First in a bunch of movie lists. 'Cause movies are almost as awesome as books. I defined, as Disney Classics, pre-Disney Renaissance animated movies. So before I get beheaded for neglecting The Lion King and The Little Mermaid, let me just explain that these are all older than 1989.
10. Sleeping Beauty (1959): Out of all the Disney princesses, I think Aurora's probably the prettiest. However, the movie freaked 6 year-old me out. The scene with Maleficient the evil fairy lady making Aurora prick her finger on the spinning wheel was just weird.
9. Pinocchio (1940): While Walt Disney's ingenious classics teach us lessons on pretty much every basic moral a kid should have, they also instilled false hopes. Exhibit 1: there's no Prince Charming. Exhibit 2: there's no Pleasure Island. Ah, well, at least Pinocchio was finally a real boy.
8. Lady and the Tramp (1955): I frequently confuse this story with
The Fox and the Hound from 1981 just because of the animals. This doggy
love story is endearing, and who doesn't love a good meatball scene?
7. Bambi (1942): Seriously, this and Fantasia are probably the movies of
the last three generations' childhoods. I can't even begin to count how
many times at after school programs or sleepovers or summer camps I
watched this. And the iconic death of Bambi's mother, embedded in our
1st grade memories forever.
6. One Hundred and One Dalmations (1961): Talk about another great animal movie. That mean lady Cruella de Vil was just creepy. Poor doggies!
5. Cinderella (1950): This movie was just enchanting. Period. The
carriage, the glass slipper, Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo, and the birds flying
in arcs around the princess as they fashioned here ball gown simply
capture the attention of audience of any age. If I asked, my mom and
grandmother would probably sit down with my 2 year old sister and I to
watch this movie tomorrow.
4. Peter Pan (1953): Wendy and Peter and all the Lost Boys capture your
heart as they fight off Captain Hook. And there is Tinker Bell, of
course, teaching children everywhere to believe in fairies, because
everytime you don't, a fairy somewhere dies. A bit odd, really, but isn't that what animated movies are about?
3. Alice in Wonderland (1951): Lewis Carroll was a genius. Walt Disney was a
genius. Put the two together and out come's one of the best movies the
world of animation has ever seen. From the Cheshire Cat to the Dormouse
to Alice's iconic bright yellow locks, Alice in Wonderland is a movie
you can't tire of watching.
2. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937): This movie is older than my
grandmother. This movie is the first full-length animation in history,
and just proves Walt Disney's continuously reiterated ingenuity. The
seven dwarfs and the pale princess with whom they live are an integral
part of every little girl's childhood. It's what puts the idea of a
Prince Charming in most of our tiny heads.
1. Fantasia (1940): This movie is my musical background. It's what made me start loving to make music, to enjoy it. I've heard it's done the same for other classically trained students of all sorts of instruments as well. The dancing brooms and the Sorcerer Mickey Mouse are some things that are just so different that it's remarkable.
Wow, a nostalgic teenager. Is that almost a paradox? Oxymoron, anyone? Technically speaking, we're still children. We are until we're 18. However, gone are the days of snuggling under a blanket and watching Cinderella until we fall asleep. These movies were all present and probably extremely prominent in our elementary school and preschool years, and we'll carry with us the memories and experiences watching for the rest of our lives.
Honorable Mentions (a.k.a. the rest of them in order): Dumbo (1941), Saludos Amigos (1942), The Three Caballeros (1944), Make Mine Music (1946), Fun and Fancy Free (1947), Melody Time (1948), The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949), The Sword in the Stone (1963), The Jungle Book (1967), The Aristocats (1970), Robin Hood (1973), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977), The Rescuers (1977), The Fox and the Hound (1981), The Black Cauldron (1985), The Great Mouse Detective (1986), Oliver & Company (1988),
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