Inauguratory Post

The idea for this project started with a Sporcle quiz entitled, "Can you name the Walt Disney Animated Classics?" It seemed like it would be no problem at all, as I was pretty sure I had nearly all of them in VHS form buried in storage at home. But as it turns out, there are a lot of them, and I only got 31 out of 51. (I invite everyone to try the quiz for themselves.)

Some of my misses were embarrassing and can be chalked up to my pre-caffeinated foggy state (how could I forget Pinocchio, Dumbo, and Robin Hood?). Some of them I was less embarrassed about--the feature films of the early 2000s were almost all flops (who watched Dinosaur anyway?). And I discovered that there are several Disney classics of the late 1940s that hardly anyone has heard of (what on earth is Make Mine Music?). 

The more I looked at the list, the more interesting questions arose. What happened in the 1950s and 60s and later in the 90s that produced so many of the beloved classics? After Snow White and Pinocchio, what possessed Walt Disney to make the beautiful but eccentric Fantasia? 

That's when I decided that it would be fun to watch them all of the Disney animated features, in order. And because there's a part of me that really misses being a student, we're going to be thorough about it, too. While watching, I'll be looking at the following things:

• The Background:  What was going on in the world when this film came out? What interesting tidbits about the making of the film can I dig up?
• The Characters:  What are the distinguishing features of the protagonists (or princesses), the villains, the sidekicks, and the animals? (Because there are ALWAYS animals.) How do those personalities evolve through the decades? How do their looks reflect the fashions of the time?
• The Plot:  How do the plots change over time? In adapted fairy tales, what gets included, what gets left out, what gets added?
• The Music: How does the music reflect what was popular at the time? Are there any big hits, or did it sink into oblivion?
• The Animation:  How does the animation evolve? Does it get better, or does it get worse, as many maintain? 

There will also be a mini-section called "What We Would Be Watching If I Hadn't Hijacked The Netflix Queue To Watch This Stupid Disney Movie" (WWWBWIIHHTNQTWTSDM), per R's terms in exchange for his cooperation.

The list itself was established by Walt Disney Studios, and it includes only its full length, animated films. It excludes all crappy, direct-to-video sequels, live action features, and also Pixar, genius though it may be. My only deviation from Disney's official list will be the addition of the controversial Song of the South, which is just too interesting and significant to skip. Hopefully I'll be able to find it somewhere on the internet, as it's never been available on home video in the United States.

Below is the list of the movies. (Don't read it if you still want to take the quiz.) First up is Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs!

1937 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

1940 - Pinocchio

1940 - Fantasia

1941 - Dumbo

1942 - Bambi

1943 - Saludos Amigos

1945 - The Three Caballeros

1946 - Make Mine Music

1946 - Song of the South

1947 - Fun and Fancy Free

1948 - Melody Time

1949 - The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

1950 - Cinderella

1951 - Alice in Wonderland

1953 - Peter Pan

1955 - Lady and the Tramp

1959 - Sleeping Beauty

1961 - 101 Dalmatians

1963 - The Sword and the Stone

1967 - The Jungle Book

1970 - The Aristocats

1973 - Robin Hood

1977 - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

1977 - The Rescuers

1981 - The Fox and the Hound

1985 - The Black Cauldron

1986 - The Great Mouse Detective

1988 - Oliver & Company

1989 - The Little Mermaid

1990 - The Rescuers Down Under

1991 - Beauty and the Beast

1992 - Aladdin

1994 - The Lion King

1995 - Pocahontas

1996 - The Hunchback of Notre Dame

1997 - Hercules

1998 - Mulan

1999 - Tarzan

2000 - Fantasia 2000

2000 - Dinosaur

2001 - The Emperor's New Groove

2001 - Atlantis: THe Lost Empire

2002 - Lilo and Stitch

2002 - Treasure Planet

2003 - Brother Bear

2004 - Home on the Range

2005 - Chicken Little

2007 - Meet the Robinsons

2008 - BOLT

2009 - The Princess and the Frog

2010 - Tangled

2011 - WInnie the Pooh

2012 - Wreck-It Ralph (????)

This will take some time.