WE ALL KNOW and love the classic Disney animated films.
Movies like Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, 101 Dalmations, The Jungle Book – they’re as much as part of growing up as starting school and your first best friend.
But what about the hidden gems in the Disney canon, the films we might not know as well? Who knows, they might even end up becoming your favourite.
1. The Rescuers
This 1977 movie is about the Rescue Aid Society, an international organisation of mice who help the kidnapped all over the world. There was a follow-up movie in 1990, entitled The Rescuers Down Under. Do you remember them?
YouTube/robatsea2009
2. Hercules
Hercules was minorly less successful than the other Disney animated musicals of its era, but no less deserving. C’mon, it was based off Greek mythology AND had Danny DeVito in it. Not many films can say that.
YouTube/Idrachod2
3. Bedknobs and Broomsticks
A true gem that somehow comes bottom of the heap when people reminisce about Disney films. (Although we’re cheating a bit calling it a cartoon – it’s a mixture of live action and animation, just like Mary Poppins.) If you’ve only ever seen Angela Lansbury in Murder, She Wrote then this will be a DOUBLE treat.
YouTube/Shaun Smith
4. Atlantis: The Lost Empire
Atlantis was a mild disappointment for Disney, with its unexpectedly poor performance leading to a quietly cancelled TV series and water feature at Disneyland. If you look past the lack of songs (and we know that’s hard to do) this is an unusual and underrated flick.
YouTube/The Trailer Gal
5. The Black Cauldron
One for those who came of age in the 80s. Fun fact: this was the first Disney film ever to receive a PG rating. Racy.
YouTube/The Trailer Gal
6. A Goofy Movie
Pretty much exactly what it says on the tin. How come Goofy never got quite as much love as Mickey or Minnie? This movie revolves around the father-son relationship between Goofy and Max. Aww.
YouTube/micarone
7. The Sword in the Stone
“Whoso Pulleth Out This Sword of this Stone and Anvil, is Rightwise King Born of England.”
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