As far as Disney is concerned, The Sword in the Stone was a portent of things to come, with slapstick upstaging storytelling, and cultural in-jokes substituting for wonder. Based on TH White's beloved novel The Once and Future King, this Disney version chronicles King Arthur's boyish adventures. There's much to enjoy here as coach Merlin the magician shows the young Arthur, nicknamed Wart, the skills that will help him become the future ruler of the Britons. The transformation sequences, where the boy is turned into a fish, a bird and a squirrel are vintage Disney. The oft-repeated scene of Merlin battling it out with mean old Madame Mim still is worth a few chuckles, but it underlines the problem with most of the film--most of its scenes are only played for laughs. References by Merlin to television and other items of modern life also mar the generally innocuous landscape. Younger children will like it, while older kids will find it slower compared with recent Disney films. --Keith Simanton, Amazon.com
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Classic Disney genius! We had this on video when I was a child and I watched it so many times that the tape got worn out and I couldn't anymore. I was heartbroken! and also very glad to see it now available on DVD! I'm surprised no-one's mentioned Archimedes yet - he and Merlin vie for best character in my opinion. A fluffy, pompous, talking owl! Quote:
'Archimedes - you saved my life!'
*looks grumpy* 'Pf pf pf pf pf, I was going to eat you.'
Walt Disney's most forgotten masterpiece! Among Walt Disney's thirteen animated works, none has been put aside and forgotten as much as The Sword in the Stone, which is really a shame, knowing that this is a no less delightful Disney experience, it is different in the fact that it tells a different kind of story, it is less intriguing but it offers lots of cool scenes and some memorable characters. The story in 1963's The Sword in the Stone revolves around education, education is the main theme and the moral is that you can't be anyone without... more info
Surprisingly faithful adaption of TH White's fantasy book I really loved TH White's (1938) book 'The sword in the stone' when I read at 12 in the 1960's. Actually the Amazon review above is slightly in error 'The once and future king' is the title of the combined tetrology based on the legendary life of King Arthur, where the original 'Sword in the Stone' book was revised and edited (somewhat badly). The Sword in the Stone is therefore the first book in the series and covers Arthur's life as a youth. For the rest of the Arthurian legend you have to read the next... more info
My favourite Disney film I have an extensive Disney collection, and "The Sword in The Stone" is- in my opinion- by far the best. The graphics are "old school", the songs are fantastic, the characters have so much personality, the story has some great twists and turns, and the script is witty and memorable. It is a lovely adaptation of the King Arthur story and very re-watchable. Those who try and compare it to other "modern" Disney movies really shouldn't; as brilliant as modern day computer graphics are, this often overlooked gem... more info
