I can hardly believe it, but I've reached the halfway point in the Disney Vault challenge! Hooray! Huzzah! Woo-hoo!
I have successfully made it through 29 of the 58 animated feature films produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Just a reminder, this list does NOT include films made by Disneytoon Studios, Pixar Animation Studios, Blue Sky Studios or 20th Century Animation.
Before I get into the official rakings (as they stand at the halfway point at least), I want to make it clear that these are my opinions and judgments as a lifelong Disney lover and film aficionado. While I did minor in Film, Television, and Digital Media at UCLA, I am by no means Roger Ebert, so please take my musings with a grain of salt.
And now without further ado, I present to you...
Every Disney Animated Feature Ranked from Worst to Best
(as it stands for movies released from 1937-1990, which is 29/58 feature films)
29. Make Mine Music (1946) 🎹
28. Melody Time (1948) 🎼
27. Fun and Fancy Free (1947) 🍃
26. The Fox and the Hound (1981) 🦊
25. Lady and the Tramp (1955) 🐶
24. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949) 🎃
23. The Sword in the Stone (1963) 🗡️
22. Pinocchio (1940) 🤥
21. The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
20. Saludos Amigos (1943) 🌎
19. The Rescuers Down Under (1990) 🦅
18. The Jungle Book (1967) 🐯
17. The Great Mouse Detective (1986) 🔍
16. One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961) 🐾
15. The Three Caballeros (1945) 🎉
14. Peter Pan (1953) 🧚
13. The Black Cauldron (1985) 💀
12. Oliver & Company (1988) 🚕
11. The Aristocats (1970) 🐈
10. Fantasia (1940) 🎵
9. Alice in Wonderland (1951) ♠️
8. Bambi (1942) 🦌
7. The Rescuers (1977) 🐭
6. The Little Mermaid (1989) 🧜♀️
5. Robin Hood (1973) 🏹
4. Cinderella (1950) 👠
3. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937) 🍎
2. Dumbo (1941) 🐘
1. Sleeping Beauty (1959) 👑
Now that I've got you fuming (or cheering?) at your tiny cell phone screen, here are some fun FAQs about my journey watching these movies during the first half of the Disney Vault Challenge.
Frequently Asked Questions
(for my experience watching the Disney animated features released from 1937-1990)
-How many movies did you watch for the first time?
Of the 29 titles, 10 were a first time watch for me. So we're looking at about 34% of new Disney content for me to digest. Sometimes I even watched these new movies twice (once to digest, and another to analyze). 📼
-Of those you watched for the first time, which stood out?
Dumbo! I did not expect it to be so emotionally engaging and thoughtful. It's a masterpiece. You can read my Dumbo blog here. 🐘
-Which blog did you spend the most time on?
Sleeping Beauty. It's probably my favorite Disney movie (time will tell), but not many people really appreciate it. I wanted to make sure that I communicated WHY this movie is so great, so it ended up being a much longer blog than the others. So check out my very thorough (ha) blog post on Sleeping Beauty here. ⌛
-Which movie do have a newfound appreciation for?
The Rescuers! It was much better than I remembered. I think it hits differently as an adult. It's a darker movie with a more serious storyline, but all done with lots of finesse and a beautiful soundtrack. I still think about The Rescuers a lot and wish it was more appreciated in the Disney universe. Check out my blog post on The Rescuers here. 🐭
-Which move was the most emotional?
Oliver & Company. I don't like watching movies with animals in vulnerable positions, so the opening of this movie wrecked me (I knew it would). Abandoned kittens? I had no chance. You can read my Oliver & Company blog here. 🚕
-Which movie was the most boring?
I had a really hard time making it through Lady and the Tramp. I fell asleep twice and had to go back and rewatch it entirely on a different day. It was just a yawn fest for me (which you can probably tell from where it landed in the ranking). You can read my full Lady and the Tramp blog here 🐶
-Which movie was the most surprising?
Peter Pan broke my heart. It's a movie I had a lot of affection for it, but rewatching it as an adult was a horrifying experience. It's problematic AF, and I can't look at it the same way ever again. Check out my blog post on Peter Pan here. 🧚
-Which movie has the best animation?
Fantasia is a masterclass in animation styles and techniques It's a beautiful experiment to watch. I'm also personally obsessed with the art direction and stylized features in Sleeping Beauty (strong verticals with incredibly sophisticated, detailed backgrounds). 👑
-Which movie were you most looking forward to watching in this first half of the challenge?
I couldn't wait to finally see The Black Cauldron. I had read so much about its complicated history and failure that I was very eager to judge it for myself. And guess what? It's not that bad. More people need to watch it so that it's not the dark sheep of Disney animation anymore. Check out my blog post on The Black Cauldron here. 💀
-Which movie are you most looking forward to watching in the second half of the challenge?
While there are a host of A-list movies coming up that I will (*probably*) write glowing posts about, I am most looking forward to absolutely destroying what I think is THE WORST Disney movie ever made: Chicken Little. 🐣
Did I get something wrong or right? I love talking film and Disney, so if you feel strongly about something I've written, hit me up! Your comment may be featured in a future blog post! 😉
Next up...Beauty and the Beast! 🥀
