Top Ten Disney Live-Action Films before 1990

[DL_CRAZE]

There have been tons of classic Disney live-action films such as The Happiest Millonaire, The Parent Trap, Babes in Toyland and 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. What would you rate as your top 10 Disney live-action films prior to 1990?

[cellarhound]

Well, if I had to pick ten... And it is difficult to do so... So I tried to be a little bit representative here... You probably should have made the cut off date 1980...

10 The Computer Wore Tenis Shoes (1969) - First of a series of Kurk Russel films that lasted through out the 70's - may not have been the best... I kinda liked the strongest man in the world...

9 Bednobs & Broomsticks (1971) - Ah, one of my favorites of all time... Features the song "the age of not believing." stars Angela Lansbury... as a want to be witch trying to use her powers to defeat the Nazi's...

8 Love Bug (1969) - No disney movie list would be complete without mentioning Herbie... The Love Bug was the first and the best of the series by far... I doubt that the new movie which shares the same name will be able to trump this film... But at least they where smart enough not to make the new film a "remake" but an extenstion of the plot...

7 Pollyanna (1960) - This film has entered into the American Lexicon for optemism... That alone makes it deserving a spot...

6 The Parent Trap (1961) - The best Haley Mill's film with brilliant songs by the Sherman Brothers... "Let's Get Together" was a huge pop hit... It is one of the few "summer camp" films that Disney made, but those scenes are classic...

5 Never Cry Wolf (1983) - Made from the book of the same title, this film is a hidden jewel... It is the last of it's genra of adventure films that pitted man against nature. Along with Grizzly Addams, this is a great achievement.

4 The Absent Minded Professor (1961) Filmed in black and white - which is amazing because other films durring the era had been filmed in color... This started the Flubber series. And it is the best of the lot too... I personally think this movie is as great a film as Frank Capra's "Its a wonderful life."

3. 20,000 Leages Under the Sea (1954) - Tied for this spot is Treasure Island... However I think 20,000 leagues is far superior due to it's cinimatography... Some of the senes in the Nautales are breath taking on the big screen.


2. Dead Poets Society (Touchstone 1989) - This movie should have one the oscar that year for best picture and best actor. The second live action film featuring Robin Williams, this film still makes me laugh and cry, get angry and want to "suck the marrow, out of life..." Even though this film is a Touchstone release, it is very much a Disney like film... It seazes the day at number 2...

1 Mary Poppins (1964) - This is the best disney film - EVER... and may be one of the best films ever made, to boot. With out a doubt, this is a Masterpiece... Without question or rival. That is how it will measure up to today's films: Practically Perfect in Every Way...

--- One more thing... I need to give an honorable mention to The Shaggy Dog series, the Merlin Jones Series, The Apple Dumpling Gang Series, Freaky Friday (the original with Jodie Foster), Watcher in the Woods (Betty Davis)... Oh, there are too many...

[Xharryb]

great list! I don't have time to put forth quite that much effort but I'll throw out a few of my faves (just off the top of my head). Mary Poppins (obviously), 20,000 Leagues, Swiss Family (we recently picked up the DVD so it's fresh in my head at the moment), Bednobs & Broomsticks. Those are the few standouts I can think of right now. There are plenty more I enjoy quite a lot. I've always had a fondness for the good old fashioned family films.

oops! almost forgot one of the favorites in our house, The Ugly Dacshund(s?)!

[Not Afraid]

My list in a rough order from 10 to 1 (Remember, the 1960's were my "time")

• The Cat from Outer Space
• The One and Only Genuine Original Family Band
• Pollyana
• Treasure Island
• The Happiest Millionaire
• The Swiss Family Robinson
• Mary Poppins
• Parent Trap
• 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea
• The Love Bug

[cellarhound]

More honorable Mentions:

Davey Crocket series
Joney Trueman and the Sons of Liberty
Ltd Robenson Crueso USN
Babes in Toyland
Pete's Dragon
Candelshoe
Night Crossing
Journey of Natty Gan

And there are querky films that I love, but I don't think they are "the best" you know...

the Cat from Outer Space
The $1,000,000 Duck
Devil & Max Devlin
Last Flight of Noah's Ark
Blackbeard's Ghost
Gus
Witch Mountain Series

This does not include the great Touchstone Films of 1985-89

Goodmorning Viatnam
Down and Out in Beverley Hills (Disney's first R rated film)
Adventures in Babysitting
Splash

Films that I count as animation but could be live action

Tron (If you count it, I would put it in Never Cry Wolf's spot...)

[cellarhound]

Argh...

I missed Old Yeller...

How could I miss it?

[Not Afraid]

And I missed Tron!

And, I'm laughing about Gus being on the list. That is our running joke film amongst our 40 year old friends - "When Disney was very bad."

I need to mention Charlie the Lonesome Cougar - although this was a WWD show for me, I still adore it.

[cellarhound]

And, I'm laughing about Gus being on the list. That is our running joke film amongst our 40 year old friends - "When Disney was very bad."

I loved Gus... But I thought it was a better film than Treasure of the Matacumbe...

However it is not the worst disney film ever made... which goes to... Evelope Please...

The Gnome Mobile... Unfortunately it wasn't really anyones fault... But in this day and age it is a film that would not have been released and would have been reposessed by a Insurance Company..

The film that was never finished for more than obvious reasons but rushed out to the box office anyway... It's sad really...

[DisneyGal]

Not in any sort of order because I couldn't have simply chosen one over another.

That Darn Cat (1965)
Summer Magic (1963)
Pollyanna (1960)
Swiss Family Robinson (1960)
The Parent Trap (1961)
Mary Poppins (1964)
Bednobs and Broomsticks (1971)
The Absent-Minded Professor (1961)

[Malibu Minion]

Mary Poppins
The Parent Trap
The Swiss Family Robinson
Bedknobs & Broomsticks
Treasure Island
Babes in Toyland
Pollyana
The Love Bug
The Happiest Millionaire
20,000 Leagues Under the Sea

[yensid98]

10. Song of the South
9. The Parent Trap
8. Old Yeller
7. The Love Bug
6. Follow Me Boys
5. 20,0000 Leagues Under The Sea
4. Treasure Island
3. The Swis Family Robinson
2. Pollyana
1. Mary Poppins

[Not Afraid]

Damn! I forgot SotS too!

[Villains Fan]

I can only go with my top 5 since it's been so long since I've seen most these movies, I don't remember them

1. Mary Poppins (just gotta sing along with it)
2. Parent Trap (yes, both versions)
3. Absent Minded Professor (just love Fred McMurray in this)
4. Pollyana (been showing on Hallmark channel alot lately)
5. Adventrues in Babysitting (I still crack up every time at the scene in the blues club) :lol: