Several years ago, I was flipping through the TCM listings for films to record and came across The Valley of Decision (1945), with a star-studded cast featuring Greer Garson and Gregory Peck, and decided to give it a shot. I am so glad I did. The film opens in 1873 as Mary Rafferty (Garson), Irish immigrant…
Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday. I mean, seriously, what’s not to love? There’s food, good cheer, presents, music, decorations, family togetherness (ok, that one’s not always fun, but you get the idea), goodwill towards everyone, and Christmas specials on TV. And I am not talking about the various Christmas concerts, holiday episodes of your…
I was very saddened a few weeks ago to hear that Robert Sherman, one half of one of the greatest movie music-writing teams, was gone. The Sherman Brothers are responsible for giving the world the music of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968), The Aristocats (1970), Charlotte’s Web (1973), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977), and probably their…
This week’s film, 1991’s Beauty and the Beast, is probably my favorite of the Disney Renaissance-era films and is a very close second behind my personal triumvirate for best Disney film ever. The voice cast is awesome, the animation is fabulous, and the music is just beautiful. And then there is a story that is as…
Winnie the Pooh has been a family favorite as far back as I can remember–from my Winnie the Pooh books and my brother’s toys to calling my sister Eeyore when she was in a particularly pessimistic mood. We also grew up watching the various spinoff shows that aired in the late 80s and 90s (to…
The Aristocats marks the beginning of the transitional period between the Walt era and the Renaissance that took the studio by storm in the late 80s and 90s, and as such is full of lasts and firsts. Most notably, this was the last story that Walt approved and the first film to be completed after…
Sleeping Beauty is the final member of the triumvirate that are my favorite Disney films. To me, this is one of the most beautifully crafted films in the Disney canon and of course, has some the most memorable characters and quotes ever. When it was released in 1959, it was the most expensive film produced…
Merry Christmas! I hope you were very good this year so that Santa brought you what you wanted. Here are a few Christmas treats from Saturday Morning Cartoons to get you through the day: Because it’s not Christmas without the Grinch, here’s the complete How the Grinch Stole Christmas as told by Boris Karloff:…
True Classics 