Toon Talk: Top 10 of 2001
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Now is the time of year for packing up Christmas decorations, making New Year's resolutions ... and coming up with top ten lists for the year.

This year, the 100th anniversary of the birth of Walt Disney, saw many great tributes to the man who has inspired and entertained generations. Notably, these make up over half of my list. But all of the films, television programs and video presentations listed below, whether brand new or brilliantly repackaged, are testaments to the genius of this past century's greatest entertainer.

(c) Disney

#1 - Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Platinum Edition DVD

There was no question as to what would be the best in Disney entertainment for the year.  This lavishly appointed two-disc set, a diamond mine-full of long lost treasures and rare gems, included never before seen test footage and an extensive virtual gallery, just to name but a few. And of course, the gorgeously restored original film sat as the centerpiece of these many delights. Just as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the "one that started it all" for animated features, so does this set set the standard for all deluxe Disney DVDs to come.
Click for full Toon Talk review

(c) Disney

#2 - Walt Disney: The Man Behind the Myth
ABC's The Wonderful World of Disney

Even at two hours, this documentary seemingly just scratches the surface of the life of Walt, but is still the definitive biography of the man behind the mouse. Using rare home movies and family photographs, along with celebrity interviews of those who knew him, the film lovingly paints the picture, warts and all, of the real Walter Elias Disney. There was not a dry eye in any Disney household when daughter Diane Disney Miller recalls her Uncle Roy's final good-bye to his little brother.

#3 - Davy Crockett
Walt Disney Treasures DVD

The least anticipated of the four Phase One Walt Disney Treasures DVDs turned out to be the most refreshing and enjoyable. A more limited scope (Davy starred in only five television episodes) helped, but it's hard to resist the nostalgic trips through the mountains of Tennessee, into the halls of Congress, down the mighty Mississippi, and finally to the that fateful day at the Alamo. Truly special bonus features and an uncluttered packaging add to the viewing pleasures.
Click for full Toon Talk review

(c) Disney
Image courtesy of The Encyclopedia of Disney Animated Shorts

#4 - Silly Symphonies
Walt Disney Treasures DVD

Sure, it was great to see the adventures of the Tortoise and the Hare, the Three Little Pigs and the Flowers and Tress again. But the real treat was discovering such undiscovered mini-masterpieces such as Wynken, Blynken and Nod, a surrealistic dreamscape that packs more imagination and artistry into it's brief running time then most full-length features of today. Other highlights include the Oscar-winners The Old Mill, Country Cousin and Ugly Duckling , black and white classics such as The Skeleton Dance and The China Plate, plus the debut of one Donald Duck in The Wise Little Hen.
Click for full Toon Talk review