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Song of the South (1946) - 94 Minutes

Song of the South. How many folks out there have seen this delightful feature? Not many, I'd assume. This is a film that Disney refuses to release again for reasons of it being overtly racist and they are afraid it'll tarnish their kid-friendly, do-no-harm reputation. It's the story of Uncle Remus who spins tales of old Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox and Brer Bear. The little boy Johnny learns from these stories, and has adventures of his own.


Eli

Rating: 8/10

Reaction: Though I've only seen this once before, it is still highly entertaining. This movie was the basis for my favorite ride at the Disney parks: Splash Mountain! So I knew all the songs and it was fantastic to recognize images in the movie that I'm familiar with in the ride (Brer Bear tied up, scaring off the crows is one example.) Maybe I'm just naive (and maybe I love Splash Mountain so much) but I really don't see how terrible this film is. It's a piece of Disney history, and I'm sad future generations won't get to experience it. I love how Hattie McDaniel is in this film, and Uncle Remus is a treasure. They adventures that Brer Rabbit goes on are cute, though I would hate to encounter someone who wants to punch you in the face just because you won't say hello to them. (Hello, NYC homeless...) But who can not love the song Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah! It always puts a smile on my face, and yes, everything truly is satisfactual in this film!


Regan

Rating: 7/10

Reaction: So I can totally see where the people who say this movie is racist are coming from.  Despite that, I found myself enjoying it.  The animations and live action scenes balanced each other nicely.  My favorite parts were the Brer Rabbit parts--although it's hard to have much empathy for that feisty rabbit.  It's sweet to see Uncle Remus try to lift a young boy's spirits through his stories, and satisfying when Johnny takes Uncle Remus's stories as an example and uses Brer Rabbit's tricks on some bullies.  Also that puppy was adorable!  The ending was pretty cheesey, with Johnny's mother sending Uncle Remus away and Johnny getting trampled by a bull (distinctly not Ferdinand the Bull) when he cuts across the pasture to stop him.  Of course a few stories from Uncle Remus were all Johnny needed to get out of bed and on his feet again!  I was pretty delighted by the ending, with the three children, the dog, and an astonished Uncle Remus frolicking with Brer Rabbit and singing "Zipp-a-Dee-Doo-Dah".

Make Mine Music (1946) - 75 Minutes

Make Mine Music is a Fantasia-like film that is composed of a bunch of different shorts set to music. What sets this apart from Fantasia is there is more narrative, including narration through several of the pieces, and there is no orchestra or announcer. They are just little shorts with music.

Eli

Rating: 6/10

Reaction: This movie started out S-L-O-W slow! The first few segments were nothing but boring, and I was worried that this would be the longest one yet to sit through. (Not time-wise, but just in feeling long.) However, in the middle, things turned around quite nicely! Peter and the Wolf was a glorious segment, with each instrument representing a character in the piece. It was fun and frightening. There was also an awesome clarinet who led a group of instruments on a jazzy ride. A pair of lovebird hats were separated, and reunited, making this one a sad but hopeful clip. It was also narrated by the singing Andrews Sisters! Fantastic! And the final short about an opera-singing whale was quite nice, and takes literally the saying "dream big." He could barely fit in the Met. All in all, if the whole film was just those last few shorts, it would've gotten a much higher rating. But since it started out so awful, I couldn't give it what it deserved.

Regan

Rating: 5/10

Reaction: One word: boring.  This movie--again a collection of sketches--comes across very much like Fantasia-lite.  To be fair, the second half got significantly better, but the early sketches were just flat out dull, with unmemorable music and animations that had me yawning.  Things improved with Peter and the Wolf, the hat song (don't remember its real name, but I loved the song about a fedora and a blue bonnet in love in a department store window), and the opera singing whale (although that was a bit too depressing!).  This one just never caught my attention despite all that and I wasn't sad when it was over.

The Three Caballeros (1945) - 71 Minutes

This is the movie about how Donald Duck spent his birthday ogling and attempting to grope chicks in bathing suits.


Eli

Rating: 3/10

Reaction: This one is SOOO boring. I literally fell asleep at the end (thought whether that was the movie or the 3 beers I drank this morning is anyone's guess.) Nothing really happens, and the animation sequences just didn't pique my interest. There's a penguin who wants to get warm, but his ice boat would've melted MILES before he reached the equator. Also, a flying donkey? I mean, really? And then you have long segments of us touring Brazil and Mexico with Donald and his two bird pals. Boy, are they horny creatures, oggling at the babes on the beach and the dancing flower lady. (Don't know what I'm talking about? Watch this movie.) On second thought, don't watch this movie - you aren't really missing anything, except maybe a nice nap.


Regan

Rating: 7/10

Reaction: I don't really picture myself watching this ever again, and it was completely absurd, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.  This was another semi-educational movie (although with a lot more potentially drug-induced hallucinations), in which Donald Duck explored the cultures of Brazil and Mexico on his birthday by interacting with two other birds (his fellow "caballeros").  Donald and the others are total pervs, which is half the fun.  Most of the movie consists of them running around having rather incomprehensible adventures and bursting into occasional song.  This movie also started with a cute video about a penguin making a boat out of an iceberg so it could float to the Galapagos Islands, which, okay, six of these points are because there was a penguin.

Saludos Amigos (1943) - 42 Minutes

Saludos Amigos (and the next one we will watch, The Three Caballeros) was produced as part of the U.S. government's Good Neighbor Policy during WWII. They were made to create pro-American feelings (and combat Nazi sympathies) in Latin America. What we get reads kind of like a history lesson of Latin America.


Eli

Rating: 4/10

Reaction: This one doesn't hold my interest at all very much. It's quite boring. It's along the lines of an education video about South America, and frankly, I don't care to learn about South America (in the 40's). The animated sequences are fun, my favorite being the last one called Aquarela do Brazil which involves an artist hand-painting frames while Donald and some cigar-smoking parrot traipse about. It's beautiful to look at, but that's about it. Oh, the music is catchy too. But this is hardly one I would recommend watching if a friend said "What Disney film should we watch today!?" I would most-likely say, "Eh, not this one."


Regan

Rating: 6/10

Reaction: Okay, I know I said that Bambi was like a school nature video...well, Saludos Amigos really was intended to be an educational video.  For what it was I suppose it's well done, with Goofy and Donald Duck standing in as a South American cowboy and as a tourist to South America, respectively.  There's a lot of educational narration and footage of old-time South America.  Not a particularly interesting experience, although I was delighted to see a picture of an orange-winged Amazon parrot who looked just like Gus!

Bambi (1942) - 70 Minutes

Bambi. This is the movie for nature lovers and preservationists alike. It's the daring tale of a young faun who explores his new home in the forest and meets some lovely and cute characters in the meanwhile. Stephen King also says that this is the scariest movie he has ever seen. Go figure.

Eli

Rating: 6/10

Reaction: As cute as this movie is, sometimes it can drag along. There isn't much of a story per se, but mainly a series of events that happen in the forest (seasons changing, fires, men) that Bambi must deal with. There's also not a lot of dialogue, and this film apparently has the least amount of it in any Disney film. (Besides, perhaps, WALL-E) There's no doubt that there are some cute characters. Thumper the rabbit is by far my favorite, and has the cutest voice in the beginning of the movie, reciting all his father's rules. There's Flower, the skunk, who doesn't do too much, but I guess he's cute too. And Bambi is pretty cute as he's learning how to walk. He reminds me of my first time in heels.

For all the people who say this movie is sad, I think it's more terrifying than sad. Yes, Bambi's mother dies, but it's the lead up and aftermath that make it all the more frightening. The music is almost Jaws-like, adding an extra note to the famous duh-duh. Then there is what I like to call The Frantic Pheasant, who just can't take the approaching hunters and therefore flies away, only to be shot dead. This leads to a massacre of forest folk, a truly horrifying and upsetting scene. (Children's movie - - - yeah right!) But it is enjoyable the first few times. I cannot however imagine watching this over and over again, and when asked to describe it, all I can say is: it's cute. And scary. Like me.

Regan

Rating: 7/10

Reaction: So the message here is pretty clear.  Nature = good.  Men = evil.  I don't think any of us will ever forget the horror of Bambi's mother being offed by a ruthless hunter.  It's interesting to see how a lot of these early Disney movies feel almost like educational videos as much as entertainment.  Fantasia, for example, felt like a movie intended to be showed in schools, especially with the monologues interspersed.  Bambi, similarly, feels like a nature video in the way it leisurely follows Bambi's life from birth until he has children of his own (you can see how the idea for The Lion King might have sprung from Bambi).  The line, "You can call me a flower if you want to", spoken by the skunk, has been a favorite in my family for a long time.

Despite its charm, and the fact that it's barely more than an hour long, Bambi does drag at times.  I found myself wanting a bit more of the plot that the later Disney movies offer.

This was our first background for the site. We will update it about every 6 films or so. I thought it would be nice to have it saved here for posterity's sake.

Dumbo (1941) - 64 Minutes

Casey Junior's comin' down the track! Here is our fourth installment in A Fabulous Year of Disney: Dumbo! You know, big ears, circus clowns, a friendly mouse, and a magic feather. There's no denying that this movie has a good message - you may be different, but honey, you are fabulous!

Eli

Rating: 9/10

Reaction: Dumbo is a movie I could watch over and over again. There is so much going on in this film, and I love almost every moment of it. Who can forget those bitchy elephants that constantly make fun of Dumbo? They are so nasty. Such gossips! And might I add dumb. But oh well, they must be jealous of the all the fame Dumbo is going to get. Then there are the clowns. Now, I don't know why being a clown is the lowest of the low when it comes to the circus. I would've thought shoveling elephant shit (yes, you mean lady elephants, I'm talking about you!) would be the worst. But clowns get a bad reputation in this movie. Sure, they may put a poor baby elephant in a burning building and make him jump into a shallow pool of some frothy substance, but they are kind of really funny throughout the movie, and they like to drink.

Speaking of drinking, I think I am one of the only people in the world who really loves Pink Elephants on Parade! It's so catchy and delightfully whacky, and the animation is really fun to watch. Most of my friends think it's terrifying, but they need to grow a pair and get a grip. They're just elephants who happen to be pink, jeez! I will say that every time I watch the Baby Mine segment where Mrs. Jumbo rocks baby Dumbo in her drunk while she's in prison, I cry a bit. There are actually quite a few tears shed by the characters in this movie. I didn't count them, cause that would be silly and time consuming, but I could guesstimate that there were about 40 tears in all. Holy moly! Good thing I haven't included my own in that figure, or it may have been double.


Regan

Rating: 9/10

Reaction: This was one of the Disney movies I haven't seen in ages, but I've always remembered loving that adorable big-eared elephant.  This movie starts by tugging on your heart strings (with storks delivering babies to all of the various circus animals) and never stops.  Dumbo's mother (Mrs. Jumbo, Jr.) is a tragic, sweet character as she strives to protect her son from all threats, be they bitchy lady elephants or gawking little boys, despite her own general impotence, until she finds herself locked in solitary confinement (with a sign on her cell saying "Mad Elephant").  Fortunately for Dumbo, a kind-hearted mouse decides to step in as father figure/mentor, scheming up ways to save Mrs. Jumbo and show the world that Dumbo's ears just make him special.  They encounter various hurdles along the way--most of them clown-related and heart breaking, since Dumbo's really good at looking extremely sad--until they discover, with the help of some Jim Crow-esque crows, that Dumbo can fly.  He shows off a little and they live happily ever after.

This is a compact and touching story from start to finish.  I got teary-eyed a couple of times, especially when Dumbo visited his mom in "jail."  The only reason I docked it a point was the pink elephant drunk dream sequence, which went on a bit too long for me.

The Reluctant Dragon (1941) - 62 Minutes

The Reluctant Dragon is actually a series of short films: The Reluctant Dragon, Ferdinand the Bull, Goliath II, and Johnny Appleseed.  The first is the tale of a gay poetry-writing very gay dragon who very much does not want to fight a gay poetry-writing super gay knight, to a young boy's disappointment.  The second is the story of Ferdinand, a gay bull who likes to smell flowers rather than fight.  Third is the story of Goliath II, the mouse-sized elephant who only wishes to live up to his elephant-sized father's expectations.  And finally there's the legend of Johnny Appleseed, the gay Republican uber-Christian, apple-planting pioneer.

Eli

Rating: 8/10

Reaction: Before I begin, you must realize that this isn't the actual version of The Reluctant Dragon that was released in 1941. That version had a studio tour with some guy, and involved him pitching the idea of this film to studio folks and finally Walt Disney. Suffice it to say, this is not that film - but a collection of four very-gay shorts. It's fun though. I don't think anyone can be more flamboyant than this dragon is. He is Fab-U-Lous! The other three shorts are pretty good, my favorite being Goliath II. What a cute little elephant he is, and I'm pretty sure some of the animation is put directly into Peter Pan (I'm talking about the crocodile part.) And boy, is that mouse a real jerk! So mean. The other two animated shorts were cute, but not my favorites. I mean, come on - I almost cried when Johnny Appleseed died at the end of the last one. How sad! He planet all those trees, and we NEVER actually saw him enjoying the food he provided the apples for. Poor guy. He must've died from starvation. Oh well, at least we know the clouds are totally made of apple blossom tree. Let's see if these hurricane clouds surrounding NYC will give us some apple pie!


Regan

Rating: 7/10

Reaction: I really enjoyed most of these shorts!  They were whacky and silly, of course, but also great fun.  The dragon segment was the most absurd, with the dragon flouncing around throwing tea parties.  I loved Ferdinand, which I think I actually used to watch on television as it felt very familiar.  The bull who simply likes to smell flowers is adorable and endearing, and nothing terrible befalls anyone involved.  Goliath II was similarly cute, with the itsy-bitsy elephant trying so hard to get by.  (Also, the narrator was the voice of Winnie the Pooh!)  The story of Johnny Appleseed didn't hesitate to bash us over the head with the Bible, so it was probably the most annoying of the lot.  Overall the four were clever, with fun characters and jaunty songs tossed in.

Fantasia (1941) - 125 Minutes

Ahhh, Fantasia. Who can forget Mickey on that mountain, conjuring magic and being the mischievous mouse that he is? This film is one of short mini-films set entirely to music. There are some beautiful works in this movie, and it is the third Disney film in our experiment.

Eli

Rating: 5/10

Reaction: As thrilling and entertaining as I'm sure this movie was upon its release, for me, it's just a bit boring. But that doesn't mean there aren't some fabulous parts! Like the little Asian mushrooms dancing, the fairies being useful and changing the seasons, or even the way Mickey flounces while creating a magic broom to carry out his chores. (Lazy Mickey!) I didn't enjoy the first pieces, which was basically a bunch of abstract lines and shapes set to music. My attention span needs something more. And I never really enjoyed the dinosaur segment. Not only does it make me hungry, but it's wicked sad when the stegosaurus gets killed by the t-rex. (At least he gets his comeuppance and dies in the drought with all the other dinosaurs. Wait. Is that satisfying since they all die? Oh well.)

But there are parts I enjoyed. I love that the only ladies in the orchestra play the harp. And they have fabulous hats. I also really enjoy the Greek mythology segment, with the topless centaurs (Disney? Really?) and the naked cherubs (again, Disney? Really?) Bacchus likes to have fun, but Zeus is kind of a dick and ruins the party with his lightning. Jerk. And the Demon mountain guy is ALWAYS scary. But my favorite part has got to be the part with the ballet-dancing animals, which includes ostriches, hippos, elephants and alligators. It's the best segment I think of the whole film, and makes me want to take some ballet. I mean, if hippos can, then WHY NOT ME?!?!?

Regan

Rating: 6/10

Reaction: Fantasia has always been something of a mixed bag for me.  I haven't seen it since I was a small child and I remember being thoroughly bored by it then.  At the same time, I never forgot the image of Mickey trying to reel in all those brooms, or the hippo in a tutu!  All these years later and it turns out my reaction is much the same, though I found myself enjoying some of the sketches that I had completely forgotten existed.  Like Eli, I wasn't a fan of the opening sequence, and the droning monologues between each piece (which were not included, I think, in the original tape) were a chore to get through.  My favorite parts were still the Sorcerer's Apprentice and the ballet with the hippo crushing the alligator.  I was also surprised by how much I enjoyed the dinosaur segment (although the animators obviously had never seen Jurassic Park--those velociraptors didn't look at all as if they could open doors!).  On the other hand, the demon segment, which I'd forgotten, I found bizarre and boring.  Perhaps the icing on the cake was the intermission, which really felt like a charming relic from a different time.

Pinocchio (1940) - 88 Minutes

Our second film of the marathon is of course Pinocchio (which is quite difficult to spell.) It's the story of a wooden puppet brought to life who just wants to be a real boy.

Eli

Rating: 7/10

Reaction: Pinocchio was never one of my ultimate favorite movies growing up. I remember, I enjoyed watching it, but it was never one I needed to watch upon repeat. That doesn't mean it isn't good. One of my favorite musical sequences is in this movie. It's the one where Pinocchio sings "I've Got No Strings" and you've got dancing Russians, can-can girls, and Dutch ladies in clogs. Fabulous! And, let's be real, besides the fighting and destruction, Pleasure Island looks like a friggin' awesome time! Rollercoasters and rides, a fun house, hopefully some mozzarella sticks. I'd go. But - oh yeah - don't get turned into a jackass. That's why I wouldn't break anything or be nasty. Maybe then, if I had nice fun, I wouldn't get turned.

But that damn whale Monstro will never cease to be frightening. The animation in that scene is super fantastic, and I never want to be in the middle of the sea on a raft with a puppet, cricket, cat and goldfish. It would be an unpleasant experience. But I do enjoy this film, and I think it has some good lessons. Don't follow strangers or you'll end up in a cage. Don't smoke cigars or drink beer, or you'll turn into a donkey. Oh yeah, and don't become an actor.



Regan

Rating: 7/10

Reaction: This one has really withstood the test of time nicely, I think.  I remember being pretty disturbed by the scenes of the boys turning into donkeys when I watched this as a kid, and it's no less freaky now (especially since the turning-boys-into-donkeys-and-using-them-as-slaves storyline is never brought up again once Pinocchio escapes...).  The movie really feels like three short stories tacked one after the other and doesn't really make sense as a cohesive piece, but the animation (especially on the whale scenes) is so good it's hard to worry about that too much.  Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket are almost as idiotic as Snow White and the dwarves, but their foolishness is less irritating since they're a kid and a cricket.  "When You Wish Upon a Star" is a great song.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1938) - 84 Minutes

It's day one of our amazing Disney marathon and we've just finished watching Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.  We're so glad to have started our year-long marathon and can't wait to see what the rest of the year has in store.

Eli

Rating: 8/10

Reaction: This is one of my favorite Disney animated movies, and of course you can tell why if you know me! I am all for camp - and Snow White is one of the dimmest, ditziest Princesses out there. She's pretty much good-for-nothing except cleaning and cooking, plus she prays and is totally fake-nice to everyone. (I don't believe her for a second.) I think she's really just a Republican. The Evil Queen is fabulous, but really, she needs to get over her obsession with beauty. There seems to be no one else in her castle - maybe even her kingdom - save the Huntsman, so who the heck is she going to impress by being the fairest of them all? Certainly not me. I mean, we can't even see her weave under that headdress.

I love the way Snow White prances from scene to scene. She's so flighty (literally and figuratively) that it's exciting to watch. She even wears heels all through the forest! Can you imagine running through the woods in those puppies? Jeez, Snow. Your feet must be killing you. And yet, the first thing you want to do is illegally enter a stranger's cottage and tidy it up? Please - I'd be like "Bitch, where's the bed?!" Oh well. She's dumb. But I still love the movie because of it!


Regan

Rating: 5/10

Reaction:  I know this is an old movie, but I still find Snow White's lack of character and utter stupidity a little painful to watch (not to mention that her voice is gratingly high-pitched).  I mean, even the forest animals are smarter than she is!  Don't talk to creepy old women, how hard is that?  It was also a pretty interesting choice to spend half an hour on the dwarfs meeting Snow White and then to switch to narration to explain Prince Charming's harrowing search for his comatose true love, which had the potential to be the most interesting part of the story.  Instead, Prince Charming barely counts as a character at all.

There were some truly terrifying scenes, though, which I enjoyed--the Queen in her dungeon and Snow White's flight through the forest at night were pretty memorable.  It was pretty fascinating seeing how the early animation was done--Snow White seemed almost drawn by crayon, while the other characters didn't look all that different from the style of the 90s Disney movies.