Bambi: Originally, an animal disappears. Now, there's a cut where that happens.
The Little Mermaid: Originally, the Priest had knees that looked like a boner. Gone! Also, shirts change colors. Now they stay the same color.
Aladdin: They took out the infamously ambiguous lines “Just – take off your clothes.”
And then there's the diabolical insertion of musical numbers in more recent films. Why mess with history, Disney? Wear your mistakes proudly. Stop changing history!
THE LITTLE MERMAID
Film: The first fairy tale Disney had tackled in some time. It became a huge hit and, along with Who Framed Roger Rabbit the year before, revitalized Disney animation for a decade.
Plot: Headstrong chick sits around longing. She happens on some magic in a Faust-like deal. Awkward courting/stalking ensues. More magic / drugging. A fight for the fate of the Earth. The End.
Nature of Villain’s Death: Stabbed through the breast with a broken mast – driven by the handsome prince as he rescues the girl.
Nature of Songs: This is where Disney established the rules that would govern their animated musicals for the next ten years. The character’s longing song. The danceable status quo song. The villain song. And each song is a reaction to another song. They were written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menkin (who previously wrote Little Shop of Horrors). Fun. Character-centered. The songs even make room for some social commentary. Over the next seven years, Alan Menkin would win eight Academy Awards for his work in Disney animated movies.
My Favorite Moment: Sunset on the third day. The sun slips behind the horizon – denying Ariel her kiss, She reels back in pain and slumps to the floor – slipping through Eric’s arms. Then, in a bit of creepy camera work, the tracking shot of Ursula crawling towards the camera. A nice bit of pseudo-horror in those moments.
Most Cringe-Inducing Moment: Buddy Hackett’s schtick in which he clumsily misnames various human tools. In general, I’m not crazy about the overly-excited exuberant voice-over work.
Also, the animals to the rescue thing makes an unwelcome return.
Political Agenda: A girl obsessed with a different culture. Back to rich people. The rebellious daughter of the rich, conservative father bucking the system. Her entire arc reminds me of George C. Scott’s speech in The Hospital – railing against the desires and curiosity of youth. Only this movie is in favor of such things. With one big exception. Ariel doesn’t fall for some Bohemian nobody. Despite longing for a man, Ariel is pro-active. It is a quest for independence. Tellingly, she goes to another woman to help her on her journey. That being said, the movie is over-the-top in how it equates a wedding and marriage with happiness.
Al$o part of the happy ending: money. Also Ursula notes when Ariel falls for a human, “Not just any human. A prince!” How fortuitous considering that she herself is a princess. More of the idle rich sitting around waiting for love to fill the void in their lives. For the record, I would love to spend the evening playing with my dog on a green overlooking the shore. Sound rough, Prince Eric.
Lastly, there seems to be a beef against contracts here.
Competition at the time: Akira, Kiki’s Delivery Service.
How Has Disney Raped the Legacy of this Movie: A sequel. A prequel-series. A prequel. A Broadway stage show. A spin-off series of shorts.
Verdict: Well, we’re back to chick flicks after decades away. Only this time, there’s a lot more drama. It’s hard not to admire the workman-like approach to the story. In fact, I can’t help but do just that. Leaps ahead in storytelling. A careful attention to character. Motives buried in the past. The script smartly employs a ticking clock for the audience (“Before the sun sets on the third day.” ) to rack up tension. The first act is dedicated to setting up relationships and longings that will pay off in the third act, which itself is a cleverly potted, and surpisingly complex climax. The ending is too pat and happy, but there are going to be very very few Disney movies you can’t say that about.
There’s an exciting chase near the beginning. Even the title sequence is kind of awesome. The score The way the fish kicks as it swims. The style of the animation is freer. Characters flail with less inhibition than before. Of course, this is due in part to much of the movie taking place under water. The villain is legitimately creepy with her psychic eels. And they address the love-at-first-sight syndrome head-on. “It’ll just – Bam! – hit me. Like lightning.”
I like that it’s on the side of the kids – but doesn’t shy away from showing that there are possible consequences to actions – like turning the entire ocean over to a megalomaniac. All in all, a huge success on all levels despite a dubious agenda.
Let’s take this moment to address the single parent syndrome. I think it’s simply a strategy to be as economical as possible regarding characters. Two parents would involve two characters with a similar, if not the same, point of view. Regardless, Disney would deal almost exclusively with single-parent heroes from here on out.
DUCKTALES: TREASURE OF THE LOST LAMP
This movie was the beginning of a direction for Disney. They employed an overseas studio to make “movie toons”. They had initially planned for many cheaply animated movies to come out of this studio. While it did not work out as they planned (this movie was a bomb), Disney has repeatedly used cheaper animation to make sequels and spin-offs to pre-existing canon movies. I will be forgoing all of those for the rest of this trip.
In regard to this movie in particular, a lot of it was recycled as plot elements for Aladdin two years later. When I originally saw Aladdin, there was quite a bit of déjà vu – thenks to this movie. Having just now rewatched a chunk of this movie on youtube, I think I kind of like this movie better.
THE RESCUERS DOWN UNDER
Film: Disney’s first sequel to one of their own movies. Disney would never spend this much effort on such an outing again.
On the other hand, this was the first Disney movie to use CAPS, which is a digital ink and paint system. And it looks fantastic.
Plot: Like the first Rescuers film, this movie is a one long rescue. A series of narrow escapes. A little boy is kidnapped. Rodents trek across gorgeously animated landscapes to find him.
Nature of Villain’s Death: He falls into a river full of crocodiles. To be more accurate, he is gently shoved into a river full of crocodiles, and eventually goes over the falls.
Nature of Songs: Only the second Disney animated film to go sans a single song.
My Favorite Moment: I like how the net surrounds the eagle and ties itself off. How the momentum is depicted. It’s just a single shot, but I like how gravity is depicted in this generation of Disney films.
In general, the entire movie looks beautiful.
Most Cringe-Inducing Moment: Most of anything with John Candy. His characters is too much of a knock-off of previous characters.
The egg vaudeville act goes on for too long.
One of the most jarring moments is when the first animal talks to the little boy. You’re not expecting it, and it isn’t particularly awe-inspiring when it happens. Just jarring.
Political Agenda: Animal rights! Of course poaching is already illegal. In regards to the ending, it’s telling that the last few moments are dedicated to the young boy’s reunion with the eagle – and not his own mother.
Competition at the time: Jetsons: The Movie.
How Has Disney Raped the Legacy of this Movie: They have ignored it and locked it away.
Verdict: I can’t emphasize enough how incredible this movie looks. Racking focus. Speeding through the field. Blurry snow seen falling outside the window. A background slowly goes out of focus as action in the foreground changes planes. Although overhead shots of the city look like a video game graphic. All in all, who cares about the plot when a movie looks this good.
Still, I love little touches like how the kid sleeps under a pile of clothes. And I like how Bianca’s and Bernard’s relationship is portrayed. There’s never any real danger that jack will steal her away. It’s an adult relationship and the audience is let in on a joke that mocks a stupid convention of creating a love triangle where there isn’t one. Sparse plotting. A good pace. I even like how the movie portrays Frank, a mentally off lizard. I’m surprised at how much I like this movie. It’s inoffensiveness has won me over.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
Film: Disney learned a lot from the success of The Little Mermaid, and with this movie, they began returning to the well over and over until it was dry. As of this moment, Beauty and the Beast is the only animated film to ever receive an Oscar nomination for Best Picture.
Plot: Book smart, but not street smart, chick wanders into forest to save father from abusive rich asshole. She becomes his love slave. Creepy rich guy spies on the girl with fancy surveillance equipment. Eventually, as women are apt to do, she falls in love with her abusive boy friend. He decides not to bite her and instead, sparkles in the sunlight.
Nature of Villain’s Death: Loses his balance and falls.
Nature of Songs: Very Broadway-like. Character-based. Plus the love theme. More from Ashman and Menkin, who seriously know what they’re doing.
My Favorite Moment: There are a few. The inspired opening scene with the stained glass windows. A beautiful bit of exposition that works so much better than the usual opening book.
During “The Mob Song”, there’s a moment as Belle is locked in the cellar. Chip glances around and sees Belle’s father’s wood-chopping invention. The camera rushes up to the axe as thunder rolls and lightning catches the blade. It’s very cool. I get a little chill from it.
Also, during the climactic fight, as Gaston finds the Beast. The Beast has given up. He’s letting Gaston beat the shit out of him. Beast hears Belle’s voice. Sees her. The camera stays with Gaston’s club as he brings it down on the Beast – only to be met with the Beast’s hand – stopping the club. Suddenly willing to fight for himself again.
Most Cringe-Inducing Moment: The rushed introduction of Belle’s father, his success with his invention, and his taking off to the fair. He’s about to give up on his invention, but with one half-assed pep talk, it’s working! Good grief.
And then the ending. “Are they going to live happily ever after, Mother?” Bah! We get it. We don’t need the passive aggressive commentary from you, Chip!
Political Agenda: There is a slight feminist slant. But it’s clearly only there to give the female lead a little character. Like Ariel in The Little Mermaid, Belle is “head strong”, meaning she talks back a lot. So far, few of the characters in Disney movies have much depth. This particular strategy to creating characters is transparent instantly. Only she likes to read. DEPTH, see?! Despite this, she’s really superficial. She only likes the prince once he’s pretty. That seems important to her.
According to this movie, the only way to win a girl is to be polite and dress well and shit like that. Fuck that noise.
And then the movie decidedly takes the controversial stance against mob mentality. In particular, mob mentality against someone who’s different. Very brave.
Competition at the time: An American Tail: Fievel Goes West.
How Has Disney Raped the Legacy of this Movie: Two sequels – including a Christmas movie. The commercial for which I had to sit through on the DVD. The commercial hailed it as a classic, which apparently applies to cash-ins that exploit the holiday season. A Broadway stage production. A live-action children’s series.
Verdict: There’s a lot to admire about this movie. Also a lot to hate. This sounds weird, but I don’t like much of the blocking early on. It’s not particularly inspired. Overly Broadway-like in some sections. And too rushed. The entire movie is in too big of a hurry. Opposite of The Little Mermaid in that the beginning is rushed while the ending is more deliberately paced. It’s well done and respectable, but not too ground-breaking.
There are a lot of continuity errors. People appear and vanish. Seasons change over the course of an evening. I know they’re mostly intentional, but they’re weird.
Stray Observation: The scene when Gaston buys off the asylum director is a direct homage to the scene when the director of Pleasure Island pays off Honest John in Pinocchio.
ALADDIN
Film: Disney was on a role. This movie out-grossed their previous success with Beauty and the Beast. Disney mined 1001 Nights for a few recognizable icons and went to fucking town.
Plot: A young “punk” falls for a spoiled rich brat, but gets arrested. Falls in with a homeless guy. Finds God. Gets rich. Beats the shit out of an old men. Wins the girl.
Nature of Villain’s Death: The villain does not die. He lives to fight again.
Nature of Songs: More Ashman and Menken, but with a splash of Tim Rice.
My Favorite Moment: “Prince Ali” Not much different from the other musical numbers, but there’s a slight bit of irony to the song.
I like the Sultan’s reaction to Jafar’s trying to hypnotize him, “But you’re so old.” I also like how the Sultan begins to bow before Jafar before Jasmine stops him. It’s a periphery gag, which is what makes it awesome.
Most Cringe-Inducing Moment: The whole movie made me cringe. When Aladdin asks “all this for a loaf of bread?”, that’s a moment that emblematic of the kind of problem the whole movie has. Talking to himself to give exposition to the audience. The movie simply doesn’t trust the audience to keep up – despite being a very straightforward plot.
That part when Aladdin and Jasmine say “trapped” at the same time is too contrived to stomach.
Gilbert Gottfried’s somewhat dated response “Excellent judge . . . NOT!”
Jafar’s pun-tastic display of magic near the end.
Seriously, Robin Williams’ schtick is the best thing about this movie. That speaks volumes.
Political Agenda: “You’ve heard of the Golden Rule, haven’t you? Whoever has the gold, makes the rules.” While the movie takes stabs at the class struggle, in the end, it totally re-enforces the idea that being rich (and powerful!) is the same as being happy. No mention anywhere of responsibility. His dream is to be rich and have no more problems. That’s pretty much exactly what happens. And yet, it glamorizes being poor. Aladdin, the street urchent, is a “diamond in the rough.”
Chicks have to get married. “I want to make sure you’re taken care of.” This is never questioned in the movie. Even Jasmine bemoans about WHEN she gets married. Not IF.
Competition at the time: Ferngully: The Last Rainforest.
How Has Disney Raped the Legacy of this Movie: Two sequels and a series. Plus some video games and shit.
Verdict: Like Beauty and the Beast, this movie is too rushed. Characters are always busy. They can’t relax. The voiceover is equally too busy. Particularly the voice of Aladdin who tries to make it natural, but instead makes it awkward. Scott Weinger’s voice work is too desperate to please.
More love at first sight. Bleh.
And then there’s the plethora of questions about the logic of the plot. Why exactly was Aladdin the only one worthy of entering the Cave of Wonders? What’s so damn special about him? Why would Aladdin be fooled by a “prisoner” who is apparently free to come and go as he pleases? Jafar comes up with a plan to marry Jasmine and suddenly a law exists allowing him to do just that? How does Jasmine not recognize Aladdin just because he’s changed clothes? Aladdin’s reasoning for not wishing the Genie free doesn’t make any sense. Why keep the Genie around for one last wish. How does that solve any of his problems? Another Deus ex Machina. The Sultan changes the law that started all this in the first place.
The computer generated chase scene has not aged well.
Ultimately, the legacy of the movie lies in the casting of Robin Williams, who introduces a manic post-modern self[awareness that would inspire Shrek, which would in turn inspire an entire decade of cartoons.
It’s a groaner through and through.
THE LION KING
Film: Disney’s biggest success in the field of traditionally animated movies. The Highest grossing. One of the most well-received. Huge.
Plot: Seen Hamlet? But with less rape and death.
Nature of Villain’s Death: Cannibalized by hyenas.
Nature of Songs: Sure to dominate the lite rock / adult contemporary charts! Elton John hokum. All about emotional uplift and shit. The only tolerable song is “I Just Can’t Wait to be King”.
My Favorite Moment: The death of Mufasa. That scene is astounf=ding and emotionally devastating. Particularly Jeremy Irons effeminate performance. (“I shall practice my curtsy.”) The over-the-top score. The visuals. The pounding of the stampede. And the stillness afterwards. Simba, crawling up to his father’s dead body and wrapping himself in his arms. And ending with the deliciously sparse, “Kill him.” Perfectly executed.
Also, the call-out to Reversal of Fortune is awesomely suggestive.
Most Cringe-Inducing Moment: The hyenas. Timon and Pumba. More manic comedy relief.
The slow mo during the climactic fight. Is there any need for that? It’s ridiculous on so many levels.
Political Agenda: It’s not an abject celebration of patriarchal values, although it definitely holds a reverence for such things. Despite a healthy depiction of a father/son dynamic, there is a sly swipe at all things unmanly. The effeminate weak villain. And the might makes right that dominates the ending. All this culminates in a message that leadership is a birthright - evoking the powers of the Heavens. Ending droughts and opening the skies.
The lion/hyena collaboration goes poorly. Is this movie pro-segregation?
No casualties in the battle at the end. Only the bad guys suffer casualties – suggesting a pro-war solution to problems.
Competition at the time: DragonBall Z, The Nightmare Before Christmas.
How Has Disney Raped the Legacy of this Movie: A sequel, a midquel, a stageplay, and a spin-off series.
Verdict: Wow. Look at the animation. It looks fantastic – much like The Rescuers Down Under. The pacing is perfect. The drama is handled well. Some of the characters are too thin, and the songs are terrible. There’s a self-awareness beginning to creep in here. It began with Aladdin, then scaled back to a more manageable level with The Lion King. Case in point, the swipe at “It’s a Small World”. There’s a lot of off beat humor “They call me Mr. Pig!”
A well-done movie. I’m surprised at how much I admire it all these years later.
POCAHONTAS
Film: Disney was becoming more and more politically correct with their movies. And by this point, everyone knew it. The first Disney animated movie to be based on real events (despite bearing no resemblance to real events).
Plot: Brits trek to a new world where a fashion model resides. They lust after the women and natural resources, but their hippie tendencies win out and everyone agrees to be boringly polite to each other. Just like it really happened.
Nature of Villain’s Death: None. He gets reprimanded.
Nature of Songs: A faux Indian / hippy nature thing. Vs. songs about capitalism. Not obvious at all. The opening of “Around the River Bend” is so awkward and rushed, I can’t believe no one felt the need to rewrite that or re-record it. As histrionic as “Colors of the Wind” is, I kind of like it. At least, it’s not a fucking love theme.
My Favorite Moment: The quick shot of the rat sneaking onto the ship as Ratclliffe climbs aboard is kind of obvious, but funny.
I love that shot taken from Age of Innocence during the “Mine, Mine, Mine” song.
The scene when Thomas bloodlessly kills Kokoum is nicely dramatic – particularly the build-up as characters on both sides of the divide catch Pocahontas macking with John Smith.
The ending is so over-the-top, it’s hard not to find it absurd. But, I like it regardless. Pocahontas chasing the ship. The wind blowing across the water and filling the sails. Building score. Ridiculous. Yet, awesome. Plus, it’s so distinct from all the other Disney endings. The only ending even close to being similar is The Fox and the Hound.
Most Cringe-Inducing Moment: There’s so much. The Chief’s singing voice. When Pocahontas magically learns to speak English (“You don’t understand a word I’m saying, do you?”). How a declaration of love stops genocide! Yes, that’s how it went down.
Political Agenda: In Disney’s desperate attempt to be politically correct, it is only natural that they would offend someone. Still, they hit on a number of issues. Up front, there’s an alignment with Native Americans and their struggle. There’s a message of environment over profit. And an adamant anti-war message. But it all has enough of an anti-British slant to make Mel Gibson happy.
Competition at the time: Toy Story.
How Has Disney Raped the Legacy of this Movie: A sequel and a video game.
Verdict: I love Native American stuff. But even for me, this is hard to take. It handles its mystical elements so clumsily. There’s communing with nature and then there’s batshit nuttiness. The blending of subtlety and histrionics does not mix. And I can’t say I’m a fan of the easy listening track over the credits, which has become a staple of animated Disney films since Beauty and the Beast.
A note: This DVD inserted “If I Never Knew You” with no warning. I had managed to avoid all newly inserted footage in the other movies, but this one showed up with no option to watch the original. WTF, Disney?
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