Disney animated films

[Hitchhiker]

Okay...I suppose these fall under the heading of "art and culture." I'm just starting this thread because the anime people have evicted the Disney people from their thread.

Random facts about Disney animated films:

"The Lion King" is a loose retelling of Hamlet (with a happier ending). "Lion King II" is a loose retelling of Romeo and Juliet (with a happier ending).

There has been an animated Disney film set on every continent except Antarctica. ("The Pebble and the Penguin" was not a Disney film.)

With a few exceptions (most notably "Mulan" and "The Lion King"), Disney heroines have a father but no mother, while Disney heroes are orphans. It has been speculated that little boys fantasize about complete independence, while little girls fantasize about having Daddy to spoil them and no Mommy to interfere (the Electra complex).

The music in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" is adapted from Tchaikovsky's ballet "The Sleeping Beauty."

In Hans Christian Andersen's tale of "The Little Mermaid," the little mermaid dies. In Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," Quasimodo and Esmeralda both die. In Charles Perrault's "Cinderella," the stepsisters cut off parts of their feet to fit into the slipper, and later have their eyes picked out by birds. None of these events occur in the Disney films.

In one of the street scenes in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," you can see Belle from "Beauty and the Beast." In Aladdin, characters from three other Disney films make momentary cameo appearances: Sebastian the crab from "The Little Mermaid," the Beast from "Beauty and the Beast," and Pinocchio.

It has been observed that "Beauty and the Beast" fits the common pattern of domestic abuse: a woman involved in a relationship with someone who has a violent and unpredictable temper, is controlling and demanding, but can occasionally be generous and even charming. Belle stays with the Beast depite his moods, and feels that he has "something good inside." The difference is that the Beast does change, while a real-life abusive partner generally does not.

"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" won an Oscar specially created for the occasion: a full-size statuette with seven miniature ones. This unique award was presented to Walt Disney by none other than Shirley Temple.

Of the top ten highest-grossing animated films of all time (not adjusted for inflation), eight are Disney or Disney/Pixar. The two that aren't are Shrek (Dreamworks) and Ice Age (Blue Sky/Fox Animation).

[Vinny]

Here's another fun fact that most people don't know about.

The Lion King was originally meant as a "remake" of Kimba, The White Lion TV series, a cartoon from the 80s. The Kimba TV series was based on comic books written by Osamu Tezuka, the "father of anime". (see, it all ties together. You can't discuss Disney w/o discussing Anime, nor vice versa, so Shame Shame on you, ih8, for making that distinction.)

Anyway, Tezuka was asked by an American network, I think it was either ABC or NBC, back then to create a children cartoon that is more than just "cartoon". He created the show initially for the American audience, basing on his comic books work, and then later port it back over to Japan. Both series did really well in both countries, but Japan's version was a lot darker and deeper than the American version, and was much more loved. The American TV network eventually pulled it after a few seasons because they think it's not "kiddie" enough.

It's a great TV series, you should watch it if you want to see some great story, animated work.

When Disney started scripting and drawing the Lion King, it was meant as a remake of Kimba. However, near the end of the production, there were legal issues in getting rights from Tezuka's company in Japan (Tezuka is no longer alive during this time), and Disney did not get the company permission to market the movie. But Disney being what they are, the money making machine, has put too much investment in a movie that was pretty much made, so they changed a few names around and released it anyway, then deny any claims at all to its relation with Kimba, the White Lion.

Here's a link.

Remake of Tezuka's Popular Story Turns Into Denial?



[This message has been edited by Vinny (edited 03-23-2004 12:34 PM).]

[Vinny]

Here's a question, Hitchhiker:

Is it true that a lot of Disney aminated films contain subliminal messages and/or explicit sexual symbol? If yes, What is up with that?

[Snail]

Vinny, I don't know if you've visited snopes' section on Disney, some of the questions about subliminal stuff are answered there.