Robin Hood (Disney film)/YMMV

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


  • Cult Classic
  • Ear Worm: Roger Miller's "Whistle Stop" used during the film's opening was sped up and used for the hampsterdance.com phenomenon.
  • Hilarious in Hindsight: Robin's hat is too big for Skippy, and King Richard's crown is too big for Prince John. If you look closely, one of the main staff members is Don Bluth, who went on to use similar imagery in An American Tail.
  • Ho Yay: Sir Hiss cheers up Prince John by using his tongue to tickle Prince John's ear, and when Little John in disguise befriends Prince John, Sir Hiss was extremely jealous. Hiss doesn't do it intentionally (he is a snake, after all), and while it does tickle PJ, he finds it annoying. On the other hand, the fact that Hiss sleeps in John's bedroom with him, for no discernible reason, is a bit...questionable. (He trusted him that much?)
    • And he identifies Robin Hood at the tournament by looking up into his disguise.
  • Memetic Mutation: Anyone remember The Hampster Dance? Guess what the original sample was from.
  • Moral Event Horizon: While Prince John is mostly Laughably Evil, when he decides to hang Friar Tuck to lure Robin out, even Sir Hiss is shocked. And he also refused to spare Robin Hood's life even when Maid Marian begged him not to when he could have just as easily sent him to the dungeons.
    • Given that the Church was an independent political entity that would object to this simply for the affront of a noble executing a priest on his own authority rather than attempting to have him punished via church law, there are reasons other than morality to be shocked by such an order.
    • Interesting historical context: John and Richard's father, Henry II, ordered the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas à Becket, assassinated. Certainly not an excuse, but can possibly be reason why Prince John would even consider it.
    • While it was never his idea to impose such heavy taxes on the kingdom's citizens, the Sheriff of Nottingham proves what a jerkass he really is when he takes money from the church's poor box to assist Prince John in his tax collection.
  • Narm: Friar Tuck's sudden outburst of "GET OUTTA MY CHURCH!" for some.
  • No Endor Holocaust/Values Dissonance: Prince John and Sir Hiss have a good laugh over how Hiss hypnotized King Richard into going on the Crusades. Since this is Disney, this hopefully doesn't mean that Sir Hiss is responsible for the deaths of thousands of Jews and Muslims. The way they describe the Crusades as "crazy", the implication is that that they were brushed off as a Snipe Hunt of sorts in that universe. Little John, in the "Phoney King of England" song, describes The Crusades as "great" and calls King Richard "bonny" and "good" for going on them. Probably the most Unfortunate Implications-tastic moment in a Disney film. It is possible, however, that the peasantry and other commoners were given the Theme Park Version by those in power, told that The Crusades were a good thing, and so Little John wouldn't know any better. Alternatively, his word choice could have been intended as Sarcasm Mode which would be lost in song. As for Richard being hypnotized into the Crusade in the first place, this is sadly likely to be another example of Historical Hero Upgrade—particularly since it disavows Richard entirely of any wrongdoing in his actions. Or again, alternatively, the film-writers might actually have approved of The Crusades, and Hiss was taking credit for getting rid of Richard when he hadn't as he would know that John could not comprehend Richard's idealistic motives.
  • Older Than They Think: There are two lion brothers. One's the king, and his brother, resentful of him, manages to get him out of the throne, so he can claim it himself. After he does, things go downhill, making everyone hate him. Sound familiar?
  • So Okay It's Average: The critics' reaction to the film at the time it premiered.
  • Squick: Alan-a-Dale can bend his knees in both directions!'
    • Boy, if the Sheriff had won the archery tournament....
  • Tear Jerker: "Not in Nottingham" is hardcore for a song from a Disney movie.
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