Top 5 Underrated Disney Movies

With so many good films to remember in the Disney animated canon, it can sometimes be easy to overlook a few of the lesser-known masterpieces. That’s why we’ve compiled a list of what we think are the ‘Top 5 Underrated Disney Animated Films’, so that these great movies can finally receive their due. For this list, we will stick to 56 films that are  presently part of Disney’s official ‘Animated Canon’. It’s very hard to narrow this list down to an economical number, so if your favorite movie isn’t featured, please let us know in the comments and please understand that we did our best to include what we could. Perhaps we’ll compile a Part 2 with your picks if enough people want it!

Now without further ado, here we go…

#5: Fantasia 2000

Fantasia has experienced a great deal of resurgence in popularity since its debut in the 40’s, but its sequel is still vastly overlooked even by Disney fans at large. The same concept of the original Fantasia, a showcase of music synchronized to gorgeous animation, remains; but it is enhanced by valuable lessons learned from the original. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 82%, Its hard to believe that Fantasia 2000 only broke even at the box-office. However, its breathtaking scenes of melody and imagery have spoken to the hearts of many viewers who have seen it since. But the coup de grace of the film is the final sequence; the beautiful music of Igor Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite synchronized to one of the most beautiful pieces of animation ever created. The breathtakingly beautiful scene of the Forest Sprite and the primeval destructive forces of the world must be seen to believe!

 

 

#4: Tarzan

This is by far one of the more well-known films of this list, but we at Disney Magic Fanatic believe it is still vastly underrated. The gorgeous film is listed among many people’s favorite Disney films, but due to licensing issues (The estate of Edgar Rice Boroughs limited what Disney could do with the property), Disney was never able to capitalize on its initial popularity. However, due to its Oscar winning music by Phil Collins, gorgeous backgrounds, animation (Tree Surfing rocks!), and an intense attention to anatomy and detail, this film rises above the rest and deserves more attention than it seems to have been receiving.

#3: Winnie the Pooh (2011)

For some reason, no one we ask seems to know that this sequel to the adorable Disney classic even exists. Perhaps it’s the fact that it was released the same weekend as a super-popular Harry Potter film (how could it hope to compete at the box-office!), but regardless of the reason, there is no denying that this film is amazing. Imagine all your childhood nostalgia being fulfilled in an innocent tale of beauty and fun in The Hundred Acre Wood; that’s what this film does. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 90% and a devoted fan following, there is no denying how well-made this film was. In fact, here at Disney Magic Fanatic, Winnie the Pooh is one of our favorite Disney films since the Renaissance of Animation. Just trust us…GO SEE IT!

#2: The Emperor’s New Groove

Sure, it’s no Lion King, but The Emperor’s New Groove is hilarious! Everyone we ask seems to love this film and we certainly understand why. What can go wrong with a selfish Emperor being turned into a talking Llama? What’s not to like about a villain who’s scary beyond all reason and proof that Dinosaurs once roamed the earth? Nothing; except for the full comedy of ridiculous events and crazy meta-commentary in which those things are found! Plus…who doesn’t love Kronk and his shoulder devil and angel? Spinach Puffs for everyone!

#1: Treasure Planet

 

In our opinion (note the keyword: OPINION), Treasure Planet is the most underrated Disney film of all time. It seems to grow on you every viewing more and more, until it’s firmly planted in your mind. Directed by Disney luminaries John Musker and Ron Clements (The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Moana, etc.), Treasure Planet is a breathtaking display of gorgeous animation, brilliant world-building design, and lovable characters. Sure, it lacks a little on the plot side, and has a few bugs with its logic, but it’s all worth it for the sumptuous visuals and unique blend of 18^th century design and high-tech cyberpunk. Featuring a brilliant voice cast, including a now-superstar Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the great Emma Thompson, and the ever-entertaining Martin Short to name a few; this film has an immense imagination and deserves a little more credit!

 

 

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This year, Disney’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs celebrates its 80^th anniversary! To honor this classic, we have put together a list of 5 things you may not have known about Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

#1: The First Film of Its kind

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was unlike anything that the world had ever seen before. It was the first ever full-length animated feature film and it started an entirely new genre called the Animated Film for which Disney has become synonymous. Cartoons were no longer just shorts to tack onto big-ticket movies; they had become the main event themselves. Many critics called Snow White “Disney’s folly”. They all thought it was a foolish idea and that no audience would want to sit through a cartoon of that length. Boy, did Uncle Walt show them! Not only did Walt get an audience to sit through almost an-hour-and-a-half of cartoon joy, but he got them to love it. It is now a pop-culture icon which has lasted for 80 years. Many film historians consider Snow White to be the most important animated film in history; and even one of the most important films in general!

#2 It Put Walt Disney on the Map

It was true that Walt Disney had already become famous for his creation of Mickey Mouse and the extremely refined quality of his animated shorts, but it wasn’t until the humongous success of Snow White that he became a true icon. Considering that Walt Disney had to mortgage his own house to keep the film financed, all while enduring the mocking of most critics, I would say that the fame the studio gained from it was well earned! Every dime of money earned at the Box office for Snow White was poured back into the studio’s future. With the profits from Snow White, the old Hyperion studios from which the film was born got traded out for the brand-new Walt Disney Studios in Burbank CA; the very same studio that the company still inhabits today. Without Snow White, Disney would not be the entertainment empire it is today.

#3 There Used to Be A LOT More Dwarfs

One of the many things that Walt emphasized was the transition of the original nameless dwarfs from the fairy tale into fully-fleshed characters with individual personalities. However, this caused a great deal of trouble for Walt’s team because they couldn’t figure out what names to use! In fact, the studio considered over 60 Dwarf names before finally narrowing it down to seven. These names include, but are not limited to, Silly, Sappy, Scrappy, Snappy, Snoopy, Goopy, Gloomy, Gaspy, Gatsby, Gabby, Blabby, Flabby, Crabby, Cranky, Lazy, Dizzy, Dumpy, Snurfles, Dirty, Daffy, Doleful, Woeful, Wistful, Soulful, Helpful, Awful, Graceful, Tearful, Tubby, Weepy, Wheezy, Sneezy-Wheezy, Sniffy, Puffy, Stuffy, Shorty, Shifty, Thrifty, Nifty, Neurtsy, Hotsy, Hungry, Hoppy, Jaunty, Jazzy, Busy, Burpy, Baldy, Biggy-Wiggy, and Biggy-Ego! Whew…That is a lot!!!!!

#4 It Received an Extremely Unique Oscar

Snow White’s greatest achievement in critical circles was won at the 11^th Academy Awards in 1939. Walt Disney was gifted with the Academy’s most prestigious award; the ‘Honorary Award’. This award is one of the highest honors at the Academy Awards and signifies extreme respect by one’s peers; given only to those who have made a significant contribution to the film industry. It was presented to Walt by child star Shirley Temple as one normal sized Oscar along with seven miniature Oscars. The honor was addressed; “For Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, recognized as a significant screen innovation which has charmed millions and pioneered a great new entertainment field”.

 

#5 It’s One of the Greatest Box Office Juggernauts in History

We talk a lot about the Avatar, Star Wars VII, and Avengers regarding their power at the Box Office. These films have grossed millions in the theaters upon their release in today’s money. But let’s face it, a dollar is not worth what it once was. Adjusted for inflation, Snow White’s true value dwarfs most modern ‘Box-office hits’ at a whopping theatrical gross of $963,560,000!!!  Adjusted for inflation, Snow White ranks as the ‘10^th Highest Grossing Film of All Time’. Avatar comes in at 15, which is still extremely high, but Snow White beats it by over a hundred million dollars!