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| Robin Hood
Year: 1991
Classification: Feature Film Family
Country: USA
Directed:
- John Irvin
- Wolfgang Reitherman
Actors/Actresses:
- Patrick Bergin
- Uma Thurman
- Brian Bedford
- Phil Harris
How the animals tell the Robin legend
As rooster-minstrel Allan-a-Dale (voiced by the late country singer Roger Miller) explains in the introductory sequence, the animal kingdom has a slightly different take on the story of Robin Hood than we humans do. And how wonderfully Disney has told it! What *would* wily Robin be but a red fox? Or Little John but a big, good-natured bear? Or King Richard and Prince John but a pair of rival lion brothers (in a fascinating foreshadowing of "The Lion King")? The voice talents are especially fine--Brian Bedford as Robin, Phil Harris as Little John, Andy Devine as Friar Tuck (a badger), Peter Ustinov as Prince John, Terry-Thomas as his sinister snake-advisor Sir Hiss, Monica Evans as Maid Marian, Carole Shelley as her lady-in-waiting Kluckie (a hen), Pat Buttram as the Sheriff of Nottingham (a wolf), George Lindsey and Ken Curtis as his vulture-deputies Trigger and Nutsy. Though somewhat more inclined to slapstick than most Disney animation, it will charm even those who don't care for that kind of humor (and being one myself I can speak with authority): the wild chase that ends the shooting match at Nottingham Fair will have you rolling on the floor. There's also plenty of intrigue, swashbuckling adventure, and clever scheming, and--as in any version of this legend--ample opportunity to start a discussion with your kids about right and wrong. One of my favorite cartoon features and one that should find favor with all ages.
One of my all-time favorite Disney animated films!
There haven't been very many well-known Disney movies that I know of that were highly successful nor as groundbreaking during the 1960s through the first half of the 1980s and some of the Disney movies that were made during that time should've been more successful. The Disney animated edition of Robin Hood is one of those and is in fact, probably my favorite Disney movie of all-time.
Released in 1973, it is a wonderful adaptation of the medieval novel with the characters being animal humanoids with Robin Hood being A Fox, Little John a Bear, Friar Tuck being a badger, and the greedy and semi-evil Prince John being a Lion. It's all so entertaining and so much fun to watch and laugh to with all of the charm and charisma that I think a lot of Disney movies during the 1970s and 1980s lacked. Don't get me wrong, most of Disney's movies are great but Robin Hood in my opinion is one of the most overlooked classics of all-time and also is my favorite Disney movie of all time, alongside the also overlooked "The Great Mouse Detective".
As you might already know, it's a tale of an outlaw who robs the rich Prince John and his goon wolf The Sheriff, to feed the poor and the hungry in Nottingham and dreams of marrying a lovely lady named Maid Marian and it's all so wonderful. If those who are turned off by the excessive drama or the unsettling atmosphere of the Kevin Costner classic "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves", this Disney edition will definitely make a wonderful substitute. I recommend both versions of Robin Hood. I like the Disney one more.
The background music is also highly memorable with some incredible catchy songs and battle scenes that are just enough to keep you laughing for a very long time and just the whole atmosphere of the movie makes Robin Hood one of the most underrated and overlooked classics of all time. A lot of more popular Disney movies while great, they don't seem to impress me as much as Robin Hood has, and some are just downright pap! Robin Hood doesn't fall into that category. It has the fun and joy for young kids to enjoy and the style and timeless music and storytelling to entertain the adults. I would even go far as to say that Robin Hood is better than Aladdin, and Prince of Egypt. Don't get me wrong, those are classics too but not at the heights of Robin Hood though.
The Best
This is one of the BEST Robin Hood films ever made! I caught this one on Disney when it first came out. I loved the silly king and the goofy vile snake. Such a great classic film. Memories to be made with this one.
Buy Robin Hood at Amazon.com
Buy posters at Allposters.com
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