We watched Mulan because she is in the Disney Princess lineup, although it doesn't make sense to me because . . . I mean, she's not a princess.
But since we're on the subject . . .
I've always loved Chinese culture. But that's only part of the reason I love Mulan.
She risks her life to save her father. That is so cool. At the same time, she has to battle the fact that she is not what society says she should be. Because of this, she cannot bring honor to her family, which is obviously pretty important in Chinese culture. She feels that she doesn't fit in. However, when she goes "against the rules" to save her father's life, she finds the courage and strength to save the emperor and China.
And I love the song "Be a Man" even though I'm a girl. I get into it everytime I watch it. It's too epic.
Shang is probably the most stereotypically masculine "prince" out of the films. Most of the time, he hides his true feelings, even his joy when he is promoted to captain. His relationship with his father is based on respect and admiration but not affection. I wonder if he cried in his tent when he found out about his father's death.
And the other guys in the film are very concerned about masculinity but change and become more tender at the end. Even Yao, the toughest one, sheds a tear. However, Mulan's balance of both stereotypically masculine and stereotypically feminine traits is upheld as ideal and heroic. There's also the message of how men and woman should be treated equally. Mulan summarizes this concept when she tells Shang, "You said you'd trust Ping. Why is Mulan any different?" She was saying, "Whether I'm a man or a woman, I deserve respect."
It's also interesting to note that Ching Fu, "least masculine" man in the film, is sexist and believes that Mulan isn't worth anything simply because she's a woman. There's so many layers to the gender portrayals in this film that you can watch it over and over observing them in fascination.
The blossom at the beginning of the film was a symbol of Mulan's growth. She wasn't ready to bloom, and when she did, she was "the most beautiful of all" despite the fact that she wasn't dressed like a bride and decked out in makeup and a fan the way she was. Mulan's inner beauty is the focus of the film,
although I believe that Mulan probably wouldn't mind dressing up like a bride
again. The fact that she didn't feel that she represented the character traits
that were supposed to go along with the outfit were what unsettled her and made
her question herself: If I can't be what society says I should be, then what am I
supposed to be? And can I still be myself and be happy and bring honor to my parents? That's the main thing, mind you. Honor is number one in their culture. Mulan did what she did to save her father's life, but when she got home, the first thing she was concerned about was showing her father that the Fa family had been honored. I love that part with her father and its significance in the film. No matter how much honor and fame she brought to the family, the most important thing for her father was the fact that she was his daughter. That was enough to make him proud of her.
My only caveat of the film is the whole ancestor spirituality thing. I really like the respect that the Chinese have for their ancestors, but I think it was a little much that they worshiped them. I think it's funny that Mushu wakes up from his statue state but the "great golden dragon" doesn't wake up. I mean, what's up with that? Very weird.
Notes on Mulan 2: Well, first of all the way they animate Shang is sooo soo wrong. He's way handsomer in the first movie and there's so much devotion to making him look ridiculous. It's just so wrong. And the caliber of animation and music is just not as good as the original. The only thing I like about the second movie is the wedding, the fight that Mulan and Shang have about maps, and the part where Mulan screams when she finds out the princesses and the soldiers. Also, there are two things wrong with Mushu in the sequel: he's not voiced by Eddie Murphy and he's completely unlikable. In the first, he gets over himself (somewhat); in the second, he's back where he started and even more selfish than the first time.
Conclusion: Mulan rocks! She's strong and independent but does not lose her femininity.
Pocahontas was my Disney heroine growing up. I had the toys, the purses, the bedsheets, folders for school, a storybook with a read-along tape, a harmonica and recorder song book, a poster, collectible glasses, a Pocahontas Barbie doll, a music box that played "Just Around the River Bend," most of the promotional toys, a t-shirt, small purses, a lunch box, a poster, and a Pocahontas-themed party.
Ironically, I didn't have the movie.
But even with all that, I never really thought about why I loved Pocahontas until recently.
And the reason is simply: she's just plain awesome! She's curious, adventurous, free-spirited, resilient, and loyal to her people. She seeks advice and listens to it. And she follows her instincts (which are almost always right in fairy tales but not always in real life). She's very introspective and finds meaning and worth in everything, even a strange dream. She lives that kind of free, worry-free life that I could get into (for a couple of weeks until I feel the need to get back into civilization).
Watching the film again, I found out that I love love love Kokuum. He really cares about Pocahontas; he's brave; he's loyal to his people; and he worries about Pocahontas and wants to protect her. If she hadn't fallen for John Smith, he would've made a cool husband.
But anyway, John Smith is really awesome. He's just as adventurous as Pocahontas is and he protects Thomas even though it means that he'll be captured by the Native Americans. And he allows himself to be open to learn what Pocahontas has to teach him. Although I'm not into the whole "Native American spirituality" part of the film, I appreciate how the Native Americans respect the land they live on. And that sentiment is perfectly portrayed in "Colors of the Wind." No other version of this song compares to the original.
It never sat well with me that they separate in the end, but I suppose it's for the best. He really wasn't going to get better in America. I mean, the medicine man was all, "This wound is strange to me" so even the Native Americans couldn't help him. But at the same time, I would've loved for there to have been some clue that he was coming back for her or something like that. Though I suppose it counts for something that Powhattan gave him his robe and said, "You are always welcome here, my brothers." As for Pocahontas, I understand that she had to be loyal to her people, but why stay at home when you've just found love? He did ask her to come with him, and her dad gave her permission to go: "You must choose your own path." She said, "I'm needed here," but her people could've gotten by without her for a while, right? No? Yes? I don't know. Either way, it would've been cool if John Smith had said something to the effect of "I'll come back" although he is rather stoic.
The only thing about the film I don't like is that it feels rushed. The scene where Pocahontas sees John Smith before the execution and the scene where they say goodbye feel too short to satisfy everything I want to see. However, the musical sequences are great and don't feel rushed. That's why it's worth seeing the extended version of the film to see "If I Never Knew You" the deleted song. IT'S BEAUTIFUL!!
Seriously, that's amazing. The only thing I'm not fond of is that line that goes, "Never knowing why." Never knowing why what? Anyway . . . I still love it. But let's not even think about what The Cheetah Girls did to this song. It's one of the worst musical travesties ever.
Something I noticed was that Pocahontas is really curvy. I heard that Disney received some flak for the shape of their female characters in those days. But it totally doesn't surprise me because--let's face it--most of the animators are men. However, women are curvy and that makes perfect sense too. And with all that talk about girls losing their self-esteem because they're surrounded by images of "perfect" women--I'm on the fence about that one . . . but of course that's another subject for another post.
The way Pocahontas and John Smith's love brings peace to their people is beautiful. It's a picture of how true love can move mountains and change everyone around you. When Pocahontas says, "This is where the path of hatred has brought us" she's saying that there's no point in hating your enemies, especially just because they're different from you. The film also shows how ill-conceived notions of others can be dangerous or misleading. John Smith finds out that Pocahontas isn't an "ignorant savage," but Radcliffe and most of the other Native Americans are so scared of what's different that they are willing to kill each other over the differences.
By the way, the reason my sister and I watched Pocahontas is that she's in the Disney Princess lineup. Besides, she is a Native American princess, so it makes sense.
One last thing . . . how the heck did John Smith and Pocahontas understand each other? I guess we'll never know.
Note about the sequel: IT'S AWFUL!! Why make us believe in everlasting love when it obviously didn't exist? I do love John Rolfe and I think he's amazing, but I still would've preferred for her to have ended up with John Smith. I mean, you already seriously revised history, so there's not point in trying to make it all better. And Mel Gibson not playing John Smith? What? Give me a break, guys. The only other good thing about it was Ute, who's hilarious, and the fact that Kokuum and Nakomis are married.
Conclusion: Although it's not historically accurate, I love the mythic romance of Pocahontas and John Smith. I love Pocahontas's free spirit and courage, and seeing this movie again inspired me to take my Pocahontas toys out of storage!
