I've just finished all 54 animated classics

[ShoalFox]

I just finished watching Dinosaur a few minutes ago, and with that I've now watched all 54 movies from Walt Disney Animation Studios. This post is going to be a bit of a personal retrospective, so bear with me.

Way back when I was just like everyone else when it came to Disney: I enjoyed the parks and the movies, but I didn't really know much beyond the basics. Then in 2008 I became enthralled with the history of the parks. I then considered myself a Disney fan, but I only knew about or cared for the parks.

About a year ago in January I decided to watch Robin Hood late one night, because I thought "why not." Long story short, I loved it and in the following weekend I ended up watching two more movies that now occupy my top 10 Disney movies, The Aristocats and The Fox and the Hound. Being me, I looked up the movies online trying to find more animal movies made by Disney and soon found out that all in all there were 54, varying in genre and style. That weekend I made it my goal to watch all 54 in preparation for the 55th, Zootopia.

Along the way I not only gained an appreciation for Disney animation, but animation as a whole, taking numerous breaks to watch animations by Studio Ghibli, Don Bluth, and more. I watched many movies that I would have otherwise ignored or never heard of. I found that many 'classics' weren't all they were cracked up to be and many forgotten entries in Disney's lineup were some of their best.

My top 10 Disney movies can be viewed in my profile, but you can probably tell from my username which is my favorite (well, tied for my favorite anyway). The journey through all 54 was undoubtedly very long and sometimes tedious when it came to movies like Make Mine Music. Toward the end I ran out of the well known movies, and I was not looking forward to the ones I had left at that point. Even the final one I watched, Dinosaur, was difficult for me to get through. I am very happy that my newfound knowledge of Disney's vault has gotten me back into theaters and has allowed me to understand many references in the parks better.

 

[ForeverAnna]

I'm currently working on watching all 54 in order. I've seen them all before so nothing new or unexpected but it's interesting to watch the development. I'm currently in the middle of the painful period of the 2000s. Watched Treasure Planet tonight. Brother Bear is next. 11 films and 20 days until Zootopia.

 

[ShoalFox]

I'm currently working on watching all 54 in order. I've seen them all before so nothing new or unexpected but it's interesting to watch the development. I'm currently in the middle of the painful period of the 2000s. Watched Treasure Planet tonight. Brother Bear is next. 11 films and 20 days until Zootopia.

I hope you enjoyed Treasure Planet as much as I did. It's a real hidden gem (pardon the pun)!

 

[Schneewittchen]

Well done.

Are you now qualified to tell us which in your opinion is the worst and not worth $7.49 from the Disney Movie Club? I assume that's how you did it.

I'm on my way to a silmilar goal as well, just not so organized. I'm trying to watch all of the Disney Studios animated, hybrid and Pixar films.

 

[ShoalFox]

Well done.

Are you now qualified to tell us which in your opinion is the worst and not worth $7.49 from the Disney Movie Club? I assume that's how you did it.

I'm on my way to a silmilar goal as well, just not so organized. I'm trying to watch all of the Disney Studios animated, hybrid and Pixar films.

If any of them are even on there, stay away from the musical package films Make Mine Music and Melody Time. Dinosaur is okay to watch once, but I'm not sure I would get it on Blu-ray.

 

[ForeverAnna]

You'll have to decide for yourself. I love Make Mine Music and Melidy Time.

 

[Schneewittchen]

If any of them are even on there, stay away from the musical package films Make Mine Music and Melody Time. Dinosaur is okay to watch once, but I'm not sure I would get it on Blu-ray.

I'm a weirdo. I like the 40's musical package films. I'm a child of the 70's and I remember getting cable in 1983 and how wonderful the Disney Channel was to my 7 year old self. They had the old vignettes on heavy rotation in those years; Lake Titicaca, Pedro, Casey at Bat, Peter and the Wolf, Mickey and the Beanstalk, Once Upon a Wintertime, Pecos Bill, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
It seems to me that there were a lot of misses produced between 1977 and 1988.

 

[RandomPrincess]

I haven't seen Bolt or the new Winnie the Pooh from 2011. I need to get on it.

 

[ForeverAnna]

IMO Bolt is ok. A definite improvement on most of the films that immediately proceeded it. Winnie the Pooh is a delight.

 

[ShoalFox]

I haven't seen Bolt or the new Winnie the Pooh from 2011. I need to get on it.

Personally I love Bolt. I saw it in theaters back in 2008 and I learned to love it again when I rewatched it during the year.

 

[Figments Friend]

I haven't seen Bolt or the new Winnie the Pooh from 2011. I need to get on it.

I just recently saw 'Bolt' at a friends and was actually very surprised at how entertaining it was.
It was not what i was expecting, but the film barely registered in my mind back when it was originally released and being marketed.

I highly recommend checking it out.
Some truly fun animated moments, and a emotional kicker within the plot of well.
I don't normally speak this highly of CGI animated films ( a format i'm not a big fan of ) but 'Bolt' delivered for being interesting, fun, entertaining, and having a sweet spot.

Do check it out.

 

[Figments Friend]

I just finished watching Dinosaur a few minutes ago, and with that I've now watched all 54 movies from Walt Disney Animation Studios. This post is going to be a bit of a personal retrospective, so bear with me.

Way back when I was just like everyone else when it came to Disney: I enjoyed the parks and the movies, but I didn't really know much beyond the basics. Then in 2008 I became enthralled with the history of the parks. I then considered myself a Disney fan, but I only knew about or cared for the parks.

About a year ago in January I decided to watch Robin Hood late one night, because I thought "why not." Long story short, I loved it and in the following weekend I ended up watching two more movies that now occupy my top 10 Disney movies, The Aristocats and The Fox and the Hound. Being me, I looked up the movies online trying to find more animal movies made by Disney and soon found out that all in all there were 54, varying in genre and style. That weekend I made it my goal to watch all 54 in preparation for the 55th, Zootopia.

Along the way I not only gained an appreciation for Disney animation, but animation as a whole, taking numerous breaks to watch animations by Studio Ghibli, Don Bluth, and more. I watched many movies that I would have otherwise ignored or never heard of. I found that many 'classics' weren't all they were cracked up to be and many forgotten entries in Disney's lineup were some of their best.

My top 10 Disney movies can be viewed in my profile, but you can probably tell from my avatar which is my favorite (well, tied for my favorite anyway). The journey through all 54 was undoubtedly very long and sometimes tedious when it came to movies like Make Mine Music. Toward the end I ran out of the well known movies, and I was not looking forward to the ones I had left at that point. Even the final one I watched, Dinosaur, was difficult for me to get through. I am very happy that my newfound knowledge of Disney's vault has gotten me back into theaters and has allowed me to understand many references in the parks better.

Well congrats are in order...!
Always a pleasure hearing about someone recently 'discovering' some of these long lost gems.

Are there some standout films for you...some favorites?
Are there some exceptionally memorable, or emotionally impactful animated scenes that stand out for you?
What films did you find were not much to your liking...and the reasons?

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts.

Now that you have watched the animated collection, i recommend taking some time to enjoy Disney's live action film canon..particularly the earlier films such as '20,000 Leagues Under The Sea' and 'Mary Poppins' in full.

Happy viewing!



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[ShoalFox]

Well congrats are in order...!
Always a pleasure hearing about someone recently 'discovering' some of these long lost gems.

Are there some standout films for you...some favorites?
Are there some exceptionally memorable, or emotionally impactful animated scenes that stand out for you?
What films did you find were not much to your liking...and the reasons?

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts.

Now that you have watched the animated collection, i recommend taking some time to enjoy Disney's live action film canon..particularly the earlier films such as '20,000 Leagues Under The Sea' and 'Mary Poppins' in full.

Happy viewing!



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Treasure Planet is one of the movies I was blown away by how good it was. It's now up there in my top five. Really all of Disney's animated adventures, The Black Cauldron, Atlantis, and Treasure Planet, stood out to me. I wish Disney would make more animated adventures.
I can't think of many emotionally impactful scenes, but during Aladdin and The Lion King I can't help but tear up for some of the songs.
The movies that disappointed me the most were the Fantasias, Dumbo, and Rescuers Down Under. Fantasia I found boring, but appreciated the art. As for Dumbo and Down Under, I initially disliked both, but found them tolerable upon watching them again. In Down Under I just found the kid they were supposed to be saving insufferable. Dumbo I thought was just a sob story.

And I do have Mary Poppins on VHS; it was one of the many movies I distracted myself with when I took breaks from the animated canon.

 

[ShoalFox]

In addition I thought that Home On the Range (first time watching) and Chicken Little (re-watch because I didn't remember much) weren't as bad as everyone says, but the latter's animation has aged horribly.

My favorite princess movie was Sleeping Beauty by far. My favorite movie from the Renaissance was, and still is The Lion King. I don't think the dark age should be called that either as all 8 films are pretty respectable, especially the last two. The Great Mouse Detective and Oliver and Company both seemed like they could've been remembered fondly just like the Disney Renaissance, but weren't for whatever reason.

 

[Figments Friend]

Treasure Planet is one of the movies I was blown away by how good it was. It's now up there in my top five. Really all of Disney's animated adventures, The Black Cauldron, Atlantis, and Treasure Planet, stood out to me. I wish Disney would make more animated adventures.
I can't think of many emotionally impactful scenes, but during Aladdin and The Lion King I can't help but tear up for some of the songs.
The movies that disappointed me the most were the Fantasias, Dumbo, and Rescuers Down Under. Fantasia I found boring, but appreciated the art. As for Dumbo and Down Under, I initially disliked both, but found them tolerable upon watching them again. In Down Under I just found the kid they were supposed to be saving insufferable. Dumbo I thought was just a sob story.

And I do have Mary Poppins on VHS; it was one of the many movies I distracted myself with when I took breaks from the animated canon.

I am very pleased to hear you so enjoyed 'Treasure Planet'.
It truly is a great film...beautiful to look at but with a lot of depth in both the design and characters.
I've be a raving fan of it since release, and it is good to see someone else find it and enjoy it as much.
You would be surprised by how many folks dismiss it.

'The Black Cauldron' is also a interesting film.
I saw upon original release in 1985 and it was stunning for several reasons, one being on how 'dark' it was for a 'Disney film' at that time.
I remember parents pulling kids out of their seats mid-way through and walking out...it was that shocking at the time for some people.
I loved it. Loved that moody edge, and the Horned King and his minions.

'Atlantis' i enjoy more now then when i saw it the first time.
It's one of those animated oddities that defied the typical 'Disney film' trappings and went for something far more mature in some respects.
I like it better now after repeated viewings.

'The Rescuers Down Under' i like...primarily the animation, and overall 'look' of the film, and the great musical score.
It was a treat to see those 'flying' sequences in a movie theater at the time.
Cody ( the boy ) was nothing overly memorable...just your typical kid that the kids in the audience can relate to.
Jake, the kangeroo mouse they meet in the Outback, was enjoyable next to the two main characters Bernard and Bianca.
There is some great character animation done for them, particularly in their introduction scene at the restaurant.

'Dumbo' i consider a classic and it's a sweet little story about a character taking his 'imperfections' and turning them around to his advantage.
While by today's standards the pacing of the story may seem slow, if you invest in the emotional state of the main character everything comes together nicely.
The scenes with Dumbo and his mothers always draw a tear, and i'm not a parent.
Just a sweet little film where the teased underdog wins in the end...and wins big.
I think everyone can relate to that....or at least hope to see that.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts!



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'Fantastia' and 'Fantasic 2000' i agree can be rather dull at times, but for pure artistic scope the original 'Fantasia' is nothing short of spectacular.
Certain sequences still blow me away....and there are a few segments in the 'sequel' that are also impressive and entertaining.

 

[Figments Friend]

In addition I thought that Home On the Range (first time watching) and Chicken Little (re-watch because I didn't remember much) weren't as bad as everyone says, but the latter's animation has aged horribly.

My favorite princess movie was Sleeping Beauty by far. My favorite movie from the Renaissance was, and still is The Lion King. I don't think the dark age should be called that either as all 8 films are pretty respectable, especially the last two. The Great Mouse Detective and Oliver and Company both seemed like they could've been remembered fondly just like the Disney Renaissance, but weren't for whatever reason.

'Home on the Range' and 'Chicken Little' did nothing for me.
I borrowed both from a friend just for curiosity sake, and both disappointed.
There was nothing appealing about HOTR for me, and although i really liked the design of the character of Chicken Little himself i never felt the voice casting matched him well.


'Sleeping Beauty' is a ....no pun intended....utterly beautiful film.
The art, design, music...colors...it's just glorious to look at.
Some very memorable characters too, primarily the Kings, Fairies, and of course the incredibly awesome Maleficent.
One of my all time fave animated films, for sure.


'The Great Mouse Detective' and 'Oliver & Company' are both enjoyable, and at the time of their first release in the mid 1980s did well at the box office.
'Oliver' did better because it was riding on the coattails of the then-new resurgence of interest in animation thanks to the runaway success of 1986s 'An American Tail' by Don Bluth Studios and 1988s 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' by Amblin / Disney.
'The Little Mermaid' was released the following winter and by then the resurgence of interest had reached mainstream audiences, resulting in many going to see it that likely otherwise would not have otherwise bothered to in theaters.

The fact that 'Mermaid' accomplished that, and was of course a wonderful film in it's own right, is why it is generally regarded as the start of the 'Renaissance' period at WDFA.
In reality, it was started by Bluth's 'An American Tail' and later 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'.

-

 

[Dead2009]

That takes dedication. How long ago did you start watching them in order? Did you marathon them? Or did you watch one every now and then.

 

[ShoalFox]

That takes dedication. How long ago did you start watching them in order? Did you marathon them? Or did you watch one every now and then.

I didn't watch them in order, not even close. As I said, I started back in January last year. There were periods where I'd binge multiple ones over a few days and other periods, like the final stretch, where it'd be weeks between movies.

 

[ForeverAnna]

I'm watching in order. I started in November. It was in fits and starts. I'd watch several then go a few weeks then watch a few more. About three weeks ago I decided I needed to watch them all before Zootopia comes out. I had just watched 101 Dalmations which meant I had 40 days to watch 37 movies. Most day I try to watch at least one. Two weekends ago I watched 8 in 3 days. Fox and the Hound through Aladdin. It's a lot of movies. Especially since I'm also trying to watch all the films nominated in major categories before the Academy Awards.