Walt Disney Animation Studios Part 37: Tarzan

Series Intro: This is Part 37 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors.

Official Title: Tarzan
Release: June 18, 1999
Running Time: 88 minutes
Estimated Cost: $150 million (over twice the cost of Mulan)
Estimated Revenue: $448.19 million
Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
In the middle of a tempest, a young white couple’s boat catches fire off the coast of Africa. They safely make it to land with their infant and successfully make a life here for themselves (a tree house and everything).

Elsewhere in the jungle a female gorilla, Kala, is mourning the lost of her child when she hears a baby’s cry. She finds the babe in the tree house alone, his parents apparently killed off screen by a leopard. Kala and the leopard fight with Kala winning and rescuing the babe. Despite Kerchak’s (the tribe’s alpha leader) warning, Kala insists on raising the babe, giving him the name Tarzan.

As Tarzan is growing up, he and his friends Turk – a gorilla – and Tantor – an elephant, have several misadventures while Tarzan both tries to fit in and figure out why he is so different.

As Tarzan is entering adulthood, a short babbling scientist, Professor Porter; his daughter, Jane; and their gun toting, jungle guide, Clayton, invade the jungle. Tarzan saves Jane from an angry pack of baboons. Enthralled by each other, Tarzan and Jane spend all of her remaining time together, teaching each other. When the boat comes, Jane, her father and Clayton are upset that they still haven’t seen the gorillas. Clayton tricks Tarzan into revealing this secrete location.

Upset by Jane leaving, Tarzan is despondent about either leaving the jungle with Jane or her leaving forever. Kala, shows Tarzan his first home and he decides that since he is human, he should go with Jane.

Clayton attacks and captures Jane, her dad and Tarzan and revisits the gorillas, this time with cages. Terk and Tantor rescue Tarzan, who goes back to save the gorillas. Clayton and Tarzan fight, and despite Tarzan’s warning, Clayton gets hanged. Kerchak, wounded in the fight, finally accepts Tarzan as a son and the leader of the tribe.

Jane decides to remain in the jungle with Tarzan and the gorillas. Her father has a last minute change of heart, and remains with them too.

Songs:

Two Worlds
You'll Be in My Heart
Son of Man
Trashin' the Camp
Strangers Like Me

This was NOT a musical. Only one song was partly song by the characters, while another was musically improvise by them.

The sound track was amazing! Phil Collins’ music was emotional and powerful and led to a deeper connection to the characters. I loved how each song had several reprise, which is a very Broadway thing to do.

Plot Rating: 5 stars out of 5

I had only seen this movie twice (once in theatres and once on VHS). I hadn’t liked it as a child.

But now, I love it. I can’t believe how wonderful this story was. It was so heart wrenching and endearing. I truly felt connected with all of the characters, and believed their reactions to their situations.

Animation Rating: 2 out of 5

I couldn’t believe how horrible the CGI was in this film. Right from the get go, Tarzan’s parents were just hand-drawn blips in a CG ocean. Many times throughout the first half of the movie I felt that the characters were just lost in the CG backgrounds.

Now, I don’t think the CG were all bad. I felt that the detail and artistry in the backgrounds were impressive, but too distracting. Their majesty rivals that of Sleeping Beauty, but where Beauty was all hand-drawn and the characters matched their background, Tarzan stood out as something that just didn’t belong.

The Test of Time:

A short stint on Broadway. An attraction at Disneyland in California. A sequel. A midquel.

Pretty nice, but Tarzan’s timeliness has fallen the same way that many “hero” movies go, he’s not a princess so the marketing department doesn’t bring him back.
Through the Modern Lens

This movie seemed to be an accurate portrayal of the white explorers in Victorian Africa; some there for academic pursuits, others for monetary gain. But I just can’t help but wonder why there were no native Africans anywhere to be found in this movie.

Next Up:
Fantasia 2000

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Walt Disney Animation Studios Part 36: Mulan

Series Intro: This is Part 36 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors.

Official Title: Mulan
Release: June 19, 1998
Running Time: 90 minutes
Estimated Cost: $70 million
Estimated Revenue: $304.32 million
Overall Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
Mulan, a young maiden, is set to meet the town matchmaker, so she can continue to honor her family by bearing sons. However, Mulan is not ready for the tests and tries to cheat her way through, as she does early with her chores. She bombs at the matchmaker, but a bigger upset is about to occur, when the Emperor announces that every family must send one male to the arm. Mulan’s father – the only Fa male – is old and has already been injured in a war. Mulan, in drag, steals her father’s armor and goes as his son “Ping.”

The family ancestors – ghosts – meet and decide to send a guardian to help her. The dragon (nee lizard) – Mushu – sent to wake up the guardian, accidentally destroys it instead and decides to go and protect Mulan in its place. He is accompanied by Mulan’s lucky Cricket.

Mulan and company meet up the army, she immediately falls for her commanding officer – Li Shang - after she is almost discovered. Shang tells Ping to go home because he will never become a man (in the masculine, hyper-competitive, testosterone driven kind of way). Ping proves him wrong (as do the other recruits).

Shang’s army comes head to head with the Huns on a snow topped mountain, all was almost lost until Ping takes the last cannon and instead of aiming it at Shan Yu, as ordered, he aims it at the peak of the mountain. This caused an avalanche that almost takes the life of Ping, Mushu, the Cricket, Mulan’s horse and Shang, but thanks to the efforts of the rest of the recruits, they are all saved, injured but safe.

Ping’s injuries are bad and the doctor finds out his secret identify as Mulan. Shang is supposed to kill her for the trick, but because Ping saved him, he saves Mulan and leaves her on the mountain top with her horse (Mushu and the Cricket remain hidden with Mulan).

Mulan discovers that the Huns are still alive and she returns to the city where Shang is being honored by the Emperor. Everyone ignores Mulan, until the Huns arrive. Then they begin listening to her ideas and she is celebrated by the Emperor for defeating (and assumed killing) Shan Yu.

Mulan returns home with her honor restored. Mushu’s honor is also restored by the ancestors. Shang arrives at Mulan’s to return her father’s helmet and he stays for dinner.

Songs:

Honor to Us All
Reflection
I'll Make a Man Out of You
A Girl Worth Fighting For

And a closing credit song: True to Your Heart (which I don’t count because it isn’t sung by any characters!)

Limited offering here for it being a cartoon musical, have we begun to see the end of the Renaissance approaching? The end of the grand musical?

Plot Rating: 4 stars out of 5

I loved this movie so much as a child, I thought it was great to see a “Princes” in a comedic role and truly fighting (both against the fact that she is a woman and against the Huns). Girl Power!

Animation Rating: 2 out of 5

I believe we’ve lost some of the greatness in animation that we saw just a mere decade ago with Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast. There was a bit of over reliance on CG effects that really took me out of the world of the movie.

The Test of Time:

Mulan? Who?

Although sometimes grouped (inaccurately) with the Disney Princesses, Mulan hasn’t had the staying power of some of the other lead characters from the Renaissance.

Mushu has a bit part in a WDW attraction that reveals the inner workings of animation, at Disney’s [MGM] Hollywood Studios. Mulan was produced in Orlando so it would only make sense that a Mulan character would host this attraction.

Through the Modern Lens

Another non-white heroine!

I’ll admit I don’t know too much about Chinese culture, but I had a feeling that a lot was inaccurately portrayed, until further research showed that China actually allowed the movie to play! Could WDAS have stuck close enough to Chinese traditions that the people of China weren’t insulted?

I love how Mulan stands up for herself and takes action into her own hands. I also appreciate the fact that although she finds Shang attractive, she doesn’t do stupid things for love, but the her country!

Next Up:
Tarzan

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Walt Disney Animation Studios Part 35: Hercules

Series Intro: This is Part 35 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors.

Official Title: Hercules
Release: June 27, 1997
Running Time: 93 minutes
Estimated Cost: $85 million
Estimated Revenue: $252.71 million (big loss from Hunchback)
Overall Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
Hercules, son of Zeus and Hera, is kidnapped by Hades (God of the underworld). Hades is in the process of overthrowing Zeus but according to the fates, Hercules is the only one who will be able to stop it. So Hades has his henchmen Pain and Panic kidnap the child and remove his immortality to kill him. Pain and Panic blunder and leave a mortal child with super strength. Herc is then adopted by a mortal family.

As a young teen, Herc has a lot of trouble fitting in and soon discovers he is the son of Zeus and wants to take his place among the Gods, but he has to prove himself worthy. With his old pal Pegasus in tow, he goes to satyr Phil, the hero trainer.

After several years, Phil takes Herc out to start “heroing.” He saves Meg from a centaur and heads to Thebes to be the town hero. After several false starts, Herc becomes the almighty hero of Thebes despite Hades attempts to kill him.

Meg turns out to be just another pawn used by Hades until both she and Herc reveal their feelings towards one another and Herc gives up his super strength to save Meg from a lifetime of servitude.

Hades plans backfire and Herc saves Olympus from the Titans and rescues Meg. He turns down God-hood to be with Meg.

Songs:

Long Ago
The Gospel Truth/Main
Go the Distance
One Last Hope
I Won't Say (I'm in Love)
A Star Is Born

Some fun pop songs, but nothing too powerful.

Plot Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Straying from the original Hercules myths, this was a fun movie to watch, but not one of the best. Again, I was very happy as a child to have another Hero movie, and am still happy to have this one in the cannon. I found the score a bit too pop and gospel for the movie, and I didn’t enjoy some of the jokes that were out of place (like the Hercules action figures).

Animation Rating: 4 out of 5

WDAS’ over reliance on CGI didn’t show too much for this movie. It was subtle and more enjoyable to only see the Titans as CG characters while the rest of the movie was clean and clear. It was interesting how bright the colors were verses the previous movies. The colors harkened back to the brightness (and style) of the movies between Cinderella and Lady and the Tramp.

The Test of Time:

Again we see that another renaissance movie doesn’t quite stand the test of time. As one of my favorite as a child I love this movie, but it has easily fallen to the wayside in my memories.

Where is Herc’s presence in the parks? And outside of the short lived “Heroes” line of merchandising, Herc hasn’t had much play.

Through the Modern Lens

A coming of age story, where one person has to pretend to be something they are not in order to get their mate! Wait a second, doesn’t that sound like most of the WDAS movies of the past ten years? Not that I would ever get tired of musicals, I can see how audiences are about to wane away from the Disney musical. They’ve truly started to just rehash the same archetypes over and over again.

Next Up:
Mulan

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Pixar Animation Studios: Part 2: Bugs Life

Series Intro: In my purposeful retrospective of WDAS I couldn’t ignore it’s younger sister: PIXAR. This is Part 2 in the retrospective of PIXAR

Official Title: A Bugs Life
Release: November 25, 1998 (Three years after Toy Story)
Running Time: 96 minutes
Estimated Cost: $60 million (double that of Toy Story)
Estimated Revenue: $363.40 million
Overall Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Plot Summary
Flik, inventor ant, has inventions that go awry and cause the oppressive Grass Hopper Army to become angry and force the ants to work double time before the winter comes in. He is forced to go find other bugs to help the ants fight against the grass hoppers. He mistakenly returns with circus bugs.

After several mishaps, the ants successfully defeat the grass hoppers. Flik is celebrated for his inventions and is chosen as a mate for the new ant queen!

Plot Rating: 4 stars out of 5

PIXAR has outdone themselves with this movie. It has the loveable characters that made Toy Story great. It has comedy and laughs (reminding me of Walt’s movies that had a lot of comedy to help relieve the tension of the plot). I had moments of tears and moments of giggle fits. I like that PIXAR has focused on male leads, where WDAS focused on female leads.

Animation Rating: 5 out of 5

OMG, the background art was the most fantastic piece of art I’ve seen yet! It was so life like, but yet the characters truly belonged in the world. The character art was great too, for the leads, but not for the hundreds of ants. Even PIXAR made fun of the fact that all the filler ants looked the same (one of the extras of the BluRay has one character talking to the card board cut out of the same ant).

The Test of Time:

Eric, Flik and I at Disney's Animal Kingdom in WDW

Kind of slid into PIXAR vaults, not to say anything was really wrong with the movie, but just not much has been happening in it.

Final Thoughts
Aside from the Toy Story series, I have not seen any PIXAR movie in theatres. And many not at all. I do have a problem with CG movies (as you might have be able to tell with my WDAS reviews and I highly criticize the CG effects). I truly miss hand drawn animation and hope to see a return to it. However, knowing that PIXAR has dedicated itself to CG animation, I can appreciate the art and characters they have created.

Next Up:
Toy Story 2

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Walt Disney Animation Studios Part 34: Hunchback of Norte Dame

Series Intro: This is Part 34 of a multi-part retrospective of Walt Disney Animation Studios' endeavors.

Official Title: The Hunchback of Norte Dame
Release: June 21, 1996
Running Time: 91 minutes
Estimated Cost: $70 million
Estimated Revenue: $325.5 million
Overall Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Plot Summary:
Judge Frollo loathes Gypsies and kills one on the steps of Notre Dame; after seeing the woman’s baby he vows to drown the hideous creature until the Archdeacon guilts Frollo into raising the deformed baby; Frollo agrees under the condition that the monster live at the cathedral.

Twenty years have passed and Quasimodo has gone slightly mad locked in the bell tower with only the Archdeacon and Frollo for human company. Quasi imagines three of the gargoyles into friends and they encourage him to visit the Festival of Fools in the courtyard of the cathedral.

Once down there, in direct defiance to Frollo, Quasi gets wrapped up in the revelry and is revealed to be the monster that rings the bells. Esmeralda, a gypsy, helps save Quasi from the angry mob but finds herself in hot water with Frollo. She is forced to claim sanctuary in the cathedral by Phoebus, the captain of the guard.

Quasi, falling in love with Esmeralda, helps her escape the cathedral. When Frollo discovers her disappearance he goes crazy with lust, longing for Esmeralda. He and his guard (including Phoebus – also in love with the gypsy) start burning Paris in hopes of finding the Gypsy people’s hide out.

After saving a family from Frollo’s wrath, Phoebus is shot with an arrow by the guard under Frollo’s orders. Es saves him and hides him at the cathedral. Quasi, realizing he and Es have no future, continues to be her friend, and takes care of Phoebus. However, Frollo, knowing of this friendship tricks Quasi into showing him the location of the Gypsy hideout.

Es is threatened with burning at the stake, unless she recants and gives herself to Frollo. She doesn’t and a battle ensues with Quasi not saving Frollo as he falls to his doom from the top of the cathedral. Es and Phoebus kiss with Quasi’s aprroval.

Songs:

"The Bells of Notre Dame"
"Out There"
"Topsy Turvy"
"God Help the Outcasts"
"Heaven's Light"
"Hellfire"
"A Guy Like You"
"The Court of Miracles"

Although not my favorite soundtrack, I believe the song these to be the most powerfully moving songs of the cannon. Unlike those from Pochahontas and Lion King and the others of the renaissance, these all had much deeper connections to the plot and the story truly was told through the music!

Plot Rating: 4 stars out of 5

The story was the most interesting yet. I believe WDAS truly outdid themselves with creating this plot. As with any movie based on a book, it was almost a completely different story, but taken as a separate entity, this movie wonderfully mixed the worlds of literary fiction and classical animation and musical theatre.

However, despite retaining a “G” rating, this movie was very adult! More so than any previous release (save for Black Cauldron (the red headed bastard of the Disney cannon). Every male character in this movie was lusting over Esmeralda. The movie had many religious overtones (how could it not taking place in a cathedral?), but mostly the concept of hell. Frollo even sings an entire song about his lust for Es and how she (and possibly he) will wind up in hell for her lack of Christianity and his carnal desire.

And look at how sexy he is!

Despite its adult themes, Hunchback had a lot of the comic elements that were missing from Pocahontas. Phoebus was just one big walking double entandre that kept jokes for the adults (such as commenting on a wines vintage), while the kids would have enjoyed his machismo always ending badly (when Es punches him below the belt with a candelabra). Also, the cute friends were back; this time in the form of the gargoyles (Quasi’s imaginary friends).

Animation Rating: 2 out of 5

And here is where this movie failed! The CG effects were too simplistic for the movie and WDAS relied on them too much. All of the crowd shots were obviously poorly rendered characters. How can PIXAR, be creating believable movements for their characters in Toy Story that look like actual moving pieces, while WDAS can barely make a crowd look realistic?

WDAS has come to over rely on CG effects. Most of the backgrounds in Hunchback were so poorly rendered that the characters (who were finely drawn) stood out and looks as if they didn’t belong in the world (it reminded my of my high school days in front of a green screen and we were never able to edit the film to quite make it look natural.

The Test of Time:

Another movie that hasn’t quite stood up against time as some of the other movies from the renaissance. Where are all the Quasi costumes on Halloween? Or the Notre Dame cathedral in the new WDW Fantasy Land? Having one direct to video sequel didn’t do enough to keep this movie in the lime light.

I saw this movie in theatres, then was inundated with it by my three year old cousin, where I was forced to watch it hundreds of times in a month. I never watched it again until a day ago!

Through the Modern Lens

The anti-classic story that doesn’t end with the guy getting the girl. Not that I expected Es to end up with Quasi, I was still hoping for it, the entire time. But here WDAS shows us that you have to be beautiful to find true love (a running theme in the WDAS cannon). Considering how much WDAS changed from Hugo’s original novel, couldn’t they have allowed Es and Quasi to wind up together. She was the only person in Paris to not judge him by his looks.

I also wonder about the modern technology through which I view these movies. How much does that play into the enjoyment of it. When I was watching the extras of this DVD, with the darker animation, the CG effects looked slightly better than they did during the remastered DVD. Will they look even better when Hunchback is remastered again for the Platinum/Diamond editions?

Next Up:
Hercules

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