I loved The Black Cauldron, brilliant story and I wish they'd show it more often. Along with The Sword in the Stone and Robin Hood, it's one of my favourite from that odd period when Disney couldn't decide where it was going with the animation department.
I was watching the documentary extra on The Little Mermaid a few weeks ago where they explained how they created the film and the situation the studio was in at the time. The people they brought in to take over the animation unit at that time found The Black Cauldron too disturbing and so deliberately steered away from that style of story/film. Oliver and Company was actually seen as a success at the time and they were told The Little Mermaid wouldn't work as it was primarily aimed at girls and that wouldn't bring them success as Oliver was a boys' film.
There are a few films from late 70s/80s which re-use animation. Robin Hood takes bits from The Jungle Book and Cinderella, and The Aristocats has some similar animation too. It's cause the animation unit was losing money.
ETA: Although saying that, even after the 'Renaissance', Beauty and the Beast's closing sequence is a direct borrow from Sleeping Beauty.
Oliver and Company was actually seen as a success at the time and they were told The Little Mermaid wouldn't work as it was primarily aimed at girls and that wouldn't bring them success as Oliver was a boys' film.
And that thinking is still floating around Burbank to this day.
We have the stupid renaming of Rapunzel to Tangled, The Bear and the Bow becoming Brave, and now The Snow Queen is pencilled in as "Frozen"
These all on the back of the apparent aversion to The Princess and the Frog by boys. Which, may I say, more fool them.
And that thinking is still floating around Burbank to this day.
We have the stupid renaming of Rapunzel to Tangled, The Bear and the Bow becoming Brave, and now The Snow Queen is pencilled in as "Frozen"
These all on the back of the apparent aversion to The Princess and the Frog by boys. Which, may I say, more fool them.
I'd have thought one of the biggest money-makers for Disney in recent years has been the (frankly obscene) Disney Princess ranges. Literally, they can bring out any old rubbish with Disney Princesses on it and I know loads of little girls who will buy it. So there is a market there.
The Journey of Natty Gann (one of my personal top 5 films) The Incredible Journey - Everyone knows Homeward Bound but this was the first version and better imo. The Watcher in the Woods - Quite dark for a kids film Return to Oz - I like the darker stylings of Oz in this. Benji movies - I prefer Benji to Lassie. He was more a loveable mutt then a pure bred The Rocketeer - Great war period movie
Ch4 showed James and the Giant Peach on christmas morning.
Excellent, I didn't see that advertised so had no idea. However, that's got to be the first time in a good few years that it's been shown on terrestrial TV.
My little boy loves The Princess and the Frog and he loves Tangled! He's only three though.
Well he's got excellent taste. It's great to think that he'll grow up loving those two great modern Disney films, just as I grew up with Mary Poppins and Robin Hood.
I'd have thought one of the biggest money-makers for Disney in recent years has been the (frankly obscene) Disney Princess ranges. Literally, they can bring out any old rubbish with Disney Princesses on it and I know loads of little girls who will buy it. So there is a market there.
It is, certainly one of their biggest merch lines along with Cars and Pooh bear. But for some stupid reason the bean counters panic that if it has "princess" in the title, or even the hint of a girl lead that little boys won't want to see it.
Daft logic though, as a good film is a good film, regardless of what gender the main character is.
It's worth noting that they've title concerns over other films too. Meet The Robinsons was A Day with Wilbur Robinson and Home on the Range (sorry to spoil the thread by mentioning it) was Sweating' Bullits.
And then there was the nightmare of Ratatouille, which resulted in the phonetic spelling on posters.
I love Candleshoe so much! It's so underrated, and is hardly ever on the television. It's also not even available on Region 2 DVD, which is such a shame! David Niven is, as ever, fabulously suave in it.
I just found out to my surprise that 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' is actually a Disney film.
So although the film is one of the most widely known animated films you could think of, it most definitely qualifies as a film forgotten about as a Disney film.
I just found out to my surprise that 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' is actually a Disney film.
So although the film is one of the most widely known animated films you could think of, it most definitely qualifies as a film forgotten about as a Disney film.
I'm not so sure. While it was originally released by Touchstone, it now comes under the Walt Disney Pictures banner, although they do use "Tim Burton's NBC" so I guess that's why it may not be automatically associated with Disney for some.
However, Disney Stores are always selling NBC items from September/October, and there's the annual Haunted Mansion Holiday overlays at Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland.
There are also Jack and Sally walkabout characters in Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland. So for the most part the Mouse hasn't forgot about it.
Not a movie but I thought this a relevant place to mention that PC madness still reigns at Disney.
No mention at all on the box but the classic toon Santas Workshop has been edited on the UK Disney Christmas dvd collection to remove the sight of a golliwog.
Fortunately the complete version is on Silly Symphonies Volume 2 although that was a US only release and once again Leonard Maltin gives us 5 minutes of preaching why it was wrong to put it in the cartoons
I forgot all about Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Other 90s Disney animated features...
Mulan - I don't think that's been mentioned yet in this thread has it?
Tarzan.
Hercules.
I love Mulan, one of my favourite Disney films. A classic Disney mix of comedy and drama with a surprisingly dark edge especially when the destroyed village is found. Mushu is hilarious and one of Eddie Murphy's strongest films IMO.
Someone previously mentioned Bedknobs and Broomsticks earlier in this thread and I have to say this is an all time classic. The special effects at the end in the battle scenes with the enchanted armor is second to none. To think how long ago this film was made and I don't think modern day CGI could achieve anything as convincing as this.
Well, I had a good time reading our posts as they remembered some parts of my childhood . From the ones you have metioned I have to agree with:
-Bedknobs and Broomsticks: wow, I really enjoyed watching this film so much as a child. I even watched Mary Poppins, but I have to say that I enjoyed more this movie. It has great comedy parts to me and as someones said the last scenes with the armor fight is great.
-The Black Cauldron: I remember watching this when I was like 6 or 7 years old and I really enjoyed it. The villain was great imo. The story was also great and original (well, at least that's what I thought when I was 6) I think this is definitely underrated.
-The Hunchback of Notre Dame: maybe too dark for children, but I really enjoyed it. Quasimodo and Phoebus were my favorite characters.
-Robin Hood: great movie imo. Some very hilarious moments combined with good action and a good climax.
-Tarzan: I don't think this is quite forgotten as a Disney movie, but it is definitely a great movie. The music is great.
-Mulan: I enjoyed this movie a lot. It has a very good story with a good balance between action and comedy. As someone already mentioned, Mushu is hilarious.
Edit: Oh, I forgot to add Atlantis to this list. Did anybody else enjoy it?
LOVED bedknobs and broomsticks!
But my fave disney film which i forgot about for a good few years is A goofy movie! Such a great soundtrack & my three year old niece is now obsessed with it too
Comments
I was watching the documentary extra on The Little Mermaid a few weeks ago where they explained how they created the film and the situation the studio was in at the time. The people they brought in to take over the animation unit at that time found The Black Cauldron too disturbing and so deliberately steered away from that style of story/film. Oliver and Company was actually seen as a success at the time and they were told The Little Mermaid wouldn't work as it was primarily aimed at girls and that wouldn't bring them success as Oliver was a boys' film.
There are a few films from late 70s/80s which re-use animation. Robin Hood takes bits from The Jungle Book and Cinderella, and The Aristocats has some similar animation too. It's cause the animation unit was losing money.
ETA: Although saying that, even after the 'Renaissance', Beauty and the Beast's closing sequence is a direct borrow from Sleeping Beauty.
We have the stupid renaming of Rapunzel to Tangled, The Bear and the Bow becoming Brave, and now The Snow Queen is pencilled in as "Frozen"
These all on the back of the apparent aversion to The Princess and the Frog by boys. Which, may I say, more fool them.
I'd have thought one of the biggest money-makers for Disney in recent years has been the (frankly obscene) Disney Princess ranges. Literally, they can bring out any old rubbish with Disney Princesses on it and I know loads of little girls who will buy it. So there is a market there.
The Incredible Journey - Everyone knows Homeward Bound but this was the first version and better imo.
The Watcher in the Woods - Quite dark for a kids film
Return to Oz - I like the darker stylings of Oz in this.
Benji movies - I prefer Benji to Lassie. He was more a loveable mutt then a pure bred
The Rocketeer - Great war period movie
OMG I've been trying to find the title of that movie for years!
Excellent, I didn't see that advertised so had no idea. However, that's got to be the first time in a good few years that it's been shown on terrestrial TV.
My little boy loves The Princess and the Frog and he loves Tangled! He's only three though.
Well he's got excellent taste.
It is, certainly one of their biggest merch lines along with Cars and Pooh bear. But for some stupid reason the bean counters panic that if it has "princess" in the title, or even the hint of a girl lead that little boys won't want to see it.
Daft logic though, as a good film is a good film, regardless of what gender the main character is.
It's worth noting that they've title concerns over other films too. Meet The Robinsons was A Day with Wilbur Robinson and Home on the Range (sorry to spoil the thread by mentioning it) was Sweating' Bullits.
And then there was the nightmare of Ratatouille, which resulted in the phonetic spelling on posters.
Pocahontas is also an overlooked one. Stunning visuals in that.
I forgot all about Pocahontas and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
Other 90s Disney animated features...
Mulan - I don't think that's been mentioned yet in this thread has it?
Tarzan.
Hercules.
I was pleasantly surprised by this as I didn't have high expectations of it. Very good film.
So although the film is one of the most widely known animated films you could think of, it most definitely qualifies as a film forgotten about as a Disney film.
I'm not so sure. While it was originally released by Touchstone, it now comes under the Walt Disney Pictures banner, although they do use "Tim Burton's NBC" so I guess that's why it may not be automatically associated with Disney for some.
However, Disney Stores are always selling NBC items from September/October, and there's the annual Haunted Mansion Holiday overlays at Disneyland and Tokyo Disneyland.
There are also Jack and Sally walkabout characters in Disneyland Paris and Hong Kong Disneyland. So for the most part the Mouse hasn't forgot about it.
No mention at all on the box but the classic toon Santas Workshop has been edited on the UK Disney Christmas dvd collection to remove the sight of a golliwog.
Fortunately the complete version is on Silly Symphonies Volume 2 although that was a US only release and once again Leonard Maltin gives us 5 minutes of preaching why it was wrong to put it in the cartoons
I love Mulan, one of my favourite Disney films. A classic Disney mix of comedy and drama with a surprisingly dark edge especially when the destroyed village is found. Mushu is hilarious and one of Eddie Murphy's strongest films IMO.
Someone previously mentioned Bedknobs and Broomsticks earlier in this thread and I have to say this is an all time classic. The special effects at the end in the battle scenes with the enchanted armor is second to none. To think how long ago this film was made and I don't think modern day CGI could achieve anything as convincing as this.
Was just about to mention Mulan. It's a stunning film in some places.
I was the same. Amy Adams was wonderful in it. She played it to perfection.
The only downer for me was Patrick Dempsey. I didn't like his performance that much.
-Bedknobs and Broomsticks: wow, I really enjoyed watching this film so much as a child. I even watched Mary Poppins, but I have to say that I enjoyed more this movie. It has great comedy parts to me and as someones said the last scenes with the armor fight is great.
-The Black Cauldron: I remember watching this when I was like 6 or 7 years old and I really enjoyed it. The villain was great imo. The story was also great and original (well, at least that's what I thought when I was 6) I think this is definitely underrated.
-The Hunchback of Notre Dame: maybe too dark for children, but I really enjoyed it. Quasimodo and Phoebus were my favorite characters.
-Robin Hood: great movie imo. Some very hilarious moments combined with good action and a good climax.
-Tarzan: I don't think this is quite forgotten as a Disney movie, but it is definitely a great movie. The music is great.
-Mulan: I enjoyed this movie a lot. It has a very good story with a good balance between action and comedy. As someone already mentioned, Mushu is hilarious.
Edit: Oh, I forgot to add Atlantis to this list. Did anybody else enjoy it?
Yes, I loved Atlantis. Nice distinctive look to the characters and some great action sequences. Especially the battle with the Leviathan.
Plus Michael J. Fox and James Garner are fantastic choices for those characters.
But my fave disney film which i forgot about for a good few years is A goofy movie! Such a great soundtrack & my three year old niece is now obsessed with it too