Category Archives: nikki’s faves

New Christmas classics.

Posted on by under brandie's faves, carrie's faves, holiday picks, new classics, nikki's faves, they made movies after 1970?

Though our humble blog tends to focus on the classics (which we generally categorize as pre-1970s movies, with a few notable exceptions), this does not mean we thumb our nose at so-called “modern” film. Quite the opposite, in fact. Well, except for crap like Transformers. Or The A-Team. Or Jackass 3-D. And so on. I, for one, don’t see explosions, fast cars, and crotch shots as the height of cinematic sophistication. Does that make me a snob?

Oh, well.

Getting back to the point … among our favorite Christmas films are quite a few from the post-70s period, movies that have brought us joy from our childhood days and beyond. A couple of our modern favorites, in no particular order …

Love Actually (2003)

Almost every British actor of note has been in the Harry Potter films since 2001. And if they haven’t been in Harry Potter, they were in this film. American filmmakers have tried to recapture the magic of this ensemble piece since it was released six years ago (Valentine’s Day, anyone?), but for some reason, it eludes them. The interwoven stories in this romantic opus connect each of the characters in love, friendship, and family bonds, and though some of the situations are overly sentimental, the film neatly avoids delving into the overly maudlin. Of particular note are the performances of Colin Firth as a cuckolded writer, Hugh Grant as the Prime Minister, Emma Thompson as Grant’s sister, and Alan Rickman as Thompson’s straying husband.

Die Hard (1988)

Speaking of Alan Rickman … I don’t care what anyone says, it’s just not Christmas without the original Die Hard. Rickman’s Hans Gruber is a perfect mixture of charisma and evil, and I’d argue that Bruce Willis has never been better than in his first go-round as New York cop John McClane. Yes, it serves up a little (okay–a lot) of blood with its yuletide cheer, but this is one kick-ass action movie. And I don’t say that about many action movies, to be honest. Plus, it’s funny as hell.

So yippee-kay-ay, mother … you know.

Elf (2003)

Okay, so out of the True Classics crew, I think I’m the only cotton-headed ninny muggins who actually likes this movie. And this is coming from a woman who heartily dislikes Will Ferrell in every movie he’s ever done except this one and 2006′s Stranger than Fiction. But thankfully, Elf features a sweetened Ferrell doing a toned-down version of his usual schtick as Buddy, a human raised by elves. The film also includes great performances from Bob Newhart as Ferrell’s adoptive father, James Caan as his “naughty” biological dad, Ed Asner as Santa, and Zooey Deschanel as Buddy’s bemused love interest. Despite an influx of sentimentality at the end, there’s a true sense of love at the heart of this movie, and I guess that’s why it strikes such a chord with me.

The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Tim Burton’s unique take on the holiday is a keeper. This stop-motion animated film tells the story of Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King who is fascinated by Christmas, and his ill-conceived bid to take over as Santa Claus, to disastrous results. A little creepy, true, but strangely heartwarming at the same time. Who else but Burton could accomplish that feat? The voice talent in this film features Burton stalwarts Catherine O’Hara, Paul “Peewee Herman” Reubens, and the recently-deceased Glenn Shadix as well as Chris Sarandon as the voice of Jack.

While You Were Sleeping (1995)

I don’t know if many people consider this Sandra Bullock film to be a Christmas film, per se, but as the bulk of the movie takes place over the holidays, it’s one that I always like to break out at Christmastime. Sleeping is utterly charming from start to finish, and the first indication that Bullock had immense comedic talent beneath the sarcastic veneer that marks her performance in the previous year’s Speed. Her Lucy is a winning protagonist, funny and winsome and heartrendingly sincere. Plus, the film features Bill Pullman in one of his best roles as Jack, Lucy’s supposed future brother-in-law, as well as the late, great Peter Boyle as Jack’s father, Ox.

Scrooged (1988)

Bill Murray is as synonymous with the 1980s as Members Only jackets and legwarmers, so it’s only fitting that he embody that decade’s version of Ebeneezer Scrooge. As Frank Cross, Murray is an unrepentant slimeball who finally sees the error of his ways when confronted by the three Christmas ghosts. This version injects elements of dark humor into Charles Dickens’ classic parable to great effect–it’s far from the traditional Scrooge tale, but an enjoyable adaptation nonetheless. Of note for classic film fans, Scrooged marks one of the final big-screen roles for Robert Mitchum, who would only make a handful of subsequent films before passing away in 1997.

Home Alone (1990)

Macaulay Culkin gives one of the better kid performances in “modern” film in Home Alone, as he matches wits with a pair of bumbling home invaders Marv and Harry (Daniel Stern and Joe Pesci). Some people are fonder of the 1992 sequel, in which Kevin ends up in New York City, with Marv and Harry once more at Kevin’s mercy as they plot holiday misdeeds. For me, the original is the better film, though I do enjoy Tim Curry’s performance as the smarmy concierge in the second one.

A Christmas Story (1983)

Cable’s TBS has almost ruined this movie for me. I say “almost” because if I manage to avoid TBS for the 24 hours surrounding Christmas Day, I don’t get over-saturated on it. And that’s a good thing, because this film, more than any other, is representative of my childhood, and each viewing brings with it some good holiday memories from days gone by. Not because my childhood was anything like Ralphie’s (although I was kinda envious of my brother when he got a BB gun for Christmas one year), but because this is one of my parents’ favorites. Even before its prevalence on television every year, this movie had a heavy rotation in our household. Not for nothing is this a modern classic–there are too many memorable moments to list, but I truly believe this movie has gained such a beloved following because there’s something for everyone here, whether you grew up in writer Jean Shepherd’s time or not.

Now that we’ve had our say–what’s your favorite “modern” Christmas classic?

Oh, this is the night. It’s a beautiful night.

Posted on by under classic cartoons, classic disney, nikki's faves, saturday morning cartoons

Let me just start by saying I absolutely adore this week’s movie. Part of the three-way tie for my affections, there is just something about this story that has always struck a chord with me (maybe it’s the spaghetti), but I remember wearing out a copy of the VHS as a kid.

Lady and the Tramp debuted in 1955 and was the first animated film to be done in Cinemascope. However, because not all the theaters were set up for the new format, the film was also done in the original aspect ratio so that it could still have the wide release.

The story opens at Christmas with Jim Dear giving his wife, Darling, a beautiful cocker spaniel puppy named Lady. The film progresses through the first two years of Lady’s life as she learns about babies and meets and falls in love with Tramp, the stray mutt who literally just wanders into her life one day. Based on a story that was created for Disney by Ward Greene, with the original idea coming from Joe Grant, this classic is probably best known for the contributions by Peggy Lee, the Siamese cats, and the iconic spaghetti dinner.

As with any Disney film, music is a key ingredient to becoming a beloved classic and for that, this film owes a great debt to Peggy Lee. She co-wrote the music with Sonny Burke and sang several songs on the soundtrack including probably the second best-known song from the movie, “He’s a Tramp.” She also lent her voice to Darling, the Siamese Cats, and of course, Peg (the role that everyone associates with her and was created for her).

At the time this film was created, Lee was a well-known singer and actress. Because she was one of the first superstars to lend her singing and voice talents to an animated film, she did several promotional segments for Disney demonstrating some of the music-writing process and performing songs from the film like “He’s a Tramp” and the “Siamese Cat Song.”

I like Lady and Tramp both a lot, but for me, this movie belongs to the supporting cast. One of my favorite parts in the movie is at the beginning where we are introduced to Lady’s friends, Jock and Trusty. Jock is first seen humming/singing (a song that will randomly pop in my head at the most random times) as he goes to bury his new bone in his favorite spot in the backyard, while our first glimpse of Trusty is while he sleepwalks on the porch tracking a caterpillar.

Both of these scenes are very characteristic about both of these dogs–especially Trusty–and I love it. I also love the scene where they come to “propose” to Lady after she is brought home from the pound; they are so protective that you can see the affection they feel for Lady even as they are confirmed bachelors and will gladly kick Tramp’s butt if asked (BTW I somehow missed over the years that them coming to offer her a new home was to save face because she might be having puppies. I always thought that they were trying to give her a different option where she won’t be mistreated by Aunt Sarah. Ah, the ignorance of youth). On a side note, toward the end where it looks like Trusty dies after the accident with the dog catcher’s wagon, it looks that way because that was the way it was originally supposed to go, but after a screening, Walt decided that it was too sad for the audience. So they decided to add him to the Christmas scene at the end so the audience would know that he was OK.

    Probably two of the most meddlesome and nasty critters ever to grace a Disney picture are the Siamese cats: Si and Am. These two cats (both voiced by Peggy Lee) come with Aunt Sarah when she arrives for her visit and promptly decide that they now rule everything despite the fact they are the guests and that there is a dog already in residence. They proceed to try to eat the canary and goldfish upon arrival and just make trouble because they can. The fact they get Lady kicked out of the house is a bonus because now they have absolute free reign of the house (not that Aunt Sarah would dream of her angels causing any trouble).

      Speaking of Aunt Sarah, one of the things I love about Disney films (well, movies in general) is the variety of roles that a single voice actor might play over the course of a career.

      Verna Felton, who provides the voice for Aunt Sarah, also was the voice for the Fairy Godmother, the Queen of Hearts, Mrs. Jumbo, and Flora. All of these roles are quite different so it can be a little weird hearing a favorite character’s voice come out of a completely different kind of character’s mouth. I had that experience when I watched Lady and the Tramp after watching Cinderella not long before and heard a lot the Fairy Godmother in Aunt Sarah.

        But after it’s all said and done, the part everyone remembers is the spaghetti dinner date at Tony’s.

        This where we get our first inkling that Tramp is a bit of a ladies’ man (no pun intended), and it features probably my favorite Disney love song ever, “Bella Notte,” which lends its opening lyrics as the title of today’s post. This scene has been referenced and spoofed a million different ways by everyone–including my favorite one, which is in 102 Dalmatians (the sequel to the live-action remake of the animated film) where Kevin and Chloe (the humans) go to Tony’s and share spaghetti while the dogs are at home watching Lady and the Tramp.

        If you haven’t seen this film in a while, I encourage you to make a pot of spaghetti and curl up with the family to watch this classic today.

        A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes.

        Posted on by under ahh romance, classic disney, nikki's faves, saturday morning cartoons

        As has been mentioned a couple dozen times over the past two weeks, today is the day I get to talk about one of my top three favorite Disney films of all time, 1950′s Cinderella. Everyone knows the story of the orphaned cinder girl who works for her evil stepmother and sister(s) and then, with the help of her fairy godmother, goes to the ball, meets and falls in love with the prince, runs away at the stroke of midnight, and can only be identified by her glass slipper. This is one of the truly universal stories, as every culture for the past 2000 years has some variation on the classic. For example, in the Chinese version, written down over 1000 years ago, the fairy godmother character is actually a magical fish, while the Grimm Brothers version uses a magic tree on the mother’s grave. Walt Disney chose the version written by Charles Perrault in 1697 with the fairy godmother and magic pumpkin, a much gentler version than the Grimm version, where the sisters cut off portions of their feet so the slipper fits and, at the end, get their eyes poked out by birds (those Grimm brothers didn’t play when it came to handing out punishments). Cinderella has been adapted for every possible entertainment medium including opera, ballet, theater (both musical and play), movies, books, songs, television episodes, and even a comic book or two. The term “Cinderella” is even used to describe sports teams (particularly in NCAA basketball) that make an unlikely trip to the post season and succeed beyond all expectations.

        In a lot of ways, the Walt Disney Company was a Cinderella trying to get to the ball when this film debuted. Disney had not had a commercial success since Snow White in 1937. Bambi and Dumbo, while now some of the most beloved films in the canon, were not financially successful the first time out at the box office; and then came World War II, which put many projects on hiatus and forced Disney to put together the package films to remain afloat. While the package films did break even, they really didn’t make the studio much money–to the point that the company was in trouble of going under. Roy O. Disney, Walt’s brother, even went so far as to suggest to Walt that they get out while they still could and retire. But Walt said no and decided to give the single storyline feature-length film concept one last chance. It was a great risk but in the end, it was definitely worth it. Cinderella was one of the highest grossing films of 1950 and has done very well in subsequent releases.

        Cinderella has everything that makes a great Disney animated feature: beautiful animation, great characters, and wonderful music. Disney was always innovating with new techniques in animation, and this film was no exception, as it would mark the first time that the entire film would be acted out in live-action and filmed so that the animators would have a point of reference. Cinderella also features one of Walt Disney’s (and my) favorite bits of animation: Cinderella’s dress transformation.

        In the category of great characters, this film boasts a good heroine, fun sidekicks, a nasty henchman, and an evil, EVIL villain:

        • I know Cinderella gets a lot of flak from the feminists today for being a doormat but really, in the time this is portrayed, what else was the girl supposed to do? She wasn’t married and had no means of support. Besides, this was HER house. Stepmom and sisters were the interlopers, not her. But beyond that, Cinderella really wasn’t a doormat. Yes. She did as she was told, but she did try to stand up for herself (not that it did any good). She also had no qualms about scolding Lucifer, was probably breaking half a dozen rules having mice in the house, and was even a little sarcastic (at least to herself) when pondering whether to deliver the ball invitation during the “music” lesson. So, no, I don’t think she was a doormat–just a girl trying to make the best out of a bad situation.
        • CinderellaJaq and Gus Gus are probably my two favorite Disney mice (yes, that’s ahead of Mickey). Jaq is the clear leader of the mice (well, at least the guy mice, anyways) and their spokesmouse. He’s the guy who comes up with the bright ideas and spurs his fellow mice into action. Gus Gus, on the other hand, is the newest member of the household and is still learning the ropes. While he is not always the brightest mouse, he makes up for it with fierce loyalty and determination, as seen with his adventure to get the key back up to Cinderella.
        • As far as nasty henchmen go, Lucifer the Cat probably only ranks below the Siamese cats (Lady and the Tramp) in terms of pure nastiness. This cat is so mean that he purposely walks dirt all over the clean entryway and does everything possible to thwart the mice in whatever they are doing. Even Cinderella can’t think of one good thing about the cat when talking to Bruno. He also gets great joy out of being evil. Think about the scene with the breakfast trays where Lucifer is trying to catch Gus: when he thinks he’s finally going to get Gus, Lucifer is almost giddy and then crushed when Gus gets away again. One of his best scenes, though, is the one where Lady Tremaine is giving Cinderella her extra chores after Gus shows up on Anastasia’s tray. He perfectly punctuates everything Lady Tremaine says until she adds the thing about his bath and he looks like at her like, “You could have left me out of this.”
        • Lady Tremaine is definitely in the top three among villainesses (and I would say top five across all Disney Villains) in terms of pure evil and ruthlessness, which is why it’s fitting that her voice is provided by Eleanor Audley, who would later go on to voice Maleficent (best Disney villain EVER). Lady Tremaine is very focused on doing everything in her power to get her daughters into the best circles possible, Wicked Stepmotherpreferably at the expense of Cinderella. She takes almost a delight in watching her awful daughters destroy Cinderella’s dress, then calmly wishing her a goodnight. Later, she gets similar joy at the Duke’s reaction after she trips his footman, shattering the glass slipper.

        But what everyone remembers most about Cinderella is the music. Songs like “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo” and “The Work Song (Cinderelly Cinderelly)” have the lovely effect of getting in your head and not going away. You know what I’m talking about, as you will probably be humming one or the other for the rest of the day even though (melody-wise) they are two of the most obnoxious tunes ever. My favorite song from this classic, however, is the title of this post: “A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes.” This song sums up beautifully the point of the whole film, which is: even in tough times, trust in your heart and have faith, and eventually things will get better. Dreams do come true, but you have to believe in them and work towards them. Even Cinderella worked towards her plans by getting all her chores done so she could go; she just had a little help with the dress and transportation.

        While the classic story has been adapted, modernized, and parodied by everyone from Rogers & Hammerstein and Jerry Lewis to Drew Barrymore, Hilary Duff, and Shrek, this beloved version is the one that most people think of first. The motifs of fairy godmothers, magic pumpkins, the stroke of midnight, and glass slippers are such a part of our cultural fabric that we’ve all used them at some point or another–even in unexpected places, like this corporate Disney commercial from 2002:

        If somehow you’ve managed to miss this classic or haven’t seen it in a while, go quickly and watch it, because for a short time, you will remember that “if you keep on believing, the dreams that you wish will come true.”

        Trick or Treat!

        Posted on by under classic disney, nikki's faves

        In honor of Halloween, here’s a couple of clips that might put you in the mood:

        This one is the intro to the 80s Disney special “A Disney Halloween.”  This is a fun special with clips from some of the best Disney films through 1980.  Besides, this song has been stuck in my head and I wanted to share.  ;)

        While looking for the first clip I stumbled across this one that was too awesome not to share.

        Happy Halloween from all of us!

        Don’t cross the bridge or peek around the corner until you’re there.

        Posted on by under classic cartoons, classic disney, nikki's faves, saturday morning cartoons

        During WWII, many of Disney’s animators were drafted, and eventually the studio itself was commandeered for the war effort, making it difficult to work on big features. Walt had snippets of various things that had been in different stages of production when the war broke out, so he decided to put them to together a la Fantasia to keep things afloat. He did a total of six “package” films. The first two, Saludo Amigos and The Three Cabelleros, Brandie talked about last week; so this week we’re going to talk about the next three: Make Mine Music, Fun and Fancy Free, and Melody Time.

        Make Mine Music (1946)

        While Fantasia was a collection of classical music selections, Make Mine Music is a mixture of jazz and popular music sung and performed by living legends such as Benny Goodman, Dinah Shore, and the Andrews Sisters. Originally there were 10 segments but one, “The Martins and the Coys” (based on the feud between the Hatfields and McCoys), has since been cut in later releases because Disney felt the violence inappropriate for children. If you had the Disney Channel back in the 80s and early 90s, you probably saw some of these clips (including the Martins and the Coys) shown between movies and other programming. Here are my favorites:

        All the Cats Join In

        This one is performed by legendary jazz musician Benny Goodman and his band. Basically it’s the story of a bunch of kids getting together at the malt shop, but the awesome thing about it is how they employ a technique where the pencil drawing the cartoon as it happens is a character too.

        Casey at the Bat

        This is one that I’ve always liked. Don’t really have a reason. It’s a musical recitation of the poem “Casey at the Bat” by Ernest Thayer.

        Peter and the Wolf

        Of all the segments I’m covering today, this is probably my all-time favorite. Based on the 1936 piece by Sergei Prokofiev, this animated version of the story of the little boy, Peter, who went out hunting a wolf is narrated by Sterling Holloway (a favorite voice actor for Disney). At the beginning, Holloway explains that the different instruments signify a different character, making this a wonderful segment for introducing children to the pieces of the orchestra. As you watch the piece, you can hear the different instruments working together as the characters interact, and you can start to pick out which part goes with which instrument.

        The Whale Who Wanted to Sing At the Met

        This piece is narrated and sung completely by Nelson Eddy, who tells the story of Willie the Whale, who wants to sing at the Met. I know, for me, some of the music in this was my first exposure to opera and is still how I initially think of those pieces when I hear the name. Besides I really love Willie’s version of Shortnin’ Bread. :)

        Fun and Fancy Free (1947)

        Fun and Fancy Free is different from the other compilations I’m covering in that the segments featured are actually tied together by a frame featuring Jiminy Cricket. Jiminy opens the film singing the title song, “Fun and Fancy Free.” He then finds and plays a record of Dinah Shore telling/singing the musical story of Bongo the Circus Bear. After the Bongo segment, Jiminy finds an invitation to a party at Edgar Bergen’s house, so Jiminy decides to go see what’s going on. Edgar Bergen is best known to most people today as Candice Bergen’s dad, but in the 40s, he was a well-known ventriloquist and radio host. His two “friends,” Charlie McCarthy and Mortimer Snerd, were stars as well–particularly Charlie, who made it into several animated shorts. Jiminy arrives just as Bergen is getting ready to tell the story of Jack and the Beanstalk, or more appropriately, Mickey and the Beanstalk. The great thing about this section of the film is the switching back and forth between animation and live-action, and even the occasional overlapping like when Willie the Giant opens the roof to ask if anyone has seen a mouse, frightening Bergen. While this was only a year after Song of the South was released and the concept of the two mediums overlapping was still very new, it’s remarkable that the shots are as clean as they are given the technology of the day.

        Bongo the Circus Bear

        Bongo is based on a short story written by Sinclair Lewis (yup, the same guy who wrote The Jungle), about a circus bear who gets tired of living in captivity and runs away to live in the woods. Once he escapes the circus, he initially loves everything about being free, but after a really awful night and a bad morning, he’s about ready to pack it in when he sees Lulu-Belle. Lulu-Belle is definitely a flirt, making Bongo chase her until finally letting him catch up. Enter the big, mean Lumpjaw. He also has his eye on the lovely Lulu-Belle, and after a small misunderstanding about wild bear mating rituals, she accidentally slaps Lumpjaw, leading him to believe that she loves him. Apparently bears say “I love you” with a slap (because that’s the message we need to give small children). Once Bongo figures out his mistake, he rides in to the rescue, ultimately saves the day, and gets the girl.

        Mickey and the Beanstalk

        We’re all pretty familiar with one version or another of this story so I’ll spare you the summary. This particular version features Mickey, Donald, and Goofy as our heroes, off on an adventure to meet the giant and save the Golden Harp. Willie the Giant is introduced for the first time and would make appearances later in other projects such as “Mickey’s Christmas Carol,” where he plays the Ghost of Christmas Present (and mirrors the end of this film with lifting of roofs and peeking in to find the Cratchits). This film also marked the last time that Walt Disney would lend his voice to Mickey Mouse, which he had been doing since first giving Mickey his voice in “Steamboat Willie.” While in the film version of this segment the narration was provided by Edgar Bergen, if you’ve ever seen the stand-alone version of this short, the narrator is Sterling Holloway.

        Melody Time (1948)

        Much like Make Mine Music and Fantasia, Melody Time is a collection of musical shorts strung together. But unlike either of those predecessors, Melody Time features a master of ceremonies, Buddy Clark, to do a little narration between shorts. This film features seven shorts including such timeless classics as Bumble Boogie, Johnny Appleseed, Little Toot, and Pecos Bill, all of which were seen years later on the Disney Channel. Like Fun and Fancy Free, this film uses some live-action/animation blending, particularly in “Blame it On the Samba,” which features Donald Duck, José Carioca, and the Aracuan Bird while organist Ethel Smith plays. Here are a couple of my favorites from this collection:

        The Legend of Johnny Appleseed

        This is the story of how John Chapman became known as Johnny Appleseed. It starts with Johnny minding his orchard and dreaming of going west like the pioneers, when an angel appears to him telling him that his mission is to go west and plant apple trees. And so he sets off with a bag of seeds, his Bible, and an old metal pot that also serves as his hat. He soon makes friends with the animals and for the next 40 years, he travels, planting apple trees until he passes away and his angel comes to take him to plant trees in heaven. This is based on the true story of John Chapman, who went all over Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois planting trees and spreading the gospel. This is a fun way to introduce the legend of Johnny Appleseed and one of several American Legends that Disney has animated over the years.

        Pecos Bill

        The last segment of the film is Disney’s version of the legend of Pecos Bil–as told by Roy Rogers and the Sons of the Pioneers to child actors Bobby Driscoll and Luana Patten (both were in Song of the South and So Dear to My Heart). The story details how Pecos came to be and is used to explain several things, including why coyotes howl at the moon, how the Painted Desert and the Rio Grande came to be, and why Texas is the Lone Star State. At the time the film was released, Roy Rogers and his horse Trigger were HUGE stars and were featured in countless films in the 30s and 40s. The segment features several songs including “Blue Shadows” and “Pecos Bill,” both of which are guaranteed to get stuck in your head. This clip has been heavily edited in recent years to remove all references to smoking (but somehow the parts about shooting out the stars were allowed to remain. Go figure). A popular favorite and one definitely to check out.

        Brandie will be back next week to finish up our discussion of package films with a look at The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad as well as a post about Song of the South. After that we will move back into traditional animation with Cinderella.

        Screwball essentials.

        Posted on by under brandie's faves, nikki's faves, screwball legends, wacky wednesdays

        We love comedy here at True Classics–the silent shenanigans of Chaplin and Keaton; the romantic sparring of Hepburn and Tracy; the subtle zingers of a good Wilder or Lubitsch script; even the absurdist spoofs of Mel Brooks and Monty Python–in their own unique, hilarious ways, we love them all.

        But perhaps most of all, we love the screwball pictures–slapstick, all-out madness capped by farcical situations, innumerable misunderstandings, and more than one man in a dress by movie’s end. Some of the best comedies to emerge from Hollywood’s Golden Age fall under the “screwball” genre, and as such, we’ll be celebrating them every now and again in our Wacky Wednesdays series.

        As for our favorites … well, that’s a matter that’s always up for debate. So to kick off our Wacky Wednesdays series, here’s a look at some of our individual picks, many of which we’ll be discussing more in-depth in future posts!

        Brandie: Preston Sturges was the master of the screwball comedy, hands down.

        In a handful of pictures, the uber-talented writer/director managed to both define and subvert the genre, and he did it with one of the most prolific, talented stock troupe of actors the world has ever seen. Stars like Joel McCrea and Eddie Bracken reveled in the insanity and produced some of the best work of their careers. Female actresses like Barbara Stanwyck, Claudette Colbert, and Veronica Lake were cast as some of the most well-developed female comedic characters in film history and they ran with them, resulting in amazingly deft performances (even from Lake, who, let’s face it, wasn’t exactly considered easy to work with, nor very talented to boot). And as the even-funnier “second bananas,” Sturges had comedians like William Demarest, Robert Dudley, and Frank Moran, character actors who stole the show from the bigger stars on a regular basis.

        While I love most of Sturges’ films, my favorites are The Lady Eve, Sullivan’s Travels, The Palm Beach Story, Hail the Conquering Hero, and The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek. I also quite love Remember the Night, which was written by Sturges but not directed by him.

        I’m also inordinately fond of Bringing Up Baby; this is the movie that introduced me to screwball back when I still thought black-and-white movies were the height of old-fashioned foolishness (ahh, the ignorance of youth). And I will shout to the rooftops about Bachelor Mother, with Ginger Rogers and David Niven, which I don’t think gets enough credit for being such an amazing, funny, adorable film–her undisputed best film (next to The Major and the Minor) without erstwhile dancing partner Fred Astaire.

        Nikki: On top of My Favorite Wife, Bachelor Mother (and their remakes Move Over, Darling and Bundle of Joy respectively), and Bringing Up Baby (funniest movie EVER), I also love How to Marry a Millionaire and The Shop Around the Corner. 

        How to Marry a Millionaire is probably my all-time favorite Marilyn Monroe film for two reasons: 1) she wears glasses; and 2) she takes a back seat to Lauren Bacall and doesn’t bowl you over with her good looks.  Bacall is brilliant (as usual) and William Powell makes an appearance as the wealthy JD.  If you haven’t seen it, you’re in for a treat.  The Shop Around the Corner is a great story about two people who have no idea they are perfect for each other and keep letting petty differences get in the way.  Starring Jimmy Stewart and Margaret Sullivan, with Frank Morgan (best known to today’s audiences as the Wizard from The Wizard of Oz), this film is sweet, funny, and a true delight.  If you loved You’ve Got Mail, which is a remake of this film, you’ll love the original.

        *Side note: You may notice that Carrie’s comedy selections are not listed. Carrie is taking a brief break from blogging until life calms down a little bit in her neck of the woods. She’ll be back soon, though, so don’t despair! Nikki and I will still be here, holding down the fort in the meantime.*

        We’re diggin’ Disney.

        Posted on by under animation, brandie's faves, carrie's faves, classic cartoons, classic disney, nikki's faves, saturday morning cartoons

        It should come as no surprise that the three of us grew up loving animated films in general, and Walt Disney feature films in particular. We grew up in the time of the “clamshell” video cases, and I remember a veritable forest of them populating the shelves of my parents’ entertainment center. In fact, they’re all still there, though shoved to the back with the rest of the videotapes, their former spaces now filled by an overflow of DVDs and Blu-rays.

        Each of us has our particular favorites, and each of us tends to collect memorabilia and items related to those favorites. And there are some films in the Disney canon that we tend to avoid for sheer lack of interest. Still, whether the film in question is truly awesome or truly boring, each film in the Disney repertoire has contributed, in various ways, to the acceptance of animation as a genuine art form.

        It’s only natural, then, that we would want to dedicate the first installments of our new Saturday Morning Cartoons series to celebrating not only the truly awesome entries in the Disney animation catalog but (let’s face it) the ones that make us want to snooze. Carrie, Nikki, and I have taken the list of full-length animated Disney features (up through 1999′s Tarzan) and split them (relatively) evenly amongst ourselves. Over the next few months, every Saturday, we will address each of these films in turn, presenting our analysis and opinion of each one, from the stories themselves to the vocal performances and cultural impact they had (and continue to have) on our society as a whole.

        But before we do that, we’d like to share a preview of our favorites and not-so-favorites in the Disney animation canon …

        FAVORITE FILM:
        Brandie: It’s hard to narrow it down, but if I have to choose just one, I’m going to go with Alice in Wonderland. No, it’s not strictly faithful to the novel’s storyline, but I think it’s definitely faithful to its spirit. And it’s just plain fun.
        Carrie: Oliver and Company, Dumbo. I’ll review Dumbo and Oliver later, so no comments now. I also watched Lady and the Tramp a lot when I was little.  However, the later Disney, it’s probably The Lion King or Mulan. Mulan is my hero. Beauty and the Beast, The Great Mouse Detective, and The Little Mermaid are really close runners, though.
        Nikki: I can’t pick one but I can pick three: Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Lady and the Tramp.  Cinderella is one of my favorite fairy tales and is the one most associated with me.  I love Sleeping Beauty for the music, the artistry, and the villain (Maleficent rocks!).  Lady and the Tramp is, well, just awesome.

        FAVORITE VILLAIN:
        Brandie: Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty. Bad-ass to the umpteenth degree. Is it wrong that I want to be her when I grow up …? Oh, well.
        Carrie: Maleficent. Pure evil. So wicked. Maleficent is by far the best villain ever. Ever. Expression. Voice. Green fire. Awesome. Watching it later, I could only think, “Wow, this is scary. How did I miss that?” She’s amazing… and hello, she can turn into an awesome black dragon! However, I also have to give some serious props to Shere Khan. I love, love, love his voice. It’s perfect. Melodious, dripping, and cruel. It’s hard to find that these days.
        Nikki: Maleficent is evilness personified and is super awesome at it. Close second goes to Ratigan from The Great Mouse Detective if for no other reason that he’s voiced by one of the best villain voices ever, Vincent Price.

        FAVORITE HERO/HEROINE (HUMAN):
        Brandie: Mulan is one of the more proactive Disney heroines, and I love her spunky nature.
        Carrie: Mulan, Mulan, Mulan!  She gets it done and stands up for what she believes to be right, simply because it’s right (similarly, Pocahontas, but Mulan is just more awesome). I also liked Meg in Hercules for spunk and sarcasm. I also have to admit a soft spot for Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
        Nikki: Belle – Yes, she’s a dreamer but she also stands up for what she believes and takes care of everyone else too.  And she gets one of the best libraries in all of film. :)

        FAVORITE HERO/HEROINE (ANIMAL):
        Brandie: Thumper, from Bambi. “Watch what I can do!”
        Carrie: Eeyore, Sebastian the Crab, and  Marie from The Aristocats.
        Nikki: Gus from Cinderella – because let’s face it, without Gus Gus, Cinderella never gets to happily ever after.  Close behind would be Bernard from The Rescuers and Mushu from Mulan.

        FAVORITE SONG:
        Brandie: “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” from Song of the South. It always put me in a good mood.
        Carrie: “Under the Sea” from The Little Mermaid, “Reflection” from Mulan, most of the Lion King soundtrack, and “Candle on the Water” from Pete’s Dragon.
        Nikki: “A Dream is a Wish” from Cinderella, “I Won’t Say I’m in Love” from Hercules, and “Bella Notte” from Lady and the Tramp

        FILMS FOR WHICH I COLLECT STUFFS:
        Brandie: Alice in Wonderland, particularly items with the Cheshire Cat. For some reason, I have a lot of Alice coffee mugs … I also have some Pooh stuff, but not as much as I used to.
        Carrie: Winnie the Pooh, mostly. I love Mulan, but don’t have much. I also have a stuffed Timon.
        Nikki: Princess stuff in general but Cinderella mostly, including 2 glass slippers.

        LEAST FAVORITE FILM:
        Brandie: The Black Cauldron. I just don’t like it–the story, the characters, all of it is off-putting to me.
        Carrie: Pinocchio–it just doesn’t do much for me, anymore; Freaky Friday (although I liked the remake, which is somehow just wrong) and Fantasia (sorry, Brandie. Please don’t hate me.)
        Nikki: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – As much as I love fairy tales, I really don’t like this one.   I appreciate the film for its cultural significance but other than that, just doesn’t do anything for me.

        LEAST FAVORITE VILLAIN:
        Brandie: Ratcliffe from Pocahontas. He’s kind of an impotent villain–not all that scary, and not very impressive.
        Carrie: Aunt What’s-Her-Name with the Siamese cats in Lady and the Tramp, although I really am fond of the cats.
        Nikki: Ratcliffe from Pocahontas and Judge Frollo from Hunchback of Notre Dame – Even with the amazing voice talent behind these two, I just don’t like them.

        LEAST FAVORITE HERO/HEROINE:
        Brandie: Snow White. She. Is. A. Wimp.
        Carrie: Phoebus from The Hunchback of Notre Dame and John Smith from Pocahontas: they’re just full of it. I’m also not a fan of Eric in The Little Mermaid.
        Nikki: Pinocchio – Just not a fan of him or the story.

        LEAST FAVORITE HERO/HEROINE (ANIMAL):
        Brandie: I’m not too fond of Bianca from The Rescuers.
        Carrie: I honestly don’t know. I think I like all the animals…
        Nikki: I really don’t have one but I reserve the right to change my mind on that.

        LEAST FAVORITE SONG:
        Brandie: “I Got No Strings” from Pinocchio. Love the movie, hate that song because it gets in my head and stays there for days and days.
        Carrie: “April Showers” from Bambi, “Bibbety-Bobbety-Boo” from Cinderella (sorry, Nikki), “You Can Fly” from Peter Pan; they just don’t stand well on their own for me.
        Nikki: “I Got No Strings” from Pinocchio – It works in the context of the film but other than that, it’s just annoying.

        Feel free to share your favorites (and not-so-favorites) in the comments below!

        We hope you’ll join us as we journey through Disney World (pun intended). Next week, we’ll start our long and strange Saturday trips with a look at the film that started it all–1937′s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.