Favorite Disney Animated Classic from the 40s?

[Disney Duster]

Don´t love any of them. And it´s not that it´s my favorite but I prefer it over the rest...Pinnochio. If this wasn´t the first it was the second Disney movie I ever watched with my mother. Love that it´s dark. The many villains. Monstro is amazing and gave me nightmares. What I don´t love is the soundtrack/including the songs except for No Strings on Me. And Figaro is so much fun.

-Snow White: I used to hate but learned to enjoy. The animation is incredible. The Evil Queen amazing. Snow White´s costume is iconic and her look. Like how they differentiate the dwarfs. Have a soft spot for the animation/design of that era. But there are scenes with the dwarfs that are filler.

-Fantasia: Apreciate what it did and tried to do. But the movie is too long, slow and boring. The best parts are Night on Bald Mountain-without Ave Maria, the Greek mithology and dinosaur scenes.

I can't remember if I got Monstro nightmares but he scares me to this day! The dwarfs totally do filler stuff. Fantasia is a little too long and some of it is boring.

[Mooky]

1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - the only one feature film from this period really like and find consistently rewatchable.

2. Fun and Fancy Free - I don't know what it is about this one, but I really like it. The two segments are fun, and the live-action parts with the ventriloquist dummy are entertaining.

3. Dumbo - I used to like it but I watched it last year since, like, forever and found it difficult to hold my attention. Aside from "Baby Mine", the movie didn't move me like it used to. I was shocked at how simplistic the backgrounds were, you could really tell the studio was in the midst of financial issues.

4. Bambi - I haven't seen it in over a decade, ever since its Platinum Edition came out. Even then it was a beautiful film to watch but also somewhat boring at times. I believe it's due for a rewatch.

5. Pinocchio - same as with Bambi.

6. Fantasia - I truly appreciate the effort that went into making it and just how lush and gorgeous it is, but I really have to be in a certain mood to watch it. Otherwise it puts me to sleep. Some of the sequences go on for far too long, and the live-action segments are really dull. I much prefer the energy, humor and pace of Fantasia 2000.

The rest of the package films I've only seen once each, but they never really interested me and for the most part are rather interchangeable in my mind (MT/MMM, SA/TTC).

[Sotiris]

I remember having seen the longer version of that film, which included more Oscar-winning shorts, that according to Wikipedia was released in 1966. But I don't remember if it was on TV or if rented it, was it ever released on VHS?

Not in the U.S., but there were some international VHS and LaserDisc releases of the 1966 version.

[blackcauldron85]

1. Snow White and the Seven Dawrfs- One of my Top 10 favorite DACs. I adore Snow White as a character- I admire her and I love her demeanor, being so nice and caring but holding her foot down, too. I love how spooky the movie can be, and it's definitely an exciting film.

2. Dumbo- I've always loved this film. Dumbo is one resilient elephant! Timothy is a great friend. There's some heartache in this film; I feel so much for Dumbo and Mrs. Jumbo, but it has a happy ending, and the whole film is so good.

3. Pinocchio- I wasn't sure if Pinocchio or Bambi would be #3. I think for the sheer amazement I have over the visuals, Pinocc is #3.

4. Bambi- I really like Bambi, Thumper, & Flower- very cute. Really nice movie.

5. Fun and Fancy Free- Both stories are really good with great music.

6. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
7. The Three Caballeros
8. Melody Time - I think there are some really enjoyable shorts in here. "Trees" is the only dud in this one for me, so it is ranked higher than MMM.
9. Make Mine Music
10. Saludos Amigos
11. Fantasia

[JeanGreyForever]

I don't feel bad about ranking Fantasia last anymore now that others have done it as well lol.

[D82]

I remember having seen the longer version of that film, which included more Oscar-winning shorts, that according to Wikipedia was released in 1966. But I don't remember if it was on TV or if rented it, was it ever released on VHS?

Not in the U.S., but there were some international VHS and LaserDisc releases of the 1966 version.

Thanks for the reply! I actually remembered a bit later that I had watched it on VHS, but here in Spain it had another title and that's why at first I couldn't find any info about it. This is the Spanish VHS: https://www.amazon.es/tres-cerditos-otr ... B003Z7RXT6

[DC Fan]

I can't remember if I got Monstro nightmares but he scares me to this day! The dwarfs totally do filler stuff. Fantasia is a little too long and some of it is boring.

You know what made it worse? That a little more grown up the school took me to watch a Pinocchio play. I don't know if they did an amazing job or was my child brain making it scarier than it was but it stuck with me.

[Disney Duster]

You mean when they did the Monstro part is was very well-done and scary?

[Heil Donald Duck]

When it comes to the 1940s films there only 4 legitimate chooses:
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - 2
Pinocchio - 1
Dumbo - 3
Bambi - 4

Numbers how I rank them

The rest, are package features that are mostly made up of individuals shorts that have no connection to one another, and in many case they have been exported out and released individually over the years both in theaters and on TV and home Video.
Fantasia, The Relucant Dragon, Saludos Amigos, The Three Caballeros, Make Mine Music, Fun and Fancy Free, Melody Time
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
So I personally group these with the other Disney shorts as I feel that makes more rather than full length features that are made up from a singular story over 65 to 90 minutes, Mickey, Donald and Goofy character developments make more sense if everything were watched in complete chronological order.

[twihard]

Snow WHite is not from the 30s so Pincochio of course

[The Disneynerd]

1. Snowwhite
2. Pinocchio
3-4. Bambi& Dumbo: i really love both equally
5. Fun and Fancy free: i love the Mickey and the Beanstalk segment and i love that Jiminy returned to narrate again!
6. The adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
7. Fantasia: i think the fairy sequence is one of Disneys most beautiful sequences ever! The dance of hours is also good, but the Dinosaur one and Chernabog are skips for me
8. Melody time
9. Three Caballeros
10. Saludos Amigos

Besides of Peter and the Wolf, i havent gotten the chance to see Make Mine Music as Disney plus still hasnt released it for some reason , so it would be unfair to rank it.

[carolinakid]

As Snow White was released in 1937-1938 and being in my top 3 all time favorite DACs, I will rate my preferences of those films released from 1940-1949.

1. Bambi 1942
2. Pinocchio 1940
3. Dumbo 1941
4. Fantasia 1940
5. Ichabod and Mr Toad 1949
6. Melody Time 1948
7. Make Mine Music 1946
8. Fun and Fancy Free 1947
9. Three Caballeros 1945
10. Saludos Amigos 1943

Honorable Mention:
Song of the South 1946.... just because “Woke” Disney wants this beautiful film to be forgotten...

[Wonderlicious]

1. Pinocchio
2. Fantasia
3. Dumbo
4. The Three Caballeros
5. Bambi
= Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
6. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr Toad
7. Saludos Amigos
8. Melody Time

I haven't seen Make Mine Music (well, aside from incidental portions), so I won't consider that.

Interesting to pop onto this forum (twenty years after I first signed up!) and see a post originating from fourteen years ago with me as one of the original respondents! Anyway, after all that time, here's how I'd say my rankings currently stand, along with a brief review of each film.

1. Pinocchio/Fantasia (tie): Where to begin? Pretty much everything about these films is perfection, and utterly engaging. I know 1940 may rank as one of the worst in the 20th century (World War 2 was really kicking off at this point), but as far as animation is concerned (particularly American animation), it might be among the best. Alongside these two masterpieces, we got the first real Bugs Bunny short, the first Tom and Jerry short, not to mention some other pretty solid shorts from the major studios (Disney, Warner Bros etc).

2. Dumbo: A wonderful film. Even if it has some real tearjerking moments along the way, it makes the happy ending even more joyous and uplifting.

3. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: It might not quite reach the heights of later films, but it's an endearing classic.

4. The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr Toad: The "Wind in the Willows" section is decent enough (would have perhaps been better as a feature film though), but the reason this is ranked as highly as it is is down to the "Legend of Sleepy Hollow" section.

5. Bambi: A pleasant film, some beautiful animation, and some iconic moments. Yet feels relatively ho-hum compared to the four films that came before it.

6. Saludos Amigos: I think people need to view this for what it is (four standard Disney cartoon shorts with similar themes) rather than what it was/is marketed as (an actual animated feature). It barely scrapes by as an animated feature (it's only 40 minutes long!), but it's a fun collection of well-made short films.

7. Melody Time: Used to dislike this, but rewatched it on Disney+ shortly after that service started and it wasn't as bad as I remember. Uneven, but some wonderful portions with great animation and art styling (some of Mary Blair at her finest).

8. The Three Caballeros: Some wonderful imagination invention on display...but it does start to get a bit too dizzying and self-indulgent in the last act.

9. Make Mine Music: Another one I wasn't a big fan of (aside from the wonderful "Willie the Operatic Whale" and the fairly enjoyable "Peter and the Wolf"), but rewatched it recently and it was better than I remembered it.

10. Fun and Fancy Free: Hard to review since it's been a long time since I last saw it. Not bad, but seem to remember "Bongo" being a bit saccharine, and while the "Mickey and the Beanstalk" section is a classic, it could definitely have done with more exposition in animation and less live-action narration.

[Jules]

Wondy, some of your descriptions appear to have been deleted, or cut off in some way!

I'm dying to know what else you have to say about Saludos Amigos. (Mostly because I suspect I will agree. )

And please come back more often!

[Farerb]

As Snow White was released in 1937-1938 and being in my top 3 all time favorite DACs, I will rate my preferences of those films released from 1940-1949.

1. Bambi 1942
2. Pinocchio 1940
3. Dumbo 1941
4. Fantasia 1940
5. Ichabod and Mr Toad 1949
6. Melody Time 1948
7. Make Mine Music 1946
8. Fun and Fancy Free 1947
9. Three Caballeros 1945
10. Saludos Amigos 1943

Honorable Mention:
Song of the South 1946.... just because “Woke” Disney wants this beautiful film to be forgotten...

How would you rank The Reluctant Dragon, Victory Through Air Power and So Dear to My Heart?

[carolinakid]

As Snow White was released in 1937-1938 and being in my top 3 all time favorite DACs, I will rate my preferences of those films released from 1940-1949.

1. Bambi 1942
2. Pinocchio 1940
3. Dumbo 1941
4. Fantasia 1940
5. Ichabod and Mr Toad 1949
6. Melody Time 1948
7. Make Mine Music 1946
8. Fun and Fancy Free 1947
9. Three Caballeros 1945
10. Saludos Amigos 1943

Honorable Mention:
Song of the South 1946.... just because “Woke” Disney wants this beautiful film to be forgotten...

How would you rank The Reluctant Dragon, Victory Through Air Power and So Dear to My Heart?

Other ‘40s films:
1. Song of the South 1946
2. So Dear to My Heart 1948
3. The Reluctant Dragon 1941

Air Power I confess I’ve never seen although I own it on the WD Treasures set (WD On The Front Lines) in which it’s included which I absolutely will watch one day probably after retirement!

Thanks for asking Farerb..... how about you?

[Farerb]

1. Bambi
2. Pinocchio
3. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
4. Fantasia
5. Dumbo
6. Ichabod and Mr Toad
7. Make Mine Music
8. Melody Time
9. The Three Caballeros
10. Fun and Fancy Free
11. Saludos Amigos

others:
1. The Reluctant Dragon
2. Song of the South
3. Victory Through Air Power

Haven't had a chance to watch So Dear to My Heart.

[Vlad]

1. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
2. Fantasia
3. Pinocchio
4. Bambi
5. Dumbo

[Wonderlicious]

Wondy, some of your descriptions appear to have been deleted, or cut off in some way!

I'm dying to know what else you have to say about Saludos Amigos. (Mostly because I suspect I will agree. )

And please come back more often!

Ooops, don't know what happened there. Fixed in any case.