No. I'm not kidding with this one. He was a guest reviewer for Entertainment Weekly and gave this movie positive marks. And who can blame him? This is a charming, upbeat, and rather funny Disney movie. Who doesn't love kittens? The music in Ev'rybody Wants To Be A Cat is jamming. It makes me want to snap my fingers or something. Only years later when Cats Don't Dance came out have I seen a movie that was that musically fun. What Aristocats lacks in animation and story, it makes up for in charm. Plus, everything moves at a relaxed pace, and even the villain isn't all that scary. It's perfect for the younger set while not being so sappy that adults can't like it. If Snoop was here, I'm sure he would say the same thing. Yeah. Dig those CRAZY cats, man.
135 Reviews
The Aristocats: The Most Underrated Disney Film
Ryan_Barbakins4 August 2019
The Aristocats is a hilarious and heartwarming Disney delight that gets a bad wrap. Maybe I'm bias because I watched this movie so much as a kid, but even as I re-watch it not, I realize just how care-free and fun this movie is.
The plot of the movie shows just that. This movie is about an aristocrat who puts her cats as her inherits in her will before her butler. Right off the bat, we see how hilariously odd this occurrence is, which makes the audience digest the movie in a lighter-tone. What I'm trying to say is that the movie knew exactly what tone to set and how to.
I find this movie much more entertaining than many older Disney movies, most likely because it nailed its comedy. It seemed to focus on using random occurrences and out of the ordinary situations to make the audience laugh ie: the dogs attacking Edgar, O Mally jumping on the "Magic Carpet", and the entirety of the 'Everybody Wants to be a Cat' sequence. The two dogs attacking Edgar seems to be the highlight of the comedy, not even because they are attacking him, but because they are 2 great characters put together. Their dialogue leaves you on edge and will make you to laugh out loud numerous times.
Finally, one of the greatest things about this movie is the music! The soundtrack is so catchy, and entertaining to listen to. It is defiantly a step up from Disney's older slower songs. Everybody Wants to be a Cat is by far one of the greatest Disney songs ever. It is long, catchy, exciting, and layered with sections that give the song dynamics. The lyrics are both funny, and interesting as a cat's perspective on life.
To conclude this quite possibly contriversial review, The Aristocats is a funny, delightful, and care-free Disney film that is criminally underrated.
Sweet, Romantic and Completely Underrated!
FiendishDramaturgy23 March 2007
This is NOT the masterpiece that is Snow White, Cinderella, or Bambi, but it IS a very sweet, enjoyable, romantic, well-done Disney animated feature.
There are, of course, lessons included herein for the kiddies, and some very appropriate kiddie-cheek, but there is plenty herein for the adults, as well.
While this is somewhat of a regurgitation of the Classic Disney RomCom Adventure, it still holds some elements, which solely belong to the AristoCats. O'Malley is the "tramp" and Dutchess is the "lady," but Dutchess has several kittens and they are all trying to get home.
Phil Harris is our tomcat O'Malley. You may recognize his voice, as he also furnished the voice of Baloo the Bear in the Jungle Book, and Little John in Disney's Robin Hood. Eva Gabor lends her silky sweet voice to Dutchess.
Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, who directed, or worked on, every Disney animated film worth mentioning until his death in 1985.
This is among my very favorite of the Disney animated feature films, and belongs in any Disney collection. The 2-Disk Special Edition Is Due Out This Summer (2007).
This rates an 8.4/10 from...
the Fiend :.
There are, of course, lessons included herein for the kiddies, and some very appropriate kiddie-cheek, but there is plenty herein for the adults, as well.
While this is somewhat of a regurgitation of the Classic Disney RomCom Adventure, it still holds some elements, which solely belong to the AristoCats. O'Malley is the "tramp" and Dutchess is the "lady," but Dutchess has several kittens and they are all trying to get home.
Phil Harris is our tomcat O'Malley. You may recognize his voice, as he also furnished the voice of Baloo the Bear in the Jungle Book, and Little John in Disney's Robin Hood. Eva Gabor lends her silky sweet voice to Dutchess.
Directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, who directed, or worked on, every Disney animated film worth mentioning until his death in 1985.
This is among my very favorite of the Disney animated feature films, and belongs in any Disney collection. The 2-Disk Special Edition Is Due Out This Summer (2007).
This rates an 8.4/10 from...
the Fiend :.
Superb Visual Style and Humor in one of Disney's best!
Doylenf26 March 2001
Complaints from previous commentators that "the pencil marks show" in the animated art shows that they miss the point entirely. The visual style is deliberately similar to what was used in '101 Dalmatians' with the characters having a deliberately sketchy look--an art style used to great effect in this and several other Disney movies. Far from being "weak animation", this is one of the very best works produced by the Disney artists. The color is superb, the humor is constant and the mere fact that the storyline bears a resemblance to the 'Dalmatians' plot does nothing to weaken the film. Upon release, it was an enormous success and has made even more money in subsequent theatrical revivals. Viewers who make comments about the art work, don't seem to realize that the "sketchy" look was what the artists sought--it has nothing whatsoever to do with careless art work. All the voices are extremely well done--Eva Gabor as the Duchess and Phil Harris as Thomas O'Malley are perfect. The slapstick comedy involving the bumbling butler and the dogs is priceless! This is another great Disney film that children and adults can enjoy equally.
Overlooked?
Atreyu_II4 July 2007
The 20th animated Disney classic is often criticized by many people as "mediocre" or poor in quality, but it is a good movie.
Despite being extremely underrated, it is one of the funniest Disney classics. It is full of hilarious (some of them, hysterical) moments.
Edgar, the greedy butler, is the villain but a perfect comic relief. He's one of my favorite Disney villains because he is so funny.
Every scene with Edgar and the two stupid hound dogs Napoleon and Lafayette chasing him are among the most hilarious you'll ever see, especially the one when Edgar drives his motorcycle into the river and around the bridge, with the dogs chasing him. That is hysterical!
But the classic humor doesn't just come from Edgar or the hound dogs. Other characters have their moments as well.
About the quality subject, it isn't perfect, but remains on a high level. Even after Walt Disney's death those artists knew how to keep faithful to Walt's spirit and "The Aristocats" is one of those examples. They no longer make them like this!
As usual, legendary Disney actors voice the characters. In this case, we have Phil Harris, Sterling Holloway, Paul Winchell, Eva Gabor and Pat Buttram.
The characters are generally cool: Thomas O'Malley, Duchess and her 3 kittens, the mouse Roquefort, the alley cats, the English geese, the hound dogs and the horse. The human characters are included as well: the eccentric and kind retired Opera singer Madame Adelaide Bonfamille, the comic Madame's old lawyer Georges Hautecourt and Edgar himself!
About the soundtrack, it has some nice and catchy songs such as Thomas O'Malley's theme (but I can't remember its name), "Everybody Wants to be a Cat" and "The Aristocats" (sung by Maurice Chevalier), for example.
This movie takes place in Paris (France), in the year of 1910. A classic, often underestimated and forgotten, but worthy.
Despite being extremely underrated, it is one of the funniest Disney classics. It is full of hilarious (some of them, hysterical) moments.
Edgar, the greedy butler, is the villain but a perfect comic relief. He's one of my favorite Disney villains because he is so funny.
Every scene with Edgar and the two stupid hound dogs Napoleon and Lafayette chasing him are among the most hilarious you'll ever see, especially the one when Edgar drives his motorcycle into the river and around the bridge, with the dogs chasing him. That is hysterical!
But the classic humor doesn't just come from Edgar or the hound dogs. Other characters have their moments as well.
About the quality subject, it isn't perfect, but remains on a high level. Even after Walt Disney's death those artists knew how to keep faithful to Walt's spirit and "The Aristocats" is one of those examples. They no longer make them like this!
As usual, legendary Disney actors voice the characters. In this case, we have Phil Harris, Sterling Holloway, Paul Winchell, Eva Gabor and Pat Buttram.
The characters are generally cool: Thomas O'Malley, Duchess and her 3 kittens, the mouse Roquefort, the alley cats, the English geese, the hound dogs and the horse. The human characters are included as well: the eccentric and kind retired Opera singer Madame Adelaide Bonfamille, the comic Madame's old lawyer Georges Hautecourt and Edgar himself!
About the soundtrack, it has some nice and catchy songs such as Thomas O'Malley's theme (but I can't remember its name), "Everybody Wants to be a Cat" and "The Aristocats" (sung by Maurice Chevalier), for example.
This movie takes place in Paris (France), in the year of 1910. A classic, often underestimated and forgotten, but worthy.
Fun and entertaining Disney movie about pampered cats find themselves stranded in the countryside
ma-cortes6 July 2014
Animated version about a family of beloved Aristocats filled with humor , action , musical numbers , entertainment and fun . 1910 Paris , retired opera star Adelaide Bonfamille enjoys her wealthy life in her Paris villa with cat Duchess (voice by Eva Gabor) and three kitten : pianist Berlioz (Dean Clark voice) , painter Toulouse (Gary Dubin) sanctimonious Marie . When the loyal butler learns that Madame is planning to give her entire fortune to them he attempts to take them . As the butler Edgar overhears her will leaves everything to the cats until their death, he abducts to eliminate them . However, his plans are ruined when a pair of dogs named Lafayette and Napoleon give chase . Edgar abandons the cats in a field before heading back to Paris. With the help of a smooth talking tomcat (voice by Phil Harris) felines set to inherit a fortune from their owner try to make it back home after a jealous butler kidnaps them and leaves them in the country .
This amusing cartoon has great animated sequences well staged with stylish and vitality , adventure , romance , outstanding final and results to be pretty entertaining . There are great songs , enjoyable action sequences in countryside , including amusing ending confrontation at the climax of the film . An imaginative and jolly Disney adaptation being inspired by the true story of a Parisian family of cats, circa 1910, that inherited a fabulous fortune , including brilliant drawings and catching score by George Bruns .This was originally intended as a two-part, live-action installment of the TV series Disneyland (1954). Originally there was meant to be a direct-to-video sequel titled AristoCats II , it was intended for a 2007 release, but production got canceled back in 2006. The funny characters fascinating Visual Style and Humor in one of Disney's best of the 70s . This was the last animated feature to be approved by Walt Disney and the studio's first animated feature to be entirely completed after his death. It should be noted, however, that Disney had spent time working on the story for The rescuers (1977) , released seven years later , around the time Jungle Book (1967) entered production. This agreeable animation movie contains a lively and enjoyable musical score by George Bruns .
motion picture was well directed by Wolfgang Reitherman helped by Eric Larson , in fact this was the last film in which Larson worked as a supervising animator ; from then on he concentrated on training the younger animators that came to the studio during the seventies and eighties a good craftsman from Disney factory . Director Reitherman often animated fast action sequences or dances , and known for "re-using" animation from older films and placing them in newer films . He co-directed several Disney movies such as Aristocats , Jungle Book , 101 Dalmatians , Peter Pan , Cinderella , Dumbo , among others .
This amusing cartoon has great animated sequences well staged with stylish and vitality , adventure , romance , outstanding final and results to be pretty entertaining . There are great songs , enjoyable action sequences in countryside , including amusing ending confrontation at the climax of the film . An imaginative and jolly Disney adaptation being inspired by the true story of a Parisian family of cats, circa 1910, that inherited a fabulous fortune , including brilliant drawings and catching score by George Bruns .This was originally intended as a two-part, live-action installment of the TV series Disneyland (1954). Originally there was meant to be a direct-to-video sequel titled AristoCats II , it was intended for a 2007 release, but production got canceled back in 2006. The funny characters fascinating Visual Style and Humor in one of Disney's best of the 70s . This was the last animated feature to be approved by Walt Disney and the studio's first animated feature to be entirely completed after his death. It should be noted, however, that Disney had spent time working on the story for The rescuers (1977) , released seven years later , around the time Jungle Book (1967) entered production. This agreeable animation movie contains a lively and enjoyable musical score by George Bruns .
motion picture was well directed by Wolfgang Reitherman helped by Eric Larson , in fact this was the last film in which Larson worked as a supervising animator ; from then on he concentrated on training the younger animators that came to the studio during the seventies and eighties a good craftsman from Disney factory . Director Reitherman often animated fast action sequences or dances , and known for "re-using" animation from older films and placing them in newer films . He co-directed several Disney movies such as Aristocats , Jungle Book , 101 Dalmatians , Peter Pan , Cinderella , Dumbo , among others .
fun and light old school
SnoopyStyle6 October 2017
It's pre-war Paris. Duchess is a well groomed cat with three kittens; Marie, Berlioz, and Toulouse. Man servant Edgar overhears their loving elderly owner Madame Adelaide Bonfamille changing her will. She plans to leave her estate to the cats with Edgar as her heir after the cats' death. He decides to abandon the cats in the country. Stray cat Thomas O'Malley falls for Duchess and leads the family back to Paris.
The song and music is big band and jazzy. It's the waning years of old school Disney animation. It is fun and light but lacks any long-lasting drama. The old school feel fits the time period and setting of the story. It doesn't have the big iconic tune although a couple of them are pretty catchy. The cats are cute. Edgar is a functional villain but the movie needs a more immediate villain in the middle while he is separated from the cats. There should be an animal villain hunting the family to heighten the drama. There is a stretch between being abandoned and returning to face Edgar where the movie lacks any tension. In any case, the movie has a good nature light fluffiness that is quite appealing.
The song and music is big band and jazzy. It's the waning years of old school Disney animation. It is fun and light but lacks any long-lasting drama. The old school feel fits the time period and setting of the story. It doesn't have the big iconic tune although a couple of them are pretty catchy. The cats are cute. Edgar is a functional villain but the movie needs a more immediate villain in the middle while he is separated from the cats. There should be an animal villain hunting the family to heighten the drama. There is a stretch between being abandoned and returning to face Edgar where the movie lacks any tension. In any case, the movie has a good nature light fluffiness that is quite appealing.
One of the better Disney movies after the Jungle Book
TheLittleSongbird27 February 2009
The Aristocats is really quite charming, and is rated far too low on IMDb. The songs aren't as memorable as the ones in the Jungle Book, but they weren't bad at all, Everybody wants to be a Cat is a classic and the title song is brilliantly sung by Gigi's Maurice Chavelier. The animation is really lovely, the best sequence being the landscape of Paris in general. It looked beautiful. This is probably Disney's most relaxing animation I think, and as another reviewer quite rightly said, who doesn't love cats? Another great piece of animation was O' Malley looking into Duchess's eyes, as their romance was so believable while not obvious.(a good thing)The plot(about a greedy butler and a fortune, reminds me of Bailey's Billions) was a little unoriginal, but worked very well, and the script was really funny, especially the fights between the kittens. They remind me of me and my brother and 3 sisters, always fighting. My favourite scene was the chase of Edgar with the two dogs, who were always fighting about who was the leader. The voice talents were a delight, most notably Phil Harris, whom I recognised from the Jungle Book, and Eva Gabor, from the Rescuers. The supporting characters, namely Scat Cat, were also well done. In conclusion, a really pleasant film, that is definitely underrated. 8.5/10 Bethany Cox
A great underrated Disney classic.
TalesfromTheCryptfan8 May 2006
Set in Paris in the year 1910, a retired old rich opera singer decides to give her fortune away to her beautiful cat Duchess ( voiced by Eva Gabor) and her kittens, but the jealous butler Edgar comes up with a plan as he kidnaps the cats and leaves them in the countryside. Luckily for them with the help of a streetwise and independent tomcat named Thomas O'Malley ( voiced by Phil Harris) helps them get home especially meeting some of his good friends like the swinging' Scat Cat ( voiced by Scatman Crothers) and try to foil Edgar's plans.
Very entertaining and edgy post-Walt Disney's death animated movie with a couple of nice jazzy tunes like the memorable "Everybody wants to be a cat", good voice acting and some terrific animation for it's time even in these times of computer animation. Not one of the greatest Disney animated movies but a cult Disney animated fave and one of the few gems of it's day that works well, highly recommended.
Very entertaining and edgy post-Walt Disney's death animated movie with a couple of nice jazzy tunes like the memorable "Everybody wants to be a cat", good voice acting and some terrific animation for it's time even in these times of computer animation. Not one of the greatest Disney animated movies but a cult Disney animated fave and one of the few gems of it's day that works well, highly recommended.
Cute and nostalgic, but not Disney's best classic
annekehensley13 June 2019
Yes, I know, this was a different time period and movies since then have gotten substantially better, but I still want to be blunt: The AristoCats isn't the best that was there. I LOVED it, don't get me wrong, all the songs and characters were adorable and I had a great time throughout. But it feels less like a movie and more like a really long, entertaining but otherwise silly cartoon.
The entire time, I would think about how these scenes in the movie all sort of felt "looney-toon-esque," dare I say it, and while that isn't a bad thing in the long run, it does affect how the movie portrays itself. There's not too much of a message, there isn't many heart-gripping or tense scenes in the movie, and its not overly complicated in terms of plot. But its cute! And its fun, great for kids, and is totally fine to watch as a quick period of entertainment. Again, its like a really long cartoon, and thats fine.
But lets be honest, there are better Disney classics out there. This movie is similar in plot to Lady and the Tramp, a movie I'd much prefer over Aristocats any day (no offense, kitties), and there are also movies like Dalmations and the Lion King and overall handfuls of 2D animated classics that outrun Aristocats by miles. So if you're really looking for something intense, memorable, or something with a more movie-feel, you're better off trying a different Disney classic. Best to save Aristocats for the more chill Saturday afternoons with your kids/
The entire time, I would think about how these scenes in the movie all sort of felt "looney-toon-esque," dare I say it, and while that isn't a bad thing in the long run, it does affect how the movie portrays itself. There's not too much of a message, there isn't many heart-gripping or tense scenes in the movie, and its not overly complicated in terms of plot. But its cute! And its fun, great for kids, and is totally fine to watch as a quick period of entertainment. Again, its like a really long cartoon, and thats fine.
But lets be honest, there are better Disney classics out there. This movie is similar in plot to Lady and the Tramp, a movie I'd much prefer over Aristocats any day (no offense, kitties), and there are also movies like Dalmations and the Lion King and overall handfuls of 2D animated classics that outrun Aristocats by miles. So if you're really looking for something intense, memorable, or something with a more movie-feel, you're better off trying a different Disney classic. Best to save Aristocats for the more chill Saturday afternoons with your kids/
For kids to enjoy. And it's cool!
revival0527 May 2000
> Kids will love this movie, just as they should. But, actually I thought it was cool! The characters and the music (ScatCat rocks) are fantastic to listen to, and the soundtrack is to be recommended.
An old lady makes her beloved cats the owner of her money, in her will. Her clumsy butler, Edgar, finds this idea very stupid and annoying. And a problem, since he was certain that the money would go to him. So, wise as he is, he decides to get the cats out of the picture, so he can get all the cash. Of course. He grabs them in a rainy night and throw them away in a swamp way outside the city in France.
Can't be missing in your Disney-collection.
An old lady makes her beloved cats the owner of her money, in her will. Her clumsy butler, Edgar, finds this idea very stupid and annoying. And a problem, since he was certain that the money would go to him. So, wise as he is, he decides to get the cats out of the picture, so he can get all the cash. Of course. He grabs them in a rainy night and throw them away in a swamp way outside the city in France.
Can't be missing in your Disney-collection.
Jazz paws.
Pjtaylor-96-13804425 July 2020
'The AristoCats (1970)' is, essentially, more of the same from Disney, as generally enjoyable as it is individually unremarkable. Don't get me wrong, it's a good time. The scratchy animation meshes well with its feline characters and the plot does a decent job of keeping you invested in its central adventure. There are a couple of catchy tunes and some fun set-pieces, too. Overall, though, the movie is fairly paint-by-numbers. It follows a group of cats who must get back to their wealthy owner after they're thrown out by a greedy butler. It feels like several earlier Disney features, with only a mild spin on the formula. It does have some slightly intriguing elements, however. For example, the baddie is somewhat meek here, his machinations never quite playing out as planned, and this is an interesting angle for such a character. He puts our heroes in genuine danger and it's enjoyable to see him eventually meet his match, but he seems rather more polite than most of the studio's other foes and, as such, is slightly unmemorable. Another unique aspect is the jazz inflection of the score, which keeps you bopping along with the incredibly colourful music sequences. As can perhaps be expected, there are some unfortunate racial stereotypes. Thankfully, these aren't dwelled upon too much. In the end, the movie is an entertaining and well-animated adventure that doesn't so much stand-out from Disney's repertoire as fit in nicely with some of its better outputs. 7/10
Disney Classic Cartoon was great
fsusnoles4 May 2020
Really cute
briancham19942 June 2020
An underrated classic from Disney
Tweekums12 July 2019
This Disney animation is set in early twentieth century France where a wealthy Parisian woman who has decided that her cat, Duchess, along with her three kittens, Berlioz, Marie and Toulouse will inherit her wealth. They are to be looked after by butler Edgar and he will inherit when they are gone... but when he overhears this he decides he can't wait so slips sleeping pills into the cats' food and drives them far into the country. When they awaken they have no idea where they are but passing alley cat, Thomas O'Malley, offers to help them return to Paris. Along the way home they get into a number of scrapes as well as meeting a pair of helpful geese and O'Malley's friend Scat Cat and his jazz playing associates. While this is going on the cats' friend Roquefort, a mouse, and Frou-Frou the horse learn what happened and Edgar realises he has left potentially incriminating evidence in the countryside.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this film but since Disney rarely disappoints I decided to give it a go. I'm glad that I did as it was a lot of fun. The story provided plenty of laughs cute characters, excitement that shouldn't be too scary for younger viewers, a touch of romance and a villain who is more comical than fearsome. The story moves at a good pace and at just under eighty minutes doesn't overstay its welcome. There are a few songs of which he jazz number 'Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat' was easily the most entertaining. There are plenty of amusing moments; my favourites involve Edgar and two hounds he has trouble with in the countryside. The animation is really good with beautifully detailed backgrounds and fine character designs. The voice cast do an impressive job of bringing the characters to life. Overall I'd say this is well worth watching for fans of Disney or of animated films in general.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this film but since Disney rarely disappoints I decided to give it a go. I'm glad that I did as it was a lot of fun. The story provided plenty of laughs cute characters, excitement that shouldn't be too scary for younger viewers, a touch of romance and a villain who is more comical than fearsome. The story moves at a good pace and at just under eighty minutes doesn't overstay its welcome. There are a few songs of which he jazz number 'Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat' was easily the most entertaining. There are plenty of amusing moments; my favourites involve Edgar and two hounds he has trouble with in the countryside. The animation is really good with beautifully detailed backgrounds and fine character designs. The voice cast do an impressive job of bringing the characters to life. Overall I'd say this is well worth watching for fans of Disney or of animated films in general.
Cat!
alphahumphrey-5484722 September 2019
Low on running time and animation at times, but awesome French backgrounds. 1970's and 1980's was at times a hard time form animation as many was trippy, and groovy as Ash said. Good for small kids in a class to learn about old France the first time.
Not among's Disney's very best, but still enjoyable
scgary6625 May 2002
The first Disney animated film without the strong involvement of Disney himself, this film suffers from the fact that the story is not particularly original or interesting (this is, I believe, the only animated Disney film since the 1940's which is NOT based on an earlier book or other work, but is rather an original story). As others have noted, the plot is essentially a cross between the romance in Lady and the Tramp and the kidnapping/journey home story in 101 Dalmatians.
But to overcome this flaw, the filmmakers have successfully used many of the better features of most of the Disney animated films of the previous 10-15 years: Phil Harris (from The Jungle Book) voicing one of the main characters, follows his duet with Louis Prima in the previous film with another here with Scatman Crothers. The quality visual look of this film is virtually carried over from "Dalmatians" (with some nice nods to French Impressionism, it appears), and the villain here (the butler) is strongly reminiscent of the henchmen in that film as well. (This is probably one of Disney's least memorable villains.) The main story goes back and forth between the cats, and the butler's ongoing difficulties with two rural hound dogs (with great voice work by Pat Buttram and George "Goober" Lindsey"). The various animal characters are similarly familiar to those who have seen "Tramp" and "Dalmatians." The cats' owner, while bearing a striking visual resemblance to the wicked stepmother in Sleeping Beauty, bears none of that character's nasty traits and comes across as very warm and generous.
The real strength of the film is the voice work; after first going toward the use of mostly familiar actors in The Jungle Book, the tactic is continued strongly here with Disney veterans Harris and Sterling Holloway from The Jungle Book, and Eva Gabor (who would do a very similar character in the later film The Rescuers), as well as Crothers and Nancy Kulp. All are excellent here, particularly Harris and Gabor in the leads. The character animation is as excellent as one would expect, showing a variety of emotions well.
Smaller children may be upset by a few brief episodes (an escape from the path of a speeding train, a near-drowning by one of the children), but these are not presented in a particularly frightening or dark manner and are over very quickly. Overall, there's very little of the type of more frightening scenes found in many other Disney classics.
One minor oddity is the way some visual aspects of 60's culture are depicted among the jazz-performing cats in supposedly 1910 Paris; one can't help but wonder why the story wasn't set solidly in the present, other than the great deal Paris had changed much of its appearance in the intervening time. It really would have made more sense that way.
The songs, while being pleasant and sometimes very enjoyably performed, are not particularly memorable. Nonetheless, the general energy applied here, the excellent voice work and fine animation all contribute to overcome the relatively few and minor weaknesses. Far from the greatness of classic "10"s such as Pinocchio or Aladdin, and not quite up to the "9"s one might give to Sleeping Beauty or 101 Dalmatians, this is probably a rather marginal 8 of 10; perhaps a 7.
But to overcome this flaw, the filmmakers have successfully used many of the better features of most of the Disney animated films of the previous 10-15 years: Phil Harris (from The Jungle Book) voicing one of the main characters, follows his duet with Louis Prima in the previous film with another here with Scatman Crothers. The quality visual look of this film is virtually carried over from "Dalmatians" (with some nice nods to French Impressionism, it appears), and the villain here (the butler) is strongly reminiscent of the henchmen in that film as well. (This is probably one of Disney's least memorable villains.) The main story goes back and forth between the cats, and the butler's ongoing difficulties with two rural hound dogs (with great voice work by Pat Buttram and George "Goober" Lindsey"). The various animal characters are similarly familiar to those who have seen "Tramp" and "Dalmatians." The cats' owner, while bearing a striking visual resemblance to the wicked stepmother in Sleeping Beauty, bears none of that character's nasty traits and comes across as very warm and generous.
The real strength of the film is the voice work; after first going toward the use of mostly familiar actors in The Jungle Book, the tactic is continued strongly here with Disney veterans Harris and Sterling Holloway from The Jungle Book, and Eva Gabor (who would do a very similar character in the later film The Rescuers), as well as Crothers and Nancy Kulp. All are excellent here, particularly Harris and Gabor in the leads. The character animation is as excellent as one would expect, showing a variety of emotions well.
Smaller children may be upset by a few brief episodes (an escape from the path of a speeding train, a near-drowning by one of the children), but these are not presented in a particularly frightening or dark manner and are over very quickly. Overall, there's very little of the type of more frightening scenes found in many other Disney classics.
One minor oddity is the way some visual aspects of 60's culture are depicted among the jazz-performing cats in supposedly 1910 Paris; one can't help but wonder why the story wasn't set solidly in the present, other than the great deal Paris had changed much of its appearance in the intervening time. It really would have made more sense that way.
The songs, while being pleasant and sometimes very enjoyably performed, are not particularly memorable. Nonetheless, the general energy applied here, the excellent voice work and fine animation all contribute to overcome the relatively few and minor weaknesses. Far from the greatness of classic "10"s such as Pinocchio or Aladdin, and not quite up to the "9"s one might give to Sleeping Beauty or 101 Dalmatians, this is probably a rather marginal 8 of 10; perhaps a 7.
Pleasant
r96sk1 June 2020
A mix between 'Lady and the Tramp' and 'One Hundred and One Dalmatians' - but with cats.
It's a pleasant little film, though it does have minor issues. Mainly with the animation, which is good with most of the cats but pretty average with the humans; I say most of the cats, as Thomas O'Malley looks weird.
Thomas is voiced nicely by Phil Harris, while Eva Gabor comes in to voice Duchess. Those two work well together, as do the trio of Toulouse (Gary Dubin), Marie (Liz English) and Berlioz (Dean Clark). There are a few other decent characters, too.
The plot is perfectly watchable, if predictable. Some of the songs are noteworthy also, especially "Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat". 'The Aristocats' is worth a watch.
It's a pleasant little film, though it does have minor issues. Mainly with the animation, which is good with most of the cats but pretty average with the humans; I say most of the cats, as Thomas O'Malley looks weird.
Thomas is voiced nicely by Phil Harris, while Eva Gabor comes in to voice Duchess. Those two work well together, as do the trio of Toulouse (Gary Dubin), Marie (Liz English) and Berlioz (Dean Clark). There are a few other decent characters, too.
The plot is perfectly watchable, if predictable. Some of the songs are noteworthy also, especially "Ev'rybody Wants to Be a Cat". 'The Aristocats' is worth a watch.
And I'm Feline Good.
southdavid20 April 2021
Another one from the alphabetical run through Disney Plus, "The Aristocats" is one that I do have a little bit of history with, in the sense I'd seen it a few times before, but remembered almost nothing about the plot. I found that, despite aging references, this was a lot of fun.
Retired singer Madame Adelaide Bonfamille (Hermoine Baddeley) plans to leave her house and fortune to her cat Duchess (Eva Gabor) and her three kittens Berlioz (Dean Clark), Marie (Liz English) and Toulouse (Gary Dublin). This is very disappointing for her Butler, Edgar (Roddy Maude-Roxby) who had hoped to inherit the estate and indeed would, should something happen to the cats. Driven by greed, Edgar snatches the felines and releases them into the French countryside, confident that he's seen the last of them - but with the aid of streetwise alley cat O'Malley (Phil Harris) the family head back to the city.
Whilst I don't have the love in my heart that I have for other Disney productions, I did feel like there was plenty to enjoy about "The Aristocats". I liked the animation. There's a rough, sketchy hand drawn style to the film that made up for in dynamism what it lacked in polish. The vocal performances are good, with a lot of classic Disney voice actors being utilised. Phil Harris, obviously, and Eva Gabor, who would return for "The Rescuers". George Lindsey and Pat Buttram would reappear in various other films, as would Bill Thompson, whose career with Disney went back as far as "Pinocchio". Two people leaving though would be the Sherman brothers, as the film marks the last animated Disney feature they would work on for 30 years. They left on a positive note though, convincing Maurice Chevalier to come out of retirement to sing the title song, and the whole cast to perform on the Jazzy and memorable "Ev'rybody Wants to be a Cat".
Indeed, it's the Jazz references that age the film now, but that energy and ethos prop up a story that is perhaps a little undercooked and lacking in some more interesting beats. Compared to some of the other films in Disney's history, it's certainly not top of the tree, but as I'm finding these films are a mixed bag and so far, "The Aristocats" is one of the more watchable ones.
Retired singer Madame Adelaide Bonfamille (Hermoine Baddeley) plans to leave her house and fortune to her cat Duchess (Eva Gabor) and her three kittens Berlioz (Dean Clark), Marie (Liz English) and Toulouse (Gary Dublin). This is very disappointing for her Butler, Edgar (Roddy Maude-Roxby) who had hoped to inherit the estate and indeed would, should something happen to the cats. Driven by greed, Edgar snatches the felines and releases them into the French countryside, confident that he's seen the last of them - but with the aid of streetwise alley cat O'Malley (Phil Harris) the family head back to the city.
Whilst I don't have the love in my heart that I have for other Disney productions, I did feel like there was plenty to enjoy about "The Aristocats". I liked the animation. There's a rough, sketchy hand drawn style to the film that made up for in dynamism what it lacked in polish. The vocal performances are good, with a lot of classic Disney voice actors being utilised. Phil Harris, obviously, and Eva Gabor, who would return for "The Rescuers". George Lindsey and Pat Buttram would reappear in various other films, as would Bill Thompson, whose career with Disney went back as far as "Pinocchio". Two people leaving though would be the Sherman brothers, as the film marks the last animated Disney feature they would work on for 30 years. They left on a positive note though, convincing Maurice Chevalier to come out of retirement to sing the title song, and the whole cast to perform on the Jazzy and memorable "Ev'rybody Wants to be a Cat".
Indeed, it's the Jazz references that age the film now, but that energy and ethos prop up a story that is perhaps a little undercooked and lacking in some more interesting beats. Compared to some of the other films in Disney's history, it's certainly not top of the tree, but as I'm finding these films are a mixed bag and so far, "The Aristocats" is one of the more watchable ones.
One of Disney's better features
rapt0r_claw-122 July 2004
The Aristocats is one of my favorite animated movies, but the comparisons between this movie and past Disney classics are reasonable. The dog napping plot of One Hundred and One Dalmatians is adapted to fit the catnapping plot of The Aristocats. O'Malley and Duchess are reconstructions of Lady and the Tramp at heart. But, as long as the end result is just as enjoyable as the past movies, why complain? No matter how the success was achieved, as long as it was achieved.
The plot is simple. Madame Adelaide Bonfamille is an old millionaires spinster in Paris, 1910. The only other people in her lonely life are her cat, Duchess, and her kittens, Toulouse, Marie and Berlioz, as well as the faithful butler, Edgar. When Madame's lawyer, Georges, comes over to make Madame's will, Edgar overhears her plans. She wants to leave all her belongings to her cats, and at the end of their lifespan, the vast sums of money will go to Edgar. Quite unreasonably, Edgar is infuriated, and drugs and catnaps the kittens and dumps them in the French countryside, miles from home. There they find Thomas O'Malley, an alley cat who helps them back home, mainly because of Duchess.
The characterization of O'Malley certainly doesn't seem to have been a problem. Voiced by Phil Harris (Baloo from The Jungle Book), he also acts like the lovable bear and even looks just like you would imagine Baloo to look like, were he transmogrified into a cat. His bunch of jazz cats, led by Scat Cat, are some of the more effective Disney cameo-players. My favorite was the long-haired, blonde English Cat (besides Scat Cat, the rest have no names but clearly distinct nationalities). Roquefort the house-mouse and Frou-Frou the horse have brief roles, but shine in these glimpses. Edgar isn't really the real Disney villain in that he is not evil...he is simply impatient. He is not cruel from the start--his only sin is impatience. If he hadn't known about the will, he would've taken care of the cats as if nothing had happened. One sees his point in a way--what would those cats DO with the money? Madame could have given her estate to Edgar, and the butler would never have abandoned the cats had they not been privileged more than himself. So I like Edgar, in some ways.
The story is a mix of other Disney classics. Besides Fantasia--which had NO plot--this was Disney's first shot at writing an original story for an animated feature, and even so they had to take shortcuts. Here are the main plot elements repeated: 1) Villain-pet naps-animals-for-personal-gain from One Hundred and One Dalmatians. 2) Pampered-pet-learns-of-life-on-streets-through-streetwise-friend from Lady and the Tramp. It also borrows a little bit from Chuck Jones and Abe Levitow's Gay Purr-ee (1962). The plot is berated for being too shallow, but I don't see how it can be with so many elements of faultless classics. Again, as in the first paragraph: If the audience enjoys a story, it doesn't matter how the story developed.
The animation, so often blasted for being lazy and flawed, can never be seen the same way by everyone. It's solely a matter of opinion. The animation isn't bad, like television cartoons: it's a different style, radically different from, say, Sleeping Beauty. If that great fairy tale were portrayed by such animation, it would be the greatest failure in history; the same way, the sketchy, loose, carefree style of The Aristocats is perfect to tell that kind of story with those characters. Sleeping Beauty needed to be immaculate, as near to photography as could be; The Aristocats is the most cartoony of Disney animated features.
The Aristocats will always have an advantage over many films in my book. It was one of the few movies my dad saw in theater, so I was exposed to it more than several other movies. Besides that, it has always been one of Disney's more enjoyable features, more fun than most. It doesn't aim for the realism and drama of Bambi. It's just wholesome entertainment.
9/10
The plot is simple. Madame Adelaide Bonfamille is an old millionaires spinster in Paris, 1910. The only other people in her lonely life are her cat, Duchess, and her kittens, Toulouse, Marie and Berlioz, as well as the faithful butler, Edgar. When Madame's lawyer, Georges, comes over to make Madame's will, Edgar overhears her plans. She wants to leave all her belongings to her cats, and at the end of their lifespan, the vast sums of money will go to Edgar. Quite unreasonably, Edgar is infuriated, and drugs and catnaps the kittens and dumps them in the French countryside, miles from home. There they find Thomas O'Malley, an alley cat who helps them back home, mainly because of Duchess.
The characterization of O'Malley certainly doesn't seem to have been a problem. Voiced by Phil Harris (Baloo from The Jungle Book), he also acts like the lovable bear and even looks just like you would imagine Baloo to look like, were he transmogrified into a cat. His bunch of jazz cats, led by Scat Cat, are some of the more effective Disney cameo-players. My favorite was the long-haired, blonde English Cat (besides Scat Cat, the rest have no names but clearly distinct nationalities). Roquefort the house-mouse and Frou-Frou the horse have brief roles, but shine in these glimpses. Edgar isn't really the real Disney villain in that he is not evil...he is simply impatient. He is not cruel from the start--his only sin is impatience. If he hadn't known about the will, he would've taken care of the cats as if nothing had happened. One sees his point in a way--what would those cats DO with the money? Madame could have given her estate to Edgar, and the butler would never have abandoned the cats had they not been privileged more than himself. So I like Edgar, in some ways.
The story is a mix of other Disney classics. Besides Fantasia--which had NO plot--this was Disney's first shot at writing an original story for an animated feature, and even so they had to take shortcuts. Here are the main plot elements repeated: 1) Villain-pet naps-animals-for-personal-gain from One Hundred and One Dalmatians. 2) Pampered-pet-learns-of-life-on-streets-through-streetwise-friend from Lady and the Tramp. It also borrows a little bit from Chuck Jones and Abe Levitow's Gay Purr-ee (1962). The plot is berated for being too shallow, but I don't see how it can be with so many elements of faultless classics. Again, as in the first paragraph: If the audience enjoys a story, it doesn't matter how the story developed.
The animation, so often blasted for being lazy and flawed, can never be seen the same way by everyone. It's solely a matter of opinion. The animation isn't bad, like television cartoons: it's a different style, radically different from, say, Sleeping Beauty. If that great fairy tale were portrayed by such animation, it would be the greatest failure in history; the same way, the sketchy, loose, carefree style of The Aristocats is perfect to tell that kind of story with those characters. Sleeping Beauty needed to be immaculate, as near to photography as could be; The Aristocats is the most cartoony of Disney animated features.
The Aristocats will always have an advantage over many films in my book. It was one of the few movies my dad saw in theater, so I was exposed to it more than several other movies. Besides that, it has always been one of Disney's more enjoyable features, more fun than most. It doesn't aim for the realism and drama of Bambi. It's just wholesome entertainment.
9/10
Struggles to stand out amongst Disney's more accomplished classics
tomgillespie200227 May 2013
In 1910 Paris, a cat named Duchess (Eva Gabor) lives comfortably in a mansion with her three kittens, Marie (Liz English), Berlioz (Dean Clark) and Toulouse (Gary Dubin), and her wealthy owner Madame Bonfamille (Hermione Baddeley). Madame writes her will along with her eccentric lawyer, and decides to leave her vast wealth to her beloved cats. Her dedicated butler Edgar (Roddy Maude-Roxby) overhears this, and, outraged at being left out of the will, kidnaps the cats and leaves them stranded in the countryside. Frightened and alone, they come across a charming drifter cat named Thomas O'Malley (Phil Harris), who teaches the privileged cats about the joys of being a wanderer.
Apart from the obvious similarities to Disney's previous efforts, Lady and the Tramp (1955) and 101 Dalmatians (1961), there are two things about The Aristocats that troubled me. The first is the plot, that paints clumsy butler Edgar as the villain. Of course, dumping a family of cats in the countryside to die isn't the nicest thing to do, but after hearing the woman he's dedicated his life to leave her fortune to a bunch of f*****g cats, you can kind of sympathise with the poor guy. The other is the ending, that sees (spoiler ahead!) lovable tramp O'Malley welcomed into the aristocracy - shiny collar and all - because it seems the upper classes just won't have any individuality in their midst.
This was the final film Walt Disney greenlit before his death in 1966, and one that had five of Disney's so-called Nine Old Men on animating duties. It could be seen as one the final 'classic' animated films that Disney produced before they experienced a difficult decade or so, and it does retain that warm, familiar feeling that the likes of Beauty and the Beast (1991) and The Lion King (1994) lacked (although they are certainly considered amongst Disney's best achievements). The songs are wonderful, particularly the standout Everybody Wants To Be a Cat, headed by Scatman Crothers and featuring one of Disney's funniest casually- racist characters. Yet the similarities to other, better Disney classics damage the film, and apart from the beautiful, hand-drawn animation and top-tapping tunes, The Aristocats struggles to stand out.
www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com
Apart from the obvious similarities to Disney's previous efforts, Lady and the Tramp (1955) and 101 Dalmatians (1961), there are two things about The Aristocats that troubled me. The first is the plot, that paints clumsy butler Edgar as the villain. Of course, dumping a family of cats in the countryside to die isn't the nicest thing to do, but after hearing the woman he's dedicated his life to leave her fortune to a bunch of f*****g cats, you can kind of sympathise with the poor guy. The other is the ending, that sees (spoiler ahead!) lovable tramp O'Malley welcomed into the aristocracy - shiny collar and all - because it seems the upper classes just won't have any individuality in their midst.
This was the final film Walt Disney greenlit before his death in 1966, and one that had five of Disney's so-called Nine Old Men on animating duties. It could be seen as one the final 'classic' animated films that Disney produced before they experienced a difficult decade or so, and it does retain that warm, familiar feeling that the likes of Beauty and the Beast (1991) and The Lion King (1994) lacked (although they are certainly considered amongst Disney's best achievements). The songs are wonderful, particularly the standout Everybody Wants To Be a Cat, headed by Scatman Crothers and featuring one of Disney's funniest casually- racist characters. Yet the similarities to other, better Disney classics damage the film, and apart from the beautiful, hand-drawn animation and top-tapping tunes, The Aristocats struggles to stand out.
www.the-wrath-of-blog.blogspot.com
The main characters are lot like people - only they are cats...
Mightyzebra2 March 2008
There are a select few cartoon films where animals or something "not human" is portraying human beings and I think that this film is one of them. Apart from a few points of the plot and the characters - this film could be changed with all people rather than mainly animals. Although - it's good someone did not - I feel the cats are jolly good in this film portraying humans! :-)
This film also focuses on quite a lot of adult issues - which is rather odd for a Disney film. It mentions alcohol*, shows a dog teaching another dog how to attack "tresspassing" humans and it shows a male cat called (Abraham Delacy Gieuseppe Casi Thomas) O' Malley, fancying a female cat, in a surprisingly human and adult way.
As a cartoon film - or just a film in general, I feel this is pretty good quality - the storyline and characters are especially good. The film (in general) is set in France and you meet a family of cats - the mother Duchess and her kittens Marie, Toulouse and Berlioz. You also meet the kind (rich) old woman who adores the cats, the butler Edgar and an old man (who has CLEARLY lost his marbles) called George. The kind old woman discusses her will with George and Edgar overhears that what he receives from the will he will have after the cats have it. He is INCREDIBLY cross with this - and has an evil scheme in mind...
A very cute film for every age - enjoy "Aristocats"!
*Not including "Basil the Great Mouse Detective" and a few others maybe which I cannot think of at the moment.
This film also focuses on quite a lot of adult issues - which is rather odd for a Disney film. It mentions alcohol*, shows a dog teaching another dog how to attack "tresspassing" humans and it shows a male cat called (Abraham Delacy Gieuseppe Casi Thomas) O' Malley, fancying a female cat, in a surprisingly human and adult way.
As a cartoon film - or just a film in general, I feel this is pretty good quality - the storyline and characters are especially good. The film (in general) is set in France and you meet a family of cats - the mother Duchess and her kittens Marie, Toulouse and Berlioz. You also meet the kind (rich) old woman who adores the cats, the butler Edgar and an old man (who has CLEARLY lost his marbles) called George. The kind old woman discusses her will with George and Edgar overhears that what he receives from the will he will have after the cats have it. He is INCREDIBLY cross with this - and has an evil scheme in mind...
A very cute film for every age - enjoy "Aristocats"!
*Not including "Basil the Great Mouse Detective" and a few others maybe which I cannot think of at the moment.
The beginning of the fall
MissSimonetta17 May 2014
After Walt Disney's death from cancer in 1966, his studio had no clue what to do with itself. The unfortunate result of this confusion was the first film of the Disney Dark Age (1970-1988), The Aristocats (1970).
Outside of Maurice Chevalier's song over the opening credits and the psychedelic insanity of "Everybody Wants to be A Cat," this film is forgettable. The story feels like a retooled version of 101 Dalmatians (1961) with less interesting characters. And while Dalmatians possessed one of the greatest Disney villains of all time in Cruella, The Aristocats features what may be the worst Disney villain ever, Edgar the butler. The animation is poor, with every frame reeking of cheapness.
An unpopular opinion to be sure, but there it is. And it's coming from someone who enjoyed the film as a child, showing that not all childhood favorites hold up. Unlike the other Disney films, this one really does look down on its audience, pandering to the kids every single moment.
Outside of Maurice Chevalier's song over the opening credits and the psychedelic insanity of "Everybody Wants to be A Cat," this film is forgettable. The story feels like a retooled version of 101 Dalmatians (1961) with less interesting characters. And while Dalmatians possessed one of the greatest Disney villains of all time in Cruella, The Aristocats features what may be the worst Disney villain ever, Edgar the butler. The animation is poor, with every frame reeking of cheapness.
An unpopular opinion to be sure, but there it is. And it's coming from someone who enjoyed the film as a child, showing that not all childhood favorites hold up. Unlike the other Disney films, this one really does look down on its audience, pandering to the kids every single moment.
Soooo romantic!!!
ivona02121 October 2003
Since cats have nine lives, I'll give you nine reasons to see this movie:
* The kittens Berlioz and Toulouse playing the piano together (so unbelievably cute!) * The car-chasing dogs Napoleon and Lafayette * Toulouse jumping like electrified every time he wants to be like a tough alley cat * Marie sighing romantically while alley cat O'Malley seduces her mom * Scat Cat and his jazz band, singing "ev'rybody wants to be a cat" * Stupid but proper and nice English geese Amelia and Abigail who make the cats walk like geese * O'Malley obtaining the "magic carpet" which puts the Cheshire cat to shame * Roquefort the brave mouse's journey to ask help from alley cats * Edgar the butler chase scenes and transition from a nice guy to an insane cat hater due to cat riddance plan gone bad
* The kittens Berlioz and Toulouse playing the piano together (so unbelievably cute!) * The car-chasing dogs Napoleon and Lafayette * Toulouse jumping like electrified every time he wants to be like a tough alley cat * Marie sighing romantically while alley cat O'Malley seduces her mom * Scat Cat and his jazz band, singing "ev'rybody wants to be a cat" * Stupid but proper and nice English geese Amelia and Abigail who make the cats walk like geese * O'Malley obtaining the "magic carpet" which puts the Cheshire cat to shame * Roquefort the brave mouse's journey to ask help from alley cats * Edgar the butler chase scenes and transition from a nice guy to an insane cat hater due to cat riddance plan gone bad
The Paris Book
CuriosityKilledShawn28 September 2013
In 1920s France an eccentric Duchess plans to leave her estate to her privileged kitties (Cattingtons?). Her nefarious, Prince Charles-lookalike butler overhears her plans and schemes to have the cats disappeared. He drugs them, for some reason, and dumps them in the countryside. Surely a quick warm up in the oven would have been a more foolproof plan. And why even bother disposing of the cats? Surely getting rid of the Duchess should be his first priority. I mean she could potentially live for another 25 years.
Once out in the French countryside they meet up with jiving, self-confident stray Tom (that's an original name for an animated cat) who makes it his mission to take them back to Paris. He's basically a feline Baloo. He's even voiced by Phil Harris. Along the way they meet various characters and eventually confront the Butler who plotted against them.
If it sounds familiar that's because it's basically a rewritten version of Disney's Jungle Book. It even has King Louie type of cat. This isn't really a bad thing, but it lacks the necessary spark to make it a classic. The animation is colorful and the period French setting provides some lovely backgrounds. It's just not anything too special, sadly.
Once out in the French countryside they meet up with jiving, self-confident stray Tom (that's an original name for an animated cat) who makes it his mission to take them back to Paris. He's basically a feline Baloo. He's even voiced by Phil Harris. Along the way they meet various characters and eventually confront the Butler who plotted against them.
If it sounds familiar that's because it's basically a rewritten version of Disney's Jungle Book. It even has King Louie type of cat. This isn't really a bad thing, but it lacks the necessary spark to make it a classic. The animation is colorful and the period French setting provides some lovely backgrounds. It's just not anything too special, sadly.
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