Jim on Film
Page 5 of 9

Hercules takes the studio in yet another direction, and it’s interesting to see that, unlike in previous eras, most of the films from this generation have vastly different art direction. The flowing lines in Hercules allow for a more cartoony appearance, which is a stark contrast to the ultra-realism from the previous features. But it too is a beautiful film, with rich backgrounds fully fleshed out in addition to fresh and original character designs.

There are some obvious uses of the computer in this film. The morphing clouds on Olympus are obvious, though they seem more excusable because it is the world of the gods. The Hydra, however, looks like he was created for an almost completely different movie than the rest of the characters. Stylistically, he matches, including how he moves, but from the texture of the face, as well as in the long shot, he looks like a computer creation. The problem with such obvious computer elements is that when it becomes obvious, for that one brief moment, the viewer is pulled from the story.

But this does not distract from the inventiveness and humor in Hercules. The idea of having the Muses as Gospel singers, for examples, is not just a great idea, it’s executed perfectly. In addition to being delightful characters, they sing some amazingly good songs. Just as inventive are some great design elements with many of the gods, but this creativity is most prominent in the contemporary references and plays on words. The idea of drawing parallels with contemporary American trends, such as Air-Herc shoes, autograph seekers, and action figures, is incredibly funny.

It’s interesting that while Aladdin and Hercules both have references from their times, neither of them have dated badly yet. Yes, there are contemporary references, but they can be enjoyed without knowing to what they are referring. Furthermore, one must question how dated some of the jokes (such as Marilyn Monroe) will ever be. Looking back, The Sword in the Stone and The AristoCats both have dated elements, but neither of them are dated to the point that they can’t be enjoyed by today’s audiences (though, they are not as timeless as most of the studio’s other animated classics).

With Hades and Meg, there is again an emphasis on verbal humor with great lines and plays on popular expressions. Megara is a rich character (highlighted with Susan Egan’s tremendous talent), and she has some of the best lines in the entire Disney canon. But more importantly, with Meg, there starts to be an important move toward comedic style in these films. When the studio entered the New Golden Age, the artists and executives saw animal characters as the main source of comedic relief. The change is hinted at in The Hunchback of Notre Dame with lines between Phoebus and Esmeralda, but it is more fully realized here. Megara is probably the funniest character in the film, with Hades running a close second. The supposed sidekick characters of Pegasus, Pain, and Panic are all very funny, but the best laughs and most memorable moments come from the film’s human characters.

Hercules and Mulan, to me, are the two films from this time period that, while extremely enjoyable, are not perfect. In Hercules, the crux of the story is Hercules’ challenge to become a true hero, but the film spends too much time in preparation. By the time Meg arrives on scene, there have been a lot of great jokes but not enough forward-propelling action to keep interest.

Mulan is also a very funny film, but that humor is almost too much, or rather, there is too much of Mushu and the ancestors. It’s all really funny material, that’s certain, but the film has so much heart and power that the presence of Mushu and the ancestors dilutes it.

There really is much heart in Mulan. The scenes between Mulan and her father are very touching, particularly the final one. And there’s some complexity to it. Fa Zhou loves his daughter very much, so he reassures Mulan after failing with the Matchmaker. But when he loses his temper with her, he shows how she has hurt him by her impulsive actions concerning the war, betraying this outward understanding when he says, "I know my place! It is time you learned yours."

As in Pocahontas, there is also a powerful stretch of no dialogue. After thinking about what her father has said, Mulan decides to find her place. With powerful music, she takes her father’s armor and heads to battle. During this scene, Mulan never speaks, but as supervised by Mark Henn, her emotions and intentions are communicated clearly and with power. It is scenes such as these that highlight the best use of animation in communicating thoughts and emotions.

And there is much power to the story too. Mulan’s struggle for honor is rooted in a delicately depicted relationship with her father. And as Mulan finally begins succeeding in the face of such adversity, it’s exciting. When she finally climbs the pole and shoots the arrow down to Shang, it is nothing less than thrilling.

This is also not to say that there aren’t many very genuinely humorous scenes in Mulan. For me, the funniest has always been the Matchmaker, particularly when she draws the goatee on herself. There are also many very funny things with Mushu, such as in his interaction with Khan and his message delivered atop a black and white.