All 56 Walt Disney Animated Classics: Ranked From Worst To Best

33. The Aristocats (1970)

If The Aristocats feels familiar, it's probably because it borrows quite heavily from superior films that came before it, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have its own charm. Thanks in part to an excellent performance by Phil Harris as Thomas O'Malley - the archetypal Disney vagabond type - and some colourful characters, it's viewed now with at least some fondness - particularly in musical terms.

Its problems come in the shape of an unhelpfully episodic plot, and a lack of story innovation (it's all a little bit cliched), but there's no criticising the classical aesthetic or the well-rounded characters and performances. It's just hard to really lavish too much praise on it as a whole.

There was initially supposed to be a sequel in 2005 but it was binned when John Lasseter came on board in 2005. Probably for the best.

32. Tarzan (1999)

There's lots to admire about Tarzan: the first animated adaptation of the classic story represented a leap forward in digital animation techniques (particularly in terms of background work), and you can't beat a bit of Phil Collins on the soundtrack.

Sadly, it slightly misses out on true classic status because it's not surprising in the least beyond its aesthetics. Perhaps it's because the story is so well known, or perhaps it's that the music isn't quite as organically linked to the story as it could be? Either way, Tarzan tends to fall into the category of spirited rather than great movie. And like it or not, there is a racial subtext to the story that Disney wrongly chooses to ignore entirely, rather than embracing it.

Maybe that could have made it a little more memorable?