With the release of Pete's Dragon, Disney's impressive streak of live-action films continues apace and is now beginning to come full circle.
Looking back over Walt Disney Pictures' incredible filmography, it really is daunting to try and choose ten of the best - particularly because many people have such an undeniable emotional link to a film. So, we've tried to be as dispassionate about this as possible.
We've boiled it down to ten live-action films from Walt Disney Pictures, released from 1964 up to the present day.
Take a look!
10. THE PARENT TRAP (1998)
Although you might associate Lindsay Lohan with some other points, it's clear that in 1998, she was on the rise and The Parent Trap, her first feature film, was a star-making role. A remake of the 1961 film of the same name, Lindsay Lohan's innocent charm worked wonders on a film that would otherwise be a tired, formulaic remake. Couple that with Dennis Quaid and Natasha Richardson and you've got one of the best family films of the '90s.
9. THE ROCKETEER (1991)
Although The Rocketeer wasn't a huge success initially, it's become something of a cult hit - thanks in part to its unironic, straight-up adventure and a swashbuckling score by James Horner. Adapted from a comic-book which, in turn, was an homage to '40s serials, The Rocketeer's boundless charisma sprung from director Joe Johnston's understanding that it had to be done with a straight face and no winking at the audience. With a fantastic cast, including a rare villainous turn by Timothy Dalton as a Hollywood star who doubled as a Nazi sleeper agent, The Rocketeer was a straight-up adventure.
8. FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR (1986)
For all the talk of '80s sci-fi, Flight of the Navigator is sometimes unfairly overlooked. It had just the same charm, appeal and innocence as E.T. or The Last Starfighter or even Short Circuit - as well as a cracking score by Alan Silvestri, who'd later go on to do Back To The Future. A young child is mysteriously whisked away by an intelligent spaceship that's implanted star charts and technical manuals to the ship inside his brain. Having experienced time dilation, the child has been missing for eight years and his parents, thinking he's disappeared, had given up hope of finding him. The perfect blend of adventure, sci-fi, family drama and warmth, Flight of the Navigator's gone on to be come a sci-fi classic.
7. THE MIGHTY DUCKS (1992)
Who didn't watch The Mighty Ducks in 1992 and immediately go out and try to replicate ice-skating with rollerskates? In fact, the film was so popular - as was its sequel, D2: The Mighty Ducks - that it spurred an interest in ice hockey in Ireland and the UK. Emilio Estevez was perfect as the likeably gruff Gordon Bombay, who is assigned to coach a group of rag-tag hockey players. In doing so, he learns about humility while teaching the kids to take pride in themselves. Sure, it's a bit schmaltzy in places and it's more than a little cheesy, but dammit - we all wanted to be Ducks after watching this.
6. HONEY, I SHRUNK THE KIDS (1989)
Inspired by '50s B-movies, Honey, I Shrunk The Kids was an unexpected hit for Walt Disney Pictures and became the highest-grossing live-action film in their stable for over five years. Rick Moranis, in one of his most well-known roles, was perfectly cast as the slightly eccentric inventor / family man who's perfected a shrinking ray that inadvertently is used on both his and the neighbour's kids. The debut film of Joe Johnston, who had previously worked in special effects and artistry for the likes of Steven Spielberg and George Lucas, Honey I Shrunk The Kids is a classic.
5. THE JUNGLE BOOK (2016)
It's hard to think how The Jungle Book - an animated classic - could have possibly worked in a live-action setting. After all, it's one of the cornerstones of Disney's animated history and trying to turn it into a live-action film seemed unlikely. Yet, it worked and worked so well that it both honoured the original and broke new ground on its own. Jon Favreau astutely realised that it was less about making a live-action version of than it was about transporting audiences into that world. Sure, he could have gone off into the Borneo jungle - but why do that when he can construct a dreamlike environment that's fit for purpose? As much a technical achievement as it was in storytelling, The Jungle Book able met the high watermark set by the original.
4. HOCUS POCUS (1993)
Much like The Santa Clause, Hocus Pocus is inextricably linked to the Hallowe'en season. It's a staple and, more than anything, it shows just how much longevity a film can have when it's done right. Bette Midler steals the show as Winnie Sanderson whilst a young Thora Birch lit up the screen as Dani. The story, as well, was quite dark for a Walt Disney film. A trio of witches are resurrected and plan to continue their evil scheme of sucking the souls of the children of Salem, Massachusetts. Directed by Kenny Ortega, Hocus Pocus didn't exactly set the box-office on fire, but did hugely well in the home market and became a cult hit.
3. HOMEWARD BOUND (1993)
Borrowing ever so slightly from Look Who's Talking and another Disney classic, Old Yeller, Homeward Bound saw a trio of animals - a cat and two dogs, to be exact - are separated from their family and go on an epic journey to return home. It's hard not to watch Homeward Bound and become emotional, especially at the ending. SHADOW JUST WANTED TO GO HOME, THAT'S ALL HE WANTED.
2. PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL (2003)
With Pirates of the Caribbean, Johnny Depp created a character for the ages - Jack Sparrow. Looking back on the film, it's clear that Depp wasn't so much enveloping as he was eclipsing the entire cast with his performance. That said, Geoffrey Rush's Barbossa did put up a fight against Depp's performance as to do did Bill Nighy in later films. Gore Verbinski's pitch-perfect direction drank in the stunning visuals and Hans Zimmer's soaring score made it all the more potent. What's funny, though, is that many critics and insiders believed it would be a flop. Just a few years before its release, Cutthroat Island effectively shelved the entire pirate genre and went down in history as the biggest box-office bomb in history. Pirates of the Carribean, of course, sailed to a $654 million box-office and spawned a franchise that's set to continue next year with Dead Men Tell No Tales.
1. MARY POPPINS (1964)
It's hard to understate just how much of a cultural impact Mary Poppins had. It won a total of five Oscars - including Best Actress for Julie Andrews in the title role - and became one of the most popular musicals of all time. With a mix of animation, much like the original Pete's Dragon, Mary Poppins became an international sensation on its release in 1964 and has been re-released in cinemas numerous times since then. Julie Andrews' performance as Poppins has become one for the ages and the Sherman Brothers' score has, likewise, gone down in history. Here's hoping Mary Poppins Returns, the sequel slated for a 2018 release, lives up to the original's expectation.
