Thursday, February 12, 2015

Some Essential Must See Disney Movies For All

By Beryl Dalton


The Walt Disney Animation Studios, based in Burbank California is responsible for fifty-four Disney feature films. The first is a must see Disney classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, hitting the silver screens in 1937. The most recent, Big Hero 6, released in 2014.

Disney movies cover numerous genres, including catchy musicals (Jungle Book (1967), Frozen (2013)), traditional folk stories (Cinderella (1950), Sleeping Beauty (1959)), historical biographies (Pocahontas (1995), The Hunch back of Notre Dame (1996)), and cute, feel-good animal tales (The Lady and the Tramp (1955), The Aristocats (1970)). Each genre is treated in a distinctly Disney manner making each a for kids and adults.

Disney also produces the 'live actor with animated character' genre well with such classics as Mary Poppins (1964), with Julie Andrews as the title character. Ironically, the author of the Poppins books, upon which the film was based had insisted that all the actors should be English. One wonders how Dick Van Dyke was able to slip his atrocious English accent past her.

Another classic live action/animation movie was Bedknobs & Broomsticks made in 1971, with Angela Lansbury as a student witch, where they could travel to Naboombu on their bed with a witch and a con man. So many kids in the mid-70s turned their bed knob and hoped it would work.

Disney movies are for everyone, although the biggest hits are those enjoyed by adults too. Kids like to watch these movies on a daily basis and it helps if they are fun for parents too. A list of A-list celebrities appear as voices in the movies including the vibrant performance of the late Robin Williams, Aladdin (1992), or Whoopi Goldberg for The Lion King (1994).

Everyone loves Disney and can choose a favourite (whether they care to admit it or not), and it is not necessarily from their own childhood. Often just one that for whatever reason spoke to them amused them or made them feel good. A definite must see is Jungle Book (1967), with wonderfully catchy songs which have aged well. No one can resist dancing(or at least tapping their toes) to I wanna Be Like You. The most recent musical, although not the best, is Frozen (2013), and Let it Go has been played constantly in the music charts and TV since its release. Everyone should see Frozen just so see what the hype is about and join the discussion.

Adventures are approached by Disney regularly and one of the most endearing and colourful example is Peter Pan with the ticking clock and the crocodile, and lots of flying and bounding through trees. No one can discuss Disney without mentioning the romances, which are many, although the one that sticks out as special is The Little Mermaid (1989) which tells the story of a man who falls in love with a mermaid and all the singing, and adventure that ensues. Beautiful, colourful scenes Under the Sea and some lovable characters.

Disney addressed a different, more teenage audience with The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) which appealed to kids, teens, adults or goths. This is the story of Jack Skeleton the Pumpkin King who is fed up with scaring people and wants to take over Christmas. A dark, deliciously macabre movie with great (if dreary) songs. It is distinctly un-Disney which is its appeal and it is not surprising it is more of a cult movie than a hit.

Not everyone will agree with the choice of movies presented here, and in a year's time perhaps the list of must-see Disney movies would be different as, as the audience matures their choice of movies changes although it is inevitable that of the fifty-four movies there will always be a favourite that stands out.




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