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)
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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)
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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...
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