Summary

• The Disney Renaissance films are defined by critical acclaim, original music, and beautiful hand-drawn animation styles.
• Tarzan stands out in the Renaissance era for blending 2-D animation with 3-D backgrounds and its powerful soundtrack by Phil Collins.
• While some Disney Renaissance films face criticism for dated themes, all are praised for their impact on animation and storytelling.

The Disney Renaissance is widely accepted as the period between 1989 and 1999 when the studio made some of its greatest animated movies, but there is a ranking of which films are the best. Since the studio's creation by Walt Disney in 1923, the company has taken off and is now synonymous with modern animated movies across the world. Much of this is thanks to the Disney Renaissance and how much it revitalized the animation sector of the studio after several flops, including The Black Cauldron during the Disney Dark Age, 1970 - 19808.

The Disney Renaissance is defined by great critical acclaim, strong original music, and the beautiful hand-drawn animation that defined the Disney style for many years.

While the studio has put out plenty of great Disney animated movies in the 21st century, they are too different from the films of the Disney Renaissance to compare them. The Disney Renaissance is defined by great critical acclaim, strong original music, and the beautiful hand-drawn animation that defined the Disney style for many years. However, that isn't to say some issues and drawbacks become apparent when revisiting some of these iconic movies, while others have successfully stood the test of time.

10 Tarzan (1999)

Directed by Chris Buck & Kevin Lima

Tarzan is an interesting addition to the Disney Renaissance, as it's the last film to be officially aligned with the period, and the modernization is obvious because of the blending of 2-D animation and the computer-animated 3-D backgrounds. This difference in styles creates an unexpected but effective juxtaposition between the foreground and background of every shot. Besides this pioneering work, Tarzan is also significant for its fantastic original soundtrack, composed by Phil Collins. The film is loosely based on Tarzan of the Apes, a story by Edgar Rice Burroughs.

Collins won the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "You'll Be In My Heart" at the Oscars and the Golden Globes. There are some thematic elements throughout the story that are dated, like the development of Jane and Tarzan's love story, as well as the unacknowledged colonialist overtones that are inherent to the narrative. Despite this, Tarzan’s development as a character is heartwarming, if unrealistic in the way only a children’s film can be. However, the innovative stylization and strong soundtrack make Tarzan worth ing.

9 The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (1996)

Directed by Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise

Based on the 1831 novel by Victor Hugo, The Hunchback of Notre Dame retains many of the Gothic and dark elements from the source material. For this reason, it's one of the most frequently forgotten about among the Disney Renaissance films. The tale is sweeping and intense, with some of the musical interludes seeming as though they would feel more at home in an opera than in a Disney movie. However, a project as ambitious as The Hunchback of Notre Dame must be respected, if only for the stellar actors who lent their voice to the film.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame pushed boundaries and didn't shy away from telling a serious, complex narrative, believing that young children were capable of grasping the nuance of the film. While there were audience that felt some scenes were too scary or mature for kids, The Hunchback of Notre Dame is notable for being a Disney movie that broke away from the fairytale formula. It might not be the best movie of the period, but it is certainly the most experimental and intriguing.

8 Pocahontas (1995)

Directed by Eric Goldberg & Mike Gabriel

Unfortunately, the characterization of the relationship between Pocahontas and John Smith is grossly misrepresented from the real story and was responsible for teaching a generation of children a story of misinformation.

It's too bad that Disney's Pocahontas does such a disservice to the story of the real-life woman it's based on and whitewashed the story as much as it did, as it has some of the best music from any Disney movie. The visuals are also stunning, with a clear dedication and attention paid to the natural world and expressing how vital themes of nature are to the narrative. Unfortunately, the characterization of the relationship between Pocahontas and John Smith is grossly misrepresented from the real story and was responsible for teaching a generation of children a story of misinformation.

Outside of the political and social issues of the film, the narrative lacks conflict and momentum. Despite this, it's widely redeemed by stunning animated sequences. At the time of its release, the film had great box-office success, and its attempts to touch upon issues of colonization were sympathetic to certain viewers, as it opened the door for films to represent these topics better in the future. Overall, it's best ed for its visual aesthetic and well-composed songs rather than its narrative strength.

7 The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

Directed by Hendel Butoy & Mike Gabriel

The follow-up to the 1977 film, The Rescuers, The Rescuers Down Under took many years to make and is a departure from the typical fair of the Disney Renaissance. However, the movie was well worth the wait, as an exciting adventure that took the beloved characters to Australia, where they had to save a young boy and an endangered golden eagle. Despite the initial success of The Rescuers in the '70s, The Rescuers Down Under was a box-office bomb.

This commercial failure was because the film had the bad luck to premiere on the same day as Home Alone, which has come to be known as one of the most beloved Christmas movies of all time. However, for those who have seen The Rescuers Down Under, the action and flying sequences are enough to capture anyone's attention, and while the plot isn't the most original, it still expands upon the existing material from the original. The Rescuers Down Under is a rare Disney animated feature that uses no in-world songs, but with its towering tale, it doesn't need them.

Watch The Rescuers Down Under on Disney+.

6 Hercules (1997)

Directed by Ron Clements & John Musker

While Disney's take on the classic Greek myth of Hercules might not align perfectly with the original stories, that's hardly the point of the movie. Creatively, the film is a bit all over the place, incorporating a distinct visual style that leaned more cartoonish than Disney's other offerings and a Gospel soundtrack that ended up being a cohesive throughline in an uneven but well-loved movie. Hercules could have performed better at the box office, but it brought in enough to justify its budget and to make a name for itself amidst the other films of its time.

Hercules incorporates more referential humor than other Disney films, but that doesn't date the film when watching it today; it only makes it more endearing. The humor imbued throughout the movie is one of the strongest elements, as is the ambitious Hydra sequence, which hasn’t aged too well but was a marvel at the time. This comedic slant makes the villain, Hades, more interesting and relatable than other one-dimensional evildoers. Critics across the board praised Hades' voice actor, James Woods, for his performance, as he gave the happy-go-lucky film a necessary edge.

5 The Little Mermaid (1989)

Directed by John Musker & Ron Clements

The Little Mermaid is a prime example of Disney at its best in adapting traditional fairytales. Enough changes are made to make it family-friendly, but there is a shade of darkness to give the story depth.

Based on the dark fable by Hans Christian Andersen, The Little Mermaid kicked off the Disney Renaissance in '89 and even incurred a live-action The Little Mermaid in 2023. However, little could beat the original, with its gorgeously animated underwater sequences, stellar music, and iconic villain, Ursula. The romance between the titular mermaid, Ariel, and her handsome prince, Eric, has been reevaluated to be dated. Still, the magic of their courtship remains even when watching the film with a more critical eye.

The Little Mermaid is a prime example of Disney at its best in adapting traditional fairytales. Enough changes are made to make it family-friendly, but there is a shade of darkness to give the story depth. At the time, it was considered Disney's best work to date, and though it didn't perform explosively at the box office, it remains a touchstone of popular culture. Winning Best Original Score and Best Original Song at the Academy Awards, the Disney Renaissance wouldn't have existed without the skilled creation of The Little Mermaid.

Watch The Little Mermaid on Disney+.

4 Mulan (1998)

Directed by Tony Bancroft & Barry Cook

What makes Mulan so memorable isn't just the catchy but creative songs or the hilarious but emotional work of the voice actors, but that the film tells such a complete coming-of-age narrative that speaks to generations of children. The story of Mulan has also come to be recognized by the LGBTQ+ community for its themes of identity and feeling as though one has to hide who they truly are. Mulan is not a fairytale film, but it draws upon the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan.

This connection makes the plotting similar enough to past Disney films to be familiar but elevates the topics of individuality and female empowerment. Where Mulan falls flat is by not being dedicated enough to the story’s historical importance. Mulan came out toward the end of the Renaissance, so it faced tough comparisons to earlier movies of the period, but it holds its own. Highlights of the film that children especially appreciated include Eddie Murphy's work as Mushu, Mulan's dragon sidekick, who s the ranks of Robin Williams as an iconic source of both comedic relief and genuine emotional realism.

3 Aladdin (1992)

Directed by Ron Clements & John Musker

It's difficult to determine what elements exactly came together to make Aladdin such a hit, but part of it must be attributed to it being some of Alan Menken's best work for Disney. The story was always going to be a success because it drew from the legend of Aladdin from the seminal text, One Thousand and One Nights, the famous collection of Middle Eastern folktales. Aladdin was by far the best piece of the novel Disney could have chosen, as Aladdin is a relatable character who isn't the typical perfect hero Disney films frequently portray.

The rich backgrounds, set pieces, and cohesive style immerse the viewer into the world.

However, the harsh realities of watching Aladdin today illustrate the problematic stereotypes that were rampant in Disney films that portrayed people of color during this time. The parts of Aladdin that hold up show why it's such a classic. Robin Williams' work as Genie might be the best voice acting in any Disney film, and the energy that jumps off the screen during every song and dance number keeps the audience endlessly engaged. Additionally, the rich backgrounds, set pieces, and cohesive style immerse the viewer into the world.

2 Beauty And The Beast (1991)

Directed by Gary Trousdale & Kirk Wise

Few movies feel as rich, magical, and universal as Beauty and the Beast. The film had large shoes to fill, considering how synonymous the French adaption of the fairytale La Belle Et La Bête is with the story. However, Beauty and the Beast does an excellent job of staying true to the source material while updating the themes and seamlessly integrating musical elements that end up elevating the overall narrative. From the storybook opening scene to the best Disney transformation sequence when the Beast turns into a man, the audience feels connected to and compelled by the world.

The film is one of Disney's most unabashedly romantic movies, and the critical and audience responses to the film were outstanding. It connected well with people of all generations because of its classical aspects that harken back to early Disney and the Hollywood Golden Age. There's heart and humor through the anthropomorphic characters in the castle, but there are also genuinely scary moments in the narrative. When Gaston and his followers form a mob and storm the Beast's castle, and it seems the Beast might die, it's impossible not to care about the characters' fates.

1 The Lion King (1994)

Directed by Rob Minkoff & Roger Allers

The emotional highs and lows of the film happen in quick succession, but the pacing never feels rushed, and the emotional payoff is well-earned.

Basing a story off of Shakespeare is almost guaranteed to make something a hit. While Hamlet is certainly not a comedy, The Lion King managed to pay tribute to the iconic play and create a movie so joyous and unforgettable that it's incurred multiple sequels, a live-action adaptation, and a stage musical. All of this makes it clear how excellent The Lion King is and how much it speaks to the people who watch it. The conflict at the heart of the story is dramatic, straightforward, and timeless, and Simba is a fantastic protagonist.

It's not easy to find a narrative that includes all that and still has catchy songs that never get old. Unsurprisingly, it was a critical and box office smash, leading Disney to feel confident creating so much follow-up content that revolves around the same IP. The emotional highs and lows of the film happen in quick succession, but the pacing never feels rushed, and the emotional payoff is well-earned. Going on Simba's journey with him and getting to know the characters that populate the world is a unique privilege for anyone who sees the film.