Monday, February 9, 2015

Some Essential Must See Disney Movies For All

By Beryl Dalton


The California based Walt Disney Studios, has produced fifty-four Disney feature films since 1937 and the release of Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs. At regular intervals movies are released with the latest Big Hero 6. This was released in 2014.

These animated movies fall into various genres, including musicals (Jungle Book (1967), Frozen (2013)), fairy stories (Cinderella (1950), Sleeping Beauty (1959)), history (Pocahontas (1995), The Hunchback of Notre-Dame (1996)), and animal tales (The Lady and the Tramp (1955), The Aristocats (1970)).

Disney also produces the 'live actor with animated character' genre well with such classics as Mary Poppins (1964), with Julie Andrews as the title character. Ironically, the author of the Poppins books, upon which the film was based had insisted that all the actors should be English. One wonders how Dick Van Dyke was able to slip his atrocious English accent past her.

Additionally I am sure all children from 1971 onwards have twisted the knobs on the end of their bed posts in an attempt to travel to the Isle of Naboombu like the lucky kids in Bedknobs & Broomsticks were able to do.

Disney movies are for everyone, although the biggest hits are those enjoyed by adults too. Kids like to watch these movies on a daily basis and it helps if they are fun for parents too. A list of A-list celebrities appear as voices in the movies including the vibrant performance of the late Robin Williams, Aladdin (1992), or Whoopi Goldberg for The Lion King (1994).

Everyone has a favourite Disney movie, and not always one from their own childhood; just one that appealed, amused, or generally made the viewer feel good. A classic Disney movie is The Jungle Book (1967), with ridiculously catchy music which has survived the test of time. No one can fail to dance around to I wanna be like you. The latest musical is Frozen (2013), where Let it Go has been used in TV adverts in the UK, played on a loop through December 2014. Not the best Disney movie, but everyone should see Frozen just so they can see what the fuss is about.

A great swashbuckling tale is Peter Pan featuring pirates, small children residing in the woods, a ticking clock inside a crocodile, and lots of fights. However what Disney does well are romances, of which there are many. One that stands out is Little Mermaid (1989) which tells a love story between a man and mermaid . Some wonderfully bouncy tunes like Under the Sea bright colours and loveable characters.

One Disney movie which tapped a whole other audience was The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) which appeals to kids, adults and goths alike. The story of Jack Skeleton the Pumpkin King who decides he wants to take over Christmas instead of only celebrating Halloween. A dark, dreary movie with great songs and a distinctly un-Disney macabreness to it ensures that it couldn't be anything but a hit.

Not everyone will agree with the choice of movies presented here, and in a year's time perhaps the list of must-see Disney movies would be different as, as the audience matures their choice of movies changes although it is inevitable that of the fifty-four movies there will always be a favourite that stands out.




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