaped clouds in the last part of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
-The delightfully cartoony ways that Ichabod showed up his rival Brom in and around Katrina's house
-The dark forest journey and Headless Horseman chase, which looks like it included some multiplane camera work

On the Gold Collection DVD, both cartoon shorts are worth watching. "Susie the Little Blue Coupe" is the more average of the two, and it requires playing the Mr. Toad trivia game to get to it, but it does have a lovable protagonist and Sterling Holloway narration to recommend it. "Lonesome Ghosts" is Disney comedy at its finest, starring Mickey, Goofy, and Donald in a wild haunted house adventure.

Next up: Robin Hood
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Robin Hood

Post by BrandonH »

Robin Hood is mostly a simple pleasure, one that is not too dissimilar from the entertainment in the Frontierland section of the Disney parks. It's not original, but it retains enough charm and sense of fun to make it worth the time. A few things about the movie warrant further mention.

-The villainous trio of Prince John, Sir Hiss, and the Sheriff of Nottingham provides some classic comedy moments. The first two are especially enjoyable. Their laughs, voices, animation, and gags are truly the best parts of the movie.
-The conceit of portraying the Robin Hood characters as animals led to some really cool character design.
-Roger Miller as Alan-a-Dale is low-key but very classy.
-Hiss with a balloon on his head and using his tail as a motor is one of the funniest visuals in the Disney canon.

The Gold Collection DVD completely strikes out as far as worthwhile extras go.

Next up: Brother Bear
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Post by Jules »

I usually classify Robin Hood as likely the worst DAC. However, I must agree that Prince John is a riot. No doubt Ustinov's voice acting is part of the appeal.

Looking forward to your next mini-review! :D
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Post by milojthatch »

Julian Carter wrote:I usually classify Robin Hood as likely the worst DAC. However, I must agree that Prince John is a riot. No doubt Ustinov's voice acting is part of the appeal.

Looking forward to your next mini-review! :D
I'd put "The Black Cauldron," "Chicken Little," and "The Rescuers" on the list of the worse DAC WAY before I'd list "Robin Hood."
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