The now legendary Disney managed to strike rather consistent success between the 1930s and 50s, but the 60s onwards were far from kind to the company. Their films were no longer critical darlings, and Disney failed to capture the same box office energy that once defined the studio. Disney was in need of a change– a renaissance.
Beginning in 1989, the Disney Renaissance redefined Disney animation, featuring some of the studio’s best movies and music. With music back at the center of the Disney formula, the 90s proved to be a wonderful time to be a Disney fan. Every good musical needs a memorable opening number, and the Disney Renaissance always knew how to open a movie.
Fathoms Below (The Little Mermaid)
The film that started it all for the Disney Renaissance, The Little Mermaid laid the foundation by which all modern Disney musicals build themselves off of. It may not necessarily be the best of the Renaissance films, but The Little Mermaid is an incredibly important film in the greater Disney canon.
Fathoms Below is far from the best song on the soundtrack, but it’s a moody, atmospheric opening with great water effects that serve as a nice introduction to Eric before transitioning into the film proper. Fathoms Below establishes context for the world, and is more dialogue than music, but it’s a fine enough start to the film.
The Virginia Company/Steady As The Beating Drum (Pocahontas)
Pocahontas hasn’t aged particularly well, with its fairly reductive take on racial relations standing out all the prominently in our current day climate. At the same time, the music and animation are both great, and Pocahontas’ aesthetic remains one of the most visually compelling of the Renaissance era.
While The Virginia Company isn’t too exciting, it transitions smoothly into Steady as the Beating Drum– an opening sequence which makes use of Pocahontas’ beautiful color palette to show off the landscape. It’s a short, but dynamic intro, and one that really helps set a mood for the film to come. It’s a shame Pocahontas’ narrative doesn’t hold up, because the actual animation & music are great.
Honor To Us All (Mulan)
Honor to Us All isn’t a bad song– setting up Mulan’s conflict and arc for the film rather succinctly– but it isn’t too great either. Honor to Us All feels more at home in a proper stage musical, as a song meant to flesh out the narrative, not open a Disney movie. The song lacks a certain edge missing from the best Renaissance openings.
But Mulan outdoes the Renaissance in other areas, so perhaps it’s fine for the film to open with a more somber, reflective number for Mulan herself. Considering the emphasis on action as the film goes on, it’s important for these introspective moments to fill the first half.
Aladdin (Arabian Nights)
Like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin marked a turning point for Disney, albeit within the Renaissance itself. Aladdin set a precedent for big names not only attaching themselves to Disney’s animated films, but becoming the draws themselves. It’s no surprise every film in Disney’ canon following Aladdin has followed similar marketing conventions centered around those starring in the films.
Though this shouldn’t be used to discredit Aladdin’s quality. Arabian Nights is really all one needs to see that Aladdin really is the real deal. A haunting, whimsical opening, Arabian Nights transports the audience to a mystical land, setting the perfect stage for Aladdin’s story to play out. It’s on the short side, but the film itself is brisk.
The Gospel Truth (Hercules)
Hercules is an incredibly fun film, but it’s definitely one of the messiest Renaissance products. There’s plenty of heart and some solid character development at play throughout, but the tone is all over the place, the internal logic is weak, and Hercules’ arc is at odds with itself– both trying to be Rocky and Christopher Reeves’ Superman, fundamentally different films with contrasting themes.
All that said, Hercules excels when it comes to music. The entire soundtrack is excellent, but the Gospel Truth is an energetic opening that wastes no time in clarifying Hercules’ musical identity. While the story itself is on the weak side, the music is some of the Renaissance’s best.
Belle (Beauty And The Beast)
Belle is an opening number worth studying. From its animation to its lyrics, few musicals could ask for a better song to open with. Belle does an excellent job at not only establishing the tone of Beauty and the Beast, but both the film’s musical identity, one of its core themes, and the central conceit of Belle’s character arc.
The number also does a good job at setting the stage for the film’s later development, notably through Gaston’s inclusion. By introducing Gaston in the opening number, Beauty and the Beast is able to hold onto a much tighter central cast than the average Disney Renaissance film.
Circle Of Life (The Lion King)
There is an elegance to the Circle of Life missing in all other opening numbers in Disney’s catalogue. In general, The Lion King is of a higher caliber than its Disney peers, but it’s the Circle of Life which best conveys that. It’s a beautiful piece of animation scored by enchanting, almost haunting music.
The lyricism is simple once translated into English, but that does’t take away from the song whatsoever. The Circle of Life is little more than a ballad to the nature of life & death, the natural cycle in which all living things abide by– both man and beast.
The Bells Of Notre Dame (The Hunchback Of Notre Dame)
Although Belle and the Circle of Life are far more important and influential opening numbers to come out of the Disney Renaissance, there is an epic quality to the Bells of Notre Dame that’s hard to ignore. The opening number chronicles the circumstances which led to Frollo taking in Quasimodo, and it is as haunting as it is chilling.
The Bells of Notre Dame immediately makes it clear that The Hunchback of Notre Dame is darker than its Renaissance counterpart, tactfully dealing with themes of racial & religious persecution, along with religious identity and the fear of God, with the kind of respect reserved for, well, anything but an animated Disney film. It’s an unforgettable opening to an unforgettable movie.
