Favorite Disney Renaissance Film?

[SpongeJosh]

With Beauty and the Beast scheduled to be released on blu-ray this year these movies have been on my mind recently. It's hard to believe it's been over a decade since this era ended, and who knows, maybe the Princess and the Frog will be recognized as the first in a new Renaissance in another 10 years. These are the Disney films I grew up with, and although I enjoy the classics also, these will always be my favorite Disney films. It's probably easier for me to pick a least favorite, but my favorite would have to be The Lion King followed very closely by Tarzan, The Little Mermaid, and Hercules. So, which is your favorite?

[Michael24]

I thought the "Disney Renaissance" was just the late-80s/early-90s, and not so far into the late-90s that Mulan and Tarzan would be included?

In any event, I voted for The Little Mermaid. Just a great movie all around, from the animation to the music and songs. A really well-made production that I never tire of watching. (Mulan would be my second choice from that list, but again, I never really considered it part of the Renaissance.)

[Dr.Pepper]

I said The Lion King, but they were all great movies (aside from Hercules).

I thought the "Disney Renaissance" was just the late-80s/early-90s, and not so far into the late-90s that Mulan and Tarzan would be included?
Usually "renaissance" only refers to Little Mermaid, B&tB, Aladdin, and TLK, but sometimes it includes everything of the '90's.

[the_joker]

I like all of them, but Beauty and the Beast is easily my favorite of the bunch, with The Little Mermaid being a very close second.

Btw, I thought The Rescuers Down Under was one of them

[Light Lucario]

It's a tough call since there are some of my favorite Disney movies in this list, but I'm going to go with The Lion King. It was the first Disney movie I saw in theaters, it had a few great song, nice storyline and some great voices. Mulan would be a good second choice. I loved how Mulan went through a journey to find herself and ended up being a strong and capable person. Aladdin would be my third choice. It had a couple of cool songs, like "Friend Like Me" and "A Whole New World", and Robin Williams worked so well as Genie.

[SpongeJosh]

I thought the "Disney Renaissance" was just the late-80s/early-90s, and not so far into the late-90s that Mulan and Tarzan would be included?


Usually "renaissance" only refers to Little Mermaid, B&tB, Aladdin, and TLK, but sometimes it includes everything of the '90's.


Btw, I thought The Rescuers Down Under was one of them

I looked at various lists online and very few only included the first few while most included The Little Mermaid through Tarzan. The only place I found that counted The Rescuers Down Under was Wikipedia so I decided not to list it, but feel free to choose it. Apparently it was the least successful of the era so that might be why most lists didn't include it.

[Integral Birth]

Usually "renaissance"only refers to Little Mermaid, B&;tB, Aladdin, and TLK, but sometimes it includes everything of the '90's.

This is generally considered so, and how I'd view them myself.

I took the time to rewatch a lot of these movies, and some of Disney's other classics around the time Princess and the Frog came out to get pumped for it, and I don't regret it one bit. Tons of good ones here, but Lion King has always stuck out to me the most. I like how Disney tried their hands in making a (mostly) original story instead of adapting a pre-existing one, but at the same time made an epic Hamlet parallel out of practically nothing, but at the same time balances a sense of humor on top of Simba's character arc, so it doesn't come off as boring for the kiddies.

I especially like Scar's character, and how he becomes insane after he gains power, keeping up with the Shakespearean aspect of the movie. Andreas Deja is a beast, especially when animating villains, and without him the subtle touches of Scar's increasing descendant to madness wouldn't have been as believable or interesting if it wasn't for the little twitches and cracks in his movements. On top of that, "Be Prepared" is an epic villain song, his obvious trump card.

Actually, I think TLK may just have the best soundtrack of all the Disney movies, maybe only tying with Aladdin. Unlike Aladdin where I can pick a definitive favorite("A Whole New World" ftw), however, I always seem to choose between two or three different Lion King songs for my favorite. Sometimes I side with the epic opening of "Circle of Life", at least for the great animal animation; on good days I'll go with my childhood favorite "I Just Can't Wait to Be King", which is just as fun as I remembered it as a kid; then I'll have my "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" days, and as I said earlier, I have to give some love to "Be Prepared". It's weird that my favorite soundtrack of all of Disney's movies is the 90's movie people remember without Alan Menken's contribution to it, and as much as I like the guy's music, I think Elton John and Tim Rice made something really special out of the music.

Regarding the "Big 4"my favorites are in descending order, as in Lion King>Aladdin>Beauty and the Beast>Little Mermaid. All four are great movies, though, as are Hunchback of Notre Dame and Mulan.

[J. B. Warner]

Personally, I consider the Renaissance to include The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, and I'd even throw The Rescuers Down Under in there too if I was feeling generous, 'cause it was kind of a significant film; it was Disney's first sequel and proved that they actually could be good, and it was the first WDFA film to use digital animation. People tend to overlook The Rescuers Down Under when discussing the Disney Renaissance, probably because of its sequel status (and we all know what the general consensus is on animated Disney sequels, be they theatrical or...um, otherwise).

Out of the other four films, I will concede that they're all truly great works of cinema, but if I had to narrow it down, I think The Lion King has the most engaging story and the strongest cast of characters. I really should watch it again sometime...were it not for the fact that "Hakuna Matata" is such a frustrating earworm of a song. You hear it once, it's in your head for a week, you start humming it in public, and then come the stares from your coworkers.

[jph139]

I've always considered the Disney Renaissance everything from The Little Mermaid to Tarzan; a solid period from 1989 to 1999. As for which is my favorite... ooh, that's a tough one.

As a kid, I absolutely LOVED Hercules. It's pretty much just Rocky with a splash of Greek flavor, but man is is fun. Loved the gospel flair the music has, too - it's an odd combination, but it works. I see a lot more flaws nowadays, but it'll always have that special spot in my heart.

Nowadays I'm big on The Hunchback of Notre Dame. Mostly because it's so dark, and because, well, I've always loved religious themes, and Catholocism, as far as I'm concerned, is the most beautiful world religion. So it's pretty great. But when I watch it, I think, "Wow, this movie is so great, but..."

Objectively, I think, it comes down to one of two films - Aladdin or The Lion King. And between the two, I have to give a slight edge to Aladdin.

The Lion King is original (I mean, ignoring the whole "Hamlet" thing and Kimba the White Lion and such), with a GREAT villain, well-developed characters, nice musical score (with great African influence), and all that. But it feels very... plain. There's not much in the way of pizazz, I think, though perhaps that's just because it's so imitated by later works.

Aladdin, on the other hand, is ALL flash. Robin Williams, of course, is a very flashy kinda guy; the Genie is instantly lovable, though I find the leads somewhat dry. Jafar makes a good villain, with a good villain song, too... and the plot is just more interesting, on the whole. Feels less predictable. So, I'd give it to Aladdin.

But they're all fantastic. Not a single film on that list I dislike, or am even apathetic about; honestly, one of the best artistic periods in American history, if you ask me...

[Ed Liu]

I think my favorite Disney film of that era is usually a tossup between Aladdin and Beauty and the Beast. I got so caught up in Aladdin in the theaters that I distinctly remember thinking, "Oh, yeah, Robin Williams is in this movie, too, isn't he?" However, I also think Beauty and the Beast is a beautiful film and arguably the best of the Disney Princess movies, certainly once you start taking more modern sensibilities into account.


I'd even throw The Rescuers Down Under in there too if I was feeling generous, 'cause it was kind of a significant film; it was Disney's first sequel and proved that they actually could be good, and it was the first WDFA film to use digital animation.
How so? Oliver & Company (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=224329) used CGI for its vehicles and a few effects shots (doing a staircase scene that previewed the much larger-scale version in The Little Mermaid) two years before Rescuers Down Under, and as I found out at the time, The Great Mouse Detective used CGI for one of its climactic sequences two years before that.

[J. B. Warner]

How so? Oliver & Company (http://forums.toonzone.net/showthread.php?t=224329) used CGI for its vehicles and a few effects shots (doing a staircase scene that previewed the much larger-scale version in The Little Mermaid) two years before Rescuers Down Under, and as I found out at the time, The Great Mouse Detective used CGI for one of its climactic sequences two years before that.

I don't mean CGI animation; what I mean is that The Rescuers Down Under was the first Disney film to eschew the painted cel process - the digital coloring software that they've used for all their recent hand-drawn films was introduced with this film in 1990. The Great Mouse Detective and Oliver and Company integrated CGI into some of their sequences, but they were still done on hand-painted Xerox cels.

[Ed Liu]

I don't mean CGI animation; what I mean is that The Rescuers Down Under was the first Disney film to eschew the painted cel process - the digital coloring software that they've used for all their recent hand-drawn films was introduced with this film in 1990. The Great Mouse Detective and Oliver and Company integrated CGI into some of their sequences, but they were still done on hand-painted Xerox cels.
Ah, I see what you meant. Ain't it great how many things "digital" can mean? ;) The Little Mermaid did one scene with digital ink and paint, but yeah, RDU was the first one that used it for the entire movie.

[Wonderwall]

The Lion King for me, not exactly an original choice but it's the truth. It's the one I remember most seeing in theaters and watching a lot on VHS. Although I do like a lot of the others, Aladdin is a close second for me and I remember liking Beauty and the Beast but I haven't seen it in a very long time.

[Blankments]

If you'd asked me last year, I would've said Lion King, but now it's definitely Mulan. During sewing class last year, when I was bored, I sung a rewritten version of I'll Make a Man Out of You involving my project. The songs are great and the story is better.

[Collie]

I went with Aladdin. Loved the songs, loved the Genie. Could probably have lived without Iago, but mostly because of the voice. It just grated on me (then again, that was probably the point).

Hercules comes in a very close second.

[ToonFaithful]

My favorite one is Hercules, I was attracted to Greek Mythology and this was amazing it was nice to see Hades in this movie because that's what I'd picture him. This movie had action, it was funny, and it was emotional.

[Luna]

I liked them all(and my favorite tends to change over time),but currently,I'd have to go with Beauty and the Beast....I watch it far more than any of the others....I find The Beast to be an interesting character (he starts of as being spoiled and selfish,angry/miserable over his fate but at the same time knowing he's at fault for the curse that came over him and the castle,but ends up becoming a better person as he gets to know/falls in love with Belle)...

[Lavenderpaw]

The Lion King people! :sweat:

This is the ultimate child's Disney story. Oh, sure, it's not as wish-fulfilling as Aladdin or as deep as Little Mermaid. But, come on, I need not say words to describe my love for this movie... it's what got me through kindergarten.

[Crash]

At the time...and that was sort of my late teen years, so take that for what its worth...Lion King! But as time's gone by...Beauty and the Beast really does have a lot that's good about it. Songs, some really nice aniation, less talk of a great 'circle of life' more talk of monsters from peasants in taverns...

And Alladin isn't too far behind either of those. Very fun movie.

[Jolly Bengali]

Beauty and the Beast, by far. One of the few Disney movies that breaks out of the usual ugly-villain/beautiful-hero mold, and it's very gutsy in going past the usual good/bad archetypes by having a hero who essentially starts off as a villain who's then redeemed.

I like the others in the Big 4, but mostly for the music and the villains, rather than the story. The Little Mermaid has an exceptionally dumb heroine and The Lion King has a bit too much comic relief.

Outside the Big 4, I enjoyed Mulan the most for its strong heroine and message, but always laugh at the results when Disney tries to take on a culture that's not American/European.

Hunchback would be good, but it's just kind of weird for a kids movie.

Hercules was OK, Tarzan was dull, and Pocahontas was just terrible.

[Lord Bravery]

If The Lion King, Aladdin, and Beauty and the Beast were all the same movie, I would pick that one.

Of course then again, that would just be a horrible mess and wouldn't make much sense. :p

[Rainbow Sharpie]

In terms of story: I have to say Beauty and the Beast, with Hunchback as my second place. I love the holy mother of crap out of BatB's story and characters...they all work so well. Belle is my absolute favorite princess

In terms of animation: Aladdin, oh so much. The colors just pop out at you and the animation is the perfect blend of wacky and stable (if that makes sense). Genie's a good example of this (he's awesome)

So call me neutral :)

[Senshi Mizaka]

It's a crying shame that The Rescuers Down Under isn't a choice in this poll. Because, I really thought it was a giant step above its predecessor in terms of plot and animation. I guess it's overlooked and not a part of the Renaissance films because nobody really talks about it.

Anyway, out of the movies that are in this poll, I'd have to go with Beauty and the Beast. The characters were the big selling point for me, mostly notably Belle since she's pretty much the anti-thesis of the typical Disney princess.

[CaptainCanada]

The 1989-1999 period was tremendous for Disney animation; while the later films didn't meet the same level of success, I enjoyed them all.

I'll go for The Lion King. I was 7 when it came out, and it was just huge for my whole age group.

[Michael JJ]

A lot of these films were great, but I'm going to have to say Aladdin. I don't know why, I just love it. When I was a kid, I memorized all the songs from this movie and its two sequels, and would hum them in my head whenever I was bored. Heck, I could recite the script almost word for word.

As for why I like it...I don't know. The animation is great, the characters all fleshed out, and it had one of the best fight scenes in a Disney movie. Let's just say it's great.

[Ed Liu]

Merging new thread with the old one, and leaving that one's poll intact.

[heroman]

It's bewteen three films beauty and the beast,tarzan and the great lion king one of the greatest films in history.But if I could choose one would be lion king.

[Spideyzilla]

Beauty and The Beast BY FAR. I just rewatched it, and realized how truly great it is. The story is great, the characters are interesting, and it is indeed an amazing love story. The Lion King is kind of overrated in my opinion. I can't explain it, but something about the movie underwhelmed me. It was good, but not great. Scar annoyed me at times. At one minute he's fierce and menacing, and the next minute he's an annoying baby. Timone and Pumba also irritated me. They did nothing but relay puns. Beauty and the Beast did not have that. Lumiere and friends were funny, but never annoying. They were smart and helping. They did not speak entirely in puns.

[Toon Master]

I think Beauty and the Beast is my favorite. I picked up the Blu-ray and have to say that it added alot more to the already fantastic movie. The story, animation, music, and direction is fantastic. This is one worth watching many times. Anyone who has not seen it needs to see it atleast once in their lives!

If you do you will NOT be disappointed. ;)

[Cortez2301]

The hunchback of Notredame is my favourite out of the choices, because it had everything Beauty and the Beast, but it went the extra mile. The songs addressed the themes and narration, we really got to spend time with all the major characters enough to care about what was going on, the tone shifted from light to dark but had the perfect balance, and to be honest, I really did feel like it was well written. I loved this movie ever since I saw it in 1996, and it keeps getting better with age. It really is a moving, thoughtful experience and I wish Disney could go back to making more films like that. It is indeed my favourite Disney film.

[DisneyFan]

I'd have to say the Lion King is my favorite. Everything about it was spot on. The Music, The Story, The characters. It was such an amazing movie.

[Zen Man]

Personally, I consider the Renaissance to include The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, and I'd even throw The Rescuers Down Under in there too if I was feeling generous, 'cause it was kind of a significant film; it was Disney's first sequel and proved that they actually could be good, and it was the first WDFA film to use digital animation. People tend to overlook The Rescuers Down Under when discussing the Disney Renaissance, probably because of its sequel status (and we all know what the general consensus is on animated Disney sequels, be they theatrical or...um, otherwise).

Out of the other four films, I will concede that they're all truly great works of cinema, but if I had to narrow it down, I think The Lion King has the most engaging story and the strongest cast of characters. I really should watch it again sometime...were it not for the fact that "Hakuna Matata" is such a frustrating earworm of a song. You hear it once, it's in your head for a week, you start humming it in public, and then come the stares from your coworkers.

I'll buy that argument that the true Disney Renaissance consisted of The Little Mermaid, Beauty & The Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King; although you can make a strong case for the other 90's films. Considering that the 'The Big 4' were the most successful-both financially and critically, I can see why Disney has continued to give 'preferential treatment' to them as opposed to some of the other Renaissance films and even some of their earlier classics. As for Down Under, from what I remember, it was a great film and even a step up from Mermaid in terms of animation. But unfortunately it didn't do that well is has been pretty much forgottan by audiences.

As for my favorites....

The Little Mermaid: The one that revived the Disney Animation Studio's fortunes. Yeah it's essentially a love story, but has a little something for everyone. Great animation and memorable characters and songs.

Aladdin: The film pretty much has it all; Action, romance, comedy, drama and some pretty great characters. But at the heart of it all is a great moral: "Be Yourself". Definately my # 1 favorite Disney animated movie.

The Lion King: Definately Disney's peak as far as it's animated movies go. Superb animation, awesome story and some pretty great characters. Not to mention one of the best soundtracks ever heard. This would be my second favorite Disney movie.

[Lazuli]

This is such a difficult poll to answer D=

I think Beauty and the Beast truly deserves its recognition, and I think it has the best execution and impact. But... Mulan! I've had so many memories, I think its super adventurous and funny, it really is between those two for me.

Edit:Oh wow, this is a super old topic, haha.....

[Avengers]

my favorite film is based on my favorite villain, so its a tie between hunchback and lion king