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beauty-and-passion · 2 years

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The Dark Side of Disney: a discussion about fairytales, stories and how to distinguish them

Let’s be real: this episode was just an excuse for Thomas to talk about Disney movies, so I will do the same and add my two cents about some of the ones he mentioned :D

I will not talk about other Disney movies here to not make this post endless, but if you all want me to share my opinions on them, I will gladly do it, maybe in a different post.

As always, I may talk about sensible themes and use swear words, so read this post at your own risk.

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A couple clarifications

I would like to clear a few things up about the older Disney movies, because too many people criticize them, by basing their thoughts on wrong assumptions (like pretending realism from a fairy tale) or by judging them through the lenses of the XXI century.

1) Disney movies are based on extremely old fairy tales and fairy tales are based on ancient stories from European folklore, rumors, local legends, superstitions or oral news.

Fairytales don’t have an exact date of origin: some might be from the 18th century, some from the 13th and some might even date back to the Bronze age. Some developed a lot of variants in a lot of different cultures (like Cinderella), others were written by a single author and never changed (like The Little Mermaid).

The original fairy tales are usually considered the most genuine ones, because they are not influenced by a single person’s point of view, life or ideas. However, the many variants might take cues from authors and/or time periods too - the only difference is that these details never changed the main plot points: no matter how many variants of Cinderella might exist, they are all centered around the girl and the slipper.

2) Disney movies have been produced (and released) since 1937 and now we’re in 2022. Do you have the slightest idea of how many things changed, since 1937? Like, you know, that small, unimportant event called The Second World War. And the birth of that tiny insignificant thing called Internet, which started the beginning of the digital era we’re living in. And there were also those tiny, very unimportant tons of fights/protests for women, black people and LGBT’s people’s rights, which are still ongoing. Things changed and are still changing.

So if Disney movies were different back then, it’s because times were different. And no, that doesn’t make the old movies automatically bad. If that was true, then everything around us is bad. All art is bad, because it was made in old times where there were slaves. Democracy is bad, because it was made when women and men didn’t have the same rights. All forms of entertainment are bad, because the “uncivilized people” started them. Heck, even chairs are bad, because they were made when not all people were equal.

You can see by yourself how stupid this mentality is. Since we are more civilized, since we know more, since we are more clever, we should also be more able to rationalize and see the old times through the lenses of their time, not ours. An old movie with a black slave isn’t a terrible movie that should be cancelled, but a movie that shows us how it was back then. And, by seeing it, we understand how far we’ve come.

It’s the same concept of the World Wars: we cannot and we should not cancel the past. Humans have a very fragile memory and if we forget our past, we will repeat the same mistakes. We need terrible books and wrong movies and wrong arts, not to repeat them but to learn from them. To learn how it was and how it is. And how better we can be.

3) Fairytales are not fantasy stories. They’re part of the fantasy genre, but they’re very different from a fantasy story.

Fairytales are made to entertain young children, while subtly introducing them to deeper meanings/concepts they will understand later in life. In fairytales, there’s always a conflict between good and evil and it should be very clear which is which, because children should easily distinguish between them and choose good over evil. And fairytales should always have a happy ending, because children need hope, they should believe things will be solved and everything will be fine.

On the other hand, fantasy stories are not like that. Good doesn’t always prevail, things are not clearly black or white. And there is more realism, to keep up for a more complex structure.

In Snow White we don’t ask ourselves how the magic mirror works: it’s magic and that works because it’s a fairy tale. But if there’s a talking magic mirror in a fantasy story, it should make sense and be coherent with the story. We don’t question the magic in a fairy tale, but we should question it in a fantasy.

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Cinderella and the importance of context

[Princey]: Ha! Easy. Believe in your dreams and one day, they will come true. [Anxiety]: Sure, just literally wait around your entire life, subjecting yourself to the cruelty of your ungrateful, ignorant family members, until some magical fairy comes along to save you. Don't take action yourself. [Princey]: She had mice, too! [Anxiety]: Not to mention, men can't memorize the face of a woman they've been dancing around with for hours, they have to rely on the shoe. Ergo... men are idiots. [Princey]: HE WAS A VERY BUSY PRINCE! HE HAD A LOT ON HIS MIND!

Cinderella’s story has a ton of variants. And I mean a TON. There’s an ancient Greek version - the oldest, according to Wikipedia. There’s a Roman version, an Italian version, several Asian versions and then the famous French version used by Disney.

Disney’s movie came out in 1950. The French version was from the 17th century. Not exactly last year, right? So let’s keep that in mind, because there are a few considerations we should make:

1) In the 17th century, women were not as independent as today. Cinderella could’ve never said “Get out of my house” to her stepmother or refuse to obey her rules. When Cinderella’s father died, the stepmother became the head of the family and the owner of everything Cinderella’s father had - house and daughter included. So if she decided Cinderella had to be a servant, she had to do what the stepmother said.

The only way for Cinderella to overcome her stepmother was if Cinderella was born male. When the father died, usually a male son would become the new head of the family. And if there were no sons, the ownership passed to the older member of the family - in this case, the stepmother.

2) Cinderella couldn’t leave her house either - unless she wanted to become a beggar, die or who knows what. Life in the 17th century wasn’t like now, so if she left her home, she barely had any chance to survive.

The only way to leave her home and have a decent life, was by marrying someone. So if the stepmother wanted to keep her around, she would’ve stayed in that house for the rest of her life. It sucks, but that’s what life was, so be thankful we’re born in the 21st century.

3) Considering the previous two points, Cinderella isn’t weak at all. She’s forced to do everything her stepmother and her stepsisters say, all the time, 24/7. A weak person would’ve broken a long ago. Cinderella keeps going for years. And, despite her situation, she never loses hope.

4) Cinderella doesn’t go to the ball to marry the prince. Not even once, she says she’s in love with him. All she wanted was to have a good time, for one night. To get out and dance.

And if you watch the movie again, you will notice that, the day after, she didn’t even think about the guy she danced with. Only when her stepmother said he was the prince and he wanted to marry the mysterious girl from the ball, only then Cinderella remembered the guy and realized that wow, she can finally change her life and leave her shitty family. As said before, this was the only way she could escape her situation and finally have a good life.

5) Why doesn’t the prince remember Cinderella’s face? Because this was a necessary piece to reach the climax and ending.

In many other fairytale variants (like the older ones), the prince never saw Cinderella: in the Greek version, a bird stole Cinderella’s sandal and made it fall on the pharaoh’s lap, so he thought it was a divine sign and went out looking for the girl. He never saw her before.

But the French variant had a few changes, like the magical help (introduced by Perrault himself), the ball and the midnight curfew. So, in order to make the whole point of the story happen (aka finding the girl whose foot fits the slipper), the prince should not be able to remember Cinderella’s face.

Was it a stretch? Maybe. But, considering the nature of fairy tales and the constant presence of magic, children can easily justify this point with magic and move to the climax and ending without questioning the internal coherence of the story.

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Snow White and the logic behind actions

[Anxiety]: The bigger message is to just run away from your problems and become the housekeeper for seven men. [Princey]: Sometimes the best solution is to get out of a bad situation! [Thomas]: Yeah, I'm a Hufflepuff, I tend to run away from every situation. -laughs- [Anxiety]: Don't make all Hufflepuffs out to be like that, Thomas. Not to mention, a prince comes out of nowhere and plants a kiss on a seemingly sleeping girl? I guess consent isn't really that important. [Princey]: HE THOUGHT SHE WAS DEAD! IT WAS A FAREWELL KISS!

Imagine with me: you’re an adolescent (I’m talking about the Disney version, because in the original fairytale Snow White is seven). A tiny, young princess who lives in a castle. Probably around the 16th century, so life isn’t very easy, if you’re outside this safe place.

A huntsman you trust brings you in the forest and tells you: “Hey, I should kill you because your mom/stepmom and, let’s not forget, queen wants you dead”.

What are you going to do? Fight the huntsman (who has been trained his entire life to kill) with the strength of your fists who never did anything more tiring than lifting a fork? Fight your queen and her entire army ready to take her side?

Or maybe, since you’re a weak princess who never did anything in your life (because princess and because you’re a child), would you hide in the house of seven men who can protect you and give you a safe place, away from diseases and death?

Also, why is Snow White doing the chores in the dwarves’ house? Well, if someone offers you a place to stay in exchange for nothing (and you’re a weak child), the least you can do is clean the place and cook a meal. It’s not because it’s a fairytale, it’s just a matter of education.

Let’s move into the kiss zone: that kiss was another change, made by Disney. In the original story, the prince just wanted to give Snow White a proper place to rest in his father’s domain and, while his servants were carrying the body, one of them tripped and this dislodged the piece of the poisoned apple from her throat. The prince saw her magically coming back to life and asked her hand in marriage. And they lived happily ever after.

This was the ending the movie should reach, so Disney probably thought that a kiss was a more fitting, romantic and simple choice, compared to “a random guy trips over, the poisoned bit falls, Snow White is alive and the prince marries her”.

Also, in a story with witches, poisoned apples and dwarves a magical kiss isn’t exactly the strangest thing.

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Frozen and the lack of logic

[Princey]: A sister's love triumphs over all! [Anxiety]: And don't trust random princes. I can get behind that. [Princey]: I swear... [Anxiety]: Also, when Elsa passes away, Olaf's gonna die too, 'cause the magic will be gone. So just prolong the inevitable?

Sure, a sister's love triumphs over all. Then why wasn’t Elsa able to control her powers in the first place? Did she never love her sister Anna or her people? But we clearly saw how sad she was to push Anna away during their childhood and adolescence. She already loved her, love already was the answer... then why wasn’t she able to control her powers?

Do you want to know why? It’s called “shut up we need it for the ending”, that’s why.

Frozen is slightly based on The Snow Queen and by “slightly based” I mean “it has nothing to do with it”.In addition to that, Frozen does everything possible to not be seen as a fairytale, but to be taken seriously.

So, let’s do it. Let’s take it seriously.

How did Elsa manage to reach the mountain in one night, while it took Anna almost two days?

How did Kristoff manage to climb down the same mountain to meet Anna, if he was at Elsa’s coronation? He was in Arendelle, then left, climbed the mountain and came back in even less time than Elsa. Did he teleport himself?

Why did no one let Anna leave the castle for her entire adolescence? The parents could’ve moved Elsa away from the castle, if it was so important to not let them interact. Or did the royal family not have another place to stay?

Why marrying a guy you just met is wrong, but marrying a guy you just met who isn’t a prince is right?

Speaking of that, why did Elsa’s parents never choose a man for her? Arranged marriages were common among royals - you know, to keep crown and power intact. But apparently Elsa’s parents are the most disorganized royals ever.

How does Anna know how to ride a horse, if she spent her entire life in the castle? Did she ride all around the indoor garden? And why did she never leave? Jasmine and Quasimodo, despite being locked inside, both ventured outside the castle. So I should believe Anna isn’t as strong and independent as we assumed?

Why did Hans leave Anna in a room without being sure she was dead, went into another room, said she was dead and everyone believed him, without checking?

Why Olaf almost melting for Anna wasn't enough to save her? It was an act of love, right? Love is the answer, right?

And I’m not talking about the trolls, only because I want to be nice with the movie. And I'm not talking about the second movie either, because everything becomes 20x more stupid. Like the mother who never told her daughters about her origins, the elements trapping the innocent Northuldra in a forest for thirty years because yes or Olaf going around without his snow cloud anymore because fuck the rules of the previous movie.

Frozen is a half-baked movie. It got thousands of credits for something other Disney movies did before (the no-kiss thing, the princess who doesn’t need a prince thing, the sister’s love thing), and celebrated as the beginning of a new era, while it’s just a movie that hasn’t been fully developed, because the writers kept changing idea about what to do with it and didn’t take enough time to choose one idea and properly develop it. (I mean, the famous scene with Hans smiling under the boat while no one was looking is one of the biggest example)

The movie is aesthetically very beautiful, sure, but a story cannot be just that. When there's no logic or coherence, it's just like watching a beautiful, senseless picture.

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Aladdin and the importance of freedom

[Princey]: The value of a person is not determined by wealth. A diamond in the rough can be found anywhere, even someone who may be considered a street rat. [Anxiety]: And they can get what they want by lying and deceiving their way right into the castle and getting the princess. [Princey]: OH, COME ON! He came clean in the end! He even freed the Genie! [Anxiety]: Yeah, he did. But not before LYING AND DECEIVING his way right into the castle and getting the princess.

I was doing some research about this movie and the original fairytale and I found out something interesting I would like to share.

Unlike the Disney’s version, Aladdin’s original fairytale had a different moral: Aladdin should do anything to increase his social prestige. The magical lamp represents good luck, a great chance we get in life that we should take to fulfill ourselves. Happiness will be achieved, only by making all our wishes come true, so the lamp is absolutely necessary to do that.

But while working on the movie, the writers decided to put their focus on something different: freedom, as the perfect way to realize themselves. Aladdin grows up when he finally realizes he doesn’t need neither the lamp, nor the genie, not to become a prince. The perfect way to live is without deceptions.

So, in order to learn this lesson, he had to “lie and deceive his way right into the castle”, as Virgil said. Otherwise, how was he supposed to learn in the first place? ;)

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Beauty and the Beast and learning how to love

[Anxiety]: Stockholm Syndrome. [Princey]: —Stockholm Syndrome. BUT it is MORE than just a prisoner falling in love with her kidnapper! It is about a love that transcends outward appearance. Even a beastly, hairy, ANIMAL— You're right, that doesn't sound much better.

Beauty and the Beast is another interesting case (like Cinderella), because everyone keeps forgetting - again! - the context. And this time I’m talking about the Disney’s movie context, not one of the thousands of variants.

1) As we can see from the movie, Belle is the only young woman in town who is interested in reading. Other people are not very interested - in fact, the only library we see is very small and the librarian is an old guy. So Belle isn’t exactly surrounded by scholars.

Also, there aren’t even so many people her age, aside from Lefou, Gaston’s cheerleaders and Gaston himself. So she doesn’t exactly have a lot of guys to choose from.

2) The Beast didn’t kidnap Belle. Belle chose to stay in the Beast’s castle, in order to let her father go. The movie is very clear about this: Belle’s father was imprisoned, because he stole from the Beast’s castle. When Belle found out about it, she offered to replace her father and stay in his place.

3) The Beast always tried to be as kind as possible with Belle. He offered her a room, meals and his servants were at her disposal. She was free to go wherever she wanted, except for the Beast’s rooms. Sure, he started by being quite rude in his approach, but a) he hadn’t been around people for years and b) he was cursed, so not exactly in the mood for being the nicest guy.

4) Belle and the Beast spent MONTHS together. The movie never explains how much time, but you can see the seasons change - so they definitely spent more than one month together.

5) The Beast improved himself. Over time, we can see him evolving from a very beastly figure, to someone closer to humanity. And when she noticed how much effort he was putting in becoming a better person, then Belle gladly met him halfway.

So rather than a story about Stockholm syndrome, Beauty and the Beast is a story about improving yourself for someone you care about - no matter how bad or ugly you can be. If you want to become a better person, you will be able to do it. And the person you care about will be able to see past your “ugliness”, to find the real beauty inside you.

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Sleeping Beauty and the path of growing up

[Princey]: SLEEPING BEAUTY! [Anxiety]: Well, now we're back to the lack of consent with sleeping women. [Princey]: IT WAS TO LIFT A CURSE!

I am so so sad people interpret this story as something realistic, when the Disney movie made it clear from the start that this is a pure fairytale.

The movie opens with opening a book and entering into it. The pictures come into life. I don’t know you, but I think it’s quite clear this movie doesn’t pretend to be realistic.

And since this has been established from the start, we don’t care about a lot of details, like not knowing the royals’ last names or how the magic works or the backstory of the fairies: all that matters is story itself and this one is pretty interesting - especially because it has a quite deep meaning behind.

Let’s think about it: Sleeping Beauty is the story of a girl who is “cursed” from birth. And this “curse” is expressed through spilled blood. And this spilled blood will be stopped by a prince, a man, who will introduce her to love.

Yep, this story is just one huge metaphor about growing up, the changes women will go through in their lives, the importance of the menstrual cycle metaphorically represented by spilled blood and how a man will stop this blood and “awaken” the girl into a new life of adulthood.

Honestly, I think it’s a nice explanation for something this important. Young children don’t need to know everything - but introducing these themes like that, in such a clever and soft way? A very good choice.

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The Little Mermaid: Andersen’s fairytale

[Thomas]: The Little Mermaid? [Anxiety]: Don't just sign a contract without having your mer-lawyer look over all the fine print and stipulations. That one's just common sense. [Princey]: Or learn to write or use sign language. There's more than one way to tell the prince you're the girl that saved him.

Well, they’re not totally wrong XD

But hey, The Little Mermaid isn’t one of the old fairy tales that originated from folklore but a story Andersen himself wrote. So we have a name and a person to blame XD

Still, I would be quite indulgent with this story as well. Not only because of the time period, but also because The Little Mermaid has a lot of metaphorical references to Andersen’s own personal life - and this might explain some weird choices.

For example, the Little Mermaid isn’t able to fully express herself, her voice has been stolen, she is different from others... mmmh, isn’t that familiar? Doesn’t that remind you something? What if I tell you Andersen was homosexual?

Yes, many critics consider this story a beautiful, tragic metaphor of Andersen’s own life and his inability to express his sexual orientation. The Little Mermaid is different, just like he was: a feeling that is still very relatable today.

( Support me on Ko-fi )

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TAGLIST:

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#sanders sides #sanders sides theory #rewatch #analysis #the dark side of disney #disney #cinderella #snow white #frozen #aladdin #beauty and the beast #sleeping beauty #the little mermaid #beauty talks about stuff

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dramaticviolincrescendo · 5 years

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Author Interview

Thanks for tagging me, @fallintosanity!

Name: I go by PathoftheRanger these days, but my readers know me as The_Asset6. Prior pen names have been lost to the annals of history.

Fandoms: That I write for? The MCU (usually with a focus on the Captain America franchise), FFXV, Fullmetal Alchemist, and occasionally Kingdom Hearts. My ancient Harry Potter tales still haunt the halls of antiquity in certain corners of the internet, as well. Kudos to you if you find them.

Where you post: My primary location is AO3, though I simul-post to FFnet.

Most popular one-shot: “Paternity” (a FFXV father-son fic written for the wonderful irregularrogue’s birthday)

Most popular multi-chapter story: “Somnus Ultima” (a FFXV Sleeping Beauty AU and by far the most statistically successful story I’ve ever published—or will ever publish, I’m sure—online)

Favorite story you wrote: Ah, the inevitable “which is your favorite child” question. My favorite standalone story is “Somnus Ultima.” I wanted to find a Sleeping Beauty story that wasn’t a rehashing of the Disney movie for so long before I decided to write one myself, and regardless of its reception, I am so unspeakably proud of what I created. It became so much more than I thought it would be, and I go back and read it myself from time to time just to enjoy the ride. My favorite series is “The Light in the Shadows” as it was my first extended, multi-work undertaking. While it was clearly earlier in my experience and therefore not quite up to my present standards with regards to my general style, I’m still so proud of it and have been pleased to see that other MCU fans enjoy it as well.

Story you were nervous to post: “The Odd Couple,” hands down. I typically don’t incorporate romantic relationships in my writing unless they’re established already in canon; I prefer to explore platonic and familial bonds instead. Writing a story that was so heavily centered around marriage was nerve racking for me, and I was nervous that it wouldn’t come across as genuine. Fortunately, Ed and Winry aren’t your stereotypical couple, so I shouldn’t have worried.

How you choose your titles: I select a major theme from the story to focus on and either use that or, if it isn’t very appealing, make it a play on words. (For example, “Reclamation” was about exactly that while “World So Cold” and “Risen from the Requiem” only had meaning to the reader at the end. If a portion of a song really fits the theme, all the better.)

Do you outline: YES. I go into every story fully prepared, whether it is a one-shot or multi-chapter story. I even have multiple drafts of my outlines where I refine the major plot points to include the more intricate details until I have a full play-by-play, sometimes with portions of dialogue included. It helps the writing process immensely, but it also makes it easy to get in my own way and overthink things. You heard it here: Asset is an over-planner. Don’t be Asset.

Complete: 24

In-progress: 0

Coming soon/not yet started: Once upon a time, I made notes for a FFXV Little Mermaid AU and a Fullmetal Alchemist canon-divergent story. After burning out with a year of nigh unbroken weekly updates for “Somnus,” I set them aside so that I could work on an original piece I would like to publish someday. I am not ruling out the possibility of returning to them eventually, but I also can’t guarantee that they’ll come to fruition.

Do you accept prompts: I suppose? I have a string of one-shots accompanying “The Light in the Shadows” series that were mostly reader prompts, but it’s been years since anyone has asked me to write anything for them. I’d be open to it, with a few content conditions, of course.

Upcoming story you are most excited to write: My original piece. 😊 I hadn’t realized I’d given up on my dream of becoming a published author until just recently (thank you, Critical Role), but I’m determined to make it happen.

Well, I suppose I’ll tag @morriganwarrior. I’ve been out of the loop and am not sure who is still writing, so followers: consider yourself tagged!

#mcu #captain america #final fantasy xv #fullmetal alchemist #kingdom hearts #writing #fanfiction #my fics #thanks for including me!

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local-femme-gentleman · 5 years

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disney movies everyone should watch (mostly renaissance era?)

1. Aladin (1992 ‧ Fantasy/Romance ‧ 1h 31m)

“But oh, to be free. Not have to go poof! What do you need? Poof! What do you need? Poof! What do you need? But to be my own master, such a thing would be greater than all the magic and all the treasures in all the world.”

I’m a brown girl, and of course I grew up brown, so Jasmine was really the first time I saw someone who looked kind of like me on the big screen. Of course representation is only a tiny fraction of the reasons I love this movie. Like many on this list, it is everything a classic disney movie is - sweeping musical numbers, vibrant colours, daring adventure and one of my favourite disney love stories. (Not to mention that Jafar’s version of ‘Prince Ali’ is without a doubt one of my favourite disney villain songs of all time).

2. Mulan (1998 ‧ Drama/Fantasy ‧ 1h 28m)

“Maybe I didn’t go for my father. Maybe what I really wanted was to prove I could do things right, so when I looked in the mirror, I’d see someone worthwhile. But I was wrong. I see nothing.”

I watched Mulan about three times a week, every week, for at least two years. Till date, is probably my all time favourite disney movie. First of all, i love a good training montage, and a good fight song, and Mulan gave us both at the same time (’I’ll Make A Man Out Of You’ is capital i iconic). The visuals and the fight scenes are beyond amazing and that’s a big aspect of why I love the movie (sue me, fights are fun) - and while I know that a lot of people don’t like him, I think Mushu is tonnes of fun and i love him and please love him too.

3. The Little Mermaid (1989 ‧ Fantasy/Fantasy ‧ 1h 25m)

“Come on, you poor unfortunate soul Go ahead! Make your choice! I'm a very busy woman And I haven't got all day It won't cost much Just your voice! You poor unfortunate soul.”

The Little Mermaid is another favourite of mine, and I think that it has, without a doubt, one of the best soundtracks in disney history. I knew, and still know, every word of every song by heart. Ursula was one of the few disney villains I was genuinely terrified of, and Poor Unfortune Souls is without a doubt the best disney villain song, fight me. All the side characters are great (and so are all the Sebastien songs because Samuel E. Wright is a treasure). It’s just a great, classic, disney movie, with great, classic, disney songs.

4. The Jungle Book (1967 ‧ Drama/Adventure ‧ 1h 29m)

“And he grew and grew strong as a boy must grow who does not know that he is learning any lessons, and who has nothing in the world to think of except things to eat"

The Jungle Book is the oldest movie in this list, and also my favourite of all the classic disney films (as in before the disney renaissance). I still sing ‘Bare Necessities’ on a pretty much daily basis because well that song really is the secret to life, the universe, and everything. Additionally, the whole hypnotising scene is terrifying and somehow funny at the same time and haunts me to this day. Furthermore, every single character is glorious too, from Baloo to Bagheera to Sher Khaan to, of course Mowgli.

5. The Lion King (1994 ‧ Drama/Music ‧ 1h 29m)

“Simba you have forgotten me. You have forgotten who you are and so forgotten me. Look inside yourself Simba. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the circle of life.”

Imperfect remakes aside, The Lion King is an absolute classic and one of the best movies of all time, forget disney, forget animation, just a great movie, in all and every category. Also, a great musical, I can’t name a kid who hasn’t jammed to ‘Hakuna Matata’ at least once in their life or tried to figure out the words to ‘Circle Of Life’. It’s a classic story (it is basically Hamlet but in the jungle) and it’s executed to perfection. Honestly I didn’t dislike the remake, it’s fine, but the original has this magic and I love it to death.

6. Beauty & The Beast (1991 ‧ Fantasy/Romance ‧ 1h 32m)

“I want adventure in the great-wide somewhere, I wanted more than I can tell… For once in might be grand to have someone understand, I want so much more than they’ve got planned!”

Beauty and The Beast is quite simply one of the prettiest disney movies, honestly the visuals and animation in this one, I adore them, they’re this perfect blend of fantasy and realism and somehow both fantastical and believable at the same time. Once again: music - fabulous, I love it, from ‘Be Our Guest’ to ‘Belle’ it’s all great. Also, I love a good magic element too, and this is one of the movies that handles that aspect almost perfectly and visually beautifully. It’s another great movie (once again, animation and disney aside).

7. Hercules (1997 ‧ Fantasy/Comedy music ‧ 1h 33m)

“Yeah, I had a dream. I dreamed I would train the greatest hero there ever was. So great the gods would hang a picture of him in the stars for everyone to see. And everyone would say, "That's Phil's boy." That's right.”

I think I’ve mentioned music too much in this list, but the soundtrack of Hercules is without a doubt my absolute favourite part of the move. Bluesy jazz tunes with elements of classic pop, the music basically narrates the movie and I love it. Honestly Hercules is kind of a guilty pleasure for me, it’s a flawed movie, not exactly perfect, in any way, but I love it. The villain is great, and Hades is pretty high on my list of favourite disney villains, maybe not at the top but still pretty high (also Megara is amazing and a true icon).

8. Lilo And Stitch (2002 ‧ Drama/Fantasy ‧ 1h 25m)

““Ohana" means "family." "Family" means "no one gets left behind." But if you want to leave, you can. I'll remember you though. I remember everyone that leaves.”

Lilo And Stitch has all the charm and vibrancy of a good disney movie, but made more believable through it’s more mature themes and characteristics - and I have to admit that I probably (definitely) still have a few Stitch plushies lying around. Not to mention Nani was my first ever girl crush and probably a big part of my bisexual awakening because have you seen her? It also introduced a science-fiction aspect to disney, which i love because science, you know? It’s just tonnes of fun and also kind of adorable.

9. Treasure Planet (2002 ‧ Sci-fi/Action ‧ 1h 35m)

Stick to it, no matter the squalls! And when the time comes, you'll get the chance to really test the cut of your sails and show what you're made of! And ...well I hope I'm there, catching some of the light coming off you that day.”

Despite the fact that a lot of people don’t really like this movie and a lot of critics pretty much ripped it apart when it came out - Treasure Planet has a special place in my heart. I loved the Treasure Island book growing up, and while at first I has no idea why they’d want to put it in space but after watching the movie I can’t say that I mind terribly, In fact I kind of enjoy it, a lot. It was Ron Clements and John Musker’s passion project and the film features complex villians and just gorgeous visuals and animation.

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adamwatchesmovies · 5 years

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The Return of Jafar (1994)

As far as the direct-to-video sequels produced by the Walt Disney Company, you could do a lot worse than The Return of Jafar. I’m not saying it’s great but it’s enjoyable and I have to give it props for actually being a genuine sequel.

After parrot Iago (Gilbert Gottfried) escapes from Jafar’s genie lamp, he returns to the Sultan's palace in the hopes of finding a home there. His arrival brings turmoil to the blissful life of Aladdin (Scott Weinger), Princess Jasmine (Linda Larkin), Abu (Frank Welker) and the Genie, newly returned from his trip through time and space (voiced this time by Dan Castellaneta), who are unsure if Iago can be trusted despite his hatred of his former master. The talking bird is the least of their worries, however, as Jafar (Jonathan Freeman), now an all-powerful genie allies himself with a brigand named Abis Mal (Jason Alexander) who seeks revenge on Aladdin.

I have to give credit to The Return of Jafar for being an actual sequel featuring an original story. Little Mermaid 2 and Lady and the Tramp 2 are essentially tweaked versions of the original stories. Cinderella 2 and Tarzan 2 are generic, cookie-cutter TV episodes tied together to make an anthology sequel. By comparison, this is a major success. We get to see the characters from the first movie confront each other again, but in a different way now. No longer is the audience wondering if Aladdin and Jasmine will fall in love, they’re a couple now and the film is about seeing their relationship play out. This is how you do it.

Everything that you liked about Aladdin is preserved - more or less. The Genie and his wacky antics are back, Abu is still a kleptomaniac, the songs are bouncy and energetic. There are some good moments of humor with the animal sidekicks and Jafar proves himself a worthy foe once again. With his genie powers and menacing look, he might even be more formidable than before. Seeing him twisting the words of those around him to give them terrible (and nearly lethal) wishes instills a nice sense of menace.

Before I get into my criticisms, I want to clarify something. If you're nostalgic for it, for the TV series it spanned or you want a little more Aladdin but don't want to hear A Whole New World for the 500th time, see this film. It’s not on the same level as the first movie, but this wasn’t released theatrically and at just over an hour long, it doesn’t waste any of your time.

The biggest flaw with The Return of the Jafar comes from the comparisons it receives following Aladdin. The songs are fine but nothing you’ll remember once the film is over either. The story is interesting but doesn't utilize Princess Jasmine well. She never confronts Jafar or contributes to the story in any meaningful way. It doesn’t feel like an intentional choice as much as a necessary one looking at the budget of a straight to home video release. More breathing room for the Genie would've also been beneficial. The animation is fine overall but inconsistent. Iago changes size drastically not only from scene-to-scene but from shot to shot and there's either a scene missing or a big continuity error concerning Aladdin and his royal palace regalia disappearing to be replaced by his "classic" street rat attire between shots.

Had The Return of Jafar made it to theaters as is, it would've been a disappointment. Looking at it as a straight-to-VHS sequel, however, it's fine. I wouldn't rush out to add it to your collection, however. Buy it used or rent it. (On Dvd, July 14, 2015)

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chicagoindiecritics · 4 years

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New from Jeff York on The Establishing Shot: “FROZEN 2” CONFOUNDS WITH TONAL ISSUES AND A WEAK SONGBOOK

Few brands have as much good will as Disney does, yet the entertainment monolith has made some moves this year that have blemished their sterling image. They’ve done four, middling, live-action adaptations of their classics cartoons DUMBO, ALADDIN, THE LION KING, and LADY & THE TRAMP. Disney Plus, their streaming platform, has launched with plenty of bugs in the system and some classic content not included on the roster. Even their THE LITTLE MERMAID LIVE! on television was heavily critiqued for its odd mix of spirited, live musical numbers alongside the rerun of the 30-year-old animated feature. Some have even taken Disney to task for its preponderance of sequels and rehashed material, versus projects more fresh and new. They have more money than God, so why take such risks beyond the tried and true? Indeed, it would behoove Disney to leave well enough alone if they’re going to create sequels like FROZEN 2 that do little to enhance the franchise.

In Hollywood, few successes ever get left alone. Almost everything that strikes a chord with the public is instantly greenlit into a franchise, and even though the first FROZEN film in 2013 ended satisfactorily with no need for further chapters, here we are in 2019 with the saga continuing. It’s another chapter in the saga of royal sisters Elsa and Anna, only this time out, their story is not very exciting or meaningful. This being Disney, the production here is gorgeous, of course, with some of the most intricate and impressive animation put on screen since, well, the last FROZEN film. But once you get past the full beauty of its look, the rest of the attributes pale in comparison.

For starters, FROZEN 2 mangles its core story, striving for a complex narrative that is sure to confuse adults in the audience, let alone the kids. In the first movie, Anna (Kristen Bell), the younger sister of Elsa (Idina Menzel), set out on a journey into the icy tundra to find her ostracized sister and return her to rule the kingdom. You’ll remember that their land was being threatened by an evil interloper from another country. Alongside rugged iceman Kristoff (Jonathon Groff), his loyal reindeer Sven, and a chatterbox snowman named Olaf (Josh Gad), Anna led the team to get Elsa and her magical powers back in time to save the kingdom. Pretty simple. Ticking clock. Vital stakes.

Here, the new stakes involve the sisters’ desire to discover the history of their deceased parents. That wish is spurred on by a strange song that compels them from afar. What the song exactly remains in question too. Is it a warning, a welcoming, or perhaps something connected to Elsa’s strange powers? Whatever it is, it’s fuzzy, and it doesn’t make for a clear motive or connection to her parents’ deaths.

So…what’s at stake here? Is the village in danger? Is there a villain from another country chomping at the bit to invade? Perhaps Elsa and Anna are feuding, and the kingdom is thrown into turmoil? No, nada, nope. None of that is part of the plot. The film further misfires by taking a full hour to get these players out of their inertia and up into the mountains to discover the musical source and find out what led to the death of mom and dad.

Perhaps the screenwriters realized that the story was short on excitement and immediacy so they threw a lot of new plotting into the narrative as the film drags on. The idea that Elsa’s powers seem to be vitally linked to the four elements of the planet – earth, wind, fire, and water – is introduced, but not in any way that truly affects the stakes. Is it all connected to saving the planet, in a global warming kind of way? That would be interesting, but it’s not. Instead, it’s all about just helping her understand her powers. Do her powers put her or the village in genuine danger? Not so much. Nothing seems too critical in this plotting, and that’s a shame.

The story continues to throw in obstacles, but they’re quickly sidelined. Ginormous rock giants appear as a threat but quickly turn into comic foils, defanged like the Abominable Snow Monster at the end of the Christmas TV special RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER. Olaf’s existence is once again threatened by heat, but you know Disney isn’t going to kill off their vital comic relief. And the B-story is a non-starter too as Kristoff frets over when to propose marriage to Anna. Hint hint, Kris, do it after the conflicts are resolved.

Perhaps none of this would be too egregious if the songs were great, and lifted the material like “Let It Go” did six years back. Unfortunately, all the songs are lackluster and frankly, unhummable. Even the most memorable staging of one of them seems superfluous as it satirizes 90s power ballad videos. It’s a hoot, but wholly unnecessary to anything vital for the plot.

And then there’s the tonality problem throughout. Flashback scenes suggest the murderous bludgeoning of the land’s indigenous people. Really, this film is about the excesses of colonialism? Good luck, folks, explaining that one to the 6-year-olds on the car ride home. Adding further moodiness to the proceeding is Olaf’s running commentary on the movie while it’s playing. Sotto voice is a bit sophisticated for this fare, but when did the franchise decide to become so meta and snarky?

There’s also a cute little character named Bruni who looks like a baby dragon and the lil’ guy creates plenty of fire too. Is he there to spoof HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON? Coddle the younger audience members who won’t understand colonial overreach? Or he is there to create oodles of merchandise opportunities. Yes, yes, and cynically yes. Such obviousness is not the best look for Disney.

FROZEN 2 isn’t terrible, and a lot of it is good, but it’s very far from inspired. Furthermore, it betrays so much of what made FROZEN so effective – a great conflict between the sisters, memorable music, and an exciting, easy-to-follow storyline. One would think Disney would be more protective of such equity. Instead, this one is too dark, too glib, and cannot carry a tune in a bucket. The ice horse Elsa rides around on is stunning, one of the best visuals onscreen this year, but the rest of the movie around them seems far from necessary viewing.

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gusibu-review · 7 years

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Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee's Frozen (2013): Do You Want to Build a Box-Office Success?

**Essay for my film class on explaining why any recent Box-Office hit of our choice is as popular as it is** Suffice it to say, eight decades ago, filmmaker Walt Disney was unable to predict the phenomenon he blossomed into the world of cinema after the release of his first full-length animated feature Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937). The commercial and critical success of this film gave Disney the opportunity to produce a handful of similar, albeit some posthumous, successes until 1942, a period now framed as the “golden era” of Disney. Every profitable era since has achieved more box-office success than the last. After over 50 years since his passing, Disney as a corporation has managed to champion the late filmmaker’s status, as the name itself has been cemented as a cultural icon, by which anything associated with the Disney brand evokes expectations of innovative spectacle and wonderment. In 2013, Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee’s Frozen had become an exemplar of the modern Disney brand, helping to usher in a new “era” of Walt Disney animation. Currently the highest-grossing animated film of all time, Frozen was an unsuspected box-office extravaganza. With an inescapable, resplendent soundtrack, a fairy-tale-esque plot structure, and mature themes rooted in adventure, some critics have deemed Frozen as a revival or revision of the classic Disney formula that audiences had been yearning for since the ‘90s. Frozen is undeniably a phenomenon of modern cinema, owing its prosperity to numerous factors, many of which come back to the sheer power and influence behind the Disney brand. Before Walt Disney Studios came into its “revival” period in the late 2000s, it found most of its commercial and critical success between films produced between 1989-1999, collectively known as the Disney Renaissance. The decade was a callback to traditional Disney-Formulism, an ideology which prioritizes artistic sophistication, ‘realism’ in characters and contexts, and believability, found in the films of the golden era (Pallant 35). In effect, the era was reminiscent of the studio’s apparent values and standards when Disney himself was at the helm, beginning with The Little Mermaid (1989), following a period of instability for the studio at a time where animation was amid evolution at the hands of Hiyao Miyazaki, Matt Groening, DreamWorks, Amblin, and Aardman (Pallant 90). The phase brought a collection of lucrative hits, its peak being The Lion King (1994), grossing a domestic average of $140 million. However, much like the unsteadiness prior to this acclaimed era, post-renaissance/neo-era Disney animations from 1999-2004 noticeably diverged from traditional artistic values, exchanging their formulism approach for an observably “cartoonal” aesthetic. Consequentially, Disney had failed to preserve the market share the studio relished in during its renaissance. Understanding the social context and timeline of Disney animation is integral to recognizing why Frozen has prospered so boldly since its release. Not only were the studio’s animated features noticeably deviating from Disney’s traditionally hyperrealistic style in the neo-era, but now with Pixar’s CG efforts slowly intimidating Disney’s dominance as the preeminent animation studio, Disney was challenged to reconsider their faith in 2D animation altogether. Henceforth, Winnie the Pooh (2011) became the last hand-drawn full-length Disney picture, following Tangled (2010) as the first fully CG Disney heroine film. These two benchmark films of the revival era posed as stepping stones for Frozen, for it became apparent that, whilst adapting to modern cinema, Disney had begun to revisit its more-effective, traditional formulistic method to storytelling. Frozen’s goal is to enliven and subvert the conventions of typical Disney princess movies while simultaneously remaining true to their aesthetic trappings (Lemire). The film brought audiences back to the fairy-tale but with contemporaneity; the daring protagonist, the beloved princess(es), the sorcerer, the ambitious trek, the monumental musical numbers, and so on. One can go as far as to say that Frozen epitomizes Disney-Formulism. The film retires the idea that only the masculine figure may embrace all odds to be the woman’s saviour. People, especially children, can respond and concern themselves with familial love over romantic love; the strength of sisterhood/siblinghood that transcends adversity. Although audiences ultimately cheer for Anna and Kristoff’s relationship, sisterly love still prevails as more appealing. Time Magazine proposes that Frozen is successful in presenting ‘magical realism’ ― an attribute that children respond to well and Disney employs fervently. Much like its antecedents, there is fidelity and believability to the characters as emotional beings. With the support of Tangled and The Princess and the Frog (2009), by introducing the studio’s classic style and aesthetic to progressive themes embedded in a grandiose fairy-tale, Disney has seemingly found a balance between reminiscent and modern-day narratives. One can address many aspects of this film to be channeling its renaissance precursors: the feministic themes of Mulan (1998); the familial themes of Tarzan (1999); the themes of isolation in The Beauty and the Beast (1991); Anna’s anticipation for a better life directly parallels that of Ariel in The Little Mermaid, as well as her guilt and despair reflecting that of Simba’s in The Lion King. With that being said, the realism in themes, narratives, and characterizations are only the technical facets of why the renaissance era, therefore Frozen, had prospered the way it did. Arguably the most legendary hallmark of the Disney animation brand is its affinity for memorable, irrepressible musical numbers. One of the complaints about the neo-era was its lack of diegetic soundtracks except for the occasional number or two in The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) and Lilo and Stitch (2002). The Princess and the Frog is when Disney came back to their musical roots with jazz, waltz, and blues rhythms that excellently complement the film but did not prove to be as appealing to the young demographic, therefore being lost in mainstream obscurity. For Tangled, Disney veteran Alan Menken gives the soundtrack some magic, but not as strongly as he once had, giving off a dry ambience to some (Clemmensen). Yearning for the classic Disney melody, Frozen is fundamentally what audiences were waiting for. The soundtrack spoke to audiences in a fun, creative, and meaningful way, ‘Let It Go’ being a phenomenon of its own, winning 2 academy awards, a Grammy, and nearly topping the Billboard top 100. The song became an anthem for self-definition and liberation; “the crux of the matter being a universally appealing desire to be happy and free” (Time). The musical offerings of Disney that audiences once loved in the ‘90s had come back triumphantly for the masses, effectively leaving the same tune in some people’s head for ages to come. In summary, the magic of Disney has once again taken the studio back to the box-office with record breaking numbers. It is also noteworthy to mention Disney, being the bastion of mass marketing that it is, has also made profit through synergistic practices of merchandising, and serialization. 4 years since its release, children are still latched on to Frozen, with a sequel soon on it’s way. Some may say the film is overrated for the prominence it had all throughout late-2013 to 2014, and an argument could be made for why that is true. According to Rotten Tomatoes, Tangled is a near-equivalent to Frozen critically, yet the latter has made over double the worldwide profit. There are appeals and flaws to each, but the success of both goes to show the genuine power and influence of Disney. The renaissance decade had built a standard for the studio like never before, leaving audiences wanting more. Frozen has become the new architype for modern Disney, as the studio has found a familiar spark of magic in themselves. One can only hope they do not let it go.

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