Mulan

Post by **Jens** » January 29th, 2005, 8:01 pm

Well, on Disc 1 there's a trailer of about 15 seconds to promote the February 2006 theatrical release. On Disc 2 there's a 5 minute featurette showing some of the development, interviews with the voices of Bambi and Thumper (Alexander Gould and some other young boy) and movie footage between those things. What I'm saying is what I have heard from my site's Netherlands Representative. He got the DVD today, I will have to wait untill next week.

Post by **Christian** » January 29th, 2005, 8:38 pm

I think the main, overarching point that people have to keep in mind with the sequels is that they are never (I guess Rescuers is the one exception; I don't even know why it was the exception though) released on the same 'tier' as the originals. That's why I pointed out the BIG logical fallacy in the Coming Soon review. They said "Mulan II is not as good as Disney's other feature films." But it is NOT a feature film. It is a direct-to-video title and people keep insisting on confusing the two. There's all different levels that things can be released at. It used to be something like:

1. High profile theatrical releases
2. Lower profile theatrical releases
3. TV show episodes
4. Stories in comic books
5. Stickers (okay, I'm sort of joking with this one but it still emphasizes the point)

Now, that DTV titles have cropped up in the last ten years people keep thinking that the new 'tier' structure is something like this:

1. High profile theatrical releases/really crappy direct-to-video titles
2. Lower profile theatrical releases
3. TV show episodes
4. Stories in comic books

When it's really something like this now:

1. High profile theatrical releases
2. Lower profile theatrical releases
3. Direct-to-video titles
4. TV show episodes
5. Stories in comic books

I don't know if I could or would tell anybody to run out and buy Mulan II but if somebody takes that to mean I'm saying it's as bad as Return of Jafar then that'd be a big error, because Mulan II is a substantial improvement (I know people feel good saying that all cheapquels are equally crappy). Also, Mushu's voice when I watched the movie sounded better than it did when I watched the first preview and Mulan always looks more on model throughout the movie than she does on the DVD cover. Keep in mind that not even every non-sequel animated feature film has been all that wonderful. Even among "cheapquels" I saw stark variations. I never even bothered to watch Cinderella II, Hunchback II, Tarzan and Jane. I checked Little Mermaid II and Lady and the Tramp II out from the library and thought they were okay (but was glad to return them). And a few I actually own.

I'm still amazed that people think these direct-to-video sequels and prequels are okay even if they're mediocre. It just goes to demonstrate how far the expectations of quality from Disney by the general public have slid after years of mediocre videos and movies.

Don't worry. I still have all my analytical powers. Hopefully people can catch the nuances of what I have said. I liked Dumb and Dumber but that doesn't mean I confuse it with Casablanca. I liked Ferris Bueller's Day Off but that doesn't mean I confuse it with The Ten Commandments. Each is valid in its own way.

Finally, keep in mind that they are still making these as traditionally animated titles when they don't have to be doing that all. And maybe, just maybe, some of these animators will be working on major Disney animated features somewhere down the road. There'll be another Golden age.

Post by **Josh** » January 29th, 2005, 8:45 pm

I completely agree with everything Christian just wrote (except that I did see Hunchback II and Tarzan & Jane...

).

Post by **Jens** » January 29th, 2005, 9:20 pm

I also agree with you Christian. I think people just expect too much from something that can never live up to their expectations.

Now... the update... This will probably be the last media update that you can view in the old screenshot system. I'm going to put up the Media Center tomorrow. But as I can't wait to show you guys the screenshots:

http://www.disneydatabase.com/movie_scr ... ovieid=299

I especially like this one:

Post by **Christian** » January 29th, 2005, 9:31 pm

I'm going to go against the flow and say those do look good. Andreas Deja told me the story is exceptionally good too. I'll grant that he could be biased but when I talked with him I got the impression that if the story wasn't good he wouldn't have bothered saying anything about it.

BTW, Jens, did you ever get all my L&S2 pics?

Post by **Jens** » January 30th, 2005, 5:03 am

I think the story will be good, but I'm really not sure. As I said before, I didn't really see the preview myself. I do think tha the stories are getting better every time on a DTV title. They are more thought-out and elss predictable. I guess the DisneyToon Studios are really learning their bussiness here!

I got your L&S 2 pictures (thanks BTW!), but I'll wait to put them public untill the Media Center is released.

Post by **PatrickvD** » January 30th, 2005, 5:28 am

oops double post

Post by **PatrickvD** » January 30th, 2005, 5:29 am

Great pics Jens. I'm still not sure. It's a sequel to a real classic. Yet the animation looks nice. And a theatrical release could do traditional animation good if it really is that beautiful. I too, hope the story is actually good.

Bambi looks a little like stitch here lol :

http://www.disneydatabase.com/images/mo ... reen17.jpg

Post by **Jens** » January 30th, 2005, 5:54 am

I don't see it

That picture does have Bambi in all his cuteness though, and I think that's what they are going to aim for in this movie too. Alexander Gould is doing the voice for Bambi, and I bet that will make Bambi even MORE attractive (as Alexander's voice is seen as a cute voice by the public too).

Post by **PatrickvD** » January 30th, 2005, 7:07 am

Yeah this movie will be all-cute. I mean, the original is coming out on dvd to traumatize a whole new generation. They need a midquel to show the little kids Bambi was alright

Post by **Macaluso** » January 30th, 2005, 11:41 am

holy jesus, look at the size of his head!

Post by **Ben** » January 30th, 2005, 7:32 pm

I never once said Bambi II would suck.

Depsite my wishing that they'd leave pre-Eisner Disney films alone, I was very surprised by Return To NeverLand, which I thought was grand.

Bambi looks like one of the best of this bunch, but I really don't mind them sequelizing post Walt movies.

In this new Hollywood age, a sequel to a success is a given thing, but my feeling is that Walt would have made them if he wanted to.

Post by **starlioness** » February 8th, 2005, 9:34 pm

PatrickvD wrote:, the original is coming out on dvd to traumatize a whole new generation.

they should have put that in the DVD trailers

. bah ,I don't see why we need a midquel if we know Bambi's alright at the end...