The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996) is based on Victor Hugo’s 1831 novel of the same name. Quasimodo (voiced by Tom Hulce) is a deformed man of Gypsy descent who lives in the cathedral’s bell tower and serves as the bell-ringer. He has been reluctantly raised (and hidden from public view) by the evil Judge…
From Make Mine Music, you might recognize this one. If you do, enjoy the nostalgia. If you don’t, you should see it. It’s pretty cute. Fair warning: this song gets in your head. Notice how the box with the bow is similar to boxes in Lady and the Tramp … that’s the only thing I could…
The Lion King (1994) remains one of the most critically-acclaimed and beloved films ever produced by Walt Disney’s animation studios. To this day, it is also the highest-grossing non-computer animated feature in history, and the most successful film to emerge from the Disney Renaissance period of the 1990s. And does it deserve its numerous accolades…
A version of this post originally appeared as a part of our series of Summer Under the Stars recommendations in August 2010. It’s being reprinted here as part of the LAMB’s “Acting School 101” tribute to Elizabeth Taylor. Growing up with horses, it’s probably a given that I should be a fan of National Velvet…
Aladdin (1992) was an important piece of the Disney Renaissance; for this period, Disney was stepping up the pace and made some really wonderful animated films. They were very well-marketed and truly well-made. I loved this one when it came out, and I’m still a big fan. Watching it again with my sister to do…
Yup … for two weeks in a row, the Saturday Morning Cartoons post title is a villain quote. Oliver & Company (1988) is Disney’s animated and “animaled” take on Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens (if you must indulge in the Dickens canon, this is probably the way to go). Oliver the abandoned kitten meets Dodger,…
This weekend’s Saturday Morning Cartoon is one of my favourite Disney animated films: The Great Mouse Detective (1986). A rodent version of Sherlock Holmes, Basil of Baker Street is after the evil Professor Ratigan, the world’s worst criminal who manages to stay one step ahead. Basil plays homage to Basil Rathbone, the enigmatic portrayer of Holmes:…
The Black Cauldron is an odd installment in the Disney canon. The animation took an abrupt turn, possibly not for the best, but it really does reflect the common animation for the time–1985. I wish I could say what they were doing that made it different–media, camera, lighting, or what–but I’m not knowledgeable enough about…
True Classics 