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A Review Series on Disney's Animated Theatrical Releases
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43 - Treasure Planet (with Jackson Lanzing)
1:45:13
1:45:13
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1:45:13
A cosmic voyage of adventure and discovery awaits in this imaginative 2002 swashbuckler that takes Treasure Island well out of this world. Special guest Jackson Lanzing (writer, Star Trek: Year Five; Brandon Sanderson’s DARK ONE) climbs aboard with David and Kaela to talk about exquisite aesthetics, teenage angst, whether spinning into space counts…
The Hawaiian Islands are the backdrop for this oddball child-befriends-alien story that was a surprise success for Disney. Seid returns as our guest to discuss the Pudge Theory, watercolor wonders, animated crushes and the significant message of finding one’s own family.By Kaela King/David King/Jesse "Seid" Reyes
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Animusings
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41 - Atlantis: The Lost Empire (with Jordin Overton)
1:45:38
1:45:38
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1:45:38
Embark on a voyage of discovery with us in this 2001 action-adventure flick. David and Kaela conscript guest Jordin Overton to discuss how margaritas inspire, the deep lore of the S.E.A., when character development matters and the odd cast of memory over a falling balloon.By Kaela King/David King/Jordin Overton
The last Disney animated feature of the year 2000 is an off-beat slapstick comedy with an intriguing and troubled production history. Kaela and David have Allen Chaney with them again to discuss topics such as a great injustice to Sting, villains stealing the comedy limelight, and why it’s hard to talk about a gag-heavy cartoon in detail.…
We apologize in advance to anyone who enjoys this 2000 CG-animated feature, but David, Kaela and special guest Matt Holley are not particularly big fans. They keep things fairly short this time around as they discuss the pros of wordless storytelling, the cons of anthropomorphic lips, the virtues of helping the elderly and how Ayn Rand gets utilize…
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38 - Fantasia 2000 (with Abysmii and Papreeka)
1:56:17
1:56:17
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1:56:17
The concert feature returns for a new millennium, and past guests Abysmii and Papreeka join us for a discussion of this attempt at reviving the Fantasia concept. Topics include flying Doritos, how celebrity cameos can date a feature, evocations of Melody Time and Biblical stories with Disney characters. Special thanks to Ernie Hernandez, Aronzo Tra…
We’re back to the Hundred-Acre Wood in the year 2000 with this bouncy feature starring everyone’s favorite striped goofball. Lavecki is back to talk about Tigger’s starring role and how the story and characters compare to the previous Winne the Pooh film.By Kaela King/David King/Lavecki
The Lord of the Apes leaps center stage in this episode as David, Kaela and special guest Sandy Stoltz discuss this 1999 animated adventure. Topics include Phil Collins explaining it all, how many montages are too many montages, animated sex appeal and the most gruesome addition to the Plummet Counter.…
1998 was a year Disney attempted to bring honor to us all with this Chinese fable seen through a Western lens. David and Kaela get down to business with some help from their friend Jenny to discuss casting quandaries, the role and role-breaking of gender, silence speaking volumes and why a falcon is the greatest soldier in the Hun army.…
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35 - Hercules (with ClericofMadness)
2:03:16
2:03:16
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2:03:16
We attempt to go the distance in this 1997 feature that goes “beyond the myth” when it comes to Greek mythology, as David and Kaela draw special guest ClericofMadness from the Underworld to discuss it. Topics include a petty deal with Jeffery, a surprising connection to Pink Floyd, Hades getting a bad rep and the subtext of Megara’s backstory.…
Come one! Come all! See how Disney managed to convert Victor Hugo’s bleak and mature novel into this 1996 family feature with - believe it or not- a G-rating. Returning guests Alex and Heather are back to discuss depictions of Romani, the problem with goofy gargoyles, deep fireplace confessions and the best music Alan Menken has ever written.…
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Animusings+ - James and the Giant Peach
1:48:04
1:48:04
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1:48:04
Ben Spiegel is our guest once again to talk about this 1996 stop-motion marvel about a boy, some bugs, and a very big fruit. Discussion includes magical realism and defining it in the world, an introduction to Randy Newman, and rhinos being a metaphor for car accidents.By Kaela King/David King/Ben Spiegel
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33 - Pocahontas (with Seid and Raevell)
2:02:28
2:02:28
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2:02:28
By Kaela King/David King/Jesse "Seid" Reyes/Raevell Novell
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Animusings+ - A Goofy Movie (with Marelle Berry)
1:29:05
1:29:05
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1:29:05
By Kaela King/David King/Marelle Berry
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32 - The Lion King (with Kylie and Eli)
2:16:45
2:16:45
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2:16:45
By Kaela King/David King/Animal Fact Files/Cinema Nippon
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Animusings+ - The Nightmare Before Christmas (with Nick Barbera)
2:06:22
2:06:22
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2:06:22
By Kaela King/David King/Nick Barbera
We end 2019 in the scorching desert with a 1992 Arabian night, with David and Kaela having pitched camp with special guest Ben Paddon as they weave their way through this mystical and madcap feature. Discussion points include the impact of Robin Williams, the possible origin of the Cave of Wonders, a fair amount of comparisons to the 2019 live-acti…
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30 - Beauty and the Beast (with Beth Morton)
2:46:34
2:46:34
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2:46:34
A tale as old as time in more ways than one, this 1991 musical fairy tale is considered a masterpiece of Disney’s filmography for many; Kaela, David and guest Beth Morton included. Discussion points include Howard Ashman’s swan song, the timeline confusion of an enchanted castle, village yokels bullying an old man and, honestly, a lot of gushing.…
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29 - The Rescuers Down Under (with Brian Ward and Dr. Andrea Letamendi)
1:10:33
1:10:33
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1:10:33
Bernard and Bianca are back after over a decade in Disney’s first true sequel, released in 1990. Joining our discussion are Brian Ward and Dr. Andrea Letamendi (The Arkham Sessions; Lattes with Leia) as we muse about what is captivating in the first 10 minutes, the practicality of the R.A.S., when cartoon animals aren’t funny and Bernard’s characte…
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Animusings+ - DuckTales the Movie: Treasure of the Lost Lamp
1:11:27
1:11:27
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1:11:27
Life is like a hurricane here on Animusings+, especially when Kaela and David bring back Alex and Heather to talk DuckTales, a collective childhood favorite, and the 1990 movie the series inspired.By Kaela King/David King/Alex Hatzberger/Heather Donnelly
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28 - The Little Mermaid - Part 2 (with Angi Viper and Shawn Bean)
1:32:52
1:32:52
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1:32:52
In the longest episode to date - so long, in fact, we’re splitting it in two parts - Kaela and David ask their friends Angi Viper and Shawn Bean to be part of their world as they submerge deep into this 1989 underwater adventure. Discussion includes popular misconceptions about Ariel’s motives and voice, father-daughter relationships, fisticuffs ov…
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28 - The Little Mermaid - Part 1 (with Angi Viper and Shawn Bean)
1:38:46
1:38:46
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1:38:46
In the longest episode to date - so long, in fact, we’re splitting it in two parts - Kaela and David ask their friends Angi Viper and Shawn Bean to be part of their world as they submerge deep into this 1989 underwater adventure. Discussion includes popular misconceptions about Ariel’s motives and voice, father-daughter relationships, fisticuffs ov…
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27 - Oliver & Company (with Randy Guerra)
2:11:00
2:11:00
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2:11:00
“Once upon a time in New York City” is the setting for this 1988 film, loosely based off Charles Dickens’ Oilver Twist. Kaela, David and returning guest Randy Guerra talk about dog breed caricatures, love letters to Manhattan, the music that sticks with them, and what the heck the deal with Sykes is.…
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Animusings+ - Who Framed Roger Rabbit (with the Ornelas Brothers)
2:49:52
2:49:52
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2:49:52
Jeepers! At nearly three hours long, you know David, Kaela and special guests the Ornelas Brothers had a lot to say about this 1988 combination of live-action and animation and a technical achievement in more ways than one.Discussion points include cartoon civil rights, what makes a good Noir, bumping the lamp and how the plight of the Disney studi…
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26 - The Great Mouse Detective (with Allen Chaney)
1:38:41
1:38:41
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Joined by longtime friend Allen - himself related to horror legend Lon Chaney - we hit a very different London after midnight in this 1986 mystery/adventure on a mouse-sized scale. Discussions include risque club scenes, the exact relationship between Basil and Ratigan, the 60-year reign of a mouse queen and why Vincent Price was an incredible acto…
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25 - The Black Cauldron (with Nyx Fears)
1:34:25
1:34:25
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1:34:25
It’s our 2-year anniversary, and we’re about to enter the Disney Dark Ages with this disastrous 1985 fantasy that nearly ruined the animation studio. As such, the kid-gloves are off, and we’re going to be perfectly candid about this one, joined by special guest May Leitz (Nyx Fears) to talk editing woes, foggy conditions and why Henwen is the best …
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Animusings
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24 - The Fox and the Hound (with Abysmii)
1:39:36
1:39:36
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1:39:36
Abysmii is back to join the discussion of this significant 1981 feature, representing the reluctant passing of the reins from a previous generation of animators to the next. Points of discussion include Nature vs. Nurture, when and why a character should be killed off, how Tim Burton draws female foxes, and a cut scene involving Phil Harris and Cha…
Who will rescue special guest Papreeka (Raygun Readers) from having to discuss this mouse-driven mission from 1977? Or does she even need rescuing? Kaela and David are certainly happy to have her around as they talk about Bianca and Bernard’s developing relationship, the exact location of Devil’s Bayou, when the villain is a discount Cruella DeVill…
It’s a brazzle-dazzle day when Kaela, David and guest host Secoura stumble their way into this bizarre 1977 musical feature about a boy and his sometimes-animated, sometimes-invisble dragon. Discussion points include hillbilly jump scares, weird timing for breakout musical numbers, building a lighthouse vs. renting a lighthouse, and when chewing sc…
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22 - The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (with Lavecki)
1:25:10
1:25:10
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1:25:10
This treasured anthology from 1977 is a source of many fond memories for Kaela, David and special guest Lavecki, who now venture back to the Hundred-Acre Wood as adults to revisit the menagerie of animals inspired by A. A. Milne’s books for children. Topics include the return of the package film, the comedy Rule of Three, meta-humor and our hosts f…
Disney’s first proper anthropomorphic animal film gets the Animusings treatment as David, Kaela and guest Orion Moon enter Sherwood Forest and hobnob about this 1973 feature. Discussion includes the finale of the Phil Harris Trilogy, Ken Anderson versus Wolfgang Reitherman, Maid Marion’s confusing familial connections and lots and lots of recycled …
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Animusings+ - Bedknobs and Broomsticks (with Random Encounters)
1:43:13
1:43:13
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The debate stands: is this 1971 live action/animated fantasy adventure a spiritual successor to Mary Poppins, or is it just aping the formula hoping to produce similar results? Kaela and David aim to find out, and get a little help from guests AJ and Gwen of musical-parody channel Random Encounters. Topics of discussion in this episode include trip…
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Animusings
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20 - The Aristocats (with Ben Spiegel)
1:51:13
1:51:13
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Does everybody really want to be a cat? Kaela and David ask returning guest Ben Spiegel this and many other questions as they push through the cat door of this 1970 feline flick set in turn-of-the-century Paris. Topics include crazy cat ladies, cartoon chase sequences, anachronistic jazz, why Thomas O’Malley is a saint, and how to make Creme de la …
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19 - The Jungle Book (with Nothing New: A Remake Podcast)
2:25:33
2:25:33
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2:25:33
This month’s episode is a slow boat ride through the exotic jungles of this 1967 adaptation of Rudyard Kipling’s most well-known work. Kaela and David are joined by Andrew Linde and Justin Quizon of Nothing New: A Remake Podcast to discuss Walt’s final years, out-of-place species, which Beatle is their favorite and, oddly enough, the importance of …
David and Kaela think that this 1964 film, with its combination of live-action and animation, is practically perfect in every way. But what went into the production and eventual success formula for Mary Poppins beyond what’s been retold in Saving Mr. Banks? And is the title character, in fact, a Time Lord?…
Things get a little weird - and you’l hear that word thrown around more than once by Kaela and David on this episode, as they take in this 1963 feature and discuss Wart’s ever-changing voice, reused animation, consent in squirrel courtship and one of the best wizard duels ever animated.By Kaela Berry/David King
Recorded while on vacation at Walt Disney World, Kaela and David take some time out of their theme park adventures to discuss this 1961 feature that may have saved the studio from bankruptcy, further proving that Disney had a good track record for dog movies.By Kaela Berry/David King
Kaela and David discuss the troubled production of this 1959 feature that would go on to become a Disney classic for many, as well as introducing one of Disney’s most well-loved villains.By Kaela Berry/David King
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15 - Lady and the Tramp (with Gracey)
1:34:21
1:34:21
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1:34:21
It's a beautiful night, or it is somewhere in the world, as Kaela and David (and Gracey) talk about this 1955 dog-centric feature, with topics such as backgrounds as paintings, spaghetti dinners, and what Kaela considers the ideal cinematic depiction of a good date.By Kaela Berry/David King/Gracey King
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14 - Peter Pan (with Alex Hatzberger & Heather Donnelly)
1:56:42
1:56:42
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1:56:42
With faith, trust, and a little pixie dust, Kaela and David head to Never Land in this 1953 take on a literal fairy tale. Along the way, they're joined by friends Alex Hatzberger and Heather Donnelly to discuss women being cruel to each other, perfect pirate couples, crocodiles acting like dogs and very racist caricatures.…
Kaela and David discuss a shared favorite in this madcap 1951 feature, with subjects including stories-within-stories, trickster entities, Ed Wynn impressions and stacked decks.By Kaela Berry/David King
With the package films now behind them, David and Kaela are eager to talk about this 1950 classic that brought a return to the classic fairy tale, as well as made bank for the studio in record-breaking ways.By Kaela Berry/David King
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11 - The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (with Nick Barbera)
1:32:53
1:32:53
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1:32:53
Kaela and David are merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily on their way out of the package films, and this time Nick Barbera (The Haunted Mansion Show) is along for this wild ride.By Kaela Berry/David King/Nick Barbera
Kaela and David observe this 1948 collection of musically-themed animated shorts, and can't help but look back on the previous four package films to see how this one holds up in comparison.By Kaela Berry/David King
Kaela and David hope the title of this 1947 package film is not misleading as they talk about the return of Jiminy Cricket, bear courtship, ventriloquism and the further adventures of Mickey, Donald and Goofy.By Kaela Berry/David King
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Animusings+ - Song of the South (with Randy Guerra)
1:01:02
1:01:02
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1:01:02
Everybody's got a laughin' place, and we hope yours is with us as David, Kaela and special guest Randy Guerra discuss this 1946 combination of live action and feature animation, and the mixed opinions and criticisms the film has received over the years.By Kaela Berry/David King/Randy Guerra
Three down, three to go. Kaela and David are halfway through the Package Films with this 1946 musical romp, not unlike Fantasia with its emphasis on pieces motivated by song, but with varied styles and genres.By Kaela Berry/David King
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Animusings
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07 - The Three Caballeros (with Jesse Reyes)
1:21:33
1:21:33
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1:21:33
They're brave and they say so. They're bright as a peso. Who says so? They say so: Kaela, David and special guest Seid (The Witching Hour, Darkly Lit) who take a look at this upbeat 1944 package film featuring Donald's birthday, an annoying bird, the return of José and the introduction of Panchito Pistoles, bringing the namesake trio together.…
Kaela and David are in for some interesting history lessons with this grim 1943 film, which hoped to inspire confidence and support for a stronger American air force during World War II.By Kaela Berry/David King
This month, Kaela and David view and discuss the first of several "package films" produced in the 1940s, containing several animated shorts, footage from a trip to South America, and the introduction of José CariocaBy Kaela Berry/David King
