There is a child in each of us who appears in a special way in Mikołajki. And we have a gift for you! Here is a compilation of animations that you must have watched years ago, and which were not created by Disney Studio. Ready for a nostalgic journey?
Most of us grew up on fairy tales from the creators of Mickey Mouse. It cannot be denied that Disney is the undisputed king of animation. It seems to me that the iconic Lion King, Beauty and the Beast or Pocahontas are titles that are well known to a large part of fantasy fans. It turns out that many of the animations we watch, and we often count them among the favorites, did not come from the label. Below we present you a list of films that, in our opinion, can boldly match Walt Disney’s animations.
The Magic Sword – dir. Frederik Du Chau (1998)
Warner Bros. created a story about the beautiful Kayley (daughter of one of the Knights of the Round Table) who sets out to find Excalibur, stolen from King Arthur. She is accompanied by a blind squire and a two-headed dragon. The animation is full of beautiful songs and touching stories.
Prince of Egypt – dir. Jeffrey Katzenberg (2000)
The director used the biblical story known to everyone, but showed it from a different perspective, giving it an unusual atmosphere. He made them amused, moved and thought-provoking, both for the small audience and the older ones. The Prince of Egypt is a thrilling, fairy-tale adventure worth your time.
Anastasia – dir. Don Bluth, Gary Goldman (1994)
This heroine is probably most often thrown into a common bag with the Disney princesses. I personally saw a book which said that Anastasia was created by the aforementioned label. Well no. This is a 20th Century Fox fairy tale about the fate of the Russian princess Anastasia. The girl, who does not remember her past, decides to discover the truth about her origin. The only clue it has is a pendant engraved with the words “Together in Paris”.
All Dogs Go to Heaven – dir. Don Bluth (1989)
Sneaky Dog Charlie steals his clock and returns to earth to take revenge on his former accomplice for whom he lost his life. He only went to heaven because all dogs go there after death. Charlie realizes he is in danger of going to Hell for what he has done. Undoubtedly, this is a production that will catch the heart of the toughest man. The film by Goldcrest Films International, 7 years after its premiere, has been continued and has a 40-episode animated series.
The Road to El Dorado – dir. Bibo Bergeron / Will Finn / Don Paul / David Silverman / Jeffrey Katzenberg (2000)
“New world, now is the time for you to finally welcome us”! The animation tells the story of two cheaters who dishonestly win the map leading to the legendary city of El Dorado, full of gold. Daredevils without hesitation decide to find them in order to be able to get rich. In the film you can hear many beautiful songs performed, among others, by Elthon John.
“What’s that? Sysunia! I can’t, heaven in my mouth! Mmm … Yummy … Normal delicacy … ”
Is there anyone who has not heard this iconic sentence uttered by Cezary Pazura?
This quote, of course, is from Ice Age , an animation produced by 20th Century Fox. The fairy tale tells about the adventures of a mammoth, a tiger and a sloth who, during the great migration of animals, want to give a human child to his tribe. The fairy tale has 5 parts, but for me the best one is the first.
How to Train Your Dragon – dir. Dean Deblois (2000)
Producers of such cult titles as Shrek or Madagascar present a film set in the world of Vikings and dragons. The main character of the story is Hiccup, who wants to be like his father – the village chief. As part of the initiation, the boy manages to hunt the most dangerous dragon – Black Fury. Hiccup decides to spare the dragon’s life, and from then on a beautiful friendship begins between the animal and the human. The film is based on a novel by Cressida Crowell. The animation has 3 parts.
![How to Train Your Dragon Official Trailer [HD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GfBHLVtbG6U/hqdefault.jpg)
Hotel Transylvania – dir. Genndy Tartakovsky (2012)
Not everyone has the opportunity to celebrate their 118th birthday. So lucky is Mavis, the daughter of Dracula and the owner of the Transylvania Hotel. To celebrate the birth of his only child, the vampire invites the most famous monsters from around the world. The party begins when an ordinary mortal appears in the vampire’s house. Will this situation threaten the hotel and the monsters inside it? Columbia Pictures made sure that such creatures as, among others, Frankenstein’s monster, Mummy or Werewolf.
A movie about bees – dir. Steve Hickner / Simon J. Smith (2007)
Barry Benson is a recent bee college graduate. The drone has to decide which position he would like to work in in the honey business. He is disappointed with the vision of his future because this little bee would like to achieve something more. Therefore, taking the opportunity, she decides to get to know the world beyond the hive. Will man turn out to be a real enemy for the bee?
![Bee Movie - Official Trailer 2007 [HD]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/VONRQMx78YI/hqdefault.jpg)
The Swan Princess – dir. Richard Rich (1994)
I have a vague memory that when I was a child I thought that absolutely all cartoons were eared mouse productions and only after many years I discovered that my favorite animations did not have the Disney logo on the covers. The Swan Princess is one of the first fairy tales I remember from my childhood, which I played on VHS until it was destroyed. The film is a free adaptation of Tchaikovsky’s ballet Swan Lake and tells the story of Princess Odette, who turns into a swan every night as a result of a curse on her. The animation has a very pleasant, fairy-tale atmosphere and it seems to me that it is because of it that many people brought up on this fairy tale want to return to it also at a more mature age and still have a lot of fondness for it.
Space Match and Looney Tunes Back in Action – dir. Joe Pytka (1996)
How many feature-length films are there with Looney Tunes? Not much, and the picture about the clash of the Amino team with monsters from outer space was the first in which Bugs and company played the lead role. But how does that have to do with the animation when Michael Jordan also shows up? Well, big, because also fans of fictional films can accuse us that this film is more animated. Fact, part of the action takes place in a crazy ACME land where Jordan is just a guest. But that’s not the point … The basketball duel became a cinematic phenomenon in the mid-90s and won the hearts of many young and old viewers. The placement of American basketball and the character of extraordinary heroes meant that the fame of Looney Tunes began to match the Disney characters, and solo series of amines began to appear in its wave.
Almost a decade later, another movie about crazy animated heroes appeared on the screens. This time the spy plot became the leitmotif. One point, however, was better presented: each character represented himself. Bugs played a dodger, a lucky guy, but also a faithful friend; Daffy self-centered with momentary empathy, the Martian Marvin was eager to destroy the Earth, Yosamite Sam ran a casino in the former Wild West, and Elmer was just hunting a rabbit.
Cinema is not only alive with Disney, as evidenced by many beautiful, unfortunately often forgotten animations. When the headache begins with the surfeit of beautiful princesses, it is worth reaching for a more artistic and subdued work, which will certainly be provided by the little-known studio Cartoon Saloon. One of the first animations of a small studio, which won international fame and the hearts of many viewers, will undoubtedly remain The Secret of the Book of Kells. The creators take us on a magical journey to the very heart of Ireland invaded by Vikings, but at the same time protected by powerful, magical powers. Brendan, a young monk who is tasked with completing the creation of the title book, gets acquainted with the latter. However, his life suddenly changes course when he meets Aisling – a mysterious creature from Celtic folklore, living in a nearby forest.
The secret of the book of Kells positively stands out from many animations with its extraordinary performance. The first thing that catches the eye is the fabulous graphic design, referring to the culture and art of Ireland, which gives the work a magical atmosphere. It’s really hard to tear your eyes away from the amazing collages, saturated colors and dream-like images that envelop the work in its dreamlike veil. However, this does not mean that the animation itself makes you sleepy. The skilful plot and unexpected twists keep the viewer in constant tension, even despite the enchanted atmosphere. Thus, The Secret of the Book of Kells is not so much a contemplation of mythology and history as an entertaining piece ideal for the whole family.
If your (non) Disney favorite does not appear among the titles I have suggested, be sure to share it in the commentary!