Disney has been a powerhouse of animation since its early days as a proprietor of animated shorts. Since then, they have created some of the most beloved animated films ever made and innovated the medium with nearly every film released.
But, with such a long history, many of their finest work gets forgotten. Now with Disney+ though, fans can revisit some forgotten gems of the Disney catalog, animated by both Disney animation and other animated studios owned by the Mouse House. Here are 10 of the most underrated.
Dinosaur
Anyone who visited a McDonalds around the time of this film's release will have it seared into their memories thanks to their Puppet happy meal toys. Overall Dinosaur is the biggest departure for Dinsey animation ever. It was the first fully CGI animated film to come from the studio and was a complete tonal departure.
The hyper-realistic animation was a first, and it certainly hasn't been replicated. For all of its narrative flaws, the film is actually really impressive and was groundbreaking for the time. For that reason alone, it deserves another rewatch from animation fans.
A Christmas Carol
Another hyperrealistic project came from the side studio from Robert Zemekis: Image Movers. This time, the studio tackled the classic Charles Dickens tale A Christmas Tale. Hiring an all-star cast, including Jim Carrey in the lead roles as Scrooge and all three ghosts, the film does double duty as both an animated feature and an actor's film.
While the faces often fall into that uncanny valley territory, the realism of the animation once again outshines the creepiness. It is also one of the most faithful adaptions of Dickens' work ever put to screen, including little visual gags that harken back to the actual text of the novel. Give it another try this holiday season!
The Three Caballeros
During World War II, the Disney Animation studios took a backseat, producing package feature films as opposed to fully-fledged narrative ones. This resulted in a lot of mediocre outputs, but also a lot of underrated work from the studio.
The Three Caballeros is one such underrated film. Featuring Donald Duck, the film shows him exploring South America and making new friends along the way. There are a handful of small shorts scattered throughout, including some live-action hybrid sequences. What results is a vibrant film featuring a wonderful showcase of South American cultures.
The Black Cauldron
The Black Cauldron is infamous for almost ruining the Disney animation studio for good. A major financial gamble, the film bombed at the box office, losing out to The Care Bears Movie. But, looking back without all that baggage, it was the first of many creative risks to come from the studio during this rocky time.
The hard fantasy style of the film was miles away from the classic fairy tales stories of old Disney. Instead in place was a dark fantasy world with monsters that could really get you. If Disney was to put the live-action adaptions to the real test, they'd take the opportunity to adapt this, making it a serious contender as the next great fantasy series.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Another tonal departure from classic Disney, Atlantis: The Lost Empire follows more in the footsteps of films such as Indiana Jones or The Rocketeer than Snow White. This is a pulpy adventure film that just so happens to be animated. it is full of fantasy and sci-fi ideas in the same way as some of the best adventure films ever made.
Sadly, the audience just didn't want that from their Disney films at the time, leaving it floundering. Now though, fans of the film as children are all grown up and can support the film the best way they can now. Hopefully, with more viewership, more projects like it can be explored.
The Great Mouse Detective
The Great Mouse Detective stands in an awkward space, bookending two very different eras of Dinsey animation. It doesn't fit squarely into the fantastic films of the renaissance, but it certainly is miles ahead of many other animated films of the 80s.
Overall, the film, is pretty fantastic, offering a fun Sherlock Holmes adventure for kids of all ages, as well as one of the most underrated villains in Rattigan, as voiced by Vincent Price. It also is one of the first films in the history of the studio to utilize CGI in its 2D features, as seen in its harrowing finale in Big Ben.
Treasure Planet
Treasure Planet's failure is one that will never make any sense. Apart from its dismal marketing, the film should have been a rousing success. While it innovated in its tone, storytelling, and animation in the same way as Atlantis or Black Cauldron, Treasure Planet really succeeds because of its emotional core.
The relationship between Silver and Jim Hawkins is one of the most relatable and emotional ones ever seen in a Disney film. It also follows a classic tale in adaption Treasure Island, but updates it with a unique and original steampunk space opera aesthetic. it is one of Disney's best films, period.
James and the Giant Peach
This animated live-action hybrid brings two imaginative minds together for a fantastic adventure: Roald Dahl and Henry Sellick. Sellick's signature visual style is everywhere, in both the animated and live-action sequences, and Dahl's classic story is only improved because of it.
The performances are outstanding, with some impressive action sequences and musical numbers. It works especially though because once again, this Disney film finds the right emotional beats to sting through. It is a fantastically underrated film from Disney's second golden age.
The Sword in the Stone
Out of all the films on this list, this one is probably the least underrated. But compared to most Disney Classics, this one usually is mentioned as an afterthought. Which is a shame, because The Sword in the Stone is full of that classic Disney magic and humor that one would expect from the company.
It brings to life the classic King Arthur story in a way that is fun and identifiable for younger audiences and injects it with new life for a modern viewer. It has some of the best Disney characters ever put to screen, and deserves to be lauded with the best of Disney's pantheon.
The Adventures Of Ichabod And Mr. Toad
Like The Three Caballeros, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad came during the package film era in the studio's history. Out of all of them, this one has to be the best (how can't it be if it has its own ride in Disneyland?).
Split in two, the film adapts The Wind in the Willows and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, two seemingly disparate tales that are brought together through Disney's love of classic literature. It is full of outstanding character designs, animated sequences, and some of the funniest characters in any Disney film.