To celebrate the release of the legendary BEAUTY AND THE BEAST in 3D, THN is taking a look back at the very best Disney films of all time. To appease the purists, we have omitted any joint productions with Pixar (we need to give the others a fighting chance, after all). There is a multitude of cinematic greats in The House of Mouse, and we have found the diamonds in the rough. Numbers 10 – 6 can be found here, below you will find the top five.
So why don’t you just ruminate, whilst we illuminate the possibilities.
5. BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (1991)
Here it is. The movie whose return to the cinema we are celebrating at THN. It will no doubt dazzle in 3D but even with a mere two dimensions, it is a magically romantic spectacle. We all know the story, let’s get down to what makes it so glorious.
First off, Belle. Boom. Not only is she the most buff ting of all Disney characters, but she’s the most inspirational. She is as clever and inquisitive as she is beautiful and her bookishness is seen as a very positive thing. This is rather rare in Hollywood, let alone in The House of Mouse. Recently these attributes have been associated mainly with Hermione off of that Harry Potter like, but long before her was Belle, who proved that being a bookworm and a badass heroine were not mutually exclusive and was a figure that smart young girls could look up to. So she’s awesome.
Secondly, the villain. Gaston is the antithesis of Belle, proving that being a combination of conventionally attractive and irretrievably thick is not something to aspire to (that’s why Paris Hilton would make a terrific Disney villain, except she can’t sing). So, why is he so good? Well, no-one hits like Gaston, matches wits like Gaston, in a spitting match nobody spits like Gaston. Oh and nobody has a swell cleft in their chin like Gaston. Also, great arse.
Thirdly, the musical set pieces. Gaston’s rowdy crowd pleaser is so much fun, Lumiere’s ‘Be Our Guest’ is one of the all time most popular numbers, with its Busby Berkeley choreography, enjoyable wordplay and ambitious editing (also, it’s impossible not to sing along, and was even spoofed in THE SIMPSONS). But the eponymous ballad sung during the iconic ballroom dance scene is the most spectacular sequence Disney have ever produced. As well as being the most romantic scene, it was pioneering with its use of technology. The computer generated imagery combined with the cell animated characters and the apparent camera movement to create something that had never been seen before. So successful was this sequence that studio executives were convinced to invest in CG animation. That seems to have worked out well for them. The songs were composed by Alan Menkin and lyricist Howard Ashman, who collaborated on ALADDIN and THE LITTLE MERMAID (Menkin worked with many other lyricists on other Disney classics). This was the final project Ashman worked on before sadly passing away shortly before it’s release. The evergreen popularity of the music in BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is testament to his brilliance.
Overall, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST is the best looking Disney film, with the most romantic central relationship and some of the best songs. The only thing that keeps it from reaching a higher rank would be the ending. The over-arching message of ‘It’s what’s inside that counts’ is over ridden when The Beast reverts to some pouting ponce. Nobody likes him in handsome form, we all prefer him as a snarling and misunderstood monster (frankly, he’s much sexier too). So when he turns around and shoots his Blue Steel at the audience, we all collectively think… ‘Nah. Preferred you before, mate.’ Even Belle looks unsure and that is the only problem, but as a core message to the film, it’s a big flaw. Other than that, it’s a wonderful cinematic experience. And if it’s not baroque, don’t fix it!
4. ALADDIN (1992)
Oh man, there’s a gap thinner than Pluto’s whiskers between the Top Four, but due to a teeeeeeeny tiiiiiiiiny bit of racism, the brilliant ALADDIN finds itself in fourth place. This is the story of Al, a diamond in the rough. A ‘street rat’ dreaming of a better life for him and his one eyed, hook handed hate preaching monkey Abu (that last bit may not be true). After being arrested for hanging out with runaway Princess Jasmine, he is released by the nefarious Jafar in order to procure a magic lamp. Little does Al know that the seemingly useless object contains a magical genie who can grant three wishes.
Every aspect of ALADDIN is delightful. The songs and animation are top-notch, but the key factor would be the fantastic cast. The characters are all extremely likeable and performed with panache, but there are three standout performances. Jonathan Freeman and Gilbert Gottfried as the villainous Jafar and his parrot Iago respectively make the best antagonistic double act since Prince John and Sir Hiss. Their comic delivery and timing are superb and they clearly relish the chance to play such goofy malevolence. But this is clearly Robin Williams’ movie. As the voice of The Genie, he is given carte blanche with his dialogue, improvising some truly inspired interactions with his buddy Al, plenty of post modern impersonations and chewing the scenery to the point where the entire movie bears his teethmarks.
Okay, here be the problems. Essentially, Americanisation and mild racism abound. Aladdin is pretty darn American (in fact he gets whiter throughout the sequels) with HUGE eyes and Jafar is the darkest skinned of all and is more of an Eastern Asian charactature, which is troubling in terms of skin tone/evil ratio. Also, the original lyrics in the opening song, ‘Arabian Nights,’ were changed to ‘Where it’s flat and immense and the heat is intense’ from the original ‘Where they cut off your ear if they don’t like your face.’ But if you forget all that, it’s brilliant. It is straight up brilliant. But as far as this chart goes, it’s time to say goodbye to Prince Abooboo.
3. THE LION KING – 1994
From the opening shot of the sun rising over savannah, to the goosebump-inducing finale, THE LION KING is a borderline masterpiece. Based loosely on Hamlet, it is the story of young prince Simba. The son of King Mufasa, he looks forward to inheriting the throne. But his evil uncle Scar ain’t havin’ that, so frames Simba for the murder of Mufasa, causing the cub to flee. Soon he meets Timon and Pumba, a friendly warthog and meerkat who introduce Simba to an easier way of life. But will the prince be able to run away from his destiny?
Widely considered the best Disney film of all time (Not in this list. Deal with it), THE LION KING is heart breaking, hilarious and romantic in equal measure. It is one of the few films in the Disney oeuvre to have an all-star cast, and although lesser known voice actors are always better than big name stars phoning it in, this is kinda neat. Hearing James Earl Jones, Rowan Atkinson, Jeremy Irons, and Nathan Lane et al having their personalities (and in Atkinson’s case, his face) reflected in the characters is a hoot. This superb voice work is all well and good, but what of story? Well, THE LION KING owes a lot of its narrative and themes to Shakespeare, and like the work of The Bard, it has tragedy at its roots. The wildebeest sequence (taken from Hamlet) is utterly spectacular, heart pounding and exciting. But more than anything, it is desperately sad. The machinations of Scar leads to young Simba almost being trampled to death (bloody Hell, right?) until he is rescued by his father, but as Mufasa tries to escape the hoard, he is betrayed by his own brother. ‘Long… Live… The King!’ Scar snarls as he throws Mufasa to his death. Yeah, he straight up murders his ass! In cold blood. And as Simba tries to wake his lifeless father, that sod of an uncle blames (BLAMES!!) Simba for his father’s death! As the audience weeps, poor Simba is told to flee and never return. Good lord, that’s heavy for Disney, isn’t it? I mean, what other character goes through such a horrifying turn of events? As dark as that is, it the mood quickly lightens as Timon and Pumba debut, becoming one of the most enduring double acts in the World of Walt. Their charm is a big part of what makes THE LION KING so popular and they more than cover for Matthew Broderick’s bland vocal stylings.
Let us not forget the music. For not only are the songs all classics, but they got Hans freakin’ Zimmer to compose the score, which has a sweeping majesty worthy of the royalty this movie became. The denouement sees a triumphant adult Simba climbing Pride Rock in the pouring rain, packing an emotional punch topped only by the now legendary sequence in which his dead father appears in the clouds to speak to him. That is the heart of this picture and one of the key moments in 90s cinema.
And by the way, they’re all lions. But there is one royal lion who is even better…
2. ROBIN HOOD (1973)
Oo-da-lally! One of my all time favourite movies and an extremely close second on THN’s Disney Top 10, this is the definitive movie version of ROBIN HOOD. Errol Flynn can do one, Costner and Crowe can jog on too. For me and millions of others, the cartoon animals in this stone cold classic can never be bettered.
Like most adaptations, it follows the story of popular outlaw Robin Hood who, with his best friend Little John, robs the rich to feed the poor. Not only must Robin avoid the ‘honourable’ Sheriff of Nottingham, but he must win back the heart of the fair Maid Marian. All the while, Prince John has sworn vengeance on the bandit.
Prince John is the best Disney villain. There, I’ve said it. As much as I love Hades, Jafar, Shere Khan, Scar and so on, Prince John is the quintessential mix of character art and vocal performance, voiced impeccably by Sir Peter Ustinov. His sidekick Sir Hiss (voiced by the definitive cad and bounder, Terry Thomas) is the ideal foil for him. They have some hilarious exchanges and I’m proud to say, Prince John and Sir Hiss were the first impressions I ever did as a child. Thomas and Ustinov are free to indulge in some very naturalistic dialogue, and for a lion and a snake, sound very human. I could write an entire piece on what makes this villainous double act so enduring, but I will summarise by saying they are the perfect marriage of writing and performance.
They’re not the only great double act in the piece, as Robin Hood and Little John also have some splendid repartee, from their musings on whether or not they are good guys or bad guys, to their gentle banter over cooking and talking about ladies. Likewise the duo of Maid Marian and Lady Cluck, who get as many laughs as their male counterparts. The vocal performances are all charming, but a real joy is hearing Phil Harris reprising his role of Baloo from THE JUNGLE BOOK as Little John. Technically they’re different characters, but Little John is a bear and looks just like a brown Baloo. Not only that, but he sings and dances like him too. His performances in both are so warm and inviting, like a jolly uncle that would make you chuckle with his goofball antics.
Then we have the songs. Not too many, only four in fact, but it’s quality, not quantity. The opening ‘Oodelally’ sets the light hearted, leisurely tone for the film, ‘Love’ is dreamy and enchanting, letting us enjoy the blossoming, sweet relationship between Robin and Marian. The uproarious ‘Phoney King of England’ is the only Disney song I would ever dance to and ‘Not In Nottingham’ is the only one to ever make me cry. God, that bit with the mice and the owls… Niagara Falls, Frankie baby. Every time. (Incidentally, there’s a pretty good cover by Mumford and Sons).
When I held a randomised trial to see which is the most popular Disney film (I asked people on Facebook), ROBIN HOOD was the most popular choice. So, with a family film that is practically perfect in every way (sorry Mary Poppins), what could pass it to reach number one? Come on, Baggy. Get with the beat.
1. THE JUNGLE BOOK (1967)
Not just the best Disney film ever, but one of the most beloved films in history. CASABLANCA maybe a classic, but does it feature a bear in a skirt pretending to be a monkey in order to rescue a small Indian boy from a jazz singing primate king? Actually, it does. I know, I was surprised too. THE JUNGLE BOOK is still better though.
An adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s collection of stories, THE JUNGLE BOOK follows the adventures of Mowgli, a boy (or man-cub) found as a baby in the jungle. Raised by wolves under the watchful eye of Bagheera the Panther, they decide to send him to the nearest (man) village to escape to returning Shere Khan, a tiger with a (dis)taste for humans. On the way, he meets a hypnotic snake, a groovy but manipulative ape, some close harmony singing vultures and a big, furry father figure.
Baloo the Bear is the cool dad you always wished you had. A wise cracking, good natured friend who would die to protect you. He would teach you to dance, to fight, even how to scratch an itch in a peculiar way. Baloo is a happy-go-lucky drifter that enjoys life and treasures the new relationship with his little chum. He is juxtaposed wonderfully with Bagheera, Mowgli’s long term guardian. Wise, noble and subtle, Bagheera loves Mowgli dearly, but won’t stand for any nonsense and isn’t likely to sing anytime soon. He is all business, and is the sobering Yin to Baloo’s raging Yang.
Together, they form a surrogate family. Bagheera and Baloo as the mother and father respectively to Mowgli’s unruly stepchild. There is some more subtext to be found in Kaa, the predatory python. When I saw a screening of THE JUNGLE BOOK at the BFI last year, some kid screamed out ‘PAEDO!’ when Kaa approached Mowgli. It could have been phrased with more delicacy, but he’s pretty on the nose. Or maybe we’re just projecting our jaded, modern sensibilities on something that was far more innocent. There is an argument for Kaa’s desire to eat the boy as having a more lascivious subtext, his song ‘Trust In Me’ is rather seductive and he seems to thrill in calling him ‘a poor, defenceless boy,’ swooning and licking his chops. Or maybe he just wants to eat the kid, I dunno.
Something that is undeniable is the party-like atmosphere of the film, demonstrated best of all in the sequence with King Louis. This, of course, is where we are treated to ‘I Wanna Be Like You (Ooh-Ooh)’ in which King Louis (an orangutan) tries to get Mowgli to divulge the secret of fire, while Baloo and Bagheera attempt to rescue him. Even those who have never seen a Disney film are familiar with this joyous song and dance number, the chorus finding its way into musical legend. You’d think that would be enough for one film, but THE JUNGLE BOOK also contains the anthem for lazy sods around the world, ‘The Bear Necessities.’ The song in which Papa Bear tells his man-cub of the joys of relaxing and the benefits of enjoying the simpler, easier things in life. This sequence exemplifies what Disney is all about; Warmth, humour, family, love and fun.
Uncle Walt never got to see the finished product, as he sadly passed away during its production. He would surely have been pleased to know that his legacy shines through in THE JUNGLE BOOK, as the original intention of the producers was for the film to be a lot more sombre. Baloo himself was to be a Bing Crosby style crooner, sitting Mowgli on his knee and telling tales of the jungle. Walt didn’t want this, and brought in Phil Harris to play the bear in a manner which would get the jungle jumping. Apparently, when Harris saw the finished product, he said to the production team, ‘You guys have made me immortal.’ And like Walt himself, Harris and the rest of the cast in THE JUNGLE BOOK and indeed those in the majority of Disney’s films, will live forever. But perhaps more than any other, THE JUNGLE BOOK will have friends, lovers and best of all family, snuggling to enjoy the bear necessities for years to come…
Well, there we have it. The top 10 Disney movies from us here at The Hollywood News. Did you agree? Or are you furious because THE LITTLE MERMAID didn’t make the cut? (You poor unfortunate soul) Maybe you think THE BLACK CAULDRON should have been number one (If you do, leave. Just leave). Let us know, comment below. Oodelally, Oodelally, golly what a day.
For Part One click here
