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This period is often referred to as Disney's golden era (or renaissance). Generally, in these lists, The Rescuers Down Under is excluded because it's not a new IP and it's forgettable. The Little Mermaid is definitely included because it was the movie that set the formula for this era.
TLM executed the following tropes which 90's Disney movies relied on:
1) Talking animal sidekicks
2) Musical songs
3) True love as the solution
4) The protagonist strives to be different than the people in his/her community.
5) The conflict centers around whether to interact with foreigners or stay with your own kind.
I'll rank the 9 films, although, it is difficult because many of them are good.
9) Hercules -- It's still a good Disney movie, but it's the weakest of the bunch. The introduction of the villain was sort of too obvious. Although the stakes were high, the cast, the songs and other aspects of the movie just aren't particularly memorable.
8) Beauty and the Beast -- Please don't shoot me. It's not a bad movie at all - just very overrated. It doesn't have much action, vistas or gravitas. The movie sort of rests on its story and morals, and in that regard it fails. The Beast is really no better than Gaston, and only turns into a decent person once he recieves romantic attention from a girl he kidnapped. Viewers who want to identify with the misunderstood outcast conveniently ignore the horrible acts he's committed as well.
7) Pocahontas -- This one gets a lot of hate for historical inaccuracies and insensitivities, but such could be said of other entries. Strong production values, lots of colors combine well with tensions in the story. Pocahontas is uniquely silly protagonist, and it works. The remaining cast was kind of forgettable.
6) The Little Mermaid -- This is the movie that piloted the formula. It's one of well-rounded and overall, a great view although, compared to later movies, it seems basic in terms of both production values and the complexity of the characters/dilemmas.
5) Aladdin -- Robin Williams as a giant blue genie and Gilbert Gottfried as a parrot. Can't go wrong with that. The main character is a bit more of a rebel than the other protagonists, and it works for the story. It has some interesting themes and dillemmas, but of course, it has great scenery and entertainment value.
4) The Hunchback of Notre Dame -- It may have the darkest most mature story of the films on this list. Instead of the protagonist being entitled to romance, he instead realizes that his own freedom and confidence is an important victory in itself. The villain is perhaps the most malicious of the bunch, reminiscent of fascism. Unfortunately, it remains one of the more obscure entries because it was too adult for kids and too cartoonish for many adults.
3) Mulan -- Disney was criticized for their lack of strong female protagonists and this was their rock-solid response. The Chinese cultural aspects feel artistic and genuine rather than a mishmash of stereotypes. Battling both a giant enemy army and having to maintain a disguise was quite a dillemma; the pacing and events in this film conveyed a sense of progression while still conveying the gravity of the situation. This film's line-items (villain, musicals, sidekick, etc) are ordinary, but the film never relied on them.
2) Tarzan -- This is Disney's last film of the decade and the end of the era. It is often viewed as one of the lesser films, and perhaps its biggest crime was coming out at the very tail-end when people were sort of used to Disney films. But the visuals, animation, audio and overall atmosphere and scenery is the best of the era. It both has the capability of being playful fantasy and can still show the darkest aspects of real life.
1) The Lion King -- It was my favorite Disney movie as a kid and it still is now. It has all of the classic elements in spades: a terrifying villain, entertaining sidekicks, hummable musicals. The soundtrack is bombastic, the vistas are colorful and varied. There's a mix of fast-paced action and tender emotion. The development of Simba's character from birth, to childhood, to teenhood, to adulthood, until the very end (and the changes he undergoes throughout) is one of the most remarkable stories I've seen in an animated film.
TLM executed the following tropes which 90's Disney movies relied on:
1) Talking animal sidekicks
2) Musical songs
3) True love as the solution
4) The protagonist strives to be different than the people in his/her community.
5) The conflict centers around whether to interact with foreigners or stay with your own kind.
I'll rank the 9 films, although, it is difficult because many of them are good.
9) Hercules -- It's still a good Disney movie, but it's the weakest of the bunch. The introduction of the villain was sort of too obvious. Although the stakes were high, the cast, the songs and other aspects of the movie just aren't particularly memorable.
8) Beauty and the Beast -- Please don't shoot me. It's not a bad movie at all - just very overrated. It doesn't have much action, vistas or gravitas. The movie sort of rests on its story and morals, and in that regard it fails. The Beast is really no better than Gaston, and only turns into a decent person once he recieves romantic attention from a girl he kidnapped. Viewers who want to identify with the misunderstood outcast conveniently ignore the horrible acts he's committed as well.
7) Pocahontas -- This one gets a lot of hate for historical inaccuracies and insensitivities, but such could be said of other entries. Strong production values, lots of colors combine well with tensions in the story. Pocahontas is uniquely silly protagonist, and it works. The remaining cast was kind of forgettable.
6) The Little Mermaid -- This is the movie that piloted the formula. It's one of well-rounded and overall, a great view although, compared to later movies, it seems basic in terms of both production values and the complexity of the characters/dilemmas.
5) Aladdin -- Robin Williams as a giant blue genie and Gilbert Gottfried as a parrot. Can't go wrong with that. The main character is a bit more of a rebel than the other protagonists, and it works for the story. It has some interesting themes and dillemmas, but of course, it has great scenery and entertainment value.
4) The Hunchback of Notre Dame -- It may have the darkest most mature story of the films on this list. Instead of the protagonist being entitled to romance, he instead realizes that his own freedom and confidence is an important victory in itself. The villain is perhaps the most malicious of the bunch, reminiscent of fascism. Unfortunately, it remains one of the more obscure entries because it was too adult for kids and too cartoonish for many adults.
3) Mulan -- Disney was criticized for their lack of strong female protagonists and this was their rock-solid response. The Chinese cultural aspects feel artistic and genuine rather than a mishmash of stereotypes. Battling both a giant enemy army and having to maintain a disguise was quite a dillemma; the pacing and events in this film conveyed a sense of progression while still conveying the gravity of the situation. This film's line-items (villain, musicals, sidekick, etc) are ordinary, but the film never relied on them.
2) Tarzan -- This is Disney's last film of the decade and the end of the era. It is often viewed as one of the lesser films, and perhaps its biggest crime was coming out at the very tail-end when people were sort of used to Disney films. But the visuals, animation, audio and overall atmosphere and scenery is the best of the era. It both has the capability of being playful fantasy and can still show the darkest aspects of real life.
1) The Lion King -- It was my favorite Disney movie as a kid and it still is now. It has all of the classic elements in spades: a terrifying villain, entertaining sidekicks, hummable musicals. The soundtrack is bombastic, the vistas are colorful and varied. There's a mix of fast-paced action and tender emotion. The development of Simba's character from birth, to childhood, to teenhood, to adulthood, until the very end (and the changes he undergoes throughout) is one of the most remarkable stories I've seen in an animated film.
