Which Disney Renaissance Film is the BEST? Part 4: The Supporting Cast

It should come as a surprise to no one that the greatest era in Walt Disney's Feature Animation department is arguably the most beloved era of a single company's film making in motion picture history.  After all, not only was Disney at the height of their creative development, but the studio continued to release hit after hit, without any glaring failures in anyone's eyes.  To many who are reaching adulthood today,. these films are what we grew up on.  My first film watching experiences were at least five of the top movies pictured above.  These films have had a profound impact on how we act, how we think, and how we tell our life stories.  

But which of these high ranking movies is the most superior?  How can one masterpiece be better than another?  That is what I will be focusing on for the next several posts.  Which film was the most structurally sound, which was the most superior in one area, and ultimately, which was the best.  Feel free to argue for one of your movies on this list or if you think my list is incorrect, but please understand that this is all opinion based, so it doesn't make someone stupid if they agree or not.  

Here is how the list will be determined.  All 10 films of the Disney Renaissance will be judged on the following categories:

Hero

Heroine

Villain

Supporting Cast

Songs (The Rescuers Down Under gets a pass here)

Musical Score

Animation

Story

Special Effects

Theme/ Message

Each film will be scored on a 1-10 scale.  The higher points you score for a category, the greater the chance is that film is ranked the best.  But please note that just because a film could get two or three 10's in a row, doesn't mean that it is guaranteed a victory.  Keep a close eye on the consistent films.

At the end of the competition, the films will have their scores divided by 10 (nine for Rescuers Down Under), and a winner will be determined when the math is completed.  The winner will receive the next King's Analysis and a special surprise for it on my YouTube channel, NintendoMan64.

This Round: The Supporting Casts

Simba could not have become King without his father and his friends.  Mulan would have had a really boring journey to heroism without Mushu or her army buddies.  Aladdin would have been hauled away into the dungeons without Abu, the Carpet or Genie.  The Beast's Castle would be so much more gloomy without the enchanted objects.  Get the point?

10. Hercules 

Hercules was not blessed with a solid supporting cast around it's leads.  While Hercules was tolerable, Meg was engaging, and Hades awesome, the rest of the cast falls horribly flat.  All of the flaws in the conception of this movie can be found in the amount of confusing decisions in the animation/ casting ideas for this film.  James Woods is one thing, but Rip Torn as Zeus, King of the Gods?  Danny DeVito as Phil, the trainer of heroes?  Paul Shaffer as Hermes?  Really?  The movie was so oddly clustered together, that even a group of Gospel singing African American muses (which makes no sense if this is based off of Greek Mythology) cannot save the film from being too much of a clusterfuck to make any sense.  And while the zany antics of Pain and Panic, Phil, and the various residents of Thebes may have been enough to carry the film comically, the heart in the film is missing too often for me to really buy in.  A worthy choice for #10 if there ever was one.

+1 point  

9. Tarzan 


And yet, Tarzan's supporting cast is only marginally better.  In fact, the only reason this group of oddly constructed yet colorful characters manages to beat out the almighty clusterfuck of Hercules is because of Tarzan's adopted parents, Kerchak and Kala, who were probably as far from equal parents to their young charge.  Kerchak would not have minded if Tarzan vanished out of his life altogether until the very end, while Kala was the female equivalent of Mufasa, providing Tarzan with enough nurturing love and care a growing boy could use.  While moderately funny, Terk and Tantor and the rest of the supporting cast aren't nearly funny enough to carry the film comedically, which is why some of the humor in Tarzan fell flat.  It had a good parent, though...

+2 points 

8. Pocahontas 

While Pocahontas's supporting cast may not commit any serious crimes like Hercules or Tarzan, it's cast is almost as bad as their lead characters.  For example, half of the film's comedic moments take place between Meeko the raccoon and Percy the dog, who do not have a single line of dialogue.  It doesn't help that we only get to know the bare minimum of both John Smith's fellow settlers or Pocahontas's tribe men.  But from what we did get with the three pictured men, I think I was pleasantly pleased.  The two Scottish settlers are amusing, while Thomas (Christian F***ING Bale!!!!) gives us the one wide eyed and curious character we can relate to in the movie.  Meanwhile, Chief Powhatan serves as a good but distant father to Pocahontas, while Nakoma makes sure that Pocahontas isn't too much of a stick in the mud.  But when a third of the movie has these boring antics of non talking animals, should I really care?

+3 points

7. The Hunchback of Notre Dame 

Unlike other films in the Renaissance, The Hunchback of Notre Dame really does keep the focus on Quasimodo, Esmeralda, and Frollo.  But for those few moments when they don't, the film loses most of it's sinister tone, which is purely frustrating.  It would be okay that the gargoyles
were comic relief if the comedy was in the same sort of vein as the rest of the movie.  But on their own,. they are incredibly annoying.  Phoebus is a basic hero that says stupid things, and Clopin is a very good narrator, but the movie keeps it's focus where it's needed.  Good thing, too.  Any more of the gargoyles could put someone in an insane asylum.

+4 points

6. Mulan


There is a difference between too much unfunny comedy and too little really funny comedy.  I absolutely despise Eddie Murphy as Mushu.  Whereas all the other actors in Mulan were of Asian descent, Eddie Murphy is not only completely out of left field as a choice to play the little dragon, but also the fact that he is unable to act like himself in this role.  The role of the Genie was made for Robin Williams.  Mushu was made for just comic relief.  Which is why you won't hear me complain about Murphy as Donkey in Shrek.  That being said, I think the rest of supporting cast of this movie is actually pretty damn amusing.  Mulan's grandmother, the Emperor's majordomo, the Fa family ancestors, and of course, all of Mulan's fellow soldiers.  Specifically, Yao, Ling and Chien Po.  They all have their own personalities that are allowed to show up on screen.  My single favorite scene of these guys is when they go to attack the Huns, stop to stare at the avalanche Mulan and Mushu caused, and run away screaming.  It shows not only how brave they are, but how cowardly at the same time.  They also evolve as Mulan does, becoming more accepting of women and their roles in society.  When the supporting cast changes alongside the mains, you know you have something good.

+5 points

5. The Rescuers Down Under

As Jeffery Katzenberg tried to bring in more of an audience to see his studio's animated epics, he began casting bigger names in his movies.  Oliver and Company ended up having Bette Midler, Huey Lewis, Richard Mulligan, Cheech Marin, Dom DeLuise and Billy Joel in it.  For The Rescuers Down Under, the studio president brought in famed comedian John Candy to provide an extra bit of special to an original film devoid of anything special.  The result was a highly comedic and sensational performance right up there alongside his role as Barf in Spaceballs.  Alongside Wilbur, the writers wrote in several more interesting characters, such as a koala voiced by the Sultan, Joanna the egg obsessed iguana, and an assortment of psychotic hospital mice that torment the crap out of poor Wilbur.  Like I said in the review, Down Under improved drastically upon a film that had almost nothing to offer.  And the best part, was the fact that we still had more films with even greater casts to go.

+6 points 

4. The Little Mermaid


Something the Disney Animators new they needed to keep up with in their Fairy Tales was the addition of engaging side characters.  Snow White had the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella had the misadventures between the mice and Lucifer, and Sleeping Beauty had the Three Good Fairies.  For The Little Mermaid, had it not been for the great genius of Howard Ashman, we would probably be talking about the missteps this film took in another spot on this list.  Ashman had the historic idea of changing Sebastian from a stiff British butler, into a reggae jamming crustacean with a passion for music.  But the rest of the cast of The Little Mermaid is also strong.  You had that crazy ass Chef Louie, Scuttle and his hilarious misnaming of various human objects, even King Triton is a great character, moving away from the stereotypical nonexistent Fairy Tale dad and becoming a real father to Ariel, even learning to let his daughter go.  While this film may not have the most engaging cast, had it not been for this colorful cavalcade of delightful denizens of Atlantica, we might not have had the top 3.

+7 points

3. The Lion King


The enormous and colorful cast The Lion King had over Pocahontas gave the film a significant advantage over it's opponents.  And each of these side characters had a significant importance to the plot, which is also fairly unique for the film.  You had the great comedic characters of Timon and Pumbaa and the Hyenas, who stole the show each of their scenes on the screen.  Timon and Pumbaa especially, because they had the daunting task of brightening up the movie after Mufasa's death.  But the single greatest character who didn't star in The Lion King was Mufasa himself, who was probably Disney's first really great parental character.  It's a shame that he had to die half way through the movie, but the film would not have been the same without Scar murdering him, now would it?  Rafiki is hilarious and wise, Zazu gets a few good jokes in, but the stars of the comedy world are Timon and Pumbaa, and of course: the hyenas.

+8 points 

2. Aladdin


I honestly thought everyone would equate Robin Williams memorials to his roles in Good Will Hunting or Dead Poet Society.  I did not expect all of the internet to equate Robin to his famous portrayal of the Genie, until I watched Aladdin on the Disney Channel the first Saturday after his passing.  It just goes to show you the magnificence of Williams's electric performance as the big blue guy.  Williams shows off his acting prowess by not only portraying Genie as a psychotic fourth wall breaker, but also as a sympathetic dreamer who dreams of being free from his magical entrapments.  Genie's humor is also balanced out between Jafar's own miniature Gilbert Gottfried, a bumbling and beffudled Sultan, and the rest of Aladdin's menagerie, who stop at nothing to put on an absolute spectacular show every time we watch the movie.

+9 points

1. Beauty and the Beast


But when an animated film manages to give almost all of it's supporting cast a decent, if not solid amount of character development, it would take 10 Genies just to dethrone Beauty and the Beast from #1.  The film takes it's careful time to make us care not just about the budding relationship between Belle and her Beast, but the rest of the world they encounter, from Belle's gossipy village, to Belle's eccentric inventor father, to Gaston's admiring lady fans and Lefou, to the entire castle filled with enchanted objects.  We get to learn about each of the objects in detail.  Mrs. Potts is a very nurturing and motherly figure to not only her son Chip, but even to the Beast, who often looks to her for advice.  Cogsworth often panics about disrupting the Beast, and spends so much time worrying about what's going on in the castle that he never takes the time to relax and enjoy life, like his counterpart Lumiere does.  Lumiere makes every single day of his life like a party, often womanizing and charming his way to becoming the life of the party, but the candelabra is fiercely loyal to his friends and the Beast.  The musical number "Human Again" is arguably the best in the entire show, because it allows us to see just how eager they are for Belle and the Beast to get together, and the lives they all wish they could live should that day come.  With such a wonderful group of such splendid characters, how could Beauty and the Beast not win this category too?

+10 points 

Standings

1. Beauty and the Beast                                33 pts
2. Aladdin                                                      33 pts
3. The Hunchback of Notre Dame               30 pts
4. The Lion King                                           27 pts
5. The Little Mermaid                                   25 pts
6. Hercules                                                     18 pts
7. Mulan                                                         17 pts
8. The Rescuers Down Under                       16 pts
9. Tarzan                                                        12 pts
10. Pocahontas                                              11 pts

Next round, we have the following BIG TIME heavyweights clashing:

Howard Ashman and Alan Menken vs Alan Menken and Tim Rice vs Tim Rice and Elton John vs Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz vs Alan Menken and David Zippel vs Phil Collins vs David Zippel and Matthew Wilder

Here's to the BEST SONGS....

Which Disney Renaissance Film is the BEST? Part 3: The Villains

It should come as a surprise to no one that the greatest era in Walt Disney's Feature Animation department is arguably the most beloved era of a single company's film making in motion picture history.  After all, not only was Disney at the height of their creative development, but the studio continued to release hit after hit, without any glaring failures in anyone's eyes.  To many who are reaching adulthood today,. these films are what we grew up on.  My first film watching experiences were at least five of the top movies pictured above.  These films have had a profound impact on how we act, how we think, and how we tell our life stories.  

But which of these high ranking movies is the most superior?  How can one masterpiece be better than another?  That is what I will be focusing on for the next several posts.  Which film was the most structurally sound, which was the most superior in one area, and ultimately, which was the best.  Feel free to argue for one of your movies on this list or if you think my list is incorrect, but please understand that this is all opinion based, so it doesn't make someone stupid if they agree or not.  

Here is how the list will be determined.  All 10 films of the Disney Renaissance will be judged on the following categories:

Hero

Heroine

Villain

Supporting Cast

Songs (The Rescuers Down Under gets a pass here)

Musical Score

Animation

Story

Special Effects

Theme/ Message

Each film will be scored on a 1-10 scale.  The higher points you score for a category, the greater the chance is that film is ranked the best.  But please note that just because a film could get two or three 10's in a row, doesn't mean that it is guaranteed a victory.  Keep a close eye on the consistent films.

At the end of the competition, the films will have their scores divided by 10 (nine for Rescuers Down Under), and a winner will be determined when the math is completed.  The winner will receive the next King's Analysis and a special surprise for it on my YouTube channel, NintendoMan64.

This Round: The Villains

The nefarious and diabolical schemers of Disney Lore were at their strongest levels in the nineties.  We got wickedly fabulous sea witches, brash and arrogant hunters, murderous uncles, and power hungry sorcerers.  As these villains have fast become part of popular culture, they need to be treated with every amount of care the heroes and heroines received.  This was a fairly simple list to put together, but still had a few villains on the outside looking in...

10. Clayton (Brian Blessed) (Tarzan)

Unfortunately, there had to be a weakest villain and the most easily predictable villain fell into the slot of least wicked for our tastes.  Clayton wasn't an original villain, but he also wasn't so evil he warranted our hate.  He was simply a greedy hunter who wanted money.  But even Clayton lacked the entertainment value someone like Governor Ratcliffe had or McLeach had.  When a villain's scheme isn't original and his overall appearance nothing too intimidating, your movie begins to falter.  Tarzan is often cited as the film of missed opportunity, with Clayton being the prime example.  Considering Disney had recently done a film based on Africa, they could have followed that route and kept the humans to their bare minimal, but Disney was running on empty at this point, and what we see is what we get...

+1 point

9. Shan Yu (Miguel Ferrer) (Mulan)

Yet another missed opportunity from Disney to bring to life a gripping and malicious villain.  Shan Yu is pretty much left to being a hulky, brutish warrior who has pretty much no personality.  We see for a few scenes that he felt challenged by the Emperor's Great Wall, but beyond that, he's just not interesting enough to be a serious villain for Mulan to stand up against.  He serves more or less as an obstacle than a true menace.  Unlike someone like Jafar or Scar, who serve as serious dangers to both their respective foe's physical and mental wellbeing, Shan Yu more or less serves as Mulan's final rest of ascension.  Nevertheless, he still is an immense test to pass.  I just wish there was more to him than this...

+2 points 

8. Governor Ratcliffe (David Odgen Stiers) (Pocahontas)

Coming off of a string of sensational villains dating back to Ursula the Sea Witch, Ratcliffe was a serious disappointment.  Whereas each of the previous villains had their own interesting designs and malicious quirks, Ratcliffe more or less just falls back into that "greedy white guy" territory that is so generic and boring that you expect the max effort out of Disney.  So, why is Ratcliffe higher than Shan Yu or Clayton?  Well, you have to thank Mr. Stiers for that.  A well versed Disney voiceover actor, Stiers brings a certain entertainment value from Ratcliffe that would have otherwise warranted Clayton.  His songs are very entertaining, his greed forces him to take drastic measures in trying to get what he wants, and his racist and arrogant attitudes are all birthed within his desire for power of money.  He is entertaining enough to warrant a pass on this list, and that is fairly good in my eyes...

+3 points 

7. Percival C. McLeach (George C. Scott) (The Rescuers Down Under)

George C. Scott blesses us with yet another strong performance in his final decades as an actor.  McLeach may not be an Ursula or a Jafar, but he certainly can hold his own in the ring of the lesser villains of the Disney Renaissance.  Motivated by not only greed, but a pure lust to bring about the capture and eventual extinction of the Golden Eagles of Australia.  He has no need to worry about rangers or the little boy he'd kidnapped, because McLeach is always thinking one step ahead of everyone he encounters, except for the mice that ultimately do him in.  He is so wicked, he even blatantly lies to Cody just so Cody could take him to Marahute's nest.  Evil comes in all shapes and sizes, but McLeach's predictability is somewhat refreshing, because like Ratigan, he knows he's evil and he loves every single minute of it,

+4 points 

6. Gaston (Richard White) (Beauty and the Beast)

You need an thesaurus just to figure out how many character phrases this brash hunter deserves.  Similarly to how McLeach is willing to do anything to get what he wants, Gaston is more than ready to surrender all humanity he possesses in order to get what he seeks, be it Belle's hand in marriage or the Beast's pelt on his wall, even put Belle's father in an insane asylum.  But it's his arrogance, his selfish and negligent nature, and ruthless ways he acts that make Gaston stand out from the others.  That, and of course his appearance.  Gaston looks as though he would be the one saving the day at the end of any older Disney Fairy Tale, but Belle can see through him, and it's his inability to see any flaws in his ways and himself that drives Gaston to his death in the end.  All I can say is, I love to hate Gaston.

+5 points  

5. Ursula (Pat Carroll) (The Little Mermaid)

The only female villain of the Renaissance is arguably one of the best the company has come out with.  The wicked sea witch is cutthroat and truly devious when she makes deals with anyone her eels bring to her, often making sure she has every single advantage when compared to her clients, ultimately coming out with the real reward in the end.  Her intense hatred for King Triton and all he stands for pushes this wicked witch into doing everything in her power to have her tentacles wrapped around Ariel's every movement, using the girl as a pawn in her game to achieve dominance over the entire ocean.  Yet, Ursula still has to cheat in order to get her way, driving her out as a villain and forcing her to take drastic measures in order to maintain her control over Ariel and Triton.  As Ursula plunges the ocean into the depths, she is unable to understand Ariel and Eric's feelings for each other, and that is what ultimately destroys the Sea Witch.  

+6 points  

4. Hades (James Woods) (Hercules)

Like Megara, Hades is just another one of those bizzare choices the creators of the film used to tell a different story from what their predecessors did.  James Woods plays the Lord of the Underworld as a sleazy Hollywood agent with SERIOUS temper issues.  Hades is arguably the most entertaining villain Disney has ever had in their pipeline, his mood swings and sassyness allows him to garner countless amounts of fans, myself included.  In fact, Hades is probably the only villain everyone wanted to win in the end.  Hades only weakness is is shortsightedness in planning for his takeover of Mount Olympus, allowing for Hercules and his friends to thwart his plans on countless occasions.  And, let's not forget his deal making.  Unlike Ursula, Hades keeps his word about everything.  Guess which hero he makes a deal with that doesn't keep his end of the bargain?

+7 points   

3. Jafar (Jonathan Freeman) (Aladdin)

If Disney's take on the ultimate James Bond style villain isn't Top 3 worthy, I don't know what is.  Jafar is an unprincipled and ruthless sorcerer who's schemes for power and control contniue to get larger and more expansive.  Originally seeking only to rule all of Agrabah, Jafar's greed and lust for power drive him towards seeking to rule the entire universe.  But Jafar's greed and arrogance comes at a horrific price, as he is unable to see through his fate when he sought to become an all powerful Genie.  For Jafar, it is the fate he deserved to the fullest when he is imprisoned in the genie's lamp with Iago for all eternity.  And in traditional villain form, Jafar blames all of his shortcomings on other people and events, which ultimately gets him thwarted for good in the film's sequel.  But in Aladdin alone, Jafar represents everything about power and riches that Aladdin despises, causing the friction the two have to be some of the best in all of Disney.

+8 points 

2. Scar (Jeremy Irons) (The Lion King)

If Jafar represents everything Aladdin despises about the rich and powerful of Agrabah, everything Scar does to make Simba despise him is worthy of a golden medal.  Scar absolutely despises both his nephew Simba and his brother Mufasa, just for being in his way of ruling the Pridelands.  What does he do?  Why, plot murder of course.  Scar plunges his nephew's life into absolute darkness when he murders Mufasa and blames the poor lion cub.  Simba goes off into exile, allowing Scar to assume the throne unchallenged.  And it's not even like Scar was planning on being a good king.  During his reign, Scar allows his hyena lackeys to completely decimate the Pridelands into a state of absolute turmoil.  Scar is sly, sneaky, and quick to think up a sinister plot that would drive his enemies into the shadows.  Luckily for the Pridelands, Scar's greed and fear of Simba's wrath ultimately destroys him, when he blames his hyenas for Mufasa's death.  A good thing to.  Scar is absolutely heartless.

+9 points  

1. Judge Claude Frollo (Tony Jay) (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)

It's one thing to want to illustrate how much power and control you have over your enemies.  It's another thing entirely to do so in the pursuit of a girl.  Frollo is a modern day radical Republican, willing to do horrific and evil things to innocent people, but quickly retreats to the defense of doing it for God and the church when cornered about his sick lust and greed.  Frollo is also a multiple offender: He plans the mass genocide of an entire race of people, kills an innocent woman, tries to drown her baby, locks him away in a Bell Tower, belittles him for his appearance, slaughters his men at will, lusts over women, and kidnaps them, only willing to offer their freedom for sex.  JESUS CHRIST, DUDE!  There is a thing called overkill.  Look into it.  Frollo is an absolutely wicked being, doing the work of the Devil under the guise of Christ.  

+10 points  

Standings:

1. The Hunchback of Notre Dame                    24 pts

2. Aladdin                                                           24 pts

3. Beauty and the Beast                                     23 pts

4. The Lion King                                                19 pts

5. The Little Mermaid                                        18 pts

6. Hercules                                                          17 pts

7. Mulan                                                              12 pts

8. The Rescuers Down Under                            10 pts

9. Tarzan                                                             10 pts

10. Pocahontas                                                    8 pts

Next round, we tackle the sidekicks, the henchmen, and the rest of the supporting casts of each of these movies.  The separation between these heavyweights is about to begin....

Which Disney Renaissance Film is the BEST? Part 2: The Ladies

It should come as a surprise to no one that the greatest era in Walt Disney's Feature Animation department is arguably the most beloved era of a single company's film making in motion picture history.  After all, not only was Disney at the height of their creative development, but the studio continued to release hit after hit, without any glaring failures in anyone's eyes.  To many who are reaching adulthood today,. these films are what we grew up on.  My first film watching experiences were at least five of the top movies pictured above.  These films have had a profound impact on how we act, how we think, and how we tell our life stories.  

But which of these high ranking movies is the most superior?  How can one masterpiece be better than another?  That is what I will be focusing on for the next several posts.  Which film was the most structurally sound, which was the most superior in one area, and ultimately, which was the best.  Feel free to argue for one of your movies on this list or if you think my list is incorrect, but please understand that this is all opinion based, so it doesn't make someone stupid if they agree or not.  

Here is how the list will be determined.  All 10 films of the Disney Renaissance will be judged on the following categories:

Hero

Heroine

Villain

Supporting Cast

Songs (The Rescuers Down Under gets a pass here)

Musical Score

Animation

Story

Special Effects

Theme/ Message

Each film will be scored on a 1-10 scale.  The higher points you score for a category, the greater the chance is that film is ranked the best.  But please note that just because a film could get two or three 10's in a row, doesn't mean that it is guaranteed a victory.  Keep a close eye on the consistent films.

At the end of the competition, the films will have their scores divided by 10 (nine for Rescuers Down Under), and a winner will be determined when the math is completed.  The winner will receive the next King's Analysis and a special surprise for it on my YouTube channel, NintendoMan64.  

Today's Category: Best Heroine

Much like how a hero can be judged on a number of things, the same must be said of the heroines.  The key to a strong and thought provoking female lead is their strength of not only character, but opinion as well.  It also helps to have a character who serves a purpose in the movie outside of being just the love interest of the main character.  The more unique each female character is, the more likely points will be scored.  This was one of the hardest lists to put together, because all of the films in this era had strong leading ladies, and it pained me to put some so low and some so high, but I must if we are to truly determine which Disney Film is superior.

10. Nala (Niketa Calame & Moira Kelly) (The Lion King)

See how hard this list is to put together?  You get a powerhouse like Nala ranking last behind several other leading ladies, it's pure frustration.  But, of all of the leading ladies our heroes and villains encounter on their journeys, Nala is the lone character on the list that doesn't serve a definitive purpose.  She doesn't exactly provide much for the plot, because the movie also stations Rafiki and the ghost of Mufasa to convince Simba to return to the Pride Lands.  She basically serves only one purpose: as Simba's love interest.  And for a film that is as deep and thought provoking as The Lion King, this is a serious disappointment.  

+1 point 

9. Miss Bianca (Eva Gabor) (The Rescuers Down Under)

Miss Bianca reprises her role in the sequel to The Rescuers.  A role that allowed Eva Gabor to take complete control of the movie.  In Down Under, while she isn't as large a principal character like she was in the original, she manages to hold her own in all the scenes, though she is incredibly naive when it comes to both Bernard and Jake's feelings for her.  I guess one could give Miss Bianca the ax and put her in Nala's spot on the list, but Bianca is the driving force in trying to rescue Cody from McLeach, with both Bernard and Jake too distracted by their petty rivalry over Miss Bianca to truly take any notice in the kid, until it's too late.  Bianca keeps both boys and the albatross Wilbur in line and steers the happy little crew in the right direction.

+2 points

8. Jane Porter (Minnie Driver) (Tarzan)

Jane is probably the only character who I really felt bad for giving such a bad rating for.  She, like I said in my Tarzan review, is the Damsel in Distress done to it's perfection.  She serves as not only giving Tarzan a link to his human past, but also teaching Tarzan as much as she can about human life in England while Tarzan teaches her all about his life in the jungle.  She is often in need of rescue, but she also does enough in the action of the plot to warrant a higher rating, such as single-handedly rescuing Kala from the cage Clayton put her in.  And it's perfectly natural for Jane to be a damsel, because she is clearly out of her environment.  I feel way too bad for a cartoon character.  What's wrong with me?

+3 points

7. Pocahontas (Irene Bedard) (Pocahontas)

As with the competition between Bianca and Nala, another argument can be made for Jane vs Pocahontas.  After all, as with many of the characters in Pocahontas, our leading lady is viewed as entertaining as watching paint dry.  But for me, although she may not be the most interesting lead Disney has ever created, she does do enough for the plot for me to be invested in her story.  Like most Disney Princesses, Pocahontas is unhappy with her life and seeks a world worth exploring for her own curiosity.  Her curiosity leads her to John Smith and the two embark on an adventure of sensational animation and awkward dialogue.  But Pocahontas's brave moments, such as her protecting John from her father's wrath, and deciding to remain in Virginia rather than travel with John back to London, make Pocahontas a unique Renaissance lady who doesn't need a man in the end, somewhat like another butt kicking lady who will be on the list later.

+4 points

6. Megara (Susan Egan) (Hercules)

Hercules is a film of many unfitting things clustered together in the hopes of getting something different from the previous Disney films.  While some fail miserably, others succeed in endearing fashion.  Meg is an example of the oddities succeeding.  Meg is kind of like that forbidden fruit of a female that no matter how many times you act nicely to her, she will always reject you, making you want her more.  It isn't until our dimwitted yet lovable main hero manages to touch her heart, that Meg decides to let her guard down.  And unlike the other Disney Females, her dark past and tragic backstory do not immediately plunge her into the arms of another man and rather forces Meg to do several bad things to Hercules, who is far too nice to realize these facts.  And yet, while she is probably a Lois Lane knock off, it's refreshing that Meg isn't the typical damsel in need of rescue.  

+5 points

5. Princess Jasmine (Linda Larkin) (Aladdin)

Princess Jasmine is probably one of the more bizzarely conceptualized in this era.  Jasmine begins the film as an ambitious girl who dreams of life beyond the walls of her father's palace.  She runs away to make a life for her own and comes across Aladdin on the streets of Agrabah.  From their, Jasmine begins to waver between Meg's snarky and hard to grasp treasure, to stereotypical Disney Princess, needing to be rescued from Jafar's clutches at quite a few points in the movie.  But Jasmine, like her boyfriend, learns to be more quick thinking and street smart, ultimately aiding Aladdin in his ruse of Jafar and trying to get the genie's lamp away from the wicked sorcerer.  And while Jasmine may not be the most original character and have the most original dreams, her personality and drive to follow her heart push her over the limit and into a better, more heartfelt environment.  

+6 points

4. Esmeralda (Demi Moore) (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)

Of all Disney leading ladies that aren't princesses, Esmeralda is probably the most well-rounded.  She is quick thinking like Jasmine, ambitious like Ariel, snarky like Meg, and well meaning like Belle.  The fact that while in Notre Dame, she prays for the safe keeping and protection of her people over the other people who pray for selfish desires, should make her a strong candidate for number one.  What also pushes her over the edge is her ability to fend for herself until she is completely out of options and is rescued minutes before her death by Quasimodo.  She is a firm believer in what is right and what is wrong, knowing all too well of Frollo's twisted lust for her as well as Quasimodo and Phoebus's good natured love for her, and feels no need to exploit any of the three to her advantage, instead being friendly to her friends and hostile towards Frollo.  She is strong, kind hearted, and still entertaining enough to warrant a strong spot on this list.

+7 points

3. Mulan (Ming Na) (Mulan)

Seeing as how the titular character was the best part of the movie, it's pretty reasonable to have Mulan ranked fairly high on this list.  But for me, Mulan's character is far stronger than even the movie let's on.  Mulan's mistakes and actions often cause trouble for her and her family, but it's her decisions and her bravery to fix everything she's messed up which makes her stronger than other ladies.  Mulan disguises herself as a man and enlists in the Chinese Army in an effort to not only protect her father from the service, but mostly to prove that she could do something right.  And for most of the film, she does just that, proving everyone wrong and even managing to impress herself with her prowess.  But her desire to set things right instead of laying around and moping makes her strong, as it did Aladdin.  Mulan manages to save China, save her family, and save her movie...

+8 points

2. Ariel (Jodi Benson) (The Little Mermaid)

Ariel was/is the very first proactive Disney Princess and also serves as the first truly modern Disney Princess.  While very ambitious and dreamy, she was also filled with angst and attitude, often defying her father simply out of sheer curiosity.  She clashes with King Triton over her dreams of being on the surface and their relationship really does serve as one of the most realistic parent-child relationships.  Her drive to becoming human and being with her prince sets her apart, because she is even willing to make a bargain with the nefarious Ursula and give up a chance at freedom and being with her family.  But Ariel's highlight moments are when she explore's Eric's kingdom, mute.  Her curiosity and adoration for the human world is allowed to be in full bloom here and she can now not only be in a world where she has dreamed of being forever, but also attempt to win the heart of her dream prince.  Kudos to Disney for finally modernizing their female leads, but Ariel was not number 1...

+9 points

1. Belle (Paige O'Hara) (Beauty and the Beast)

What did Disney need to do in order for us to truly believe in the relationship between a Beauty and a Beast?  Simple, you had to make Belle stand out to the Beast with her own personality.  Belle is quirky, dreamy, book smart, kind yet never passive, adventurous, and even the slightest bit eccentric, drawing an uncharacteristically high amount of attention to herself even though she doesn't think she's too strange.  Unlike the other girls in the village, Belle doesn't fawn over the Adonis figure of Gaston and sees clearly through his black-hearted nature and realize that while the town believes they should be together, she doesn't need or have any desire to be with the hunter.  Belle is also courageous, giving up her free life to allow her father to escape the clutches of a monster.  Belle does her best to make the most of her situation and manages to enjoy herself in her time in the Beast's castle, even warming up to the Beast himself.  But Belle doesn't truly realize her feelings for the Beast until he gives up his happiness and chance at being human for her.  When she does, she quickly returns to his side and stays with the man of her dreams, even though he has the appearance of a monster.  And in the end, she is rewarded for her kindness as is the Beast for learning to love.  Belle is quite simply the greatest character Disney has ever constructed.  

+10 points

Standings

1. Beauty and the Beast                                    18 pts

2. Aladdin                                                          16 pts

3. The Hunchback of Notre Dame                   14 pts

4. The Little Mermaid                                       12 pts

5. Mulan                                                             10 pts

6. Hercules                                                         10 pts

7. The Lion King                                               10 pts

8. Tarzan                                                             9 pts

9. The Rescuers Down Under                            6 pts

10. Pocahontas                                                   5 pts

Next round, we tackle the forces of evil.  The nefariously wicked villains of Disney Lore get put to the ultimate test as we pit some of the ultimate titans of the industry against each other.  Be Prepared for a few spikes both ways...

Which Disney Renaissance Film is the BEST? Part 1: The Heroes (Guys)

It should come as a surprise to no one that the greatest era in Walt Disney's Feature Animation department is arguably the most beloved era of a single company's film making in motion picture history.  After all, not only was Disney at the height of their creative development, but the studio continued to release hit after hit, without any glaring failures in anyone's eyes.  To many who are reaching adulthood today,. these films are what we grew up on.  My first film watching experiences were at least five of the top movies pictured above.  These films have had a profound impact on how we act, how we think, and how we tell our life stories.  

But which of these high ranking movies is the most superior?  How can one masterpiece be better than another?  That is what I will be focusing on for the next several posts.  Which film was the most structurally sound, which was the most superior in one area, and ultimately, which was the best.  Feel free to argue for one of your movies on this list or if you think my list is incorrect, but please understand that this is all opinion based, so it doesn't make someone stupid if they agree or not.  

Here is how the list will be determined.  All 10 films of the Disney Renaissance will be judged on the following categories:

Hero

Heroine

Villain

Supporting Cast

Songs (The Rescuers Down Under gets a pass here)

Musical Score

Animation

Story

Special Effects

Theme/ Message

Each film will be scored on a 1-10 scale.  The higher points you score for a category, the greater the chance is that film is ranked the best.  But please note that just because a film could get two or three 10's in a row, doesn't mean that it is guaranteed a victory.  Keep a close eye on the consistent films.

At the end of the competition, the films will have their scores divided by 10 (nine for Rescuers Down Under), and a winner will be determined when the math is completed.  The winner will receive the next King's Analysis and a special surprise for it on my YouTube channel, NintendoMan64.  

Today's Category: Best Hero

A hero can be judged on any number of categories.  Be it their bravery, their character dynamic, or their personalities.  Or perhaps their actions speak louder than their words.  This was arguably the easiest part to rank, because some of the male leads of these movies are easily standouts when compared to their counterparts.  

10. John Smith (Mel Gibson) (Pocahontas)

Considering that Pocahontas is considered by critics and fans to be the weakest film in the Renaissance, it is the clear underdog in this competition.  But it doesn't help the film that it has arguably the most boring male lead Disney has had in a long time.  John Smith serves the role of Kevin Costner in Dances With Wolves or Sam Worthington's role in Avatar, the white guy who has to learn about the native's culture in order to understand that just because they act differently to your race, their not savages.  The biggest problem Smith suffers from is his sloppily paced transformation to this realization.  His earthly and more undertone personality often clashes with Pocahontas's free spirit, which is why so few people buy into the romance of the film.  It's not like Smith is a terrible lead for this film.  On the contrary, he serves his role to the best of his ability, but is it his fault or the fault of the films?

+1 point

9. Li Shang (BD Wong) (Mulan)

Mulan is a movie of challenging societies role for girls and allowing people to take any role they want in the ever moving storybook of our lives on Earth.  And while the movie does take the time to develop it's female lead, the male lead falls back into an awkward character who while serving well as a trainer of these slack-jawed simpletons, doesn't allow for a personality to come out.  He serves mostly as the guy who has to doubt Mulan throughout the movie and be the second biggest hurdle she has to jump over in her training (the biggest being herself).  And while this may not be Shang's fault, it would have helped me in liking this film more if Shang wasn't such a thickheaded...well...guy.  

+2 points

8. Prince Eric (Christopher Daniel Barnes) (The Little Mermaid)

 The biggest stereotype Disney Animators complain about is having to create a prince character for their fairy tales.  After all, all three previous princes before Eric are the three most boring things ever put into Disney Animated films.  The odds were stacked mightily against Eric.  And yet, while Eric is no godsend of a hero, Eric does manage to give us some kind of a decent prince.  While Eric suffers from blandness and a general lack of brainpower, he does do things that other princes don't do, such as take up a third of his time on the movie sailing across the seas, and even risking his own life and the future of his kingdom to save his pet dog (EPIC DUDE!).  We get to see Eric evolve from a man obsessed with searching for a girl with a beautiful voice to falling in love with the beautiful but quirky deaf girl he just found by the shore.  And unlike the other princes who preceded him, he actually has the makings of some kind of personality.  If only it showed more...

+3 points

7. Bernard (Bob Newhart) (The Rescuers Down Under)

Isn't it amazing what a second film can do for a character so boring and uninteresting?  In the original Rescuers movie, Bernard is probably one of the weakest parts of the movie.  His only character traits are his feelings for Miss Bianca and his triskaidekaphobia.  But in Down Under, Bernard has to man up and not only face his fears of rejection and propose to Miss Bianca, but he must also brave the Australian Outback on his own for the second half of the movie.  Even worse, he has to deal with Jake, who wants to steal Miss Bianca from him (innocently, no malice intended).  Bernard puts aside his cowardly approach to his decision making and becomes the hero the audience and his friends need him to be, when he fights snakes, razorback boars, and Joanna the Iguana, to save the Golden Eagle from extinction.  Talk about a stark improvement...

+4 points

6. Hercules (Tate Donovan & Josh Keaton) (Hercules)

Ever wonder what Christopher Reeve's Clark Kent would look like as a red head?  Well, I didn't either, but Hercules is another decent addition to the Disney Fan Girl's catalogue for future expectations of their men.  Ripped beyond even Schwarzenegger's wildest imaginations, the only thing the son of Zeus is missing is a personality.  But he's got pretty much everything else.  He battles monsters, titans, insecurites, and his hotheaded uncle who would like to see him and all of the planet bow before him.  And while Hercules' innocent can sometimes be annoying, his kindhearted attitude and "rippling pectorals" can make up for his lack of solidity in his lines and delivery, I guess....

+5 points

5. Tarzan (Tony Goldwyn & Alex D. Linz) (Tarzan)

The list was starting to get harder to assemble here.  All five remaining guys has a reasonable shot at being number 1.  But their can only be one, and Tarzan is probably the weakest of the remaining heroes, but that is nothing for this King of the Jungle to be ashamed of.  Tarzan, much like Bambi, needs to not only serve as the driving emotional force of the movie, but as the clean slate that needs to learn all there is to know about both life in the jungle and human life.  But he also has to hold his own against the dangers of the jungle, such as the vicious leopard Sabor, crocodiles, elephants, baboons, and even his own kind.  Tarzan's emotional struggles are fairly rare for Disney Main Leads, who often just struggle with what's right and wrong.  Tarzan has to choose not between right and wrong, but between the life he loves and the life he should be living.  And his fast decision making and choosing the right path in not stooping down to Clayton's level makes him a good choice for the top five Disney Dudes...

+6 points

4. Quasimodo (Tom Hulce) (The Hunchback of Notre Dame)

Much like how Tarzan struggles with choosing between two lives, the path set for Quasimodo is also one involving two worlds: his isolation in the bell tower of Notre Dame and the world below where normal people live and interact.  Quasimodo is very similar to those people you see in school who have very vibrant personalities in  small groups, but struggles to act and communicate in larger groups.  This was one of Disney's first really relatable leads, who could serve as a kind of role model for those of us out there who aren't the most attractive but have the purest hearts.  As he begins to broaden his views beyond the bell tower, he comes across true friends in Esmeralda and Phoebus, and also begins to question the judgments Frollo has set for him, such as his appearance and his views on gypsies.  The top four on this list all go through emotional changes in their stories, so that their opinions and their lives they live drastically change via the events of the movie.  And Quasimodo is no exception to the rule, giving Disney Fans a kindhearted, and eventually self empowering lead that we'd always wanted...

+7 points

3. Beast (Robby Benson) (Beauty and the Beast)

The Beast is the only male lead in all of these movies that has to undergo both a physical and emotional transformation in order to truly realize who he is and what he wants.  And unlike the other leads on this list, one can make an argument that in the first half of Beauty and the Beast that the Beast is in fact a villainous character.  Beast is a coldhearted, short tempered monster who lashes out at everyone to cloud the fact that he is truly ashamed of who he is and what he's done with his life.  In my eyes though, his greatest crime is his inability to comprehend what love is.  Beast only assumes that love is something he can grab and hold onto and is stunned that Belle constantly rejects him.  It is only when he and Belle both decide to let their guards down and get to know each other that the Beast learns what true love is and he manages to come to terms that Belle's needs were more important than his own.  This is one of the bravest moments in Disney History, because he gives up his one and only chance to redeem himself in order for Belle to rescue her father.  But it is the impact he leaves on Belle that saves him in the end, as he manages to win the heart of his princess just by being something more than a Beast: a hero.

+8 points

2. Simba (Jonathan Taylor Thomas & Matthew Broderick) (The Lion King)

No character on this list undergoes more of a personal transformation journey than Simba.  Simba goes through more emotional turmoil than all other characters in this list put together.  His emotional journey does not include finding love or learning what a hero is.  His entire story arc is his learning to come to terms with who he is and what his place in the Circle of Life means to the Pride Lands.  He begins as an arrogant little cub who believes he is entitled to everything just because his father rules the Serengeti.  And while he shows signs of growth in his character as a cub, the tragic death of his father and the guilt that his uncle pegs to him forces Simba into a self imposed exile, where he must either come to grips with his past, or bury it deeper into his psyche.  Luckily, Simba chooses the former, and his bravery in facing off against Scar and the hyenas must be noted.  But it is his decision to return home and face his fears that makes his character arc the most adult in it's conception.  Simba is without a doubt a Disney Legend in his character growth and his emotional connection to all of The Lion King's many fans.  The Circle of Life lives on in him...

+9 points

1. Aladdin (Scott Weinger) (Aladdin)

No, Aladdin's journey into self-discovery isn't the most emotional, nor is it the most graphic.  But Aladdin is one of the few Disney Leads that acts like a true hero from the beginning of his movie.  He steals a loaf of bread and dodges guards and merchants, but he gives it away to starving children.  The hero of Agrabah also has to come to his realization on his own, unlike others who are spoon fed what they should do.  While Genie does prod Aladdin into being himself around Jasmine, Aladdin has to discover for himself how his transformation into Prince Ali has changed him, and forces his hand into telling Jasmine and the Sultan the truth.  Aladdin is the most selfless person throughout most of his movie and when he realizes how selfish he became as his alter ego, he cannot stand himself.  Aladdin's selflessness is just a part of his character.  Aladdin is clever and quick, allowing himself to think of unique and smart decisions to get himself and others out of danger, and even save the day by playing onto the villain's weakness.  Aladdin's moment of true valor, however, is his decision to free Genie and not become a Prince, deciding that Jasmine ought to know him for who he is, rather than who he wants or who she wants him to be.  And that is why, without a doubt, Aladdin is the best Disney Male Lead of the Renaissance.

Standings:

1. Aladdin                                                                10 pts

2. The Lion King                                                      9 pts

3. Beauty and the Beast                                           8 pts

4. The Hunchback of Notre Dame                          7 pts

5. Tarzan                                                                   6 pts

6.  Hercules                                                               5 pts

7. The Rescuers Down Under                                  4 pts

8. The Little Mermaid                                              3 pts

9. Mulan                                                                   2 pts

10. Pocahontas                                                         1 pt

Next round, watch as the damsels turn into the daring, in Best Heroines (be prepared for several lowly ranked movies to spike up and for some decently ranked films to plummet.