The Good, The Bad, and The Apple Dumpling

[Tref]

Having all this time off as I do, I have been renting a whole lot of movies; including an attempt to re-connect to the old Disney live action films from the 1960s and 1970s. I had not seen many since my childhood and some stood up to the test of time and some most definitely did not. They range from the good (The Three Lives of Thomasina) to the abysmal (The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes) but then there is The Apple Dumpling Gang. I sort of knew the film was not going to live up to what I remember, but I was surprised it missed the mark as many times as it did, especially in the scenes with Knotts and Conway. Those two brilliant improvisators seemed to be coasting a bit. Nevertheless, when it was all said and done and the last potty joke had been told, I liked it. I could even watch it again. Am I sick? Maybe.

Perhaps, I am letting nostalgia cloud my judgment as I have been wont to do, but then nothing could have made The Gnome-Mobile any better -- that film is maybe the worst of the lot. However, would I have been so forgiving to the rest had the films not been produced by Disney? Good question.

Disney films from this era (especially during the early 1970s) have many recognisable marks in style (or, some could argue, lack there of) that make them instantly identifiable to the eye. Sort of like when you rapidly are flipping through the channels and come across a Twilight Zone episode -- you stop, not because you might want to watch the Twilight Zone but the images, lighting, casting are all familiar, even to those episodes you might not have seen before. Disney films, like the Twilight Zone exist in their own reality, apart from all other TV and film.

There is also the matter of the casting, though Disney was known as the last stop of a career (which, apparently, Don Knots, considered, but fortunately for us, disregarded) something could be said about films that bring with them so many warm character actors. How can you dismiss a comedy (even of the lite variety) with actors like, the great Joe Flynn, Dean Jones, Helen Hayes, Keenan Wynn, Raymond Baily, Cloris Leachman, Phil Silvers, Susan Clark, Cesar Romero and on and on and on ...

Though, I will say that while nostaligia may play a big role in my opinion of Disney live action films, they definitely are fun to watch and re-visit. Most of them, anyway.

Which Disney live action films from that period (besides, Mary Poppins) hold up the best for you?

You know how I feel. What you think I do not know. Pray tell.

[Ponine]

I too have recently watched The Apple Dumpling gang.
Not for nostalgia, but because I knew that my eight year old could watch it, and i didnt have to worry about gay bashing, or jokes about male body parts, etc.

Because I knew people got hit with things, and older people were being dumb. He loves that.
But I will refrain from my dissertation. I will instead address Witch Mountain.
But before I do, let me say that I agree with many of your statements.
I know TZ when I see three seconds of it. Though I am the person who would know the episode number as well. But the same can be said for TZ, MASH, Beverly Hillbilies... They each have their style.

You can pretty typically know a Disney live action film in a beat or three. My personal faves are Pollyanna, and Summer Magic.

Anyway... I hold a very dear spot for the Witch Mountain movies. I wanted to be one of the other children. I wanted powers like Tia. I wanted her purse.

But when I watch them now....
What the heck was Betty Davis thinking??? Who talked her into that role??
And Christopher Lee.... luckily he pulled back out into other movies.

I Love Witch Mountain. But it does not stand the test of time.

I feel however that Pollyana does. Although now it plays as a period piece. I never saw it that way as a child.
I guess because when I was a child you could get a doll from a fishing game.

I lost track of my train.... catch it again later.

[innerSpaceman]

Oh, now I wished I'd gone and seen that Disney Live-Action series at the Aero.


Frankly, I think all those movies suck. If they didn't have "Disney" attached to the name, there would not even be the camp factor for me.


Of that era, dismissing Poppins from competition, I can say that only The Parent Trap and The Love Bug are worthy of your attention, though I'd really like to see The Three Lives of Thomasina again to see if it holds up to memory.

The rest of the monkeys that had uncles and the laptops that wore tennis shoes are really atrocious craptaculars. Even Swiss Family Robinson is a lame, lame film.


Disney lost it in 1960 when it came live action movies. And that makes the wonder of Mary Poppins all the more spectacular.

[Ghoulish Delight]

I'm a bit of an anomaly I suppose in that I didn't really watch any of them growing up. I'm slowly catching up, and I dare say that I've enjoyed several of them. Genuinely enjoyed.

Three that come to mind are Swiss Family Robinson, Bed Knobs and Broomsticks, and Pollyanna. I wouldn't call them spectacular movies, but they were enjoyable to watch, made me smile, and didn't bore the snot out of me.

[€uroMeinke]

Awwww - Swiss Family Robinson is such a delight just trying to figure out what continent they are near with it's Noah's Ark collection of animals. And Pirates! - I think the pirates in this film are among the best. And who wouldn't want to live in that tree house or ride an ostrich?

[Morrigoon]

I'm excessively fond of Summer Magic. Despite the outdated attitude toward the behavior of young ladies (which, in itself, I find hilarious, because whether or not we admit it, it still holds true), but also if you really pay attention, the direction is wonderful, and Hayley Mills' acting superb. Yeah, you have to get around the script and the random "Hey we have a lot of leftover bug footage from True Life Adventures" segment, but as an overall piece I find it absolutely delightful.

[Bornieo: Fully Loaded]

No doubt - Herbie and Apple Dumpling Gang were a huge part of my childhood.

Tron, the Black Hole, Last FLight of Noah's Ark, Freeky Friday, Trenchcoat and Gus also. Plus the "newer" ones like Rocketeer, Newsies and Tall Tales were not bad at all.

Most of the live actions were great!

[CoasterMatt]

I love Tron, the Black Hole and Escape to Witch Mountain.

[DreadPirateRoberts]

Swiss Family Robinson, and the Love Bug are two of my favorites. I remember seeing them as a kid, and I enjoy watching them now, part for the movie, and part nostalgia.

[Prudence]

Have you noticed that Hayley Mills was always slightly flat when she sang?