Animated Musical

A musical feature presented in an animated, or cartoon, form, usually revolving around a fairy tale, legend, or cultural myth, interspersing a children's story with song-and-dance routines. Virtually pioneered by Walt Disney, this genre can be traced back to the first animated feature Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs but arguably was perfected in form by The Little Mermaid, which perfectly blended rousing musical production numbers with its fable-like story. It paved the way for other animated features from the Disney studios (and others) scored with lavish musical soundtracks written by top Broadway and pop-music composers such as Elton John and Steven Sondheim. The success of such films as The Lion King, Mulan, Beauty And The Beast, and Pocahontas were highly profitable and popular, cementing the form as the cornerstone of the Disney empire and rejuvenating the studio in the '80s and '90s.

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