Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #27: Oliver and Company (1988)

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #26: The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

The 80s weren't kind to Walt Disney Animation Studios. After Don Bluth's sudden departure, he became their main competitor, churning out films like The Secret of NIMH, An American Tail and The Land Before Time, which were box office successes and surpassed their Disney competitors. At the end of the decade, the Disney studio returned to adapting a classic story, in this case Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist. However, in very Disney fashion, they turned most of the characters into animals and the title character became an orphaned kitten, adopted by a gang of street dogs and their leader, Dodger. They work for a pickpocket named Fagin (one of the few characters from the original novel to remain human) who is in debt to a loan shark named Sykes. When Sikes gives Fagin an ultimatum, he and his dogs wander the streets to look for something to steal and, after encountering some misfortunes, Oliver ends up in the hands of a rich and lonely little girl named Jenny, who adopts him. This gives Fagin an idea of how to repay Sikes. If you are a Disney fan, you probably know that Disney have never been completely faithful to the source materials they adapt their movies from and some liberties are always taken, in this case however, the film marks a radical departure from its source material and in the end what is left from it is just the character's name and the fact that he's orphaned. Instead of setting it up in 19th century England, the Disney team set the story in present-day (or 1980s, anyway) New York and turned around some characters' natures (for example, Fagin is no longer seen as a villain but rather a victim of circumstances). Unfortunately, this 'adaptation' is a mixed bag, mainly because the main character (just like in The Black Cauldron) is a bland, one-noted personality. The supporting characters add some colourful moments and scenes, and some of the songs are catchy, but the animation feels cheap and rushed, not giving the characters or their surroundings any quality to speak of. The main reason to watch Oliver and Company is because this marks the introduction of brilliant lyricist Howard Ashman, who later on contributed to some of the most memorable Disney movies and created some of the studio's most unforgettable songs. However, on the whole, Oliver is just a modest and forgettable affair that has little replay value. Rating: 2.5/5.

Next Week: Animated Classic #28 Review: The Little Mermaid (1989)

Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #26: The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #25: The Black Cauldron (1985)

After the disastrous premiere of The Black Cauldron the previous year, the new Disney management, with Jeffrey Katzenberg and Roy E. Disney at the helm, took it upon themselves to rehabilitate the ailing animation studio. Instead of aiming for a big, ambitious and costly endeavour, they set their goal on a smaller but still entertaining film. Mice have always been a staple for the Disney Studio, so it's not a surprise that this film would feature another one of the studio's most famous animal. Based on the children's book series "Basil of Baker Street" by Eve Titus, the film tells the story of Basil (a mouse version of Sherlock Holmes) a very clever and astute mouse who solves the most difficult and puzzling mysteries. When a toymaker is mysteriously kidnapped, Basil sets his sights on his arch-nemesis Professor Ratigan (a rat version of Professor Moriarty) and, with the help of a veteran mouse, Major Dawson (Watson), they start unravelling a crime which could put the whole British Empire in jeopardy. The Great Mouse Detective may not be a particularly remarkable film, but it features an excellent cast of characters. The film boasts excellent character animation and top-notch vocal performers (Vincent Price is particularly stellar as the villainous Ratigan) and is also an early showcase of the talent of some of the young animators who would become legends in later years by creating some of the most famous Disney films in recent memory. A particular stand-out is Glen Keane's animation of Ratigan which makes him such an interesting personality. This is also the first film directed by the legendary duo of Ron Clements and John Musker who later created iconic films like The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. All in all, The Great Mouse Detective may not be a cherished Disney classic (and the fact that is sandwiched between two disappointing films may be one of the reasons for that) but it offers clever entertainment and wonderfully animated characters; it's a showcase of early talent from some of the studio's top animators. Rating: 3.5/5.

Next Week: Animated Classic #27 Review: Oliver and Company (1988)

Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #25: The Black Cauldron (1985)

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #24: The Fox and the Hound (1981)

Here's a film that has the words "wasted potential" all over it. The Black Cauldron was a movie intended for a more mature audience, as Disney felt they needed to do something for teens instead of little children, without realizing that was Walt did was entertainment for everyone and for all ages. The Disney team wanted to create a "darker movie" and Lloyd Alexander's "Prydain Chronicles" seemed like the perfect choice on paper. Unfortunately, the final product is a bloated mixture of half-baked ideas and underdeveloped characters. The story of Taran and his quest to reach the mythical Black Cauldron and save humanity before The Evil Horned King takes it and rules over the world seems like a great adventure story, but the Disney animators created a painfully slow and unfunny film that really wastes any potential of becoming something better by giving Taran the personality of a potato. Yep, Taran is one of the most bland and contradictory characters ever created for a Disney film and, as heroes go, he's one of the worst. Alongside a slate of horrible supporting characters (just look at Gurgi, one of the most annoying creatures I've ever encountered in a film) he drags the whole picture down; the film is a nearly complete disaster from beginning to end. What saves it from being a compete waste is some inspired backgrounds and The Horned King, who is a menacing villain with a great design. But, aside from that, The Black Cauldron is the main reason why this was a dark time for Disney Animation. It didn't help that Jeffrey Katzenberg, the newly appointed head of the department, demanded many cuts in the final sequences that were too "dark" for the audience. When the film premiered, audiences turned their back on this "ambitious" project and Cauldron plummeted at the box office, becoming an epic disaster and threatening the very existence of the studio. Fortunately, that wasn't quite the case and since the movie's disastrous premiere it has achieved some sort of "cult status" among some circles. But I must say that The Black Cauldron remains one of the worst and most boring pictures the famous studio have ever created. Rating: 2/5.

Next Week: Animated Classic #26 Review: The Great Mouse Detective (1986)

Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Animated Classic #24: The Fox and the Hound (1981)

Make Sure You've Read: Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Dark Era (1981-1988) Introduction

The Fox and the Hound was released in one of the most troubled times in Disney history. The 'Nine Old Men' retired and a new guard of animators (many of whom have since become legends in their own right) took charge of the studio, but that change didn't come easily. Don Bluth, one of the animators, frustrated with the lack of ambition and the way the studio was managed, quit and took a large number of the animation staff with him to form his own studio, which became Disney's main competitor during the decade. As a result, The Fox and the Hound was delayed, and, after spending more than five years in production, was released in 1981 without much fanfare. Since then, it hasn't become an undisputed classic but also hasn't been completely forgotten. The film is in the middle of the canon, neither revered nor hated, and it's likely it will stay that way. The story of Tod (a fox) and Copper (a hound), who became friends when they were supposed to be enemies, has some issues - mainly in the supporting characters, and a pointless side-story involving two birds and a caterpillar - but the emotional core of the central story is very well handled. Also, while the animation is not spectacular, some scenes are very powerful (including the Bear Fight, showcasing early work from the legendary animator Glen Keane) and will leave you satisfied. Like some of the films from the previous decade, The Fox and the Hound may not be a masterpiece, but it still has enough emotional depth to charm viewers of all ages. Rating: 3.5/5.

Next Week: Animated Classic #25 Review: The Black Cauldron (1985)

Munir's Disney Retrospective -- Dark Era (1981-1988) Introduction

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective--Animated Classic #23: The Rescuers (1977)

After the legendary team known as the 'Nine Old Men' retired, a period of transition began at the studio, which unfortunately brought some problems to the struggling new team and to the films they were working on. While some historians and fans state that the 'Dark Ages' started after Walt's death, it was in most of the 80s that the problems were felt, not only by the animation department, but by the entire company. Many of the films released in this decade threatened the very existence of animation at Disney, and you can tell that most of them had troubled productions, as it shows in the final product. Still, problems and all, there are some bright spots in this era and the films were a prelude for greater things and times that would return the studio to its former glory.