Synopsis:
After hearing his Mistresses plan of leaving her inheritance to her cat Duchess and her kittens, Edgar the butler steals the cats and loses them somewhere in the French countryside. With the help of Thomas O'Malley the Alley Cat, Duchess and her kittens return to Paris to set things straight.
It's
been way too long since I last watched a film due to the amount of
work I've been doing for uni. But I can tell you, after texturing a
cardboard city for a solid week and sitting down to the vibrancy of
colour produced by the Aristocats the spirits don't half get lifted.
It's not just that which makes the Aristocats so captivating. It's
the very style of the drawing and animation. Definitely one of
Disney's most aesthetically pleasing works. While watching it I can
really see the pencil scribbles of the animators and whether or not
they had intended the audience to do so, it really adds a sense of
movement and brings life to the picture. Every scene had me staring
intently, drinking in what was on screen.
This
is the first film I'm reviewing which I've already seen before,
thankfully though I don't remember much about it. I'm glad as it was
like I was watching it for the first time. I found myself giggling at
the humour like a child, and rightly so... Those dogs are hilarious!!
Walt Disney famously said, “I
do not make films primarily for children. I make them for the child
in all of us”, and that's exactly what's been done. I'd say if
you're feeling down, or frustrated with work, or if adult life's just
biting you on the ass, sit down and watch the Aristocats. I can
assure you, you'll feel much better engrossed in it's enchanting
diegesis.
Every
character is lovable, even the villain! I don't know why, but I quite
like Edgar the butler. I'm not down with him kidnapping the cats of
course, but after seeing him try to help Madame's crazy lawyer
friend up the stairs in a flawless animation sequence it's hard to
take him seriously as a villain. I suppose that could be a criticism,
but if it helps, I am glad he gets his comeuppance by the end. I
suppose I should mention the cats too. Each of the three kittens have
a wonderfully unique personality and very importantly, they're all
extremely cute! Then of course there's Thomas O'Malley, the alley
cat. He's probably the best character going. He's slick, he's cool,
he's caring, he's the perfect man(-cat)! Even I found myself falling
for the his charm as he tried to woo the kittens mother. That's not
to sideline the characters they meet on their journey. The two geese
travelling south to meet their drunk Uncle were a gaggle (yeah that's
right). Plus the scat-cats, the group of alley cats who love to swing
(no not that type of swing) and have a good time! They're responsible
for easily one of the best songs Disney's produced. Then there's the
lovable little mouse, who after donning is adorable Sherlock Holmes
outfit, is determined to help the Duchess and her Kittens.
If
I had to pick at anything, it would be Madame, the owner of the cats.
I found it hard for me to feel for her. After all, she's a crazy cat
lady, and is going to leave her entire mansion to her pets for
crying out loud. But I suppose for the younger generation this could
probably be overlooked. Even that though wouldn't stop me loving this
film, simply because of the charm it oozes from each and every frame.
Overview:
The
best looking, classically animated Disney film going in my opinion.
Although I don't care about the crazy cat lady, I do care about the
cats, and that's what matters. With it's classy drawing style, colour
and stunning animation it's like honey for the soul.
Rating:
★★★★
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