The 1970s were a rather contentious time for animation. On television, it was dominated by Hanna-Barbera cartoons and their limited animation, and while their quick wit and lovable characters made them entertaining for generations, it did restrict how far the animators could push things. This decade saw Disney at perhaps its lowest point, with both Walt and Roy O. Disney dead by 1971, causing the company to play it safe and release fewer movies than ever before.
That said, many amazing animated films came from the 1970s. One of the main reasons behind this underrated success was that independent creators got to flex their creative muscles and make the most of their lower budgets. The result is an interesting assortment of movies across the age ranges. They might be underappreciated, and the decade as a whole might remain a period that many consider particularly dark for animation, but these movies prove that the ’70s were actually great for the medium.
10
‘Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure’ (1977)
When a young girl named Marcella (Claire Williams) leaves her nursery, her toys come to life and listen to stories from her favorite doll, Raggedy Ann (Didi Conn), about the outside world. On her 7th birthday, Marcella receives a French bisque doll named Babette (Niki Flacks), but she is kidnapped by pirate Captain Contagious (George S. Irving), who is infatuated with her. Raggedy Ann and her brother, Raggedy Andy (Mark Baker), set off to rescue Babette, and are joined by an abandoned stuffed Camel with the Wrinkled Knees (Fred Stuthman).
Raggedy Ann & Andy: A Musical Adventure was one of several projects accepted by Richard Williams so he could fund his longtime passion project, The Thief and the Cobbler, though it was a failure on release due to Williams’ obsession with perfectionism and habit of going over budget. However, this approach also makes the film a one-of-a-kind viewing experience: Williams brought in legendary animators like Art Babbit, Emery Hawkins, and Grim Natwick, resulting in a tapestry of different animation styles, all presented through a series of road-trip style obstacles brought to life through fluid and detailed animation. The movie also has songs written by Joe Raposo, who worked on Sesame Street, and many of them are catchy earworms.
9
‘The Hobbit’ (1977)
In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit named Bilbo Baggins (Orson Bean), who was content to smoke his pipe, enjoy good food, and never go on any adventures. That all changes when the wizard Gandalf (John Huston) ropes him into becoming a burglar for a company of 13 dwarves led by Thorin Oakenshield (Hans Conried). He tells Bilbo that they intend to journey east towards the Lonely Mountain of Erebor, to reclaim their home and treasure from the wicked dragon, Smaug (Richard Boone).
The Hobbit manages to condense J. R. R. Tolkien‘s iconic novel into a 78-minute film, and yet somehow remains more faithful than Sir Peter Jackson‘s trilogy. Its success is because it keeps true to the tone and atmosphere of the book: it’s a delightful mix of whimsical adventure and foreboding darkness, where Bilbo remains the main character. The animation also helps to maintain this tone, with backgrounds that look like they come straight from a fairy tale illustration, and creature designs that, while not quite book-accurate, are certainly unique.
8
‘Robin Hood’ (1973)
While King Richard (Peter Ustinov) is fighting in the Crusades, his younger brother, Prince John (Ustinov), rules England and taxes its people for all they’re worth. Fortunately, the poor are looked out for by Robin Hood (Brian Bedford), an outlaw who leads his Merry Men in stealing from the rich to give back to those in need. When Prince John sets his eyes on the town of Nottingham, Robin and his friend Little John (Phil Harris) do what they can to keep the people’s spirits high and make a fool of John’s lackey, the town’s Sheriff (Pat Buttram).
Robin Hood was the first animated Disney movie to enter production after Walt’s death, and is one of the worst examples of the company’s habit of reusing animation segments. That said, it’s also one of their best adventure films: the plot is kept simple, and the characters lean into their archetypes, encouraging audiences to just go along with the ride and have fun, of which there is plenty to go around. Roger Miller is also present as the narrator, Alan-a-Dale, and between him and Harris, there are plenty of catchy songs.
7
‘Fritz the Cat’ (1972)
Fritz (Skip Hinnant) is an anthropomorphic cat navigating his way through the hectic landscape of the 1960s. Some of these misadventures include befriending crows and learning about their hardships, joining extremist protesters, and evading police. Connecting all of this is a heaping dose of drugs, sex, and bloody violence.
Fritz the Cat is both the first X-rated animated film and the beginning of the unique and wild film career ofRalph Bakshi. Though despised by the creator of the character, Robert Crumb, the movie pulled audiences in not just because of how raunchy and violent it is, but also because of its unapologetic look at the time period. Bakshi presents the counterculture movement with all its ups and downs, and uses biting satire and visual metaphors to create a chaotic yet honest time capsule.
6
‘The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh’ (1977)
Deep in the Hundred Acre Wood, a boy named Christopher Robin (Bruce Reitherman, Jon Walmsley, and Timothy Turner) goes on numerous adventures with his stuffed animal friends. His best friend is a bear with very little brains named Winnie the Pooh (Sterling Holloway), who loves nothing more than to enjoy a pot or ten of honey. Others include the timid Piglet (John Fiedler), the gloomy Eeyore (Ralph Wright), and the energetic Tigger (Paul Winchell).
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is a combination of three different Winnie the Pooh shorts released between 1966 and 1974, with new animation to bridge them together, and an epilogue scene between Pooh and Christopher. The result is one of Disney’s most charming ventures, with a story that has a casual feel that captures the innocence and imagination of childhood. Yet there is also this melancholic tone that talks about the inevitability of growing up and leaving something behind, which has led to a lucrative franchise of films and television.
5
‘The Lord of the Rings’ (1978)
When Bilbo Baggins (Norman Bird) leaves Hobbiton on his 111th birthday, he bequeaths his possessions to his nephew, Frodo (Christopher Guard), including a magic ring that he took from a creature called Gollum (Peter Woodthorpe). Unfortunately, it turns out to be the One Ring forged by the Dark Lord, Sauron, and if he reclaims it, he will dominate the free people of Middle-earth. Aided by his friends and extended family, the wizard Gandalf (William Squire) and the ranger Aragorn (Sir John Hurt), Frodo embarks on a perilous journey to destroy the ring by throwing it into the fires of Mt. Doom, where it was forged.
The Lord of the Ringswas an ambitious attempt to combineThe Fellowship of the Rings and The Two Towers into one movie, and is another feather in Bakshi’s cap. The use of rhotoscoping and live-action footage against stylistic backgrounds creates a mystical world of wonder and woe, and it knows when to rely on atmosphere and suspense to make up for its limitations. The cast does a great job bringing the characters to life, with Hurt standing out as Aragorn, giving him the perfect mix of authority, mystery, and honor to make this performance stand just as strong as Viggo Mortensen‘s.
4
‘Wizards’ (1977)
Two million years after a nuclear war, magic returns to earth, and the fairy queen gives birth to two wizard sons: the good-hearted Avatar (Bob Holt) and the wicked, mutant Blackwolf (Steve Gravers). For years, Blackwolf has tried to take over the kingdom of Montagar, but failed when his mutant soldiers got bored and gave up. Things change when he discovers Nazi propaganda to galvanize them, prompting Avatar to join a mission into the heart of Blackwolf’s kingdom to destroy the projector.
Wizards might be the most bizarre of Bakshi’s movies, and that is saying a lot. It throws together World War II imagery, classic fantasy iconography, class warfare, fascism, social commentary on religion, and scantily clad fairies, and yet somehow makes a pretty effective story that is both epic and hilarious. The characters also help by serving as the glue to keep it all together, with Avatar in particular standing out thanks to his humorous take on the cynical wizard, and Holt’s stellar voice work.
3
‘Charlotte’s Web’ (1973)
Fern Arable (Pamelyn Ferdin) convinces her father to spare the runt of his most recent litter of pigs, and promises to raise him and name him Wilbur (Henry Gibson). Once Wilbur is fully grown, he is sold to Fern’s uncle, Homer Zuckerman (Bob Holt), and learns that he will be slaughtered for meat, leaving him isolated from the other animals. All except for the spider Charlotte A. Cavatica (Debbie Reynolds), who promises to help Wilbur escape his fate by spinning words into her web praising Wilbur.
Charlotte’s Web showed that Hanna-Barbera could create something great outside their iconic characters, even if author E. B. White did not enjoy this adaptation of his book. Most of the things he disliked, such as music by The Sherman Brothers and the more theatrical version of the fare, are some of the most beloved aspects to fans, so much so that the 2006 live-action adaptation was altered to contain scenes from the animated film that were removed. A lot of White’s book was still kept, though, particularly through Wilbur and Charlotte’s relationship, and the bittersweet ending.
2
‘Watership Down’ (1978)
When a young rabbit named Fiver (Richard Briers) has a premonition of death coming to his warren, his older brother, Hazel (Sir John Hurt), leads a small group of rabbits to leave on their own. Unfortunately, the world outside the warren is no safer, as there are many dangers from both beast and man that can end the life of a rabbit in an instant. Still, the group presses on, guided by Fiver’s visions to a place where they can make a new home.
Do not be fooled by its cute rabbit characters: Watership Downis a grueling film that shows the ugly side of nature, with plenty of intense imagery and gruesome deaths. It’s not all grim, though, as it also emphasizes the importance of faith and cooperation, which is what allows Hazel’s group to eventually get the home they so desperately seek. The film’s worldbuilding is amazing: author Richard Adams created a distinct language and mythology for the rabbits, and this goes a long way to making the rabbit culture feel manifest and not just a simple anthropomorphization.
1
‘Fantastic Planet’ (1973)
The planet Ygam is ruled over by the Draags, gigantic blue-skinned humanoids with telepathic powers. In their shadows live the Orms, who resemble humans but are either kept as pets or exterminated en masse. One pet Orm named Terr (Eric Baugin and Jean Valmont/Mark Gruner and Barry Bostwick) manages to listen in on his owner’s education thanks to a defect in his collar, and when he matures, he escapes his captors and leads his fellow Orm into rebellion.
Fantastic Planet is hands down one of the most original animated films, thanks to its art design, visuals, and storytelling. To start with the art, you truly feel like you’re in another world: the stiff movement of the characters and their dulled colors give a sense that everything is slightly off, only to come alive when the Draags use their powers in a projection of abstract images and psychedelia. Story-wise, the film uses the struggle between the Draags and the Orms to touch on themes like oppression, genocide, and animal rights, which helps keep the film timeless.
