Favorite Live-Action Film?

[Matt_Black]

Basically, what's your favorite Disney live-action film? And, to keep things simple, we're just going to count movies released through Walt Disney Pictures, and not Touchstone or other brands.

And yes, blah blah Mary Poppins. We all know how great it is. It's a wonderful film, despite Dick Van 's accent. I mean ASIDE from that obvious choice, what are your favorites?

For me...

20,000 Leagues Under the Sea- Most Disney films tend to be very simple, morally speaking. The bad guy is bad, and the good guy is good. Here, the "hero" is pretty much a jerk through the movie, albeit very charming, and the "villain" raises several good points. More importantly, the anti-militaristic message still resonates. Throw in the fact that there's a KIRK DOUGLAS MUSICAL NUMBER, and you've got a solid, smart sci-fi classic.

More to come from me later; how about you all?

 

[Gomer]

Outside of Poppins? Then I'd have to go with Swiss Family Robinson. I must have watched that movie a thousand times as a kid and I still love it as an adult. As a child it captured a spirit of adventure that I craved while still being something that seemed realistic to me. Real people getting shipwrecked and not only surviving, but thriving and enjoying living with nature is something that has always appealed to me. Great story, great cast, great location, and one awesome treehouse.

 

[Matt_Black]

Hey, is anyone else seeing Dick Van 's name all starred out like I said something dirty? It's a good thing I didn't mention Gus, featuring Dick Butkus.

 

[216bruce]

"20,000 Leagues" and a close second is "So Dear to My Heart". "Pollyanna" takes home the Bronze medal.

 

[MOXOMUMD]

Hey, is anyone else seeing **** Van ****'s name all starred out like I said something dirty? It's a good thing I didn't mention Gus, featuring **** Butkus.

Well that's interesting. I read a post last night that had ***hole (I self-censored that) in it not censored. Anywho, I love Pollyanna.

 

[OSUgirl77]

If I can't choose Mary Poppins, then I would have to say Bedknobs and Broomsticks and Pollyanna. I also loved Treasure Island when I was a kid.

 

[216bruce]

Does "Song of the South" count as live-action? If so, I need to reconsider. It's become so 'forbidden' that I feel even mentioning it is wrong.

 

[prberk]

Obviously you all have not seen Old Yeller!! It wins hands-down for me. It had a major impact on me when I was younger, and of course has become a cultur icon. Of course it is famous for a major scene with Travis and the dog toward the end, but I also think a lot of other things were done well in it.

The scene where Chuck Connors comes in to reclaim his lost dog and Kevin Corcoran won't let him is really well done, including both the "from Kevin's perspective" shot of Chuck, as well as the way Chuck deals with Kevin (trading the dog for a genuine horney toad) and the way that Chuck pulls Travis aside to treat him like the man of the house and warn him about dangers around. (By the way, this was done before Chuck Connors did "The Rifleman" on TV, but it reminded me of a what a good man Chuck was in the way that he approached characters where he was responsible for kids, as he did in "The Rifleman" as well, co-starring with Johnny Crawford as his son, Mark. Seemed to be genuine. Great male role model in many of his characters.)

All around I think it is a movie that defined Disney for so long, and really I wish every kid should see it.

By the way also, did you know that they sell "Old Yeller" dog food at Kroger? The bag has a picture of Kevin Corcoran riding Old Yeller through the field. Someone still recognizes it, obviously. My mother works at Kroger, and she says it sells well.

 

[stevehousse]

I loved Pollyanna as a kid, but my absolute favorite is Return to OZ!

 

[SosoDude]

Toby Tyler joins the Circus, Old Yeller, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks are three of my (and my 8 yo sons) favorites.

 

[stevehousse]

Toby Tyler joins the Circus, Old Yeller, and Bedknobs and Broomsticks are three of my (and my 8 yo sons) favorites.

Omg add bed knobs and broomsticks to my list! How could I have forgotten!

It's a tie for me between that and return to oz.

 

[Sweet Melissa]

I would love to say that my favorite is one of the classics I grew up watching over and over, like Old Yeller or The Swiss Family Robinson, but the dirty, shameful truth is that I will choose Hocus Pocus over just about anything. What can I say? It captured my imagination.

 

[Magenta Panther]

I see no issue with Dick Van 's accent in Poppins. Will kids - even British kids - notice or care? I doubt it. I sure as heck didn't give a darn about it when I saw the movie as a kid. The accent helped define Bert's character while letting Dick's comedic vocal stylings shine through. Van 's Cockney accent has become such a tired meme, repeated mostly by folks who wouldn't know a true Cockney accent if they heard it. Lor' love a duck, it's a bit overdone, innit?

Anyway, my fave Disney live-action film (aside from Poppins) is...Pirates of the Caribbean. Followed by Song of the South.

EDIT: Aw for crying out loud!!!! I can't even type the guy's name without the Politically Correct Fascist Language Overlord asterisking it out??? What the #@?!!!!

 

[wvdisneyfamily]

The Ugly Dachshund!

 

[MerMom1981]

I have to go with Enchanted

Any Adams is adorable, and I love a movie that makes fun of itself

 

[disneypearl]

I really enjoy:
Pirates of the Caribbean (Curse of the Black Pearl)
Pirates of the Caribbean (On Stranger Tides)
Enchanted
Song of the South

*The Buddies Movies - I pick these because I started watching these while waiting to get my Golden Retriever puppy. The puppies are cute to watch even though the movies are not very exciting.

 

[erasure fan1]

Yea I'll go with 20,000 leagues, Curse of the black pearl and Treasure island.