Disney Dark Age

The Disney Dark Age refers to an era in the Disney Animated Canon where there was a major decline in the successes of Disney's animated films, both critically and commercially. It is predicted that the era started after Walt Disney's death in December of 1966, beginning with the film The Aristocats in 1970, and ending in 1989 with The Little Mermaid, which is also said to be the start of another era known as The Disney Renaissance.

The animated films released during this period include The Aristocats (1970), Robin Hood (1973), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977), The Rescuers (1977), The Fox and the Hound (1981), The Black Cauldron (1985), The Great Mouse Detective (1986), and Oliver & Company'' (1988).

Beginning of the Dark Age
With the deaths of Walt and Roy O. Disney, the Disney Company was left in the hands of Donn Tatum, Card Walker, and Ron W. Miller. At this time, Disney's Nine Old Men, aging animators of the company, began training new animators in prospect of retiring. In the 1980s, Don Bluth and eleven animators left Disney to make their own company, Don Bluth Productions, which proved to be a great rival towards Disney in the 1980s.

Along with The Jungle Book, The Aristocats was one of the last animated films Walt Disney had approved, although he did not live to see either completed. Taking four years to produce, The Aristocats was released to theaters on December 24, 1970. Despite favorable reviews and solid box office performance, the film did not match the successes of past Disney films such as One Hundred and One Dalmatians. Because of this, the film is seen as a modest success in Disney's Animated Film Canon.

Beginning production before Disney's death, Robin Hood began as an adaptation of Reynard the Fox. Thsis idea was scrapped after Disney deemed Reynard a non-suitable hero. After Walt's death, the film was updated to be an adaptation of the Robin Hood stories. The film was released on November 8, 1973, to mixed reviews. While popular with audiences, and a commercial success, the film was criticized for its heavy use of recycled animation from films such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, The Jungle Book, and The Aristocats.

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh was comprised of three segements, Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree, Winnie the Pooh and the Blustery Day, and Winnie the Pooh and Tigger Too!, all of which had been released into theaters prior to the film's release. This was due to Walt Disney's intentions to make a full length feature film, instead settling on short films. The film was a critical success, making it on of the most popular films of the Dark Age.

Taking four years to produce, The Rescuers was great critical and commercial success, even breaking the record for largest financial amount made for an animated film on opening weekend, a record it held until 1986.The film was Disney's most successful film at the time, giving people hope towards the studio's future. Its success spawned a sequel, The Rescuers Down Under in 1990.

Although beginning production in 1977, The Fox and the Hound wasn't released until July 10, 1981, due to a delay in production after 17% of Disney's animators left the studio. The film was a financial success, but was met with mixed reviews from fans of the original story and critics, who were disappointed in the story.

Released on July 26 1985, The Black Cauldron was both a critical and commercial failure. Lloyd Alexander, the author of the books in which the film was based on, recognized no similarity between the books and film, and despite this, he has stated that he enjoyed the film.

Released on July 2, 1986, The Great Mouse Detective was met with critical and financial success. This gave Disney its confidence back, leading to its concepts for The Little Mermaid.

The final film of the Dark Age, Oliver & Company was a commercial success, yet was met with the mixed reviews. The film won a Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing. Further renewing Disney's confidence, the studios future films would become great successes.