Pocahontas (1995 - Disney)

Pocahontas is the 1995 Disney feature centered around the arrival of the first permanent English settlers of North America in 1607.  The story focuses on the  culture clash between the English and the Powhatans, a native tribe.

This was the first Disney feature based on the lives of real people and centered around historical events.  The story of Pocahontas is such an odd story to depict as a children's cartoon.   English colonization of North America is obviously controversial.  And the actual history does not go well for either side. 

Disney decided to handle the native/invader conflict by adopting moral equivalence.  The film shows both the natives and the English to be war like and aggressive.  From a scientific perspective this is oddly sound.  There is a growing amount of evidence that when human groups clash the outcome is not based upon cultural superiority but simply the geographical origin of the groups involved.

From an artistic perspective Pocahontas is always well done but never stunning.  The geography depicted all exists somewhere  in the state of Virginia but certainly not at the coast.  The native females run around in very little clothing and the Englishmen are largely interchangeable.  

***spoilers***

The biggest flaw with the story is the plot.  Pocahontas does indeed save John Smith from being executed, per the historical record.  Although not before her beau is murdered on camera, another Disney first.  Despite the violence, you never feel as if Smith is ever in any real danger. 

Pocahontas and Smith then intervene in the growing conflict between their two peoples and stop war from breaking out.  And in the end the English sail off, leaving the natives in peace.  The result is a film that's anti-climatic and leaves the typical viewer confused.  Because we were all taught in history class that Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement.

And yes, the film is a musical.  And yes, the songs are pretty good, if you're into that.  Although I would state that the earlier songs don't flow too well with the plot.  But they sync up by the grand finale.

From a historical perspective, Pocahontas is a whitewash on all sides.  "So, mommy, what happened to everyone after the movie?" was probably a very popular question after kids saw this film. 

Pocahontas was captured by the English, converted to Christianity and married, wait for it, tobacco farmer John Rolfe.   She traveled to England were she died of disease at the age of 21.  Rolfe and Pocahontas had a son who went on to great success.  Their heirs include two First Ladies.

Governor Radcliffe, far from the bad guy shown in the film, is ambushed on a trading mission and is ritually murdered by the natives.

The Powhatan - after her father died, Pocahontas' uncle took charge of the tribe and lead two wars against the English.  By 1646 the tribe had ceased to exist.

The English - within two years almost all of the colonists and their replacements had died

So Disney picked a moment in time, a very brief moment, when everything could be left all perfect and happy.  Right before everyone dies.  It's too bad they skipped showing the plague.  What song would they have written for that?

1.5/4 stars

Frankenweenie (2012 - Walt Disney Pictures)

The critics loved this soft-horror flick but audiences didn't flock to see it.  And it's hard to figure out what demographic Disney was shooting for here.  It's visually interesting but, not surprisingly for Tim Burton, it fails on story.  Although it's better than Corpse Bride.

Visually I like the film noir feel and the horror references.  But there were a few times when the puppet movement took me out of the moment.  Frankenweenie just wasn't as slick as other stop-motion out there today.  And certainly not better then ParaNorman which it  is competing against in the Oscars.   

***spoilers***

Frankenweenie mimics the original Frankenstein film.  Only in Frankenweenie  a boy, Victor, brings back to life his dog, Sparky.  And of course there is a dilemma that only the dog can solve.  In the end Victor makes a choice for Sparky that gives the movie the opposite meaning to the original Frankenstein film.  And that's where it clearly fails emotionally. 

In true Tim Burton fashion, only the protagonist of Frankenweenie has good characterization.   Which is a good way to sum up this film.  It lacks a soul.

2/4 stars.  

Panda! Go, Panda! (1972/3)

Two short films by the Studio Ghibli principles made in 1972/1973 and now released as Panda! Go, Panda! on DVD in US.  My 5 year old loves this film.  It had a good (not flawless) transition and the colors are all very bright and happy.  The two films are shown without break one after the other for a total showing time of about 70 minutes. 

The humor is rich and comes through the English dub well.  There is a gratuitous amount of panty flashing for some Japanese reason.  Although it doesn't take away from the cute an family friendliness of the film.  Its aged only by a brief show of tobacco and the occasional 70's soundtrack.

Overall a very enjoyable film more geared towards youngsters.  I would count this a Studio Ghibli film even though it predates the company by 13 years.  It lacks the high moral message of some of their films but rings true to films it inspired, most obviously Totoro.

3/4 stars  

Got busy with the holidays and didn't keep up with the blog.  I'm more active on Twitter for anyone interested.

Paranorman (2012 - Laika)

***minor spoilers***

Paranorman is the second film from Laika (Coraline, 2009).  It's not clear why stop-motion in the modern era is usually horror: Nightmare Before Christmas, James and the Giant Peach, Corpse Bride, Coraline, Frankenweenie.  Regardless, Laika is currently the only full time studio making stop-motion so I want them to be successful.  

Stop motion has been dominated by two players over the past fifteen years, Tim Burton and Henry Selick.  Laika tapped Selick for 2009's Coraline.  But this time around they had to go with newcomer stop-motion directors Chris Butler and Sam Fell.  Chris Butler, who wrote the script, is a long time storyboarder (Corpse Bride, Caroline).  And Sam Fell is an animation director (Flushed Away, The Tale of Despereaux). 

Paranorman is centered around Norman Babcock who is a bullied outcast at school.  Norman can see dead people.  Which doesn't exactly help either at school or at home.  The film is set in a Massachusetts in a town with a history similar to the Salem Witch Trials.  And Norman is forced to save his town from its past.  

Visually the film is impressive.  The backgrounds are incredible.  But I found the character designs a bit too cartoonish for the plot.  Paranorman lacks the subtle horror of Caroline but is still successful in being scary.  Not a film for young children, or even kids under 10 in my opinion. 

At its heart Paranorman is a film about tolerance and is worth being checked out.

3/4 stars               

Three Caballeros (1944 - Disney)

I finally watched Disney's 1944 Three Caballeros (knight or gentleman).  To call it an animated feature is a stretch given all the live action scenes.  The plot is almost non-existent.  It's vaguely an introduction to Latin America using Donald Duck as an occasional tour guide.  But half the movie is Donald chasing tail. Seriously. Wikipedia has the back story here

Despite everything, Three Caballeros is an often fun ride full of music and live action dancing.  The live action scenes are interesting from an anthropological  perspective; we get to see how what was considered pretty has changed over time.

From a modern animation perspective the art varies from brief spots of above average to very dated/subpar.  The best word I can use to describe the art direction is trippy.  In fact it's one of the trippiest films ever made.  If it came to light that the CIA started their LSD trials on Disney animators in the 1940's, I wouldn't be all that surprised.

I have a hard time getting my head around the idea that Disney green lighted this film.  Young children will enjoy the music and their fathers will enjoy the scenery.  1.5 stars

Will we get two new Studio Ghibli films in 2013?  At least, will Japan?  What a year that will be!