Take a stroll through the imagination of Walt Disney with us as we break down Lady and the Tramp, a film centered on an iconic canine couple navigating the challenges of family drama and societal pressures in a town inspired by the home of Disney himself. 

Don’t miss:

• The iconic music and how several songs have lasted the test of time almost more than the film itself, some in a great way and one… much less great
• How the film’s setting evokes images of both the Old South and middle America and where those influences come from
• Our discussion of the significantly sparser dialogue and how that worked both in the film’s favor and to its detriment
• Our final score for the film, which is far more in line with modern day critics than the reviews from the time of the film’s release

PLUS, we talk through all the thoughts our audience had when they watched the movie, including our friends (and their dog Lady!) who joined us for our #ddpwatchnight. 

Links for you:

• Our website has our ranking graph for all the movies we’ve rated so far
• Become a Ko-fi member for exclusive content and access to your hosts and our team
• Join our ‘Ohana to be among the first to know about new content we’re developing
• Follow us on Twitter @definingdisney and our guest Chris @letschatrevill and let us know your thoughts on Lady and the Tramp
• When our transcription is available, we’ll link it here

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a single episode, and if you enjoyed this one, please leave us a rating and review. Thanks for listening and we’ll see ya real soon!

It’s arguably the most successful direct-to-video sequel Disney ever made, and now, we’re taking it on - The Lion King II: Simba’s Pride! Join us as we journey back to Pride Rock and conclude our Lion King-themed winter content with this (surprisingly good) second installment.

Don’t miss:

• The incredible (and risky) increase in the role of music from the first movie to this one
• How just a few lines of dialogue could have solved an enormous gaping plot hole
• A discussion of the highs and lows of this film’s cinematography, and why that inconsistency might make sense
• Our final score for the film, which unfortunately isn’t anywhere near as high as its predecessor

PLUS, we talk through all the thoughts our audience had when they watched the movie, including all our friends who joined us on Twitter for #ddpwatchnight. 

Links for you:

• Our website has our ranking spreadsheet for all the movies we’ve rated so far
• Become a Ko-fi member for exclusive content and access to your hosts and our team
• Join our ‘Ohana to be among the first to know about new content we’re developing
• Follow us on Twitter @definingdisney and let us know your thoughts on The Lion King II
• When our transcription is available, we’ll link it here

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a single episode, and if you enjoyed this one, please leave us a rating and review. Thanks for listening and we’ll see ya real soon!

Hop into the world of Zootopia with us as we tackle Disney’s most recent foray into an anthropomorphic animal world and the many timely issues it addresses. 

Don’t miss:

• The powerful message of inclusion and diversity Disney relays in this film, with layers of depth for both young and old
• How the animation team built on the new tools developed for Frozen and went even a step further to depict the many different looks of fur in the film
• Our discussion of the movie’s big plot twist and why it’s so effective
• Our final score for the film - it’s higher than you might expect, considering how this movie has been overshadowed by some of its Revival counterparts

PLUS, we talk through all the thoughts our audience had when they watched the movie, including several insightful listeners on Twitter who joined us for our #ddpwatchnight. 

Links for you:

• Our website has our ranking graph for all the movies we’ve rated so far
• Become a Ko-fi member for exclusive content and access to your hosts and our team
• Join our ‘Ohana to be among the first to know about new content we’re developing
• Follow us on Twitter @definingdisney and let us know your thoughts on Zootopia
• When our transcription is available, we’ll link it here

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a single episode, and if you enjoyed this one, please leave us a rating and review. Thanks for listening and we’ll see ya real soon!

Join us for our very first listener-created episode, centered on the iconic film The Lion King, a masterpiece of Disney Renaissance animation and music that has taken on many forms and lasted the test of time. We've asked our listeners and fellow podcasters to tell us why this movie means so much to them, and they delivered!

Don’t miss:

• The adoration for the film's music, both the soundtrack versions and the radio cuts from Elton John
• How the film helps tackle the difficult concept of grief and self-exploration in a way for young people to understand at various different levels
• A discussion of the incredible cinematography and design that identify this movie within moments
• The way the franchise has spanned the world and pervaded Disney's content for nearly two decades

We'd like to thank everyone who sent in submissions for this episode, including The Derek Duvall Show, Oof! Right in the Childhood, Stressed Depressed & Anxious, and That Song from That Movie.

Links for you:

• Our website has our ranking spreadsheet for all the movies we’ve rated so far
• Check out our Ko-fi membership for continued exclusive content and access to your hosts and our team
• Join our ‘Ohana to be among the first to know about new content we’re developing
• Follow us on Twitter @definingdisney and let us know why The Lion King is special to you
• A special shoutout to our friends at The Movie Chef Podcast, whose hilarious clip we hope to include on a future (PG-13 rated) blooper reel of some kind
• When our transcription is available, we’ll link it here

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a single episode, and if you enjoyed this one, please leave us a rating and review. Thanks for listening and we’ll see ya real soon!

Venture into a world of yore with us as we take on The Black Cauldron, a high fantasy tale based on the Chronicles of Prydain series that is considered one of Disney’s biggest flops to date. Brace yourself - it’s not pretty.

Don’t miss:

• The sheer number of questions we have about the world and characters of this film
• How this film laid the groundwork for many future films, both in technology and in personnel
• Our discussion of the Horned King and how truly creep-tastic he is
• Our final score for the film - it’s our lowest-scoring non-package film to date. 

PLUS, we talk through all the thoughts our audience had when they watched the movie, including our friends at Pedestrian at Best Podcast and It’s a Musical Podcast, as well as some comments from our Ko-fi exclusive Discord server. 

Links for you:

• Our website has our ranking graph for all the movies we’ve rated so far
• Become a Ko-fi member for exclusive content and access to your hosts and our team
• Join our ‘Ohana to be among the first to know about new content we’re developing
• Follow us on Twitter @definingdisney and let us know your thoughts on The Black Cauldron
• When our transcription is available, we’ll link it here

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a single episode, and if you enjoyed this one, please leave us a rating and review. Thanks for listening and we’ll see ya real soon!

Welcome to our very first interview episode! Today, we’ll be talking with former Disney Cast Member, Broadway actress, and singer/songwriter Jerusha Cavazos to discuss her time in the Festival of the Lion King, her experience on Broadway, and so much more.

Don’t miss:

• An inside look at the Disney audition and rehearsal experience
• The Disney movies Jerusha wants to turn into Broadway shows (spoiler alert: most of them aren’t animated!)
• Some inspiring lessons that 2020 brought all of us
• Why the story of Lion King is so special to Jerusha and many others around the world

Links for you:

• Our website has our ranking spreadsheet for all the movies we’ve rated so far
• Become a Ko-fi member for exclusive content like this and access to your hosts and our team
• Join our ‘Ohana to be among the first to know about new content we’re developing
• Follow us on Twitter @definingdisney and Jerusha @jerushacavazos
• Listen to Jerusha’s new singles on Spotify
• Donate to The Actors’ Fund to support on- and backstage talent while Broadway is still closed
• When our transcription is available, we’ll link it here

Hop on the flying serape as we discuss The Three Caballeros, another wartime era package film featuring beloved Disney icon, Donald Duck, and his two best friends on a bird-centric, culture-filled journey through Latin America. 

Don’t miss:

• The positive and negative ways Disney represented various Latin cultures in the film
• How the opening shorts of the film may actually be some of the strongest work in the movie
• Our discussion of Donald and his unusual, often uncomfortable characterization in the later parts of the movie
• Our final score for the film - oof: it’s in our bottom three!

PLUS, we talk through all the thoughts our audience had when they watched the movie, including our friend Nat, who shared her thoughts with us as a big Donald Duck fan and wants to help save DuckTales, where the Three Caballeros have made guest appearances. 

Links for you:

• Our website has our ranking graph for all the movies we’ve rated so far
• Become a Ko-fi member for exclusive content and access to your hosts and our team
• Join our ‘Ohana to be among the first to know about new content we’re developing
• Follow us on Twitter @definingdisney and let us know your thoughts on The Three Caballeros
• When our transcription is available, we’ll link it here

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a single episode, and if you enjoyed this one, please leave us a rating and review. Thanks for listening and we’ll see ya real soon!

Come along for the journey with us as we discuss how Disney began to tie family and adventure together with Brother Bear, marrying together the emotional themes that made them so successful during the Renaissance with a more exploratory plot and story structure that had become commonplace during the Digital Age. 

Don’t miss:

• The incredible symbolism and storytelling Phil Collins and Mark Mancina pulled off in the soundtrack
• How the sheer feels factor of this movie can induce tears, difficult conversations, and borderline discomfort
• Our discussion of the incredible setting of this film and the expert way the cinematography and animation show it off
• Our final score for the film, which is far closer to audience opinions than the published critics’ consensus

PLUS, we talk through all the thoughts our audience had when they watched the movie, including our friends at Let’s Chat with Chris Revill! Podcast, where our guest Bri is from! 

Links for you:

• Our website has our ranking graph for all the movies we’ve rated so far
• Become a Ko-fi member for exclusive content and access to your hosts and our team
• Join our ‘Ohana to be among the first to know about new content we’re developing
• Follow us on Twitter @definingdisney and let us know your thoughts on Brother Bear
• When our transcription is available, we’ll link it here

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a single episode, and if you enjoyed this one, please leave us a rating and review. Thanks for listening and we’ll see ya real soon!

The circle of life brings us into season 2 as we take on The Lion King, a masterpiece of Disney Renaissance animation and music that has taken on many forms and lasted the test of time. 

Don’t miss:

• The crucial role both songs and score play in this movie and how iconic they’ve become over the years
• How the imagery surrounding Scar and his villainous plot mirrors history… including some scary parallels to present-day America
• A discussion of the incredible cinematography and design that take this movie from good to great
• Our final score for the film - here’s a hint: it cracks the top three!

PLUS, we talk through all the thoughts our audience had when they watched the movie, including all our listeners who joined us for #ddpwatchnight on Twitter. 

Links for you:

• Our website has our ranking spreadsheet for all the movies we’ve rated so far
• Become a Ko-fi member for exclusive content and access to your hosts and our team
• Join our ‘Ohana to be among the first to know about new content we’re developing
• Follow us on Twitter @definingdisney and let us know your thoughts on The Lion King
• When our transcription is available, we’ll link it here

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a single episode, and if you enjoyed this one, please leave us a rating and review. Thanks for listening and we’ll see ya real soon!

Sacré bleu, we’re going to Paris! Join us for a fun, if simple, family romp as we adventure through France with the Aristocats, celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and concluding our first season of the show. 

Don’t miss:

• The strong theming of this film, despite the anachronistic use of jazz
• How the various accents and dialogue styles contribute to quick development and diversification of characters throughout the film
• A discussion of the relationship between Duchess and O’Malley and how it could have been more realistic
• Our final score for the film, which is relatively in line with critics’ aggregate scores for once

PLUS, we talk through all the thoughts our audience had when they watched the movie, including all our listeners who joined us for #ddpwatchnight on Twitter. 

Links for you:

• Our website has our ranking spreadsheet for all the movies we’ve rated so far
• Join our Ohana for exclusive content and sneak peeks of what’s coming down the line, including our Ko-fi subscription coming January 1st!
• Follow us on Twitter @definingdisney and let us know your thoughts on The Aristocats
• When our transcription is available, we’ll link it here

Don’t forget to SUBSCRIBE so you don’t miss a single episode, and if you enjoyed this one, please leave us a rating and review. Thanks for listening and we’ll see ya real soon!