The Top 10 Animal-Based Movies of All Time
The animal-based movie genre came into popularity in the 1930s, with the release of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and The Wizard of Oz and has not slowed down since! We wanted to take some time to honor our favorite animal based movies of all time by making a list of the top 10 movies about animals. These movies are both animated and live action and cover just about every kind of animal imaginable from dogs, cats, and even dragons! Take a look below to see which ones we picked as our favorites!
#10 – Marley & Me
A dog, who could possibly be more adorable than that? In Marley & Me, a family adopts a Labrador puppy who becomes too big for their house and their hearts. Based on a best-selling memoir, Marley & Me tells how one wonderful dog changed one ordinary life forever. #9 – Old Yeller: You probably thought your dog was man’s best friend… well you were wrong!
#9 – Babe (film)
Babe is a 1995 Australian-American comedy-drama film directed by Chris Noonan, produced by George Miller, and written by both. It is an adaptation of Dick King-Smith’s 1983 novel The Sheep-Pig, also known as Babe: The Gallant Pig in the U.K.. The main animal actor was a Border Collie named Rueben (billed as Ralph), though all dogs in the movie were played by him under numerous dog costumes.
#8 – Free Willy
This 1993 film is based on a true story and tells a touching tale of friendship between Willy, a troubled young boy with an affinity for orca whales and Jesse, an orca whale who has been captured and placed in captivity. When Willy realizes that his efforts to free Jesse aren’t working, he puts his life on the line to save him.
#7 – Finding Nemo
After his son is scooped up by a scuba diver and lost at sea, a timid clownfish sets out on a journey to bring him home. With many exciting twists and turns along his way, Nemo finds himself in an enormous fish tank in Sydney’s harbor with plenty of other colorful characters to keep him company. This heartwarming story that has been told many times over is certainly one children will want to hear again and again.
#6 – 101 Dalmatians (1961 film)
101 Dalmatians is an animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Productions and loosely based on Dodie Smith’s 1956 novel of same name. It was released to theaters on January 25, 1961 by Buena Vista Distribution. It was one of Disney’s most popular films during its time.
#5 – Black Beauty (1994 film)
Black Beauty is an amazing and inspirational true story about a horse named Black Beauty who tells his life story to a little girl named Anna. This film was based on Anna Sewell’s 1877 novel. It was directed by Caroline Thompson, produced by Susan Arnold and released by MGM/UA in 1994. The movie stars Sean Bean, Emily Watson, David Thewlis, Peter OToole and many more great actors in Hollywood.
#4 – Cats & Dogs (film)
Cats and Dogs is a 2001 American comedy film directed by Lawrence Guterman. It was released on July 20, 2001 by Warner Bros. Pictures, in collaboration with DreamWorks Pictures and Kennedy Miller Productions, and stars Jeff Goldblum, Alexander Pollock, Hugh Laurie, and Jack Lemmon.
#3 – Charlotte’s Web (1973 film)
This movie is based on a famous children’s book. It follows a pig named Wilbur who befriends an intelligent spider named Charlotte. It was nominated for several Academy Awards and received many positive reviews.
#2 – Bambi (1942 film)
Directed by David Hand, Bambi tells a captivating tale about a young deer learning to grow up in a complex and dangerous world. For many people, myself included, Bambi is their very first exposure to animal-based stories.
#1 – Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
This 1937 film starred Margaret Hamilton and had a voice cast including Adriana Caselotti, Mary Kay Bergman, and Betty Bruce. You might not think an animated movie about an animal kingdom would be very exciting for adults, but when it comes to Disney movies, there’s no doubt that Snow White is a classic—and if you’ve never seen it before (or even if you have), check out one of its many copies today!