Your Favorite Underated Disney Flick

Yert3

Well-Known Member
Great shout. It's sad it's been so repressed.

I'm not really sure how the world sees the Hunchback of Notre Dame, but you certainly don't hear much about it. Compared to The Lion King for example, which was from the same era, but is lauded constantly. The Hunchback is definitely one of my favourites, and dare I say it, the songs are far more memorable than the overrated stuff in The Lion King. Not that I didn't like The Lion King, it's still great, but not the best IMO.

The Emperors New Groove is a funny one, it was at the back end of Disney's Golden era so I don't think that many people have seen it. The majority that have seen it love it from what I can tell though. It's not your classic Disney-style film, it's when Disney was evolving and the humour is different. So that might be another reason why it's 'underrated'. I think it's one of the best.

I always thought Hercules was really popular. Is it not? Saw that Nostalgia Critic geezer slating it on Youtube and i wasn't having that. The Bumder.

I remember really liking the Sword and the Stone when I was younger. Haven't seen it in years though.

Robin Hood I liked better when I was younger. I watched it recently and while it's still good, you can see why it's not considered one of the best.

I'll add The Aristocats in there. Doesn't get a huge amount of mentions but it's got some great characters. That Thomas O'Malley is one groovy cat.

And Everybody wants to be a cat is an all-time classic.
Dude. Great taste. A lot of my favorite Disney animations are the movies produced and directed by Woolie Reitherman. It's too bad they're just slightly less looked down on than the package films, which I love as well. I swear, the general public has such poor taste. Not to say the movies that get praised don't deserve it, it's just that there are so many good Disney movies that people don't give a chance because "they didn't grow up with them."
 

englanddg

One Little Spark...
Labrynth (though, this was really a Henson / Lucas movie).



If you haven't seen it, it's worth keeping an eye out on discount DVDs at Walmart. It shows up every now and then for like five dollars. Awesome movie.

I shared it with my daughter when she was 6, and it is now her favorite, but I'll note...the beginning is rather dark and creepy, and every kid I've watched it with under the age of 10 who hadn't seen it was scared by it until the movie really starts rolling. So, don't be surprised if your kid buries into your lap (or ducks under a blanket) during that part.

Other interesting trivia...the film flopped commercially (even though being vastly superior to Dark Crystal, I think), bringing in nearly half of the budget used to produce it. This frustrated Henson, and as a result, this is the last movie he ever directed before his death in 1990.

Also, the owl was the first attempted photo-realistic CGI character on screen. And, if you see the movie, you'll see they did a great job (and foreshadowing of where CGI was going).

Hoggle (one of the supporting characters) constantly has his name mispronounced by the main characters, which frustrates him to no end. After their meeting, Sarah (the female lead) calls him "Hogwart". Hogwart comes from a British humor book "The Compleet Molesworth". Though, now it's known for other reasons (I'm looking at you JK Rowling!)

Anyhow, it's a fun and cute movie with great David Bowie music in it. Check it out!
 

champdisney

Well-Known Member
Robin Hood. One of my favorite animated films yet very underrated, at times I find myself randomly whistling the intro. Everytime that I'd do that I'll have friends and co-workers come up to me and ask "Hey, where's that from? I've heard it before but I can't remember the name of the movie." I'll reply with a smile and remind them that it's from Robin Hood and they'll mark out and say "Oh man! I loved that movie as a kid!" So I think Robin Hood isn't necessarily forgotten from the public, it's just Disney pushing other characters instead.

The Great Mouse Detective also comes to mind as it is beyond a great classic.
 

Chrononymous

Well-Known Member
Original Poster
I was just reminded today of another forgotten flick that I really like...

James and the Giant Peach.

I guess I keep forgetting it's actually a Disney movie, since I first read it in the fourth grade!
 

AllyInWonderland

Well-Known Member
I have recently become slightly obsessed with The Three Caballeros. I have pretty much fallen in love with Panchito and Jose. :p


I have also watched the Sleepy Hollow segment of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. Ichabod is just silly and just so darn attractive! ;)
 
I have recently become slightly obsessed with The Three Caballeros. I have pretty much fallen in love with Panchito and Jose. :p


I have also watched the Sleepy Hollow segment of Ichabod and Mr. Toad. Ichabod is just silly and just so darn attractive! ;)
Wish they would release both of those movies on Disney Blu Ray.
My favorite underrated movies are Meet the Robinsons, Bolt, and the Black Cauldron.
 

MOXOMUMD

Well-Known Member
Robin Hood, The Emperor's New Groove and Roger Rabbit. I've watched Roger Rabbit so much I can turn down the sound and do all the dialogue from memory. It's nice to see that Cartoon Network has Roger in their movie Flicks rotation so he's featured every other month. Keeps some awareness of who he is still going.
 

MOXOMUMD

Well-Known Member
Labrynth (though, this was really a Henson / Lucas movie).



If you haven't seen it, it's worth keeping an eye out on discount DVDs at Walmart. It shows up every now and then for like five dollars. Awesome movie.

I shared it with my daughter when she was 6, and it is now her favorite, but I'll note...the beginning is rather dark and creepy, and every kid I've watched it with under the age of 10 who hadn't seen it was scared by it until the movie really starts rolling. So, don't be surprised if your kid buries into your lap (or ducks under a blanket) during that part.

Other interesting trivia...the film flopped commercially (even though being vastly superior to Dark Crystal, I think), bringing in nearly half of the budget used to produce it. This frustrated Henson, and as a result, this is the last movie he ever directed before his death in 1990.

Also, the owl was the first attempted photo-realistic CGI character on screen. And, if you see the movie, you'll see they did a great job (and foreshadowing of where CGI was going).

Hoggle (one of the supporting characters) constantly has his name mispronounced by the main characters, which frustrates him to no end. After their meeting, Sarah (the female lead) calls him "Hogwart". Hogwart comes from a British humor book "The Compleet Molesworth". Though, now it's known for other reasons (I'm looking at you JK Rowling!)

Anyhow, it's a fun and cute movie with great David Bowie music in it. Check it out!


"You remind me of the man. What man? The man with the power......" :cool: Love it!
 

Magenta Panther

Well-Known Member
Labrynth (though, this was really a Henson / Lucas movie).



If you haven't seen it, it's worth keeping an eye out on discount DVDs at Walmart. It shows up every now and then for like five dollars. Awesome movie.

I shared it with my daughter when she was 6, and it is now her favorite, but I'll note...the beginning is rather dark and creepy, and every kid I've watched it with under the age of 10 who hadn't seen it was scared by it until the movie really starts rolling. So, don't be surprised if your kid buries into your lap (or ducks under a blanket) during that part.

Other interesting trivia...the film flopped commercially (even though being vastly superior to Dark Crystal, I think), bringing in nearly half of the budget used to produce it. This frustrated Henson, and as a result, this is the last movie he ever directed before his death in 1990.

Also, the owl was the first attempted photo-realistic CGI character on screen. And, if you see the movie, you'll see they did a great job (and foreshadowing of where CGI was going).

Hoggle (one of the supporting characters) constantly has his name mispronounced by the main characters, which frustrates him to no end. After their meeting, Sarah (the female lead) calls him "Hogwart". Hogwart comes from a British humor book "The Compleet Molesworth". Though, now it's known for other reasons (I'm looking at you JK Rowling!)

Anyhow, it's a fun and cute movie with great David Bowie music in it. Check it out!


But NOT a Disney flick. At all. So why is it in this thread?

BTW, I saw Labyrinth long ago. And HATED it. JMHO.
 

Magenta Panther

Well-Known Member
Bolt was great and I also enjoyed Meet the Robinsons.


Bolt was awesome. Man, I nearly cried when



SPOILER


Bolt thought Penny had abandoned him. I even liked the usual ditzy sidekick character - Rhino, the hamster. But you know..my one quibble is that I kind of wished that Bolt had somehow actually had those awesome powers. Because the first few minutes of the movie is just amazing. I think it'd be cool if Disney made a Bolt TV show. Ah well...
 

ttalovebug

Active Member
Hunchback and Pocahontas, for sure. Hunchback has one of Menken's greatest and most epic scores, the most powerful opening of any Disney film by far, and the greatest villain song of all time- Hellfire ftw.

Pocahontas' score, also, moves me beyond belief. The final section of the score ("farewell" on the soundtrack) where Pocahontas is running after the ship is so stunning. And the animation has such a naturalistic quality that makes the characters seem more real and human than in any other Disney animated film. I just happen to think it's an artistic masterpiece. Historical accuracy be damned, I love it. (Think of it as AU fan fiction. ;))

I would say Tarzan and Hercules, but are these really underrated? Hercules moreso, though Go the Distance has certainly lived on. And Tarzan's score is pretty well-known, I would say.

I forgot Treasure Planet and Emperor's New Groove- both awesome.
 

216bruce

Well-Known Member
Glad to see Hunchback getting some love here. I soooo agree that the music in it is among the best in any Disney movie. It's definitely not a kids movie in any way, shape, or form. I bet that that's why it wasn't a success in the way Lion King was. Esmerelda dancing in "the fire" during "Hellfire" and in her first dance number is pretty adult stuff as is the whole Frollo obsession with her, especially if you know that Frollo was originally a religious figure. Great movie!
 

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