Whether it's in order of personal preference or an attempt at putting them objectively best to worst, how would you rank the 1990's Disney Animated Classics?
My list:
1. Aladdin
2. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
3. Beauty and the Beast
4. Tarzan
5. Hercules
6. Mulan
7. The Lion King
8. Pocahontas
9. The Rescuers Down Under
Personally, I think Aladdin is the pinnacle of the Renaissance. It stars the greatest cast of characters in any DAC - Aladdin, Jafar, Abu, Carpet, Sultan, Iago & Genie - as well as some of the finest music and animation. I have a bit of a love-hate relationship with Hunchback; some of the songs are excellent, Frollo is a uniquely well-rounded villain (gasp!), and Quasimodo and Esmerelda are sympathetic, likeable characters. The gargoyle problem goes without saying, but I don't like the generic Phoebus either (Clopin is fun however).
Beauty and the Beast is hugely overrated. The animation is the weakest out of the so-called 'Fab Four', but if I'm equitable, several character designs (Gaston, the Beast and Cogsworth) are superlative. I love the Busby Berkeley-style 'Be Our Guest' number, Angela Lansbury and Gaston, whose character arc is as interesting and convincing as the Beast's. Belle is not a very developed character, although I think she's meant to represent something rather than act as an actual three-dimensional character. Besides, it's the Beast's story in actuality, going from a monster to a man. Consequentially, I don't really regard it as a good love story per se, and prefer the romances in Lady and the Tramp, Aladdin, 101 Dalmatians, The Rescuers and even The Little Mermaid.
Tarzan's facetious humour is common in most 90's films, and besides that I think it's quite exquisite. Kala's relationship with Tarzan is beautiful and the scenes of suspense are excellently done. When it comes to Hercules, I like the convivial and colourful animation, and some of Philoctetes and Hades' dialogue is amusing - more amusing than the infantile jokes in most other 90's DACs - and I like Andreas Deja's design for Hercules. However, I can't help but feel that Greek mythology is, well, bastardised to an extent. Meanwhile, the songs and score are poor and the Muses incredibly irritating. It also frequently feels like a poor man's Aladdin, a much more enjoyable and satisfying movie.
I can see why Mulan has such a cult following, and while the opening scene is very powerful and Mulan & Shan-Yu are good characters, the feeling of it religiously following a formula set by TLM pervades throughout. The Lion King is perhaps even more overrated than Beauty and the Beast - of all the characters, only Scar and Rafiki are interesting or entertaining. Simba is possibly my all-time least favourite protagonist in a DAC, maybe besides Peter Pan. Still, the animation is magnificent. Pocahontas has begun to grow on me and I'm fond of 'Savages', yet I still regard it as one of the weaker efforts of the 90's.
The less said about Rescuers Down Under the better.
Ranking 1990's Disney Films
-
Dr Frankenollie
- In The Vaults
- Posts: 2704
- Joined: Mon May 02, 2011 4:19 am
-
PatrickvD
- Signature Collection
- Posts: 5207
- Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2003 11:34 am
- Location: The Netherlands
Yay, it's been too long!
1. Aladdin
2. Beauty and the Beast
3. Hercules
4. Mulan
5. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
6. The Lion King
7. The Rescuers Down Under
8. Tarzan
9. Pocahontas
The thing about this list is, even though Pocahontas is at the bottom for its obvious flaw, I still think it's a really great film. So in conclusion: I loved the 90s. I grew up with these films and enjoy every single one.
1. Aladdin
2. Beauty and the Beast
3. Hercules
4. Mulan
5. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
6. The Lion King
7. The Rescuers Down Under
8. Tarzan
9. Pocahontas
The thing about this list is, even though Pocahontas is at the bottom for its obvious flaw, I still think it's a really great film. So in conclusion: I loved the 90s. I grew up with these films and enjoy every single one.
-
disneyboy20022
- Signature Collection
- Posts: 6868
- Joined: Tue Aug 23, 2005 2:17 pm
1. Lion King
2. Aladdin
3. Beauty and The Beast
4. Hunchback of Notre Dame
5. Hercules
6. Mulan
7. Pocahontas
8. Rescuers Down Under
9. Tarzan
2. Aladdin
3. Beauty and The Beast
4. Hunchback of Notre Dame
5. Hercules
6. Mulan
7. Pocahontas
8. Rescuers Down Under
9. Tarzan
Want to Hear How I met Roy E. Disney in 2003? Click the link Below
http://fromscreentotheme.com/ThursdayTr ... isney.aspx
http://fromscreentotheme.com/ThursdayTr ... isney.aspx
-
ProfessorRatigan
- Special Edition
- Posts: 668
- Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 10:10 pm
- Location: Arkansas
My personal ranking would probably go something like this:
1. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
2. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
3. Hercules (1997)
4. Aladdin (1992)
5. Tarzan (1999)
6. The Lion King (1994)
7. Pocahontas (19950
8. The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
9. Mulan (1998)
And now, the long drawn out explanations!
1. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) - Objectively, I do think it is the best of the bunch. I will admit that it isn't easy for me to be objective with this film, however. It was the first film I ever saw in the theater. I was four in June of 1996 and I can still recall the images on the big screen. It left that big an impression on me. I was tantalized by the Hellfire sequence even then. I had all the Burger King and Mattel figures from the film because it became my instant favorite after seeing it at the movies, replacing Aladdin, which, up to that point, had been my jam. (More on that later...) Revisiting the film as an adult only strengthened my belief that I wasn't wrong to love it so much as a kid. It is not only my favorite Disney film of this period, it's my favorite Disney animation, and one of my top ten favorite films of all time. I cannot overstate how much this film means to me.
2. Beauty and the Beast (1991) - I think forum members need to ease up on the hate here. The animation has its problems, yes, but we need to remember that this film's production schedule was very short. When you take that into consideration, and the whole issue of Howard Ashman's death, it's amazing that the animation wasn't poorer than it ended up being. The emotions are so strong here you can't help but get swept up in the story and characters and forget any animation problems that are present. (At least, that's how *I* feel.) This one never fails to leave me in tears and goosebumps. The score, Menken's most haunting, is spellbinding. I always thought the underscore had an elegiac sound to it, as though Menken was grieving Ashman's death through the soundtrack, as it were. And that makes me very emotional. Anytime I hear that opening melody I get a bit teary.
3. Hercules (1997) - I don't care if it's zany, I don't care if it flies in the face of Greek myth (which it is only able to do because the directors obviously KNOW their Greek mythology...) What's the old Mel Brooks philosophy? Something about how you have to really love something if you expect to do a parody of it well? There are so many references that are here to actual Greek myths that people who are truly familiar with the myths, I find, appreciate it MORE. The armchair critics who scream bloody-murder seem to be the butt of the joke, in my opinion. I read a criticism by someone once on IMDB or some such site that the film contains no reference at all to the 12 Labors. And then I had to laugh because it actually DOES reference nearly all of them. Just not overtly. You have to actually KNOW and be familiar with the myth to catch where they put them in. For that reason, I, a Greek mythology fan, have always appreciated Hercules. In fact, I'd say it sparked my interest in looking up the original myths because I was 6 when this came out on VHS and saw it for the first time. I also feel that Hercules is comparable to Aladdin, but I feel Hercules actually has more heart to it. The scenes where Hercules rescues Meg from the river Styx are more emotional to me than anything in Aladdin. I feel, at the end of the day, that Aladdin focuses a little TOO much on the gags.
4. Aladdin (1992) - Speaking of which... Aladdin was the first film I can consciously remember watching. We owned the VHS and I very nearly wore it out, I watched this film so much. It was my absolute favorite as a kid. I had an intense obsession with Jafar, in particular. I wanted to BE him. I had ALL of the Mattel action figures, all the playsets, I had tons of merch...I even remember taping an ice-skating program of the film. In short, I lived and breathed the film. The older I get, the less impressed with it I am, though. When I learned about Howard Ashman's original vision for the film, I was heart-broken. His and Menken's original score and story could have been up there with The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast! It was heart-warming, with a good moral; that money and fame are no substitute for friends and family and that the real riches in life are earned fairly, not through loopholes like magic Genies. The final film is a muddled mess when it comes to what its message is. Be yourself? How bland. And, I'm sorry, but the Genie got old quick. The pop culture gags and references are sometimes embarrassing. (Arsenio Hall references in Disney? Yeah, that's not gonna date anytime soon...) He grates on my nerves. The plot holes are distracting, too. (Just how did Jafar strip Aladdin of his prince-hood when the Genie's magic and powers are greater than Jafar's? The film even openly states that Jafar at his prime is outclassed by the Genie...) I've talked before about how I think the Prince Ali Reprise reveal that Aladdin isn't a prince doesn't logically make much sense. Jafar doesn't make the distinction clear in that moment that Aladdin lied on top of a lie. It just seems to expose the first lie and Jasmine acts surprised despite the fact that in their previous scene she 'figured it out' on her own. I still feel this was a poorly written way of resolving this whole issue. And I've talked before about how I feel about Tim Rice's caliber as a lyricist, especially replacing the wonder that was Mr. Howard Ashman. I have a lot of problems with Aladdin, as you can see. But... nostalgia. Nostalgia can really endear you to a film.
5. Tarzan (1999) - Hate Clayton. Sabor should have been the villain. Give Sabor a female voice actress and flesh out the character, make Clayton a good guy and the cousin of Tarzan like he was in the original novel, make him engaged to Jane so she is forced to choose between the 'civilized' Lord Greystroke or the ape-man and, boom, you already have a WAY more interesting set up for a third-act than what we ultimately got. A shame. Aside from that lame-ass third-act and the Phil Collins music, Tarzan is pretty damn great. As has been mentioned, the relationship between Kala and Tarzan is moving as hell. The prologue is perfect. Gets me every time. The relationship between Kerchek (I probably misspelled that...) and Tarzan is also touching. I find that character's death scene more moving than Mufasa's by a country mile because there's an arc and an actual character there. Unlike Mufasa, who is, ostensibly, a cipher for the audience to project their own father onto. I love the animation. The backgrounds are lush and vibrant. The comic-relief are predictable and annoying. In short, what's good is REALLY, really good.
6. The Lion King (1994) - I've went on and on about how I feel about this film in the past, so, I won't repeat myself too much. The short version: love Scar. Rafiki is cool. Everything else, while pretty, is fairly meh as far as I'm concerned. But, damn, do I like Scar.
7. Pocahontas (1995) - The best looking film of this period. My favorite to look at, and a total drag to watch. Muddled, uncertain, ponderous, dull... with beautiful animation and great music and songs. Never was a fan, but I don't hate the film as some do.
8. The Rescuers Down Under (1990) - Unneeded and inferior to its predecessor, yes, but it still has its charms. McLeach is a cool baddie. The biggest flaw, one that I can't forgive the film for, is that at the end, the fate of the rest of McLeach's caged animals is left unresolved! Our heroes fly off into the night on new adventures to the soaring music, and we cut back to the fucking comic-relief, but we don't address the fact that these animals have all been left chained in the back of an abandoned mine that no one in a hundred years is going to stumble upon!? This is arguably the most disturbing ending to a Disney classic yet!
9. Mulan (1998) - And coming in dead last for me is Mulan. I don't know what it is about this film it is that I can't stand. Is it the tacky attempt to appeal to feminists? Maybe. Is it the god-awful Eddie Murphy wiseacre 'comic-relief'? Perhaps. Is it the mood whiplash resulting from the film's MANY jarring tonal shifts? Or maybe it's the Looney-Tunes ending where our bland, unintimidating villain is strapped to a rocket like Will E. Coyote and blown to smithereens? Or the awful songs? I dunno. It's probably a combination of all of those elements. I flat out don't like Mulan. And the fact that it gets away with all of these things and never gets called out for any of them, but a film like Hunchback is constantly dogged, annoys the ever loving shit out of me.
Excuse any typos.
1. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)
2. Beauty and the Beast (1991)
3. Hercules (1997)
4. Aladdin (1992)
5. Tarzan (1999)
6. The Lion King (1994)
7. Pocahontas (19950
8. The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
9. Mulan (1998)
And now, the long drawn out explanations!
1. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) - Objectively, I do think it is the best of the bunch. I will admit that it isn't easy for me to be objective with this film, however. It was the first film I ever saw in the theater. I was four in June of 1996 and I can still recall the images on the big screen. It left that big an impression on me. I was tantalized by the Hellfire sequence even then. I had all the Burger King and Mattel figures from the film because it became my instant favorite after seeing it at the movies, replacing Aladdin, which, up to that point, had been my jam. (More on that later...) Revisiting the film as an adult only strengthened my belief that I wasn't wrong to love it so much as a kid. It is not only my favorite Disney film of this period, it's my favorite Disney animation, and one of my top ten favorite films of all time. I cannot overstate how much this film means to me.
2. Beauty and the Beast (1991) - I think forum members need to ease up on the hate here. The animation has its problems, yes, but we need to remember that this film's production schedule was very short. When you take that into consideration, and the whole issue of Howard Ashman's death, it's amazing that the animation wasn't poorer than it ended up being. The emotions are so strong here you can't help but get swept up in the story and characters and forget any animation problems that are present. (At least, that's how *I* feel.) This one never fails to leave me in tears and goosebumps. The score, Menken's most haunting, is spellbinding. I always thought the underscore had an elegiac sound to it, as though Menken was grieving Ashman's death through the soundtrack, as it were. And that makes me very emotional. Anytime I hear that opening melody I get a bit teary.
3. Hercules (1997) - I don't care if it's zany, I don't care if it flies in the face of Greek myth (which it is only able to do because the directors obviously KNOW their Greek mythology...) What's the old Mel Brooks philosophy? Something about how you have to really love something if you expect to do a parody of it well? There are so many references that are here to actual Greek myths that people who are truly familiar with the myths, I find, appreciate it MORE. The armchair critics who scream bloody-murder seem to be the butt of the joke, in my opinion. I read a criticism by someone once on IMDB or some such site that the film contains no reference at all to the 12 Labors. And then I had to laugh because it actually DOES reference nearly all of them. Just not overtly. You have to actually KNOW and be familiar with the myth to catch where they put them in. For that reason, I, a Greek mythology fan, have always appreciated Hercules. In fact, I'd say it sparked my interest in looking up the original myths because I was 6 when this came out on VHS and saw it for the first time. I also feel that Hercules is comparable to Aladdin, but I feel Hercules actually has more heart to it. The scenes where Hercules rescues Meg from the river Styx are more emotional to me than anything in Aladdin. I feel, at the end of the day, that Aladdin focuses a little TOO much on the gags.
4. Aladdin (1992) - Speaking of which... Aladdin was the first film I can consciously remember watching. We owned the VHS and I very nearly wore it out, I watched this film so much. It was my absolute favorite as a kid. I had an intense obsession with Jafar, in particular. I wanted to BE him. I had ALL of the Mattel action figures, all the playsets, I had tons of merch...I even remember taping an ice-skating program of the film. In short, I lived and breathed the film. The older I get, the less impressed with it I am, though. When I learned about Howard Ashman's original vision for the film, I was heart-broken. His and Menken's original score and story could have been up there with The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast! It was heart-warming, with a good moral; that money and fame are no substitute for friends and family and that the real riches in life are earned fairly, not through loopholes like magic Genies. The final film is a muddled mess when it comes to what its message is. Be yourself? How bland. And, I'm sorry, but the Genie got old quick. The pop culture gags and references are sometimes embarrassing. (Arsenio Hall references in Disney? Yeah, that's not gonna date anytime soon...) He grates on my nerves. The plot holes are distracting, too. (Just how did Jafar strip Aladdin of his prince-hood when the Genie's magic and powers are greater than Jafar's? The film even openly states that Jafar at his prime is outclassed by the Genie...) I've talked before about how I think the Prince Ali Reprise reveal that Aladdin isn't a prince doesn't logically make much sense. Jafar doesn't make the distinction clear in that moment that Aladdin lied on top of a lie. It just seems to expose the first lie and Jasmine acts surprised despite the fact that in their previous scene she 'figured it out' on her own. I still feel this was a poorly written way of resolving this whole issue. And I've talked before about how I feel about Tim Rice's caliber as a lyricist, especially replacing the wonder that was Mr. Howard Ashman. I have a lot of problems with Aladdin, as you can see. But... nostalgia. Nostalgia can really endear you to a film.
5. Tarzan (1999) - Hate Clayton. Sabor should have been the villain. Give Sabor a female voice actress and flesh out the character, make Clayton a good guy and the cousin of Tarzan like he was in the original novel, make him engaged to Jane so she is forced to choose between the 'civilized' Lord Greystroke or the ape-man and, boom, you already have a WAY more interesting set up for a third-act than what we ultimately got. A shame. Aside from that lame-ass third-act and the Phil Collins music, Tarzan is pretty damn great. As has been mentioned, the relationship between Kala and Tarzan is moving as hell. The prologue is perfect. Gets me every time. The relationship between Kerchek (I probably misspelled that...) and Tarzan is also touching. I find that character's death scene more moving than Mufasa's by a country mile because there's an arc and an actual character there. Unlike Mufasa, who is, ostensibly, a cipher for the audience to project their own father onto. I love the animation. The backgrounds are lush and vibrant. The comic-relief are predictable and annoying. In short, what's good is REALLY, really good.
6. The Lion King (1994) - I've went on and on about how I feel about this film in the past, so, I won't repeat myself too much. The short version: love Scar. Rafiki is cool. Everything else, while pretty, is fairly meh as far as I'm concerned. But, damn, do I like Scar.
Agreed on all points, except the Beauty and the Beast being overrated implication.The Lion King is perhaps even more overrated than Beauty and the Beast - of all the characters, only Scar and Rafiki are interesting or entertaining. Simba is possibly my all-time least favourite protagonist in a DAC, maybe besides Peter Pan. Still, the animation is magnificent.
7. Pocahontas (1995) - The best looking film of this period. My favorite to look at, and a total drag to watch. Muddled, uncertain, ponderous, dull... with beautiful animation and great music and songs. Never was a fan, but I don't hate the film as some do.
8. The Rescuers Down Under (1990) - Unneeded and inferior to its predecessor, yes, but it still has its charms. McLeach is a cool baddie. The biggest flaw, one that I can't forgive the film for, is that at the end, the fate of the rest of McLeach's caged animals is left unresolved! Our heroes fly off into the night on new adventures to the soaring music, and we cut back to the fucking comic-relief, but we don't address the fact that these animals have all been left chained in the back of an abandoned mine that no one in a hundred years is going to stumble upon!? This is arguably the most disturbing ending to a Disney classic yet!
9. Mulan (1998) - And coming in dead last for me is Mulan. I don't know what it is about this film it is that I can't stand. Is it the tacky attempt to appeal to feminists? Maybe. Is it the god-awful Eddie Murphy wiseacre 'comic-relief'? Perhaps. Is it the mood whiplash resulting from the film's MANY jarring tonal shifts? Or maybe it's the Looney-Tunes ending where our bland, unintimidating villain is strapped to a rocket like Will E. Coyote and blown to smithereens? Or the awful songs? I dunno. It's probably a combination of all of those elements. I flat out don't like Mulan. And the fact that it gets away with all of these things and never gets called out for any of them, but a film like Hunchback is constantly dogged, annoys the ever loving shit out of me.
Excuse any typos.
-
PatrickvD
- Signature Collection
- Posts: 5207
- Joined: Fri Sep 19, 2003 11:34 am
- Location: The Netherlands
I will give you 'True To Your Heart', but the rest??? Awful???? reeeaaaally????ProfessorRatigan wrote:And coming in dead last for me is Mulan. I don't know what it is about this film it is that I can't stand ..... Or the awful songs?
I've never heard anyone say that.
'I'll Make A Man Out Of You' is so awesome. Ah well, different strokes.
-
Disney's Divinity
- Ultimate Collector's Edition
- Posts: 16349
- Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2005 9:26 am
- Gender: Male
Based on my personal preference, though it was hard to order the first 5:
1. Hercules
2. Mulan
3. The Lion King
4. Beauty and the Beast
5. Aladdin
6. Pocahontas
7. Tarzan
8. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
9. The Rescuers Down Under
).
About Mulan's songs--I kind of agree with you. "IMAMOOY" is one of those songs that the average viewer loves--most people I know, who aren't big on Disney as a rule, love that song. I don't really get it myself. I think all the songs are set at the right moment, but some of the lyrics... "Reflection," for instance, always felt so on the nose for me that I can only enjoy the Pop version. "Honor to Us All" is probably my favorite in the film, even though it's definitely taking notes from B&tB. As far as music goes, I think B&tB wins, with Pocahontas and Hunchback close behind.
Pocahontas is such a weird film. I love Pocahontas (and Grandmother Willow...though I still find that character so bizarre), and the music and animation are gorgeous. But it's really kind of awful. The romance doesn't work, the villain doesn't work, most of the characters are uninteresting and/or re-treads, and the story is a mess. I can't even explain why I have such good feelings toward it. I think I just end up placing more value on music/characters than anything else. Maybe some nostalgia, too, though it was my sister's favorite and not mine.
1. Hercules
2. Mulan
3. The Lion King
4. Beauty and the Beast
5. Aladdin
6. Pocahontas
7. Tarzan
8. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
9. The Rescuers Down Under
I agree with you on Hercules and B&tB (not so much on Hunchback and Mulan though). Aladdin is likable, so I guess I do empathize with him. But I find it hard to be emotional at the ending because of how uninteresting Jasmine is. I suppose this is how some people must feel about Eric during TLM--Aladdin deserves a lot better than Jasmine. The most I become emotional is with Aladdin's relationship with the Genie. The romantic angle works better in Hercules because Megara isn't a half-baked clone, and she actually has a lot of chemistry with Hercules along with being an interesting character on her own. I will say that I've always thought the Aladdin climax/the fight with Jafar was amazing. While for some reason I was never attached to Jafar as a character, I do think he was fairly intimidating here and the moment is well-paced (even if the rest of the film isn't...ProfessorRatigan wrote:The scenes where Hercules rescues Meg from the river Styx are more emotional to me than anything in Aladdin.
).About Mulan's songs--I kind of agree with you. "IMAMOOY" is one of those songs that the average viewer loves--most people I know, who aren't big on Disney as a rule, love that song. I don't really get it myself. I think all the songs are set at the right moment, but some of the lyrics... "Reflection," for instance, always felt so on the nose for me that I can only enjoy the Pop version. "Honor to Us All" is probably my favorite in the film, even though it's definitely taking notes from B&tB. As far as music goes, I think B&tB wins, with Pocahontas and Hunchback close behind.
Pocahontas is such a weird film. I love Pocahontas (and Grandmother Willow...though I still find that character so bizarre), and the music and animation are gorgeous. But it's really kind of awful. The romance doesn't work, the villain doesn't work, most of the characters are uninteresting and/or re-treads, and the story is a mess. I can't even explain why I have such good feelings toward it. I think I just end up placing more value on music/characters than anything else. Maybe some nostalgia, too, though it was my sister's favorite and not mine.
Listening to most often lately:
Christina Aguilera ~ "Cruz"
Sombr ~ "homewrecker"
Megan Moroney ~ "Beautiful Things"
-
Flanger-Hanger
- Platinum Edition
- Posts: 3746
- Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2006 3:59 pm
- Location: S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters
I'll start my list by stating that broadly speaking this decade is mainly "so-so" for me in terms of quality and personal enjoyment and almost all films suffer from the same flaws (bad relationship development, lousy side-kick characters, issues with consistent tone and animation quality) and have the same strengths (good songs and scores, individually strong characters and moments of animation). That and of all the animated features put out by Disney in the 90s The Nightmare Before Christmas is my unquestionable favourite, but since it's not cannon, I can't inlcude it. A rough outline as of now would look something like this:
1. Pocahontas (yes, this is new for me and schocking, but I'll describe more later)
2. The Rescuers Down Under
3. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
4. Beauty and the Beast
5. Aladdin (4 and 5 could easily switch, though)
6. Mulan
7. Hercules
8. Tarzan (not that I've seen it recently enough to really judge its rank)
9. The Lion King
1. Pocahontas (yes, this is new for me and schocking, but I'll describe more later)
2. The Rescuers Down Under
3. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
4. Beauty and the Beast
5. Aladdin (4 and 5 could easily switch, though)
6. Mulan
7. Hercules
8. Tarzan (not that I've seen it recently enough to really judge its rank)
9. The Lion King
Last edited by Flanger-Hanger on Thu Feb 21, 2013 5:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
First: to professor Ratigan:
Oh, I love your idea for the third act of Tarzan! That would have been more interesting!
I don't agree with the idea of giving Sabor a voice... that would have been very weird. Too savage and murderous to have a "voice of reason" as well. Lets not forget this is a character that kills an infant at the beginning of the film....
I have to say Im very surprised about the rankings people have been posted. I always thought the Batb-Alad-Lion combo would be the top 3 for everyone.... guess Im wrong! (most people I know would have those as the top 3).
Here is mine:
1) Beauty and the Beast (sans "human again")
2/3) Aladdin/Lion King
4) Hercules
5/6) Pocahontas/Hunchback
7) Tarzan
8) Mulan
9) Rescuers Down Under
THis is a very subjective list. BATB's animation isnt always great, but as a film, it has the tightest story, best rhythm, and best score... and its also (by far) the best version of Beauty and the Beast I;ve ever seen (sorry Cocteau!)
Lion King to me is a flawless movie... I cant say a bad thing about it. But I've never been a fan of all-animal movies. Aladdin is great. Highly entertaining, but the Genie can be a bit too much, and the story structure is a bit weird (one too many climaxes... one to many prologues...).
Hercules has GREAT characters in it and some great sequences. Problem is, there are WAY too many characters. The story structure is also all over the place... too many scenes, to many location changes... Meg's design has always bothered me...and I HATE that Hercules is a redhead!
I consider Hunchback to be a better movie than Pocahontas, and yet I find myself watching the latter more often. Hunchback has some great sequences, but its a bit of a charmless story... I find Esmeralda irritating (hate her voice too), the animation is uneven, and the cleanup is terrible (uneven characters, not enough defining lines, WAY too many tones/shadows). And the gargoyles bother the hell out of me. Pocahontas takes itself too seriously, and the percy-meeko antics are very annoying... and pointless. Great music and great score. The animation is inconsistent and stiff at times...
Tarzan is a good effort. But there is indeed a MAJOR shift after Sabor dies. I want to kill Terk and Tantor (I actually always fast-forward the "shoo-dap-she-doo" sequence). There is great animation in it... the Kala-Tarzan thing never really gets to me though... I do love Jane. AMAZING voice acting from Minnie Driver.... but such a hideous design!
Rescuers Down Under. Saw it once. Dont feel the need to ever see it again.
Oh, I love your idea for the third act of Tarzan! That would have been more interesting!
I don't agree with the idea of giving Sabor a voice... that would have been very weird. Too savage and murderous to have a "voice of reason" as well. Lets not forget this is a character that kills an infant at the beginning of the film....
I have to say Im very surprised about the rankings people have been posted. I always thought the Batb-Alad-Lion combo would be the top 3 for everyone.... guess Im wrong! (most people I know would have those as the top 3).
Here is mine:
1) Beauty and the Beast (sans "human again")
2/3) Aladdin/Lion King
4) Hercules
5/6) Pocahontas/Hunchback
7) Tarzan
8) Mulan
9) Rescuers Down Under
THis is a very subjective list. BATB's animation isnt always great, but as a film, it has the tightest story, best rhythm, and best score... and its also (by far) the best version of Beauty and the Beast I;ve ever seen (sorry Cocteau!)
Lion King to me is a flawless movie... I cant say a bad thing about it. But I've never been a fan of all-animal movies. Aladdin is great. Highly entertaining, but the Genie can be a bit too much, and the story structure is a bit weird (one too many climaxes... one to many prologues...).
Hercules has GREAT characters in it and some great sequences. Problem is, there are WAY too many characters. The story structure is also all over the place... too many scenes, to many location changes... Meg's design has always bothered me...and I HATE that Hercules is a redhead!
I consider Hunchback to be a better movie than Pocahontas, and yet I find myself watching the latter more often. Hunchback has some great sequences, but its a bit of a charmless story... I find Esmeralda irritating (hate her voice too), the animation is uneven, and the cleanup is terrible (uneven characters, not enough defining lines, WAY too many tones/shadows). And the gargoyles bother the hell out of me. Pocahontas takes itself too seriously, and the percy-meeko antics are very annoying... and pointless. Great music and great score. The animation is inconsistent and stiff at times...
Tarzan is a good effort. But there is indeed a MAJOR shift after Sabor dies. I want to kill Terk and Tantor (I actually always fast-forward the "shoo-dap-she-doo" sequence). There is great animation in it... the Kala-Tarzan thing never really gets to me though... I do love Jane. AMAZING voice acting from Minnie Driver.... but such a hideous design!
Rescuers Down Under. Saw it once. Dont feel the need to ever see it again.
-
Prince Edward
- Anniversary Edition
- Posts: 1184
- Joined: Fri Jun 27, 2008 9:23 pm
- Location: Trondheim, Norway
- Contact:
This is my favorite decade when it comes to Disney animation, and I love almost all of the movies, and I care for the all except The Rescuers Down Under. Have no interest at all for that one.
1. Aladdin
2. Beauty and the Beast
3. The Little Mermaid
4. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
5. Pocahontas
6. Hercules
7. Mulan
8. Tarzan
9. The Lion King
10. The Rescuers Down Under
1. Aladdin
2. Beauty and the Beast
3. The Little Mermaid
4. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
5. Pocahontas
6. Hercules
7. Mulan
8. Tarzan
9. The Lion King
10. The Rescuers Down Under
Favorite Disney-movies: Snow White, Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Hercules, Mulan, Tarzan, Tangled, Frozen, Pirates, Enchanted, Prince of Persia, Tron, Oz The Great and Powerful
-
Flanger-Hanger
- Platinum Edition
- Posts: 3746
- Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2006 3:59 pm
- Location: S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters
On Pocahontas:
The main reasons for my enjoyment of this movie come from its visuals, music and the fact that it is the only Disney movie to really tackle a quiet, human drama, as opposed to melodrama or high fantasy.
The plot does not really call for it to even be an animated film, but its visuals prove exactly why it's justifiable. You could never have trees like that in a live action movie, nor those levels of saturated colours, those exaggerated angles and perspective shots, or the quality of line art in general. The world it creates can only be done in animation, and makes its setting more impressive and dynamic as a result.
I love the song score too, likely my favourite of the 90s movies. Even "Mine, Mine, Mine" which has been criticized for being the weak equivalent of "Under the Sea" or "Be Our Guest" (which under those conditions, it is) still is enjoyable on its own terms for me. Also, Colors of the Wind deserved its Oscar IMO.
I also appreciate and enjoy how the movie gives time for its romantic leads to develop their relationship and that the good/evil aspect of the story is not as black and white as other Disney titles. Both help to make the movie more realistic as a result, which is what the narrative calls for. Wiggins is also actually amusing.
But the film has its flaws. Really obvious ones that made the whole thing ridiculously easy to make fun of (and Aniamiacs did it perfectly). The overt political correctness, the historical revisions, the needless animal sidekicks deisgned to reiterate the obvious plot/moral to small kids, the talking tree, the idea that language barries can be solved by magic leaves (why even bring it up, if that's your solution?), the awkward sounding dialoge and the desire to go after a particular Oscar from the get-go. Whatever behind the scenes quarrels led to these decsions created a worse movie as a result and killed any chance of this kind of movie ever being again made by Disney, sadly. A more serious animation director could have made it work, but not Disney, and not at that time. That and a longer movie would have worked better, as telling this kind of drama in 75 minutes (which is what the run time is, less end credits and "If I Never Knew You") is not enough time.
However, in moments like Pocahontas and John Smith's first encoutner*, Colors of the Wind and the finale, I see what could have been and it's enough for me to think more of it than the other features of its decade.
*and yes, I see the plot logic flaw in the whick still being lit, but..BUT...I try in vain to say...
The main reasons for my enjoyment of this movie come from its visuals, music and the fact that it is the only Disney movie to really tackle a quiet, human drama, as opposed to melodrama or high fantasy.
The plot does not really call for it to even be an animated film, but its visuals prove exactly why it's justifiable. You could never have trees like that in a live action movie, nor those levels of saturated colours, those exaggerated angles and perspective shots, or the quality of line art in general. The world it creates can only be done in animation, and makes its setting more impressive and dynamic as a result.
I love the song score too, likely my favourite of the 90s movies. Even "Mine, Mine, Mine" which has been criticized for being the weak equivalent of "Under the Sea" or "Be Our Guest" (which under those conditions, it is) still is enjoyable on its own terms for me. Also, Colors of the Wind deserved its Oscar IMO.
I also appreciate and enjoy how the movie gives time for its romantic leads to develop their relationship and that the good/evil aspect of the story is not as black and white as other Disney titles. Both help to make the movie more realistic as a result, which is what the narrative calls for. Wiggins is also actually amusing.
But the film has its flaws. Really obvious ones that made the whole thing ridiculously easy to make fun of (and Aniamiacs did it perfectly). The overt political correctness, the historical revisions, the needless animal sidekicks deisgned to reiterate the obvious plot/moral to small kids, the talking tree, the idea that language barries can be solved by magic leaves (why even bring it up, if that's your solution?), the awkward sounding dialoge and the desire to go after a particular Oscar from the get-go. Whatever behind the scenes quarrels led to these decsions created a worse movie as a result and killed any chance of this kind of movie ever being again made by Disney, sadly. A more serious animation director could have made it work, but not Disney, and not at that time. That and a longer movie would have worked better, as telling this kind of drama in 75 minutes (which is what the run time is, less end credits and "If I Never Knew You") is not enough time.
However, in moments like Pocahontas and John Smith's first encoutner*, Colors of the Wind and the finale, I see what could have been and it's enough for me to think more of it than the other features of its decade.
*and yes, I see the plot logic flaw in the whick still being lit, but..BUT...I try in vain to say...
-
Disney's Divinity
- Ultimate Collector's Edition
- Posts: 16349
- Joined: Thu Mar 17, 2005 9:26 am
- Gender: Male
I think everyone's is; the majority of people here were likely still young-ish when the '90s films were being released. I've noticed very few of the lists coincide with one another.Marce82 wrote: THis is a very subjective list.
Why?I HATE that Hercules is a redhead!
I suppose he could've been blonde, but I don't mind the red.I agree. Frollo carries the film pretty much by himself for me. But even with Frollo, he's just not as subtle as he's given credit for by a lot of people. "Hellfire" and Tony Jay make the character.Hunchback has some great sequences, but its a bit of a charmless story... I find Esmeralda irritating (hate her voice too)...And the gargoyles bother the hell out of me.
I actually enjoy Tarzan most of the time I view it, but Tarzan isn't as interesting as a lot of the protagonists in the '90s. Even among the men, he's not as good as Aladdin, Beast, or Hercules. He's not boring, but he kind of gets lost among all these other characters they had at the time for me. I feel like I should like Jane more than I do considering how Minnie Driver brings her to life, but it feels like she plays such a small part in the movie. Kala is a great character; and Kerchak is different enough from Fa Zhou and Triton, that he works pretty well. I agree with what others said about Sabor--I'd rather s/he be the antagonist for the entire film. I wouldn't even mind if the character had been voiced.
Listening to most often lately:
Christina Aguilera ~ "Cruz"
Sombr ~ "homewrecker"
Megan Moroney ~ "Beautiful Things"
-
Flanger-Hanger
- Platinum Edition
- Posts: 3746
- Joined: Wed Oct 11, 2006 3:59 pm
- Location: S.H.I.E.L.D. Headquarters
I'd say off-model characters and sloppy/inanimate background character work. It's like Great Mouse Detective at times.rodis wrote:WOW, so many mentions of the animation in BATB. Are people referring to the characters going off-model occasionally or the entire look of the film (backgrounds and such)?
-
Disney Duster
- Ultimate Collector's Edition
- Posts: 14102
- Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2005 6:02 am
- Gender: Male
- Location: America
The genie still has to follow rules. He can't bring anyone back from the dead, he can't make anyone fall in love, and he can't obey anyone but his master. That rule of obeying his master is more powerful than Jafar or the genie.ProfessorRatigan wrote:The plot holes are distracting, too. (Just how did Jafar strip Aladdin of his prince-hood when the Genie's magic and powers are greater than Jafar's? The film even openly states that Jafar at his prime is outclassed by the Genie...)
Or if you meant how did he undo some of the Genie's previous magic, easy, the Genie can undo what he did, he undid his own magic through Jafar's wish.
-
Pokeholic_Prince
- Gold Classic Collection
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2011 1:03 am
- Location: USA
- Contact:
I'm gonna break this list down to 2 parts because quality and personal taste are truly separate in this era. Whereas my favorite movies were objectively the best of the 2000s, they vary in in the 90s.
Objectively the best:
1. Beauty and the Beast
2. Aladdin
3. The Lion King
4. Tarzan
5. Mulan
6. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
7. The Rescuers Down Under
8. Hercules
9. Pocahontas
My Favorites:
1. The Lion King
2. Aladdin
3. Beauty and the Beast
4. Tarzan
5. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
6. Mulan
7. Hercules
8. Pocahontas
9. The Rescuers Down Under
Objectively the best:
1. Beauty and the Beast
2. Aladdin
3. The Lion King
4. Tarzan
5. Mulan
6. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
7. The Rescuers Down Under
8. Hercules
9. Pocahontas
My Favorites:
1. The Lion King
2. Aladdin
3. Beauty and the Beast
4. Tarzan
5. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
6. Mulan
7. Hercules
8. Pocahontas
9. The Rescuers Down Under
1. Beauty and the Beast
2. Aladdin
3. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
4. Mulan
5. Hercules
6. Pocahontas
7. Tarzan
8. The Lion King
9. The Rescuers Down Under
For BatB I feel the story has so much heart. I love the Beast and Gaston characters and how their stories play out in the film. It has, arguably the best side characters of any Disney film(save for TLM). Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts and Chip are all charming and fun. "Be Our Guest" and "Gaston" are great show stoppers and "BatB is a beautiful song. The instrumental score is beautiful and haunting. Belle isn't the most interesting heroine but she is likeable and easy to root for.
Aladdin is most likely due to nostalgia for me much like PorfessorRatigan I was obsessed with this film and even more obsessed with Jafar. The animation is great. Aladdin, Jafar, Abu, Carpet and the Sultan are all great characters. "A Whole New World" is beautiful and "Prince Ali" and its Reprise are fun. Not a big fan of Jasmine and even less fan of the Genie. In the end I agree the original idea would have been amazing but I enjoy the final product. Although I think "Proud of Your Boy" SHOULD have been in this film that is tied with Yzma's "Snuff Out the Light" as the most disappointing song cut for me.
HoND is a powerful film and kind of bipolar. On one hand it has the awesome Frollo, the likeable and sympathetic Quasimodo, Esmeralda who I have always liked and Clopin is fun. Then you have the bland and forgettable Phoebus. And the Gargoyles. I don't hate them, the only one I really don't care for is Hugo. Victor and Laverne aren't bad. The score is great and it has some of the greatest songs in the cannon. "Bells of Notre Dame", "Out There", God Help the Outcasts" and Heaven's Light/Hellfire" are all really powerful songs. "A Guy Like You isn't a bad song it just doesn't fit with the rest of the film. The film covers some dark topics but then it has the goofy "AGLY" smacked in the middle. Despite that I still like the film for it characters and especially the music.
Mulan is mostly due to my fascination with Chinese culture. I like Mulan as a character and Shan Yu is a very intimidating villain. It has a great message and I love most of the songs. Eddie Murphy is the only flaw here for me. He doesn't fit, even more so than the gargoyles. Hercules is fun. Hercules isn't the most interesting, but he is likeable. Hades and Megara are the best characters. Pain and Panic are fun to. "I Won't Say I'm in Love" is a great song. I haven't seen this one in a while but I do enjoy it.
Pocahontas has gorgeous animation and beautiful music, both the score and the songs. I like Pocahontas and Grandma Willow. Ratcliffe and Wiggins are fun. But I agree the story is a mess and John Smith is a bore. I always liked Thomas more than him but most likely due to my obsession with redheads. But, a lot like Sleeping Beauty for me at least, the animation, characters and music make up for it.
I haven't seen Tarzan in a while so I can't comment too much on it. I like Jane and Tarzan's mom. Clayton is meh. He reminds me of McLeach, he is voiced by a great actor(Brian Blessed) but he doesn't stand out. His death is the only memorable thing about him. Sabor would have been a much better villain. Tarzan's relationship with the head ape is interesting and I like Phil Collins music. But I haven't seen it in a while. If I did I might put it above Pocahontas.
For LK I only like the fabulous diva Scar and Rafiki. Oh and Be Prepared s epic. Simba is annoying, Nala is bland. Timon and Pumba are annoying to. I do like Sarabi though....
Never really cared for RDU but like Tarzan I haven't seen it in a while but I don't remember much of it. Although I love Joanna, McLeach's lizard sidekick.
My little blurbs about the films are probably a jumbled mess so I apologize!
2. Aladdin
3. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
4. Mulan
5. Hercules
6. Pocahontas
7. Tarzan
8. The Lion King
9. The Rescuers Down Under
For BatB I feel the story has so much heart. I love the Beast and Gaston characters and how their stories play out in the film. It has, arguably the best side characters of any Disney film(save for TLM). Lumiere, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts and Chip are all charming and fun. "Be Our Guest" and "Gaston" are great show stoppers and "BatB is a beautiful song. The instrumental score is beautiful and haunting. Belle isn't the most interesting heroine but she is likeable and easy to root for.
Aladdin is most likely due to nostalgia for me much like PorfessorRatigan I was obsessed with this film and even more obsessed with Jafar. The animation is great. Aladdin, Jafar, Abu, Carpet and the Sultan are all great characters. "A Whole New World" is beautiful and "Prince Ali" and its Reprise are fun. Not a big fan of Jasmine and even less fan of the Genie. In the end I agree the original idea would have been amazing but I enjoy the final product. Although I think "Proud of Your Boy" SHOULD have been in this film that is tied with Yzma's "Snuff Out the Light" as the most disappointing song cut for me.
HoND is a powerful film and kind of bipolar. On one hand it has the awesome Frollo, the likeable and sympathetic Quasimodo, Esmeralda who I have always liked and Clopin is fun. Then you have the bland and forgettable Phoebus. And the Gargoyles. I don't hate them, the only one I really don't care for is Hugo. Victor and Laverne aren't bad. The score is great and it has some of the greatest songs in the cannon. "Bells of Notre Dame", "Out There", God Help the Outcasts" and Heaven's Light/Hellfire" are all really powerful songs. "A Guy Like You isn't a bad song it just doesn't fit with the rest of the film. The film covers some dark topics but then it has the goofy "AGLY" smacked in the middle. Despite that I still like the film for it characters and especially the music.
Mulan is mostly due to my fascination with Chinese culture. I like Mulan as a character and Shan Yu is a very intimidating villain. It has a great message and I love most of the songs. Eddie Murphy is the only flaw here for me. He doesn't fit, even more so than the gargoyles. Hercules is fun. Hercules isn't the most interesting, but he is likeable. Hades and Megara are the best characters. Pain and Panic are fun to. "I Won't Say I'm in Love" is a great song. I haven't seen this one in a while but I do enjoy it.
Pocahontas has gorgeous animation and beautiful music, both the score and the songs. I like Pocahontas and Grandma Willow. Ratcliffe and Wiggins are fun. But I agree the story is a mess and John Smith is a bore. I always liked Thomas more than him but most likely due to my obsession with redheads. But, a lot like Sleeping Beauty for me at least, the animation, characters and music make up for it.
I haven't seen Tarzan in a while so I can't comment too much on it. I like Jane and Tarzan's mom. Clayton is meh. He reminds me of McLeach, he is voiced by a great actor(Brian Blessed) but he doesn't stand out. His death is the only memorable thing about him. Sabor would have been a much better villain. Tarzan's relationship with the head ape is interesting and I like Phil Collins music. But I haven't seen it in a while. If I did I might put it above Pocahontas.
For LK I only like the fabulous diva Scar and Rafiki. Oh and Be Prepared s epic. Simba is annoying, Nala is bland. Timon and Pumba are annoying to. I do like Sarabi though....
Never really cared for RDU but like Tarzan I haven't seen it in a while but I don't remember much of it. Although I love Joanna, McLeach's lizard sidekick.
My little blurbs about the films are probably a jumbled mess so I apologize!