The Sword in the Stone Discussion

[Disney's Divinity]

Because he's training the new King...? Everyone else seemed like idiots, so they needed an intelligent King and Merlin was the wisest person alive at the time. Besides, he used his magic to fight Mim at the end and to pack up at the beginning.

[SpringHeelJack]

My biggest beef with this movie is that Merlin (as we all know) was a great magician, so why was all his magic in this movie used for education?

On that same note, why is Merlin a bumbling idiot for roughy 80% of the movie?

[TheSequelOfDisney]

On that same note, why is Merlin a bumbling idiot for roughy 80% of the movie?

He isn't a "bumbling idiot," he is just providing some of the comic relief. The movie would actually be quite boring if he was a stiff all the time, wouldn't it? I couldn't imagine the movie without Merlin providing most of the comic relief.

[SpringHeelJack]

True, but you can provide comic relief and still be an intimidating character (i.e. Hades), which Merlin really wasn't until the end of the movie, and even then some.

[TheSequelOfDisney]

True, but you can provide comic relief and still be an intimidating character (i.e. Hades), which Merlin really wasn't until the end of the movie, and even then some.

Well, I don't think that Merlin was really supposed to be intimidating until the fight with Mim. I believed that he was only going to use his most magical magic until the fight with Mim, and keep him relatively peaceful, with his magic, before the fight.

[SpringHeelJack]

True, but you can provide comic relief and still be an intimidating character (i.e. Hades), which Merlin really wasn't until the end of the movie, and even then some.

Well, I don't think that Merlin was really supposed to be intimidating until the fight with Mim. I believed that he was only going to use his most magical magic until the fight with Mim, and keep him relatively peaceful, with his magic, before the fight.

True, but my biggest deal with the movie is that book Merlin is a pretty, you know, powerful magical guy while movie MErlin is to an extent but also kind of foolish. And I know the whole "book is different from movie" argument and I can buy that, but it still was kind of a let down for me.

[TheSequelOfDisney]

True, but my biggest deal with the movie is that book Merlin is a pretty, you know, powerful magical guy while movie MErlin is to an extent but also kind of foolish. And I know the whole "book is different from movie" argument and I can buy that, but it still was kind of a let down for me.

Well, I have never read the book, so I really don't know how you are exactly feeling, but I do believe that in some parts of the movie Merlin was sort of, "it's all about me." And yes, the "book is different from the movie" argument would work, and I'm sorry that it was a letdown for you.

[BrianG]

I just got this today. Happened to go by my movie store and found a copy buried in the back.........FOR $2.99!!

I haven't seen this movie in about 20 years, I think. I'll watch it sometime this week. I REALLY liked this movie growing up. I always remember Arthur pulling the sword out being very moving for me. At any rate, I'll watch it this week and post my thoughts.

[Escapay]

True, but my biggest deal with the movie is that book Merlin is a pretty, you know, powerful magical guy while movie MErlin is to an extent but also kind of foolish. And I know the whole "book is different from movie" argument and I can buy that, but it still was kind of a let down for me.

Well, I have never read the book, <snippety snip snip from sniptown, snipania> And yes, the "book is different from the movie" argument would work, and I'm sorry that it was a letdown for you.

The book, The Once and Future King, is actually pretty good, though it gets a bit lengthy at times. The first part (there are four) is what the movie is based on, and takes several liberties with T.H. White's original. Arthur and Kay are supposed to be the same age, but they aged Kay and made him more of an oaf in the movie. And IIRC, there are several more transformation lessons besides the three from the movie. Sir Ector is also more understanding and stern in the book, and isn't the goofball we see in the film. And Pellinore actually has a larger role than a few visits. The duel between Merlin and Mim is probably the most faithful part of the book, and of course, the actual sword-pulling part is too (except in the book, Kay forgot his sword, and sends Arthur to get it for him). It's been awhile since I read it (senior year of high school), but the movie version is pretty much a cliff-notes-and-humorous version of the book.

Escapay

[yamiiguy]

I love this film but don't know whether to buy the regular DVD from Woolworths for £8.97 or wait until a SE is released...

[blackcauldron85]

But by far the funniest (and maybe to others annoying) is Arthur's catchphrase: WHOA, WHAT...WHOAAAAAA!!!!!!! Also how hia voice manages to go through puberty and back (due to the use of three different voice actors).

Let's all pick our favorite Arthur voice:

1. The kid voice - he used mostly when he's a fish or a squirrel.
2. The other kid voice - there were 3 voice actors, two of which were twins, so their voices may have interchanged several times and one could hardly tell the difference.
3. The scratchy voice - he uses it a lot during the last 20 minutes or so, except for one part where he yells out an obviously reused "MERLIN!!!".

My personal favorite is the non-scratchy ones, because I always felt that the poor kid should have coughed a few times before they recorded his voice, lol.

And I'm a big fan of that "WHOA, WHAT WHOAAAAAA!" I think they used it at least four times in the movie.

Escapay

I didn't know that...but that makes sense, the different voice actors, I mean. That really clears some stuff up...

I thought one major drawback of this movie is that the songs are all pretty stinky. Really some of the worst songs that have been in a Disney film. Hard to believe that this came between 101 Dalmatians and Jungle Book, what with the good songs in those 2 movies.

I disagree. I love the music in TSitS. They're so catchy. I guess one could argue that the songs are more "kiddish" than the average Disney songs. But I find them highly enjoyable.

Squirrels are my favorite animals (tied with dogs & primates), and I love the squirrel scene. I like fish scene a lot, too...It's just nice to see some animated squirrels with lots of personality.

[Caballero Girl]

I remember liking this film when I was younger, but it's never really been one of my favourites. In fact it's probably my least favourite Disney film, that I've seen, to be made within Walt's lifetime (sorry ) It's been a while since I last saw it though, so maybe I do owe it a rewatch some time in the future.

I won't address the animation issues, but I formed the impression that this was one of Disney's weaker plotting attempts. The Sword in the Stone strikes me as being the first in a small successive string of Disney films which didn't really have strong narrative arcs; they felt more like miniture "episodes" strung together along a vague theme (and not in the way that the package features were) and, in the better examples, perhaps achieved a certain cumulative effect, something which I felt was missing here. As a kid, I always found Arthur and Merlin's various transformation adventures amusing enough, but upon my last viewing they felt more like random filler than anything particularly useful in pushing the story and characters forward. When the ending came, it felt strangely empty. This episodic structuring worked much better for the Jungle Book (and dare I say it, the Aristocats).

Still, the duel between Merlin and Mim is the definite highlight for me.

(Oh yes, Mim is an amusing and quirky villian, but I'm really not crazy about that wolf who spent the first half of the movie stalking Arthur. There's something way too run-of-the-mill about him).

[MagicMirror]

Sword in the Stone was always one of my favourites. I think it was the film that got me interested in wizards and magic in the first place. I remember thinking to myself, 'when I grow up I want to be a wizard'. If that isn't the mark of a good film, I don't know what is.

I love this film but don't know whether to buy the regular DVD from Woolworths for £8.97 or wait until a SE is released...

A SE is unlikely, because this film isn't as popular as some of the others. However, I think there would be enough material for a SE, and the film certainly warrants one; Frank and Ollie often refer to it as the film with their best animation.

[Wonderlicious]

I know this may sound ood, but for some time, I actually believed that Arthur was supposed to be going through puberty during this movie, hence the changing voices. Extremely random, but a theory.

[my chicken is infected]

I got the DVD today. For a single-disc Gold Collection release, it's actually a pretty packed disc. The transfer is nice too. I haven't watched everything yet, but I've given everything a nice preview.

[QueenRahel]

i love this movie...although simplistic, its very memorable, with lovely characters....i wouldnt call it a masterpiece like cinderella or lion king or tlm, it ranks near up there for me as it is a very cute story and worth watchhing many times....

[UncleEd]

I got the LP recently and I was stunned that each song has extra verses not used in the film. My favorite is the opening song because the cut verses delve into the history of the sword and England and what happened. When I get a way to make a CD from an LP I'll transfer them and maybe post the cut parts.

[PixarFan2006]

I have this movie on VHS. It's okay, but it is not the best Disney movie in my books. The truth is I have never been able to watch the whole thing.

[SwordInTheStone777]

The Sword In The Stone is one of Walt Disney's Crowning Gems of Animated Classics.

The Best Scene from The Sword In Stone is Higitus Figitus, Merlin's magic of packing up house is timeless, too bad we don't have Merlin's magic it would come in handy when it came to moving or cleaning up a room.

I'd really like to see Disney re-release this animated classic on DVD in a 2-Disc Set with tons of all new special features and a new digital transfer and it widescreen either (1.75.1 or 1.66.1).

[Lars Vermundsberget]

Among Disney's animated "classics" The Sword in the Stone is in my opinion pretty close to the "bottom of the pile". That still doesn't mean it's bad, though - since most "classic" disney animation ranks high in "my book".