10 Things Fans Miss About The Older Disney Movies (original) (raw)

The first-ever full-length Disney movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, was released in 1937. Since then, Disney has produced dozens of animated pictures that have captured viewers' hearts. Through the decades, Disney animation and storytelling have changed quite a bit.

Some of the most popular Disney movies were made in the 1980s and 1990s, and as technology has advanced, many fans are left yearning for the simpler times of decades passed. Whether it has to do with the animation, the music, or the storytelling, there are some aspects of the classic films that Disney is lacking these days.

10 2D Animation Created A Simple But Beautiful Film

In the times of Frozen and Encanto, the animation has progressed to where every strand of hair and every thread on clothes can be seen. While this is incredible, fans of the older Disney movies miss the simplicity of 2D animation.

Films like Sleeping Beauty and The Lion King use 2D animation and have some of the most stunning scenes and landscapes of any Disney movie. The 2D look also allows for a more cartoon feel, rather than the movies of today which almost look like they are live-action. The last Disney movie to incorporate 2D animation was The Princess and the Frog in 2009.

9 Enthralling Scores Enhanced Viewers' Emotions

Many viewers can recall the way the music during the stampede scene in The Lion King evoked a sense of fear and urgency, or the ballroom scene in Beauty and the Beast created a feeling of romance. Great musical scores improve movies by enhancing the feelings the story alone is trying to evoke.

Although the music of today's movies is great, background scores are not utilized in the same way that they were in the '80s and '90s. Music is a very powerful tool in storytelling, and many longtime fans miss the way music was used to make them feel different emotions.

8 Romance Played A Much Larger Role In The Older Films

These days, Disney movies focus on the main character saving the day or finding themselves on their own, while relationships tend to take a backseat. Disney movies have come a long way in terms of female empowerment and telling girls and women that they do not need to rely on men and can be their own heroes.

However, many Disney fans do miss the romance aspect of the older Disney movies. Cinderella had Prince Charming, Ariel had Eric, and Aurora had Phillip. Love seemed to be the main story for each princess in the older films, which definitely has its appeal for the romantics who feel like there is not enough focus on relationships in the newer films.

7 Nostalgia Reminds Viewers Of When They Were Young

Many fans of the older Disney movies grew up in the 80s or 90s, so movies like The Little Mermaid compare to Frozen for the kids of today. When they watch these movies, they get that nostalgic feeling and are reminded of when they were young.

For most Disney fans who are adults, the allure of Disney films is that feeling of being young again, no matter how old they are. Those fans are not going to get the same nostalgic feelings from the movies that come out these days, because they were adults when they first watched them.

6 Seeing The Hand-Drawn Sketches Made Movies Feel More Authentic

In some of the old films, like Bambi and The Jungle Book, viewers can sometimes see the lines where the movie was hand-drawn. This happened most often during a scene that included fast movement, like Thumper banging his foot.

This style creates that nostalgic feeling that many Disney fans search for because the movies feel old. Some think that this creates a sense of authenticity like the animators and creators put more time and care into the film by hand drawing it. This, of course, is not to discredit the animators of today's films.

5 Live-Action Remakes Point To A Lack Of Originality

There have been several live-action remakes of classic Disney movies, such as Cinderella (2015), Beauty and the Beast (2017), and The Lion King (2019), and there are several more set to be released within the coming years. This has been a point of contention for many Disney fans.

Many feel that Disney is lacking originality, and thus are having to remake their classics to produce more movies. As live-action remakes gain more traction, fans tend to become less interested. They crave the originality that the older Disney films had, telling a new story with each new movie.

4 Stories Were Told Quickly And Concisely

Older Disney movies had a shorter average run time, between about 80 and 90 minutes. Today's Disney movies tend to average around 102 minutes, equating to movies about 10 to 20 minutes longer. This increase goes for movies in general, as many movies these days are reaching an almost three-hour run time.

Shorter run times are generally appreciated among fans of older Disney fans, as the story is told quicker. There wasn't a need for filler to the story, or subplots that could be done without. It is also easier to keep kids entertained with a shorter movie than one that runs longer.

3 Simple Stories Make For An Easy Viewing Experience

Older Disney movies seemed to generally have much simpler plots. For example, in Cinderella: Cinderella escapes from her evil step-mother for a night, falls in love with the prince, the prince has to find her, and they live happily ever after.

These days, the plots of Disney movies are much more intricate and involved, allowing for more life lessons and important stories. However, some miss the simplicity of being able to sit down and indulge in a story without being taught any lessons.

2 Magical Villains Are More Beloved Than The Villains Of Today

When Disney fans think of their favorite villains, most will lean towards Maleficent, Ursula, Jafar, or some of that nature. They likely will not think of Hans, Mother Gothel, or any other strictly human villains.

This is because the magical aspect of the older villains is what gave them their power. Villains with magical powers or artifacts are simply more entertaining than those who are simply evil. The villains of today's movies tend to focus on the evil or the faults of regular humans without the magical aspect that made the older villains so intriguing.

1 Older Movies Felt More Magical And Created A Sense Of Fantasy

Although today's movies still have fantasy themes, such as Elsa's magic or the Madrigals' powers, they tend to focus more on the human side of things, whereas the older movies created a stronger sense of fantasy.

The spindle that cursed Aurora, the poison apple that Snow White ate, and the locket that took Ariel's voice are all magical elements that created a sense of fantasy among viewers. Aladdin, along with Genie and magic carpet, was almost entirely fantastical, making fans feel like they were flying into a whole new world along with Aladdin and Jasmine. Older Disney movies seemed to rely more on that mystical feeling than the movies of today, which aim to focus on people and reality while implementing magical elements.