This is an animated film from the Walt Disney era, one about young Arthur, who aspires to be a knight's squire. However, a powerful but forgetful wizard named Merlin has plans for Arthur to be something beyond a squire.
This movie actually starts off with a captivating intro where England is left without a king, and a proclamation has been sent that the one who can pull the sword out of the stone will be made king. It then leads to imaginative and quirky scenes where Merlin demonstrates his magical powers to Arthur while, at the same time, try to get him an education so he could get to places beyond that of being a squire.
This film really does not have much of a plot, as most of the movie is about Merlin showing Arthur his magic spells (I thought the squirrel scene took up too much time). However, it's great imaginative fun for the little kids and, probably to the adults' liking, you can get a couple of important messages from the film like getting an education and how complicated love can get.
The animation was pretty good, not as vibrant as earlier films or in later films of the 80s and 90s, but it is serviceable. The songs by the Sherman Brothers weren't my favorite to listen to, but they're quite fun and easy to sing along with (again, something good for the kids). Wolfgang Reitherman did a nice job directing, as the characters were memorable and have a nice dose of humor, and his sons, Richard and Robert, did a nice job in voicing Arthur - innocent and carefree, but grounded. Rickie Sorensen also voiced Arthur and also did an equally good job.
Overall, it's not one of the best Disney movies I've seen but it does have a certain charm to it that definitely acquires that special "Disney touch." Perhaps that is what separates the more classic Disney movies from the more recent ones - the classics, and some of the ones filmed later in the 1980s and 1990s, have a more whimsical and charming element, while the more recent ones have a more hip and modern Hollywood influence. I myself prefer a Disney film with a more classic feel.
Grade B-
This movie actually starts off with a captivating intro where England is left without a king, and a proclamation has been sent that the one who can pull the sword out of the stone will be made king. It then leads to imaginative and quirky scenes where Merlin demonstrates his magical powers to Arthur while, at the same time, try to get him an education so he could get to places beyond that of being a squire.
This film really does not have much of a plot, as most of the movie is about Merlin showing Arthur his magic spells (I thought the squirrel scene took up too much time). However, it's great imaginative fun for the little kids and, probably to the adults' liking, you can get a couple of important messages from the film like getting an education and how complicated love can get.
The animation was pretty good, not as vibrant as earlier films or in later films of the 80s and 90s, but it is serviceable. The songs by the Sherman Brothers weren't my favorite to listen to, but they're quite fun and easy to sing along with (again, something good for the kids). Wolfgang Reitherman did a nice job directing, as the characters were memorable and have a nice dose of humor, and his sons, Richard and Robert, did a nice job in voicing Arthur - innocent and carefree, but grounded. Rickie Sorensen also voiced Arthur and also did an equally good job.
Overall, it's not one of the best Disney movies I've seen but it does have a certain charm to it that definitely acquires that special "Disney touch." Perhaps that is what separates the more classic Disney movies from the more recent ones - the classics, and some of the ones filmed later in the 1980s and 1990s, have a more whimsical and charming element, while the more recent ones have a more hip and modern Hollywood influence. I myself prefer a Disney film with a more classic feel.
Grade B-