Summary
Robin Hood was Disney’s first animated film with entirely non-human characters.
Disney’s Robin Hood successfully introduced a classic English folktale and history to a younger audience.
Disney’s Robin Hood perfectly mixed adventure with romance, and its themes of loyalty and fighting against tyranny make the animated film the perfect Disney classic for all ages.
Disney remains the leading entertainment company for animated features, which has turned some of the most beloved and popular stories and folktales into animated classics, and 1973’s Robin Hood is no different. The animated feature film follows the titular legendary hero and outlaw who steals from the rich to give to the poor. And while there have been many adaptations of this English folktale, Disney’s Robin Hood still stands out from the rest and has earned its place as an animated classic.
While the film received mixed reviews when it was first released, it still became a box-office success and remains just as popular today. Disney’s Robin Hood has grown to become one of the most beloved animated films and a cult classic. Even now, several scenes remain popular and have even become memes, a statement of the long-lasting popularity of Robin Hood. And the anthropomorphic animals in Robin Hood are easy to recognize by anyone, even if they haven’t watched the film. But how did Disney’s Robin Hood come to be, and how did it become such a beloved Disney classic?
Robin Hood Introduced A Classic Folktale to a Younger Audience
The Idea Came After Walt Disney Mentioned His Interest In the Stories of Reynard the Fox
Robin Hood was the first animated feature film with an entirely non-human cast.
Robin Hood was also the first animated film completely developed after Walt Disney’s death.
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Robin Hood is a classic English folktale that dates all the way back to the 15th century. Most of the story and characters in the original folktale are real-life people, such as Prince John and King Richard. In Disney’s Robin Hood, audiences see the people of Nottingham suffering under the rule of Prince John, the de facto King, while King Richard was away during the Crusades. This is based on the real Prince John and King Richard, who ruled during the late 12th century and early 13th century. While King Richard was away fighting on the Third Crusade, Prince John took charge and tried to undermine his brother’s power. Robin Hood’s folktale portrays the outlaw as loyal to King Richard and a defender of the common folk, helping them stand up against the Sheriff and Prince John, something Disney’s Robin Hood depicts as well.
The animated feature film was able to bring the classic story to a younger audience. The themes of loyalty and heroism make Robin Hood the perfect story for children and young adults, as Robin Hood sees the hero of the story stand up against tyrants and defend those who can’t defend themselves. This made the English folktale perfect for a Disney adaptation, even though Walt Disney himself originally wanted to adapt the stories of Reynard the Fox. However, Disney thought Reynard the Fox would not be successful and never moved forward with the animated feature. But Disney’s idea to turn Reynard the Fox into an animated film is what eventually gave the idea of turning Robin Hood into an animated adaptation with anthropomorphic animals, with the titular Robin Hood portrayed as a red fox. King Richard is aptly portrayed as a Lion, as the real King Richard was also known as Richard the Lionheart, thanks to his reputation as a great military leader and warrior.
Disney’s Robin Hood Sets Itself Apart From Other Adaptations of the Story
There Are Over Twenty Live Action and Animated Films Adapting Robin Hood’s Folktale
Robin Hood has been adapted into eighteen live-action theatrical features, as well as several made-for-TV movies and TV series.
There are many animated adaptations of Robin Hood, though Disney’s film remains the only animated theatrical feature.
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Robin Hood is one of the best-known English folktales and has received several adaptations, both on TV and on the big screen. However, Disney’s Robin Hood continues to stand out next to other adaptations as a film that both children and adults can enjoy. Many of the Robin Hood adaptations, such as Sean Connery’s Robin and Marian, Kevin Costner’s Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, Russell Crowe’s 2010 Robin Hood, and Hugh Jackman’s upcoming dark Robin Hood adaptation are all catered to an older audience, centering more on the action and drama. However, while Disney is known for making children’s films, Disney’s Robin Hood can also appeal to an older audience with the depiction of the struggling class failing to pay their taxes or find a job, a theme that might resonate particularly with audiences today.
Disney’s Robin Hood also makes perfect use of Alan-a-Dale, the classic minstrel from the original folktale. In the Disney film, Alan-a-Dale is portrayed as a rooster and serves as the narrator of the story. He does so in the form of song, introducing the characters and explaining the setting of the film in a way that both older and younger audiences can enjoy. Alan-a-Dale appears several times throughout the film, serving also as a segue into a different scene. Disney’s Robin Hood is also a love story, depicting Robin Hood as a love-sick outlaw who will risk his freedom in order to see Maid Marian again. The love story between Robin Hood and Maid Marian takes center stage in the second part of the film, creating a unique and perfect mix between adventure and romance that audiences of all ages can enjoy. This also makes it the perfect way to introduce a classic English folktale to a younger audience.
Robin Hood Still Holds Up Over Fifty Years Later
Unlike Other Older Films, Robin Hood Stands the Test of Time and Remains an Animated Classic
Robin Hood’s song “Love” received an Academy Award nomination for Best Song.
The film’s soundtrack was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording for Children.
Robin Hood was also cited as one of the major influences behind Zootopia.
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While Disney’s Robin Hood didn’t receive the best reviews when it was originally released, the film was a box office success and quickly became a cult classic. Even now, Robin Hood is still a fan favorite and a Disney film that saw a resurgence thanks to social media and to references in other films and media. Several of Robin Hood’s original songs have found success as recently as 2015. A sped-up version of the song “Whistle-Stop” was used in one of the earliest internet memes, the Hampster Dance. The same song was used for a T-Mobile commercial in the Super Bowl XLVIII. In 2009, Fantastic Mr. Fox featured Robin Hood’s song “Love,” and an Android commercial in 2015 used Robin Hood’s song “Oo De Lally.” This easily proves that even though the film was released in 1973, it remains just as popular over fifty years later.
The themes in Disney’s Robin Hood and the original English folk tale are just as relevant today as they were then. Audiences of all ages can relate to one or more characters from the film, from the innocent children who admire Robin Hood and his adventures to the families struggling to pay taxes to Robin Hood himself, fighting against a tyrant leader and helping those in need. This is the biggest reason why Disney’s Robin Hood remains a Disney classic so many years later, as it allows audiences to see themselves in the characters and find hope that all will be good in the end. Disney announced in 2020 that a live-action/CGI remake was in development, with the same kind of anthropomorphic characters, much like the live-action Lion King adaptation. Robin Hood’s live-action remake doesn’t have a release date yet and is set to debut directly on Disney+.
Robin Hood
The story of the legendary British outlaw portrayed with the characters as anthropomorphic animals.
Director
Wolfgang Reitherman
Release Date
November 8, 1973
Cast
Brian Bedford
, Monica Evans
, Phil Harris
, Andy Devine
, Peter Ustinov
Runtime
1 hour 23 minutes