Summer of Magic- "The AristoCats"

Welcome to the seventies in the history of Disney animation! The next two decades for the studio is going to be filled with really good movies instead of genuine classics. In my book, none of the films released by Disney in the seventies and eighties are bad films; they just never quite reach the height of cinematic genius like the films from the forties and fifties achieved (with the exception of The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, as a side note). After Walt's death, it seemed to me like Disney was constantly searching for an identity with that iconic story always alluding them in these decades. This description can be perfectly applied to the 1970 film, The AristoCats. I really like this film, but I do not love it like I love the films from the fifties. It is fun, entertaining, and infectious, but The AristoCats never takes that next step to become classic Disney, rather settling for very good Disney. That being said, "very good Disney" is still significantly better, in my opinion, than a majority of other studio's best offerings.

As per usual when it comes to Disney, the characters in The AristoCats are its greatest strength. The duo of Thomas O'Malley and Duchess are excellent leading characters, expertly complimenting each other throughout the entire film. Their heart to heart conversation towards the end of the film about their future is sincere and heartfelt, and just for a moment, Disney has tricked us into believing that these cats are about as human as they could be. Additionally, the kittens, Marie, Berlioz, and Toulouse, provide superb comedic relief, especially when the two boys tease Marie and she flawlessly destroys their arguments with such classic lines as, "Ladies do not start fights, but they can sure finish them!" The cats' trusty rodent, Roquefort (voiced by Sterling Holloway, of course), is everything you could want in a sidekick: loyal, selfless, and daring. Scat Cat and his gang of alley cats steal the show once they arrive on the scene near the end with their jazzy and incredible number, "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat." The canine duo of Napoleon and Lafayette never cease to crack me up. They are downright hilarious and the highlights of the film. Edgar the butler is quite the underrated Disney villain. Iconic villains such as Maleficent and the Evil Queen possess some unprecedented anger, but Edgar's goal in life is to get rich by killing kittens. That's a whole different level of evil!

The soundtrack for The AristoCats is yet another winner for Disney and the Sherman Brothers. The opening song performed while the opening credits roll, simply entitled "The AristoCats," is truly spectacular. Our introduction to Thomas O'Malley with that lively tune, "Thomas O'Malley Cat," is splendid and dazzling. Obviously, "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat" is the cream of the crop for this soundtrack. It is a magnificent and perfect addition to this film, exquisitely highlighting the tone and message of The AristoCats. Just like what they did for The Sword in the Stone, the Sherman Brothers elevate this film to another level. For The AristoCats, they take it from a good Disney film to a really good Disney film.

The reason that The AristoCats fails to reach iconic, classic Disney level for me is the lack of a signature moment, for one. There are plenty of great scenes in this film, but there is never a moment that makes me watch in utter amazement. Take, for example, the films from the fifties. Cinderella had the ballroom dance; Alice in Wonderland had the Unbirthday Party; Peter Pan had the flight over London; Lady and the Tramp had the spaghetti dinner, and Sleeping Beauty had the "Once Upon a Dream" sequence. The closest The AristoCats come to achieving such a scene is with the "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat" sequence, and while it is undoubtedly entertaining and a joy to behold, it is not in the same ballpark as the aforementioned signature moments. Furthermore, this film is also devoid of a signature character. While all of these characters are really nice creations by Disney, would you really put Thomas O'Malley in the same breath as the Mad Hatter, Maleficent, or Baloo? I personally would not, and that is another reason that this film is simply a really good film and not a great one.

However, do not misunderstand my full thoughts on The AristoCats. I really enjoy watching this film. It contains a supreme entertainment level with some genuinely great moments, but it falls just short of reaching those classic heights.

Rating: 8/10

Historical Significance: Believe it or not, The AristoCats is based on a true story. In 1910, the same year that the film is set in, a family of Parisian cats did in fact inherit a fortune from an actual aristocrat (notice the spelling in this context). Walt always loved the story, and The AristoCats would go down in history as the final film approved for production by Walt. It was also the first film to be entirely produced without his guidance. Critics and Hollywood insiders were wondering what the new Disney studio would look like without Walt, and the results for The AristoCats were superb. It grossed over $55 million on just a $4 million budget in its initial release and the studio continued its string of box office successes.

Behind the Scenes: Scat Cat was modeled after legendary jazz musician Louis Armstrong in hopes that Disney would convince him to voice the character and eventually sing "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat." Armstrong was interested, but illness prevented him from providing the voice. However, the character animation remained the same as a tribute to Armstrong. Furthermore, this was the last film in which Eric Larson, one of Walt's Nine Old Men, would act as supervising animator. In his "retirement," Larson would train young animators at Disney throughout the seventies and eighties.

Favorite Character: I have to cheat just a bit and choose two characters for this section because you cannot have one without the other. Napoleon and Lafayette star in some of the most hilarious scenes in Disney history. They are so simple, yet every time I watch them, I find myself laughing
hysterically. There is nothing complex about their characterization, but they entertain me to the extreme, and sometimes, we all just need a good laugh.

Favorite Scene/Song: I have to go with the "Everybody Wants to Be a Cat" sequence as my favorite scene and that song as my favorite as well. The entire film with its combination of entertainment and morals are deftly blended in this scene. The animation on display here is gorgeous, and the song itself
is so fun to listen to and sing-along with. It is rather difficult to avoid tapping your toes as Scat Cat and company serenade the night away with this tune. Plus, when the piano starts falling through the floors, The AristoCats almost becomes classic Disney.

Updated Ranking: The AristoCats is a middle of the road effort for Disney. It is definitely not terrible, but it is no classic in my book.

1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
2. Peter Pan
3. Cinderella
4. The Jungle Book
5. Sleeping Beauty
6. Pinocchio
7. Lady and the Tramp
8. Alice in Wonderland
9. Dumbo
10. Bambi
11. 101 Dalmatians
12. Fantasia
13. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
14. The AristoCats
15. Fun and Fancy Free
16. Melody Time
17. The Three Caballeros
18. Saludos Amigos
19. The Sword in the Stone
20. Make Mine Music

Tomorrow, I will be watching the first film ever produced by Disney without any input whatsoever from Walt: Robin Hood!

-Cody Fleenor