Pocahontas

This week’s film takes us to early 17^th Century North America- It’s Disney’s Pocahontas.

 

 

The film premiered in 1995 and holds a dear place in my childhood.  I still remember singing “Just Around the Riverbend” at the top of my lungs and having a major crush on Kocoum when we saw Pocahontas: Disney on Ice.  Ahhh.  Sweet memories. 

 

 

Pocahontas is about the legend of the Native American Powhatan tribe's chief's daughter (Pocahontas) willingly putting her life on the line to save the English captive, Captain John Smith.  A group of Englishmen have arrived in this "new world" (present day Virginia) in 1607 with plans to conquer the land, subdue the native "savages," and find piles upon piles of gold.  It is not long before these Englishmen and the Native American habitants of the continent find themselves in conflict against each other.  The film presents that in this most unlikely of situations, Pocahontas and John Smith find themselves falling in love; however their hardest battle to overcome will be keeping peace between their people.

 

 

Once again Disney delivers superb animation, an engaging story, good music and funny sidekicks.  This is definitely one of the Disney films that defined my childhood.  I love the music - from the iconic "Colors of the Wind" and the lively "Just Around the Riverbend" to the lesser known "Steady as the Beating Drum" and "Mine, Mine, Mine" songs. 

 

 

And speaking of music, Pocahontas has my second favorite credit song ever.  It's "If I Never Knew You" performed by Jon Secada and Shanice.  If you've never heard it, you can have a listen here.  In the theatrical release of this film, this song was ONLY included in the credits.  When Disney released the film on DVD in 2005, they added a scene in which John Smith and Pocahontas sing this song.  I definitely vote that it stays just the credit song.  If you have the option, I recommend watching the film in the original theatrical release version.  :)  Oh.  And because I'm sure you're all anxious to know my very favorite credit song ever... It's "At the Beginning" from Anastasia.  (And third place goes to "My Heart Will Go On.")

 

 

One of my favorite parts of this film are the supporting cast of characters.  A younger Christian Bale voices Thomas - one of the young English blokes arrived in the New World that John Smith watches out for.  The villainous Governor Ratcliffe delivers a good performance as the greedy English conqueror.  There's also the inexplicably wonderful Grandmother Willow.  (She's a wise tree who offers advice through song. To understand her, you've just got to see the movie.)  And finally, perhaps my favorite characters in the movie: the animal sidekicks.  First up there is Flit, the hummingbird.  He's the most protective 3 ounces of feathers I've ever seen who continually tries to point the other characters in the right direction; though often without much success.  Then there is Meeko, the raccoon.  He is always hungry, generally mischievous, and adorably funny.  Finally, rounding out the trio is Governor Ratcliffe's pug, Percy.  This pampered pooch starts out as Meeko's enemy, but in the end they become fast friends.

 

Pocahontas falls in the midst of the Disney Renaissance and as such is as great as you would expect.  I do recommend looking up the history of the real Pocahontas when you have a chance as well.  As beautiful as the Disney film is, it's decidedly a romanticized view of this legendary woman.  And as lovely as seeing the world through rose-colored glasses can be, the truth is always better.

 

 

With that, I'll leave you this week with the opening lines to "Colors of the Wind:"

 

You think I'm an ignorant savage,

And you've been so many places, I guess it must be so.

But still I cannot see, if the savage one is me,

How can there be so much that you don't know?

You don't know.

 

 

Coming Up Next Week: The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Lion King

And we have arrived on the African Savannah in this week's Disney film: The Lion King.

The film premiered in 1994 and is actually the first film I remember seeing in theaters.  It was a Saturday afternoon and my Daddy and I were having a father-daughter date which meant D'Lorenzo's pizza and a movie.  My movie choices were The Lion King or the non-animated PG version of The Jungle Book (more on the animated version here).  I chose The Lion King (even though we had already seen it), so I guess the first theater-going movie experience I remember is seeing The Lion King for the second time.  :)  I'm not sure how many times I've seen the film now, but one thing is still clear: the film is one of Disney's finest.

The Lion King is loosely based on the plot of Shakespeare's Hamlet (told with a cast of lions of course).  Mufasa is king of Pride Rock and the surrounding lands where he leads and cares for his pride of lions as well as all of the plants and creatures in the "circle of life" out in the savannah.  His adventurous son Simba wants to be just like his dad but his adventures (with the young lioness Nala) to prove his bravery lead him into more trouble than not.  Mufasa's brother, Scar, meanwhile wants to be king himself and as such unleashes a dastardly plot to kill Mufusa and Simba.  (That would be the Shakespeare bit.)  The after effects of this dastardly plot cause Simba to run away from home.  He meets up with Timon and Pumbaa (savannah outcasts so to speak) and embraces the "Hakuna Matata" life (more on that later).  His past of course catches up to him and he ultimately goes back to face it for one of the most climatic finales in all of Disney film.

The Lion King is smack in the middle of the Disney Renaissance period of film and it shows.  The film is beautiful.  This Disney film journey this year is definitely teaching me to appreciate the artistry of the Disney film, particularly the animation and music.  I've always liked these things, but I'm also now recognizing the skill and artistry involved as well.  The Lion King is gorgeously animated and sumptuously scored.  It's a beautiful film.  On top of all that, it also has the great story, standout songs, humor and heart that have come to define the Disney name.

The music.  Oh the music!  Like it's predecessors (The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and Aladdin), the music of The Lion King is epically amazing!!  The film begins with the grandiose "Circle of Life."  It is a beautiful portrait of Pride Rock and the animals who call it home.  Disney animators actually researched and sketched live animals lending a depth and reality to the animated creatures we see on screen.  The results are Disney greatness.  Next we get to perhaps my favorite song in the film (but really how do you choose just one favorite?!): "I Just Can't Wait to Be King."  A young Simba sings this colorful song filled with humor and great drums.  Next up, the nefarious Scar has the musical genius of "Be Prepared."  The lyrics are droll and decidedly witty with Scar telling his plans to be king to the less cerebral hyenas.

The second act of the film showcases Timon (the meerkat) and Pumbaa (the warthog) in all of their musical and comical glory.  First up we have "Hakuna Matata."  It means no worries, for the rest of your days.  It's our problem-free.  Philosophy!  Hakuna Matata.  'nough said! :) "Hakuna Matata" is funny, memorable and just plain good music.  Our last big musical number is the romantic "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."  Even if you've never seen this film, you've probably heard Elton John's rendition of this Disney classic.  In the film the song is started and finished by the dynamic duo of Timon and Pumbaa, however they are conspicuously absent for the vast majority of the song.  Once again, we have a beautiful number that comes together with gorgeous animation and fantastic musicality. 

The Lion King also has a colorful cast of characters. :)  Comical characters include Zazu - Mufasa's majordomo and a red-billed hornbill (granted fun is made more at his expense than his own witticisms...), Rafiki (a wise baboon with unconventional communication techniques), the hyenas (Scar's bumbling henchmen), and the famous duo of Timon & Pumbaa.  One of the "biggest" characters of the film is Mufasa (Simba's father).  His love, leadership and sacrifice provide the heart of this film.  It is through his guidance and love that Simba is able to learn from the past and step into the responsibilities that have been given to him.

The Lion King is one of Disney's finest films and a beloved part of my childhood.  It was another fantastic stop on this film journey!  Thanks for continuing on this journey with me!

This week I'll leave you with wise words from Rafiki:

The past can hurt.  But the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it.

Coming Up Next Week: Pocahontas

Aladdin

This week we're off to Agrabah in Disney's Aladdin.

It is so much fun to be traveling through this Disney movie adventure this year, but now that we're at the Disney Renaissance... it's even better!  Not to mention the fact that these are the films that I grew up with.  Don't get me wrong, I love the Disney classics like Peter Pan and The Aristocats, but I'm beginning to realize that my generation was particularly lucky in the Disney films that came out in the 90s.  You've got almost 10 solid movies of Disney greatness when most of us were in elementary school.  It's no wonder that most of us cling to our love of Disney even into adulthood!

 

Aladdin premiered in 1992 (right after Beauty and the Beast).  And believe me those are some big shoes to fill!  But Aladdin delivers!  It is funny, heart-warming, memorable and filled with wonderful songs!  The film tells the story of Aladdin - a poor young man (called a street rat) with street smarts who dreams of living rich in the palace but finds himself stealing bread instead.  He is quick to look out for others though and often gives his stolen meal away to those who need it more.  This also leads him to meet Princess Jasmine (in disguise in the marketplace).  Aladdin rescues her from an angry shopkeeper who she unwittingly takes an apple from and then shows her town from his side of the tracks.  Aladdin is pretty smitten from the get go, but once he realizes she's the princess, he realizes there is no way for them to be together as the law requires her to marry a prince.  Sigh.

 

 

Alas their time together is short-lived as Aladdin is soon thrown into jail by the nefarious Jafar (the sultan's grand vizier).  He quickly gains a trip to the Cave of Wonders to find a lamp for Jafar, but as luck would have it, Aladdin ends up with the lamp but trapped in the Cave of Wonders with his good friend, Abu (the monkey), and a magic flying carpet (affectionately termed "Carpet").  Turns out the lamp is a magic lamp and once rubbed... out bursts the funniest character in Disney's repertoire - Genie!  He's big.  He's blue.  He's magical.  He's hilarious!  Robin Williams give voice and life to this character and it could not have been done better!  So Al (aka Aladdin) now has three wishes and a genie on his side.  Life is definitely looking up.  Prince Ali here we come!

 

The rest of the film involves Jafar's devious schemes to steal the throne from the sultan and marry Princess Jasmine and Prince Ali's (aka Aladdin's) courtship of Princess Jasmine which doesn't go as well as he expected...  By the way, important life lesson served up by Disney: Always tell the truth and be yourself.  True story.  Tossed into all this drama you have the Genie's antics and personality, so it's a very fun ride!

And speaking of rides... Aladdin has the most romantic magic carpet ride in all of film!  Aladdin and Jasmine head off to "A Whole New World" on a magic carpet ride where Aladdin finally wins the fair Jasmine's heart.  "A Whole New World" is perhaps the most popular Disney song of all time.  A vast majority of my generation can probably sing part if not the whole song word-for-word.  It's magical and beautiful and in my list of Top 5 Disney songs ever.

Aladdin has an amazing soundtrack even on top of "A Whole New World."  Aladdin's opening number "One Jump Ahead" is funny and lively and a great start to the film.  Genie has two show-stopping numbers in the middle of the film that are pure fun!  Genie sings "Friend in Me" in the Cave of Wonders and you get to know his personality and powers, and then he sings "Prince Ali" as Master of Ceremonies to Aladdin's grand parade into Agrabah as a prince.  Once again, Robin Williams comic mastery shines through making theses scenes an absolute delight.  Then to round out the film (as mentioned above) you have the romantic masterpiece of "A Whole New World."

 

Aladdin is definitely one of Disney's best films!  And goodness gracious is it funny!  I counted a solid 12 jokes that went over my head as a child, but that struck my funny bone as an adult.  One of the funniest characters is actually the villain- Jafar.  He is decidedly witty and his parrot sidekick, Iago, can't communicate without sarcasm so they add a hefty dose of humor to the film.  If you haven't seen this film, I highly recommend hopping on a magic carpet for a trip to Agrabah as soon as you can!

Since we all were singing this to ourselves anyway...  I'm going to end this post with lyrics from "A Whole New World:"

I can show you the world; Shining, shimmering, splendid.

Tell me princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?

I can open your eyes, take you wonder by wonder,

Over, sideways, and under on a magic carpet ride.

 

A Whole New World!

A new fantastic point of view.

No one to tell us no or where to go

Or say we're only dreaming.

Have a great week everyone!

Coming Up Next Week: The Lion King

Beauty and the Beast

At last we’ve arrived at a “tale as old as time.”  Yes.  This week’s film is Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

 

There is so much to love about this film from 1991!  So much so that it was nominated for Best Picture in the 1991 Academy Awards.  (Note that it was nominated for Best Picture, not simply Best Animated Feature.)  This is not only one of my favorite Disney movies of all time, Beauty and the Beast on Broadway was also my introduction to Broadway and live musicals on stage!  My family and friends can attest that I am still very much a lover of musicals!  :)

 

This film is full of greatness!  A great story. ("Here's where she meets prince charming, but she won't discover that it's him 'til chapter three...")  Great music. (From opening number to closing note, it's ALL wonderful!)  A great villain. (Who can resist a bad guy in love with his biceps?)  A great bumbling sidekick.  (Lefou=funny.)  Great humor. ("If it's not Baroque, don't fix it." Oh Cogsworth!)  Great creativity. ("Ask the dishes.  They can sing; they can dance!") Great romance. I could go on and on.  Beauty and the Beast gets Disney magic right in every category!

 

The film tells the tale of a selfish prince who refuses to help an old beggar woman who turns out to be an enchantress and as such turns him into a beast- his only hope to break the spell that has fallen on his entire castle is to learn to love another and earn their love in return before the last petal falls from his enchanted rose.  As the narrator intones in the first opening monologue,  "For who could ever learn to love a beast?"  Cue "Belle" - one of Disney's best opening numbers in the history of opening numbers!  The song introduces us to Belle, the films heroine, and the provincial town where she lives with her father, an inventor.  We also meet Gaston who is more in love with himself than anybody or anything else but has singled out "Belle" as the most beautiful girl in town, and thus he plans to marry her (without consulting her of course.)

 

I think one of the things that really sets this film apart is Belle herself.  To little (and not so little) girls around the world, Belle is so relatable.  She never quite "fits in" and she dreams of adventure in the great wide, somewhere.  As a society, we are constantly bombarded with messages to do this and be cool, and wear this to be the most beautiful, and like this because it's what everybody else likes.  It's so refreshing to have a heroine stand out from the crowd and flourish in a story all her own just by being herself.  And on top of all this- Belle loves to read! (I <3 the library too!)  Also, Belle has great character.  She is kind and resourceful, hard-working and compassionate and she doesn't "have it all."  She is not born to wealth and privilege, but she still has the story and adventure of a lifetime.  And really what girl doesn't want that? 

 

After meeting Belle and the village, we meet the Beast and his servants (who are under enchantment as animate household items) when Maurice (Belle's father) stumbles upon the castle after getting lost in the woods.  The Beast takes him prisoner, but exchanges his life-sentence for his daughter when Belle shows up to rescue her father.  Thus Belle meets the Beast, though in far from ideal circumstances.  The rest of the film tells the story of the pair as they grow and learn to change their minds and realize that there's "something there that wasn't there before."  I have quite literally riddled this post with direct quotes and paraphrases from the movie.  I could go on and on, but I don't want to give the whole story away in case someone reading this hasn't seen it yet.  In which case I say: See this film immediately!  It is a Disney treasure and an absolute must for any Disney fan, but really any film fan in general.  It's just plain good. 

 

The film's characters are endearing, comical, three-dimensional, and unforgettable.  You get to spend time with Mrs. Potts (the teapot), Chip (the teacup), Lumiere (the candelabra), Cogsworth (the clock), Maurice (the inventor), Gaston (the narcissist), LeFou (the fool) and the Beast (who just might be a prince in disguise).  Oh and Madame Bouche (the wardrobe)! 

 

The heart and soul of Beauty and the Beast though has got to be the music.  Great music tells a story, so when you have great music telling a great story- it's almost indescribably fantastic.  I've already mentioned the greatness of the opening number, but there are at least 3 other show-stopping numbers (and that's a conservative count!)  But since I'm trying to make this post shorter to read than it would take you to watch the movie, I'll just mention the three other BIG musical numbers in the film.  First up we have "Gaston" - Lefou's ode to Gaston's greatness to try and cheer him up after Belle's rejection - cleverly funny with a dash of ridiculous, yet still toe-tappingly great.  No Beauty and the Beast review could be complete without giving two big thumbs up to Lumiere's "Be Our Guest" number.  It features dancing cutlery, grand humor, candle tricks, and French entertainment at it's best!  Then finally we have the title musical number sung by Mrs. Potts and voiced by the lovely Angela Lansbury - "Beauty and the Beast."  SO.  GOOD.  This scene may also be the most beautiful animated scene of all time.  It is simply stunning artistry.

 

 

I'm not sure if you've realized, but in my humble opinion, Beauty and the Beast is the pinnacle of Disney greatness.  There is not a single thing I would change about the film.  It is funny and heartwarming, visually stunning, gorgeously scored with a FANTASTIC soundtrack.  It's simply wonderful. 

 

What else could I possibly leave you with but lyrics from the iconic "Beauty and the Beast?"

 

Tale as old as time, true as it can be

Barely even friends, then somebody bends unexpectedly

Just a little change, small to say the least

Both a little scared, neither one prepared, Beauty and the Beast

 

Tale as old as time

Song as old as rhyme

Beauty and the Beast

 

 

Coming Up Next Week: Aladdin

The Rescuers Down Under

G’day Mate!  We’re off to Australia this week in Disney’s The Rescuers Down Under.

This is one of three sequels on this journey through a year of Disney movies.  (And Fantasia 2000 and Winnie the Pooh are arguably only sequels in characters and themes as they do not continue the storylines of the preceding movies... But I digress.)  We first met our heroes, Bernard and Bianca, in The Rescuers back at movie #23.  This time they’re crossing oceans to help a boy named Cody who is being held captive by an evil poacher who is hoping Cody will lead him to the rare and beautiful golden eagle.  The Rescuers Down Under premiered in 1990 and is considered the second movie of the Disney Renaissance. 

This was an artistically-beautiful adventure tale, though it definitely deviated from the traditional Disney recipe for greatness. (See here or here for my explanation of the perfect Disney movie recipe.)  While the story was missing the Disney music element (Not a single song in the whole movie!), it definitely still scored high in the categories of good story, likable heroes, and humor (not to mention a dastardly villain).  And of note regarding the music, the score is still sweeping and adds greatly to the artistry of the film.

 

 

Our heroes, Bernard and Bianca, are mice from the Rescue Aid Society in New York.  On their first mission, they helped Penny, an orphaned girl, escape the evil clutches of Madame Medusa in Devil's Bayou.  This film's adventure finds them in the even greater unknown of the Australian outback.  They are aided on their journey once again by a comedic albatross- Wilbur (Orville's brother) and Jake, a hopping mouse (with a definite dash of Indiana Jonesish mystique) once the reach the land down under.  The pair soon find themselves on a perilous journey to save Cody, the golden eagle and her eggs!

 

 

 

 

 

The film is truly beautiful in its sweeping landscapes of the Australian outback and the soaring sequences featuring Marahute (the golden eagle).  While this is not the most famous or memorable film from the Disney Renaissance, the grandeur and artistry of the period is clearly evident.  It was lovely to see Bernard and Bianca (and their blossoming relationship) again. 

 

 

Thanks for continuing on this journey with me!

 

This week's quote is from Wilbur and captures the warmth, heart and humor of the film:

 

Kidnapped?  Oh!  That- that's awful!  Lockin' up a little kid.  Kids should be free!  Free to run wild through the house on Saturday mornings, free to have cookies and milk, and get those little white mustaches, you know?

 

 

Coming Up Next Week: Beauty and the Beast

 

The Little Mermaid

And we have officially arrived at my childhood!  This week's movie is Disney's 28th Animated Masterpiece: The Little Mermaid!

The film premiered in 1989 and is considered the first film of the Disney Renaissance.  The Disney Renaissance was a decade of highly successful Disney film releases from The Little Mermaid (1989) to Tarzan (1999).  I was fortunate to grow up during this "Renaissance" which might help explain my love of all things Disney!  The Little Mermaid definitely shaped my childhood.  I even had Little Mermaid curtains.  (True story.)  And I'm fairly certain Sebastian and Flounder and all of their undersea friends ruined seafood.  To this day, I still don't like to eat fish or shellfish...  Anyways, on to the movie!

The Little Mermaid tells the tale of Ariel (a sixteen-year-old mermaid and princess) who longs to explore the human world (the world above) but her father thinks that humans are barbarians and has thus decreed that all things related to the human world are expressly forbidden.  Ariel (of course) falls in love with a human prince, but must make a pact with Ursula (the evil sea witch) to gain legs for a few days to try to win his love.  Conflict, comedy, and crooning crustaceans ensue!

This film is the complete Disney package!!  As outlined in my first movie review on this Disney journey through film, there are 6 main ingredients that set Disney films apart as the best:

• A good story (the heart of any great film)
• A likable hero/heroine
• A little bit of romance
• A scary villain
• Humor
• Music

 And The Little Mermaid has them all!

The story of this particular film really centers on the romance between Ariel and Prince Eric and their respective journeys to find each other.  Ariel struggles to find legs to stand on (literally) to be part of Eric's world and Eric searches for the girl who rescues him from the sea.  Sigh.  <3  Ariel and Eric are a very likable set of heroes and it's very easy to be caught up in their story and want to see them together for the happily ever after finale.  I have seen this film countless times but I still found myself caught up in the plot and storyline when I watched it just this past week.  I was arguing with Ariel not to make certain decisions and generally worrying about how the whole thing would turnout, even though I obviously know how it ends. :)  What can I say?  It's a good story.  :)

Ursula, the sea witch and villain of this story, is fabulous.  Her character has such depth and charisma, but it is ultimately entirely selfish and villainous.  Also, she arguably has the best villain song in the entire Disney cannon with "Poor Unfortunate Souls."  (I know.  We still have to get through some 20-odd other Disney films so I might be speaking too soon, but I definitely say it ranks in the top 5!)

And finally we have the music.  Oh the music!!!!!  This film is filled with great songs!  Ariel's iconic "Part of Your World" is still sung by a bevy of little girls today, and I'm guessing most women my age can also sing every word...  The song is so good, it even gets a fantastic reprise!  There are also some great comedic elements imbedded in the music of the film.  Ursula's lyrics in "Poor Unfortunate Souls" are worth a close listen, and I guarantee you'll hear something clever that you hadn't noticed before.  Also, Prince Eric's chef has comedic gold with his "Les Poissons" song in the kitchen in which he ends up battling the uncrushable crustacean, Sebastian.

And speaking of Sebastian- his two musical numbers in the film might even eclipse the music already mentioned.  The show-stopping "Under the Sea" in which he and his friends form a rollicking, sea-faring band is so good.  It's lively and funny and just plain good music.  But that's not all, Sebastian also sings the romantic "Kiss the Girl" on Eric and Ariel's boat ride through the lagoon.  Definitely one of Disney's greatest hits!

If you can't tell, I really like The Little Mermaid!  In fact, it is my favorite film so far on this Disney journey.  Yes.  I like it even more than this film.  (For full disclosure, it may be bumped out of the first spot by Beauty and the Beast in a few weeks, but it's definitely in my top 5 favorite Disney films ever!) 

This week I'm leaving you with lyrics from Sebastian's "Under the Sea:"

Under the sea
Darling it's better
Down where it's wetter
Take it from me
Up on the shore they work all day
Out in the sun they slave away
While we devotin'
Full time to floatin'
Under the sea

 

Because really.  How else could you end a The Little Mermaid post?  ;)

Coming Up Next Week: The Rescuers Down Under