Sunday 8 December 2013

Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #45: Home on the Range (2004)



And now, we've arrived at the moment where the word "classic" is really a stretch. Here's a movie that could've been a charming half hour special for the Disney Channel, but instead it's from the same studio that brought you timeless classics like Snow White and Beauty and the Beast. Home on the Range is the worst traditionally animated film from the studio, and now, nine years after its release, it's still hard to fathom why a film with such a generic story, unappealing characters and cheap animation was ever released to theatres.

Home on the Range tells the story of three cows, Maggie, Mrs. Calloway and Grace who live in an idyllic farm called Patch of Heaven. The three of them must unite forces to capture an infamous carte rustler called Alameda Slim, collect the loot on his head and save their precious farm from closure. 

The story sounds very simple which wouldn't be a problem if the filmmakers had done a great job at executing it. Instead, they keep it really simple and dull with dry humour and forgettable characters. The movie plays like a DTV ‘cheapquel' from DisneyToon Studios where it's not about a good story, but keeping the children entertained. And that's one thing this film will do, entertain the toddlers. But everyone else will be bored or even irritated by it.

Usually, even if the story isn't good, the technical presentation is impeccable, but in this case it seems that every single element was meant for the audience to feel they were watching something very cheap. There’s not a single inspired character design, great background or even a great sequence. Not even the casting works as, Roseanne Barr comes off as annoying as the main character. You don’t care for any of the characters or their plight, and it's like watching some sort of TV special that went terribly wrong.

The only mildly redeemable element is the music, which was composed by the great Alan Menken. It's the only thing that doesn't feel cheap, but it's still nowhere near his greatest soundtracks (Fun Fact: Alan Menken has received nominations for every single Disney animated film he has done, except this one). The score and songs try to pull the story up, but get crushed under the weight of mediocrity that permeates the rest of the film.

Home on the Range is one of the Disney’s worst films. In fact, if it weren't for its immediate successor, it would be their worst film. There's nary a single thing to praise about the film, and the finished product is something that should've stayed and died in the development room. I always recommend watching Disney animated films at least once, albeit for curiosity or historical value, but in this case I wouldn't want you to suffer through this monstrosity. No wonder why traditional animation became nearly extinct at Disney after this. Rating: 1.5/5.

Next Week - Animated Classic #46 Review: Chicken Little (2005).

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