Top 12 Hand Drawn Disney Animated Movies

Hello loyal readers and friends; it is I, Dustin here to give you yet another list of Top 12 cinemas. This issue marks the start of animation month, and what better way to start off than with Disney. Now I really had to narrow my spectrum on this list to only include hand drawn Disney movies because if I didn't, I would most assuredly leave out someone's fan favorite, in turn getting messages like "Why wasn't "Tangled" on here?" from the three or so people that actually read this blog. Now, while I usually don't care about those types of messages, this will just drastically cut down on the hate. Also, since this is Disney, you will hear me mention the music in almost every single one of my numbers. So, without trying to ramble on with what to expect, let us get started.

12) Oliver and Company

This film is probably one of the biggest testaments to the major figure heads of my profession not being able to agree on a whole lot unless a movie is "without-a-shred-of-doubt" good or "without-a-shred-of-doubt" bad.  Roger Ebert (all the respect in the world, may he rest in peace) gave this a thumbs down based on the Disney films of past and its story line being convoluted at points, while Gene Siskel (all the respect in the world, may he rest in peace) gave this "a marginal thumbs up" saying the film was "harmless."  Rotten Tomatoes has this at a solid 44% positive reviews and IMDB at a 6.5 stars. Maybe it's them being snobby, maybe my eyes being filled with stars of nostalgia, or just a testament to me being some sort of "film hipster." Whatever the reason, it is on here because you cannot have a musical legend like Billy Joel voicing over a dog who sings on top of taxi cabs and it not have it up there, aside from the fact that I absolutely loved this movie. Filled with funny bits, unforgettable characters, and general "aww" moments throughout. What's not to love? It was nominated at the Golden Globes for best original song with Why Should I worry? and a Young Artist Award for best family feature film in animation. It also won an award for best sound editing at the Golden Reel Awards, so I don't think it did too bad in the end.

11) Treasure Planet

I don't know, maybe I might be a film hipster. "Treasure Planet" was officially a box office bomb grossing only $38 million in the United States (a number that I contributed to) and $110 million worldwide. Its DVD sales topped at $64 million, but consequently Disney's Buena Vista Division's fourth quarter earnings were reduced by $47 million dollars within days of the films release. All this aside, I still loved it. "Treasure Island" was one of my favorite books as a kid and having seen all of the film adaptations of it, I think this is one of the most original and overall best versions. Aside from the story line that most everyone reading this should be familiar with by now, the voice acting was insane. Joseph Gorden-Levitt as the troubled Jim Hawkins, Captain Amelia being played by the amazingly talented Emma Thompson, and David Hyde Pierce joining Martin Short as characters obviously only in the movie to sell toys. This will most likely be the only movie on this list that I don't talk about the music, since there was nothing really memorable about it. However, it did get a nomination from the Academy Awards for Best Animated Feature, only to be beaten by "Spirited Away". Which, I guess, seems fair.

10) Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

This film might possible prove me to not be such a film hipster. It would be a travesty not to put at least one Disney Classic on this list, and I can think of nothing better than to put Disney's first animated feature on here. This movie impacted millions to include myself, and actually was the first Disney movie I ever watched.  I can't list every achievement that this movie spawned without going through at least two pages of material. Let's just leave it as, there would be no Walt Disney Studios without this movie; it inspired Metro Goldwyn-Mayer to make the Wizard of Oz in 1939 and inspired actors like Charlie Chaplin to call this "the greatest movie ever made." Not to mention the awards, but I will. At the 11th Academy Awards the film was awarded an "Academy Honorary Award." Let me put that in perspective for you. Back in the days that this movie was made, animation wasn't anywhere near being taken as a legitimate industry, and yet the academy decided to give it an award. That is like "Adventure Time" winning an Emmy for "Best T.V. Show." Aside from all that, who reading this has gone to Disneyland/world and not heard Heigh-Ho playing in the background at least three times during their visit?

9) The Hunchback of Notre Dame

I can't really spite the fans of Victor Hugo's original masterpiece too harshly for throwing so much disdain at this movie, since I usually do the same thing with films or television shows based on comic books. So, I will just say if you are fan of the original just go ahead and skip by this number. Critics loved this movie for the most part using phrases like "more-sophisticated-than-average children's film." It was nominated for an Oscar, two Golden Globes, and three Young Artist Awards to name a few, and won awards like BMI and Satellite. The music in this ranged from haunting to inspiring, from Hellfire sang by Tony Jay to Out There sang by Tom Hulce and Tony Jay. Speaking of Tom Hulce and Tony Jay, the voice acting in this film hit every mark right; Disney never disappoints on putting the correct actors in the right spots, and this movie is one of the highest testaments to that compliment. Tom Hulce's singing is amazing; Jason Alexander is hilarious as Hugo the Gargoyle; and I could listen to a cookbook on tape if it was read by Tony Jay. 

8) Lilo and Stitch

Do you guys remember the trailers for this movie? They were some of the funniest trailers I remember, like Disney was spoofing itself. That honestly should have prepared me for just how great this movie was going to be, but I don't think I did. This was kind of THE Disney film of my middle school years being quoted by everyone in the halls and always playing at someone's house. I'm also pretty sure my middle school's band and chorus played Hawaiian Coaster Ride for an event of some sort. Aside from my reminiscing, the jokes didn't seem too overly cheap; Chris Sanders as Stitch should be an inspiration to everyone in the field of voice acting; and there were genuine tear-jerking moments towards the end. Tear-jerking moments that a character's parent didn't have to die to produce, which in and of itself is surprising. I can't really go into all the nominations and awards that this movie received; let's just say there are a lot from Oscar to Annie. It spawned a T.V. series called of course "Lilo and Stitch: The Series" wherein Stitch and Lilo are charged with the catching of all other experiments created by Jumba. I might have gone as far as saying "Ohana means Family" replaced "Hakuna Matata means no worries," but won't, since there are no doubt more people that remember "Hakuna Matata" than "Ohana."

7) The Little Mermaid

For people that say "The Little Mermaid" is for girls, let me just put a $211 million dollar box office in your face and please try holding onto your argument. This movie was responsible for revitalizing Disney's animated features, being the first Disney animated film to earn an Academy Award Nomination since "The Rescuers" in 1977, winning two of the awards, Best Score and Best Song for Under the Sea. Kiss the Girl was also nominated but lost to Under the Sea. I would say it is pretty good when your only real competition at the academy awards is yourself. Pat Carroll is the person I think of when I think of the voice for a witch, and Kenneth Mars commanded the role of Triton. Ariel's presence changed the face of women portrayed in Disney films for the good by making a self-reliant, rebellious, and independent character as opposed to the usual damsel in distress. It spawned a series some years later called "The Little Mermaid" following the adventures of Ariel and her other mermaid friends. You couldn't ask for a better reception when the people at Disney were saying that it might get as good of a box office share as "Oliver and Company" at the beginning of production. 

6) Lady and The Tramp

I wish that the picture above could just speak for itself when it comes to defending my opinion for this movie at the number six spot. Sadly, I guess I have to write more here if nothing just to remind you of how iconic this scene and the movie itself are. This film, made in 1955, took in a higher figure than any Disney movie since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs in 1937. It was reissued to theaters in 1962, 1971, 1980 and 1986. The film's "accidental kissing" scene is considered by many of today's critics to be an iconic scene in american film. At this point there are too many films to count that have taken references from this movie, either for comedic or inspirational value. I'm pretty sure a child would be able to defend this movie to any cynic.  

5) Beauty and the Beast

I don't think the word iconic can be said in the animation industry without Beauty and the Beast being somewhere next to it. So the only flack I should get from this being on the list should be for it being so low, but what can I say, I have soft spot for demigods. Beauty and the beast was received better than any Disney movie before it by critics. The characters were easy to latch on to and root for, as well as being three-dimensional. The message was new and innovating, making you look at the attractiveness of someone's soul as opposed to only their outward appearance. It may have been a prime example of Stockholm Syndrome, but you can't really hold that against it, since the only people that do are the same people that argue The Lion King is based on Hamlet. The Music has been memorized by Disney fans since its conception, from the self titled Beauty and the Beast to my personal favorite Gaston. Belle also joins the other Disney women of her generation as an influential role model for taking the reins, and in the words of Gaston "getting ideas and thinking" in a town that would think her odd for doing so. The voices as always are perfect. Jerry Orbach's Lumiere makes a hilarious womanizing clown; Richard White sells the role of manly jerk Gaston in a way I don't think anyone else could have; and Robby Benson's beast has to be the greatest and most frightening portrayal of the role I have ever seen. Too make a very long list short on the awards, let's just say it won two Academy Awards, three Golden Globes, and six Grammys, not to mention the lesser known awards it also won. To be honest, the word iconic was basically meant for movies like Beauty and the Beast.

4) Mulan

I know I've been talking a lot about iconic women in Disney, but it is hard to talk about Mulan and not talk about the most iconic woman in Disney's history. Mulan is a testament to feminine equality, and that in the end is the message. Mulan fights with the boys and becomes even better than them. I know most feminists reading this are getting their ropes tied into nooses, but lets take a look at this past the obvious repression aspect. It may take place in a repressive society, and Mulan may have to play as a man to fit in with the boys, but what else was she supposed to do in that day and age? Even after being discovered, she still fought and performed better than any of the boys, and as a woman, was not killed (which in that day and age was commonplace). Take it as you want, but I'll take it as an inspirational story for feminists and women everywhere. Besides all of the rhetoric, I can't fault any movie that has Eddie Murphy as a wise-cracking dragon or Miguel Ferrer as one of the most intimidating antagonists Disney has ever imagined. Then there is the music. Take the Golden Globe award nominated Reflections or the song to describe my basic training, I'll make a man out of you, and I defy you not to feel that same uplifting feeling you get when listening to any other Disney movie song. So, is Mulan an inspiration for young women or a travesty for feminists? You be the judge. 

3) Hercules

A misconception of true Greek mythology, maybe; but if anything, it made me want to learn the real stories attached to these characters. So, I guess shame on Disney for making me want to learn. I doubt that the true stories would have been what someone would call "child friendly" anyway. This movie unfortunately earned no awards but was nominated for plenty. Most of them tied to the song Going the Distance, a song I used to listen to on repeat until the the lyrics were drilled into my head. The music, however, isn't the full reason why this movie made it so high on my list; that honor belongs to the voices. When you put James Woods, Danny DeVito, Bobcat Goldthwait, and Rip Torn alongside an amazing voice actor like Tate Donovan, you create an instant masterpiece. After its original conception, Disney spawned an animated television series called "Hercules: the animated series" (for lack of a better title) following the exploits of Hercules going through classic Greek tales with Icarus, Achilles, The Minotaur, and Medusa. In case you were wondering, I also loved the television series.

2) Aladdin

I'm going to just generalize on this film's achievements, because if I listed them all I would have no room for my personal opinions which in the end is what these lists are all about. $504 million world wide box office in its theatrical lifespan, which earned it the third highest grossing traditionally animated feature worldwide. It won Academy Awards, Golden Globes, Annies, and many others, mostly for the song A Whole New World,  but some for the brilliant voice acting by Robin Williams. Positive critical praise for the movie was through the roof as of 2008, earning 92% positive reviews on Rotten Tomatoes and spawning a television series called "Aladdin" (surprising millions with its original name) that followed Aladdin's exploits around Agrabah. Now for what I think. This movie was ultimately a hard decision not to put at number one, but you'll understand why it isn't there when you see number one. I can't express how inspirational Robin Williams should be for voice actors. In his interview with James Lipton for "Inside the Actor's Studio," James has him listed as portraying 52 different characters when he played the genie. The only man that could be able to top that would be the equally impressive Mark Hamill. There is not a song in the movie that doesn't rate among my top Disney songs, not just A Whole New World but Arabian Nights, Friend Like Me, and my personal favorite Prince Ali. I have probably watched this movie over a hundred times in my life, with probably hundreds more to follow.

1) The Lion King

What else could it be? Aladdin may have been amazing, but this movie is on its way to becoming legendary. Second-Highest-Grossing animated film, 21st highest grossing film worldwide, and Walt Disney's Animation Studio's highest grossing film ever, with almost a billion dollars in box office sales alone. I'm going to cop out again on the awards by just putting "there are a lot," again mostly having to do with music, but some for acting, with critical praise ranging from amazing to incredible. The movie also spawned an animated series "Timon and Pumba" which followed the exploits of the film's two most memorable characters, which was actually pretty good. The film is not without its controversy though, almost receiving lawsuits from the creators of "Kimba the White Lion" and viewers that were offended by the word SEX being spelled into flying dust. Aside from all that, this movie has to speak for itself. Most people that were alive during the decade of this film's creation are familiar with Hakuna Matata, but even without that you still have, I Just Can't Wait to be King, Can You Feel the Love Tonight, and The Circle of Life. No song on the soundtrack can be called anything but outstanding. Then you have the voices: Matthew Broderick, Nathan Lane, Jeremy Irons, James Earl Jones, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, Whoopi Goldberg, and Cheech Marin to name a few, all with successful acting careers even before this movie. I mean, I can't even stress the importance of James Earl Jones being just as (if not more) well known for voicing Mufasa than Darth Vader. Disney will have a hard time topping this movie, and it all started with Shakespeare. 

Honorable Mention: The Fox and the Hound

Something has to be said for a movie almost bringing me to tears...but it didn't. That honor still belongs to The Iron Giant. Sorry, Disney; however, Kurt Russel was pretty awesome as Copper, and the same is said for Mickey Rooney as Tod. Nothing more I can really say than that.

Next time on Dustin's Dirty Dozen : Animation month continues: Didn't get enough Disney? No one ever does, so the next issue will be Top 12 Computer Animated Disney Movies!