When Disney was still new and fresh during its Golden Age, it created many beloved films that are still considered great by today’s standards. Because of its newness, no one had any expectations of what a movie from them would contain. This gave Disney the ability to create masterpieces without people comparing the films to what they had previously made.
Since Disney has been making animated movies for a whopping eighty years, almost everyone knows what the average Disney movie contains. Nowadays, Disney must try very hard to create something that is still great but also original.
Classic Films Were More Experimental
When Disney was still in its early filmmaking years, it had little-to-no competition because it created animated films rather than live-action ones. Disney had room to experiment and get creative with its concepts.
One example, in particular, is Fantasia, Disney’s third feature film. Though Disney had used musical numbers in its two prior films, Fantasia was Disney’s first film that focused almost solely on the music instead of plot or dialogue. It was initially a box office failure but has become very popular in recent years.
These days, however, Disney isn’t able to truly experiment because of its competition. Warner, Universal, and other large companies are genuine competitors for Disney now, so Disney is more or less constrained to formulas that have made their movies successful in the past.
For instance, modern hit Moana contains what you’d most likely expect out of a Disney princess movie. A compelling story, likable characters, and other components that would make up the average modern Disney movie can be found in it. Yes, it does use plot devices and other tricks that make it a great story, but it doesn’t do much to experiment with form and method like Fantasia did.
While it isn’t exactly the same as other Disney movies, there isn’t any obvious experimentation in it that makes it stand out from, say, Frozen. It’s unfortunate that we’re unable to see Disney really experiment, but it is necessary in the grand scheme of things.
Classic Films Were More Personal
If you watch a Disney movie from its Golden Age, such as Dumbo, you can tell that Disney put love into it. They were nowhere near as large as they are today, and it helped them know what would truly pull people’s heartstrings in the best ways.
They wanted to tell tales that would touch people’s hearts, and they did! Dumbo tells the story of a young child learning that his oversized ears are a blessing, not a curse. He also helps his mother out of a situation that she was wrongfully put in. It’s an emotional tale, and it truly touches people’s hearts in ways that most modern Disney movies don’t.
Sure, Dumbo does have some darker moments (animal cruelty and the alcohol-fueled nightmare, for example), but overall, it shows that there is nothing quite like the love between a mother and her son.
Chicken Little, Disney’s first full-CGI film (excluding Pixar), isn’t exactly the first film that comes to mind when the family wants to get together for a movie night. Yes, it’s fun and has a story that’s … okay, but it’s much more depressing than Dumbo when you think about it.
It has a very negative tone, and the main character is mocked and scorned by most of the town over something trivial. Even his own father is put in a negative light because of the way he treats his son. Sadly, no real sweet moments between parent and child can be found in this movie.
It most certainly doesn’t hold a candle to the sincere messages in classic films like Dumbo, and it certainly doesn’t elicit much positivity. It’s a shame because it conveys the message that modern Disney films and, to an extent, Disney itself, aren’t as friendly and personal as classic Disney was.
Classic Disney Was Simpler
When Disney was just starting out, they didn’t have to do much to attract crowds. The concept of full-length animated movies was enough to bring them in. They were able to adapt fairytales and old stories into straightforward, cut-and-dried stories that everyone could understand. You could go and see a Disney film without walking out confused about what you just watched. The stories were simple, and that helped classic Disney flourish.
With Cinderella, Disney adapted the Grimms’ fairytale, made it more child-friendly, and they ended up with a simple, clean-cut movie that wouldn’t make people wonder what was going on. It tells the story of a young lady trying to gain independence from her cruel stepmother and stepsisters that only treated her as the (un)hired hand. She also meets her prince charming and they live (mostly) happily ever after.
The plot doesn’t leave you guessing. Though it might be somewhat predictable, it is nice to be able to watch it without being dumbfounded about where the plot is going, like many of Disney’s modern flicks.
One example of Disney’s more confusing modern movies is Wreck-It Ralph. Though the story may seem simple on the outside, it’s actually quite complex. It focuses on two main characters, two supporting characters, and a bevy of other characters.
The main plot focuses on Ralph’s journey to be liked and admired by his friends and peers. It also focuses on Vanellope’s similar pursuits. There’s also Felix, who joins Calhoun in hunting down the Cy-Bugs that Ralph inadvertently unleashed upon the arcade. We eventually learn that King Candy, one of Vanellope’s rivals, is actually an old acquaintance of Ralph and Felix’s who is trying to control the arcade. Oh, and Felix has a crush on Calhoun.
Get the picture? While it’s easier to understand for someone with more experience with modern Disney tales, intricate plots and a host of characters don’t make all of Disney’s films accessible to everyone. Unfortunately, complicated storytelling is becoming so widespread that many can’t keep track of what’s going on.
Classic Films Had Disney Himself
Overall, it’s obvious that classic Disney is far superior to modern Disney. But perhaps the biggest indicator is that classic Disney had Walt Disney himself. He poured his heart and soul into those early films. It’s clear that he intended them to be experimental, personal, and straightforward. Though he didn’t see the impact that his creativity made on the film industry because of poor box office performances and reviews, he still wanted to make the best possible movies for all audiences.
