The Aristocats (1970)

Hello again! It's been a while, but it's time for me to change into my sweats and slippers, sit back, and watch The Aristocats! I think I've only seen this movie a few times, and not in a very, very long time. It has never stood out to me as a Disney movie I really liked, but we shall see what I think of it now!

Ooh it's French! Somehow I never noticed that before. This is the very first Disney movie to take place in France. Nice!

"Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay"! I remember this scene very clearly from my childhood. I just never knew what it meant or why Georges was singing it like a maniac, although I just now looked it up to discover that it is in fact a real music hall song from the 1890s. Fascinating. You learn something new every day!

Wait... you want the inheritance to go to your CATS?? This is the ultimate cat lady, y'all. Madame Bonfamille wins the prize for most cat ladyish cat lady.

At first, I really liked Edgar. I thought he was a good and loyal servant. WELL I WAS WRONG. I TRUSTED YOU, EDGAR!

Wow. Duchess is one friendly cat. I don't think there are any cats in existence that are this friendly or loving toward their owner AND a mouse. She and her kittens even share their food with Roquefort the mouse, who, as a side-note, is also the voice of Winnie the Pooh, Kaa the Snake, Cheshire Cat, and more! Yay for classic Disney voice actors! Anyway, I like Duchess a lot. Not only because she's sweet and friendly, but also because she is hopeful and bright, even in the terrible situation she gets in. Bless that cat and her kittens.

Let's talk about Thomas O'Malley. He's such a classic, smooth-talking guy. He's a lot like Tramp from Lady and the Tramp. He's like a heartthrob from an old Hollywood movie. And such a gentleman. He's a good guy. I like him a lot. Also, he's a hero. He's selfless and sacrificial and he's such a great father figure for the kittens. Oh, and he has a great sense of humor. He's perf, and in my book he's the best (or one of the best) Disney cat.

My favorite part in this whole movie is "Everybody Wants to be a Cat". It's full of jazzy goodness with a French twist! Kind reminds me of the musical An American In Paris. It takes place in Paris and it's full of jazz. I love it! Scat Cat is like the Louis Armstrong of cats and they're swing dancing to the music. It's wonderful!

Let me say more about Duchess and how much of an angel she is. Her attitude is GREAT. She's no where near the kind of aristocrats who are spoiled and stuck-up. Spoiled, yes, but she doesn't let the privileged life she's used to living affect her outlook on the rest of the world. She welcomes O'Malley and his alley cat friends openly into her life. She's more than accepting and tolerant of their different lifestyle-- she embraces it and chooses to look upon the situation with joy. Duchess is definitely up there with Thomas O'Malley. They'd both be the #1 Disney cat in my book. They really need more credit for being such wonderful and inspiring characters. We can learn lessons from these cats, you guys!

I enjoyed this movie. The music and the cats were what made it so fun to watch. I'm really a fan of the music. I might even go buy the Jazz Loves Disney album! I'm finding that I'm getting more and more into jazz, especially old-fashioned jazz, and I appreciate that Disney uses it in many of their movies. Yay jazz!

My rating:

Here, enjoy some cat jazz.