The Sword in the Stone: One of Disney's Most Underrated Movies?

[@wstine79]

I loved this movie as a kid. The scenes where Merlin and Arthur are the squirrels and the Wizards' duel for my favorite scenes.

[@kevinkorenke3569]

My favorite part of the duel was that intelligence, not power or brawn that won the day.

[@CelltheGREAT]

Major facts

[@Anthyrion]

Don't forget Archimedes laughter, while Merlin's plane was crashing into the Castle Moat. No matter, how often you see it, you always have to laugh with him^^

[@CelltheGREAT]

@@Anthyrion 💯👌🏾Big facts

[@DrownedInExile]

"Oh you squirrely squirrels!"

[@MichaelDavis]

One of my favorite Disney animated movies. Loved it.

[@WalterKiefer]

Love this movie. The scene where Archimedes cracks up laughing over Merlin's failed airplane experiment had me dying as a kid. One correction: Pellinore isn't Arthur's foster father, Hector is.

[@janedoe5229]

Yes, and voiced by Sebastian Cabot.

[@gregcorwin8316]

My grandmother took me to see this when it was first released and I was in the 3rd grade. I still remember how much I loved this movie at the time.

[@gaIexy]

I adored this movie as a kid, and I still think it holds up to this day! It's SO underrated! The animation is so expressive (and i think the sketchy aspect of it only adds to the hand-drawn charm), the music is catchy, the lessons are solid, the characters are interesting, the background design is beautiful, I could go on! I especially like how it doesn't talk down to it's audience. I'm so glad to see other people appreciate this masterpiece 💖

[@LucyLioness100]

Thai movie is so hilarious. I love Archimedes’ sarcastic quips to Merlin’s bumbling but kindhearted intentions & the whole squirrel scene is bonkers yet funny. Plus the songs are cute and memorable in their own way

[@TheCommenterDragon]

The Sword In The Stone is one of my all time favorite classic Disney films! especially because it's one of the many projects that famous animators like Floyd Norman had a hand in creating! and it really is one of Dinsey's more underrated masterpieces for a movie that was made back in the early 60's it had pretty decent animation and voice acting!

[@666shredordie]

One of my absolute favorite movies growing up. The wizard duel was so good. The perfect mix of playfulness and teaching what it takes to survive in the world using the main tool we're all born with, consciousness. That version of Merlin is who I think of when the subject comes up. I'll give it a 10, the naysayers can deal with it 😂

[@CelltheGREAT]

Big facts

[@Ulgarth]

Always loved this movie. You can see Don Bluth's style appearing in it. He was an uncredited animator in this.

[@coltthestarsheriff3544]

This isn't typical adventure - action sequence plotted Disney film, or even Arthurian narrative, for that stuff you look somewhere else. This one you watch because of its idea, humor and warmth, over and over again.

[@LTJfan]

When I was a kid, I watched it many times and I enjoyed it Now as an adult, I still enjoyed it and still considered it as an underrated classic

[@alleahsasseville]

One of my FAVORITES!!!

[@grapeshot]

Yeah I remember that scene when Merlin came back from the future and he's wearing a pair of red Converse shoes. And I do remember just how popular those shoes were around that time.

[@AdamSnyder1234]

This movie is what taught me about King Arthur. I had not heard any of the stories before seeing the movie as a kid.

[@trorisk]

The Sword in the Stone is a perfect example of a story that involves more conflict in which the protagonist doesn't intervene than conflict in which he intervenes. It's very interesting from a narrative point of view because it fits perfectly with the theme of the film, which is destiny. Storytelling is at the service of the theme. It wouldn't work at all if the theme was about of "Journey, chivalry or/and bravery" like a cowboy/samouraï movie (or the 1st Jedi).

[@Mondstaub1310]

I still remember watching this with my grandfather as a little girl. He always loved to learn and taught me a lot about nature and I inheirited his love for history. He died a few years ago and this movie still reminds me of him and what he taught me.

[@danielstreuli7563]

I rewatched this recently, still got on vhs got the machine back up and just went straight back into my clildhood. I love this film so much

[@vintageretro83]

My favorite Disney movie of all time.

[@glom_gazingo]

Same here.. and I don't like disney movies anymore.

[@johnplomin771]

I absolutely LOVE The Sword in the Stone. It's easily in my top 5 disney movies of all time. It is si massively underrated and deserves so much more love and attention

[@Zakuznapper]

This is my favourite disney classic, I love the animation style, the mood and humour.

[@3tacoman]

Such a classic , grew up with this bad boy and still watch it today 🤌🏼🤌🏼

[@jopezu]

i was transfixed by this title growing up. thank you for covering it! 🎉❤ i have it on dvd upstairs somewhere.

[@Vaporvice84]

I saw the majority of Disney's classic animated films when I was a kid (with the exception of maybe 3 or 4 of them) and this one, along with Fantasia, were always my 2 favorites and still are to this day.

[@believeinmatter]

No way I just wrote this down in my notes lastnight to do a rewatch. I absolutely love this movie, as a kid and as an adult

[@BlazePiffington]

Definitely my favorite, Disney film, still holds up. Saw it with my niece the other day. Sure, it may seem a bit primitive compared to other modern movies, but it is the ultimate tale of student and master. Very well drawn, the voice acting was on point. And the lesson is strong.

[@inkthinker]

Pellinore was the visiting knight. Wart's foster father was Sir Ector.

[@lfgubrs]

One of Disneys best. Watched this every other day on VHS as a kid and never got tired of it and still don't. Another of Disneys hidden gems is The Black Cauldron.

[@TidusX16]

I think this and Robin Hood were my introduction to Arthurian and Robin Hood legends. I loved them so much as a kid! I'm going to introduce them to my niece and nephew later, I think they'll like them.

[@hussd21]

This is one of my favorite animated Disney movies. Watching Merlin complain about everything will never get old for me. Part of me does want a live-action version, but only if someone like Peter Capaldi plays Merlin and Helena Bonham Carter as Mad Madam Mim

[@davidagiel8130]

This and the robin hood cartoon were my two favorite movies as a kid in the 80s.

[@ryurc3033]

The scene where Merlin helps him do the dishes.....so when I worked at a Chinese restaurant years later, that song would pop into my head every once in a while while bussing tables, and doing load after load of dishes.

[@renchinnamunian9693]

I love this movie. The squirrel scene breaks my heart every time.

[@Imozart0341I]

Insane, I just watched this with my 7 year old last night, also the Black Cauldron. The mage fight reminded me of the Sand Man fighting against Lucifer.

[@sjmhadsock4586]

Actually I was in a sandman fb page and alot of people say the same thing

[@fistimusmaximus6576]

loved this as a kid, the wizards duel at the end is a perfect example of a transmutation battle from DND.

[@lassesipila6418]

Love this movie. Such a piece of classic animation style. As a kid I was excited to see Madam Mim in voice and animation, since I knew her character from comic books and boy she did not disappoint. :D

[@grandmufftwerkin9037]

Cheech and Chong missed a golden opportunity to make a film called The Sword and the Stoned. 🙃

[@NavajoNinja]

Corsican Brothers was the closet they got

[@khyronbradford]

I enjoyed it back then when I saw it in vhs back in 1986. My little brother saw it until the dvd broke back in 1999. And now, is one of the favorite movies of my kids in Disney Plus. Truly a gem that crosses generations.

[@Notturnoir]

I love archimedes and the squirrels! Merlin’s cool too

[@Qenton]

When I was young, I was privileged to walk through Disney Studio's original animation building, now mostly production and management. They had, and I believe they still have, a corridor running through the ground floor with cells from every animated picture to day. This was in the 70s. I saw the cells from the sword and the stone, but it was one that I never saw! They for some reason were not releasing it again like they were with the other films. It was out of their rotation. I didn't end up seeing this till years later when they released it on DVD.

[@timothyj.wright5833]

One of my all time favorites to this day 😊 That Intro song always gives me goosebumps

[@Omar-wq9dz]

I remember when I would watch Disney Channel, a movie would always come on around 4 of 5 p.m from Monday to Friday, and this would be on quite a bit

[@potrelviewer9536]

Why no sound after 1:48?

[@robswystun2766]

I saw this movie many times on the Disney channel when I was a kid. Always loved it.

[@NarwahlGaming]

Dave Allen, British comedian, had a humorous skit about the sword in the stone. It shows Arthur commanding his troops, hand on the hilt of Excalibur. When he calls for the charge he lifts the sword into camera view and the stone is still attached - just chipped down to smaller size. 😂

[@jerryguajardo6367]

My mom told me I loved this movie so much when I was a kid, I remember watching it alot but she said I was obsessed with it lol. Still love it

[@thealcohologist8624]

As a kid, I always loved watching this on Disney Channel. Good times

[@mjc8248]

I remember this from the theater when I was a kid but I can honestly say I don't think I've seen it since then. I do have fond memories of the film so I'm gonna queue it up for a re-watch.

[@jamesbarrett9066]

Was 1969, I was four years old, was a perfect movie for me at that age. They brought it back to the theaters for a special engagement.

[@hunterbates9539]

Here I am at age 33 and I’m still saying TSATS movie quotes I’ve said since I was a kid! Hands down on of my fav movies by far!!

[@skeenwynno5437]

I haven’t even watched the video yet I just felt compelled to say in no uncertain terms.. YES, yes it is extremely underrated and is a CLASSIC

[@MrOrcshaman]

Imagine that, even when in his slump and near closing of his animation department, Walt came back and stirred Disney back into what it's best known for. It would only take a few decades for the real death fos Disney animation to occur.

[@jerryschramm4399]

I saw it twice during its original theatrical run, and was totally enchanted both times. Now, I can just imagine someone at Disney seeing this video, and thinking, "Wouldn't that make a great live action remake? We'd just need to gender and ethnicity swap some of the characters, and, of course, have a strong female character who is torn about her gender. What a great idea!"

[@WitchHunterSiegfried]

A female Arthur with issue about her gender *CAN* work, ahem Artoria ahem, but Disney sure as hell can’t manage

[@cadillacdeville5828]

The movie came out about 25 years before I was born, but I did see it and liked it. Even as an adult, some movies just hold a place in our hearts because we were kids. I think 1 for me will be "The Land before Time ".

[@cameron398]

I loved it as a kid and having my kids watch it last year. Great movie for the family.

[@okidokicreations1075]

It is clearly that the narator of this video is a huge fan of this movie

[@gawd4582]

Oh my gosh... one of my absolute favorite Little Golden Books!!

[@imppaco]

I got to pull the sword from the Stone in Disney Paris when I was 9. It was the early 90's, and my parents got the video. Fanny-pack included.. lol

[@Edge50199]

I was a kid in 90s and firstly saw this movie and never knew how even the movie called in English. Definitely I would show this movie to my children this weekend :)

[@blackzero786]

The sword in the stone was pretty good, it was even better when it was an actual stone and not an anvil that the sword was hidden within. Granted you can even see the marks at the edges where the stone would have been created.

[@1D991]

One of my favourite movies growing up. Probably part of why I read Tolkien so early, and have been a fan of the fantasy genre ever since.

[@jimmyhass4900]

I wasn't ever the biggest fan of Disney movies ever, but this one was a true exception. I always loved it. And Robin Hood, but it had music by Roger Miller. Can't to that.

[@BuckarooBanzai84]

Please, PLEASE do 'The Black Cauldron' next!! =D

[@thespicemelange.1]

This was my most favorite Disney movie when I was a kid I wore the VHS tape out I watched it so much

[@tanathosXX]

Actually one of my fav Disney! So underrated

[@MyCarlos311]

This was my favorite Disney film growing up along with Robin Hood and The Aristocats

[@DrownedInExile]

Loved this one. Archimedes really stole the show! One moment strangely stuck out. The evil Madame Mim's magic is very showy. Arthur points out Merlin's magic is always useful, for something good. Mim asks if Merlin sees something good in him? "I suppose so?" "Yes! And in my book that's BAD!"

[@brittanyjaskiewicz6354]

This is still one of my favorite Disney movies of all time. I've watched this a kid and as an adult numerous times. I've always loved the 2D animation and the processes the artists go through making the special effects as well. While 3D animation is pretty cool in its own right, I still prefer the traditional 2D. It takes lots of skill to do that kind of animation...but claymation takes the cake on skill and patience. Of course my favorite parts of the movie are when Arthur and Merlin change into the animals. The squirrel and fish sequences were by far my favorites. When Archemedes tries to save Arthur from the huge ass Pike and he gets out of the water and gets super mad that he almost drowned omg! Just that entire sequence still makes me laugh super hard once the owl poofs out and is so grumpy. This is very much an under rated classic movie. Kids should totally watch this!

[@JeremiahBurns]

This movie, along with Aladdin, are my two all-time favourite Disney films.

[@blattman13]

I had an artist paint the scene just as Arthur is pulling Excalibur up for my living room. I'm a hugh Arthurian legend fan

[@McJewelist]

1:45 Why that audio was cut???

[@Teamo86]

This might be one of the best animated films I've never seen.

[@robertmercadoworld]

I watched this film over and over as a kid.

[@gryphonlaw2138]

Still one of the best. I miss hand drawn animation of that sort. Great story and well...Merlin

[@captaindaddy4991]

The ugliness of the animation really compliments the dark ages setting. It works perfectly.

[@skyden24195]

Watched this movie a lot when I was an (80s) kid; not only was it a fun movie to watch, but it was also one of the few Disney animated movies that fans could get on VHS at the time. 😄 -just thought I'd bring up one more "Sword in the Stone" reference that can be found at the "Happiest Place on Earth," that being "King Arthur's Carousel" in Disneyland's Fantasyland; (originally, right next to the Sword, in the anvil, in the Stone.)

[@joe9739]

My 2nd favorite King Arthur movie, behind Excalibur, obviously.

[@JasmineLajeunesse]

Loved this movie when I was a kid too! Thanks for reminding me of it :)

[@Myersmad316]

My favourite movie as a kid, loved it.

[@Rockstar-bq5fm]

I know a remake is supposedly in the works and once upon a time I’d of been excited about that. But now the idea worries me, I’d find it heartbreaking to see them butcher it, there’s not a chance they would do it justice

[@alexworm1707]

And it will affect you how? A shitty remake doesn't affect the original at all, just like a good one doesn't as well.

[@Rockstar-bq5fm]

@@alexworm1707: Lol what a boorish comment. “I care and find it bothersome that you would care and find something bothersome that I think you shouldn’t” It would effect me because I care to see a great updated version of a Disney classic that could even follow the rest of T.H White’s Once and Future King books. But with Disney’s recent track record of remakes and tv shows I’d have little hope in it and would be incredibly disappointed in a poor product

[@alexworm1707]

@@Rockstar-bq5fm you already have the classic, no need for another.

[@Rockstar-bq5fm]

@@alexworm1707: we’re getting it anyway unfortunately, it’s meant to go in production on 2024

[@falcon048]

I did see this in the theater when I was a kid....but Disney completely TRASHED this release on Bluray. Their decision to amp up noise reduction algorithm smeared all the minute details in the hand-painted backgrounds and smeared the line art on the characters. This was made back when Disney used Xreox copies of the pencil work to save on the inking stage. As a result the line art is messy and sketchy...kind of on purpose. But the noise reduction algorithm doesn't see those extra lines as viable and it smears them into the color to try and hide them. It's a mess. There are even a few scenes where the characters are so small onscreen that they get scrubbed and blurred out. Disney REALLY needs to go back and remaster this correctly....but we all know they won't :(

[@rmarkley79]

Great job y'all, I loved this movie. This makes me want to revisit it for sure. Never knew any of the great facts you provided, Thank you!

[@MrGabeanator]

One of the most underrated Disney films but a good one not to mention the last one Walt lived to see released

[@TenorCantusFirmus]

The best Disney movies most often are the most "atypical" ones, and this one makes no exception.

[@sethmaki1333]

It IS a really good one. I loved this movie when I was a kid.

[@HaohmaruHL]

"nobody talks about this particular cartoon only me and three other guys are totally not biased and nostalgic about, so it must be underrated"

[@Frank-Einstein-Madman]

Please do an animation retrospective on The Iron Giant and Titan A.E....

[@1992disney]

Will you please take a look at Treasure Planet next? 🙏

[@katarinakrnjevic8183]

This movie and 1998 Merlin mini series are the best king Arthur adaption.

[@glom_gazingo]

My fav. disney movie and that's not saying much haha. I really hope this doesn't get the remake/live-action treatment. I really enjoyed the light-heartedness of this movie, and animation style. (oh btw, Channel Awesome/Nostalgic critic did a video on this movie recently..maybe an inspiration for this vid?) Thanks!

[@alexworm1707]

How does the remake/live-action treated movies affect you? The classic will always be there. I really don't understand. The shityness of lion king remake just makes the original one better.

[@heatherdale5571]

A list of underrated or obscure Disney movies would be a cool vid...

[@smartfox2295]

I really like this movie i have seen it multiple times as a kid. Because I'm from Germany i do know this movie under the title "Die Hexe und der Zauberer" (The witch and the sorcerer).

[@Teelirious]

That pike scared the crap out put of me as a kid.

[@maverickslb80]

This one, Peter Pan, Basil and Robin Hood are my favorites.

[@arnesahlen2704]

RESEARCH! Though George Bruns wrote the musical score, the songs were *composed!* (not arranged) by the Shermans. 'Sword' was issued 26 years after Snow White - *not* an early effort.

[@TheyCallMeNewb]

Well, haven't thought of this movie in a quarter century. !

[@neocelestia]

Blow me to Bermuda, this was a good video!

[@FoundaPeanut]

Anyone who sits through this movie and fails to see the magic in it, odds are doesn’t see magic in anything in their life.

[@WifeMamaArtist]

I loved this as a kid. It was one of the only Disney movies I could stand (along with The Black Cauldron). Even a girly girl like me thought all the princess stuff in many of the others was ridiculous….

[@SicketMog]

I remember dressing up as Merlin in kindergarten, for some sort of parade we were doing, with a purple "dress" with golden stars and with a matching hat that my grandmother made... Liked knights back in those days and we read about them. Then saw this movie, I think around the same time, just once but found it cool. Never seen it since; guess it's time for a rewatch (via piracy ofcourse; screw the Disney groomers).

[@MrDilkington15]

That is my favourite Disney movie watch that more than any other when i was a kid And btw if any one likes to smoke i would highly advise going back and watching all your favourite childhood movies while high its amazing lmfao