Originally Posted By mawnck >>You look back at these and wonder -/ who the hell greenlighted this junk?<< I believe it was an unsung executive named Whutwood Waltdoo. He died right around the time Eisner came in.
Originally Posted By RoadTrip OH MY GOD!!! Talk about freaking me out. I saw a post from a friend of mine who died several years ago. Then I saw that someone had resurrected a thread that was seven years old. Rest in Peace dear Tim (BlueDevilSF), you were a great guy!
Originally Posted By skinnerbox Yeah, RT, I was thinking the same, reading through the thread. I miss him, too. *sniff* And I also miss TDG and his infamous boiled custard debates around the holidays. Good times! As for the thread topic... just about anything to come out of the early Ron Miller era of the seventies. There were a few exceptions (Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Pete's Dragon) but the vast majority of the films were just painful.
Originally Posted By Bellella I happen to own all the Disney animated classics on DVD (sans Rescuers Down Under and Winnie the Pooh, 2011) so you can guess how much I love them, even "Lilo and Stitch" has some good points. It's actually my least favorite animated movie, with "Great Mouse Detective" running a close second. I do not and will not own any of the animated sequels. Somehow, "Fantasia 2000" doesn't count, as "Fantasia" doesn't have a story. I'm quite selective about the live-action films, and as such, I own only a few of them. And I've only seen about 30 percent of them. But of the ones I've seen, here are the ones I don't want to see again, ever. "Something Wicked This Way Comes" "The Ugly Dachshund" "The Happiest Millionaire" (great songs, though) "Summer Magic" (again, great songs) "The Apple Dumpling Gang" I've seen a complete list of Disney movies, and the live action ones look like they're on a scale from classic to corny judging by the titles. But I thoroughly love the live action classics I have, which number about 28. They include such classics as "20,000 Leagues", "Pollyanna", "Swiss Family Robinson", "Treasure Island", "Tron", "Darby O'Gill", "So Dear To My Heart" and "Song of the South".
Originally Posted By mawnck >>even "Lilo and Stitch" has some good points. It's actually my least favorite animated movie<< GASP! I'm backing away, slowly ....
Originally Posted By Jim in Merced CA ^^^I think 'Lilo & Stitch' is a very good movie, too, mawnck. But again, it's all subjective isn't it? I found "The Sword in the Stone" as a freebie on cable, and, again, it was pretty slow going. Released in 1963 -- Involved all the The Nine Old Men -- Woolie Rietherman at the helm as Director - Walt Disney himself was still in the building -- and yet, it's just 'okay' to me. Now, I absolutely LOVE this era of Disney Animation, and it appears they were still using the Xerography technique, as many of the animator's lines appear in the finished product -- and I love the way Merlin is designed and animated and the Madame Mim vs. Merlin contest is wonderful. But overall... "Shrug"
Originally Posted By CuriousConstance There is something missing in Sword in the Stone. I can't quite put my finger on it, but something unsatisfying about how the characters interact with each other, or no emotional pull from the main character. It's almost like you get the sense that he could care less what happens in his life, he's good with whatever.
Originally Posted By mawnck >>But again, it's all subjective isn't it?<< Actually, I disagree. Subjective only goes so far. For instance, The Sword in the Stone never attempts to create any empathy for or interest in the main characters. They're just presented to us, and we're supposed to give a dang because, well, we just are. Wart gives no indication of being dissatisfied with his life as a squire, and Merlin is too busy being a doddering old coot to care about much of anything. Plus, Wart doesn't even want to be trained by Merlin, so between his petulant whining and Merlin's pushiness, we don't even LIKE the two main characters we are supposed to be caring for. The movie tries to skate solely on its (admittedly gorgeous) character animation, but it's not the sort of movie that can do that. And there's never anything in particular at stake ... except in the Wizard Duel. Neither Wart nor Merlin have a particular goal in mind. Merlin is training Wart for no apparent reason. And the sword in the stone thing comes out of the blue for both of them. In the Wizard Duel, Merlin is fighting for his life, and things get more interesting. (And then, of course, it ends in a cheat.) These aren't subjective things. They're objective flaws in the movie, a failure in the art of filmmaking, and they result in a lightweight, uninvolving movie experience. So if you say The Sword in the Stone is your favorite Disney movie (or Lilo and Stitch is your least favorite), I might think you're nuts, but favorite is subjective. But if you said The Sword in the Stone is a BETER movie than Lilo and Stitch, then I feel very comfortable in saying that you're objectively wrong. There MUST be objective standards as to what constitutes good vs. bad filmmaking. Otherwise we'd be getting into arguments over whether Rashomon is REALLY superior to, say, Snakes on a Plane.
Originally Posted By leemac <<The movie tries to skate solely on its (admittedly gorgeous) character animation, but it's not the sort of movie that can do that.>> Totally agree although I think the movie is effectively stitched together through musical numbers and the interstitial elements (i.e. the rest of the film) are effectively throwaways. Very odd - especially as it was Bill Peet adapting the (excellent) T.H. White stories. There is something about the musical numbers that work very well for me - except for the squirrel sex scene which is just plain weird for a Disney animated movie. Bill did a poor job of balancing the lightheartedness and humor of the majority of the film with the heavier story of Wart being thrust on to the throne. That scene in the churchyard is stunningly animated. White's tetralogy is filled with far heavier philosophical discussions. And I can't fathom anyone not liking Lilo & Stitch. It is one of my all-time favorites - a near perfect animated feature. But then Snow White bores me to tears so go figure....
Originally Posted By leemac <<I happen to own all the Disney animated classics on DVD (sans Rescuers Down Under )>> Shame as I still think it is one of the most underrated features. I'm a big fan - particularly of the characterizations. <<"Something Wicked This Way Comes">> Too dark? I really love Something Wicked - I hope that one day someone decides to remake Bradbury's novel - it really is a class act and the Disney version doesn't quite cut it IMHO. I love James Horner's score though and was glad Intrada managed to get it out on CD.
Originally Posted By u k fan I quite like Something Wicked This Way Comes. Snow White is tedious. As is 20,000 Leagues... There. I said it!!!
Originally Posted By doombuggy Condor man any of the Herbie movies Rocket man <fart jokes...really?> Brother Bear Old Yeller "what kind of sick doggy snuff film is this?"
Originally Posted By Manfried "The Apple Dumpling Gang Rides Again." "North Avenue Irregulars." All of the Love Bug sequels. "The Black Hole."
