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Disney's first-ever feature-length animated motion picture, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," was a big gamble that helped cinema evolve as a medium. It proved that animation could be more than just short, slapstick fluff that played before the main attraction. On top of that, the film's animators used then-new technologies such as larger cels and multiplane cameras to create fine details and ethereal watercolor backgrounds, breaking new ground along the way. Be that as it may, it's the studio's second animated feature, 1940's "Pinocchio," that remains its most well-reviewed movie.

"Pinocchio" is, of course, based on Carlo Collodi's 1883 novel "The Adventures of Pinocchio," which originated as a children's magazine serial. Its story centers on the titular character (Dick Jones), a wooden puppet who is magically brought to life yet still longs to be a flesh-and-blood boy. However, he soon discovers that human life isn't easy; dangers lurk around every corner,...

Most Disney villains are afflicted by some kind of comeuppance at the end of the story, yet a rare few mysteriously escape all punishment. I grew up watching a lot of Disney movies, and the standard formula is that the universe will conspire to strike down a villain if the heroes are too pure to kill them. In softer circumstances, they will go to prison for their crimes. The best Disney villains are remembered for their dramatic, unapologetic villainy, which would make it almost satisfying to see them go free.

However, these fan-favorite Disney villains also tend to be the ones killed in a dramatic final battle, while more understated characters get away with it. The most evil Disney villain plans are essential parts of their stories, but the implication is that people will be punished for truly evil acts. The best endings of Disney and Pixar movies understand what...

Disney's animated movies have a rich history dating back to 1937, with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs being their first fully animated film. Disney's films cover a wide range of genres and storytelling styles, from musical masterpieces like Fantasia to heartwarming tales like Bambi. Many of Disney's classic animated films are available to watch on platforms like Disney+, YouTube, Google Play, Apple TV, Vudu, and Amazon Prime Video.

Watching Disney's animated movies in order reveals the studio's incredible track of animated features. Established in 1923, The Walt Disney Studios has produced a huge library of films that have become an established part of many people's lives. Their animated movies can serve as a comfort, with their memorable storylines and lovable characters.

From musical masterpieces to sweet animal stories to brave princess tales and everything in between, Disney has some of the most iconic stories ever told in animation form. This includes...

Given how revered Disney's "Pinocchio" is today, it's hard to believe it was a flop when it was first released exactly three quarters of a century ago. Upon its New York City premiere, on February 7, 1940, critics hailed the film as a masterpiece, and even to this day, many prefer it to Disney's pioneering first animated feature, 1937's "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." Yet it took the film many years and multiple re-releases to make a profit.

Today, of course, the legacy of "Pinocchio" is inescapable. Everyone's image of the puppet-boy with the nose that grows when he lies comes not from Carlo Collodi's original novel but from the kid with the Tyrolean hat and the Mickey Mouse gloves, as drawn by Disney animators. And the opening tune, Jiminy Cricket's "When You Wish Upon a Star," is ubiquitous as the theme music played before every Walt Disney movie and home video release.

Hattie McDaniel as Mammy in ‘Gone with the Wind’: TCM schedule on August 20, 2013 (photo: Vivien Leigh and Hattie McDaniel in ‘Gone with the Wind’) See previous post: “Hattie McDaniel: Oscar Winner Makes History.” 3:00 Am Thank Your Lucky Stars (1943). Director: David Butler. Cast: Joan Leslie, Dennis Morgan, Eddie Cantor, Humphrey Bogart, Bette Davis, Olivia de Havilland, Errol Flynn, John Garfield, Ida Lupino, Ann Sheridan, Dinah Shore, Alexis Smith, Jack Carson, Alan Hale, George Tobias, Edward Everett Horton, S.Z. Sakall, Hattie McDaniel, Ruth Donnelly, Don Wilson, Spike Jones, Henry Armetta, Leah Baird, Willie Best, Monte Blue, James Burke, David Butler, Stanley Clements, William Desmond, Ralph Dunn, Frank Faylen, James Flavin, Creighton Hale, Sam Harris, Paul Harvey, Mark Hellinger, Brandon Hurst, Charles Irwin, Noble Johnson, Mike Mazurki, Fred Kelsey, Frank Mayo, Joyce Reynolds, Mary Treen, Doodles Weaver. Bw-127 mins. 5:15 Am Janie (1944). Director: Michael Curtiz. Cast: Joyce Reynolds, Robert Hutton,...