What's up, guys? Tigerfan45 here, and I'm back again. Today we'll be taking a look at the Disney movies from the Dark Age. As in, everything after Walt's death until The Little Mermaid. Now, keep in mind that this is just my opinion. If you like or hate any of these movies, there's nothing wrong with that. I'm gonna skip the 1970's Winnie the Pooh, as I might do that in a post on the package films. So, without further ado, let's talk about the dark age.
The Aristocats[]
Let's with the first film of this era, The Aristocats. I remember watching this movie a lot when I was a kid whenever my Grandma would watch me. Each time, I enjoyed it. Now that I'm older, I still do like it. One thing that this movie does right is its voice acting. Eva Gabor was perfect for the role of Duchess. I thought it was pretty interesting how Phil Harris, the guy who voiced Baloo in The Jungle Book does the voice of O'Malley in this movie. I also, for the most part, liked the songs in the film. I remember my favorite being "Everybody wants to be a cat". I just really enjoy that song. It has a real catchy jazzy feel (Jazz happens to be one of my favorite music genres). I also thought that the animation in this movie was pretty good. However, the film definitely does have some low points. First off, the villain was pretty weak. I mean, Edgar was funny enough, but try to make him evil as well. Make him diabolical. Go Scar on us! The only other problem I have with The Aristocats is just one. "Scales and Arpeggios" is terrible. I can't even sit through the whole thing, it's that bad. I admit I did kind of like it as a kid, but when I got older, I thought it stank. Why? It's stupid, gratuitous, and completely forgettable! Nowadays, whenever I watch the movie on Netflix, I have to fast forward through it. But, aside from those 2 things, there's nothing really bad about The Aristocats. It's a cute and simple adventure movie. I'd definitely say check it out.
Robin Hood[]
Oo-de-lally! Golly, what a flick!
Robin Hood was a financial success; Sadly though, the critics didn't like it. But, who cares! I really enjoy this movie. I like how this movie had characters that were literally anthropomorphic animals. For example, Robin Hood is a fox, Prince John is a lion, Little John is a bear, and so on. I also really liked the animation in this movie, it reminded me very much of The Jungle Book. Speaking of the animation, I don't mind the constantly re-used animation, because I know that this film is on a lower budget than most Disney films. I also really liked the songs in this movie. "The Phony King of England" is a really fun song, and I also really loved "Oo-de-Lally". I just heard that song in an Android commercial, and I thought it was perfect for that commercial. Plus, I thought the characters were well done. I remember Robin Hood being a very likable, clever hero. I also remember Little John getting a good line here and there. Prince John was a well-done villain. In fact, I think that he is what Edgar from The Aristocats should have been, a villain who is funny, but still diabolical enough to be considered a good villain. Sir Hiss was also a very good villainous sidekick, though I really wish he reformed at the end. The climax is one of Disney's best. This was a scene where I was excited and invested the whole time. Overall, I think that Robin Hood is a great movie for kids and adults of any age. I'd say it's definitely worth checking out.
The Rescuers[]
There's nothing really for me to say about The Rescuers. Of all the Disney films, I'd say that this is the one I watched the least. If I'm gonna write anything further, I'll have to watch this film again.
The Fox and the Hound[]
So Cute!
Awwww. Now isn't this a cute movie? I remember watching this movie a lot when I was a kid, and I really enjoyed it. The scenes with Tod and Copper when they were young are just unbelievably adorable to watch! In fact, I liked the fact that they kind of rekindled their friendship at the end. One of my favorite scenes was the first chase with Chief. This scene made me laugh hard. Speaking of comedy, Dinky and Boomer are good comic relief. They are usually among the first comedic Disney duos that come to my mind, along with Timon and Pumbaa. The songs "Best of Friends" and "Goodbye May Seem Forever" work in their own ways, though, the other songs I don't remember too fondly. I also thought that the animation was very good. Another thing I really liked about this movie was the climax. This was another one of Disney's best climaxes. Overall, I really enjoy The Fox and the Hound. I'd definitely say it's worth a watch.
The Black Cauldron[]
And know we come to the Disney film that many fans call Disney's crowning achievement for failure, The Black Cauldron. I might not have told anyone this on the wikia before, but, my childhood experiences with this movie have NOT gone well. This movie scared me to pieces! For a while, this was my least favorite Disney movie. Nowadays, I've gotten over my fears, and I don't think this movie is bad, I just think it's very problematic. For example, Taran is just bland and annoying (everytime I hear him talk I'm just like AAAAAAAH, SHUT UP!) Eilonwy being a princess was completely unnecessary, because there is no proof of said status (where is her kingdom?) The story is kind of clunky and has a few holes, and there's rarely any comedy. I mean, there's Gurgi, Doli, and Creeper, but that's about it. I also wished for there to be songs in this movie. Ok, I've complained about the movie enough. What do I like about The Black Cauldron? Well, at some parts, the animation is pretty good, and, as I've said before, the comedy is funny. The Horned King I also thought was a cool villain. His voice actor, John Hurt does an amazing job voicing him. So all in all, The Black Cauldron isn't as bad as everyone makes it out to be, just not a film I would watch that often.
The Great Mouse Detective[]
Who is this movie about? Basil of Baker Street, my good fellow.
Oh, look! Another Disney movie I watched a lot with my Grandma! At first glance, The Great Mouse Detective might look like a typical cutesy mouse movie that's just for kids, but, when you see it for what it is, The Great Mouse Detective is a lot of fun. It's a really fun adventure story that has just enough to keep the adult's interest, while also putting in stuff for the kids. Basil I thought was a very enjoyable character. It's one of the few times when a Disney protagonist is a genuis and that's what makes him enjoyable. Ratigan is a really great villain, again, mostly because of his voice actor, Vincent Price. He reminds me very much of Plankton from "Spongebob" in how much he enjoys being evil so much. His song, "the World's greatest criminal mind" is incredibly catchy. Fidget was a funny henchman, in fact one of Disney's funniest villain henchman, along with the hyenas. The animation in this movie is very good, particularly when all of London is to scale with our characters. Speaking of which, the CGI animation looks great in the climax. And speaking of the climax, it is one of Disney's greatest. Some of it makes me feel like some of it had to be cut, because when Ratigan attacks Basil, the sounds we hear from Basil really sound like it hurt! So, all in all, The Great Mouse Detective is a really fun flick. I'd say if you're looking around the video store for a good adventure, this is one to look at.
Oliver & Company[]
This film has street savior fare.
And now we come to the last film of the dark age, Oliver and Company. This is kind of like Great Mouse Detective in that at first glance, it seems too cutesy, but once you watch it, it's kinda fun. I really liked the voice acting in this movie, particularly Dom Deluise, Bette Middler, Billy Joel, and Cheech Marin. Dodger and his gang are pretty cool and funny, particularly with Tito's interactions with Francis. Oliver is a cute and love able character, and his friendship with Dodger is very believable. I really love the song "Why Should I Worry" I really enjoy. It's just so fun and catchy. However, the other songs I don't remember too fondly. Sykes was a pretty neat villain, and his train defeat is very rare. Now, not every joke works. And when they die, man they really freaking die. But, all in all, I think Oliver and Company is a good flick. I don't think it's a classic by any means, but, it's decent. I'm glad I saw it. In fact, I might see it a few more times. I'd say check it out.
And that's all I have to say for the dark age. Please don't feel like you're a bad person if you like or dislike any of these movies. I don't want you to feel like that. What era do you think I should do next? Until then, this is tigerfan45, see ya around!