Toon Talk Special: 50 Greatest Disney Animated Moments: Part 2 of 2
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#15 - Maleficent the Dragon
Sleeping Beauty - 1959
"Now shall you deal with me, O prince, and all the powers of hell!" Those immortal words spoken, the evil fairy Maleficent metamorphoses into a vicious winged dragon. Razor sharp teeth flashing, setting the forest ablaze with her fiery breath, she corners Phillip on a narrow cliff overlooking a flaming chasm. Certain death awaits, but, with the aid of the good fairy trio, the brave prince sends his "sword of truth" flying swift and sure, letting "evil die and good endure." The blade pierces the dragon's scaly hide, blood flowing, sending Maleficent tumbling to her doom far below. Safe, Phillip looks down to the black stain that is all that remains of her dark evil.
#14 - The Penguin Dance
Mary Poppins - 1964
(c) Disney
In the midst of their Jolly Holiday, Bert and Mary Poppins (the indomitable Dick Van Dyke and the irreplaceable Julie Andrews) stop for a spot of tea in a quaint little outdoor cafe. Kazoos sound as their penguin hosts toddle out like circus clowns, ready to grant their guests' every whim. Loose-limbed Bert joins the birds in a zany soft shoe (soft flipper?) dance, culminating in a boisterous kickline, all for the gracious applause from the subject of their adoration, one Mary Poppins. It is a joyfully impressive example of combining live action footage and animation. Practically perfect.
#13 - Baby Mine
Dumbo - 1941
Mrs. Jumbo has been imprisoned for protecting her son Dumbo from a bratty circus-goer. In this simple, heartbreaking scene, she is reunited with the young elephant thanks to Timothy Mouse. But the chains that bind her prevent her from seeing Dumbo, she can only cradle her son in her trunk. The sweetly beautiful lullaby Baby Mine is heard, as we see the unconditional love of a mother and her child. It is a perfect example of an honest tear-jerking moment, earning every tear shed. Even Timothy can't resist.
#12 - The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Fantasia - 1940
(c) Disney
An imposing sorcerer conjures an image of a spectral bat, his lowly assistant trudging buckets of water dutifully. When his master retires for the evening, the apprentice takes the opportunity to try on his mystical hat and do a little magic of his own. He employs a broom to do his dirty work while he dreams of one day controlling the stars and the planets themselves. When awakened, he finds himself in over his head as the broom has ceaselessly continued it's watery task to overflowing. In a shocking burst of violence, the apprentice destroys his wooden slave with an ax, but he has only increased his plight a hundred-fold, as all the fallen shards are reanimated, creating an army of bucket-toting broomsticks, all blindly carrying on with their mission. Frantically attempting to control the chaos, he is soon swept away by the torrents of water now filling the wizard's chambers. The sorcerer appears, and with a mere outstretch of his arms, dismisses the water back to whence it came. His apprentice, with a meek smile, returns the hat to it's rightful master. This version of Paul Dukas' whimsical orchestral piece The Sorcerer's Apprentice has it's inherent charm exponentially increased by the presence of the actor playing the role of the title character: a little mouse named Mickey.
#11 - The Toys Are Alive!
Toy Story - 1995
(c) Disney
With the first blink of the cowboy doll's eyes we know that these aren't just ordinary toys here. Director John Lasseter, in a groundbreaking display of computer animation, has revealed to us the secret lives of toys: left alone, they come to life to carry out lives of their own. And complicated lives as well. Woody is the sheriff in these here parts see, and he is in charge of insuring that all the other toys know and understand what it is they are there to do, their reason for existence: to be there for their young owner Andy to play with and make him happy. We meet the neurotic dinosaur Rex, the crass Mr. Potato Head and the loyal Slinky Dog. All are aware of the chain of command in Andy's room and who's in charge, a balance that is about to be upset by the appearance of a certain interstellar space commander.