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Certain animated movies endure forever, becoming timeless treasures through sequels, re-releases, and a plethora of merchandise.
Unfortunately, not all films share this fate.
For every iconic film like Beauty and the Beast, there’s a hidden gem like Once Upon a Forest. With traditional animation fading, discovering these lesser-known works offers a chance to appreciate or critique them anew.
10. Little Nemo: Adventures In Slumberland 1989
Long before Nemo became synonymous with a charming clownfish, there was Little Nemo, a boy whose dreams of adventure led him to unexpected places. Transported to Slumberland, a realm of kings and airborne vessels, he discovers a shadowy menace beneath the dazzling surface.
A joint venture between American and Japanese creators by Tokyo Movie Shinsha (Akira), Little Nemo boasts contributions from legendary figures in entertainment. With talents like Chris Columbus (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone), the Sherman Brothers (Mary Poppins), Ray Bradbury (Fahrenheit 451), and future Studio Ghibli (Spirited Away) animators, the film seemed destined for greatness.
Sadly, that potential was lost in the process. What began as breathtaking test scenes, such as this one, ultimately became a mediocre final version.
Little Nemo underwent numerous rewrites and animation changes before its release, resulting in a film that often feels inconsistent. Despite this, its visuals—though falling short of their initial promise—remain imaginative, whimsical, and at times, strikingly dark.
Despite its efforts, Little Nemo earned just over $1 million in US theaters. Tokyo Movie Shinsha never pursued another project of such magnitude again.
9. The Black Cauldron 1985
The Black Cauldron remains the forgotten misfit Disney rarely acknowledges.
The movie emerged during a challenging period for the studio. Nearly two decades after Walt Disney’s passing, the company was still grappling with his absence, struggling to innovate. The creative team turned to fantasy, adapting Lloyd Alexander’s Chronicles of Prydain, which follows a young pig farmer tasked with thwarting an undead king’s plan to raise an army of the dead.
Parents were unimpressed. The Black Cauldron stands as one of Disney’s most expensive flops, recouping less than half of its $44 million budget. Many viewers found it hard to connect with the film, citing its lack of Disney charm and uneven storytelling.
Disney was so ashamed of the film that they delayed its home video release for nearly ten years. It quietly resurfaced in 2010 for its 25th anniversary but has never garnered significant attention.
Despite its poor reception, The Black Cauldron offers a unique glimpse into darker, more unsettling visuals uncommon in Disney’s repertoire. Critics have also highlighted its musical score and pioneering use of computer-generated effects—a bold move for animation studios at the time.
8. Happily Ever After 1993
Everyone knows the tale of Snow White: her jealous stepmother’s murderous plot, her refuge with seven dwarves, and her rescue by a charming prince, leading to a fairy-tale ending.
Filmation, however, had other ideas. Known for reimagining Disney classics (and facing lawsuits for it), they created an unofficial sequel. Here, Snow White’s happily ever after is disrupted when her prince is abducted by Lord Maliss, her stepmother’s equally wicked brother. With the seven dwarves conveniently on vacation (likely to avoid legal trouble), Snow teams up with their seven female cousins, the dwarfelles, to rescue her prince and defeat Maliss.
Despite the anticipation surrounding its release, the film flopped both commercially and critically, earning only $3.2 million. In contrast, the stop-motion animated feature The Nightmare Before Christmas raked in $50 million that same year.
Critics harshly criticized the movie for its subpar animation and obvious, poorly executed attempts to mimic Disney. While most dismissed it as a disrespectful take on the 1937 classic, a few acknowledged its storytelling and pacing as redeeming qualities.
Surprisingly, Happily Ever After featured an impressive, female-led cast, including Irene Cara (Fame) as Snow White, Zsa Zsa Gabor (Moulin Rouge, 1952), Carol Channing (Hello Dolly!), and the late Phyllis Diller. Despite the star power, it wasn’t enough to save the film. Happily Ever After marked the end of Filmation’s production endeavors.
Yet, it remains unique. While classics like Cinderella and Peter Pan have seen direct-to-video sequels, Disney has never officially continued Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Until that day comes, Happily Ever After serves as a quirky placeholder for fairy tale enthusiasts.
7. Bebe’s Kids 1992
Think your kids are unruly? They’ve got nothing on Bebe’s kids.
Featuring the late comedian Robin Harris, this film stands out as one of the few animated features with a predominantly African-American cast. Based on one of Harris’s most famous stand-up bits, the story follows a man who reluctantly babysits a group of mischievous children to impress their beautiful nanny. He takes them to Fun World—a clear nod to Disneyland—where chaos ensues as the kids wreak havoc, torment him, and break into spontaneous hip-hop performances.
Bebe’s Kids delivers wild, over-the-top entertainment, from a rapping infant to a sinister group of robotic actors and ex-presidents. Despite its creativity, the film barely earned $3 million and received largely negative reviews. Critics called it humorless and even harsh, citing lines like, “Test tube babies!” and “I’m gonna beat the black off of you!”
While its numerous dated pop culture references make it feel outdated today, it remains a nostalgic favorite for ’90s kids and fans of Robin Harris.
6. Watership Down 1978
If you enjoy the brutal struggles of forest animals, Watership Down could become your next favorite movie.
Watership Down is a British classic, adapted from Richard Adams’s novel. It follows a group of unfortunate rabbits forced to flee their warren in the English countryside and journey through treacherous woods to find a new home at Watership Down. Along the way, they face numerous dangers, suffering losses and learning that even trust among themselves is a risk.
The film doesn’t shy away from depicting the harsh realities of being small and vulnerable in the wild. Unlike Bambi, it’s unapologetically raw. Critics lauded Watership Down for its realistic animation and its commitment to staying true to the book’s challenging themes. It also brought Art Garfunkel’s “Bright Eyes” to prominence. Despite this, Watership Down rarely receives attention today.
If you’re seeking an animated film that doesn’t sugarcoat its story, or if you’re curious about rabbits battling for survival, give it a watch. Just keep the little ones away—this one’s not for preschoolers.
5. Cool World 1992
Jessica Rabbit has captivated audiences since her debut in Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, but what happened to Holli Would?
Similar to Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Cool World blends animation with live action. Directed by Ralph Bakshi (Fritz the Cat, Wizards), a trailblazer in adult-oriented animation, the film follows a comic book artist infatuated with his own creation—Cool World, a chaotic urban landscape filled with outrageous and risqué characters. He soon learns that Cool World is real, and Holli, one of his most alluring creations, is desperate to break free.
Featuring Kim Basinger and Brad Pitt in their younger years, the movie’s premise echoes Disney’s Enchanted—but with a much edgier tone and far less acclaim. Despite an ambitious marketing campaign (including altering the Hollywood sign to feature Holli), critics dismissed the film as poorly executed and even “repugnant.” It earned less than half of its $28 million budget and holds a dismal 4% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
4. Cats Don’t Dance 1997
When it comes to cool cats in animation, Disney’s Aristocats might be the first to come to mind. But Thomas O’Malley isn’t the only feline with style.
Cats Don’t Dance marked the final production from Turner Feature Animation before its merger with Warner Bros. Animation. It also served as the last project for actress Betty Lou Gerson and the legendary Gene Kelly before their passing.
This animated musical follows a hopeful cat who journeys to Hollywood, only to find that animals are treated as second-class citizens in the entertainment industry. Determined to succeed, he rallies a group of disillusioned animal performers to challenge the system, facing off against Darla Dimple—a charmingly wicked parody of Shirley Temple.
Cats Don’t Dance earned largely favorable reviews for its vibrant animation, nostalgic tribute to classic Hollywood, impressive choreography, Randy Newman’s soundtrack, and a memorable ensemble of characters. Sadly, the film struggled to find an audience. With Turner Feature Animation shutting down, Warner Bros. Animation provided minimal marketing support, resulting in a box office flop that grossed just over $3 million.
Despite its commercial failure, the film found recognition at the 1997 Annie Awards, where it won Best Animated Feature, triumphing over competitors like Hercules and Space Jam.
3. The Thief And The Cobbler 1993
The journey of a filmmaker is often fraught with challenges, and Richard Williams, the director of The Thief and the Cobbler, experienced this firsthand. The film began production in 1968 and remained in development for 25 years, plagued by Williams’s perfectionism, conflicts with financiers, and financial difficulties. Tragically, some cast and crew members, including Vincent Price, passed away before the film’s completion. It holds the record for one of the longest production periods in cinematic history.
The Thief and the Cobbler tells the story of Tack, a mute cobbler who crosses paths with the Grand Vizier of a lavish Arabian kingdom. After being imprisoned by the Vizier, Tack catches the eye of Princess Yum Yum. When the kingdom faces a dire threat, Tack is summoned to protect it.
When the film missed its 1991 deadline, Disney seized the opportunity to promote Aladdin, a movie with uncanny resemblances to Cobbler. Williams lost creative control of his masterpiece, and the project was handed over to a completion bond company.
The new team renamed it The Princess and the Cobbler, adding uninspired songs and unnecessary dialogue for previously silent characters. They also altered much of the animation to appeal to a broader audience. Williams believed his original work had been destroyed, a sentiment echoed by many viewers. Despite this, animation enthusiasts and industry professionals have praised Williams’s innovative style, noting the film’s intricate, Persian-inspired visuals and creative brilliance.
In December 2013, Williams presented a Los Angeles screening of The Thief and the Cobbler: A Moment in Time. This version ignores the later changes and uses unfinished footage to approximate Williams’s original vision as closely as possible.
2. Ferngully: The Last Rainforest 1992
If you’ve watched Avatar or EPIC, you’ll quickly recognize the themes of Ferngully: The Last Rainforest. In fact, there’s been much discussion about how these films may have drawn inspiration from it.
Featuring Tim Curry (The Rocky Horror Picture Show) as a delightfully over-the-top villain and the late Robin Williams as a quirky bat, Ferngully surprisingly doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. This American-Australian production follows a young construction worker who is magically shrunk and teams up with a group of fairies to protect their rainforest from Hexxus—a menacing, oddly alluring embodiment of pollution.
The film performed decently at the box office, earning $32 million globally. Critics didn’t shower it with praise, but they didn’t pan it either, offering generally favorable reviews at the time.
While its heavy environmental message feels dated to some critics, the lush rainforest visuals remain captivating. Additionally, without Ferngully, Joffrey Baratheon—the infamous villain from HBO’s Game of Thrones—might not have been the same. Actor Jack Gleeson credited Tim Curry’s performance in Ferngully as a key influence.
1. The Secret Of NIMH 1982
The Secret of NIMH marked the debut feature-length animated film by Don Bluth, a former Disney animator known for The Land Before Time and An American Tail. Many consider it his finest work. During the Disney Renaissance (late ’80s to mid-’90s), Bluth was Disney’s primary competitor in animation, and he managed to hold his ground for years.
The Secret of NIMH follows Mrs. Brisby, a field mouse forced to choose between staying in her cinder block home during plowing season or risking her ailing son’s health by moving him outdoors. Desperate for help, she consults an elder and encounters a colony of rats with heightened intelligence, the result of experiments at the National Institute for Mental Health (NIMH). Their stories intertwine as the rats strive to break free from human experimentation and Mrs. Brisby fights to save her family.
Critics lauded Bluth’s meticulous attention to detail and his use of classic animation techniques, including the multi-pane camera for depth, rotoscoping for fluid character movement, and backlit animation for vibrant scenes. These visuals are enhanced by the film’s rich character development and thought-provoking themes.
Despite its darker tone, which limited its mainstream appeal compared to Bluth’s later works like An American Tail and Anastasia, The Secret of NIMH remains a timeless classic, appealing to both adults and children.
