The recent string of Disney remakes has left audiences feeling somewhat divided. On the one hand the audiences who were children when the original versions of these films came out can now share the experience with their children. On the other hand, some feel that the shot for shot nature of these remakes makes them somewhat unnecessary.
Regardless of which camp a person falls into with their opinions on the matter there’s also an argument that it’s not the remakes themselves that are problematic. Instead, the problem could be the fact that Disney has opted to primarily remake sing-a-long musical style films. Think about it: Beauty and the Beast and Aladdin received criticism for sticking closely to source material, whereas the most recent remake, Mulan, opted to leave songs out altogether and left audiences feeling less than magical.
But how can Disney prevent the nostalgia surrounding its properties from acting as a double-edged sword? How can Disney elicit these nostalgic feelings in the masses while not messing with songs that its audience holds sacrosanct? A potential answer rests in the option to focus on recreating Disney films that lacked the sing-a-long aspect or those that focused more on visual flourishes. Here are several films that are ripe for a remake:
Disney’s sci-fi call to adventure for main character Milo and crew deserved better. Coming along at the tail-end of the Disney 2d animation era, however, caused this sub-surface journey to be overlooked by many. It’s a shame too, because the film is a well-balanced gumbo of clever jokes, memorable characters, and striking animation. The plot even delves into some less kid-friendly beats later on, making it have a unique feel in the Disney pantheon.
This makes the property perfect for a reboot. Imagine a live-action style Atlantis created using the same technology used on The Lion King remake? In a remake of Atlantis Disney wouldn’t have to worry about songs and audience expectations thereof and double down on the visual spectacle.
Just a year after Atlantis: The Lost Empire debuted in theaters, Treasure Planet took audiences out of the ocean and out into the far reaches of the galaxy. This movie probably took a hit with parents at the time for how grim the events of the film play out. Within the first 20 minutes or so you see the rather intense death of a giant turtle-person who struggles through his final breaths after crash-landing at the Hawkins-family inn. Perhaps that rebellious spirit of protagonist Jim Hawkins’ actions and the sense that characters could be murdered (which definitely happens) or lost in the endless sea of outer space (yup, that happens too) at the drop of a hat. The pirates here in some ways are far more ruthless than those in The Pirates of The Caribbean franchise.
A live-action remake of Treasure Planet could work for Disney for a few reasons. First, there’s a little franchise that Disney acquired called Star Wars, which (controversy surrounding plotlines aside) have had breathtaking visuals. Now combine the visual effects of a galaxy far far away with the action set-pieces of the The Pirates of the Caribbean. Perfection. Oh, and side note the tech behind CGI has advanced to the point that Disney can finally do justice to Morph, the insanely cute transforming blob of sentient goo that would give even Baby Yoda a run for his money.
Disney has tried a remake of 101 Dalmatians before, and while that film is (Glenn) Close to capturing greatness, it fails to translate any personality into its canine cast and opts for slapstick and gross-out humor. Rather than even attempt to one-up movies like Homeward Bound there’s more of a focus on the antics of characters like Horace and Jasper and getting beaten or excreted upon by barn animals (poop jokes? In a Disney film?).
The story is about the puppies at the end of the day, so that’s where Disney should go back to. The original film works due to the fun ways in which the Dalmatians see the world. Pongo refers to Roger, his owner, as his “pet.” Different dog breeds have speaking styles reflective of their breeds and sizes and the way these interplay with each other (especially between large and particularly small dogs) is inspired. Now, with The Lion King proving it’s possible to make an adorably realistic looking Simba that can talk and dance and sing, it’s certainly possible to animate us up a litter of uncomfortably cute Dalmatian puppies. It’s time to get these dogs back in the “spot”light.
Before anyone cries foul that The Aristocats does indeed have a song, please keep in mind that it only really has one song. While “Everybody Wants to be a Cat,” is indeed a true banger, it’s a far cry from making The Aristocats a more traditional musical style of Disney film. Once again we have the argument we saw with 101 Dalmatians that sharing the technology from The Lion King would allow for realistic yet cute recreations of the cats.
On top of that, also recall that The Aristocats actually has a much more grounded plot than most Disney animated films (talking animals aside of course). It’s a pretty straightforward, “lost animals travel home,” story, and this more mild flavor of adventure could allow Disney to take some risks here. By placing a more experimental team on a remake of The Aristocats and doubling down on the jazz trappings of the original, this could be a new riff on an old classic that any cool cat could enjoy. Just hope they don’t find inspiration from the recent live action adaptation of Cats.
In some ways the original Fantasia stands out more as a flex from Disney than it does a traditional motion picture. The movie may not have the same affection or nostalgia surrounding it from standard audiences, but is still recognized among film buffs as a triumph of cinema. This actually makes it the ideal candidate for a remake. The format is wholly different from other movies in Disney’s vaults as the story is told through visuals instead of explicitly being sung to the audience.
The last item to consider that makes Fantasia prime remake material is the shift in technology from 2D to 3D animation. Imagine a CG animated remake of “From up on Bald Mountain,” or even, “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice”. Now add in a few curveballs by using the new franchises that Disney has acquired. An Avengers or Star Wars animated sequence set to classical music? Yes, please, thanks Disney. They’re the largest entertainment corporation in the world, it’s time for Disney’s next Fantasia-styled flex.
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