It takes a lot of talent, effort, and imagination to bring a Disney flick to life, and that's putting it lightly. The studio always has to ensure the right amount of magic goes into every frame. That being said, not all Disney moments make the cut into the final film.
Some scenes are deleted simply because they don't progress the narrative or aren't what the filmmakers want. The ones we're talking about are actually quite fascinating and may not have deserved to be doomed to the cutting room floor. Here are ten Disney deleted scenes we can't believe were cut.
Ride of the Valkyries (Fantasia)
Though we're sad we never got to see flying Viking war maidens riding from Valhalla, we'd be lying if we said we didn't understand why it wasn't used. Due to the connection to the famous piece of music by Wagner and the Third Reich, it's understandable why Walt Disney didn't want this in the final film.
The scene would have featured artwork by illustrator, Kay Nielsen, and a depiction of the famous Viking myth as the titular Valkyries rode over a battlefield, guiding warriors to Valhalla. The artwork is still beautiful, and we're honestly surprised this wasn't featured in Fantasia 2000. Oh, the Viking epic we could have had...
The Tale of Shakes the Rattle (Toy Story)
Definitely a little too scary for some kids, but what better way to introduce your villain than with this eerie little sequence from Toy Story. Reminiscent of Quint from Jaws, a tiger-shaped teething ring tells the tale of Shakes the Rattle, a toy who fell victim to Sid Philips. It's not a pretty story.
The tiger tells how Shakes vanished into Sid's house and never returned, and how some toys have various theories to how he met his end. Because "in Sid's room, there are things much worse than death." The scene was considered a bit unsettling and was cut, but we think we would have liked this little nugget of terror.
Shootout Opening (Toy Story)
Okay, let's shake off the shivers of Shakes the Rattle with something a little sweeter. In this alternative opening for the film, we see a little playtime between Andy and Woody.
In the style of an old-west shootout, Andy challenges woody to a make-believe duel and loses, falling onto his back and nearly knocking over a vase. The mess is prevented by Woody while andy isn't looking, and gives us a sneak peek of what's to come. This opening is absolutely adorable, it encaptures in mere minutes the joy of a child's imagination as well as introducing us to this world of living toys. We're actually sad to know it wasn't featured.
Extended Jumbeau Pop Hustle (Zootopia)
Nick Wilde is one of the smoothest characters Disney has ever devised, and that's partially due to a great vocal performance by Jason Bateman. The scene in the ice cream parlor was only one take of a longer improved scene with the actor ad-libbing the whole dad-act. It's so in character and hilarious we can't believe it didn't make it in.
The scene is Bateman at his best, and Nick really lays the hustle on thick, which is kind of the beauty of the whole scam. It's so funny and infectious, we can't help but smile.
Humpty Dumpty (Alice In Wonderland)
You could fill an entire list with scenes that were cut from Alice in Wonderland, but we're only going to cover two. The first of which would have featured a version of Humpty Dumpty from Through the Looking Glass, with a test voiced by none other than W.C. Fields who previously played the character in a different production.
The scene took place after meeting the Tweedles and was cut due to being too whimsical for one scene (as if that could be possible in this movie.) Humpty's dry wit is an interesting detour from the silliness of Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum and could have given the movie a little extra flavor from a Hollywood legend like Fields.
I'm Odd (Alice In Wonderland)
Now here's a deleted song that is so catchy and characteristic of the Cheshire Cat, we wish it were a part of some Alice related media. Before he was humming his rendition of "Twas Brillig," a take on Jabberwocky, he was supposed to sing "I'm Odd."
This song was a catchy diddy meant to represent the character instead of a Jabberwock-based song. But because the Jabberwock scene was cut from the original draft, they made it a nonsensical melody sung by the Cheshire Cat to connect to the source material. For those curious enough, you can learn more about the song here.
Coco Opening Musical Number (Coco)
Before it was the folk-focused feature it is today, Coco was almost a very different movie. The original concept featured a much more Disney-esque inspired musical, including an opening featuring a gigantic musical number about the Day of the Dead. Though this might not have been as subtle and mood-focused as the final film, it's still visually impressive.
True, it is a bit on the excessive side, but it does serve as an intro to the holiday and the culture. Might not be the most subtle scene on our list, but we still love it.
Barbecue Scene (The Incredibles)
Before it was the stylish superhero flick it is today, Disney/Pixar's The Incredibles was originally intended as a comedy starring a family of superheroes trying to blend into modern society. Though we are fond of the action-packed final product, this concept has merit as well.
In one deleted scene representing the idea, Bob and Helen attend a neighborhood cookout. Sounds pretty standard right? It goes according to plan until a sharp knife bends against Bob's knuckles instead of slicing through him. Yes, the humor is sitcom worthy, but it's refreshing to see some lighthearted affair compared to the drama heavy film we received.
Most of the Black Cauldron
Though The Black Cauldron has a grim reputation surrounding it's creation and development. But thanks to Jeffery Katzenberg, we lost over 11 minutes of footage never even seen. While the film is exceptionally dark and at times terrifying, it remains a hidden gem amongst fans, and we desperately wish we could see the entirety of the original cut.
11 minutes might not sound like a large number, but considering how long it took to create that footage, it's pretty brutal. Though the film would have been slapped with an R rating if edits were not made, there were better ways to handle it.
Viking Opening (Atlantis: The Lost Empire)
Atlantis: The Lost Empire is the very definition of an underrated classic. It's a sci-fi epic that cries out to be seen, but even this masterpiece was not immune to cutting great scenes. Our favorite was a rather chilling and frightening opening that introduced us to the myth of Atlantis, as well as the terrifying Leviathan.
The fully animated opening shows a shipload of Vikings discovering the entrance to Atlantis, as well as the Leviathan that guards it. This prologue not only shows us the scale and scope of what is to come but grabs the audience's attention right out of the gate. Honestly, it's a crime this one was cut.