Rating the Disney Classics : The Best--and the Rest--of Animated Videos, on a Scale From 1 to 10

By now you’ve taken the kids to see “The Hunchback of Notre Dame.” Maybe even twice. This leaves you with the problem of quenching the ensuing Disney Fever until next summer’s probable blockbuster, “Hercules,” comes along. Luckily, the bulk of Disney’s animated features are available on home video. This guide is designed to provide children (and parents--you’ll be watching too) with handy information about the best of Disney’s releases. Here’s the scoring:

Entertainment: 10 is outstanding, 1 is dull.

Fright: 10 is all sweetness and light, 1 is nightmare-inducing.

Amusement: 10 is completely engaging, 1 is your child falling asleep.

Adult Interest: 10 is love it, 1 is ignore it.

*

“Snow White” (1937): For years Disney said it would never release this film for home viewing, but the studio finally did in 1994, and millions of Disney fans worldwide rejoiced. The adventures of the princess who stumbles upon a band of dwarfs while her evil stepmother is plotting to kill her is absolutely the most beautifully animated film of all time. The plot is serviceable and well known, and the songs are lovely, but this is a film you can love even with the sound off.

Entertainment: What’s not to love? 10.

Fright: The dark forest is sort of scary, as is the witch, but viewing this in the comfort of one’s living room is a far cry from seeing it 20 feet tall in a darkened movie theater. 8.

Amusement: Mushy parts. 9.

Adult Interest: Even a classic can be a little too sweet at points. 8.

*

“Pinocchio” (1940): This is the second most beautifully animated film of all time. The tale of a puppet who wants to be a real boy has more of a real plot than “Snow White.” It also has characters that kids can more easily relate to and moral lessons in every scene, from the dangers of lying and smoking to the hazards of hedonism.

Entertainment: If Disney thought of Snow White as his daughter, Pinocchio was his son. The craftsmanship and artistry are outstanding. 10.

Fright: Pinocchio gets locked in a cage and turned into a donkey. But he’s only a puppet. 9.

Amusement: It’s fast-paced and very lively. 10.

Adult Interest: Adults already know they’re not supposed to lie or smoke. 8.

*

“Fantasia” (1940). Eight pieces of classical music are given visual accompaniment in as many different styles. Think of them as music videos for Bach and Schubert. “The Dance of the Hours” with waltzing hippos and alligators is sure to please, as is “The Rite of Spring,” if only because it features dinosaurs. Includes the classic Mickey as “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.”

Entertainment: If one musical segment doesn’t interest you, the next almost certainly will. 7.

Fright: Just the demons and ghosts in “Night on Bald Mountain.” 8.

Amusement: Depends on your child’s interest in music or attention span. 8.

Adult Interest: Depends on your interest in music or attention span. 7.

*

“Dumbo” (1941): Dumbo is the little elephant ostracized because of his big ears but praised once it is discovered that those ears allow him to fly. The importance of friendship, family and standing by those you care about is well presented.

Entertainment: The film conveys a sense of genuine compassion that’s rare in animation. 7.

Fright: Some of the circus scenes are a little intense, if not scary. 9.

Amusement: Not everyone is interested in circuses. 8.

Adult Interest: Dumbo never speaks, so most of the plot is visual. 6.

*

“Bambi” (1942): This film about a young fawn and his friends has become the symbol for all that is quintessentially Disney. Unfortunately, it is also just a little too cute.

Entertainment: “Realistic” animation captures the feeling of the forest and its inhabitants wonderfully. 8.

Fright: The fire scene and the death of Bambi’s mother have been childhood rites of passage for generations. 8.

Amusement: Older children can only take so many cute animals, but at 70 minutes, it’s a short film. 8.

Adult Interest: See “Amusement” above. 6.

*

“Cinderella” (1950): The overworked girl, the fairy godmother and the glass slipper get immortalized by Disney.

Entertainment: Well-matched voices and graceful, lovely music really help. 7.

Fright: An evil stepmother but not nearly as sinister as Snow White’s witch. 10.

Amusement: The subplots only barely distract from the main story. 10.

Adult Interest: It’s the fairy tale brought to life. 7.

*

“Alice in Wonderland” (1951): This is much more interesting for anyone who isn’t familiar with the Lewis Carroll classic about a young girl in a very strange world. The songs are forgettable, and the action and colors inappropriately bright and splashy.

Entertainment: This is only nominally the Alice and Wonderland of the books, and an instance in which Disney proves how hard it is to improve upon an original. 5.

Fright: “Off with their heads!” 9.

Amusement: Lewis Carroll’s nonsense plus Walt Disney’s nonsense can equal some confusion. 8.

Adult Interest: Likable but nothing you’d want to see more than once. 6.

*

“Peter Pan” (1953): The boy who never grew up takes his friends to Never Never Land. Lots of jolly songs, especially “Never Smile at a Crocodile.”

Entertainment: Beautiful scenery and dramatic action make for a good combination. 7.

Fright: The man-eating crocodile is nothing to fear. 10.

Amusement: Pirates, flying, sword-fights, pixies, Indians--it’s mesmerizing. 10.

Adult Interest: It’s the one Disney adventure that most of us would like to live out. 7.

*

“Lady and the Tramp” (1955): Charming and sweet as two dogs, one well-bred, the other a mongrel, meet and fall in love.

Entertainment: The world of the domestic pet has never been better explored. 8.

Fright: Life on the streets isn’t that bad. 10.

Amusement: Some of the ‘50s songs hold up better than others. 8.

Adult Interest: The dogs’ “date” is wildly comic, yet in the end cute. 7.

*

“Sleeping Beauty” (1959): Put under a spell, the young princess can only be awakened by a prince’s kiss--if he can get to her.

Entertainment: This is a film that looks interesting but not a whole lot actually happens. 5.

Fright: The final battle between Prince Phillip and the dragon is quite powerful. 8.

Amusement: The original fairy tale is rather short. Disney had to pad the story a lot to make a feature-length film, resulting in an action cartoon that moves slowly. 7.

Adult Interest: Music from Tchaikovsky’s ballet “Sleeping Beauty” is used throughout, punching things up a little. 6.

*

“101 Dalmatians” (1961): When a litter of young Dalmatians is kidnapped (puppynapped?), it’s up to a band of local dogs to free them.

Entertainment: All those dogs! All those spots! It’s amazing to watch. 7.

Fright: Arch villainess Cruella DeVil plans to make coats from the puppies! Fortunately, she fails. 9.

Amusement: Depending on how the viewer feels about the music of the early 1960s, the songs are either wacky and catchy or just plain dull. 10.

Adult Interest: If you’re a “dog person,” 6. Otherwise, 5.

*

“The Jungle Book” (1967): Rudyard Kipling’s story of a boy raised by animals in India gets the Disney treatment. A couple of 1960s elements date it. But the voice talents of Sebastian Cabot as Bagheera the tiger and Phil Harris as Baloo the bear save the day.

Entertainment: The last animated feature produced by Walt Disney himself, it still has some of his charm. 6.

Fright: Only if the viewer is bothered by snakes who are decidedly cute and silly. 10.

Amusement: For a jungle adventure, it can drag a little. 9.

Adult Interest: The 1960s hairdos and music haven’t aged well. 7.

*

“The Aristocats” (1970): Duchess the cat and her kittens stand to inherit a fortune but have to fight to get it away from the conniving butler.

Entertainment: The voices are the real stars, with Phil Harris as O’Malley the Alley Cat and Eva Gabor as Duchess. 7.

Fright: Just some rollicking chase scenes. 10.

Amusement: Better for younger kids, who aren’t too demanding. 9.

Adult Interest: You don’t have to love cats to find this engaging. 7.

*

“Robin Hood” (1973): Disney gives a clever twist to the Robin Hood legends by casting animals in all the roles, from a crafty fox as Robin to a scraggly lion as the evil Prince John.

Entertainment: The spirit of adventure is well-preserved here. 7.

Fright: Just another cute snake a la “The Jungle Book.” 10.

Amusement: Lots of daring deeds and thrilling escapes. 10.

Adult Interest: It’s not as good as Errol Flynn’s Robin Hood, but it’s not as bad as Kevin Costner’s. 6.

*

“The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh” (1977): Here Disney collects all of the half-hour Pooh shorts that were first shown in theaters and later aired on television during the 1970s. These are so good, and so winningly narrated by Sebastian Cabot, that you can’t not be delighted.

Entertainment: By faithfully adapting A.A. Milne’s stories, Disney avoided the sort of mistakes it made with “Alice in Wonderland.” 8.

Fright: The surrealistic “Hephalumps and Woozles” scene is enough to spook anyone. 9.

Amusement: Everyone likes Winnie the Pooh, especially the younger kids. 10.

Adult Interest: If you grew up watching these on TV, you’ll enjoy the nostalgia. 7.

*

“The Rescuers” (1977): A little girl is pressed into locating a gem, and two mice (voices of Eva Gabor and Bob Newhart) are sent to help her escape.

Entertainment: It’s slow getting started and slow coming to an end. 5.

Fright: Dark and misty bogs and a really mean--and scarier because she’s human--villain. 8.

Amusement: There’s nothing particularly new or exciting here. 8.

Adult Interest: Not much to see, nothing to listen to, and neither the villain nor the heroes hold your attention. 4.

*

“The Great Mouse Detective” (1986): Sherlock Holmes is transposed into the world of mice in the form of Basil of Baker Street and his archenemy, the evil Ratigan (voice by Vincent Price).

Entertainment: Sheer delight. 7.

Fright: Dramatic and wonderfully animated chase scenes are almost too real for smaller children. 9.

Amusement: Some of the plot exposition drags a bit. 9.

Adult Interest: This isn’t the “authentic” Holmes, but it’s fun. 6. (Or 7 if you’re a Sherlock Holmes fan.)

*

“The Little Mermaid” (1989): This is the film that brought Disney animation back from the brink of death and started a new Golden Age. Ariel, the mermaid princess, trades her voice to the evil sea witch for a pair of legs so that she can walk on the land and pursue the handsome prince Erik.

Entertainment: Every song is a winner, the animation is smooth and lovely, and the story moves along at a brisk pace. 10.

Fright: Some dark, moody doings under the murky sea, but they’re still charming. 10.

Amusement: There’s always something fascinating happening, even during the slower songs. 10.

Adult Interest: It takes all of the Disney cliches and makes them fresh and vibrant again. 10.

*

“Beauty and the Beast” (1991): Will the young beauty fall in love with the ugly beast and break his curse before it’s too late? This was the first fully animated film to be nominated for an Academy Award for best picture, and justifiably so.

Entertainment: Academy Award-winning songs, Broadway-quality production numbers and a credible love story make it a classic. 10.

Fright: The Beast may be shocking at first, but you grow to love him. 9.

Amusement: Perfectly balanced sentiment, laughs and excitement. 10.

Adult Interest: This film is different: A different sort of heroine, a different sort of villain and even a different sort of animation as computers were used by Disney on a large scale for the first time. 10.

*

“Aladdin” (1992): The Disney version of a lad, a lamp and a genie is a little too fast-paced for smaller children, who also might not get most of the cultural references. But they’re sure to enjoy watching the Genie change shape and hear Robin Williams do dozens of funny voices.

Entertainment: Catchy songs, strong, tight plot and lots of laughs. 10.

Fright: A lot of swordplay and some rather evil-looking villains. 9.

Amusement: So much is going on that it’s hard to take your eyes off the screen. 10.

Adult Interest: Williams’ work and plenty of background details--look for the Beast among the Sultan’s toys--make this thoroughly enjoyable. 9.

*

“The Lion King” (1994): Disney sets Shakespeare’s Hamlet in the African veldt. Simba the lion must restore lion dominance over his domain and take his murdered father’s place as king.

Entertainment: Good sidekicks, clever production numbers and lush, naturalistic animation make it a winner. 8.

Fright: Simba witnesses the death of his father and then believes that he is responsible. Not really scary but perhaps angst-inducing. 8.

Amusement: There’s a tacked-on love story, but Lady and the Tramp did animal romance better. 8.

Adult Interest: This is Disney’s first film whose moral is “Grow up! Get out there and be responsible!” There’s a lesson in that for everyone. 9.

*

“A Goofy Movie” (1995): The story of Goofy and his teenage son Max follows their travels through a series of adventures in which Goofy tries to pass on his own brand of wisdom while Max just doesn’t want his dad cramping his style. Unexpectedly clever and well-done.

Entertainment: Goofy gets a great full-length treatment. The rock songs don’t weigh it down, but they don’t pick it up either. 9.

Fright: The only “monster” is played for laughs. 10.

Amusement: Some of the subtler problems of being a teenager might not appeal to 4-year-olds. 8.

Adult Interest: Goofy will either remind you of either yourself or your parents. 8.

*

“Pocahontas” (1995) Disney’s first attempt to animate a story that actually happened suffers from not having enough to say. Englishman John Smith meets American Indian Pocahontas, and the two become star-crossed lovers. The message is pro-environment and pro-tolerance, but after that it’s only so much filler. Filler that’s beautiful to look at--but still filler.

Entertainment: Nice, stylized visuals, but it’s not a good sign when the sidekicks are more interesting than the main characters. 7.

Fright: A little bloodshed and lots of guns but still Disney-level tame. 9.

Amusement: For all its flaws, it’s quite engrossing. 10.

Adult Interest: With so little story, the songs are the main attraction. 6.