Top 10 Live-Action Disney Movies You Forgot About

Magic, jousting, and baseball. These three things might not usually go together, but in Disney's "A Kid in King Arthur's Court," they’re ingredients for a fantastical adventure. The film follows a kid named Calvin, played by Thomas Ian Nicholas, who gets magically transported to the Middle Ages. Influenced by Mark Twain's 19th century story "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court," this Disney flick features a pre-"Titanic" Kate Winslet and future James Bond star Daniel Craig. The film is essentially pure nineties nostalgia, and it even spun a lesser-known sequel called "A Kid in Aladdin's Palace," also featuring Nicholas.

One of the most prominent child stars of the seventies, Jodie Foster starred in a handful of Disney movies. In 1977, she played the sassy and smart Casey Brown in “Candleshoe.” Casey is a foster child who travels across the Atlantic with a con-man in an attempt to find some lost treasure. Posing as the missing descendant of an heiress, Casey attempts to trick the woman and steal the hidden fortune that lies somewhere in the estate. The fun and free-spirited movie has plenty of charms, but it isn’t the most recognizable of Foster’s turns with Disney. Maybe that’s why it tends to be forgotten.

Trying to decide where to go to college can be a daunting task for any teen. Pair that adolescent milestone with a meddling parent and you have all the makings of a classic Disney movie. Raven-Symoné is Melanie Porter, a Georgetown University hopeful, in “College Road Trip.” Her overbearing but well-meaning father, James, played by Martin Lawerence, plans a trip to Washington D.C. Along the way, they find themselves navigating wacky situations, adventure and, of course, family dynamics. The film received middling reviews but performed well enough at the box office. However, it just didn’t have the staying power of other Raven projects — namely her breakthrough show.

Following his voiceover duties as Buzz Lightyear in “Toy Story,” Tim Allen continued his Disney run with 1997's "Jungle 2 Jungle." The story follows an egotistical businessman who discovers he fathered a child with his ex-wife, who now lives off the grid in South America. After making the long trek to meet his son, Mimi-Siku, he takes the boy back to his concrete jungle: New York City. The two learn respective lessons about growing up and fatherhood. The film wasn’t a hit with the critics, and was a remake of a panned French film anyway. Even though it features the comedic talents of Tim Allen and Martin Short, it’s not hard to guess why this one might have fallen by the cultural wayside.

This 1995 adaptation is Disney's take on this American literary classic “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” Child star Jonathan Taylor Thomas stars as the young Tom Sawyer, who sets out to prove the innocence of a man wrongly accused of murder. Throughout the film, Tom and his buddy, Huck, get themselves into some fun but dangerous situations. It wasn’t the first time Disney had adapted a Twain story. Two years earlier, “The Adventures of Huck Finn” had come out, starring Elijah Wood. That film made a bit more at the box office and garnered positive reviews from critics. “Tom and Huck” would not have similar luck.

Before Disney theme park attractions like “Pirates of the Caribbean” and “The Haunted Mansion” began getting the big screen treatment, there was "The Country Bears." The 2002 film sees the beloved singing and banjo-playing bruins reuniting after years apart. Starring Haley Joel Osment and Christopher Walken, the movie also features cameos from music legends including Sir Elton John, Willie Nelson, and Queen Latifah. Although the puppeteering is a little jarring at first, if you find the Country Bear Jamboree stage show nostalgic, you'll probably dig this flick. But it didn’t make up its budget, and plans for a sequel were seemingly scrapped.

This film was one of Disney's biggest hits of the 1960s, but the sci-fi comedy has since been largely forgotten. It was even nominated for three Academy Awards. Maybe it’s time “The Absent-Minded Professor” came out of retirement. Fred MacMurray stars as a professor who creates a formula that resists gravity. MacMurray’s performance was influenced by real-life Princeton chemist Hubert Alyea, who was nicknamed “Dr. Boom” for his explosive demonstrations. In 1997, the beaker was passed down to Robin Williams, who starred in a remake, this time simply called "Flubber."

Written in 1913, the novel "Pollyanna" kicked off a literary series about an orphan with unbridled optimism who moves in with her grumpy aunt. In 1960, Disney adapted the beloved book for the silver screen with Jane Wyman, Karl Malden, and child star Hayley Mills as the title character. Mills would go on to become one of the studio's most prominent figures, starring in five more pictures, including "The Parent Trap" and "That Darn Cat!" Although "Pollyanna" was well received, it didn’t make as much money as Disney had hoped. But it remains a favorite in homes around America.

You probably remember Disney’s 2016 adaptation of “The Jungle Book,” featuring hyper-realistic animal animation. But it wasn’t the first time they had taken another crack at Rudyard Kipling’s stories. In 1994, the studio recruited Sam Neill, John Cleese, Lena Headey, and Jason Scott Lee as Mowgli to tell a version of the tale. What sets it apart is that in the film, none of the animals talk. That might have made the movie more grounded. But we’re also inclined to think it may have made the movie a bit more forgettable. Not having an iconic tune like “The Bare Necessities” is a big risk.

You might not know this, but this swashbuckling tale was the first of its kind. After years of producing animated content, Disney finally took the plunge by making "Treasure Island," its first completely live-action film. Adapted from the Robert Louis Stevenson novel, the movie follows a boy named Jim Hawkins who is gifted a treasure map which begins an adventure on the high seas. Initially, the plan was to make a cartoon version. But the studio decided to explore the possibility of making a live-action film and launched a new beginning for Disney.

What live-action Disney movie deserves more credit? Sound off in the comments.