Underrated Disney Films

The unofficial list of Disney's most underrated animated films.
On
September 01, 2008
Since this being my first article, I decided to write on the Disney animated films considered to be what some call "underrated". Of course this is not an official list, but just my personal opinion, so some people may not agree with me. The following list contains only traditionally animated films and not computer animated ones. So without further ado, I give you the unofficial "Top 10 Underrated Disney Animated Films of all time":


10. "Alice in Wonderland"



Why it's underrated: "Alice in Wonderland" fails somewhat because it goes in it's own direction and the lead character, Alice, lacks the "heart" and depth that other Disney characters have. However, while the film has gathered a better reputation over the past, it'll probably never rank among the most popular Disney animated films.

9. "The Sword in the Stone"



Why it's underrated: "The Sword in the Stone" never really took off because it lacked the same energy level as previous Disney films. Today though, not much has changed about the film's reputation.

8. "The Great Mouse Detective"



Why it's underrated: "The Great Mouse Detective" is a decent classic, but ever since its release has become "underappreciated" and somewhat forgotten since Disney has tried to focuse more on its more popular animated films.



7. "The Brave Little Toaster"



Why it's underrated: "The Brave Little Toaster" lacks the same essence that other Disney animated films have (memorable songs, unforgettable stories, lovable characters, etc.) probably because of the fact that it wasn't handeled by Walt Disney Pictures but by Hyperion Pictures (which was created by two former Disney employees who took the project along with them).

6. "Treasure Planet"



Why it's underrated: Although the film has some great visuals, the script as well as the characterizations fall short of being a classic.
5. "Home on the Range"



Why it's underrated: The film has a weak plot, which is probably one of the main reasons why it wasn't well received and fails to distribute the same enjoyment that other previous Disney animated films have brought.

4. "Oliver and Company"



Why it's underrated: Although the film is notable for prompting Walt Disney Pictures to produce animated films annually because of its success at the time (also known for being the last film before the "Disney Renaissance"), it was swept away by the success of the Disney animated films to follow (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Lion King, etc.) and wasn't released to vhs until nearly 8 years after it debuted in theaters.


3. "The Black Cauldron"



Why it's underrated: "The Black Cauldron" was mainly criticized because it was seen as disturbing to children because of the film's dark nature. After seeing how unsuccessful the film was at the time, Disney ended up shelving the film for nearly 15 years.


2. "Doug's 1st Movie"



Why it's underrated: Many felt that the film was more of an extended episode of the show than an actual movie (the film was originally intended to be a direct-to-video release (so it was a low budget movie), but after Disney saw how successful "The Rugrats Movie" was, they thought they might cash in to the success by releasing "Doug's 1st Movie" in theaters).

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for...


the #1 underrated Disney animated film of all time...


is...


1. "DuckTales The Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp"



Why it's underrated: When the film came out, critics were very harsh to it with some calling it an Indiana Jones rip-off and a betrayal to the series. In fact, after seeing how unsuccessful and criticized it was, Disney waited 15 years after the film's vhs release before they released it on dvd (which is only available through the Disney Movie Club and not in stores (that goes to show how embarrassed Disney is of this movie)). Since not many know about the film, it has entered the domain of forgotten Disney films as well as being the highest underrated Disney animated film of all time.
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