The Magic of Disney Animation, Part X: A New Revival--How Far They've Come

A New Market, A New Generation, and A Carried-On Tradition
The 2010s was a decade of exciting productivity at the Walt Disney Studios. Live-action remakes of their beloved animated classics were being developed and released (some, good; some, not so good). CEO Bob Iger made headlines with public acquisitions of such film subsidiaries and companies as Marvel, Lucasfilm, and 21st Century Fox (not to mention a change in the Mouse House's distribution title of "Walt Disney Pictures" to, simply, "Disney"). But, perhaps, the best one of all: the animation division showcased an unexpected return to form that (as I titled my last post) honored the department's legacy while embracing new ground. There was also an evident change in the its creative culture.

One of the biggest factors of this era of animated movies is the impeccable and believable worlds that were created for them. From video games to superheroes, anthropomorphic animals, and proactive heroines that drove the narratives in a very strong way, each film was nothing short of cross-cultural and generation-bridging.

2009's The Princess and the Frog, while it has its fans, wasn’t as successful as the studio had hoped, and not since 2011's Winnie the Pooh has Disney made a hand-drawn feature. The decades-old technique has still been utilized in a few select short films, like 2012's Paperman, as well as other non-Disney features throughout the decade, like last fall's Klaus. Even so, the company changed they way they market their movies, from how they're titled and what those titles represent. And their fairy tale adaptations were certainly no exception.

Disney CEO Bob Iger and Mickey Mouse

Let Down Your Hair
Veteran animator Glen Keane had been inspired to adapt and direct the classic tale of Rapunzel for more than ten years. But story difficulties and a reported health scare in 2008 forced him to step down (he stayed on as a producer, and was replaced by up-and-coming animators/storymen Nathan Greno and Byron Howard).

Originally titled Rupunzel Unbraided, the center of the film that became 2010's Tangled is a magical flower with healing, age-reversing, and life-giving abilities, passed on to a baby princess with long, beautiful hair. The plot revolves around the titular princess, as she's stolen from her kingdom as an infant, and hidden from the world (in a tower, no less) by an envious and selfish villainess (the frightening and sassy Mother Gothel), who will do anything to keep the magic to herself. An unlikely adventure takes shape, as the now-18-year-old girl (voiced by Mandy Moore) joins up with the dashing fugitive, Flynn Rider (voiced by Zachary Levi) and sees the world for the first time, including the floating lanterns that appear every year on her birthday. Consider this a coming-of-age fantasy, if you will.

Tangled marked significant breakthroughs in the animation and rendering of hair (breathtaking), along with first-rate action sequences (the tunnel chase is a standout), an Alen Menken score inspired by Sixties rock, clever animal sidekicks (Pascal the chameleon and Maximus the relentless palace horse), and story twists that were hip but not cynical, with a heroine who is active, spunky, and determined. (Did I mention her weapon of choice is a frying pan?) And wait until you see the aforementioned lanterns. Simply magical, tear-jerking, and worthy of the Disney brand.

Seeing Tangled for the first time reminded me of when I saw Beauty and the Beast as a child. But while it may not have the most memorable music ("I See the Light" is amazing, though), the story and character arcs are worthwhile and enchanting. And without it, the studio would've never achieved what they did with their next "princess" adventure (which, like Beast, traces back several decades of development).

(Left to right) Moana (2016's Moana), Elsa (2013's Frozen),
Nick Wilde (2016's Zootopia), and Rapunzel (2010's Tangled)

I've Got the Power
There seems to be a common thread throughout Disney's fairy tales this decade: characters who are born with magic abilities, what they do with them, and how it impacts them and those around them, for better or worse. In 2013's Frozen, Elsa (an iteration of Hans Christian Andersen's The Snow Queen) was born with powers that enable her to create ice and snow. But they prove dangerous as they do beautiful (the film's opening song is a poetic warning on the matter), and her parents try to hide them out of fear of hurting others, including Elsa's sister, Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell). Anna, in turn, does everything she can to help her sister, even though she turns to her definition of "true love" when she feels "shut out" by Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel).

This is where the film's greatest strength lies: addressing (and even questioning) fairy tale conventions that the Mouse House has been guilty of since Snow White in 1937. (2007's Enchanted took jabs at such conventions as well.) The biggest issue involved Anna deciding to marry the handsome Prince Hans before really getting to know him. (I won't reveal any more than that, for those of you who haven't seen the movie.) It’s amazing that the core message is not traditional “romance,” but rather familial love between two estranged sisters, as well as embracing identities and responsibilities. My hats off to directors Chris Buck (a Disney veteran who started in the 1980s) and Jennifer Lee (who replaced John Lasseter as Disney Animation's Chief Creative Officer in 2018) for opening discussion doors for parents and their children on these themes. 

With breathtaking scenery that echoes the work of veteran artist Mary Blair (and amazing influences from Norway), catchy music (courtesy Winnie the Pooh songwriters Kristin Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez), and captivating characters (the scene-stealing Olaf, voiced by Josh Gad, represents the childhood Anna and Elsa once had), Frozen has since had a tremendous cultural and worldwide impact. So much so, that many little girls have made Anna and Elsa their favorite Halloween costumes each year, along with the now-defining anthem "Let It Go" as their favorite song. In fact, Disney hadn't had a blockbuster hit like this since 1994's The Lion King (or, as another track would say, for the first time in forever). The fact that it was released during a record-breaking 2013/2014 winter season nationwide may have added to its success.

Perhaps it's not surprising that a sequel (2019's Frozen II) would be greenlit, leading to an equally record-breaking (if less than stellar) follow-up. This second chapter follows Elsa as she's motivated by a haunting, mysterious voice and goes on a quest to search for the origin of her powers, her parents, and (a bit much of a subplot, maybe) her kingdom of Arendelle. The film's animation is, once again, beautiful (set primarily in the fall, as opposed to its predecessor's winter season). But what makes it an improvement, in many ways, is its strong and compelling character arcs, giving Anna and Elsa more active roles this time around (which I didn't really observe on my initial viewing). Even more, the film doesn't sacrifice substance and emotional investment for mere spectacle (something Wreck-It Ralph and its sequel also did very well), as both sisters are challenged to grow independently and right the wrongs of their kingdom’s past mistakes. 

The upcoming Raya and the Last Dragon

"Do You Know Who You Are?" 

Speaking of past mistakes, legend tells of the mighty demigod Maui, who stole a source of power thousands of years ago (known as the "Heart of Te Fiti"), affected the land and sea. A prophesy foretold that a mighty warrior would one day bring peace and restoration to the world. This legend is the basis for 2016's Moana.

In the tradition of strong and brave female characters in the Disney canon (Pocahantas and Mulan come to mind, and that promises to be the case with the upcoming Raya and the Last Dragon), Moana is the feisty and determined teenage daughter of a Polynesian chief on her island known as Motunui. The story follows her as she is torn between leading her people (which everyone else expects) and journeying out into the ocean (a feeling she can't seem to escape). Guided by the wisdom and spirit of her grandmother, along with the ocean itself, Moana (voiced by Auli'i Cravalho) sets out on a journey to find Maui, restore the ancient "Heart," and ultimately save the world. Sounds cliche and simple enough, but the execution is epic in scale, and the thematic direction of the story makes it fresh, exciting, and profound.

Veteran Disney filmmakers John Musker and Ron Clements have crafted an incredible film that is thoroughly respectful of its culture, from island customs to ancient legends, larger-than-life characters (a specialty of theirs since directing The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, and perhaps why pro-wrestler-turned-actor Dwayne Johnson was cast as the charismatic demigod) to the art of sailing and wayfinding. As an added treat, Maui's tattoos are brought to life by charming hand-drawn animation (courtesy veteran Eric Goldberg). The music by Marc Mancina (who composed Tarzan) Opetaia Foa'i (of Oceanic group Te Vaka), and Lin-Manuel Miranda (of Hamilton fame) is infectious, emotional, sweeping, and some of the best ever composed for a Disney film in recent years. Miranda, in fact, was reportedly inspired to become a songwriter after seeing The Little Mermaid as a child.

At its heart, Moana is about remembering who we are, where we come from, what we've forgotten, and what we're called to be. Like Bilbo Baggins in J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit, it's a story that journeys beyond conformity and safety, and makes life stronger. The result is breathtaking and entertaining. Like Frozen, this has arguably become (at least, according to the students I used to teach) the Disney film of the current generation.

2012's Wreck-It Ralph

Game On!
My generation grew up in the Eighties and Nineties. Besides Disney movies, sports, and pop music, we also enjoyed playing video games. From Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog to Capcom's Street Fighter to Nintendo's Super Mario Brothers, it was a nostalgic joy to see many of these characters show up in the cinematic arcade world of Wreck-It Ralph.

In fact, this 2012 feature film does for classic arcade games what Roger Rabbit did for classic cartoons. And, like Aladdin and The Lion King, it transcends its studio brand, appealing to both kids and adults (despite some unnecessary bathroom chatter, to be upfront). But while many of these popular characters make clever appearances in this colorful, hilarious adventure, there are really five primary settings and game worlds throughout the story.

First, there's the 8-bit sphere of "Fix-It Felix, Jr.," where the titular Donkey Kong-like garbage collector Ralph (voiced by John C. Reilly) tires of his role as the "bad guy" and desires to be the "hero" for a change, like the hammer-wielding handyman Felix (voiced by Jack McBrayer). Ralph seizes an opportunity when a new game--a first-person shooter mission, called "Hero's Duty" (the second game world)--promises awarded medals to its winners, until Ralph accidentally ends up in an overly sugar-coated, go-kart racing game, "Sugar Rush" (the third game world, with influences from "Speed Racer" and anime), where an outcast "glitch" named Vanellope (voiced by Sarah Silverman) has her own ambitions. Soon, Felix and the Linda Hamilton-esque Sgt. Calhoun (voiced by Jane Lynch) are on Ralph's trail to get him back home, and fix things before the entire arcade universe is destroyed.

These distinct gaming worlds are immediately absorbing; ditto the "Game Central Station" where familiar characters meet and cameo, and the arcade in the human world where players interact. But it's the instantly-relatable and engaging characters that carry the day, along with the perfect voice actors for them. Interestingly enough, voice actor Alan Tudyk (who became a regular in subsequent Disney animated features) modeled the voice of the quirky and antagonistic King Candy after Disney veteran Ed Wynn. At its heart is a story about two characters (namely, Ralph and Vanellope) looking for acceptance, believing awards (and a misguided sense of "attention") will accomplish that, only to learn how to accept their roles beyond others' belief that they have no real meaning. And in the process, discover what they're really capable of (unexpectedly poignant).

In the 2018 sequel Ralph Breaks the Internet, Ralph and Vanellope travel to the world wide web in search of a replacement part for a game. The movie takes things to a whole new meta level, but never loses sight of its heat and humor, as both characters encounter various apps and online stores, including some recognizable characters (top the scene where Vanellope meets all the iconic Disney princesses and skewers everything they're known for). All the while, their friendship is tested as they wrestle with insecurities and moving forward with different aspirations. Otherwise the movie would be merely overwhelmed with pop culture references and everything Disney-related for the last several decades (including the aforementioned acquisitions). "All friendships change," says the film's daredevil street racer Shank (voiced by Gal Gadot), "But the good ones, they get stronger because of it." Here, one can almost find traces of Ed Catmull's quote (from his book "Creativity, Inc.") on embracing new roads while recognizing the needs of others, some of which can come from, say, a plush-like health-care companion, like Baymax in 2014's Big Hero 6.

2014's Big Hero 6

[Fist Bump] 
After Disney acquaired Marvel in 2009, director Don Hall suggested adapting an obscure comic book in the latter enterprise's history (more obscure than, say, Guardians of the Galaxy, which was also made into a 2014 movie). Combined with Disney's ever-growing animation techniques (Hall is said to have admired both Disney and Marvel Comics since childhood), Big Hero 6 also creatively blends architecture and cultures of San Francisco and Tokyo for the inventive and futuristic San Fransokyo.

Of course, this world wouldn't be as lively without an engaging cast of characters. And it helps that Big Hero 6's cast is multi-cultural, each possessing different skills in diverse scientific discoveries (an influence for those working in or studying in said fields). There's teenage prodigy Hiro (voiced by Ryan Potter), who initially believes there's nothing more to the world than what he already knows. There's his older, more encouraging, brother Tadashi (voiced by Daniel Henney), whose pet university project consists of a plush "health care companion" robot named Baymax (voiced by Scott Adsit).

Then there are Tadashi's tech school colleagues, including electromagnetic athlete Go Go (voiced by Jamie Chung), laser-focused Wasabi (voiced by Damon Wayans, Jr.), chemistry enthusiast Honey Lemon (voiced by Genesis Rodriguez), and comic-book-obsessed slacker Fred (voiced by T.J. Miller). All of them exemplify a surrogate family and community for Hiro, especially when unexpected tragedy strikes, and all inadvertently become superheroes. Each character (including Baymax) also teaches Hiro that there are always new things to learn and discover ("We push the boundaries of robotics here," a professor tells him), including cautionary examples of using resources for the wrong reasons, and how to use them the right way, specifically in helping others.

FUN FACT: Other than briefly (and unofficially) popping up as an online avatar in Ralph Breaks the Internet, this was the first time Marvel Comics' legend Stan Lee made a cameo appearance in an animated Disney movie. (He passed away in 2018.)

2016's Zootopia

Animal Kingdom
Disney hasn't always had the best track record when it comes to cultural or racial reverence. Just look at the portrayals of Japanese soldiers in their war propaganda of the 1940s, the Indians in 1953's Peter Pan, and plantation slaves in 1946's Song of the South, to name a few. The studio has had exceptions in the late Nineties and early 2000s, from Native Americans in 1995's Pocahontas to Chinese legend in 1998's Mulan, and Hawaiian culture in 2002's Lilo & Stitch. This sign of progress has been exceptional this decade, and their best example, by far, may be 2016's Zootopia.

In a world of anthropomorphic animals, a determined rabbit named Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) wants more than anything to be a police officer and make a difference for others in the idealistic city of Zootopia (an incredible visual world consisting of twelve inventive districts, for predator and prey animals, primarily). She constantly faces day-to-day cynicism and doubts from those around her (including her own family), telling her she can't be anything more than what she's perceived as. When she seizes an opportunity to crack a case, she teams up with con-artist fox (and witness) Nick Wilde (voice by Jason Bateman) and uncovers a conspiracy throughout the city she grew up admiring, turning out more complicated and imperfect than she anticipated.

Zootopia does have many clever sight gags and set pieces (including a hilarious scene at a DMV run by sloths), and even a few homages to classic films like The Godfather and Speed. It recalls Disney’s tradition of animating animals, with character designs that mirror Br'er Rabbit and Br'er Fox from Song of the South and the titular heroic rogue from 1973's Robin Hood. What Zootopia does even more is stir in a relevant and deep subtext on prejudice, stereotypes, and social differences. Themes that were evident in Dumbo and Wreck-It Ralph as well (in terms of judging characters by their given titles or setbacks). It even makes a strong case that such prejudice can come from anywhere--just as unlikely heroism can--beyond those that stereotypes are placed on. But it's Judy's effortless optimism and courageousness that give those themes new meaning.

That being said, Zootopia could be something of an apology for the studio’s history of cultural insensitivity, and a sign of its maturity and progression. It's as if they were saying, "We've learned from our mistakes, and still are, but we're moving forward with more reverence and relevance."

"Try. Try to make the world a better place. Change starts with you. It starts with me. It starts with all of us." ~Judy Hopps

To paraphrase Moana, Walt Disney Animation has certainly come a long way, perhaps farther than most every other animation studio in the history of cinema. And they're still breaking new ground, acknowledging their history, and delivering universal stories, believable never-before-seen worlds, and relatable and compelling characters. Whether it's Judy Hopps trying to make the world a better place, Elsa journeying into the unknown, or Rupunzel seeing the light for the first time, it's the continual building of an unparalleled and enduring legacy of animation and storytelling that was all started by a mouse.