Robin Hood (1973) Reviews

• Disney's most under rated film

  Smells_Like_Cheese2004-02-10

  Robin Hood is personally one of my favorite Disney movies of all time, it's one of those animated films that gets over looked or over shadowed by other Disney classics, I wish it did get more notice. The animation is great and just has that old feel to it when animators used to draw the pictures, it feels more personal and special that way. Not to mention that this was a great adaptation of the Robin Hood story for the kids. Even as an adult I still enjoy watching this movie, it's funny, romantic, touching, and just very entertaining to watch. How could you not love Prince John? He is one of Disney's most awesome and hilarious villains of all time! Granted I know this film can come off as a little corny, but seriously give this movie a chance, it's one of Disney's buried treasures. The story begins as Robin Hood and Little John run from the Sheriff of Nottingham, who has ambushed them with a team of archers. After narrowly escaping, Robin Hood and Little John happen upon the royal entourage which is taking Prince John and his counselor, Sir Hiss, to Nottingham in order to tax the people there. Disguised as female fortune-tellers, Robin and Little John effectively steal all the gold they can carry and run off into the forest, leaving Prince John sucking his thumb in humiliation. In Nottingham, Robin uses Friar Tuck to smuggle the stolen gold back to the peasants. Later Robin sees Maid Marian, she and Robin had once been sweethearts as children, but were forced to part ways when she moved to London. But she is mistaken: Robin can't stop thinking about her. But since Robin is an outlaw he and Marian wait for marriage. Seething with rage, that Robin is winning, John triples the taxes, making the bleak situation in Nottingham even worse. One night, Robin Hood, disguised again as the beggar, learns that Friar Tuck is in jail and will rescue him, save Nottingham once and for all and give Prince John the justice that has been coming to him for a long time. I can't tell you how much I love this film, I think my favorite scene will always be the archery scene. Robin Hood learns that there is an archery contest and the winner gets a kiss from Maid Marian, so he enters and goes in a disguise, and Little John had his back the whole time while getting Prince John to lighten up about Robin being in the contest. I also love Prince John's side kick, Sir Hiss, he's the perfect little sleaze bag tattle tail and we go in Tom and Jerry classic mode when Prince John has it with him and just ties Hiss's body in a knot. This is a terrific Disney movie, just trust me when I say that it's a lot of fun to watch and just enjoy it, we don't get films like this any more. 10/10

  More

• Why is Robin Hood Disney's Step Child?

  lrlindsay2006-07-26

  Disney's Robin Hood is my all time favorite Disney animation movie and right up there with one of my favorite all time movies. I can practically recite every word from "Robin Hood and Little John Walking through the Forest" to "There's the church bells someone's gett'n hitched". Yet it's hardly ever mentioned, it's always been hard to find and you can never get a poster. The songs are never lauded and they should be "The Phoney King of England" is a hoot! And even though "Love" was nominated for an Oscar, it's an obscure fact. The animation is beautiful! Those scenes of the castle & the church in the rain - you would think it was shot rather than drawn. The dialog is smart with subtleties & wit. The character's motives are seen and not told. It's not dumb down at all for kids. It's more romantic then Lady & The Tramp, Beauty and the Beast and The Little Mermaid combined. And yes, that Fox, Robin Hood himself, voiced by Brian Bedford was and will always be sexy!

  More

• Disney's best

  SmithWinston2005-10-29

  I've watched Robin Hood since before I could understand language. Even back then it entertained me, enough for my parents to have to play it whenever they wanted to keep me out of trouble. One would expect that anything that can hold the attention of a toddler is not going to have the same effect on an adult. I am glad to say that it does. I can watch this film today with the same eagerness, the same enjoyment and the same suspension of knowledge of what's going to happen. Who could help doing otherwise? It's first class storytelling. There are the age-old characters, archetypes as well known as the story itself. In a twist of genius, the tale is set in the animal world. Robin Hood, everyone's hero, brought to magnificent life by a fox and given a dashing yet endearing voice. There's his ladylove, the long-lashed, elegant, eminently lovable Maid Marian, also a fox and just as perfectly voiced. One look at Marian, and it's easy to understand why Robin is so lost in his dreams of her that he ruins the stew he's been stirring. Prince John, however likable the others, has somehow topped my list. Fittingly chosen to be a mane-less lion (compare his appearance with his brother Richard who has an ample mane), constantly whining for his mother when thwarted and complaining about Richard, he is the best representation of John I've ever seen. One mustn't forget his penchant for alliterating, in especial reference to his much put-upon sidekick/adviser Sir Hiss, a snake. Priceless gems like "Procrastinating Python", "Slithering Serpent" and of course the irresistible "You eel in snake's clothing" can all be heard directed at the pitiable Sir Hiss whenever John is frustrated in his plans to capture the elusive Robin. The unfortunate duo plays off each other very well. It must be said that whoever thought of getting Sir Peter Ustinov to voice the role of P.J. should have been promoted instantly. The late, brilliant Ustinov is greatly missed, but he lives on in his wonderful comedic works. His part here is right up there with his best performances. No one could have done greater justice to the younger brother who (rightly) feels that his governance compares unfavourably with Richard's. A few other characters deserve to be mentioned. Little John, a bear very reminiscent of Jungle Book's Baloo, is light-hearted, trustworthy and the perfect companion and friend for our Robin. On one occasion early on, they have a great outing together as cross-dressers and use their very believable disguise to steal P.J. for everything he has on him. As for his voice, Little John's carefree American accent works very well alongside the British ones of the others. The lady-in-waiting to Marian, Clucky, is a brave lass and Friar Tuck is a kind old fellow. There are also the kids in the family of rabbits who understandably admire and adore Robin and Marian. The script is smashing. What with the comedy, the heroic and witty lines for the good guys and the hysterical silliness of the sour villains of the story, this is a winner. It's always fun and never grows tired. The little ditty about Prince John's incompetence that goes around ("too late to be known as John the first, he's sure to be known as John the worst") is very in keeping with the rest of this film's tone. And who can forget the sheer madness of such a line as "I sentence you to sudden, instant and even immediate death", courtesy of Prince John of course. It's not only comedy, because to top it all off, this film must have the best confession of love ever filmed. Although it works infinitely better when you watch it, I will attempt to sketch it here. Caught, tied up, sentenced and threatened with execution, Robin looks into Marian's expressive eyes and says "Marian my darling, I love you more than life itself". Her emotional response is an equally memorable one to behold. More sweetness inevitably follows in the eventual escape, but I'll leave that for your viewing pleasure. The film wouldn't be complete without a fitting climax, and to satisfy us all, we've been given a good one. Climbing to the top of a turret, Robin has to leap down into the moat to avoid the fires that are close on his heels. His friends down below look on to see where he surfaces and are dismayed to find Robin appearing nowhere yet, to the delight of Prince John and Sir Hiss. It's a nice tug at the heartstrings. Although initially all hope seems lost, we know that the story isn't finished until the deserving Robin gets to be with his Marian and all's right with Nottingham and England. Disney surpassed themselves with this one. It's much more than the sum of its parts (voice talent and likable characters, witty script, character designs, plotting). Having watched this a countless number of times in the past, I look forward to continuing to do so.

  More

• This Robin Hood is a real scream!

  bellebook2000-04-19

  I've watched this video so many times, I can no longer count, and every time, I wind up laughing my head off! I really think this is one of the most underrated Disney movies out there. This version of Robin Hood has animals in the roles of the characters, and it works marvelously! It would be natural for Robin Hood to be a fox if he was an animal, for both the fox and Robin are very clever. And if Robin Hood is a fox, naturally, Maid Marian would be a vixen. Also, having Prince John and King Richard as lions are natural choices, since the lion is the King of the Jungle. What I loved most about the film, as I hinted at earlier, is the humor, most of it provided by Prince John, Sir Hiss (a snake), Trigger, and Nutsy (both vultures). Prince John's habit of sucking his thumb whenever anyone mentions his mother is priceless! And he's so vain it's little trouble for Robin Hood and Little John (a bear) to rob him when they're disguised as fortune-tellers! Sir Hiss is smarter than any of the other bad guys, but the humor with him is that Prince John never believes him until it's too late, and abuses him afterwards. Trigger's "old Betsy" (a crossbow) provides plenty of laughs, especially when it goes off! And Nutsy is so stupid he says "One o'clock and all's well!" when it's three o'clock, and when told to set his brain ahead a couple hours, he doesn't know if he has to add or subtract two hours! That's a scream! If there's any real fault, it lies in the animation. It is really substandard, and I have noticed reused or inaccurate footage in the film. But it is a minor flaw in the film, and it doesn't take away from my enjoyment of it. So, rent or buy "Robin Hood" today! It's a scream! Belle Book

  More

• "Not In Nottingham" - tough song

  Al Fore2001-03-16

  When one thinks of Disney songs, one generally thinks along the vein of "Someday My Prince Will Come" or "Once Upon A Dream". Disney songs are usually silly love songs, villain's expressions of their villainy, or some generally upbeat nonsense. Disney songs are generally not hard and gritty. Which is why "Not In Nottingham" is my favourite Disney song ever. It is a hard and emotional song, blues like an icepick to the soul, the loudest and harshest cry of pain I have ever heard in a Disney film. Where else in Disney-land would you hear a line like "Don't you know there's nothing left for me?". Combined as it is with the jail scene, it is melancholia at its depths, and a refreshing change from the general froth one expects, and generally gets, from Disney movies and songs.

  More