Disney Movie Marathon Challenge

Day 12: Melody Time (1948)

Melody Time may be the least interesting of all the package films - We both really struggled to remember any sequences in particular once it was over.

However, I did really like the very stylised animation in one of the sequences (I think it’s the first one), which is about a couple skating in winter. Apparently, Mary Blair worked on this sequence, which you can see from the color palette and style of the figures. One of my favourite aspects was the fact that the climax of the ‘story’ happened at an inevitable waterfall - how did the water freeze enough to skate on if it was that close to a waterfall? And why do these things always end up at waterfalls?

The second story about Johnny Appleseed contains allusions to heaven and god, and religious symbology, which I don’t think we have really come across. As a Brit I didn’t really know much about this historical character and I can’t say I feel much more informed having watched this movie. This seems to me to be the type of subject matter which Disney might have tried to tackle with a feature-length film in the 90s, when they didn't play things as safe as they do now, if it didn't already exist.

Incidentally, the Three Caballeros also return in this movie for those who are fans. :)
 
Again, I don't know that I have seen this whole, but some of the segments are familiar to me. I am pretty sure we watched Johnny Appleseed and Pecos Bill in school. I'm not sure why as I doubt they're terribly historically accurate, but still. I don't know that I could say to much about them. They're entertaining enough I guess. I think I also remember the tugboat one, which is quaint and cute.

You're about to get into the better ones and ones that I'll know much more about! :)
 
Again, I don't know that I have seen this whole, but some of the segments are familiar to me. I am pretty sure we watched Johnny Appleseed and Pecos Bill in school. I'm not sure why as I doubt they're terribly historically accurate, but still. I don't know that I could say to much about them. They're entertaining enough I guess. I think I also remember the tugboat one, which is quaint and cute.

You're about to get into the better ones and ones that I'll know much more about! :)
Very excited for the start of the 50s films!
 
Very excited for the start of the 50s films!

And Icabod & Mr. Toad is no slouch and the best of the package stuff. I love the Sleepy Hollow one! But, yeah, once you get into the 50's you go through a string of classic hits.
 


Ok so we are skipping back a couple. My sister actually managed to watch Song of the South on her computer yesterday and these are her thoughts:

Song of the South (1946)

So I finally got round to watching Song of the South (it was fairly easy to find online) and I am still working out how I feel about it. I’d be very interested to hear other people’s thoughts, but here are mine, for what they’re worth.

In terms of story and being engaged with the characters I certainly enjoyed this movie a lot more than some of the package films. Some of the animated sequences are pretty good and the way that animation and film are combined is truly brilliant. There's a really wonderful moment where Uncle Remus lights Brer Frog's pipe for him that made me smile. There's also no denying that Uncle Remus is a delightful character (the actor playing him is great and has a beautiful voice for both singing and speaking) and leaves you with the warmest and fuzziest of warm and fuzzies.

That having been said, the mere fact that you get this warm and fuzzy feeling from the character may be part of the problem. The problems with this movie are not with the attitudes of the characters themselves (there’s no overt racism in it), but with the attitude of the movie itself. There are lots of African American characters in the movie, some of them as well-drawn as the white characters, but they seem to be there for one reason only: to give white people the warm and fuzzies. Let's all watch a movie where the post-civil war South is presented as idyllic and good. Everybody has good intentions and is the best of friends. The slaves have been freed are now just friends of the family (who they order around and treat as second-call citizens, but let's gloss over that bit) there to enrich the white people's lives with their simple wisdom. It's how white people at the time - including the guy who wrote the original Uncle Remus stories and probably Walt Disney too - wished slavery could be remembered.

It's problematic. The fact that the movie assumes we'll be OK with the idea of a former slave having nothing better to do than try to make the lonely grandson of his former mistress feel better is very much the problem. Johnny (the little boy in the story) has problems, sure. He's lonely and he misses his dad, and his mum makes him wear girly outfits, but...that's it. Eventually, he gets gored by a bull (which seems to give him...a fever? For some reason?) which I will admit is a legitimate problem, but it literally happens in the last 5 minutes. Perhaps if the kid’s problems had been a bit less trivial the movie might have seemed more balanced (probably not though), but as it is you just find yourself wincing as this boy's issues become the centre of the plot, and Uncle Remus a plot point to bring them to a conclusion.

As far as the tar baby bit goes, I'm not sure what to make of it. I genuinely don't think it comes from a racist place. The phrase 'tar baby' seems to have gathered racist connotations since the release of the movie and probably rightly so. In the movie and original stories, however, the phrase tar baby simply refers to a sticky situation that the more you try to get out of it, the more you stuck you get.

Overall I don't want to suggest that my opinion of this movie is the correct one - there is a lot to unpack here and I don't know much about most of it. I think this movie should be released on dvd with proper commentary from people who will properly be able to examine the history and context. I think it's time that Disney faced up to this, because it is offensive and demeaning, but not perhaps in the way people think. It should be talked about. That's my opinion (just an opinion) anyway!

....

Tomorrow back to The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad....
 
I think that's a good reading of the film, though it has been a long time since I've seen it.

One note - Back then any kind of serious wound could and would often lead to fever as the science of sanitizing bandages and such wasn't quite perfected. They could wrap or even sew up a wound to stop the bleeding, but they didn't have antiseptic spray or anything to keep bacteria out. They likely didn't even really understand the concept of microbes and such, hence a serious infection was very likely to happen.
 
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I think that's a good reading of the film, though it has been a long time since I've seen it.

One note - Back then any kind of serious could and would often lead to fever as the science of sanitizing bandages and such wasn't quite perfected. They could wrap or even sew up a wound to stop the bleeding, but they didn't have antiseptic spray or anything to keep bacteria out. They likely didn't even really understand the concept of microbes and such, hence a serious infection was very likely to happen.
Thanks, I'll let her know!
 


Day 13: The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)

I must have watched Mr Toad before as I swear I remember the bit with the weasels in Toad Hall, but certainly, never Ichabod and I’ve actually never come across the character in any other medium either. The Wind in the Willows is all over the place if you grow up in the UK, but not Sleepy Hollow. In any case, we really thought these two stories were an improvement. All the characters are very well devised. Toad is incorrigible but also quite likeable and they manage to capture the feeling of the original story (although that focuses a bit more on mole at times). They also introduced a non-book character, the horse, who seems to fit in really well and is a great addition.

I’m looking forward to going into Toad Hall at Disneyland Paris when we go there. It is a quick service restaurant serving fish and chips. Not quite sure why fish and chips? Maybe because it's typically English? Maybe one day we will get out to see the Toad ride in California, which as I understand it has a dark narrative, with references to hell?

Ichabod was a less likeable chap. Even the movie didn't seem to be sure whether we were supposed to root for him or just think the big-nosed skeeze deserved what he got. The part where he was being chased by the headless horseman was really great though - both darkly funny and visually striking. As was the song that preceded it - I don't know why you never hear this one, it's hilarious!
 
So I think that's a difference between the US and UK there as The Legend of Sleepy hollow is what one might consider "Americana." The Wind in the Willows is definitely somewhat well known here, but probably not as much as the other story. These are both really well done animated segments. Mr. Toad is fun and boisterous. The ride is similar and does have references to hell and other dark things. Most of the classic Disney dark rides do, owing to their "ghost train" roots. The Ichabod segment is obviously beautifully done and the song/narration by Bing Crosby is just fantastic. I'm not sure you are supposed to root for anyone in this town, as while Ichabod is a bit haughty and superior, the other townies are pretty mean and boorish. It's still a pretty great film.
 
Day 14: Cinderella (1950)

Now getting back to the really famous classics!

Cinderella is the ultimate Disney film with the ultimate Disney princess, and I can 100% see why it was so popular when it came out, but it will never be my favourite.

As with Snow White, poor Cinderella has to surrender what should be her story to a lot of side characters - in this case, the mice. Although the comic business with Lucifer and the mice is amusing (Lucifer is a fabulous character - he should be an official Disney villain), it does take up time that might be better spent developing the central characters.

The prince, in particular, is possibly the least developed character in the history of Disney. He has about two lines, both of which are 'Don't go!' Not quite enough to build a marriage on, but there we go. Disney seems to have felt we needed to know more about his dad's motivation for him to get married than his, and in trying to make the king a quirky, humorous character they go too far down the route of kooky and into deranged territory. Out of the frying pan into the fire I think, Cinders.

The film looks sumptuous and colourful, though perhaps not as pretty as Snow White. I like the soft colour palette and it is really visually interesting, even though so much of it takes place in the Tremaine Chateau.
 
Okay, now we're talkin'!

Of course Cinderella is a beautiful movie, with bright colors and some great character designs. Lucifer is a standout, as is Lady Tremane and the Step-Sisters. Those animators love designing villains, don't they? I will admit that it's not my favorite of the classic pincess tales, but it's still a lot of fun. The transformation squennce is among the best parts with amazing and imaginitive designs that really come to life, alond with the race back home as the magic runs out. Cinderella is classic Disney, but we need a few more movies before we get to my favorite!

Here's some thoughts about the development of relationships in these old movies. Certainly through today's lens, much of the princess-style "romance" seems pretty haphazard, but take them in the time in which they were written (not the movies, the fairy-tales). It's not really so bad if you consider that the characters are archetypes who are 100% that thing they represent. Maybe she's rushing into marriage with this guy she barely knows, but that guy is a good guy who will be good to her and for her. She is good as well and a perfect match. He is the man of her dreams, and she is the woman of his. The cynical side of us knows that in real life that may not be the case, even when it seems like it is, but for the purposes of these stories, it can be accepted. They do, after all, live happily ever after.
 
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Okay, now we're talkin'!

Of course Cinderella is a beautiful movie, with bright colors and some great character designs. Lucifer is a standout, as is Lady Tremane and the Step-Sisters. Those animators love designing villains, don't they? I will admit that it's not my favorite of the classic pincess tales, but it's still a lot of fun. The transformation squennce is among the best parts with amazing and imaginitive designs that really come to life, alond with the race back home as the magic runs out. Cinderella is classic Disney, but we need a few more movies before we get to my favorite!

Here's some thoughts about the development of relationships in these old movies. Certainly through today's lens, much of the princess-style "romance" seems pretty haphazard, but take them in the time in which they were written (not the movies, the fairy-tales). It's not really so bad if you consider that the characters are archetypes who are 100% that thing they represent. Maybe she's rushing into marriage with this guy she barely knows, but that guy is a good guy who will be good to her and for her. She is good as well and a perfect match. He is the man of her dreams, and she is the woman of his. The cynical side of us knows that in real life that may not be the case, even when it seem slike it is, but for the purposes of these stories, it can ba accepted. They do, after all, live happily ever after.

I am all for the Happily Ever Ever :flower1:, but the cynical/poke a hole in everything British side of me still has a bit of a problem with the plot. I want to know a bit more about the Prince and Cinders romance :)
 
Day 15: Alice in Wonderland

What we both liked:

It looks wonderful! The colors, the slightly off-kilter backgrounds and the weird camera angles create a beautiful and very unsettling world. The characters are odd-looking and larger than life, which is a fantastic design choice. It's not the soft, perfect-looking world of Bambi or Snow White - this is a slightly dangerous place where you can never predict what's going to happen next. In fact, it's almost too good in this respect as it's so unpredictable and unsettling that it becomes hard to like.

The other big selling point of this movie is Alice herself. The girl who voices her is just so perfect. She sounds like perfect little English lady, but is also feisty, curious, airheaded, emotional and hopeful. I think the character is extremely well-written but mad props to Kathryn Beaumont for her performance. The moment where she sits and sings that she gives herself very good advice, but very seldom follows it (don’t we all!), is one of the moments in the film where the filmmakers actually get their audience to feel something. She delivers this big emotional moment for her character so well.

Many of the other performances in the movie are excellent too, being funny or scary or weird (in fact, they're usually all three, for which Disney gets big adaptation points as I'm sure this is what Lewis Carroll was going for) but never managing to be sympathetic.

And so we turn to what we didn't like:

The flip side of this is that I couldn't really feel for any of the characters (and this is probably intentional). I haven't read the original books since I was a kid so I don't know whether this is something that's carried over from them or not, though I suspect it must be.

The story is also very episodic and the different incidents seem to have very little to do with one another. In fact, given what they were working with (two surreal episodic books), the writers have actually done quite a good job of working an emotional arc in there for the main character. Also, while this adaptation may not have a coherent storyline, I have to remind myself that in the Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland the story was a much more ordinary 'hero's quest' type of story, with a beginning, a middle and a big climactic ending, and I don't feel it worked at all. So I'm conflicted!

All in all I'd say there's a lot to like in this film. It will never be one of our favourites because it does not seem to have as strong an emotional arc. However, it is fabulous to look at and really great at retaining the tone of the original stories.
:butterfly
 
Geez I'm so late to this, but Pinocchio is my #1 Disney animated movie. The backgrounds!:faint: The music, the characters--Jiminy Cricket is my all-time favorite sidekick. This movie is PERFECT!

Fantasia and The Reluctant Dragon are wonderful, the Sorcerer's Apprentice is drop dead genius!

Dumbo is a masterpiece and it's just over an hour long. The emotion is incredible.

Bambi is friggin' beautiful!

Saludos Amigos--the history behind this with Walt & co going to South America on a goodwill tour is very interesting. I'm a sucker for 3 Caballeros too:)

Alice In Wonderland is another favorite. The music is fantastic and the characters are among my favorites--the Mad Hatter, The White Rabbit especially.
 
Day 15: Alice in Wonderland

What we both liked:

It looks wonderful! The colors, the slightly off-kilter backgrounds and the weird camera angles create a beautiful and very unsettling world. The characters are odd-looking and larger than life, which is a fantastic design choice. It's not the soft, perfect-looking world of Bambi or Snow White - this is a slightly dangerous place where you can never predict what's going to happen next. In fact, it's almost too good in this respect as it's so unpredictable and unsettling that it becomes hard to like.

The other big selling point of this movie is Alice herself. The girl who voices her is just so perfect. She sounds like perfect little English lady, but is also feisty, curious, airheaded, emotional and hopeful. I think the character is extremely well-written but mad props to Kathryn Beaumont for her performance. The moment where she sits and sings that she gives herself very good advice, but very seldom follows it (don’t we all!), is one of the moments in the film where the filmmakers actually get their audience to feel something. She delivers this big emotional moment for her character so well.

Many of the other performances in the movie are excellent too, being funny or scary or weird (in fact, they're usually all three, for which Disney gets big adaptation points as I'm sure this is what Lewis Carroll was going for) but never managing to be sympathetic.

And so we turn to what we didn't like:

The flip side of this is that I couldn't really feel for any of the characters (and this is probably intentional). I haven't read the original books since I was a kid so I don't know whether this is something that's carried over from them or not, though I suspect it must be.

The story is also very episodic and the different incidents seem to have very little to do with one another. In fact, given what they were working with (two surreal episodic books), the writers have actually done quite a good job of working an emotional arc in there for the main character. Also, while this adaptation may not have a coherent storyline, I have to remind myself that in the Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland the story was a much more ordinary 'hero's quest' type of story, with a beginning, a middle and a big climactic ending, and I don't feel it worked at all. So I'm conflicted!

All in all I'd say there's a lot to like in this film. It will never be one of our favourites because it does not seem to have as strong an emotional arc. However, it is fabulous to look at and really great at retaining the tone of the original stories.
:butterfly

Alice is indeed a weird movie, but then again that's probably appropriate considering the original material. I do agree that it doesn't flow, but it has some stunning visuals. It was unappreciated in it's time, but found popularity in the...ahem...60's. Personally, I actually liked the live action version, though the sequel lesss so. I love the ride at Disneyland though!
 
Alice is indeed a weird movie, but then again that's probably appropriate considering the original material. I do agree that it doesn't flow, but it has some stunning visuals. It was unappreciated in it's time, but found popularity in the...ahem...60's. Personally, I actually liked the live action version, though the sequel lesss so. I love the ride at Disneyland though!
I'd love to go on that ride. DLP's labyrinth is showing its age a bit now and needs a bit of TLC, but it's still a stunning attraction to walk through and especially lovely in summer with all the jumping fountains etc.
 
Geez I'm so late to this, but Pinocchio is my #1 Disney animated movie. The backgrounds!:faint: The music, the characters--Jiminy Cricket is my all-time favorite sidekick. This movie is PERFECT!

Fantasia and The Reluctant Dragon are wonderful, the Sorcerer's Apprentice is drop dead genius!

Dumbo is a masterpiece and it's just over an hour long. The emotion is incredible.

Bambi is friggin' beautiful!

Saludos Amigos--the history behind this with Walt & co going to South America on a goodwill tour is very interesting. I'm a sucker for 3 Caballeros too:)

Alice In Wonderland is another favorite. The music is fantastic and the characters are among my favorites--the Mad Hatter, The White Rabbit especially.

Its been fantastic rewatching them/discovering new ones! My fav discovery being The Reluctant Dragon! We've still got a long long way to go so so you are not late at all!

Next up Peter Pan...
 
I have a fairly complete set (just under a hundred titles) of all the Disney classics on dvd & blu-ray. I was an early adopter of dvds so I snagged a number of titles that have disappeared like the Disney Treasures sets. I watch the whole collection once per year, so these titles are all pretty fresh in my mind.

Peter Pan is a favorite but there's some pretty questionable stuff in there that would never see the light of day in this century, but the 50s were a different time. There are so many great characters in Peter Pan--Capt. Hook, Smee, Tinkerbell. I also love the music in Peter Pan. Oddly Peter Pan doesn't shine as much as the aforementioned, which is the same thing with Alice (In Wonderland) I have a couple of little granddaughters who love Disney movies but they haven't made it through Peter Pan. The beginning with the scene in the nursery and the parents getting ready to go out is just too slow for them. Watch Pan and compare it to the movies made more recently and you'll see what I mean.

Quick anecdote re Alice: My wife and I were on our honeymoon when a mid-70s re-release of Alice was in theaters and we decided we'd enjoy seeing it. About 20 years later, DD is in the CP at WDW and gets assigned to "entertainment." Her role? Let's just say she became well acquainted with this Hatter dude and spent a lot of time hangin out by the teacups in Fantasyland.:ccat:
 
Day 16: Peter Pan (1953)

We both very much enjoyed watching Peter Pan. Again the visuals are wonderful, especially the shots of them flying over London, Neverland from the air and the beautiful floating pirate ship at the end! I always wonder why this ride is so mobbed in the parks (although I love it myself) and these visuals are the reason why! Additionally, the songs are really memorable.

After some discussion, we both agreed Hook is definitely the best villain up to this point in the watching marathon (although Lady Tremaine, the Evil Queen and Lucifer are all iconic). He actually has a motivation and manages to be funny and scary at the same time. The other characters are good too. I love the way Michael keeps repeating what John has said using other words. I had not noticed that before. Disneylife has some great documentaries about the film (as it does for most of the classics-highly recommended) and one of them tried to suggest Tink was a feminist icon, which given her motivations for doing most things in the film (jealousy of other female characters) I take a bit of an issue with. She's a great character, but I'm not buying that interpretation Disney! :):tinker:

The film is very dated in certain respects and again it brings up the question of how Disney deals with problematic elements of its historical filmmaking and why films such as Song of the South are banned entirely, but the treatment of Native American peoples in this film is unaddressed.

Next stop Lady and the Tramp!
 
I have a fairly complete set (just under a hundred titles) of all the Disney classics on dvd & blu-ray. I was an early adopter of dvds so I snagged a number of titles that have disappeared like the Disney Treasures sets. I watch the whole collection once per year, so these titles are all pretty fresh in my mind.

Peter Pan is a favorite but there's some pretty questionable stuff in there that would never see the light of day in this century, but the 50s were a different time. There are so many great characters in Peter Pan--Capt. Hook, Smee, Tinkerbell. I also love the music in Peter Pan. Oddly Peter Pan doesn't shine as much as the aforementioned, which is the same thing with Alice (In Wonderland) I have a couple of little granddaughters who love Disney movies but they haven't made it through Peter Pan. The beginning with the scene in the nursery and the parents getting ready to go out is just too slow for them. Watch Pan and compare it to the movies made more recently and you'll see what I mean.

Quick anecdote re Alice: My wife and I were on our honeymoon when a mid-70s re-release of Alice was in theaters and we decided we'd enjoy seeing it. About 20 years later, DD is in the CP at WDW and gets assigned to "entertainment." Her role? Let's just say she became well acquainted with this Hatter dude and spent a lot of time hangin out by the teacups in Fantasyland.:ccat:
Ah how wonderful for her! Must be a fantastic part to play, lots of great interactions!

I agree the opening scene is quite long and as a child, I was eager for them to get flying. I now appreciate the humor in the interactions allot more (especially the way they all ignore the trials Mr Darling), but again its not a fave! Got to hit the 90s before both our favs start popping up!

I would never have thought a project like this would have been possible as we only own a few Disney films, its just lucky Disney life or youtube has most. I would love to have a collection :)
 

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