Tonight with the Family: Unjustly Forgotten, Released 22 Years Ago, Disney's Most Spectacular of the Decade

From a young age, Jim Hawkins was fascinated by the stories of space pirates that criss-cross his vast world, and in particular by the exploits of Captain Flint, the remarkable adventurer who was said to have amassed immeasurable booty on an unknown planet.

One evening, when a strange character, badly injured and chased by buccaneers, ends up in his hotel, the young man is given a map that leads to a famous treasure and decides to fulfill his dream. To do so, he arrives aboard the RLS Heritage, where he must help the ship’s master Rooster: a mysterious cyborg named John Silver.

A shiny nugget, a bit forgotten

In the 2000s, Disney studio artists were navigating uncharted waters. The golden age they experienced in the previous decade is now over, and the most famous company in the history of animation sometimes finds itself facing a lack of inspiration, just like a commercial.

At a time when the galleons of Pixar and Dreamworks proudly sail the waves, Mickey’s Caravel struggles to find true cruising speed. However, in the midst of what many consider a tumultuous period for the Enchanted Kingdom, and whose productions are rarely mentioned among the great Disney classics, we can easily find – when we know where to look for them – some shiny nuggets.

A true invitation to adventure

Directed by John Musker and Ron Clements (who previously directed Basil, The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Hercules), Treasure Planet is definitely one of those hidden treasures. Unfairly forgotten by the general public, but truly remarkable in many ways, this rehabilitation treasure island A real success in the style of steampunk and space opera by Robert Louis Stevenson.

Featuring a stirring score by James Newton Howard (who is truly the greatest Disney composer of all time) and backed by absolutely spectacular animation (even if some of the digital effects have suffered a bit over the years), Disney Studios’ 43rd classic has it all. A breath of adventure that is hard to compete with.

Epic and visually dazzling, rhythmically flawless, the film is also thrilling, especially thanks to the wonderful friendship between young Hawkins (in need of a father figure) and cyborg John Silver. More than two decades later, and even if the animation history books don’t often bother to mention it, don’t be afraid to say it: Treasure Planet is really, really great Disney!