Old Disney movies

I love watching old Disney films. I, often times, enjoy animated films more than live action movies. Here are some of my favorite animated classics from my childhood:

• Fantasia (1940)
• Cinderella (1950)
• Alice in Wonderland (1951)
• One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)
• The Aristocats (1970)
• The Little Mermaid (1989)
• Beauty and the Beast (1991)
• Aladdin (1992)
• The Lion King (1994)

See a theme here? Lots of princesses and animals.

Fantasia was one of those films that seem to mesmerize me. I loved all of the music and the animated sequence that went with each of the pieces. From looking into the background of the film, the idea came to Walt Disney as a way to reawaken the the popularity that Mickey Mouse had once had. I remember my favorite sequence being the water buckets and brooms. I haven't seen this film in years...but it was one of my favorites.

Another film I loved was Cinderella. The rags-to-riches story of a young girl who grew up in less than ideal conditions and managed to marry a prince...I loved it. Even at a young age, I always dreamed of finding my "prince charming" and getting married...and "living happily ever after". Well, it will be my turn to be "Cinderella" in just a few short (14) weeks.

Alice in Wonderland was a strange film in that things that seemed completely impossible were actually happening on the screen. Flowers don't sing. Cats don't disappear. You can't grow and shrink within a matter of minutes. However, in this magical world, you could, and these things did happen. The unknown and usualness of these things made it an enchanting film.

I enjoyed One Hundred and One Dalmatians as a child, and still do now! (I'm watching it as I write this.) I always grew up with dogs in the house. I don't think there was ever a time we didn't have at least one dog. Now, none of them were Dalmatians...but they were sweet dogs. Watching the people fail and the animals triumph was exciting.

The Aristocats was a cute film, as well. (I watched that one this afternoon.) I said I always grew up with dogs. Well, I also always grew up with cats in the house. We always had several when I was a child. When I moved out of my parents' house, that was the first time I never had a cat (or dog, for that matter). Seeing that even when something bad happens (the cats dumped by the butcher), overcoming the problem may require some work but it's not impossible was a positive thing for me as a child.

The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King were my other favorites...for many of the same reasons as those listed above. As a little girl, I had two different sleeping bags: a Little Mermaid one and a Beauty and the Beast one. (Not sure how I got two, but I'm guessing grandparents.) At one point, my bedspread and window curtains were Beauty and the Beast themed.

If you didn't catch on, there is a slight theme of "princesses" that enchanted me. I loved the idea of being a "princess" -- getting all dressed up and having all sorts of fun. These are truly some classics and take me back to my childhood. I, in recent weeks, have started trying to find these films...and am certainly enjoying this trip down memory lane. (Though, it's fun to see what things I missed or have forgotten in the years since I last watched them.)

How about you go pick up a film from your childhood and sit down and watch it? It might be more fun than you think!