Favorite Disney Animated Classic from the 90s?

[Scarred4life]

Top 3: Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, and Mulan.

[SmartAleck25]

I chose Lion King! Epic story, great music, and lovable characters! I don't get why most people at UD don't like it...

[IagoZazu]

I think we can all agree that the book will always be better than the movie.

I don't know if that's true. Francis Ford Coppola changed an awful lot about Mario Puzo's book when directing The Godfather, but it resulted in only the best movie of all time!

Well, you have a point. The other time a movie became more well-known and popular than the book was The Wizard of Oz.

[Widdi]

1. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (#3 in Overall Ranking)
2. Beauty and the Beast (#6 in Overall Ranking)
3. Pocahontas (#9 in Overall Ranking)
4. Hercules (#11 in Overall Ranking)
5. Aladdin (#12 in Overall Ranking)
6. Mulan (#17 in Overall Ranking)
7. The Lion King (#22 in Overall Ranking)
8. The Rescuers Down Under (#26 in Overall Ranking)
9. Tarzan (#29 in Overall Ranking)
10. Fantasia/2000 (#31 in Overall Ranking)

[cammyr12]

THEY ARE ALL JUST AMAZING. i don't think i could even rank them because they are just to good. all films are strong in every aspect: Story, character and animation.

[D82]

1. Aladdin
2. Beauty and the Beast
3. Hercules
4. The Lion King
5. Tarzan
6. Mulan
7. The Rescuers Down Under
8. Pocahontas
9. The Hunchback of Notre Dame

I wasn't sure where to put The Rescuers Down Under because though I love Bernard and Bianca, there are things in the film that in my opinion could be better, like the villain for example, but I'm quite sure about the rest of my ranking.

[Farerb]

1. Beauty and the Beast
2. Aladdin
3. The Lion King
4. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
5. Mulan
6. Hercules
7. Tarzan
8. Pocahontas
9. The Rescuers Down Under

It feels weird not to have The Little Mermaid in this list, but if I were to put it, it would go between Aladdin and The Lion King.

[JeanGreyForever]

My favorite era!

1) Aladdin
2) Beauty and the Beast
3) The Hunchback of Notre Dame
4) Pocahontas
5) Tarzan
6) The Lion King
7) Mulan
8 ) Hercules
9) The Rescuers Down Under

#1-5 are in my top ten easily. If Hunchback hadn't deleted two of its songs like Someday (the lifeblood of the film) and In a Place of Miracles, I'd probably rank it #1. Not to mention some of the ill-placed humor holds it back. Lion King is only as low as it is because I love the other films more.

[Disney's Divinity]

My list has shifted only a little.

1. Hercules
2. Mulan
3. Beauty and the Beast
4. The Lion King
5. Aladdin
6. Pocahontas
7. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
8. Tarzan

I actually think in retrospect, TLM should've been lumped in here the same way Snow White is lumped into the '40s. Or at least that Snow White should've been left in the '30s alone. What a strong decade. I don't hate nor do I get bored of any of these, even though I'm much more attached to the top five than those last three.

[Sotiris]

What an incredible feat! Some of the best animated films of all time in a single decade. I love so many of them pretty much equally, so it was really difficult for me to rank them. I'm still not sure about their placement, so take my list with a grain of salt.

01. Aladdin
02. Beauty and the Beast
03. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
04. Mulan
05. Pocahontas
06. Hercules
07. Tarzan
08. The Lion King
09. The Rescuers Down Under

[DC Fan]

Aladdin forever and ever. As a, not so much kid, (I was 12 then) I adored this movie. Got a sticker album that I finished (and even got a wooden picture as a prize for it), books and even went to Aladdin on Ice. Back then Genie was my favorite character but later on Jafar has become that. Love the Arabian setting and the feeling of adventure.

-The Hunchback of Notre Dame: As an adult I get to appreciate and love this movie more and more. With the exception of the gargoyles and their song to me is a masterpiece. The animation, design, the soundtrack, the songs, Frollo.

-The Lion King: Of course it´s an incredible movie especially Scar. But this movie will always be playing whenever I had to go the orthodoncist and kind of got tired of it. Not to mention that I tend not like what everybody loves and basically the whole world adores this movie. My only complaints are Can You Feel the Love Tonight (doesn´t fit at all with the rest) and while I not like Hakuna Matata it´s not good either.

-Beauty and the Beast: To me is the perfect Disney movie. The songs (even with Human Again) all are spot on. Has the right amount of them with the exact lenght. It´s a Princess movie yet because of Beast and what surrounds her doesn´t feel "girly" (to say something). And moves in a perfect pace.

-Mulan: A great movie too. Can´t fing anything particularly wrong with it. If anything, that they didn´t choose to have the complete version of Reflection.

-Hercules: As a Greek mythology fan the movie offended me because of the changes made to it. However, precisely because I adore Greek mythology I learned to not fault the movie too much for that. Also, the movie came out right when Hercules and Xena shows were airing. I especially love they chose Hades as a villain (my favorite god) and it would have been easy to go with Ares. Aside from changes what I don´t like is that instead of the montage of Hercules fighting the monsters we should have had more of that and that Disney didn´t decide to properly name the movie Heracles.

-Pocahontas: Because I´m not an American I didn´t know the real story behind it. AS such, I apreciate the movie for what it is and it´s very good. Always takes an effort from me to watch it but once I do I enjoy it. The only fault I find is that they took out If I Never Knew...that, had it been in the movie, would have improved it and become the best Disney ballad.

-Tarzan: Never liked this story. However, the Disney version is the only one I like. The animation is gorgeous and the soundtrack/songs fit like a glove.

-The Rescuers Down Under: Very meh. It´s just an average animated movie from the 90s and doesn´t feel like a real Disney movie. The original was much better.

-

[Avaitor]

1- The Lion King
2- Aladdin
3- The Hunchback of Notre Dame
4- Beauty and the Beast
5- Mulan
6- Tarzan
7- Hercules
8- Pocahontas
9- The Rescuers Down Under

I do like Rescuers Down Under a little bit, but it doesn't really feel right among here, and could've easily been DTV.

[willard]

Let's see

1. Beauty and the Beast
2. Lion King
3. Aladdin
4. Hunchback or Notre Dame
5. Mulan
6. Tarzan
7. Rescuers Down Under
8. Hercules
9. Pocahontas

[Mooky]

1. Beauty and the Beast

2. Aladdin

These two go up and down depending on my mood, but they're still my top two favorite films, Disney or otherwise. Today, BatB takes the lead

3. Mulan - fantastic film. Mulan is one of my favorite characters, very relatable. Story, humor, music (score in particular) are all just amazing.

4. The Hunchback of Notre Dame - yes, certain parts with gargoyles bring the film down, but I don't mind them overall. I think they provide some relief from the film's darker aspects. But they're easy to ignore as the film as a whole is so much more than them. It is a major accomplishment within the Disney canon and its themes still resonate today, maybe even more than in the '90s.

5. The Lion King - I used to really dislike it due to what I saw as an unearned hype. But after several rewatches it began to grow on me and now it's one of my favorites. Gorgeous designs, music, color schemes. It's a visual and auditory feast.

6. Tarzan - I love it. It has a lot of humor, heart and action/adventure. Jane is amazing. I wish Academy Awards gave out awards for best voice performances, because Minnie Driver definitely deserved one (Robin Williams as the Genie too, of course).

7. Hercules - fun and entertaining, but all the pop culture references were too much. I guess Hercules was for mythology what Shrek ended up being for fairy tales. So yeah, the movie is a mixed bag. It goes from a heartfelt exploration of what makes a hero to a zany satire of celebrity life in a matter of minutes and then back again, with the plots of Superman: The Movie and Rocky mixed in. Maybe if the movie was more sincere in its approach (read: less of a comedy/satire) it would have turned out better. Regardless, I still think Megara is one of the most complex and unique characters, and the songs and score are pretty good.

8. Pocahontas - beautiful designs and music, but I find the two leads to be very dull and unlikable (John Smith especially -- I blame Mel Gibson for this, he seems bored with the role). The only time I ever bought this supposedly great romance was during the "Farewell" sequence where the music and animation do more than all of the writing that came before. The plot alternates between serious topics and silly humor which not even the villain was spared from, which is unfortunate because if the villain was stronger the movie would have benefited from that. I liked Nakoma, Thomas and Meeko the best.

9. The Rescuers Down Under - I actually used to prefer it to the original, but last year I watched them back-to-back and all of its shortcomings became much more apparent. It features smoother and nicer animation, yes, but neither the story nor the characters are as engaging as in the original. Joanna is super funny though.

[blackcauldron85]

(The only 2 I know without having to think are)
1. Aladdin- It flip-flops with TLM for 2nd and 3rd favorite DAC. It is such a great-looking film, very colorful, so much heart and humor, fantastic music, great great characters- all of them! Aladdin and Jasmine's love story is great- it's not traditional, with Aladdin lying to her, so it's not your cookie-cutter love story. Aladdin & Jasmine are my favorite couple. Jasmine's always been my most favorite Princess (I love Ariel, but I love Jasmine just a *smidge* more. But they're both 2 of my absolute favorite characters ever). Aladdin is my favorite Disney Prince. I love Abu and Rajah, Jafar is so wicked, and so fun! Iago and the Genie are both a hoot, but there's so much heart in this film. Just one of the most perfect films.

2. Pocahontas- I've loved this film even before I saw it- when the soundtrack came out, I constantly listened to it. Another phenomenal soundtrack. Another beautiful film. I like that we get to see different sides of Pocahontas. My 2nd favorite couple (well, um, tied with Tiana/Naveen I suppose!). John Smith is exciting and dreamy, and I like that he takes the time to learn about Pocahontas, learn about her culture. Meeko, Flit, and Percy are great animal sidekicks IMO. Ratcliffe isn't the greatest Disney villain, but he definitely isn't a bad one. I like Thomas and Nakoma. The film just is the perfect mixture of characters, story, music, visuals. So good.

(What am I getting myself into. So hard. I think the '90s must be why I can't rank all the DACs since I can't even rank these ones.)

3. Beauty and the Beast- This gets #3 because I've seen it most often. One of the best soundtracks of all time. A classic love story with a classic villain and some great supporting characters. It has a lot going on, with the enchanted objects, to Belle's town/the Mob, to Gaston/LeFou, to the love story itself. I think that Belle and Beast have a great buildup to their love..."barely even friends, then somebody bends unexpectedly" indeed. Great film.

4. The Hunchback of Notre Dame- First, let me say that I AM a gargoyles fan. One of the absolute best soundtracks ever- for me, definitely Alan Menken's best score (and that's saying something). Quasimodo is so loveable. I want the world for him. He's so kind, he has so much goodness in him. Esmeralda has such conviction- she's a great character. Djali is amazing and I wish we had more of him. Phoebus and Esmeralda are a great match. I like that there's a true friendship that forms between the 3 mains, and while bittersweet, Quasimodo got to see what's Out There, have his freedom, earn respect, and have his friends. A great triumphant story. And Frollo- what a creep, a really chilling villain. I've mentioned tonight in other threads about villains related (or kind of) to the protagonist- Frollo just takes advantage of Quasimodo, and he didn't know not to trust him. I'm glad that Quasi had the gargoyles as friends, for his mental health and maybe a boost of confidence. And the music- every song is really good. And the visuals on this- from Notre Dame itself, to the town, to the Court of Miracles- it's a beautiful film. I always feel a lot of emotions when I watch this.

5. The Lion King- An epic classic. Poor Simba, Sarabi, & Nala- they go through so much. Mufasa's death is hugely impactful- it impacted Simba obviously, but the lionesses as well. It's completely heartbreaking what Simba goes through- to watch your beloved dad die, being blamed, and being kicked out of not only your home, but also your hometown, if you will. Not being able to even say goodbye to your mom. And poor Sarabi- I know we don't spend much time with her, but to lose your husband and son in the same day- so tough. Sarabi and Nala are very strong. Rafiki is such a great character; I think he's a good balance to Timon & Pumbaa for Simba. Another film with a great use of color. Just all around a great film. And the music is spectacular, as well.

6. Mulan- Mulan is such a selfless, brave character. It has some really funny moments, with Mushu and the 3 soldiers, but so much heart, from Reflection- Mulan just wanting to be accepted for being herself, to obviously her taking her dad's place, to saving China!!! I'm proud of Mulan- she's such a hero! Another great-looking film. I really enjoy the songs in this film, too. It's an exciting, funny film.

7. Hercules- I love the humor in this film. But it also has its serious moments with heart. Hercules learning his heritage, and then knowing that he needs to prove himself. I appreciate Phil; he and Herc are good for each other. Pegasus is adorable. Fantastic music. Meg is a unique and wonderful character.

8. Tarzan- My favorite soundtrack- it's perfection. I don't dislike anything about this film; I was going to tie it with Hercules, but I guess Herc's humor won out. This film has some extremely exciting moments and of course lots of heart. And it looks great.

9.The Rescuers Down Under- I do like this film! It's less sad than the 1977 original, but you feel for Cody. Bianca and Bernard do what they do best, and the engagement subplot- how can you not root for Bernard?! I like charming characters, so Jake has always been a joy to watch, but I'm always rooting for Bernard, of course! Wilbur has always been my favorite character in the film. I think this is one of the best-looking films.

[JeanGreyForever]

@blackcauldron85

It's funny because a lot of people criticize Aladdin for lying to Jasmine about his identity but I think it makes him more relatable and human. I'm glad to see someone recognzie that and appreciate it as part of Aladdin and Jasmine's love story. And Ariel and Jasmine are my two favorites as well!

It's so refreshing to see someone else hold Pocahontas in high regard around here. I don't think John Smith is nearly as bad as he's made out to be in the fandom. And I agree that even if Ratcliffe is no Maleficent, Ursula, or Jafar, that's okay because the supporting cast like Thomas and Nakoma totally make up for it. Wiggins is also great comic relief besides the animals.

I'd like to see more Djali in the film as well as in merchandise. I'm still confused about why they changed Djali's gender because Djali was female in the book and even Djali's animator refers to Djali as "her" or "she." Yet in the film Djali is suddenly male. It would have been nice to have another female sidekick besides Mrs. Potts and Terk. Even though Hunchback isn't a magical movie, for some reason Quasi's home at the top of Notre Dame, amongst the bells and his model set of Paris with all his figurines, seemed like such a magical place that I always wanted to visit. Maybe it had to do with the colored glass he had hanging or the fact that his home seemed like a refuge from society.

Sarabi doesn't get mentioned a lot but she's a character I would have liked to have seen more of as well. There's so much emphasis on Mufasa but what about Sarabi, losing her husband and only child all at once and then being forced to deal with Scar and the hyenas and take care of the rest of the lionesses. She's an incredibly resilient character.

[blackcauldron85]

It's funny because a lot of people criticize Aladdin for lying to Jasmine about his identity but I think it makes him more relatable and human. I'm glad to see someone recognzie that and appreciate it as part of Aladdin and Jasmine's love story.

Yeah, I think it's just part of Aladdin's arc. On the streets, he had to lie to survive; his relationship with Jasmine shows him that sometimes you don't have to lie, that he can just "bee" himself. I think it speaks a lot to "true love" that Jasmine puts up with his shenanigans!

I didn't even mention that when I was a kid I would constantly rewind to "A Whole New World," sometimes just putting the video in and fast forwarding to that scene. I was obsessed.

It's so refreshing to see someone else hold Pocahontas in high regard around here. I don't think John Smith is nearly as bad as he's made out to be in the fandom.

It just has everything I could want- adventure, romance, music, cute animals, friendship, magic... I was 9 when it came out, and at the end of the school year we had learned about Pocahontas/Jamestown. So it was even cooler knowing we just learned about it. And John Smith is a dreamboat. He did need to be educated- his relationship with Pocahontas taught him so much about the Native Americans and nature. But then he really tried to help the two sides get along.

Wiggins is also great comic relief besides the animals.

Yes, I didn't even mention Wiggins (or Powhatan, Grandmother Willow [!!]- I posted past my bedtime). I quote "Hey Nonny Nonny" more than the average person.

[D82]

I've updated my ranking with the inclusion of Fantasia 2000, which is from 1999 but for some reason wasn't listed here. Well, The Hunchback of Notre Dame has now been spared from being last. That doesn't mean I don't like Fantasia 2000; it's just my least favorite from this decade.

1. Aladdin
2. Beauty and the Beast
3. Hercules
4. The Lion King
5. Tarzan
6. Mulan
7. The Rescuers Down Under
8. Pocahontas
9. The Hunchback of Notre Dame
10. Fantasia 2000

[DisneyFan97]

This is my ranking

1.Beauty and the Beast
2.Aladdin
3.Hercules
4.The Lion King
5.The Hunchback of Notre Dame
6.Tarzan
7.The Rescuers Down Under
8.Mulan
9.Pocahontas

[Disney Duster]

Nice ranking DisneyFan97!