Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #33: Pocahontas (1995)

Make Sure You've Read: Munir's Disney Retrospective - The Renaissance, Part 2 (1995-1999) Introduction

It seemed rather impossible for Disney to do anything wrong after The Lion King. After that film's gigantic success, the studio positioned itself as the leading animation studio, obliterating what little competition they had at the time. Boy, what a difference one year makes! Pocahontas was destined for greatness from the very beginning. Before his bitter departure from the studio, Jeffrey Katzenberg put all of his effort into making this film the 'new Beauty and the Beast'. Top animators like Glen Keane were working on it, legendary composer Alan Menken was attached to score it, and Disney was proudly announcing that this was their first feature film based on real character. What could possibly go wrong? Well apparently many things because nowadays, Pocahontas is viewed as the 'beginning of the end' for Disney, and the start of their decline. While I can agree that Pocahontas does not surpass its predecessor in any way, and that it was indeed it a decline from its earlier predecessors, I also think that it has an undeservedly bad reputation, that it offers great entertainment and is still one of the most ambitious and beautiful films that ever came from the studio.

Munir's Disney Retrospective - The Renaissance, Part 2 (1995-1999) Introduction

Last Week's: Munir's Disney Retrospective - Animated Classic #32: The Lion King (1994)

After the roaring success of The Lion King, its successor had the uphill battle of surpassing or at least matching its unprecedented acclaim. Of course, that didn't happen and in the following years the films that were released were met with a more lukewarm response and decreasing revenue. That, however didn't mean that Disney Animation was going 'downhill' or that they had lost the magic but, as with any studio that's reached its peak, the only place to go was down. Another factor for this decline was the fact that, in this period of time, Pixar came into existence, forever changing the animation industry. Nonetheless, the second part of the Renaissance is filled with beautiful movies that, while not as good as its four big predecessors, still offer plenty of charm, superb animation, endearing characters and wonderful stories. The last part of the Renaissance may not have been as brilliant as its beginning, but it still remains a high point in the studio's history.

Tomorrow: Animated Classic #33 Review: Pocahontas (1995)

Video of the Day: The Harsh Reality for Disney Princesses, in After Ever After

Concerned Disney films are a little bit too happy? Not enough BP-bashing or Guantanamo Bay jokes for you? Fortunately, YouTuber Paint agrees with you. He posted the above video, suggesting some darker, possibly more realistic, endings to classic Disney fairytales.

It's inventive, tuneful and just plain funny, so be sure to check the video out!

Alan Menken Medley

WaltDisneyStudiosUK have just uploaded the above video onto their YouTube page. The video is a medley, from Alan Menken, legendary Disney composer, of some of his greatest Disney hits. The video really brings back all of the magic of these famed Dinsey Renaissance films. Say what you like about musicals, but they really are very magical. I particularly liked the snippets from Colours of the Wind (Pocahontas), Beauty and the Beast and A Whole New World (Aladdin), although I loved all of them.

Menken certainly is a fantastic composer.