Anthomation Assesses The Top 5 50’s Disney films

Howdy guys, Anthomaton here. Today I shall continue with my series look back on Walt Disney Animation Studios. Here are my top 5 50’s Disney films.

5. Cinderella (1950):

With a wicked stepmother (Eleanor Audley) and two jealous stepsisters (Rhoda Williams, Lucille Bliss) who keep her enslaved and in rags, Cinderella (Ilene Woods) stands no chance of attending the royal ball. When her fairy godmother (Verna Felton) appears and magically transforms her reality into a dream come true, Cinderella enchants the handsome Prince Charming at the ball, but must face the wrath of her enraged stepmother and sisters when the spell wears off at midnight. What I love most about this film is the transformation of Cinderella into a princess. You really feel for her from all of the abuse she has taken from Lady Tremaine and her two stepsisters. So Cinderella’s Happily ever after feels truly earned, which is not something I can say for most fairy tales. By the way, Lady Tremaine looks like the female version of Andrew Jackson.

Score:

9.5/10

4. Peter Pan (1953):

Wendy (Kathryn Beaumont) and her two brothers are amazed when a magical boy named Peter Pan (Bobby Driscoll) flies into their bedroom, supposedly in pursuit of his rebellious shadow. He and his fairy friend, Tinkerbell, come from a far-off place called Neverland, where children stay perpetually young. Enchanted, the kids follow him back. But when Pan’s nemesis, the pirate Captain Hook (Hans Conried), causes trouble, the kids begin to miss their old life. This film is the definition of an adventure movie for the whole family. There is swashbuckling action between Pan and Hook, romance between Pan and Wendy, and even family emotion between the kids and her parents. I love how Wendy’s father is the animated version of Mr. Banks; there’s one line that always makes me laugh: “Poor Nanna? Poor Nanna?! AWWW!!!”

Score:

9.5/10

3. Lady and the Tramp (1955):

It follows a pampered cocker spaniel named Lady (Barbara Luddy) whose comfortable life slips away once her owners have a baby. When, after some tense circumstances, Lady finds herself on the loose and out on the street, she is befriended and protected by the tough stray mutt Tramp (Larry Roberts). A romance begins to blossom between the two dogs, but their many differences, along with more drama at Lady’s household, threaten to keep them apart. Some people may think of this as the film with the spaghetti kissing scene, but this is a solid film all around. The dynamic between Lady and Tramp is more than believable and you want them to be together in the end. Just watch out for those Siamese cats!

Score:

9.5/10

2. Sleeping Beauty (1959):

Filled with jealousy, the evil witch Maleficent (Eleanor Audley) curses Princess Aurora (Mary Costa) to die on her 16th birthday. Thanks to Aurora’s guardian fairies (Verna Felton, Barbara Jo Allen, Barbara Luddy), she only falls into a deep sleep that can be ended with a kiss from her betrothed, Prince Phillip (Bill Shirley). To prevent Phillip from rescuing Aurora, Maleficent kidnaps and imprisons him. The good fairies are the last hope to free Phillip so that he can awaken Aurora. This is a powerhouse Disney film! With one of the best Disney villains, a plot line that contains a spell that fulfills its given drama, and one of the most epic climaxes in Disney history, this film is a joy to watch. Between Maleficent, Captain Hook, and Lady Tremaine, this decade is full of top-notch baddies!

Score:

9.5/10

1.Alice in Wonderland (1951):

When Alice (Kathryn Beaumont), a restless young British girl, falls down a rabbit hole, she enters a magical world. There she encounters an odd assortment of characters, including the grinning Cheshire Cat (Sterling Holloway) and the goofy Mad Hatter (Ed Wynn). When Alice ends up in the court of the tyrannical Queen of Hearts (Verna Felton), she must stay on the ruler’s good side — or risk losing her head. Out of all the Walt-era classics, this is by far the most overlooked! Alice is one the better fleshed out protagonists. She is very curious, often seen daydreaming and giving herself advice instead of listening to the advice of others. And seeing her navigate through all of the madness that Wonderland has to offer makes us really root for her to get out of there. This is the only film I have watched that was a GOOD acid trip.

Score:

9.5/10