Wart is a young boy who aspires to be a knight's squire. On a hunting trip he falls in on Merlin, a powerful but amnesiac wizard who has plans for him beyond mere squiredom. He starts by trying to give him an education, believing that once one has an education, one can go anywhere. Needless to say, it doesn't quite work out that way.
Similar titles
Reviews
One of those Disney minor classics that came out around the 60s, 70s, 80s. Overall it is slightly below average. Sometimes the animation looks top notch and at other times not as much. But given the fact this feature film is south of an hour and fifteen minutes; you're safe watching it before it starts getting boring.
By the 1960's, the animation industry had sharply declined due to increased production costs and changing technology. Walt had become less involved with animation when he started Disneyland and television. THE SWORD IN THE STONE, released in 1963, has never been held in high regard by Disney fans, but has never been disliked either.I've always found THE SWORD IN THE STONE to be an anomaly in the Disney canon, because it was released between two features with strong and engaging storytelling and the fact that one of Disney's best storymen, Bill Peet handled it single handedly. Yet the story feels underwhelming as there isn't very much action nor is there conflict with a build up to the climax. Another issue is the heavy amount of reused animation, most of it from the film itself; Several animation cycles are repeated throughout the film. This also cheapens the artistic value of an already insipid film. Director Wolfgang Reitherman was known for doing this as a director and was criticized by his colleagues and fans for this. The stylized designs that worked so effectively in 101 DALMATIANS don't really lend itself to a medieval setting nor does the jazzy musical score. One key element to a great Disney picture is great characters and they're here. Merlin and Archimedes are cantankerous and funny. Sir Ector and Sir Kay are obnoxious antagonists (though not true villains), but are also funny as well. When you really think about it, Arthur's situation with Ector and Kay is basically the same as in CINDERELLA.The storyline is mostly Merlin attempting to educate a young Arthur by transforming him into various animals. Despite the shortcomings of telling an engaging story, the viewer does come away with an appreciation for education and philosophy. It can be argued that despite Merlin's (short sighted) ability to see into the future, his attempts to educate Arthur nearly prevent him from being anointed king, which is something Merlin had no foresight on.Although not one of the Disney greats, this should belong in the library of any true Disney connoisseur.
This is a decent presentation of the early chapters of "The Once and Future King." In it, we have the scrawny Arthur, making his way through life with little hope. Of course, the title comes from the legend that a sword had been put into a stone and the kingdom will be given to the one who can remove it. Naturally, all the knights with their broad torsos take a crack at it, to no avail. One day, Arthur accidentally comes across the titled sword, reaches over, grabs it, and pulls it out like it was stuck in a lump of butter. This brings about a great uproar and a need to grow up quickly. He has some sidekicks and there are some lightweight events that happen. It's fun and wacky and follows the legend....somewhat.
Tired of living in a Medieval mess... Merlin uses all his magic powers to change a scrawny little boy into a legendary hero! When you think of strong Disney films, this may not immediately come to mind, but it should. While people tend to either think of the classics (Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Bambi) or the early 90s revival (Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin), this is every bit as good with an entertaining story and lots of fun, with good animation, too.The most memorable part is with Madam Mim, and it is not surprising that Disney has used her in other cartoons, and even put her in their "Kingdom Hearts" video game. She is a great villain, especially given that she is most kooky than evil.The moral of the story is somewhat obscure. Early on, we are lead to believe that the importance of education would play a big role in Arthur's success. Merlin makes education out to be the most important thing. But as the film progresses, we see more time is spent turning into different animals (fish, bird, squirrel) than actually learning.Apparently this is one of the few Disney films of its era without a sequel or platinum DVD. Why? If there is someway to put together a handful of special features, this ought to be seen by more people and respected as a historic treasure.
