111 Awesome Disney Songs, Part 3

Ryan Dosier - Hello again, Disney music lovers! Apologies for the week off, but I'm back again with 11 more Awesome Disney Songs! Here we go!

23.)   "It's a Small World" from Disneyland
You have to give props to a song that can get stuck in your head this easily. The chorus of this Sherman Brothers tune is perhaps the most catchy and ear-wormy ever written. Not only that, but the song is a beautiful message of hope for the entire world. "It's a Small World" reminds us that deep down, we're all living on this one small world together, so we must treat each other right. It's wonderful. Favorite Lyrics: "It's a world of laughter, a world of tears/It's a world of hope, and a world of fears/There's so much that we share/That it's time we're aware/It's a small world after all."

24.)   "Mine, Mine, Mine" from Pocahontas
One of the things that Disney does best in its animated films is villain songs, and this one from Pocahontas is fantastic. Not inherently evil on the surface, but mine through the lyrics and you realize how horribly awful Governor Ratcliffe really is. However, the song is bouncy and the lyrics are incredibly fun and David Ogden Stiers has a magnificent voice. Pocahontas is one of the weaker films in the Disney renaissance era, but the music is fantastic. Favorite Lyrics: "My rivals back home/It's not that I'm bitter/But think how they'll squirm/When they see how I glitter!/The ladies at court/Will be all a-twitter/The king will reward me/He'll knight me... no, lord me!"

25.)   "Little Wonders" from Meet the Robinsons
Meet the Robinsons is a beautiful and hugely underrated Disney animated feature. This song, "Little Wonders," was performed by Rob Thomas in the stirring final sequence of the film. The lyrics to "Little Wonders" are uplifting, haunting, and gorgeous. This is one of the finest examples of a song used in a non-musical Disney animated feature. It's a joy. Favorite Lyrics: "Let it slide/Let your troubles fall behind you/Let it shine/Until you feel it all around you/And I don't mind/If it's me you need to turn to/We'll get by/It's the heart that really matters in the end."

26.)   "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" from The Lion King
Probably my favorite song of my childhood, and one of the defining movie moments of my whole life, "I Just Can't Wait to Be King" is a swinging, joyful, and hugely fun song. Watching the colors and completely warped art style during this sequence is riveting. The performances of Simba, Nala, and Zazu in this song are delightful. Adding Zazu in turns this anthem of youth into more of a fighting duet and it works so beautifully. Favorite Lyrics: "I think it's time that you and I/Arranged a heart to heart." "Kings don't need advice/From little hornbills for a start." "If this is where the monarchy is headed/Count me out!/Out of service, out of Africa/I wouldn't hang about!"


27.)   "A Whole New World" from Aladdin

The most beautiful Disney ballad ever written? Perhaps. Of course it comes from Alan Menken! Aladdin's defining moment is "A Whole New World," and it really should be. It's soaring, tumbling, freewheeling (sorry), and completely incredible. The music flies and twists and turns, the lyrics capture that magic of truly falling in love for the first time. It's breathtaking. Favorite Lyrics: "I can show you the world/Shining, shimmering, splendid/Tell me princess, now when did you/Last let your heart decide?/I can open your eyes/Take you wonder by wonder/Over, sideways, and under/On a magic carpet ride."

28.)   "Heaven's Light/Hellfire" from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Yet another song from Hunchback! This is the fourth one in three installments. Blame iTunes shuffle... Anyway! This might just be my favorite song from the film. First the chillingly beautiful intro from Quasimodo, and then Frollo's terrifying "Hellfire" comes in and blows it away. Absolutely the scariest Disney villain song ever, "Hellfire" is vicious, evil, and hits close to home--much like Frollo himself. Tony Jay's vocals here are incredible as well. Favorite Lyrics: "I feel her, I see her/The sun caught in raven hair/Is blazing in me out of all control!"

29.)   "You Can Fly! You Can Fly! You Can Fly!" from Peter Pan
Peter Pan is one of the Disney animated features that feels like it has more songs than it does, but there really aren't that many--at least not that many memorable ones. But this flying song comes at a pivotal point of the film, when Peter teaches the Darling children to fly. It starts of slow, and builds and builds until the children--and the song--are soaring. It's absolutely the highlight of the film for me. Favorite Lyrics: "Think of the happiest things/It's the same as having wings/Take the path that moonbeams make/If the moon is still awake/You'll see him wink his eye/You can fly, you can fly!/You can fly!"

30.)   "Cruella De Vil" from 101 Dalmatians
Another delightful villain song, albeit one not performed by the villain, but about her. Cruella De Vil is one of those unredeemable Disney villains, whose actions have no real redeeming value. Roger's song about her, then, is incredibly fitting, calling her out for the witch she is. But what a fun, catchy song! You can't help but love it. Favorite Lyrics: "This vampire bat/This inhuman beast/She oughta be locked up/And never released/The world was such a wholesome place until/Cruella, Cruella De Vil."

31.)   "Duck Tales Theme" from DuckTales
DuckTales was the original Disney Afternoon cartoon, and it remains one of the best. The theme song starts everything and provides a rollicking, wonderful fun time. As any good cartoon theme song does, it captures the idea that the show can take you on adventures and through fun worlds with great characters. Favorite Lyrics: "Life is like a hurricane here in Duckburg/Race cars, lasers, aeroplanes, it's a duck-blur!/Might solve a mystery/Or rewrite history!/DuckTales! Woo-oo!"

32.)   "Friends On the Other Side" from The Princess and the Frog
Boy, this week is jam-packed with villain songs. I love it! One of the more recent Disney musical classics is The Princess and the Frog, and Randy Newman's soundtrack is fantastic. My favorite of the bunch, is this song performed by Dr. Facilier (Keith David). The soaring, spiraling colors, the wonderful lyrics, the haunting tune... everything in this song is so good. Favorite Lyrics: "I got voodoo/I got who-do/I got things I ain't even tried/And I got friends on the other side."

33.)   "Colors of the Wind" from Pocahontas
What a wonderful song to end the list this week. Another Alan Menken Oscar-winner, "Colors of the Wind" is my favorite part of Pocahontas by far. The gorgeous lyrics and music are some of Menken's best, and when coupled with the astounding visuals of Pocahontas teaching John Smith, it becomes a masterpiece. Pocahontas as a whole may be fairly weak, but "Colors of the Wind" is amazing. Favorite Lyrics: "You think the only people who are people/Are the people who look and think like you/But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger/You'll learn things you never knew you never knew."

Disney Animation Reviews #16 - 101 Dalmatians

Disney Animation Review: 17/53 - 101 Dalmatians

Ryan Dosier - Ah, 101 Dalmatians, released in 1961 it was the first Disney animated feature of the exciting new age of the 1960s. Right from the opening credits 101 Dalmatians stands out as stylistically and rhythmically different than anything Disney had done prior.

The art on the film is truly remarkable. The Dalmatians and humans are all rendered in spectacularly cartoony fashion. The designs resemble other animation styles of the 60s from studios such as Warner Bros. and MGM. 101 Dalmatians looks different from any Disney film produced before or after because of this intriguing style approach.

The film also benefits greatly from its fantastic London setting. Seeing the characters explore the iconic city drawn in such a stylistic way is delightful. Throughout the film we see the English country in winter, a London park, and London proper and it is all wonderful. True, the layouts and backgrounds don’t stand out as much as, say, Lady and the Tramp or Sleeping Beauty, but they are still functional and beautiful pieces of work.

The dog characters in the film are all fairly similar, with Pongo being the only one who stands out as a real character based on his humorous actions in the film’s opening. Pongo is a scamp who becomes a father and we witness that on the screen perfectly.

The human characters are the true surprise of the film. Cruella De Vil, especially, is a perfect villain. She has flair and style and exudes evil. There are not many Disney villains as crazy and driven by sheer madness as Cruella. Having her inspire the fantastic song of the same name is just icing on the deliciously wicked cake. Her henchmen, Horace and Jasper, are also extremely entertaining, providing most of the laughs in the movie with physical comedy and witty banter like, “We’ll have ‘em finished before you can say Bob’s your uncle!”

Even the more minor characters, like the put-upon cat Sergeant Tibbs, are enjoyable. Throughout it all, the dynamite Disney character animation excels. All of the animals move with realism not seen since Lady and the Tramp and the humans move in hilariously cartoonish ways. Clearly the dogs are the more real, heroic characters in the film.

The story is bursting with exciting and riveting sequences. From the initial meeting of humans Roger and Anita set up by Pongo, to the “Twilight Bark,” to the rescue of the puppies from Hell Hall, to the nerve-wracking escape right in front of Cruella’s eyes, all the way up to the staggering car chase, 101 Dalmatians is packed with excitement and heart. It is truly one of Disney’s best story efforts.

101 Dalmatians ushered in the 1960s at Disney animation, a period which was plagued by tragedy and budget cuts. While most of the animation in the 60s faltered, there are a few charming masterpieces like 101 Dalmatians to make it a truly wonderful period in Disney Animated Feature history.

4/5 Dalmatian Plantations

Michael Wermuth's Ten Favorite Disney Villains

Michael Wermuth, Jr. - Many of the animated Disney and Pixar shows have great villains, and today I present my list of the top ten Disney villains. Oh, and I must warn you that most of these entries contain spoilers.

10. The Big Bad Wolf, from "The Three Little Pigs" shorts 

The Big Bad Wolf is, obviously, a big bad wolf wanting to eat the Three Little Pigs. He appeared in all of the shorts with the Three Little Pigs, eventually becoming the papa to Three Little Wolves. But even The Big Bad Wolf has standards--in "The Practical Pig," when he captures two of the pigs, he orders his sons to NOT eat them until he captures the last pig (though they disobey their father and attempt to eat the others anyway).

9. Randall, from Monsters, Inc.

Randall was one of two top scarers, second only to Sully. While Sully was quite humble over being top scarer and saw it as friendly competition, Randall was a bit more competitive. When he was discovered working late hours and was responsible for Boo being let lose in the monster world, it was assumed he did this just to make his score higher, when it turns out he was really trying to kidnap her to test out a scaring invention. I can identify with Randall a bit, wanting to be a bit competitive. Though I don't think he really looked scary enough to even be #2.

8. Ursula, from The Little Mermaid

Ursula is a sea witch, banished from King Triton's underwater kingdom. She manages to make a deal with Ariel, where she'll give her legs and let her live outside the water for three days, in exchange for her voice, and if Prince Eric doesn't kiss her in three days, Ariel will become a tulip. She does a good job at preventing this, and the sun sets just in time, only for Triton to agree to be turned into a tulip instead of Ariel. And it's cool when Ursula becomes a giant. And Ursula is probably one of the hammiest Disney villains.

7. Scar, from The Lion King

Scar was hoping to be king, but then his brother Mufasa had a son, Simba. Scar set out to kill Simba and Mufasa. Scar led Hyenas in a plan, killing Mufasa and thinking he killed Simba. Scar then became king, only to cause a great drought to the pride lands. When Simba came back to challenge Scar, he ordered Scar to leave and never come back, but had to fight Scar for the throne. Simba tossed Scar over a cliff, where Scar was attacked by the Hyenas, whom he had previously blamed for everything. I can identify with Scar being jealous of his brother and wanting to be in control. And his villain song "Be Prepared" is such a great song.

6. Syndrome, from The Incredibles

As a boy, Bucky, who would become Syndrome, wanted to be Mr. Incredible's sidekick. Mr. Incredible refused because he didn't want or need a sidekick. Eventually, after superheroes were forced to retire, Bucky became Syndrome and became a villain, setting out to invent the ability to become a superhero, because when everybody is super, nobody is. And after he was defeated, he ended up going so far as to kidnap Mr. Incredible's youngest son, Jack-Jack, unaware that he had gained superpowers.

5.  Jafar, from Aladdin

Jafar was the royal visier to the Sultan, and was able to hypnotize the Sultan with his magic scepter, causing the Sultan to allow Jafar to marry Princess Jasmine. Jafar was also interested in the magic lamp buried underground, sending Aladdin in and then attempting to kill him after getting the lamp. After eventually becoming the Genie's new master, Jafar was tricked by Aladdin into wishing to be an all-powerful genie... Not realizing this means being trapped in a lamp. Of course, Jafar was freed in the sequel, Return to Jafar, where he's an evil genie but ends up being destroyed at the end.

4.  Captain Hook, from Peter Pan

Perhaps one of the most iconic Disney villains, Captain Hook is the leader of the pirates in Neverland, and wants to kill Peter Pan, particularly due to Peter being responsible for getting Hook's hand eaten by a crocodile. While a ruthless pirate, he is also quite clumsy, constantly needing his first mate Mr. Smee to help him. Captain Hook bombs Peter Pan's hideout, nearly killing Peter and Tinker Bell, kidnaps Wendy, John, Michael, and the Lost Boys, and attempts to drown the Indian princess Tiger Lily. Although a buffoon at times, Captain Hook showed he can also be truly evil.

3. Gaston, from Beauty and the Beast

Gaston started out as just an egotistical jerk who wanted to marry Belle. But her rejection of him combined with her father Maurice telling the town that Belle was locked in a beast's dungeon led to Gaston paying the head of an asylum to have Maurice committed unless Belle agreed to marry him. When Belle was able to prove that the Beast was real, Gaston set out on a new mission to kill the Beast.. Gaston showed what a real jerk he is by stabbing Beast in the back (literally) right after the Beast decided not to kill Gaston, only for Gaston to fall to the death (but nobody falls to the death like Gaston). The townspeople never turn their back on Gaston, and they follow Gaston when he wants the Beast killed. I wonder how his funeral turned out.

2. Megavolt, from Darkwing Duck

My favorite villain from Darkwing Duck, Megavolt has electrical powers and a fondness for electrical puns. Originally a science nerd named Elmo Sputterspark, he got his powers after bullies sabotaged an experiment in static electricity, and he decided to use his powers for good... By getting revenge on the bullies and becoming a bad guy. I wouldn't call him the main villain of Darkwing Duck, but he is surely one of Darkwing's most important enemies. After all, he appeared in more episodes than any other villain (17, to be exact) and he was the first bad guy Darkwing fought (in fact they went to high school together).

1. Cruella de Vil, from 101 Dalmatians

A fashion designer who went to school with Anita Darling, Cruella has a desire for a dalmatian-skinned fur coat. When Roger and Anita's dogs had puppies, she wanted to buy them all, and when they wouldn't sell them, she had her henchmen Horace and Jasper steal them, and a lot more dogs, totaling 99 dalmatians.In the sequel, she starts out being good (after being on probation and prohibited from buying furs), but after gaining an interest in art she once again desired to kidnap the puppies. Cruella de Ville is such a cool villain, with her hair being two different colors, her desire for fur coats, and her reckless driving. The "Cruella de Ville" song is awesome as well. And she has such great lines, like "Poison them! Drown them! Bash them on the heads! I don't care how you kill the little beasts, but do it, and do it now!"

These are just some of Michael Wermuth's favorite Disney Villains. If you would like to contribute a list of your ten favorite Disney Villains, email us at mickeymindset@gmail.com!

The Mickey Mindset, mickeymindset@gmail.com