I don’t remember if I saw Disney’s Robin Hood in theaters, as it came out in 1973, after Walt’s death. This film wasn’t started by him (unlike The Jungle Book) – and in many ways an experiment for the company. Walt Disney Studios proved it could continue to release films, but without any influence or inspiration by the company’s founder – at what quality?
Fortunately Robin Hood was not only a success, but it is also a film that stands the test of time. Sure there are some problems with it, such as the stereotypical animal caricatures or recycled animation, but overall this is easily not only a great family film, but one of the better telling of the Robin Hood myth.
If you’re unfamiliar with the general story of Robin Hood, I feel sorry for you. There are a number of different versions and retellings that have permeated our cultural consciousness over the decades, from television shows to movies. The literary sources, ballads from the 15th century, have of course been overlooked in favor of the original book from the late 19th century that compiles many of these legends into a single narrative. Even that has been built upon and changed according to the times.
With any clear lack of a “definitive” Robin Hood, one usually gravitates towards a version that strikes them personally. Many prefer Errol Flynn’s 1938 version, or others the Kevin Costner 1991 film. The myth almost always has the same core elements, but the details sometimes change. So with this version, taking the more popular characters and stories was easy, but getting them into a form that would work as animated animals with a storyline that would honor the Disney legacy, well, that was the tricky part.
Roger Miller serves as narrator, and it works because his character is a bard, a teller of stories. And Roger Miller may not be familiar to people now, but at the time he was a very popular singer. A natural fit for the character of Alan Adale. Having Robin as a fox and the sheriff a wolf almost seems like typcasting, but it works. Some of the voice cast includes Peter Ustinov, Terry-Thomas, John Fieldler and several other recognizable talents. To think Disney started “stunt casting” their animated films with famous people later (a complaint I remember about 1991’s Beauty And The Beast) is folly.
So what is it about Disney’s Robin Hood that holds up? There’s plenty of charm, a timeless story that is ripe for near-endless retelling, and a swashbuckling underdog with a righteous purpose. Almost all of the necessary muck that would make the film historically accurate has been excised, making it “palatable” for kids. The little touches of the love story don’t overwhelm the main narrative. And there is humor.
Disney’s Robin Hood is an absolute classic, a film I can watch over and over, year after year. This is an enjoyable film, and not for the nostalgia factor, but because it may not be perfect, but it was solidly made. Now on Blu-ray a new generation is able to discover its charms.
It appears everything from the previous DVD edition has been carried over (as well as including a DVD copy of the film) including the alternate ending, Mickey Mouse Short, etc. We still don’t get a retrospective featurette or audio commentary, but we do get a “deleted story line” which offers up another look at the film in-progress. I’m sure there are more of these in the archives just waiting for further home video releases. I really would like some sort of featurette on the making of this film, or an audio commentary.
Maybe it’s because I’m a guy of a certain age, but I particularly like Disney’s Robin Hood. It is enjoyable and stands the test of time. now on Blu-ray you have a reason to jettison that old VHS or DVD, or perhaps pick it up for the first time.