Disney Debates: Old or new Disney movies?

[Wonderlicious]

I originally started a Disney Debate about Disney adaptations, and have decided it was time for another of Wonderlicious' fun discussions which are poised to turn into a heat thread.

I know a lot of people who visit here were brought up in both the era of the Fab-Four and the other 90s/00s films, and I see that a lot of people have modern Disney films clogging up their favourite movie lists. However, does anybody here have a greater fancy towards the older films?

As you may have guessed by the last paragraph, I do prefer older Disney movies. Yes, I adore the Fab-Four (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King), Mulan and a good number of other modern films, but in my opinion, I think that the older animated films (1930s-70s or possibly 80s)generally make a better crowd. I've thought this since I was a child and will continue to do so; as a child, I think I watched the Walt-era films on video more often as a kid as opposed to the (then) newer films.

So which era do you prefer? Old or new?

[Disney-Fan]

For me it's the new.
It seems like the newer features are much more mature, and appeal to a wider audience. While I love some old Disney features a lot (Snow White, Fantasia, Sleeping Beauty and many more) I really enjoy Disney's newer stories. Old school seems really slow paced, and although I have the patience to watch these films, I can never enjoy one with one of my friends. People expect to be simulated all the way through and they expect a movie to stay focused on the plot, something the old era movies don't always provide.

Bottom line, for my own enjoyment I really like both eras. But to truely enjoy a feature with friends and family, no doubt it's the 90s era for me!

[lolopimp]

For me it's the new.
It seems like the newer features are much more mature, and appeal to a wider audience. While I love some old Disney features a lot (Snow White, Fantasia, Sleeping Beauty and many more) I really enjoy Disney's newer stories. Old school seems really slow paced, and although I have the patience to watch these films, I can never enjoy one with one of my friends. People expect to be simulated all the way through and they expect a movie to stay focused on the plot, something the old era movies don't always provide.

Bottom line, for my own enjoyment I really like both eras. But to truely enjoy a feature with friends and family, no doubt it's the 90s era for me!

Couldn't say it better myself! The newer era has more mature themes and better songs which appeal a lot to the public. Yes, I appreciate movies like Snow White and Bambi, but they're not the same experience as the fab-four, and many others. Old School Disney movies were really aimed at young kids and adults might enjoy them but not me as much.

[Luke]

For many people here, 'old' is applied to something like <i>The Little Mermaid</i>. That said, I find a lot to like about both, even though it seems like in the past ten years there's been more misses than hits. The artistry of the early Disney films has kept them fresh and wonderful, but at the same time, there are some great movies coming out with the "Disney" name on them. (Only nowadays, they're usually followed by the name "Pixar.")

[PatrickvD]

Of the 'older' movies I enjoy the first 5 (Snow White, Pinoke, Fantasia, Dumbo and Bambi) most because they feel more ambitious and overall less kiddie aimed than what came after those. That said, I do like Sleeping Beauty, wich in terms of ambition feels a lot like those first 5. Of the newer movies, I agree with Luke, they are more misses than hits. However, the ones that do hit are REAL good.

[Poppins#1]

Wonderlicious, you bring up an excellent point. Most of the youngsters who post on this site, do have a decided preference toward the modern Disney films. Why is that? Are the newer films better than the older ones? By all means no! What has changed is the American culture. In their day the older classics blew away audiences who were mesmerized by the beauty and storytelling technique. But times have changed. Pacing and style of all movies have changed, mostly influenced by the fast-cutting styles of the "MTV generation". Look at an action picture of the 1960's "The Great Escape" and compare it to a modern action picture such as "Die Hard" and you will see what I mean. I've known kids today who think"The Great Escape" is boring.

If you were to get into a time machine with a film of Aladdin or The Lion King and show it to a 1940's audience, they would be baffled by it, their response would probably be "What the hell was that?" simply because they are not used to the culture of it.

On the other hand, one or two generations from now, the very people who are posting on this website, raving about "the fab four" will show these movies to their grandchildren who will moan, "Do we hafta watch "The Little Mermaid"? It's soooooo boring!"

[JRawkSteady]

With the exception of TLM, B&TB, Aladdin, TLK, and Mulan, every other animated feature has been sub-par (except Lilo & Stitch...they were LUCKY on that one).

If Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Pinocchio, Robin Hood, Dumbo, Jungle Book, etc. were first made in the 20th century and the recordings were a bit more modern, I would love them more.=. I just can't stand the sound of some of the voices (for example: Adriana Caselotti in Snow White...it just kills me to hear her sing).

But if I had to choose, I would choose the older films. There are just many more classics I would rather watch that came out before I was born.

[Joshrzmeup]

I much prefer the older ones. There's something about characters singing their songs that help them develop into the hero/heroine that we know them as.
To me, just regular background songs that have almost nothing to do with the characters just doesn't cut it for me. Don't get me wrong, I liked, for instance in Lilo & Stitch the background song of "Devil In Disguise" because it fit who Stitch was.

[Isidour]

Hard choice,becuase you see:

The classic movies are like the ones who begun the magic and they are just that, simply magic.

The new ones explore new options and new worlds. Are for not only the new childrns ut also forthe ones who knew the classic, so they change a little the magic cause it have to be atractive to more people

Classic movies have great and artistic draws and new ones have great and catchy stories so I prefeer both.

[Siren]

I am split down the middle. I love movies like Bambi and Lady and the Tramp, but I don't like Snow White and Pinocchio.
On the other hand, I love Lion King and Hunchback, but Home on the Range and Atlantis were huge disappointments.

[Zoltack]

I would say they're about even, I mean I like the classics as much as I like the new movies.
I agree with every one who has said that culture has changed and that kids are more interested with these new movies instead of the classics. I should know because I used to be the same way. Now a days kids are really into the violence and dirty language that they see on tv and movies. Some people say that Bambi was violent but if you asked a new generation child they'll tell you different.
In all I just think they need to bring the old school style back in the new films and leave this CGI s*it out of it. You know what I'm saying?

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

As much as I love Walt! I'm going to have to say newer films! The older movies are a bit to slow for the action crowd, not that they're bad films, but the newer ones are more entertaining!

[Dan05]

I like both because I really enjoyed Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Emperors New Groove, the Pixar films, etc. But I also enjoyed The Little Mermaid, Oliver and Company, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmations, etc.

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

I like both because I really enjoyed Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Emperors New Groove, the Pixar films, etc. But I also enjoyed The Little Mermaid, Oliver and Company, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmations, etc.

I think Little Mermaid and Oliver and Company goes with the newer Disney films. The older films they are reffering to are Walt's films!

[chaychay102royal]

Hmm...I'm going to say "tie." You see, the older movies are what I like to think of as "real Disney." Except for the fab four (and I'm really close to saying "the fab three" because I don't like Aladdin as much as the other three), Disney has been relying on Pixar to make all of their really good movies. Also now EVERYTHING is done on computers. What happened to the talent that we saw in the older films? Everything in the older movies was hand-drawn. Somebody really took the time to draw everything and make it look believable.

[Dan05]

I think Little Mermaid and Oliver and Company goes with the newer Disney films. The older films they are reffering to are Walt's films!

Oh okay. They seem pretty old to me

But in this case i'd say I enjoy the newer movies even though there were some good ones during the time of Walt

[chaychay102royal]

Most people would say that older Disney films are the ones that were released in 1937-late 1960s. The newer Disney films are from the 1970s-2000s. Though considering that the movies made in the 1970s are now thirty years old, we have to consider the use of the word "new."

[Wonderlicious]

I like both because I really enjoyed Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, Emperors New Groove, the Pixar films, etc. But I also enjoyed The Little Mermaid, Oliver and Company, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, 101 Dalmations, etc.

I think Little Mermaid and Oliver and Company goes with the newer Disney films. The older films they are reffering to are Walt's films!

Most people would say that older Disney films are the ones that were released in 1937-late 1960s. The newer Disney films are from the 1970s-2000s. Though considering that the movies made in the 1970s are now thirty years old, we have to consider the use of the word "new."

Well, I'd dump Robin Hood and the other '70s movies with the "old" films as they were made by the makers of the Walt-era films and they had the same layout of Walt's classics with no end credits, but elaborate opening titles.

I think we can also include The Black Cauldron, The Great Mouse Detective and Oliver and Company with the old mix; by old, I was basicly saying everything made before the 1990s animation renaissance which officially started with The Little Mermaid in the eyes of many critics and film historians (and yes, I know TLM was released in 1989, but still, we can round figures up ).

[chaychay102royal]

I think Little Mermaid and Oliver and Company goes with the newer Disney films. The older films they are reffering to are Walt's films!

I think we can include Oliver and Company with the old mix; by old, I was basicly saying everything made before the animation renaissance which officially started with The Little Mermaid to many critics and film historians.

The renaissance was short, then, unless the Pixar moves can be counted as true animation.

[Wonderlicious]

The renaissance was short, then, unless the Pixar moves can be counted as true animation.

How was it short?