How's It Hold Up?

When movies in one language are brought over to another, whether through subtitles or dubbing, something is always lost, to at least some extent, even when translated with the best of intentions. But sometimes things are translated with less than good intentions, with more of an eye toward making them palatable to another audience than faithfully representing the original work. This sort of translation was especially common before the mid-to-late 2000s, and thus it should be no surprise that the first Pokemon movie was affected. We watched the English version last year so now let's compare and see... how much was lost, and how do they hold up against one another?

Many decades after the original, Disney finally decided to make a sequel to the original Fantasia, and in so doing they found themselves repeating mistakes while also chasing new sensibilities, resulting in a film that is less lauded than its predecessor... but does that mean it's actually less good? Listen to find out!

(Spoiler Section Length - 6min 4sec)Most animated musicals are original works, rather than adaptations of classic stage shows, but this one's an exception! Taking a classic Rogers and Hammerstein musical, this movie tries to bring it to an audience grown used to Disney Renaissance fare, and it makes a few changes in an attempt to appeal to that audience. Are these changes successful, and regardless, does the original work's quality shine through? Listen to find out!

All of Disney's early film output was experimental, but besides perhaps Snow White itself, none were more so than Fantasia. Designed as an experience unto itself, with a road show and everything, Fantasia was a huge passion project for Walt, one he intended to last for years with new versions and all sorts of exciting things... but then, it bombed at the box office, not making an actual profit until decades later. Since then it's become much more revered, but even so, does this film with such a tumultuous history, one that some critics find condescending and pretentious, still hold up close to a century later? Listen to find out!

There's a movie by Studio Ghibli that came out between the two icons that are Princess Mononoke and Spirited Away, and it's a movie that few people seem to talk about. It's another Isao Takahata feature, and another one of his that's based on a Japanese comic strip. Featuring a watercolor aesthetic way before his eventual Princess Kaguya film, this movie looks like virtually nothing else in the Ghibli catalogue. Does this quirky little film deserve to be forgotten amid the titans released on either side of it, or is it just as worthy of esteem as they are? Listen to find out!

To wrap up our Holliganza this year, we take a look at a non-Rankin/Bass Rudolph short film that does its best to harken back to that original special and the way it was animated. Intended to be experienced with 4D effects, we didn't get to experience quite everything this short was intended to offer, but even still, was this a pleasant way to end the year? Listen to find out!