The Sword in the Stone

The Sword in the Stone

Disney

December 18, 1963

Animation, Children's, Historical Comedy, Fantasy

DVD
D+

Kind of flat.  Based on T.H. White's novel and directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, who did four other Disney movies in this project, so far, Sleeping Beauty the best of the lot.

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Sleeping Beauty (1959)

Disney

January 29, 1959

Children's, Fantasy, Musical

DVD
B-

While I like this better than Snow White and Cinderella,  I am not dazzled by the then-modern design style.  The characterization, especially of the three fairies, has always been my favorite part.  This go round, I noticed how this movie influenced Disney's later modern fairytales Enchanted and Tangled, which are more entertaining in almost every aspect.  Still, I can't get that damn "Once Upon a Dream" song out of my head, so I guess that counts for something.

This is based on various versions of the fairytale.  The many directors are Les Clark, Clyde Geronimi, Eric Larson, Wolfgang Reitherman, and Hamilton Luske.

The Rescuers

The Rescuers

Disney

June 22, 1977

Children's, Fantasy

DVD

C

I loved this movie at the time and even had the LP.  But today, watching it perhaps for the first time as an adult, it seemed a bit flat, like how they refer to a lion but we don't actually see it.  This is based on the Miss Bianca books by Margery Sharp, with three directors: John Lounsbery, Wolfgang Reitherman, and Art Stevens.

One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)

One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)

Disney

January 25, 1961

Children's, Animation, Romance, Comedy?

DVD
C-

I remember liking this as a kid, although I think it was all the cute puppies.  (I'm definitely not a dog person, but the puppies were cute.)  This time, I found the four main characters a bit tedious, and the Tallulah-Bankhead-like villainess didn't liven things up enough.  This is based on the Dodie Smith novel, and co-directed by Clyde Geronimi, Hamilton Luske, and Wolfgang Reitherman.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Disney

March 11, 1977

Children's, Animation, Musical, Crime Comedy
DVD
C

I watched a third of this, carried along somewhat by nostalgia, but Winnie really is not a particularly sympathetic character, and I added a "crime comedy" tag because of him trying to not just mooch but steal and trespass.  (And I tuned out before we got to Piglet and Tigger.)  This is of course based on A.A. Milne.  I'm crediting all three directors, although I don't know who did which sequences: John Lounsbery, Wolfgang Reitherman, and Ben Sharpsteen.