My Disney Movie Marathon: Films from 1950-1977

From this bunch, there were only one I hadn't seen: The Many Adventures of Winne the Pooh. The rest I had seen at least once, although for some I was so young that I really only had vague memories and couldn't really have retold the plot in great detail. But vague or vivid, rewatching them brought me back to happier/simpler times and days... something sorely needed as we continue to navigate these uncertain times.

Anyway... let's get to my quick recaps/reviews:

• Cinderella (1950): "Cinderelly, Cinderelly, night and day-a, Cinderelly..." I love this movie and had actually seen it on the big screen in January. It's the first Disney movie I ever saw and considering that this fairytale is probably one of the most re-told and re-imagined, Disney's version is a classic. Cinderella has a lot more spunk and wit than I remembered. And how can you not love the mice and the King and Grand Duke!
• Alice in Wonderland (1951): The version we had as kids had been recorded from TV and was missing a few scenes. Like the one with Tweedlee and Tweedledum and when Alice gets stuck in the White Rabbit's house. So those were new to me. All the nonsense got exhausting after a while, but maybe if we had a better guide through it all... I did not like Alice. I found her annoying and kind of rude and whiny and entitled. I could do without watching this Disney film again, but I do want to read the original books now (especially since I have been to Oxford and seen the garden where Carrol first began to tell little Alice Liddel this tale) and I suppose I will eventually watch the live-action ones they made to make a comparison.
• Peter Pan (1953): This one was an absolute disappointment. I remembered liking this as a kid... and I do have a slight obsession with Tinkerbell (although, more as the Disney mascot than for her portrayal in this movie or in any of the fairy movies). First of all... the parents are horrible. The dad is super grumpy and dismissive. The mother is patronizing and silly. Wendy is silly. Peter Pan is rude and makes horrible facial expressions and is overly cocky and a bad listener. All the Lost Boys are so stupid. Only Michael Darling was a... well, a darling! I'm not so sure my favorite characters should be the villain, but there you have it... Captain Hook was the only redeeming thing here. (And I supposed I still do like the song "Follow the Leader.") I hated the jealousy between Wendy, Tinkerbell, and Tigerlily (only Tink's made sense and is integral to the plot). And let's not get started on how they drew the Native Americans (except for Tigerlily) and the general word choices used to describe them and then that horrible song, "What Makes the Red Man Red?" Can you tell how much I did not enjoy this?
• Lady and the Tramp (1955): Besides the Siamese cats and the overexaggerated accents of the Italian chef and his assistant, this one held up for me. I've seen this one often enough that it pulled all the nostalgic strings, but I had forgotten how young and clueless Lady is! Adding "Bella Norte" to my mental playlist of Disney lullabies.
• Sleeping Beauty (1959): If you have not seen the video of the guy who used this movie to propose to his girlfriend, please do so now. This is one I hadn't seen in a while but that I actually really like. Welcome back the voice of the Wicked Stepmother now as Maleficent. And the voice of The Fairy Godmother as Flora. I think Fauna and Merryweather are also returning voice talents too (pretty sure Lady and Merryweather are the same actresses)! The music and score in this film are gorgeous. There are a lot of spunky female leads here... the prince doesn't really rescue Sleeping Beauty, the fairies do! The fathers are kind of funny. I do wish they had given the Queen a name though.
• One Hundred and One Dalmations (1961): I don't even like dogs (if it makes you feel better, I am apathetic about all pets) and I shudder at the thought of owning 101 of them, but I LOVE this movie! It had been a long time since I had seen the cartoon and it made me smile so much. A lot of the dogs from Lady and the Tramp make a reappearance here as background characters, which was fun. Roger, Anita, Nanny, Pongo, and Perdita are delightful. And Cruella is such a crazy villain! There's the right amount of danger mixed in with hope and humor. Random fact: We only get the names of 5 of the 15 original puppies: Lucky, Patches, Rolly, Freckles, and Penny. And the last two names are casually mentioned at the end; only Lucky, Patches, and Rolly are given fleshed-out personalities.
• The Sword in the Stone (1963): I do remember seeing this as a kid and I've watched it a few times as an adult, and it's one that I like overall. I appreciate that the sweetness and eagerness of Arthur, and all the adventures Merlin takes him on are pretty entertaining. For people who think Disney features wallflower woman... there are two VERY thirsty squirrels who go HARD after the men they want here. Although... you could argue that they both need to learn lessons about consent and that "no means no," hehe. But on a more serious note, this is just a good story about a boy with pure motives and a good heart looking to find his place in the world.
• The Jungle Book (1967): I've still never read the actual works of Rudyard Kipling, whose writing is the basis for Mowgli and his adventures in the jungle. In this movie, Mowgli is super stubborn to a fault and puts himself and his friends in danger multiple times (and yet never seems to learn his lesson). Once again, we find an assertive female who pretends to drop her water jug to get Mowgli's attention. (You could argue that her song is horrible, but it fits the time and village culture, so it didn't bother me.) I like all the songs and all the animals and stuff. It's a fun one to watch.
• The Aristocats (1970): Another lady who knows what she wants and goes for it. Even with three children in tow. I think it's crazy that Madame planned to leave all her wealth to three cats and I could sort of relate the Butler being angry about that. But I wouldn't try to kill the poor animals! Potentially offensive moments: Thomas O'Malleys cat gang has some "outdated cultural definitions" with a Chinese cat, a Mexican cat, and a few other ethnic cats... and there is a drunk goose. Random Fact: O'Malley the Alley Cat's full name is Abraham DeLacey Guiseppe Casey Thomas O'Malley.
• Robin Hood (1973): This one is up there with 101 Dalmations as a great oldie but goodie. It's so funny on so many levels. Every character has a fun quirk that adds to the fun. And the songs are delightful too. And no shy females here. Maiden Miriam and Lady Cluck have lots of spunk. Definitely my favorite version of the Robin Hood story out there.
• The Many Adventures of Winne the Pooh (1977): This one felt familiar, but I don't think I've ever seen it before (although I've seen some of the newer Pooh releases). I find Winne the Pooh kind of annoying as a character, but overall it's a sweet collection of tales about friendship and stuff. We are introduced to Tigger for the first time. And learn why and Pooh and Piglet live together. And when it's time for Christopher Robin to head to school at the end... I may have gotten just a bit misty-eyed. If you're ever in NYC, you should check out the main branch of the NYPL and see the original collection of Pooh and friends.

Pooh Exhibit in the New York Public Library - Stephen A. Schwarzman Building