Disney Renaissance

[ClassyCo]

Yess, and I usually love Phil Collins, but I don't like this one at all!

Well, I must admit that is a little baffling to me. TARZAN was a favorite of mine as a kid, and even though I didn't like it quite as much as I did when I was a kid, I still really like it. The soundtrack, for me, is fantastic and they're all songs I can listen to outside of the context of the movie.

But, as they say, to each their own.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Well if lists are happening, how can I resist.

This is where I miss the pre-crash information, as I did my definitive ranking in the old Disney thread, fresh from watching. I do recall that Beauty and the Beast was my #1 of all the Disney Classics I watched then (I'm feeling that wouldn't be the case now and Sleeping Beauty would probably reclaim top slot).


Apart from The Lion King, I've only watched each film from the Renaissance Era once and that was a decade or so ago. But I think it would look something like this:

1. Beauty and the Beast
2. The Lion King
3. The Little Mermaid
4. The Hunchback Of Notre-Dame
5. Tarzan
6. Pocahontas
7. Mulan
8. Aladdin
9. Hercules

While I have the Blu-ray, I've yet to watch The Rescuers Down Under. The original film ranked very highly for me in my Disney marathon, though, so I'm hopeful the sequel would come somewhere in the middle of the above list, if not higher.

 

[ClassyCo]

While I have the Blu-ray, I've yet to watch The Rescuers Down Under. The original film ranked very highly for me in my Disney marathon, though, so I'm hopeful the sequel would come somewhere in the middle of the above list, if not higher.

I almost felt like I was cheating by not watching THE RESCUERS DOWN UNDER because it, technically, is inside the Disney Renaissance. However, it doesn't look like it should be, and considering it's a sequel to another movie I've never seen, I just decided to skip it entirely. I might go back and watch the original RESCUERS and DOWN UNDER just to see, but I might not.

 

[Toni]

I almost felt like I was cheating by not watching THE RESCUERS DOWN UNDER because it, technically, is inside the Disney Renaissance. However, it doesn't look like it should be, and considering it's a sequel to another movie I've never seen, I just decided to skip it entirely. I might go back and watch the original RESCUERS and DOWN UNDER just to see, but I might not.

Rescuers might be a big surprise for you. Cruella is Snow White compared to its villainess Madame Medusa. The sequel is ok but the animation is top notch, and the songless score by Dallas's Bruce Broughton is refreshing and lively.

 

[Toni]

Well, I must admit that is a little baffling to me. TARZAN was a favorite of mine as a kid, and even though I didn't like it quite as much as I did when I was a kid, I still really like it. The soundtrack, for me, is fantastic and they're all songs I can listen to outside of the context of the movie.

But, as they say, to each their own.

I know it's not Renaissance but I prefer Brother Bear's soundtrack by Collins. But that's moi! Lol

 

[Mel O'Drama]

I might go back and watch the original RESCUERS and DOWN UNDER just to see, but I might not.

Watching all the films in release order, I found the Seventies films quite a trudge to get through, but that all changed when I got to The Rescuers and found a film with real heart.

I remember Down Under had a cinema release and I believe did pretty well. Unusual for a Disney sequel which mostly seem to go straight to home media. But then this was the very first of the Disney sequels.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Beauty And The Beast
The Disney remake is OK but not an improvement in the way Sleeping Beauty was, and then there's the 1940s masterpiece by Jean Cocteau therefore I don't really need a different version.

The Little Mermaid
It certainly was a great idea to start the Renaissance with a classic fairy tale, sort of an anchor that allows them to explore different kinds of literature but still with that sense of magic intact. As it happened in Classic Disney.
I can't think of a single thing that I find offensive and Ursula is a strong villain, but Ariel is kinda wishy-washy watery compared to the extremely tragic original mermaid.
Not that I would expect that to see in a Disney version but at the same time I'm very aware of it.

Aladdin
This should have been the best and there is a lot to love, especially the protagonist and antagonist.
Casting Robin Williams as Genie, well at least I can understand they would squeeze every drop out of it but too often it's "look at me! Not Aladdin, me! I have another thing to show!"
On top of everything we get the WORST Disney character ever created, Iago, trying to upstage Genie.
I do love Aladdin's sidekick, Magic Carpet. He can't speak and that means he can't shout.
It's a very mixed bag and I like the idea of a Disney Aladdin better than the film itself.

The Lion King
I've never been a fan of Disney's OnlyAnimals movies except for Lady And The Tramp (because it's so gorgeous)
Furthermore, I had to sit through the live action musical version of it and it's not one of my most cherished memories.


The Hunchback Of Notre Dame
Great in its serious and darker moments but also rather schmaltz in approach to the Quasimodo character. Perhaps this wasn't the best choice for a Disney makeover.

Hercules
This time I really enjoyed the wacky pop culture references. Hades borrows too much from Genie and that makes him one of the weakest Disney Villains imo. To compare, Prince John (Robin Hood) is not one of my favourites but at least he has a very villainous voice.
Overall, I find it more rewatchable than Hunchback or Aladdin.

I've never seen all of:
Tarzan
Pocahontas
Mulan
It's just not what I want from Disney.

 

[Mel O'Drama]

Aladdin
This should have been the best and there is a lot to love, especially the protagonist and antagonist.
Casting Robin Williams as Genie, well at least I can understand they would squeeze every drop out of it but too often it's "look at me! Not Aladdin, me! I have another thing to show!"
On top of everything we get the WORST Disney character ever created, Iago, trying to upstage Genie.
I do love Aladdin's sidekick, Magic Carpet. He can't speak and that means he can't shout.
It's a very mixed bag and I like the idea of a Disney Aladdin better than the film itself.

This is essentially my take on Aladdin. From memory, it's the Disney Classic where my opinion changed most drastically as I watched. It started strong, looked sumptuous and was engaging and full of Eastern promise, especially with Jafar... but it lost me as soon as the Genie appeared.

 

[Willie Oleson]

I assume they felt the demand to make these 1990s films as entertaining and blockbustery as possible, and so the cartoony stuff became more prevalent, faster and LOUDER than the comic relief in the Classic Disney films. It changed the balance between art and entertainment.

Incidentally, now that Disney has become a remake factory I find it surprising that they're not using the back catalogue of Disney short films e.g. The Pied Piper, The Big Bad Wolf and Babes In The Woods. I'd love to see feature length versions of those in the classsic animated style.