Almost from its unremarkable beginnings as an animation company housed in a garage, Walt Disney has been turning out blockbusters. From the iconic Mickey Mouse to the popular collection of Disney princesses now taking over the world, Disney has won over both children and their parents. For the eighth decade running, they are producing blockbusting movies which dominate the box office.
Despite the fact that they now hold such companies as Touchstone and Miramax, who make movies for all ages, Disney’s name is still connected to children. Given that the top twenty Disney movies of all time include only a small sampling of live action movies intended for a grown up audience, it is safe to say that Disney’s primary audience is the young (or young at heart!)
The love affair began for real with Snow White in 1937, which after seventy years still claims the #11 spot. Despite her age, Snow White holds her place among the much loved Disney princesses whose number also includes much later stars. The 1940’s brought Dumbo and Bambi, the all time #2 favorite. In fact, all decades are present in the top twenty list. There are the beloved Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Peter Pan from the 1950’s. 1967 brought the antics of Mowgli in The Jungle Book. The charming Robin Hood from 1973 made it to the #8 spot. The first of the newer, more lush generation of animated movies, The Little Mermaid, sits at #4. Many of the huge hits of the 1990’s are on the list: Aladdin, which reigns in the top spot, Beauty and the Beast in third, as well as The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Lion King.
The current decade has turned up the few live action favorites on the list, among them National Treasure, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Remember the Titans. No matter your years, however, a scroll down the list will bring back fond memories as you remember trips to the theater as a child, hours spent in front of the TV as a youngster watching one special movie obsessively, or time snuggling on the couch as a parent or grandparent sharing a Disney movie for the first time with the child in your life. Disney hits are among the best movies of all times.
