Disney classic that took four years to make. When an eccentric millionairess decides to leaves her money to her cat, Duchess (voiced by Eva Gabor), sneaky butler Edgar decides to dispose of the furry obstacle and claim the loot for himself. The embattled Duchess is helped out by streetwise alley cat Thomas O'Malley (Phil Harris) and his scat cat friends - a group of feline jazz musicians.

Often forgotten about in the Disney back catalog, The Aristocats is actually a fun, lively feline adventure, with plenty of zest and some terrific tunes too. Arriving in the wake of The Jungle Book, it's not vintage Disney, but it still sets itself a high standard.

The Aristocats is set in France in 1910 and tells the tale of a high society cat and her trio of kittens who are dumped into the backstreets of Paris by an angry Butler when they inherit a fortune from their owner. Here, they're soon befriended by Thomas O? Malley (voiced by the unforgettable Phil Harris, who also lent his tones to Baloo in The Jungle Book) and a wild cast of characters, and it's as much a cue as is needed for some jazzy tunes, fast-paced animation, and a fun family adventure.

As the last film to have been supervised by Walt Disney before his death, The Aristocats inevitably has a significant place in the back catalog at Disney HQ. Yet many still overlook it, and that's a real shame. There are well-realized Parisian locations, a good few chuckles, and a genuinely strong soundtrack that?ll, stick in your head long after the credits have rolled. It's good, too, to see Disney finally give the film the special edition it richly deserves. --Simon Brew.