Disney’s 1973 adaptation of Robin Hood is remembered as a charming animated classic packed with catchy songs, recycled animation, and one of the most relaxed heroes Disney ever created.
But somehow… it also became the film responsible for awakening something in generations of viewers who found themselves strangely drawn to a cartoon fox in a green tunic.
In this episode of 100 Things We Learned From Film, Planty is joined by Mrs John, Kirsty as they dive into the bizarre legacy of Disney’s furry folk hero, exploring the troubled post-Walt Disney production, the reused animation tricks, the legendary voice cast, hidden production stories, and why this low-budget gamble became one of Disney’s most beloved cult classics.
Expect behind-the-scenes chaos, accidental internet history, Roger Miller earworms, and far more discussion about sexy foxes than anyone planned.
Featuring:
- The recycled animation Disney hoped you wouldn’t notice
- Why Robin Hood became a fox in the first place
- The strange origins of furry culture memes
- Phil Harris basically playing Baloo again
- The viral afterlife of “Whistle Stop”
- Prince John’s thumb-sucking tantrums
- The last days of Disney’s old animation guard
- And why this film still owns the internet decades later
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Robin Hood is a 1973 American animated musical adventure comedy film produced by Walt Disney Productions and released by Buena Vista Distribution. Produced and directed by Wolfgang Reitherman, it is based on the English folktale "Robin Hood". Taking place in a world populated by anthropomorphic animals, the story follows the adventures of Robin Hood, Little John, and the inhabitants of Nottingham as they fight against the excessive taxation of Prince John, and Robin Hood wins the hand of Maid Marian. The film features the voices of Brian Bedford, Phil Harris, Peter Ustinov, Pat Buttram, Monica Evans, Terry-Thomas, Roger Miller, and Carole Shelley.
The idea to adapt Robin Hood into an animated feature was dated back to Walt Disney's interest in the tale of Reynard the Fox following the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937). The idea was repeatedly shelved for several decades. In 1968, Ken Anderson pitched a film adaptation of Robin Hood, incorporating ideas from Reynard the Fox by using anthropomorphic animals rather than humans. The project was approved, becoming the first completely "post-Walt" animated feature and the first with an entirely non-human cast.
Robin Hood was released on November 8, 1973. The film received mixed reviews from critics, but it was nonetheless a box-office success, grossing $33 million worldwide against a production budget of $5 million. Although some retrospective reviews have criticized the heavy use of animation recycled from previous Disney films, the film's reputation has grown positively over time. It has since become a cult classic.
