DISNEY MONTH: Top 10 Favorite Disney Songs

Welcome back to another installment of Disney Month here on Rhode Island Movie Corner, a month dedicated to honoring the best of the best of Walt Disney Animation Studios in honor of the impending release of their 56^th animated feature, Moana. Previously, I ranked the current members of the Disney Princess line and listed my Top 5 favorite Disney Protagonists and Sidekicks. And this week, it’s time to delve into what is usually one of the most prominent parts of any Walt Disney Animation film... the music. While there are some films like Atlantis: The Lost Empire and The Rescuers Down Under that go without the use of soundtracks, most Disney Animated films are well-known for their music. Whether it’s from legends like the Sherman Brothers or Alan Menken, it’s hard to narrow down all the great Disney songs to just your Top 10 favorites. But… that’s what I’ll be attempting today. Now, to keep things fair, I’m limiting my choices to one song per film. Because if I didn’t, this list would be dominated by most of the songs from one or two films. With that said, though, I will be listing my ‘Runner-Up’ picks from each film that I list here. Also, I will not be including songs that were primarily featured in their film’s credits, so that disqualifies songs like ‘When Can I See You Again’ by Owl City from Wreck-it Ralph and ‘Immortals’ by Fall Out Boy from Big Hero 6 (Disclaimer: Even though the latter was used for a montage scene in the film, it’s still primarily the end credits song hence why I didn’t count it.) So, without further ado, here are my Top 10 Favorite Disney songs.

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Like I said, it was hard to narrow this list down to just 10 songs so I have quite a few honorable mentions. I’ll rattle them off quickly here. First there’s the classic song from The Jungle Book, ‘The Bare Necessities’, sung by Baloo as he teaches Mowgli about the care-free lifestyle. And no, Screen Junkies, this isn’t the only memorable song from the film. King Louie’s number, ‘I Wanna Be Like You’, is just as iconic. Next up is ‘I See the Light’ from Tangled. Overall, this was a nice love song backed by the gorgeously animated sequence that was Corona’s annual lantern ceremony. My runner-up pick from this film is Rapunzel’s ‘I Want’ song, ‘When Will My Life Begin?’, which she sings as she wishes to explore the world outside of her tower. And speaking of this ‘genre’ of music, finally there’s the two main ‘I Want’ songs from The Little Mermaid and Cinderella. The Little Mermaid’s ‘I Want’ song, ‘Part of Your World’, is beautifully sung by Jodi Benson and is set to a terrifically animated sequence in which Ariel expresses her desire to explore the human world. My runner-up pick from this film is everyone’s favorite, the Calypso-inspired melody that is ‘Under the Sea’. As for Cinderella, her big ‘I Want’ song is ‘A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes’, a soothing melody buoyed by the performance of Ilene Woods in the title role of Cinderella (Lily James also did a fantastic rendition of the song for the live-action remake in 2015). For my runner-up pick of this film, that distinction goes to the obvious choice of the Fairy Godmother’s upbeat melody ‘Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo’.  

10. WHY SHOULD I WORRY? (OLIVER AND COMPANY)

While 1988’s Oliver and Company may not exactly be the most beloved entry in the Disney canon, especially considering that it’s sandwiched between two of the studio’s most well-received efforts, it does have one major saving grace. And that is the main song from the soundtrack, ‘Why Should I Worry?’. Sung by the legendary Billy Joel, it’s probably the one thing that most people remember when they think about Oliver and Company, and sure enough, it’s very much the main highlight of the film. In the film, Joel plays the charismatic street-dog Dodger, who in this sequence shows Oliver that above all else, he’s got ‘street savoir-faire’. During this entire scene, Oliver is trying to catch up with Dodger, who is carrying a bunch of hot dogs that Oliver helped him steal from a vendor. The two end up in various situations over the course of the sequence, including Oliver getting blasted with water from a fire hydrant (thanks to Dodger) and Dodger playing a piano with his tail as the piano is being lifted by a crane. Simply put, this was an enthusiastically upbeat song that I listened to quite a lot as a kid thanks to those old Disney Sing-Along VHS tapes (Ah, the good old days…). And as I stated before in my 80’s Disney Retrospective, this was before I ever saw the actual film. Sure, it’s probably a telltale sign of how the song ultimately became more famous than the film itself but hey, who’s counting?

Runner-Up: Admittedly the rest of the soundtrack for the film is just ‘ok’ at best. I mean, it’s disappointing to note that the song performed by ‘The Divine Miss M’ herself, Bette Midler, ‘Perfect Isn’t Easy’, is easily the weakest song in the film. But another thing that this soundtrack has is a song by Huey Lewis which opens the film; ‘Once Upon a Time in New York City’. Simply put, it’s Huey Lewis, the same guy who brought us the classic songs from Back to the Future. But I also think that the song ‘Good Company’, sung by Oliver’s new owner Jenny as she practices the piano, was a cute little melody that showcased the growing friendship between the two of them.

9. BELLA NOTTE (LADY AND THE TRAMP)

Call me crazy, but I consider the ‘Bella Notte’ sequence from Lady and the Tramp to be one of the best romantic film scenes of all-time. And keep in mind… we’re talking about a scene that centers around a romance between two dogs. But it’s easily the most famous scene from the film. After spending some time with the charming stray Tramp, him and the house-owned cocker spaniel Lady head on over to an Italian restaurant named Tony’s, which Tramp was shown to frequently visit earlier in the film and was also shown to be on good terms with the owner, Tony. And even though they’re just dogs, Tony has his assistant Joe prepare them a plate of spaghetti and meatballs. As they eat, Tony and Joe serenade them, via accordion and mandolin, respectively, with the romantic melody that is ‘Bella Notte’. The film then transitions to Lady and Tramp in the park, during which the song is then sung by a chorus for the remainder of the scene. And while George Givot’s (the voice of Tony) take on the song is excellent, I kind of prefer it when it’s sung by the chorus as it takes on a very soothing tone that I think works quite well in this romantic context. Still, there’s no denying how iconic this scene is, especially the part where Lady and Tramp both start to eat a single strand of spaghetti and they end up sharing a kiss once their mouths meet. It’s so famous that it’s been replicated in other forms of media, including shows like The Simpsons and Family Guy. Not bad for a film that, like Oliver and Company, is sandwiched in between two of Disney’s most famous films.

Runner-Up: Okay, I should probably lay out a disclaimer for this one. The other memorable song from this film is ‘The Siamese Cat Song’. This plays during the scene where the two Siamese cats of Aunt Sarah’s cause all sorts of trouble and Lady subsequently gets blamed for it all. It’s a memorable scene for sure and I remember seeing it all the time on those old ‘Disney Sing Along’ tapes. With that said, though… um, this is one of those cases of early Disney where, from a modern perspective, this scene may come off as being incredibly racist to some people. But like with the natives from Peter Pan, while I understand if people do see it that way, it doesn’t ‘really’ bother me that much.

8. I’LL MAKE A MAN OUT OF YOU (MULAN)

Taking the Number 8 spot on this list is the stand-out sequence from Disney’s highly underrated 1998 effort, Mulan. At this point in the film, Mulan has already enlisted in the Chinese army under the assumed name of Ping. The scene starts off with the soldiers on their first day of training under Captain Li Shang, who starts off the song. Shang’s singing voice is provided by Donny Osmond, though it’s interesting to note that in the Chinese versions of the film, the song was performed by, believe it or not, Jackie Chan. Yes, THAT Jackie Chan. Anyway, this leads to a fun training montage and the best part about it is that there’s a clear arc to it. As it begins, it’s made clear that Mulan and the other soldiers are severely lacking when it comes to combat experience. As such, the sequence starts out with them struggling to complete their training exercises. But then, as the scene progresses, they too start to get better and better. And it’s all spurred by the best moment in the entire sequence. Going back for a quick second, the sequence started off with Mulan and company being presented with their first big training exercise; grab an arrow lodged in a tall wooden log by climbing up to it, all while carrying heavy weights. Obviously, they all fail at first (Shang: “We’ve got a long way to go…”). But when Mulan is told to go home by Shang because she’s “unsuited for the rage of war”, she does succeed in grabbing the arrow, finally managing to impress Shang and their comrades. And so, as the song concludes, the soldiers are now shown to be mastering their training, ending one of the best scenes in the entire film.

Runner-Up: ‘Reflection’, the beautiful solo sung by Mulan following the incident with the Matchmaker as she laments about who she’s meant to be, just barely got beat out by ‘I’ll Make a Man Out of You’.

7. YOU’LL BE IN MY HEART (TARZAN)

As I’ve stated before, it seems as if I’m in the minority when it comes to liking the soundtrack from Disney Animation’s 1999 effort, Tarzan. From what I’ve seen online, some people aren’t too big on the songs that were provided by Genesis front-man Phil Collins. The main reason why, again going from what I’ve gathered online, is that instead of the characters in the film singing the songs, they’re performed by Collins himself. And at the very least, I do get that argument as it is a bit of a weird spin on the usual proceedings of a ‘Disney musical’. However, I think that on their own merit, Collins’ songs are really good. And even with that said, I think that they also work fine in the film, too. At the very least, they all match up to their respective scenes. And if I had to choose a favorite, I’d go with the [admittedly] obvious choice of ‘You’ll Be in My Heart’. This is one of the few instances in which a character in the film sings the song, albeit partially. It’s first sung by Tarzan’s adoptive ape mother Kala when he is an infant to calm him down. But after that, Collins takes over and basically all the other songs in the film are just sung by him. Still, it’s a great song that can be used as either a romantic song or a song of motherly love depending on the situation. Thus, it earned the Oscar for Best Original Song at that year’s ceremony. In fact, this was the last Disney animated film to do so for more than a decade. Which song broke that drought? Well, let’s just say that it’s coming up in a bit…

Runner-Up: Admittedly it was rather hard to pick just one ‘runner-up’ from this soundtrack. Like I said, I do like most of the songs in the film; ‘Strangers Like Me’, ‘Son of Man’, etc. But I decided to go with the one that opens the film; ‘Two Worlds’. And open the film it did… on a great note.

6. GASTON (BEAUTY AND THE BEAST)

You’ve probably noticed that I don’t have a lot of ‘villain songs’ in this list. While I do recognize that many consider Disney’s ‘villain songs’ to be some of the best songs to come out of their respective films, I’ll admit that they’re usually not my favorite songs on a Disney film’s soundtrack. For the record, though, that’s not to say that there haven’t been any great Disney villain songs… because there have been. ‘Hellfire’ from Hunchback of Note Dame, ‘Be Prepared’ from Lion King, ‘Friends on the Other Side’ from Princess and the Frog, the list goes on and on. But I’ll admit that I lean more towards the songs performed by the main characters or sidekicks. I guess it’s because I just prefer heroes over villains in general. But, anyway, if I had to choose my favorite Disney ‘villain song’, it would have to be the one named after its main subject, ‘Gaston’ from Beauty and the Beast. The scene starts out with Gaston sulking at the local tavern after being “Dismissed! Rejected! Publicly humiliated!” by Belle when he tried to propose to her. His lackey LeFou manages to cheer him up by reminding him of the fact that he’s the town hero and that everyone loves him. What follows is an extremely catchy tune in which Gaston lists all his accomplishments in life, like how he’s grown to ‘roughly the size of a barge’ (because he always eats five dozen eggs every morning) or how no one can beat him in a spitting competition. It perfectly captures the smug egotism of Gaston with the running theme of “No one (insert verb here) like Gaston”, a line that I know many of us have quoted in Gaston’s manly voice. In short, this is just a fun ‘squad’ song that highlights one of Disney’s best villains. What’s not to love?

Runner-Up(s): Ok I’m kind of cheating here because I have two other songs from Beauty and the Beast in the runner-up spot instead of one. The first is probably the most famous from the film, ‘Be Our Guest’, the literal personification of dinner and a show. But the title song ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is great as well, matched perfectly with the film’s beautifully animated sequence of Belle and Beast’s first dance.

5. LET IT GO (FROZEN)

Yeah, yeah, I know… some of you are tired of hearing this song being brought up all the damn time. It’s been covered so many times on YouTube that it’s practically become its own sub-genre on that site. But with that said, it’s hard to deny the impact that this song has had on pop culture. Just like how the song serves as Elsa’s anthem of liberation in the film, it’s undoubtedly served the same purpose for many others. And of course, it was one of the major factors into reworking Elsa as one of the main protagonists instead of being the main villain. Frozen’s music was created by the duo of Robert and Kristen-Andersen Lopez, who also did the music for Disney 2011’s release, Winnie the Pooh (the latter even voiced Kanga). Back when Elsa was still set to be the villain, the two began to develop a song that was more about her inner struggles instead of just being her ‘badass song’. No joke, that was the literal note that they got from the filmmakers. And while it ultimately meant that director/co-writer Jennifer Lee had to re-write the whole film to accommodate this change, we all know that it was for the best. The song is great and is set to one of the best sequences of the entire film in which Elsa rids herself of her former demons (e.g. shedding the gloves that were used to conceal her icy powers) and builds her ice palace, away from those who’d fear her. And of course, it’s all backed by the phenomenal performance by the vocal powerhouse that is Idina Menzel (or ‘Adele Dazeem’ if you’re John Travolta). And that is why ‘Let it Go’ won Best Original Song at that year’s Oscars, making Frozen the first Disney animated film to win that award since Tarzan which, fittingly enough, was also directed by Frozen’s co-director, Chris Buck. Sure, some might find it to have been ‘played out’ at this point but it’s still undeniably the most iconic element of the global phenomenon that is Frozen.

Runner-Up(s): Once again, I have two ‘runner-up’ picks from this film. The first is the other one that everyone loves, Do You Want to Build a Snowman. It’s a song that details Anna’s attempts to reconnect with Elsa over the years, starting off in the cutest way possible before ending on a somber note and hitting us in the feels as the result of it ending with the death of Anna and Elsa’s parents. Would you believe that this song was almost cut? Thank god they kept it in, right? The other song that I like is ‘For the First Time in Forever’, which is a duet involving Anna and Elsa but mostly focuses on Anna as she finally gets the opportunity to leave the castle grounds because of Elsa’s Coronation Day. This song was then reprised later in the film when Anna tries to reason with Elsa in her ice palace. This version gradually crescendos before ending with Elsa accidentally striking Anna’s heart with her icy powers.

4. HAKUNA MATATA (THE LION KING)

It was hard to pick just one song from The Lion King, which has probably my favorite Disney soundtrack of all-time. I love all the songs that came courtesy of the legendary Elton John and lyricist Tim Rice, the latter of whom also worked on the soundtracks of Aladdin and the Broadway adaptation of Beauty and the Beast. ‘I Just Can’t Wait to Be King’, ‘Can You Feel the Love Tonight?’, ‘Circle of Life’, etc. It was hard to narrow it down to just one. But I went with the [again, admittedly] obvious choice of ‘Hakuna Matata’. Going off what I was talking about last week, this song, sung by the duo of Timon and Pumbaa, helps liven the mood after the devastating loss of Mufasa. After finding Simba out on the desert all alone, they let him stay with them as Simba begins to learn about their carefree lifestyle and how he should ‘put his past behind him’ by adhering to their motto and “problem-free philosophy”, ‘Hakuna Matata’, which means ‘no worries’. And while Simba does wise up after a while and embraces his destiny as the rightful king of Pride Rock, this is still a classic song that is easily one of the best moments in the entire film. Pumbaa gets a hilarious ‘flashback’ in which other animals are shown to be turned off by his constant flatulence, Simba gets a ‘crash course’ in regards to Timon and Pumbaa’s ‘bug diet’, and even ends up becoming an adult as the result of him spending many years with his two new friends. Really, there’s not much else that I can say about ‘Hakuna Matata’ that hasn’t been said before by others. It’s just a classic, laid-back tune from one of my favorite films.

Runner-Up(s): Simply put, given what I said before, let’s just put the rest of the film’s soundtrack as my ‘runner-up’ pick, ok?

3. WHEN YOU WISH UPON A STAR (PINOCCHIO)

What more can be said about this song that hasn’t already been said? This is practically the anthem of Disney. It’s used during the opening logos of most of Disney’s film output. The first seven notes of the song are used as the horn signal whenever the Disney Cruise Line leaves port. In other words, this is arguably the most famous Disney song of all-time. And rightfully so as it’s a terrific tune sung excellently by Cliff Edwards, the original voice of Jiminy Cricket, during the opening credits. But as I noted before in my 30’s/40’s Disney Retrospective, it seems as if there’s a bit of controversy surrounding this song. This controversy stems from the supposed message that this song implies. The implication that all that kids need to do is wish upon a star to make their dreams come true. But like I said in the retrospective, I don’t think the song is literally telling people to do that. It’s just a heartwarming melody that correlates well with the plot-line in Pinocchio in which Geppetto wishes on a star for his wooden puppet Pinocchio to be a real boy. But at the very least, I think Disney is aware of this controversy. 2009’s The Princess and the Frog opened with a reference to this song but then went in a totally different direction by having Tiana’s father tell her that one has to work hard for their dreams to come true. Still, it’s hard not to love the classic tune that is very much, 100%, utterly, undoubtedly, in every respect… Disney.

Runner-Up: Easily the other classic tune from this film is ‘I’ve Got No Strings’. It’s set to an entertaining sequence in which Pinocchio performs for Stromboli in his traveling puppet show. But for you Marvel fans out there, like myself, you’ll remember the sinister version that was used in the trailers for Avengers: Age of Ultron, a fitting connection seeing how Ultron was basically the dark personification of Pinocchio.

2. A FRIEND LIKE ME (ALADDIN)

Last week, I listed Robin Williams’ unforgettable character from Aladdin, the Genie, as my #1 favorite Disney sidekick. In fact, he’s quite possibly my favorite Disney character, period. And, sure enough, his big musical number, ‘A Friend Like Me’, ends up being my favorite tune from the film. It’s all set to an excellently animated sequence in which the Genie, freed from the confines of the magic lamp, shows Aladdin the true extent of his powers. Originally, the piece was done in the style of legendary scatman/bandleader Cab Calloway. But once Robin Williams was cast, the song was reworked to match the Genie’s new wise-cracking, anachronistically pop-culture spouting characterization... and probably to better fit Williams’ musical abilities, also. And, sure enough, it all comes together nicely. Williams does an excellent job performing the song and the animation in this sequence is flashy and colorful throughout. There’s even some traces of Aladdin’s original design, when he looked more like Michael J. Fox instead of Tom Cruise, left in at this part because this was one of the first scenes of the film to be animated. But ultimately, the key to this scene is that it does its job at showcasing just what the Genie can do, effectively making this one of the studio’s most creative animated sequences ever. Highlights include the time that he tap-dances with his two hands and the big show-stopping finale that includes dancing camels, dancing elephants, you name it, it’s probably there. What more can be said but...

Runner-Up(s): Like Lion King, this is another instance in which I’m going to put the remaining soundtrack of the film in the runner-up spot instead of just picking one song. Because Aladdin had an equally fantastic soundtrack outside of ‘Friend Like Me’. ‘Arabian Nights’ does a great job of setting up the atmosphere of Agrabah. ‘One Jump Ahead’ is a fun tune set to Aladdin’s efforts to escape the Palace Guards. ‘Prince Ali’ is another memorable showtune, again sung by Robin Williams, to help introduce Aladdin’s new persona. And of course, who can forget the film’s big love song, ‘A Whole New World’, sung by Aladdin and Jasmine as they rode the Magic Carpet. But there was one other song from the soundtrack that sadly never made it into the film. ‘Proud of Your Boy’ was written by the late Howard Ashman, sung by Aladdin as he laments about the fact that he’s constantly been a disappointment in his mother’s eyes due to his troubling ways. His mother was originally in the film but ended up getting cut. And so, even though it no doubt must’ve hurt Ashman’s collaborative partner Alan Menken to do so, the song was cut as well. It did, however, come back in the Broadway musical adaptation.

1. GO THE DISTANCE (HERCULES)

For my number one favorite Disney song, I decided to go with Hercules’ ‘I Want’ song from, well, Hercules; ‘Go the Distance’. The song symbolizes Hercules’ struggles to fit in with the human world, unaware that he’s the son of the gods Zeus and Hera and was taken from his home in Mount Olympus when he was a baby. The song starts off with him basically praying to the Gods to help him find his place in life before taking a brief break as Hercules learns about the necklace, which has the symbol of the gods on it, that he was wearing when his adoptive parents, Amphitryon and Alcmene, first found him. As he heads off on a journey to the temple of Zeus, the song starts up again in a much more rousing iteration compared to the slower but very much hopeful tone of the first verse. And finally, it is reprised once more as Hercules heads off on his quest to become a ‘true hero’ and return to the world of the gods. The reason why I love this song so much is because it truly is an inspiring anthem. Obviously, none of us are a Greek demigod like Hercules but away from the context of the film, this song’s inspirational feel can be uplifting and inspire people to never give up and achieve their dreams no matter the circumstance. In other words, this is basically just like ‘Let it Go’ but was done 16 years before that song was ever conceived. Just imagine playing this song while working out at the gym or doing some similar activity; it does motivate you. Sure, it may not exactly be a ‘classic’ like ‘When You Wish Upon a Star’ but it’s still a great song because of its ability to inspire. And that is why it’s my favorite Disney song to date.  

Runner-Up: This was another instance where I do like most of the songs from the film’s soundtrack; ‘The Gospel Truth’, ‘One Last Hope’, ‘I Won’t Say I’m in Love’, etc. But if I had to choose just one for my runner-up pick, it’d probably be the montage song ‘Zero to Hero’, sung by the Fates as they recount Hercules’ rise in popularity. Simply put, it’s catchy, upbeat, and the animation is, like many great Disney animated sequences, flashy and colorful.

And those are my Top 10 favorite Disney songs. Obviously, there are a lot of other great Disney songs that I didn’t cover here. Like I said, it was hard to narrow this down to just a Top 10. So, be sure to sound off in the comments below about your personal favorites, especially if they’re ones that I didn’t mention here. Next week, Disney Month concludes with what is easily the biggest list of them all. A complete rankings list of the 55 animated features that Walt Disney Animation Studios has produced up to this point, from Snow White to Zootopia.

Disney Retrospective: The 30's and 40's

Welcome back to Rhode Island Movie Corner’s ongoing series of Disney Retrospectives in which I look back upon the many, many animated classics that have been made by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Previously I’ve covered the Disney films that have come out during the 90’s, the 2000’s to today, the 60’s and 70’s, and the 80’s. And today, we’re going back to the beginning of it all as we’ll be covering the first few feature-length animated films that Walt Disney and his team produced. Before 1937, the studio was known solely for their short films, namely those starring Mickey Mouse as well as their famous musical series Silly Symphonies. But that changed when Walt decided to adapt the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale Snow White into a feature-length film. At first, Walt’s plan was met with much doubt and the industry originally referred to it as ‘Walt’s Folly’. But of course, we all know that it did not end up as a folly. Instead, it kick-started the studio’s prestigious line of animated films that is still going strong today. Of course we’ll looking at that first film today but it happens to be the only Disney animated feature film of that decade. So today I’m also adding in the 10 subsequent Disney films that came out during the 40’s. It was an interesting decade for the studio and one that was also unfortunately hampered by World War II. In fact, World War II affected things so much (e.g. animators getting drafted, overseas markets being cut off) that many of Disney’s animated features released during this time weren’t even full stories. Instead, they were known as ‘package films’, consisting of a series of vignettes that weren’t usually connected narratively. It wouldn’t be until the 50’s when Disney returned to the feature-length narrative. We’ve got a lot to talk about today so let’s not waste any more time. These are ‘the first 11’ feature-length animated films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios.

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS (1937)

Of course we start things off with the film that started it all for Walt Disney Animation Studios. As I just noted in the intro, at first people thought that it couldn’t be done but Walt and his team very much made it happen. And so, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs became the first ever feature-length traditionally animated film, though not the very first animated film as some claim it is as there were a few animated films that were made prior to it (sadly most of them are now lost). And I must say that for a film that will officially be eight decades old starting next year (seriously, Eight. Decades. Old!), it still holds up extremely well. I mean sure, compared to a lot of the Disney films that would come after it, it’s certainly much simpler in terms of story and design but it’s still an excellent animated film regardless. It has plenty of memorable characters, especially the titular seven dwarfs (My personal favorite, you ask? I’d probably say either Dopey or Grumpy), some really nice music highlighted by the iconic ‘Heigh Ho!’, and of course excellent animation that still looks good today. And while Snow White and the Evil Queen may not be as developed as some of the other Disney princesses/villains are, respectively, they’re still pretty great characters with Snow White being rightfully kind and the Queen being delightfully evil just as her ‘title’ suggests. All in all, this is still a great film and one that is very much recommended. In fact, it’s kind of a must-see in that regard if you ask me because of its place in the history of both animated films and Walt Disney Animation. Even though Disney has come a long way since Snow White, it will always remain as one of the main highlights of the studio’s prestigious resume. After all, they probably wouldn’t be where they are today if it wasn’t for this film.

Rating: 5/5!

PINOCCHIO (1940)

It is often said that that you get better and better as you go on and that is definitely true in regards to what happened with Disney in 1940 when they released their second feature-length animated film, Pinocchio. Obviously Snow White is still very much an animated masterpiece but as for Pinocchio… I’d argue that it’s actually even better than Snow White. It’s one of Disney’s Top 10 best for sure. Every aspect of this film is terrific. It’s full of memorable and lovable characters, from Pinocchio to Jiminy Cricket to Geppetto to his two pets Figaro and Cleo. Pinocchio himself has a really solid arc in this as he learns to be ‘brave, truthful, and unselfish’ in order for him to truly become a real boy and the lessons that he learns in the film are good lessons for kids as well. As for the main song of the film, ‘When You Wish Upon a Star’? Well, what hasn’t been said about it… it’s one of the best Disney songs ever. Why else would it be the company’s flagship theme and after watching this film again, I was very much reminded why. Now I’ve heard some of the complaints about how this song could send a bad message to kids but I never really felt that it did because not only is the song a really sweet melody but it’s not like it’s telling kids that all that they need to do for things to get better is to wish upon a star. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t the intention. Instead, the idea of the song is keeping hope alive even in the darkest of times. It’s like what Andy Dufresne says in The Shawshank Redemption, “Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies.” And to me, this song very much personifies that belief.

This film may not have a ‘main villain’ (though with that said, there are a few antagonistic characters from the duo of Honest John and Gideon to Stromboli to the Coachman that owns Pleasure Island who at one point makes one of the scariest faces ever) or a lot of songs but in this case it’s not really needed because the characters are so likable and the writing is rock solid. Plus, this film is not afraid to get dark sometimes and I mean dark. Whether it’s because of a giant man-eating whale or a place called ‘Pleasure Island’ where kids are turned into donkeys to be used as slaves in salt mines and the main bad guy involved in this scheme actually sort of gets away with it because we’re left to presume that the kids who were turned into donkeys aren’t getting rescued or are going to be changed back into normal kids anytime soon, there are some pretty darn messed up moments in this film. Though with that said, I’m aware that the book this was based on, The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, is even darker. Like for example in the book, the character of the Cricket is killed after trying to give some advice to Pinocchio… thankfully that didn’t happen in the film. To put it simply, Pinocchio has to learn his life lessons the hard way in this film. He’s nearly subjected to a hard life of showbiz, is nearly turned into a ‘jackass’, and is nearly eaten by a whale. But even with all of the dark imagery in this film, it still has a great message for kids and the happy ending in this is very satisfying. All in all, this is an absolute must-see in regards to Disney’s animated filmography… actually no, that’s an understatement. It’s a requirement that you watch this film and then years later show it to your kids because it’s one of the best animated films of all time and easily one of Disney’s best.

Rating: 5/5!

FANTASIA (1940)

For his third animated feature, Walt Disney took a much different approach than what he had done before. Instead of having a single story, Fantasia is a series of animated ‘short films’ set to classical music performed by the Philadelphia Orchestra, led by legendary conductor Leopold Stokowski, with the entire ‘feature’ being hosted by the Master of Ceremonies, music critic Deems Taylor (Though for the record, beginning with the film’s 60^th anniversary release, Taylor’s vocals were redubbed by prominent Disney voice-over artist Corey Burton due to the fact that the original audio tracks for Taylor’s narration had deteriorated beyond use at that point). Originally just one single short that was meant to revive the popularity of Mickey Mouse, rising production costs eventually led to the short being reworked into a whole film of animated shorts. However, when the film was first released, unfortunately it was a severe underperformer at the box-office. This was namely due to the expenses that arose over producing a special ‘roadshow’ release as well as the start of World War II, which kept the film from being released in European markets. However, the film did do better when it ended up getting re-released multiple times over the years. And although the critical reception towards the film was initially rather polarizing, it has since become regarded as one of the studio’s finest efforts. And having recently watched this film for the first time (having actually seen part of the ‘sequel’, Fantasia 2000, first when I was younger), I must say that I do pretty much agree with this statement.

Obviously this is a much different kind of animated film than what most are probably used to given the fact that it’s primarily music based. In fact, the combination of animation and classical music was actually an issue upon initial release with fans of the music. But really that’s what makes this film so breathtaking in the first place because the classical music does match perfectly with the classic Disney animation. The end result is a vibrant array of animated sequences that carry a very nice natural feel to them. If I have to choose my ‘favorite’ sequences from this film, I have two particular favorites. The first is the second sequence set to Tchaikovsky’s ‘Nutcracker Sequence’, which in turn is set to the changing seasons of the year and a series of dances involving flora and fauna. My other favorite sequence is the one that was responsible for this film being made in the first place; ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’. It’s a very energetic piece that stars Mickey Mouse as he tries to perform the magic of his master Yen Sid (guess what his name is when spelled backwards?) but ends up causing a whole lot of trouble when the magic starts to get out of hand. But really, all of the sequences in this film are terrific in terms of both animation and how they’re paired with classical music. In short, Fantasia is a Disney film that admittedly isn’t for everyone. But if you’re willing to give it a try, I have a feeling that you’re probably going to like it. And while Walt Disney may not have gotten the chance to fully enact his plan of turning this film into an anthology series, with new editions of the film being released every few years with new sequences added, this film definitely stands as one of his finest projects.

Rating: 4.5/5

DUMBO (1941)

As the result of Fantasia being a box-office flop upon initial release, Disney decided to go a much simpler route with their next film, Dumbo. At just one hour and four minutes, it’s one of the shortest Disney films ever made. But even with that simplicity in mind, Dumbo is still a very charming and colorful animated film about a misfit circus elephant, who is given the titular nickname of Dumbo due to his big ears, that discovers that those ears allow him to fly. However, Dumbo actually isn’t the primary focus of the film. In fact, the whole part of him flying only occurs in the final five minutes of the film. Instead the film spends a lot of time showcasing the other acts of the circus, allowing for some really fun and zany visuals involving Dumbo’s fellow circus performers. And of course, if we are talking about visuals, we cannot forget about the film’s infamous sequence in which Dumbo and his friend, Timothy Q. Mouse, accidentally get drunk (yes drunk) from drinking out of a champagne filled bucket and start seeing pink elephants ‘on parade’. Talk about one of the most surreal moments in animated history. There’s also a nice little emotional element to the film in the form of Dumbo’s relationship with his mother, who he is separated from after she is locked up for attacking a circusgoer when he mocks her son. I guarantee you that you’re probably going to get rather emotional during the scene where she comforts him while still locked up in her cage. Ultimately, Dumbo may not be Disney’s most ‘profound’ animated film but it’s still one that the whole family can enjoy, even when taking its simplicity into account.

Rating: 4/5

BAMBI (1942)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpEa3PZB018

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s talk about Disney’s fifth feature-length animated film, Bambi… which, let’s be honest, is nowadays usually remembered primarily for the scene in which Bambi’s mother is killed by hunters, a scene which certainly must’ve emotionally scarred a lot of young kids when they first watched it (myself included, probably). But beyond that, Bambi is actually a really beautiful animated film. Like Dumbo, the plot is fairly simple; it’s the story of how the young Bambi grows up to become the protector of the forest AKA ‘the Great Prince’. This was pretty much the first time that Disney did a ‘coming of age’ story and it’s handled excellently. We’re fully engrossed by Bambi’s growth into adulthood, from him learning to walk and talk to him dealing with the tragic loss of his mother to him falling love with a female deer named Faline and later having to fight another deer for her affections. The film also does a great job in establishing its villain; ‘man’. They’re never seen in the film but their presence is very much felt throughout, the obvious example being, well, you know what. In short, Bambi is like Dumbo in that it is a very simple story. However, also like Dumbo, the film also very much wears its heart on its sleeve and there is a genuine charm factor to the simplicity of watching Bambi grow up. Pair that with some of the studio’s most absolutely gorgeous animation and it’s quite easy to see why this is widely regarded as another one of Walt’s masterpieces. 

Rating: 4.5/5

SALUDOS AMIGOS (1942)

Ok, show of hands… who actually knew about this film before I brought it up here just now? If you didn’t then don’t worry because I was in the exact same boat as you when I first heard about this film. It was sometime in 2010, a year which saw the release of the studio’s 50^th animated feature, Tangled. I remember looking through the studio’s filmography, seeing Saludos Amigos, and being completely surprised about the fact that it was an official entry in the Disney canon because I had never heard about it before that point. Seriously I was more familiar with this film’s successor and that was without me ever seeing the latter, mind you. So with all of that said… what exactly is this film then? Well, in 1941, Walt Disney and his team of animators went on a goodwill tour of South America as part of the ‘Good Neighbor Policy’ that had been implemented by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. World War II had already been happening for a few years but this was before the Japanese’s attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7^th, 1941 that effectively resulted in the U.S. joining in on the fight. Because some of the governments in Latin America had ties with the Nazis, the U.S. looked to counteract those ties and Walt Disney was chosen as an ambassador for the U.S. due to the fact that many of his studio’s characters, especially Mickey Mouse, were very popular in Latin America. This goodwill tour resulted in not one but two Disney films inspired by Latin America; Saludos Amigos and The Three Caballeros. Saludos Amigos would also serve as the very first in the series of package films that would become Disney’s primary source of production during the 40’s.

Admittedly there’s not much that I can really say about this film. At just 42 minutes long, this admittedly feels more like a bonus feature that you’d find on a DVD/Blu-Ray. It’s more or less just a series of animated shorts as well as some live-action footage of Disney and his team exploring South America. But while this particular entry in the Disney canon may lack quite a bit in terms of content, the quality of said content more than makes up for the shorter run-time. I feel that fans of animation will really like this film as it showcases a prime example of how some animated films utilize the method of location scouting to help inspire their animators. Other Disney films like The Emperor’s New Groove and Frozen had utilized location scouting to great effect and this can also be said for this film. The animation is excellent and does a nice job in capturing the beauty of Latin America. Not only that but the four sequences featured in this film are all quite charming. This includes a segment in which Donald Duck explores the area of Lake Titicaca, a segment centered around a small airplane named Pedro that travels across the Andes in order to collect mail, a segment that feels very reminiscent of Disney’s ‘How To’ series in which Goofy, as an American cowboy, spends some time living the life of the Latin American equivalent of a cowboy, gauchos, and the final sequence in which an animator brings to life the city of Brazil which is then explored by Donald and a new character, a parrot named Jose Carioca. All in all, Saludos Amigos is a very pleasant Disney flick that will no doubt appeal greatly to fans of animation. However, at the same time this is not one that I can easily recommend to most people due to the fact that it is just a 42-minute feature. 

Rating: 3/5

THE THREE CABALLEROS (1944)

Of the two Disney films that were produced as a result of the aforementioned goodwill tour that Disney and his crew went on, The Three Caballeros definitely has more to offer than Saludos Amigos, especially due to the fact that it is a feature-length affair. And overall, Caballeros is just as solid as Saludos when it comes to its content. Like Saludos, the film and its animation do a really nice job in bringing the world of Latin America to life in animated form. The group of shorts that this film features are all pretty nice, from the one in which a penguin decides to migrate to a warmer climate to the one in which a little boy comes across a winged donkey. It’s also pretty cool when the animation is combined with live-action sequences, something that Disney very much perfected. These segments are all connected to a simple plot in which Donald Duck has a bunch of adventures with his Latin American friends, including Jose Carioca, who of course was first introduced in Saludos Amigos, and a new character in the form of the energetic rooster Panchito. Together they come to form the titular musical group, paving the way for a fun musical number and some nice camaraderie amongst themselves. It’s also interesting to note how Donald is basically ‘on the prowl’ for most of the film, pining over every woman he comes across. All in all, The Three Caballeros is a very lively animated affair. Admittedly it may prove to become rather tiring for some due to the fact that it never really lets up at any point, especially during the finale where, simply put, all hell breaks loose. But its Latin American flair certainly allows it to stand out amongst its fellow Disney animated films. And while I don’t like to compare films that much, I will say that this film has a ‘slight’ edge over its predecessor only because it has more to offer content-wise.

Rating: 3.5/5

MAKE MINE MUSIC (1946)

Make Mine Music is an interesting entry in the Disney canon because, technically speaking, it’s kind of like a spiritual sequel to Fantasia. It follows the same general formula of that film by being a series of animated segments set to music. However, instead of being set to classical music, the segments in this film are mostly set to more contemporary music. There are 9 segments in total, though originally there was actually another segment titled The Martins and the Coys, which depicted a feud between the Hatfields and McCoys. This segment was cut from the home media release in North America and the other areas in the NTSC region due to its heavy use of gunplay. It’s nothing too crazy now but then again this segment does end with most of the characters dying so I do kind of understand why it got cut. Instead the film now starts with Blue Bayou, a segment originally intended for Fantasia. The original version, set to ‘Clair de Lune’, still exists and while both versions of it are nice, admittedly the one for Fantasia is the superior version. All the Cats Join In is a toe-tapping swinging tune set to a sequence based around teens in the 1940’s. It’s also fun how the animation in this sequence is done ‘on-the-spot’ as we see a pencil create all of the visuals. Without You is a somber ballad set to some nice animation that has a pretty cool paint-like look to it, which is the result of the segment’s rainy backdrop. Casey at the Bat is easily one of the big highlights of the film. Admittedly it’s not really a musical segment as the poem the segment is based on is only recited. Still, this is definitely one of the best segments of the entire film thanks to its fast-paced antics and plenty of humorous moments.

Two Silhouettes is simply a pair of ballet dancers. This sequence was done in rotoscope (aka animating over live-action footage) with the dancers only seen in silhouette, hence the title of the segment. Peter and the Wolf is another classic segment highlighted by the original composition’s unique method of having each character in the piece, from Peter to the bird to the hunters to the wolf, represented by a different musical instrument. After You’ve Gone is another lively segment in which a group of anthropomorphized instruments get into all sorts of shenanigans. Then there’s Johnnie Fedora and Alice Bluebonnet, a tale of two hats at a department store, a fedora and a bluebonnet (hence the title), who fall in love but get separated when the latter is bought, resulting in the fedora (once he’s bought) trying to find her again. It’s a cute little sequence that, having looked at it from a modern perspective, reminds me of the Pixar short The Blue Umbrella that was released with Monsters University. Finally, there’s The Whale Who Wanted to Sing at the Met, in which a giant Sperm Whale named Willie is shown to be a very talented opera singer. Sadly, the tale ends on a tragic note but it’s still an excellent story highlighted by the fact that all of the voices were done by one man, Nelson Eddy. So in short, Make Mine Music’s collection of segments is pretty solid with my personal favorites being Casey and The Whale. My only real problem with this film is that some of the segments are rather short. Segments like Casey, The Whale, and Peter and the Wolf are all fairly lengthy while basically all of the other segments are less than five minutes each. As a result, admittedly I don’t think this film leaves as big of a long-lasting impression compared to its ‘spiritual predecessor’ Fantasia. Regardless, though, this is yet another highly entertaining Disney animated flick that benefits greatly from its selection of shorts.

Rating: 4/5

FUN AND FANCY FREE (1947)

Out of all of these Disney ‘package films’, Fun and Fancy Free was the one that I watched the most when I was younger. In fact, it was sort of the only one of those films that I had watched in its entirety… from what I can remember. But even with that said, this was certainly one Disney film that I watched quite a few times back then on VHS (ah, the good old days…). And upon re-watch, it’s still one of my favorites. Unlike the other ‘package films’, this film only consists of two half-hour long animated segments. However, I’d argue that both of these stories are pretty darn memorable. After an opening introduction from everyone’s favorite conscience Jiminy Cricket, the first of these two segments are played, Bongo. Narrated by Dinah Shore and based off of the children’s story Little Bear Bongo by Sinclair Lewis, the short follows a circus bear named Bongo who dreams of living free and in the wild instead of being a caged circus animal. When he does get that chance, he meets a pretty girl bear named Lulubelle but ends up getting into a love triangle with her other suitor, the brutish Lumpjaw, which of course then leads to a fight between the two males. While certainly a fairly simple short, it’s still pretty darn charming and Dinah Shore’s lovely voice serves as a nice complement to the visuals. Heck, there’s even a pretty darn funny musical number during this segment in which Bongo learns that, apparently, the way that bears express their love for one another is by slapping each other, which at first he does not get when Lulubelle starts slapping him around.

The other short, Mickey and the Beanstalk, is narrated by ventriloquist Edgar Bergen who is shown in live-action sequences telling the story to child actress Luana Patten at her birthday party. As you probably deduced form the title, this is an adaptation of the classic fairy tale Jack and the Beanstalk but one that stars the trio of Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, and Goofy. This was also notably the last time that Walt Disney himself voiced Mickey, though some lines were done by his replacement Jimmy MacDonald. This is the best of the two segments if you ask me. I’ve always loved the animated shorts centering around Mickey, Donald, and Goofy and this is definitely a classic with a wide array of funny moments, from a scene where Donald actually goes berserk as a result of him dealing with hunger to the scenes where the trio interact with the giant Willie, who has the power to shape-shift into anything he pleases. Really the only downside to this part of the film is, believe it or not, the scenes with Bergen. I can’t really explain why but even as a kid I found these scenes to be rather dull and perhaps even a bit drawn out. Thankfully there is an alternative. On Netflix there are a series of ‘collections’ of Disney animated shorts. One of these collections contains Mickey and the Beanstalk except this version is narrated by Ludwig von Drake and his beetle assistant Herman, which I feel are a better narrator duo. Still, despite my issues with the Bergen scenes, I can safely say that Fun and Fancy Free is my favorite of these Disney ‘package films’. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it’s one of the company’s best ‘animated features’ but this one does bring back fond memories of watching it back when VHS was still relevant.

Rating: 4.5/5

MELODY TIME (1948)

Remember when I said that Make Mine Music is sort of like a ‘spiritual sequel’ to Fantasia? Well, 1948’s Melody Time is basically Make Mine Music’s ‘spiritual sequel’. It’s the same general premise; a series of animated shorts set mostly to contemporary music. This time, however, there are only seven segments but as a result, they’re much longer than some of the sequences in Make Mine Music. It opens with Once Upon a Wintertime, in which a pair of young couples (a human couple and a rabbit couple) enjoy a nice day of ice skating. Before I ever saw this film, I remember first seeing this ‘sequence’ on one of the Disney Sing Along Songs videos. As for its use in this film, I really like it, especially for its wintry setting. Bumble Boogie is an enjoyably chaotic sequence. It follows a single bumblebee as he wards off a bunch of instruments as they perform, fittingly enough, Flight of the Bumblebee. Like Blue Bayou in Make Mine Music, this segment was originally considered for Fantasia. Then there’s The Legend of Johnny Appleseed. This one’s a really great one, establishing a nice atmosphere and providing us with a fun retelling of the story of the legendary farmer who brought apple trees to various areas of the United States. Plus, the main song of this sequence, performed by Dennis Day (who voices the narrator (a ‘settler’), Johnny Appleseed, and the friendly angel who sends Johnny on his way), is quite catchy. Little Toot is a charming little tale of a tugboat who tries to stay out of trouble and act more like his father.

Trees is an animated adaptation of the 1913 poem of the same name by Joyce Kilmer. It’s quite arguably the most beautifully animated out of all of the segments in this film with some terrific nature animation. That is then followed by Blame it on the Samba, a toe-tapping segment in which Donald Duck, Jose Carioca, and the rowdy Aracuan bird that was first seen in The Three Caballeros have a fun time dancing to the samba. Like The Three Caballeros, it also features some scenes in which the animated characters interact with live-action people and as noted earlier it’s always really cool to see this implemented in a film. Finally, there’s Pecos Bill, another retelling of a legendary folktale, this one of the cowboy who had many adventures in Texas. This one is also pretty fun and features some good humorous moments. It’s the longest of the 7 segments and even features some live-action parts starring the segment’s narrator(s), Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers, as they tell the story to Bobby Driscoll (who starred in some notable live-action Disney films including Song of the South and Treasure Island and was the original voice for Disney’s Peter Pan) and Luana Patten (who of course had been in the previous Disney animated film Fun and Fancy Free). So with that said, Melody Time, like its ‘spiritual predecessor’, has a great array of animated shorts. But if I had to pick the better of the two films, I’d actually go with Melody Time. As I noted before, this one doesn’t have as many segments as Make Mine Music but this allows for the segments to be longer and as a result, I find them to be much more memorable. Ultimately, though, both are pretty darn good.  

Rating: 4.5/5

THE ADVENTURES OF ICHABOD AND MR. TOAD (1949)

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad is probably the most famous of the 40’s Disney ‘package films’ and it is understandable why. Like Fun and Fancy Free, this consists of two 30-minute short films and also like that film, both segments are incredibly memorable. The first of these is The Wind in the Willows, based off of the children’s novel of the same name by Kenneth Grahame and narrated by perhaps the most iconic on-screen Sherlock Holmes of them all, Basil Rathbone. It tells the tale of J. Thaddeus Toad, a rambunctious adventurer who becomes fascinated with motor cars. His obsession with them ends up resulting in him buying a car from a pack of weasels in exchange for the deed to his home, Toad Hall. However, this ends up backfiring on him and he is arrested on the charge of ‘car theft’. This is a very entertaining and light-hearted short full of fun characters and plenty of humorous scenes. Probably my favorite moment in the short is when Mr. Toad’s horse friend Cyril is on the witness stand defending him in court. When the judge pressures him into explaining how Toad acquired the motor car, Cyril responds by saying that he did it ‘the honest way’. And when the judge asks what the honest way is, Cyril jokingly responds “Haha, I thought you would’ve known that, guvnor!” But the finale in which Toad and friends try to steal the deed from the weasels and their leader, a conniving con man named Mr. Winky, is also full of humorous moments as well, being just as mad-cap as any other scene like it in Disney animation. Simply put, this whole story is enjoyably loony.

The other short is Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hallow, narrated by Bing Crosby. It’s the tale of schoolteacher Ichabod Crane and his run-in with the infamous spook, the Headless Horsemen. This segment actually starts off a lot like The Wind in the Willows and sets up a light-hearted tale in which we see Ichabod interact with the people of Sleepy Hollow, cross paths with the burly town hero Brom Bones, and fall in love with Katrina van Tassel, the daughter of a rich farmer. All of this is set quite well to a bunch of catchy tunes provided by Bing ‘boo boo boo boo boo boo’ Crosby. But this is ultimately just set-up for a particularly spooky finale in which Ichabod is confronted by the Headless Horsemen. Said finale is set up very well and establishes a really cool dark atmosphere. On a side note, as Channel Awesome’s Doug Walker pointed out in his review of the film, it’s interesting to note that despite the fact that he’s the main character in the piece, Ichabod is actually a rather smug egotist. Sure he may act like a charmer amongst the ladies of Sleepy Hollow but he also mooches off of people and when he decides to romantically pursue Katrina, he envisions himself taking over her father’s farm. This is a case where Ichabod’s ‘antagonist’ Brom Bones is actually sort of a more likable character… strange, right? Anyway, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad is another excellent entry in Disney’s line of package films. Both of its stories are quite excellent and because one is more zany and fast-paced while the other establishes a spooky atmosphere, that actually results in a neatly balanced double feature.

Rating: 4.5/5

And that, folks, is the end of this Disney Retrospective of Walt Disney Animation’s first 11 animated features. As always, thanks for following along with me on this journey through the history of Disney Animation. We’ve got one more of these to go before the big Disney related thing that I have planned for this blog in November. You can expect the final installment of these Disney Retrospectives sometime next month. Until then, as always, what are your thoughts on the Disney films discussed here today? Be sure to sound off in the comments below.