Where did all the great Disney animated films go?

[Batman1980]

For the longest time, Disney made excellent animated features but there's quite a gap between the last one and Bolt...doubt Princess and the Frog would be considered excellent by most, haven't seen it though. It's almost like something changed inside Disney and they stopped focusing on making excellent animated movies and just let Pixar do it instead.

[Decado]

Haven't seen it yet, but The Princess and the Frog looks like the best thing Disney has done in ages. I eagerly await the blu-ray. A return to the musical style of the days before 3D is welcomed.

[hardcorefrokid]

Where did animated anything go, I ask. The majority of kids shows and movies are CGI. I find it annoying. I love animated flicks.

[KubrickFan]

Originally Posted by hardcorefrokid

Where did animated anything go, I ask. The majority of kids shows and movies are CGI. I find it annoying. I love animated flicks.

CG is animated.

And Wolverine, Bolt was released in 2008 and The Princess and the Frog in 2009 That's not a big gap at all. Or do you mean something else?

[Batman1980]

Originally Posted by KubrickFan

CG is animated.

And Wolverine, Bolt was released in 2008 and The Princess and the Frog in 2009 That's not a big gap at all. Or do you mean something else?

Huh yeah I mean I'm not sure when the last time Disney released a great animated film was, maybe Mulan? I meant the gap between that movie and Bolt is quite large and I'm wondering what happened inside Disney to cause that gap.

[Hi-Def Steve]

Originally Posted by KubrickFan

CG is animated.

And Wolverine, Bolt was released in 2008 and The Princess and the Frog in 2009 That's not a big gap at all. Or do you mean something else?

Hand drawn animation?

[Al_The_Strange]

I will agree that Disney's focus seems to have shifted from animation to other fields; they did produce "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "National Treasure" within this decade, they have been producing some of the best Blu-Rays on the market (like "Kill Bill" or "Sin City"), and they have produced some ususual DVDs before (like the Hayo Miyazaki movies). I wouldn't doubt that these ventures were made because, like you said, there hasn't been any great animation produced, and they had to expand in some way to make money.

But with this "Princess and the Frog" movie coming out, they're going to give animation another stab, maybe?

[P@t_Mtl]

I think Disney should continue doing traditional animation. They were the master of that process and it's a shame that it's now be replace by CGI only. I do understand Disney's point of view on this, they are a business. Pixar and to some extend Dreamworks have been doing a killing at the box office with their CGI animated features. You can't blame Disney for wanting to have a piece of that pie. Traditional animation in a much longer process and maybe now it might even be more costly then CGI? I would hpe Disney give's us a traditional animated movie once every 3 or 4 years, in keeping with traditions.

[Ator the Invincible]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

For the longest time, Disney made excellent animated features but there's quite a gap between the last one and Bolt...doubt Princess and the Frog would be considered excellent by most, haven't seen it though. It's almost like something changed inside Disney and they stopped focusing on making excellent animated movies and just let Pixar do it instead.

The answer to your question is a simple one... Michael Eisner. There's a reason he was forced out. And btw, Princess and the Frog is very good. Probably their best since The Lion King (not counting Pixar).

[krazyclown]

Rapunzel is this year not sure if its hand drawn or cgi though

[jadedeath]

They're 'in the vault'

Logan

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

I think Disney should continue doing traditional animation. They were the master of that process and it's a shame that it's now be replace by CGI only. I do understand Disney's point of view on this, they are a business. Pixar and to some extend Dreamworks have been doing a killing at the box office with their CGI animated features.

Being somewhat nostalgic, I am also a big fan of hand-drawn animation over CGI, but I think we've been relegated to the minority - it wouldn't surprise me if the attitude of most people is "why didn't Pixar do the Princess and the Frog?"

[P@t_Mtl]

Originally Posted by Grand Bob

Being somewhat nostalgic, I am also a big fan of hand-drawn animation over CGI, but I think we've been relegated to the minority - it wouldn't surprise me if the attitude of most people is "why didn't Pixar do the Princess and the Frog?"

Very likely!

Like you I have grown up with the traditional animation of Disney and as such these movies still hold a special place in my heart. I do not mind CGI at all, specialy Pixar animations, they have done amazing movies in the last 15 years. I am not a huge fan of Dreamworks, I feel their movies go for the quick shot values and I sometimes wonder how much will they be love in 50 years when the pop culture references will no longer have any meaning to the viewing public of that time. By going for the easy laugh using pop culture you make your movies no longer timeless IMO. I would not expect them to release a traditional animated movie every year or every two years like they did in the past but one in 4 or 5 years would still be very fun and I for one would be there to see it.

[lobo81865]

Originally Posted by hardcorefrokid

where did animated anything go, i ask. The majority of kids shows and movies are cgi. I find it annoying. I love animated flicks.

+1!!!

[Blu-Ron]

Originally Posted by Wolverine1980

For the longest time, Disney made excellent animated features but there's quite a gap between the last one and Bolt...doubt Princess and the Frog would be considered excellent by most, haven't seen it though. It's almost like something changed inside Disney and they stopped focusing on making excellent animated movies and just let Pixar do it instead.

That's cause Walt Disney died. That's why I consider The Jungle Book to be the last great Disney animated movie.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by P@t_Mtl

Very likely!

Like you I have grown up with the traditional animation of Disney and as such these movies still hold a special place in my heart. I do not mind CGI at all, specialy Pixar animations, they have done amazing movies in the last 15 years. I would not expect them to release a traditional animated movie every year or every two years like they did in the past but one in 4 or 5 years would still be very fun and I for one would be there to see it.

Yes, and I have to admit that I also enjoy the Pixar releases. But there is something special about watching movies like "Pinocchio", "Snow White", or "Fantasia", where you can appreciate the care and back-braking labor that were invested in their creation.

[Gaius Marius]

It is a shame that hand drawn animation has dwindled. I love the look of hand drawn, as it is a very unique art form that should not be allowed to die. I am glad that Disney is bringing it back! Princess and the Frog was very good!

[Joe Cain]

I'm awfully glad to see Disney returning to hand-drawn animation. Being an animator was a childhood ambition of mine---shame I couldn't draw. Michael Eisner played a major role in keeping the Walt Disney Company from total dismemberment back in the 80s and he reigned during the animation studio's resurgence in the 80s and early 90s; I'll always be grateful for that. But he was also in charge when the films began upping the lameness quotient (there's no accounting for taste and even the best films of the latter-day era have their flaws, but films like Chicken Little and Home on the Range represent a nadir, in my opinion). It made me sad when the Paris and Orlando animation departments were closed, especially the Orlando studio: once upon a time you could actually see animators working when touring through The Magic of Disney Animation attraction at the Studios park; I've been through only once since they quit actual production at that site and it was just sad to see all those empty rooms and desks. When they made the decision to abandon hand-drawn animation entirely and lay off all those artists, I got mad---I wasn't sure I'd ever go see another Disney animated feature again...

So I'm awfully glad that the Bob Iger era has seen a rededication to the form. Pixar's Ed Catmull and John Lasseter (now President and Chief Creative Officer of Disney Animation Studios, respectively) are genius pioneers of CGI animation, but I am deeply grateful they appreciate the art of hand-drawn animation---and the importance of good stories and good storytelling---as much as they do. I'm not big on ranking the features, but in my opinion (and excluding my great fondness for Fantasia 2000), The Princess & the Frog is easily the highest-quality and most enjoyable Disney animated feature in...oh, I dunno, a couple decades. I look forward to whatever comes next.

[Grand Bob]

Originally Posted by Joe Cain

It made me sad when the Paris and Orlando animation departments were closed, especially the Orlando studio: once upon a time you could actually see animators working when touring through The Magic of Disney Animation attraction at the Studios park; I've been through only once since they quit actual production at that site and it was just sad to see all those empty rooms and desks.

I remember taking that tour and thinking that those people had to be among the luckiest in the world - (unlike most of us) to be able to do something that they loved to do and get paid for it!

[toef]

I think it's important to distinguish the hand-drawn animation and the CGI ones (even though the hand-drawn ones still utilize computers).

If you're as old as I think you are (late 20s) then I think you grew up during a boom for Disney movies: Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King.

The quality may have gone down since then, but the quality between the late 60's and 80's wasn't amazing either.