Match 3 – #4 Beauty and the Beast (1991) vs. #20 Fantasia 2000 (1999)
Another feature-anthology battle that seems a little unfair. ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ is definitely my favourite segment of Fantasia 2000 (see here for details). After this I’d probably go with ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’, a charming story of magic gone wrong. Next is a toss-up between ‘Firebird’ and ‘Pines of Rome’, both epic in scope and at times terrifying and sad. My least favourite is probably Beethoven’s fifth but I really do like them all as they all manage to capture the beauty of the medium of film; moving pictures and sound. Simples. Beauty and the Beast though is a ‘tale as old as time’ with knock-out songs and very few weak points. The pacing is good and the characters compelling. You understand what each one is doing and why it is being done and there’s some cracking voicework from Angela Lansbury as a teapot (her best performance?), Richard White as Gaston, and of course Paige O’Hara as Belle. My major nitpick with Fantasia 2000 is again down to it’s form as an anthology. Whereas something like ‘The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh’ manages to navigate it’s main segments quite well, Fantasia 2000 decided to have these cheesy could-do-without-them clips of Penn and Teller and other famous people (including Angela Lansbury) that just feel completely unnecessary. Beauty and the Beast powers on to the quarterfinals.
Match 4 – #28 The Rescuers Down Under (1990) vs. #21 Hercules (1997)
Our second all 90s showdown for today (and it’s easier than you think). Yes, the songs in Hercules are fun, and yes Hades as a villain is serviceable, but overall it’s a little dull. It tries something epic but ultimately fails to execute; too many of the characters and their motivations are convoluted in an attempt for epicness, and the Phil scenes take far too long. The Rescuers Down Under, by contrast, manages to cultivate an epic scope based around a small story; the vistas are beautiful, the characters are fleshed out, and McLeach eats Hades for breakfast in terms of comedic villainy (as does Joanna to Pain and Panic). It’s an adventure that is extremely rewatchable and has a wonderful soundtrack without any standout songs which I appreciate (not every Disney film needs a song). I am pleased to confirm that The Rescuers Down Under is advancing into the quarter finals. Please seek it out if you haven’t yet had the pleasure of seeing this gem!
The Draff 