All 14 Disney Animated Films in the National Film Registry

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All 14 Disney Animated Films in the National Film Registry

THE National Film Registry is an important treasure trove of some of the most important films ever made, with the mighty Disney studio having 14 of its own films on the list. Since 1988, the National Film Registry has collected and preserved important films, selected by public nomination, from throughout the history of American cinema. However, with only 25 new entries on the list each year, the registry is expected to welcome the 876th to 900th entries in December 2024.

With this strict restriction, there are still many more important films in terms of historical, cultural and general significance that have not yet appeared on the list. And with the restriction that a film must be 10 years old or older, it leaves room for contributors to nominate notable films from older periods. With all that said, to date, only 14 of Disney’s incredible animated films are on the list in 2023, each earning their spot by popular vote.

14

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs


Snow White cleaning house in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Fittingly as Disney’s longest-running animated film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was one of the first films to enter the National Film Registry in 1989. The 1937 film was the first animated film to be produced in the United States and the first to use cel animation. This milestone in cinema launched Disney’s success.

The story is an adaptation of the popular fairy tale found in the Brothers Grimm’s 1812 story compilation. In turn, this story was removed from the narrative format, with just a few hand-drawn illustrations, and turned into a film with the help of more hand-drawn cells. Today, the story is once again being adapted by Disney into a live-action feature film starring Rachel Zegler, though the updated version is unlikely to make it to the NFR anytime soon.

13

Pinocchio


Geppetto holding Pinocchio in Disney's Pinocchio

Despite being released a few years after the Snow White film in 1940, Pinocchio had a longer wait to get into the NFR. Pinocchio it was finally included in the NFR in 1994. Once again, the film adapts its story from an older text. This time, an Italian writer who published the book in 1883 as The Adventures of Pinocchio.

Disney’s initial foray into film was clearly influenced in large part by the texts and stories that most people were familiar with, and these popular stories made for an excellent model for the animation studio. As was common in stories of the time, Pinocchio was an instructive book, intended to teach the public the importance of telling the truth. For many decades after its release, it continued to teach this lesson to generations of children.

12

Fantasy


Fantasia (1940) poster art (1)

Mickey Mouse’s Disney debut occurred in 1928, when the now-iconic mouse appeared in an animated short called Steamboat Willie. This short film was actually a homage to a popular film released earlier that same year starring Buster Keaton. Steamboat Bill, Jr. However, due to the popularity of this short film, Mickey Mouse was quickly turned into a Disney cartoon star.

By the late 1930s the character had fallen out of fashion after spending almost a decade as a cartoon star, but the 1940s brought him back when he starred in Disney’s musical anthology Fantasy. This film was widely praised at the time of its release and helped restore the Mouse to his rightful place as Disney’s mascot. And interestingly, both Steamboat Willie and Steamboat Bill, Jr. were introduced into the NFR several years after Fantasia was selected in 1990.

11

Dumbo


Dumbo being pushed by crows in the 1941 film

Dumbo was released in 1941. In a new development for Disney, the story was based on a then-unpublished book, which the studio acquired the rights to prior to its release. It also saw the studio’s transition from films starring human protagonists, such as Snow White, or even humanoid creations such as Pinocchio, to anthropomorphic talking animals.

Dumbo It broke new ground, and while it may not top the list of the most iconic classic Disney films people have ever seen, it remains pivotal to Disney’s progression and growth. This was recognized by the NFR when the film was released in 2017. And it inspired the studio to continue moving forward with this type of innovation.

10

Bambi


Bambi and Thumper look closely at each other in surprise in Bambi

Bambi was released a year later, in 1942. As mentioned above, it followed the pattern established by Dumboand focused on a young fawn that recently lost its mother due to some hunters wandering into their home. Here the story was loosely based on another novel Bambi, a life in the forestreleased in 1923. As exciting as Dumbo was, Bambi it had much more emotional weight in the story and served a more mature narrative.

As a result, Bambi remains much more popular than Dumboand this can be seen from the fact that it was registered with the NFR years before, in 2011. Bambi remains a pivotal film for Disney and one of the studio’s most powerful stories. The film was also nominated for three Oscars, and although it didn’t win any of the categories, it was the most nominations a Disney animated film had received at that time.

9

Cinderella


Cinderella is being transformed for the ball in Disney's animated film

Several years later, Disney released Cinderella in 1950. The film was based on a Charles Perrault fairy tale of the same name, originally released in 1697. Throughout the 1940s, Walt Disney was struggling as a company, and films released during that period were unable to make much money. sums at the box office. Cinderella it was an effort to change that fortune, and upon its release, it managed to do just that.

The film was a huge critical and commercial success, becoming the studio’s highest-grossing film since 1937. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Additionally, the film added a new princess to the studio, who would later become its own unique ensemble of stars. With all this in mind, it’s no wonder the film was included in the NFR in 2018.

8

Lady and the Tramp


Lady and the Tramp eating pasta on a date in Lady and the Tramp

Lady and the Tramp premiered just a few years later, in 1955, but at that time, Disney studios took some important steps forward. Lady and the Tramp it became the first animated film to be shot in CinemaScope, a widescreen film production process. Furthermore, the film emerged shortly after Disney split from its original distributor, RKO Radio Pictures, and became the first title distributed by Buena Vista, its in-house distributor.

Despite mixed reviews from critics, the film was a box office success and gained public support. And what’s more, it proved that Disney was capable of creating compelling narratives with non-human characters. As a result, the film was received at the NFR in 2023.

7

Sleeping Beauty


Phillip and Aurora smiling at each other in Sleeping Beauty

After the enormous success of CinderellaDisney decided to bet on Charles Perrault’s fairy tales and adapt another story from his repertoire. As a result, Sleeping Beauty debuted in 1959, after a monumental studio effort that meant the film took nearly a decade to make. It also became Disney’s most expensive animated feature film at the time.

Despite this, the film suffered largely negative reviews and fell short of its box office target, which resulted in the film’s failure, leading to mass layoffs. Despite all this, the film’s artistic style was praised and in the decades after its initial release, Sleeping Beauty It went on to become one of the studio’s most beloved animated stories. Although in recent years her rival, Maleficent, has surpassed Princess Aurora in popularity.

6

The Little Mermaid


Ariel and Eric in The Little Mermaid

For many years, Walt Disney struggled to stay afloat, with several releases failing to attract any significant attention. At a time when the studio was still trying to maintain its relevance with a handful of films that received moderate attention, they turned to the incredible works of Hans Christian Andersen to produce The Little Mermaid. Although Disney had had some success before, the release of The Little Mermaid it was a different game.

After its release in 1989, The Little Mermaid received widespread critical praise for every element, from the animation to the music. The film earned two Oscar wins and took home a strong $569 million at the box office (via Mojo Box Office). As a result, this film began a Disney renaissance that saw the company return and never lose relevance again.

5

Beauty and the beast


Belle walking down the stairs smiling in her yellow dress in Beauty and the Beast

Disney saw this success and ran with it, again placing its focus on a Disney princess, which seemed to result in the studio’s most notable success. Then, just two years later, in 1991, they released Beauty and the beast. While Disney has been recognized at major awards ceremonies for decades, the studio tended to be favored in the music and animation categories, but that changed with Beauty and the beast.

The film’s incredible success made Beauty and the Beast the first animated film to win the Golden Globe for Best Picture, and it was nominated in the same category at the Oscars. In addition, it won two more categories at the Oscars and was nominated for several others. The success was monumental and once again ensured the companies continued success.

4

The Nightmare Before Christmas


Jack and Halloween Town residents in the snow in Nightmare Before Christmas

In 1993, Disney again found success with a very different type of film. The Nightmare Before Christmas it was considerably darker than many other Disney films, and therefore the studio chose to release it under the Touchstone brand to avoid confusing its family brand. However, the film was a huge critical and commercial success.

Since its initial release, the film has gained a large cult following, especially after Tim Burton’s rise in popularity, as the director originally conceived the story idea and served as producer. Today, the film is praised for its innovative stop-motion animation style and boundless creativity. As a result, it was included in the NFR in 2023.

3

The Lion King


Mufasa smiling at Simba in The Lion King

In 1994, Disney achieved its most notable success yet when it released The Lion King. Having enjoyed a successful series, the studio hired a star-studded cast, recruited the immensely talented and popular Elton John to compose the soundtrack, and pushed for a new story that was loosely based on Shakespeare’s play, Village. The Lion King it was the beginning of a new era for Disney and it exploded in popularity.

With a slew of awards and quickly rising to become the second highest-grossing film of all time upon its release, The Lion King It was a success in every sense of the word. It sparked the imagination of a generation of children and became the film that established Disney’s remarkable reputation after so much success in such a short time. The Lion King It was registered with the NFR in 2016.

2

Toy Story


Buzz and Woody smiling at each other at the end of Toy Story 2

In the early 1990s, a landmark relationship began when Disney engaged the services of an innovative technology company, Pixar, to create a new film. Toy Story was released in 1995 and became the first animated film created entirely on computers, as opposed to traditional animation styles. This innovation forever changed the landscape of animated films and marked the beginning of Pixar’s reign as a major player in the field.

Toy Story it was widely praised and, to this day, the film holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of the few films to achieve such a feat. Thanks to the innovation and change it brought, as well as the overall quality, the film was included in the NFR in 2005, as soon as the film became eligible for it.

1

WALL-E


WALL-E looking up at the stars on a pile of trash.

WALL-E is the most recent Disney film to be included in the NFR, having been released in 2008. The film is yet another collaboration with Pixar, but it saw the studio venture into telling a story that for much of the first half has almost no dialogue . The film explores the themes of a world devastated by humans and people who travel to space in search of a new home.

All of this is seen from the perspective of a small robot, which expresses itself largely physically. This remarkable method of storytelling, the thought-provoking themes, and the incredible ability to make a device so emotional make this animated film remarkable. As a result, it was granted a spot in the NFR ahead of some of the other Disney classics in 2021.

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