Disney's Disney100 Re-Releases Miss the Mark, Ignore Classics

As part of the Disney100 celebration, Disney has announced that eight films will be re-released into theaters throughout the rest of the year.

The lineup features both Disney and Pixar movies, including Beauty and the Beast (1991), The Lion King (1994), Toy Story (1995), Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl (2003), The Incredibles (2004),  Frozen (2013), Moana (2016), and Coco (2017). Considering the oldest film on the list only dates back to 1991, fans are rightly upset about the announcement.

As part of the Disney100 celebration, the eight featured films seem incredibly recent, and none of them are a movie that Walt himself ever worked on. “Disney100 a salute to 100 years of wonder but mostly the last 30,” jokes @MarioGraciotti. However, as @JLHomni points out, “Beyond the inclusion of acquired IPs to the exclusion of 68 years of history, where this really misses the mark is in asking WHY put these films back in the theaters when everyone alive remembers the experience the first time around?”

Most Disney fans alive today have seen most, if not all, of the eight listed films in theaters upon their original release considering 1991 was only 32 years ago. The original Disney animated films like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Fantasia (1940), Cinderella (1950), and Sleeping Beauty (1959) are not only arguably the most important Disney films, but also perfectly encapsulate what the Disney100 event is about.

Snow White was the first full-length animated feature film, giving The Walt Disney Company its start almost 100 years ago and revolutionizing the world of cinema and animation. Sleeping Beauty had a similar effect with the creation of the multiplane camera, and Cinderella started the marketing tactic of releasing branded merchandise to create more revenue for a film.

“Let’s celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary by ignoring the first 70 years,” states @grmartin, and it echoes similar complaints across social media. While it could be argued that the list is a variety of movies that the studio thinks would pull the most people in, it just feels like a slap in the face to the entirety of Disney history given that it’s to celebrate the company’s 100 years as a leader and revolutionary in the film industry.

The concept is fantastic, as fans have shown overwhelming support to the idea of theatrical re-releases for decades, it just seems like such a narrow focus of films to be included. Although the films chosen are arguably some of the company’s biggest properties, Disney had a magical opportunity and chose not to run with it. While fans are sure to flock to the cinemas to see some of their favorite childhood movies, experiencing some of the actual classic Disney films could have given audiences a truly memorable experience.

What do you think about the lineup? Let us know in the comments below!