There are days when I am convinced that the Universe knows deep down what is best for me. This was most recently evidenced when the VCR ate my copy of Aristocats and promptly died, thus taking my retrospective project hostage. Now whether it was the toxic nature of the film that killed the player or the independent actions of the player to commit such a noble act on behalf of my senses, who can really say? Nevertheless, I managed to overcome all obstacles to bare my mind one more time to the spiraling saga of the "lost years" of Disney.
Frankly, Aristocats seems a step back (if there can be one) from its predecessors. The animation is even more scratchy: pencil lines streak the characters with unprecedented gusto. Madame holds the unfortunate distinction of being one of the ugliest drawn characters Disney has ever spewed out, though none of her costars are beauty queens by a long shot. The only really successful character is Georges because his scratchy, wavering persona works in harmony with the style.
The story is a shambles as well. I can't even give the film a heads up for being in Paris, for there's nothing remotely Parisian about it with the exception of the title sequence showcasing Maurice Chevallier (who by his presence makes that the best sequence of the whole film and nothing even happens during it). It's as if all the faults of the Jungle Book were given a shot of heroin and told to run with it. Jazzy music a few decades too early and enough beatnik to make me wonder if Woodstock was happening around the corner. Everybody wants to be a cat was so terribly out of context- the strobe-lights, drum kits, scatting, drug references and occasionally raunchy (for Disney) lyrics were jarring and unpleasant on the palette. We cannot even get away from cloying child characters, though thankfully, we respect the human- animal interaction boundaries this time. I have to say the only things remotely charming in this film were the odious comic relief in the form of the country dogs and, to a lesser extent, the British geese. Two things that had absolutely nothing to do with the story, but were obvious fillers since the producers saw what was essential could in no way stand on its own.
If you can't have interesting leads or music or a good plot, the least you can do is offer up an entertaining foe. However, Edgar is undeniably the worst villain in the Disney canon- not remotely clever enough to be a believable menace. Seriously- his math and reasoning aren't even junior high level, he decides to kill the cats before the benefactor even dies (therefore not only not speeding up his inheritance a minute, but also allowing her the opportunity to adopt even younger cats) and he drugs them when they would have trusted him enough to let him stuff him in a sack (as he actually DID in the last act). To top it off, he's not a serious physical threat or, especially condemning, remotely funny. Even Robin Hood managed to scrape up a villain who could do one of those!
Not to say that there are no redeeming qualities. Though Everybody Wants to Be a Cat bugs me in context, it is not entirely offensive to the ears and is quite catchy. Eva Gabor and Phil Harris are great, though they were both better in other Disney roles- him as Baloo and her as Miss Bianca. Maurice Chevallier coats the opening with his characteristic lovable frenchiness- the one place that takes advantage of the Parisian setting. Speaking of settings, though the character animation was quite hideous, the backgrounds were lovely- especially at times where they became almost soggy and washed out. It is, after all, still Disney.
Everybody, even manic Disneylovers, has a certain film they unleash all their scorn and frustration on. Aristocats is mine, partly because its ugly and lackluster in the long line of progressively uglier and lacklust(ier) films, but mostly because by this point it seemed like they just didn't care. Previous efforts has been misguided and faltered in some way or another, but never had there been such an obvious abandonment before, though I'll reserve my judgement on the after a while yet.
Quote of the film: Uncle Waldo- "Prime Country Goose A la Provencale, stuffed with chestnuts"...? "And basted in white wine." Hic!
O'Malley- Basted? He's been marinated in it!
Frankly, Aristocats seems a step back (if there can be one) from its predecessors. The animation is even more scratchy: pencil lines streak the characters with unprecedented gusto. Madame holds the unfortunate distinction of being one of the ugliest drawn characters Disney has ever spewed out, though none of her costars are beauty queens by a long shot. The only really successful character is Georges because his scratchy, wavering persona works in harmony with the style.
The story is a shambles as well. I can't even give the film a heads up for being in Paris, for there's nothing remotely Parisian about it with the exception of the title sequence showcasing Maurice Chevallier (who by his presence makes that the best sequence of the whole film and nothing even happens during it). It's as if all the faults of the Jungle Book were given a shot of heroin and told to run with it. Jazzy music a few decades too early and enough beatnik to make me wonder if Woodstock was happening around the corner. Everybody wants to be a cat was so terribly out of context- the strobe-lights, drum kits, scatting, drug references and occasionally raunchy (for Disney) lyrics were jarring and unpleasant on the palette. We cannot even get away from cloying child characters, though thankfully, we respect the human- animal interaction boundaries this time. I have to say the only things remotely charming in this film were the odious comic relief in the form of the country dogs and, to a lesser extent, the British geese. Two things that had absolutely nothing to do with the story, but were obvious fillers since the producers saw what was essential could in no way stand on its own.
If you can't have interesting leads or music or a good plot, the least you can do is offer up an entertaining foe. However, Edgar is undeniably the worst villain in the Disney canon- not remotely clever enough to be a believable menace. Seriously- his math and reasoning aren't even junior high level, he decides to kill the cats before the benefactor even dies (therefore not only not speeding up his inheritance a minute, but also allowing her the opportunity to adopt even younger cats) and he drugs them when they would have trusted him enough to let him stuff him in a sack (as he actually DID in the last act). To top it off, he's not a serious physical threat or, especially condemning, remotely funny. Even Robin Hood managed to scrape up a villain who could do one of those!
Not to say that there are no redeeming qualities. Though Everybody Wants to Be a Cat bugs me in context, it is not entirely offensive to the ears and is quite catchy. Eva Gabor and Phil Harris are great, though they were both better in other Disney roles- him as Baloo and her as Miss Bianca. Maurice Chevallier coats the opening with his characteristic lovable frenchiness- the one place that takes advantage of the Parisian setting. Speaking of settings, though the character animation was quite hideous, the backgrounds were lovely- especially at times where they became almost soggy and washed out. It is, after all, still Disney.
Everybody, even manic Disneylovers, has a certain film they unleash all their scorn and frustration on. Aristocats is mine, partly because its ugly and lackluster in the long line of progressively uglier and lacklust(ier) films, but mostly because by this point it seemed like they just didn't care. Previous efforts has been misguided and faltered in some way or another, but never had there been such an obvious abandonment before, though I'll reserve my judgement on the after a while yet.
Quote of the film: Uncle Waldo- "Prime Country Goose A la Provencale, stuffed with chestnuts"...? "And basted in white wine." Hic!
O'Malley- Basted? He's been marinated in it!