I downloaded it and watched it so much I got sick of it eventually, which isn't exactly a bad thing because it was; and still is, that good. Cats Don't Dance is one of those one hit wonders that's so perfectly paced that it never misses a beat in the plot. Perfect for kids and with a lesson that isn't so hamfisted like in today's climate.
Same guy who directed it would go on to direct The Emperor's New Groove, and I believe it's no coincidence that that particular movie is the funniest and one of the most quotable of the entire Disney canon.
I don't think we're headed for the end of American cultural hegemony anytime soon. Not so long as the forces that keep it that way are still around. But I think we're going to have to learn to share with foreign stuff.
I have heard stories that the production of Quest for Camelot was extremely troubled. It wasn't written as a musical, and at points in the film it's very obvious. A lot of people who worked on it had their names left off the credits...
Reading a bit more, while I definitely understand the corporate control and nepotism being an issue, I am still in the camp that there just seems to be a lack of real creativity in general. An example that came to my mind was the Ren & Stimpy debacle. From what I recall, due to John K’s actions, Twitter had a field day when it was announced that his show would be revived. During this a hashtag was created for people to post their series pitches that could provide new ideas and content rather than reviving old, and a common theme was that they were all the same premise. It was always some mundane life, magical girl, show a la Steven Universe or Star. Same base, 500 different pitches, no studio mandate behind any. I remember that hashtag proving to people exactly why animation is so focused on reboots, because all the new ideas are the same garbage with new spray paint. Animation sucks as every new IP is currently just some millennial’s attempt to remake DBZ/Sailor Moon/Harry Potter, with little differentiation other than this will have the blacks, or the gays.
It's easy to notice because in the part with "The Prayer," a slow ballad, they have it underscoring an action sequence - and so the damn thing winds up dissonant...
I think Quest for Camelot predated Dreamworks' early 3D movie formula more than copying Disney's formula at the time (Kayley would've been royalty if that was the case). Celebrities everywhere, excessive musical numbers, decent enough animation and a story which is only good on paper.
So funny and quotable they copied the movie's formula for every episode of "The Emperor's New School" cartoon. It was like the movie's version of madlibs was every episode's script (at least Eartha Kitt won an award for doing it). Luckily it didn't dull the source material's quality.
According it its imdb, it came out on the director's birthday. Hope the cake was at least good that day, bud.
The only thing I can recall about Quest for Camelot was that it had an inferior version of The Prayer by Celtic Woman. I probably only remember that because the Wii game name Endless Ocean Blue World also had the track where it plays in its original glory.
You notice how the singing voice didn't match with Cary Elwes? Again, there's a story they had another actor for the part and re-recorded it with him...
Seems fine from the bits I have watched. Overused Superman, but evil, plot, but changes it up enough to not be trash. Will probably never hit the heights of tv DC animation for this genre, but that is a pretty steep expectation anyway. I am just glad that it doesn’t seem like overly edgy garbage like many of the trashy DC animated films.
I've said it before in this thread, but Invincible's and Kirkman's love for the genre was refreshing in an era of deconstructing everything and beating you over the head about how Superman would actually just be an evil demi-god. Ironic considering bootleg Superman is the Season 1 main bad guy. I ended up reading the entire comic run and am excited to get to see those story arcs in motion. They were also smart in animating it because you could never get it believable without an obscene per episode budget and Krikman's already been screwed on that front once with The Walking Dead.
That's the remake from 1975. There is another English dub which I have on VHS with the voices of Jim Backus and Hans Conried.
