The Top 20 Disney Animated Classics 2012 - RESULTS

[Super Aurora]

Little Mermaid going to take #1 spot. I have feeling that's what it'll be.

2nd and 3rd place could go either way.

[St.GeorgeMickeyMouseFlynn]

1. Little Mermaid
2. BATB
3. Aladdin

[Khonnor]

How old were you? I know alot of people who didn't like it when they were kids. It is a more 'adult' appealing film.

Ha, I was 13 in 1996.... Thanks for making me feel old...

I remember having all the toys....and a sticker album and everything...happy meal toys and such....so sad I sold all my toys a couple of years after that.

I really do want to watch it again, but been holding out in anticipation for a 7 disc Special Ultimate Limited Collector's Edition....

With slipcover, ofcourse...

[ProfessorRatigan]

The day that happens is the day I fart gold. Disney has been awfully neglectful of Hunchback. And Hercules. They've treated Black Cauldron better than those two! It really is bizarre.

[Khonnor]

The Results - Part VIII: The Top Three

At the third spot, with 856 points we find
3.

Last time's number 1 went down two spots. For a while it looked like it was going to be in fourth place, but halfway through Lion King got less votes and Beauty got a lot of points to manage to get in The Top 3.

going up a spot, with 858 points, to number 2 is
2.

For a while I was really convinced it would win, since it was practically unbeatable about halfway through. I wonder why it's so high though. Is it because of the Diamond release announcement? I mean, I myself enjoyed it, but not more than Beauty, or others.

And finally, the number 1 of The Animated Disney Classics Countdown 2012, with 880 points



I must this I enjoy this movie the most (from the ones I've seen), though I can't say it's the best one, I understand it being ranked so high.

And with that, it's done and over...

It's been great to have been able to do this and I want to thank you all for trusting me with this. Thank you to around the 70 people that took the time to vote (here or PM). I edited the first post in this thread with the entire list in one place.

I hope this will be done again next January and will be an annual thing from now on.

This weekend, I'll be watching The Little Mermaid again....

[Elladorine]

The Little Mermaid. That's my bet.

I'm guessing The Little Mermaid will be #1, but that's just me.

We were right.

[Dr Frankenollie]

I'm slightly disappointed that Pinocchio didn't win (although it still got quite high), but I still love The Little Mermaid, so I'm pleased overall. I'm still irked that Dumbo and The Rescuers didn't even make the Top 20, but never mind...

This has been a very fun countdown, and I would like to profusely thank Khonnor for taking the time and effort to organise it and count all the votes.

[Prince Edward]

Thank you for the effort Khonnor! It's cool to see the results, and I hope the same thing can be done i 2013.

I'm happy that the three fairytale movies with an Alan Menken-score won the top 3, and I am also happy for The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Sleeping Beauty.

[Goliath]

I love Aladdin, but I can admit that my love of that film is entirely nostalgia. That was my childhood movie. Looking at it now, I see a lot of story problems with it.

I rewatched the movie not too long ago and gained new appreciation for it. Not that it wasn't always in my top 10, but my new viewing catapulted it right to the no.2 spot. I think it has a perfect balance of drama, suspense, adventure and humor. I also think it's the most hilarious of all the Classics, in large part thanks to Robin Williams and Gilbert Gottfried. Yes, other Disney films have laugh-out-loud moments as well, but never were they so inventive as in Aladdin. Plus, unlike in other films (like Aristocats or Robin Hood), like I said, they balanced it out perfectly with enough heart and warmth. That's because, as you pointed out yourself, the characters are so good. The whole movie's execution is just flawless. Its pace and timing is amazing and it has not *one* dull moment in it. It's perfect from start to finish, in my opinion.

The narrator at the beginning: why have him if he doesn't come back later in the story?

Why not? Seriously, why not? I mean, what's the difference, essentially, between the narrator at the beginning of Cinderella or The Wind in the Willows and the one in Aladdin? Okay, besides that this one's hilarious and gives us an amazing song and perfect introduction to the world of Ahgrabah? It really sets the mood for the film. Start with Jafar in the desert and you've lost that mood.

The Genie in general. I hate how he steals a huge chunk of the movie and derails it with unfunny impressions and lame jokes and pop culture references that only serve to date the movie. (Will children 50-60 years from now understand a Jack Nicholson reference? It'd be like if Walt had stuck Greta Garbo jokes in Snow White.)

To be fair, they stuck a lot of jokes in there that even 90's audiences would have trouble with getting, especially kids. For example, we see Genie morph into Groucho Marx and Ed Sullivan, already antiquated references in the 90's. And which kid knew who William F. Buckley was when Genie transformed into him twice? And would kids get all the references to adult movie stars anyway? I've grew up on the Dutch dub of the film, so I never got to hear the original imitations anyway. Still, it was funny to me, just because the Genie was being funny.

The scene where Jasmine figures out that Aladdin lied to her: why have this scene if the next thing we know, Jafar is using this information to dress Aladdin down in front of her during the Prince Ali Reprise? Why is Jasmine surprised suddenly, considering Aladdin JUST told her the 'truth?'

Slight correction: Aladdin explains he only dresses as a streetrat to escape life in the palace. Jafar reveals Aladdin really *is* one. Anyway, that's always how I've seen it. It's not nearly as big a plothole as Maurice lying sick in the woods for months though.

They could have made Proud of Your Boy work!! [...] (seriously, why couldn't they've used Proud of Your Boy?! So, so, much better!)

Because they cut out Aladdin's mother, remember?

I get the feeling that One Jump Ahead is Tim Rice trying desperately to sound like Howard Ashman. (The frenetic pace, the lightning fast snappy lyrics) I don't think he succeeded. He comes off being too derivative.

The one thing that struck me the most in my last reviewing of the movie is how seamless the influence of Tim Rice is waven into the film. I really thought 'One Jump Ahead' was an Ashman song. I was surprised how strong it was. I had written it off as the weakest song in the movie before, but now I think it's one of the best. The lyrics are really clever, and then that animation and jokes to go with it... leaves me in stitches everytime!

[Disney's Divinity]

Well, although I think Beauty and the Beast and Pinocchio should be at the top from an objective point of view, I can't say I'm disappointed.

Thanks for doing this, Khonnor!

[rodis]

Yes!!! Although I would have loved to see BATB at #2, I'm still very happy with the results, as TLM is my all-time favorite DAC!

[Rose Dome]

I'm glad Fantasia has done an eight place leap into the top ten

I'm also happy to see Pinocchio in the top five

As for the top spot, I definitely prefer Beauty and the Beast to The Little Mermaid, but it's no skin off my nose. Noone was ever going to agree with every result


Thank you Knonnor for organising this. While I do think next year would be too soon for a redo, this was an enjoyable activity.

[Goliath]

Hey, my own top 2 turned out as the UD Top 2 as well. See, I told y'all I have great taste?

Thanks, Khonnor!

I don't hate it for its popularity. [...]

Some of the writing in it comes off to me as heavy-handed. Like they were trying SO hard to make us appreciate it on an intellectual level. But those scenes, to me, come off as corny. (The scene where Simba steps into Mufasa's pawprint. He's got some pretty big shoes to fill, eh?) I feel a scene like that kind of hits us over the head with what it's trying to say. And the same thing with the scene with Simba and Rafiki. "Going back means I'll have to confront my past! I've been running from it SO LONG..." I actually groaned out loud re-watching that scene in the theater this September. That smacks as terribly lazy writing to me.

Simba and Nala...yeah, sorry, but I think theirs is the blandest, most unnecessary romance in the Disney canon. Okay, so, we need the "Circle of Life" to come full circle, (way to rip off Bambi, Lion King...) I'll give you that. But. I dunno. They could have done a much better job with it. She chases Pumbaa, she finds Simba is still alive, we get an insipid, uninspired love song, and then suddenly, they're arguing... I can tell this is a love meant to be. Five minutes they've been romantic together and they're fighting. I think it's clunky. It doesn't come off as genuine and seems forced. There isn't any chemistry between the two of them. [...]

Every. Single. Word.

[Super Aurora]

The Little Mermaid. That's my bet.

I'm guessing The Little Mermaid will be #1, but that's just me.

We were right.

I'm always right.

[SWillie!]

Man, you guys pick apart these movies like nothing I've ever seen.

Is it bad if I actually like scenes that hit you over the head with the meaning? Especially in a 'kids' movie - they need scenes that make it plainly obvious what is going on.

I mean, everything you guys are saying are all valid arguments, but I just feel like... how can you possibly enjoy these films if you're just looking for flaws?

[Linden]

I can't say I'm surprised that TFatH didn't make the top ten, but 30 is probably better than it did last time. Khonnor, what was The Fox and the Hound ranked in the old list?

Anyway, thank you, Khonnor, for taking it upon yourself to redo this list. It was fun to vote and read the results, even if they were far from what I would have chosen. We should update the list every five years or so!

[Sky Syndrome]

I mean, everything you guys are saying are all valid arguments, but I just feel like... how can you possibly enjoy these films if you're just looking for flaws?

Discussions about flaws in Disney films are intriguing. Praising about the good points in the films gets boring fast.

[Disney's Divinity]

Praising about the good points in the films gets boring fast.

Who would know? That rarely happens here.

[Jacobe]

Well it's good to see the competition in these movies
Really hard.

1. Aladdin
2. Tarzan
3. The Little Mermaid
4. Beauty and the Beast
5. The Lion King
6. Tangled
7. The Emperor's New Groove
8. Lilo & Stitch
9. The Princess And The Frog
10. Hercules
11. 101 Dalmatians
12. Mulan
13. Pocahontas
14. Oliver & Company
15. Lady and the Tramp
16. Peter Pan
17. Atlantis: The Lost Empire
18. The Jungle Book
19. Bolt
20. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

[pap64]

Man, you guys pick apart these movies like nothing I've ever seen.

Is it bad if I actually like scenes that hit you over the head with the meaning? Especially in a 'kids' movie - they need scenes that make it plainly obvious what is going on.

I mean, everything you guys are saying are all valid arguments, but I just feel like... how can you possibly enjoy these films if you're just looking for flaws?

I personally don't see it as a bad thing as long as people keep it civil and realize that everyone has the right to agree or disagree and even argue their points.

That's why I love movies, especially film discussion, because you could tell the exact, same story to a million people, and a million people would come out with a million different interpretations. It is just so fascinating to learn how and why they walked away with a wildly unique opinion, even when they come to an agreement whether the film as good and bad.

Regarding Lion King, I can see why people would wildly defend it. It is massively popular and its legacy tends to overshadow more worthy things. But the film has flaws and some of the points mentioned earlier are quite on the spot. That doesn't change the fact that the movie is still one of my all time favorites, not because it played a major role in my childhood (first Disney animated classic I ever saw in theaters) or because people love it to death, but because I walked away with something that affected me and ME ONLY, and that happened to be a positive thing.

I do agree that hating a movie because its popular is silly and I hate it when the first thing they mention in a review is "IT IS AMAZING THAT A MOVIE AS BAD AS THIS ONE HAS FANS". I think we can disagree whether the film's merits are good or bad, but we can at least agree that it is FAR from the worst movie ever made, and if people want to make that hyperbole because of its popularity then they are indeed making the wrong assumption.

Regarding Little Mermaid, the movie has descended on my list of favorites, but I can see why people love it to death. It is quite an influential film, the one that lead to all the classics mentioned here, and the one movie that both re-invented the Disney formula was well as pay homage to it. The lead character manages to be enchanting even with all her dumb decisions, it has a great villain and the supporting cast is really, really good.

It isn't my top favorite (that honor goes to Beauty and the Beast), but it has more than enough qualities that made it so enduring and thus a top favorite on this thread.

That, and Ariel is the hottest ginger ever...