DVDizzy Forum

Hello, I'm new here on this board.
I would like to know what you think is the best opening sequence of an animated Disney feature. My personal favourites are:

- Tarzan
- Beauty and the Beast
- Hunchback of Notre Dame

Which are yours?

While The Lion King would be my first obvious vote, I'd also like to suggest The Little Mermaid's and Hercules' opening scenes as some of Disney's finest. Both sequences set the tone for the rest of the movie and do it in style. Alan Menken's music, some incredible animation and lots of atmosphere oozing from the screen! Those are probably my favorites and those I consider the best.

EDIT: How could I forget Atlantis? Mind-blowing!

Wow, I refrained from posting in this thread, but it really pains me that so far only the 90's disneys have been mentioned: The Lion King, The Little mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Hunchback of notre dame, Hercules, Tarzan etc...has this entire board only ever seen the newer, post 89' films!? This is happening in every thread: favorite disney films, top 10 etc etc...all 90s disney and beyond. It's really starting to freak me out haha...am I the only one who's a tiny bit bothered by this?

Perhaps I'm a little cynical and old (I'm not really that old lol), but damn! Don't mind this post if it offends you, that's not my intention at all, it's just something I noticed. : $[/b]

The reason only newer movies are being mentioned is that the older movies had the storybook openings or title cards, and there's only so much you can do with that.

My votes would be The Lion King and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.

"The Hunchback of Notre Dame" is my favorite, no doubt. "Beauty and the Beast" , "Hercules" and "The Little Mermaid" are both close behind, though.

As for older movies, I think "Snow White" had a lovely and simplistic opening that I still appreciate today. I also like the overture and background shots used in "The Jungle Book" and the basic pastels for "The Rescuers".

There's also something appealing about "Oliver & Company" to me.

The opening to The Fox and the Hound was very haunting. Set the tone for the rest of the film very well.

I don't remember it that well, and I know, how memmorable could it be if I don't, but the I just don't remember it because I haven't watched it in a while, but the opening for "The Rescuers Down Under" is one of the best, fastly moving through a CGI-aided Australian terrain!

But actually, "Cinderella" is not just one of my favorites but I feel it is one of the best, at least out of the older films. It starts with some jarring, announcing trumpet sounds, and then "AH, AH, ah, ah, ah, ah, ah". It's the loud singing that gets softer alongside the beautiful Mary Blair-based title cards that does it for me. And then I just love the music for the curtains parting and the light shining on the book before it opens. Then, it's also great how the music goes from happy life to sad with the violins and some instruments sounding like water dripping on something as we see the broken down chateau and the dreary garden with wtaer dripping from the fountain, the willow (I think).

Mine are Cinderella and The Little Mermaid.

SpringHeelJack wrote:"I think "Snow White" had a lovely and simplistic opening that I still appreciate today. I also like the overture and background shots used in "The Jungle Book

Same here, there's something about the begining of those 2 that makes me appreciate them everytime I watch them.

Why hasn't anyone mentioned Bambi yet? That movie's got one of the best opening sequences ever, imo.
BatB is another favourite.

Major Fatal Moebius wrote:has this entire board only ever seen the newer, post 89' films!?

Nope, but as much as I love 'em, nothing on this earth could prevent me from saying that these movies have some very very weak opening scenes (sometimes even taking into consideration post-credit scenes)

There are a lot of great opening sequences among the Disney animated classics. I'm not just mentioning this one because it is my favorite Disney film, but The Lion King has probably the best opening sequences - it is amazing! Another great one would be Beauty and the Beast.

the lion king opening still gives me chills and makes me jump even though i am 14 years old. lol. it is though a gret opening, really grabs your attention.
~Ryn~

Pocahontas is and always will be my favorite opening! It's so amazing and beautiful, I love it.

the lion king was my first thought,but i also love the opening sequences of
bambi and lady and the tramp, and though they were almost the same the opening of story books are really beautyful.

chicken little made a funny homage to the opening sequences of the classics.

Hunchback without a doubt. "The Bells of Notre Dame" is just such an amazing song. The tragic story of Quasimodo's mother's death is a great back drop too.

I like the opening scene of 'Pinocchio' too. Just to mention one of the Walt era.

I think the long panning shot from Bambi is still one of the best openings. Love that multiplane camera.
I also like (the very many times mentioned here) The Lion King and The Hunchback Of Notre Dame.
One of the scariest was The Great Mouse Detective. I was terrified by that as a child.

We had a thread about this a while ago, check it out

http://www.ultimatedisney.com/forum/vie ... t=prologue

Anyway, answering your question, for me it's "The Little Mermaid" and "Beauty and the Beast" a close second.