Top 10 WTF Disney+ Movies You've Never Heard of

Before he was Snake Plissken, Kurt Russell took center stage in some of the Walt Disney Company’s goofier films. In “The Barefoot Executive,” he teamed up with a chimpanzee who’s better at picking TV shows than the bumbling network heads. But Russell’s wackiest Disney collaboration would have to be “The Computer Who Wore Tennis Shoes.” Russell plays an average college student who becomes an overnight mastermind after getting shocked by a super computer. Because… science! To prevent the human computer from winning a quiz show, Russel is kidnapped by a greedy businessman, played by the original Joker himself - Cesar Romero. If you think that’s kooky, Russell trades brains for brawn in one sequel entitled “The Strongest Man in the World.”

Three years prior to his debut as James Bond, Sean Connery played a strapping young Irishman in this adaptation of Herminie Templeton Kavanagh’s books. While Connery is the biggest name in the film, character actor Albert Sharpe plays the titular Darby O’Gill, an elderly storyteller who stumbles upon a hidden society of leprechauns. From its quirky characters to some highly noticeable dubbing, the film isn’t without its awkward moments. On the whole, though, the effects are quite impressive for 1959, the story is draped in classic Irish mythology, and there are even some legitimately creepy moments involving a banshee. If you’re in the mood for a lesser known Disney film that’s as weird as it is wonderful, follow the rainbow to this pot of gold.

When you sit down to watch a Disney Channel Original Movie, you can usually expect something cheesy, silly, and maybe a little bonkers. “Can of Worms” takes the absurdity to another level, though. Teenager Mike Pillsbury just doesn’t fit in at school. So naturally, Mike jumps to the conclusion that he’s an alien, and tries to make contact. His harebrained plan shockingly works, and Mike is visited by a talking alien dog named Barnabus. And yes, that’s Malcolm McDowell’s voice coming out of the dog’s speaker! The film only gets zanier from there, as a series of alien puppets show up on Mike’s doorstep, one of which is a slimy lawyer. With a setup this crazy, how can you not open this can of worms?

If you grew up in the ‘90s, you may vaguely remember “A Kid in King Arthur's Court,” which centered on a modern boy who’s sent back to medieval times. That Disney film was predated by another loose adaptation of Mark Twain’s “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.” “Unidentified Flying Oddball” is indeed an odd film, following a NASA astronaut and his identical android who wind up in Camelot. Both are played by Dennis Dugan, who’d go on to direct various Adam Sandler comedies. This may be a G-rated Disney flick, but it actually works in some pretty risqué humor, including a gag involving an adult magazine. Throw in a woman who thinks her father is a goose and you’ve got one trippy cinematic experience.

Originally airing as an episode of “Disney’s Wonderful World,” “Sultan and the Rock Star” isn’t exactly what you’d expect based on its title. No, the Sultan in question isn’t the ruler of Agrabah. Rather, it’s the name of a domesticated tiger. There is a rock star played by Timothy Hutton, but even this is kind of misleading. Hutton’s character abandons his rock star lifestyle, not to mention his tacky wardrobe, early on and escapes to Hunter’s Island. While there, he strikes up a friendship with the gentle jungle cat, who’s being hunted by totally over-the-top villains. Funnily enough, this movie came out the same year that Hutton gave an Oscar-winning performance in “Ordinary People.” We’re guessing that Academy voters didn’t catch Hutton in this flick.

While most of the films on our countdown are from the 20th century, “The Secret of the Magic Gourd” is just over a decade old. If you’ve never heard of this Disney movie, that’s probably because it was a co-production with the Chinese company Centro and China Movie Group. This live-action/CGI hybrid was never released theatrically in North America and we can see why. It’s strange… really, really strange. The story revolves around a young boy who befriends a wish-granting gourd, which is a fruit in case you didn’t know. The only thing cornier than the effects is the English voice dubbing, which includes Corbin Bleu of “High School Musical” fame as the Magic Gourd. This is one you simply need to stream to believe.

Chances are you’ve at least heard of “The Shaggy Dog” or its 2006 remake starring Tim Allen. Yet, fewer people are familiar with this sequel to the 1959 original. Coming out over a decade and a half after its predecessor, “The Shaggy D.A.” replaces Tommy Kirk with Dean Jones as Wilby Daniels, who’s once again turned into a sheepdog. This time, Wilby has even more on the line since he’s running for district attorney. Wilby’s political rival is played by Keenan Wynn, who is clearly doing whatever he wants and having a ball in the process. The effects are unbelievably phony and the performances aren’t exactly Shakespearean. If you’re in the right frame of mind, however, it is clumsy in a charming sort of way.

“Mr. Boogedy” is a bit like a tamer version of “Poltergeist” or “Beetlejuice,” which is to be expected from a Disney Sunday Movie. Actually, this made-for-television movie also served as a pilot for a series that ultimately wasn’t picked up. It did inspire a sequel, however, entitled “Bride of Boogedy,” which unfortunately isn’t launching with Disney+. The 1986 film centers on a family that moves into a haunted house where they encounter ghosts, mummies, and of course Mr. Boogedy, who looks like Freddy Krueger if he were exposed to plutonium. With a lighthearted mix of humor and horror, the film is sure to entertain children of a certain age, as well as adults who grew up watching shows like “Goosebumps.”

You’ve probably noticed that Disney has produced a lot of movies that don’t sound particularly grounded in reality. When it comes to outlandish titles, “The Cat from Outer Space” takes the tuna. It goes without saying that our main character is an alien cat who lands his spacecraft on planet Earth. Possessing a collar with telekinetic and telepathic abilities, the cat joins forces with a scientist to help him reach his mother ship. The filmmakers make it no secret that this entire setup is – for lack of a better word – dumb. The fact that the movie doesn’t take itself especially seriously is largely part of the fun, though. By the way, did “E.T.” copy this scene where the cat makes a motorcycle fly away from the authorities?

Before we get to our topic pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

“You Lucky Dog” (1998)

“Gus” (1976)

“Blackbeard’s Ghost” (1968)

“The Million Dollar Duck” (1971)

“The Thirteenth Year” (1999)

“Fuzzbucket” is another unsold pilot that got repurposed as a Disney TV movie. This isn’t entirely surprising because… well, the titular character looks an Ewok that mated with a possum. Granted, Fuzzbucket is invisible for the film’s first half, leading us to assume that he’s young Michael’s imaginary friend. Of course, this also means that we need to sit through about twenty minutes of Michael talking to open space. When taken out of context, many moments come off as borderline uncomfortable, particularly when Michael says, “Fuzzbucket was tickling me.” Oh, and he kisses the overgrown hairball too! The film is only made more awkward when it tries addressing real-life issues, like struggling marriages. For fans of movies that are so bad they’re good, however, “Fuzzbucket” is definitely worth streaming.