Perhaps the weakest film of the entire decade, Robin Hood nonetheless
succeeds thanks to a strong cast of characters and the charm of the film’s hero. Due to economic difficulties, most of the animation in the movie is
recycled from previous Disney movies. Little John is a cardboard copy of Baloo
(including the voice, provided by Phil Harris), Sir Hiss is a shorter version of
Kaa (with the same hypnotic powers) and the dance sequence in the forest is a
mixture of Snow White, The Jungle Book and The Aristocats. However, if you can
see past that, the movie offers plenty of charm and action to entertain the
whole family. The voice cast is superb, especially Peter Ustinov in the role of
the villainous Prince John, which is easily the best character in the movie. Robin
Hood himself is also a charming lead and Maid Marian is a suitable ‘damsel in
distress’. The animation, as most of it is recycled, is one of the most
uninspired efforts from the studio, but even that has some unique charm. There
are many gags, but the humour is a tad uneven and not nearly as funny as
The Aristocats. Robin Hood is not one of the studio’s top offerings, but is
charming enough to at least warrant a look. Rating: 3.5/5.
Next Week: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
Next Week: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
Robin Hood is actually one of my favorites! I remember a lot more about Robin Hood than I do The Jungle book. But that may be because it spoke to my romantic heart. ;)
ReplyDeleteYou can say that again! Actually, this, Peter Pan and The Great Mouse Detective were my absolute favourites growing up!
ReplyDeleteGreat job, Munir! I absolutely love Robin Hood. While it may not be the finest specimen of Disney animation, it sure is one of the most quotable! And quotability means a lot in my book!
ReplyDeleteThanks Morgan! I really like this movie. It may not be Disney's finest but is certainly one of their most charming and memorable ones.
ReplyDeleteI actually just got to watch The Great Mouse Detective earlier this year thanks to Netflix and my boo. He remembers it as one of his alltime childhood favorites, and it's one of my new faves ;)
ReplyDeleteDitto. Jolly good stuff!
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