Review of Pete's Dragon (1977) by Brian S — 29 Sep 2010

Puff the magic dragon....oh, wrong story. I watched this movie to death as a kid, and for some unexplainable reason I just loved it. though I still have some fond memories, I can't really say I LOVE it anymore.

the animation is, I think, really well-done. it's certainly dated, but it's pretty believable nonetheless. the music is really catchy and fun, and strikes me as something from a "poor man's 60s/70s musical".

what really gets me is the acting--when it's not completely hammy, it's completely flat. as a result, most of the heart and sentimentality of the story gets lost along the journey, and by the end we just don't really care anymore.

not one of Disney's best by a long shot, but it'll always have a place in my memory.