Best Disney film?

[Really Ancien]

I don't mind the drawing/animation in The Jungle Book - it's better than in The Aristocats and 101 Dalmatians, for a start. But the story is really badly told, the script is shockingly poor and some of the characters are utterly cringeworthy - the Beatles-esque vultures being the worst offenders.

What about the African-American apes?  It's like Martin Luther King never happened.

Surely Louis Prima and his band were Italian Americans using the 'Jive Talk' typical of Jazz musicians.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/rV8HrpOu1FA&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/rV8HrpOu1FA&rel=1</a>
I have to agree with Smutchin about the Scouse Vultures, the usual lazy sterotype about people from Liverpool.
Disney was never afraid of poetic license, Sammy the Way-Out Seal, was actually a Sea-Lion.

Damon.

[Eccentrica Gallumbits]

I don't think it was anything to do with negative Scouse stereotypes, I think they just wanted to make them Beatles-y to cash in on how popular the Beatles were then. Besides, the vultures might be a bit ropey, but Shere Khan looks like Jimmy Hill and the elephants are superb.

[citoyen]

I think they just wanted to make them Beatles-y to cash in on how popular the Beatles were then.

Yeah, but they're done so cack-handedly, they end up just looking like bad stereotype Scousers.

Couldn't they have persuaded the real Beatles to do the voices at least? The Indian theme would have been right up their street at that time.

I don't really see the apes in Jungle Book as racial stereotypes - they're just jazz enthusiasts, as Damon says. I think the worst racial stereotyping in any Disney film unfortunately comes in the best of them all - the "Jim Crows" in Dumbo. Fortunately, kids these days won't get the cultural reference and will only see them as funny characters, but it's a nasty blot on a great movie. Unless they're meant to be ironic, but somehow I doubt it.

d.

[rower40]

Can I nominate the final fight scene between Merlin and Morgaine some wart-ridden batty old witch in Sword in the Stone?
The rest of the film was adequate, but the sight-gags in the fight were just brilliant.
Otherwise, +1 for Jungle Book / Incredibles combo.

[Martin]

Herbie.

oh yeah I was wondering if they ever made a decent live action film before this came up;

except for that bloody music

Am I the only one who likes Hunchback?

yes

Fantasia reminds me of a cartoon version of the first 45 min opening sequence (or however long it was) of that Leni Riefenstahl film of the 1936 Berlin olympics

[Really Ancien]

Fantasia reminds me of a cartoon version of the first 45 min opening sequence (or however long it was) of that Leni Riefenstahl film of the 1936 Berlin olympics

That would be 'Olympiad'
Not to be confused with Triumph of the Will.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/5k736WZfB6U&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/5k736WZfB6U&rel=1</a>
or even
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/mZiRiIpZVF4&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/mZiRiIpZVF4&rel=1</a>

Damon.

[pcolbeck]

The AristoCats (1970) , hands down every time and still the best, got a special place in my heart that movie

Yeah +1 for the AristoCats. I love the animation style in this one and it was Pcolbeck juniors favourite when he was little. Cute kittens, an alcoholic goose and some great jazz what more can you want from a film.

[Martin]

Fantasia reminds me of a cartoon version of the first 45 min opening sequence (or however long it was) of that Leni Riefenstahl film of the 1936 Berlin olympics

That would be 'Olympiad'
Not to be confused with Triumph of the Will.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/5k736WZfB6U&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/5k736WZfB6U&rel=1</a>
or even
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/mZiRiIpZVF4&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/mZiRiIpZVF4&rel=1</a>

Damon.

that reminds me of this little Disney oddity that was shown on TV a few years ago
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/uou9qPDHmRk&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/uou9qPDHmRk&rel=1</a>

[Quisling]

Enchanted.

Mmmmmn, Amy Adams

[mattc]

I can't believe people are criticising DISNEY films for racism. They were made about a hundred years ago!

What next:
Banning the Merchant of Venice?
Boycotting cave art that only shows male hunters?

Just enjoy them for what they are.

M
p.s. Ancient / Modern : Jungle Book / Toy Story II, if they're allowed.

[clarion]

I like Jungle Book, though the vultures are a bit excruciating.  Most Disney films are sh1te and formulaic, right down to the 'He's dead! No he isn't after all!' schtick.

And it is fair to criticise something within the last half century for racism.  Our enlightened age didn't begin with the end of apartheid, you know, and it's still something we show our children.  What values do we want them to cherish?

I particularly hate Dumbo, because there is a subplot about, IIRC, the clowns, which was shoddy anti-union propaganda.

Disney supported McCarthy, of course.

The Pixar films are brilliant.