Day 20: The Sword and The Stone (1963)
I’ve never really liked this one and both of us found this to be the case this time around as well. Its strange really because you would think the story of King Arthur’s boyhood would be really interesting and exciting.
Part of the problem, I think is the actual trajectory of the story itself, which seems very episodic and not actually serving the greater narrative in the way Dalmations does so well. When Arthur does pull the sword from the stone it is an accident and he does not seem any better prepared or willing then he was before Merlin’s teaching. The filmmakers seem to be wanting to make some philosophical statement about education for education's sake which is great and I am all for, but attempts to make this point keep getting hijacked by ‘comedy’ moments and songs, which don’t seem to fit.
What is with the wolf that keeps following Merlin and Arthur around? Is he supposed to represent the strong preying on the weak? Because if so, the design of the character doesn’t suit the theme at all, as he’s so weedy and pathetic.
Archimedes and Merlin are great characters. I am not sure how Madame Mim really serves the story, but she is fun to have around as well.
I believe Merlin’s statements at the end about the advantages of TV and full films is the first instance of Disney obviously adopting a ‘self aware’ approach. Good try guys, I chuckled, but you didn't quite pull it off.