A Goofy Movie: Still Disney’s Most ‘Stand Out’ Film of the 90’s
1988–1998 was a decade where we were spoiled with imaginative and brilliant films from Walt Disney Animation Studios. It’s an era, in my opinion, that has remained untouched in the industry of animated motion pictures. To this day, every so often, I’ll hop on Disney Plus, play one of these gems, and still find myself inspired as I did in my youth. It’s truly astonishing to look back at those years and see the impact it continues to have on children everywhere. It was marvelous storytelling coupled with unforgettable soundtracks.
Films like The Little Mermaid (1989), Beauty and the Beast (1991), Aladdin (1992), and Hercules (1997) will always hold dear to my heart because of what they meant to me not only as a child but all of my life. Disney released back-to-back Blockbusters that would continuously captivate the world, year after year, story after story. And there wasn’t a single soul that complained. But amid this stacked decade of successful feature films, laid a “sleeper”, one that would hit its stride years after its initial release.
Its story is simple a rebellious teenage son forced on a cross-country road trip with his embarrassingly goofy father. However, once you peel back this story’s layers, you will find that it’s one of the most charming and endearing films to be born from this era. If you haven’t guessed by this blog’s title or my love for this movie, yes, I am referring to the Disney Cult-Classic, A Goofy Movie!
Directed by Kevin Lima (Tarzan, Enchanted, Aladdin), A Goofy Movie is a film that didn’t follow the traditional path of Disney’s classic storytelling. It didn’t take place in a magical kingdom far away and you weren’t taken back hundreds of years ago for a retelling of a classic tale. It took place during its time, the 1990’s in a United States suburb. Similar to a John Hughes film, it’s a story about adolescence and the life lessons that come with it. Some of these are, fitting in, young love, and the troubled relationship between a teenager and their parent(s).
The film’s cast is fantastic and some of the most talented Disney has ever put together. Sure, it didn’t turn any heads at the time but you fast forward twenty-plus years and it’s stacked with talent. You have Pauly Shore (Encino Man, Bio-Dome, Son in Law) as the eccentric Bobby Zimmeruski, Wallace Shawn (The Princess Bride, Toy Story, The Incredibles) as the out-of-touch Principal Mazur, Rob Paulsen (Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, Jimmy Neutron) as Max Goof’s best friend, P.J., Kellie Martin (ER, Life Goes On, The Face on the Milk Carton) as the lovely Roxanne, Tevin Campbell as the electric and iconic, Powerline, Jason Marsden (Spirited Away, Hocus Pocus, Young Justice) as the angsty Max Goof, and of course the two Disney Legends, Jim Cummings (Darkwing Duck, Winnie the Pooh, Princess, and the Frog) who plays the self-assertive neighbor, Pete and Bill Farmer (voice of Goofy for over three decades) as none other than Goofy himself.
Bill Farmer wasn’t the original voice actor in mind for Goofy when this project first started. According to Kevin Lima, he was asked to look at Steve Martin so they could bring the star power behind Goofy. Although having a name like Steve Martin attached to this film would have helped its box office numbers, I don’t think it would have carried the same charisma in the long run. Sorry, Steve, we love you but there’s no replacing the magic that Bill Farmer brings to the voice of Goofy.
A Goofy Movie has gotten better with age, the older I get, the more I have grown to love it. As a kid, I understood the story but was mostly there for the characters and music. As a teenager, I identified with Max and what he went through. My parents have been divorced for as long as I can remember, so I related to always living with a single parent, whether it was my mom or my dad. As a teenager, I was timid around girls and never had confidence until I got older. So, I loved seeing Max get the girl. Now as an adult and a father to my boy, I appreciate the story between father and son. It’s comforting and heartwarming to watch Goofy and Max’s relationship grow, reminding us of the importance of having that bond.
In honor of my love for A Goofy Movie, I would once again like to say thank you to Disney, Bill Farmer, Jason Marsden, Jim Cummings, Rob Paulsen, Pauly Shore, Kellie Martin, Wallace Shawn, Tevin Campbell, Jymn Magon, Chris Matheson, Brian Pimentel, Jeffrey Katzenberg, and Kevin Lima for giving us this diamond in the rough. It has and will always be my all-time favorite Disney film. You already know I will be jamming out to some Powerline tonight!