Top 5 Non-Animated Disney Movies
Walt Disney was on to something when he drew his first sketch of Mickey Mouse. I'm sure he never would have imagined that his small company would become a multi-billion-dollar industry. As an illustrator, he probably also never realized the extent to which his company would expand into the non-animated genre. Here are the top 5 non-animated Disney movies ever made—all of which are ones that Walt Disney himself would be proud of!
- Pirates of the Caribbean. The first Pirates movie was such a hit that Disney has followed it up with three more. An additional two are planned, but whether Johnny Depp will reprise his role as the charmingly rebellious pirate, Captain Jack Sparrow, still remains to be seen. Some of the highlights of this film are its inspiring soundtrack, magnificent special effects, and of course the all-around quality of the acting and storyline. The 2nd and 3rd pirates movies didn't draw in quite as much revenue as hoped for, but the 4th movie, which featured Captain Jack with almost a completely new set of costars, was an enormous hit.
- Chronicles of Narnia. Based on the popular books by C.S. Lewis, this movie, along with its sequels, was a huge money-maker for Disney. Unlike most of their movies, Narnia has many deep religious undertones and themes to it. Unfortunately, most audiences haven't realized this hidden value because they are too distracted by the absolutely amazing special effects and digitization used in the film. They are so lost in the beauty of Aslan's graphic interface that they don't recognize the symbolism behind his character. Disney did an amazing job making this movie both meaningful and entertaining for younger children.
- Mary Poppins. Despite its lack of special effects, Mary Poppins will remain a classic in the Disney movie realm until the world ends or the company ceases to exist. The song and dance numbers from this movie are iconic in not only American society, but the world over. Julie Andrews lends her stunning range of vocals to this heart-warming story that teaches about having good family values and living a happy life despite your circumstances.
- National Treasure. Until National Treasure, no one saw Nicholas Cage as an adventure-seeking sleuth. As a fresher, more light-hearted version of Indiana Jones, National Treasure uses real U.S. history, combined with a bit of the romantics, to tell the story of an ancient American society that hid the treasures of the world. It's amazing how much truth you can learn about American history from this movie!
- Newsies. Newsies is an inspiring tale of newspaper boys in the early 20th century. The songs and themes of this movie make it energetic and entertaining. Christian Bale made his singing debut as the care-free but sensitive “Cowboy” among newsies. While the set and effects in this movie were decidedly low-budget for a Disney production, it didn't take away from the good feeling of the overall message and theme. Walt Disney himself worked as a paperboy when he was young, adding extra significance to this film.
Tiffani Azani is a freelance writer for MyCollegesandCareers.com. My Colleges and Careers helps prepare students for top careers by helping them enroll in a program that will help them gain the knowledge they need.
