Royce's Random Thoughts

Even though the traditional Robin Hood narrative did come to a close in the original film, Disney could mine a sequel if they wanted to. Because in their version Sir Guy was definitely absent, and he could make a perfect villian in a sequel, especially if he was markedly more competent than the Sheriff was. Just have him break out Prince John and Sir Hiss from the rock quarry after King Richard splits back to France...

I must be in a theme mood today...

We go with the usual "storybook" opening from the early Disney films, followed by a horribly chopped up title sequence (at least in the DVD version)

Alan-a-Dale: Look, I realize that this flick isn't exactly high art, and that Disney's reputation for preserving the integrity of their earlier films is execrable (I'm looking at you, Three Caballeros) but would would it have killed you guys to add the voice credits at the end of the film?

Just get on with the story.

Alan-a-Dale: Right. Robin Hood steals from Prince John, wins the golden arrow contest, makes a great escape, steals from John a second time and then marries Marion in the end.

That's a bit short even for a Five-Minute review. Care to expand on that?

Alan-a-Dale: Trust me, that's all there is to it.

Marion: I think we should look at the moral dimensions of the film. For starters, the Nice Girl is sweet but kind of a drip.

Friar Tuck: Stealing is good, if you're clever and handsome. Or the comic relief.

Sir Hiss: Painfully obvious disguises always work against the bad guys, especially if no one listens to the one antagonist who's actually paying attention to anything (I could cry, really).

Prince John: It's possible to drag my name even deeper through the mud than it is in the historical record. I mean, I just ran the place for years, while Richard's time is Britain could be measured in weeks, but noooo, everyone thinks Prince John was an idiot who sucks his thumb and whines for Mummy. Curse you, Sir Walter Raleigh!

The Sheriff: Dumb redneck stereotypes were common in Medieval England.

Little John: Robin makes one hot looking Gypsy girl.

Everyone stares at him.

Little John(defensively: Well he does!

King Richard: Thanks to this film, we can difinitively say that modern Furry fandom started in 1973.

Robin: And finally, recycling is important!

Lady Kluck: I'm sorry, where's that one coming from?

Robin: Well just look at the film for heaven's sake. Little John's character design and even the voice actor are the same as from The Jungle Book, the crocodile sergeant is from Fantasia and so are the elephant trumpeters I think. Plus the animals playing the instruments during the dance sequence were traced from The Aristocats, Marian and I dance move for move the same as the Prince and Snow White from the end of Snow White, Little John's dance moves are again from The Jungle Book and even the football chase takes the fight songs from two different universities and mixes them together.

Marian: Robin?

Robin: Yes, dear?

Marian: Shut up.

She kisses him.


Summary: Overall a fun movie that's as heavy as a soap bubble and completely lacking in modern irony and "adult" jokes like most kid movies these days. Definitely shows what era it's from though. There's also an essay to be written about Robin in the film being a more classic fairy tale Trickster figure rather than the Robin Hood from Medieval legend, but I'm not up to writing that one.