Currently scheduled for release in 2020, Disney’s upcoming
live-action release of Mulan has left
many fans scratching their heads as casting and narrative decisions have been
released to the public. Perhaps one decision which left many fans of the
original animated movie stunned was the decision not to follow in the footsteps
of Beauty and the Beast (2016) by
using the original songs. Instead it is likely that Mulan will not be musically based at all – yes, that means no “I’ll make a man out of you”, which is
arguably the most popular song from the 1998 classic.
Origins of Mulan
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| Mulan: British Museum |
It should be remembered that Mulan was based on The Ballad of Mulan which was first transcribed in China in the 6th
Century. I briefly discuss the ballad
and Chu Renhuo’s Romance of the Sui and Tang (alternatively, the Sui
Tang Romance) in a previous post which looked at the origins of Disney’s
portrayal of Mulan. Additionally to these, Xu Wei wrote The
Female Mulan (alternatively, The Heroine Mulan Goes to War in Her
Father's Place) during the latter end of the Ming dynasty (1368-1644) which
adds to the original ballads 31 couplets.
A translation of ballad can be read here and as you
can read, there just isn’t much depth to Mulan’s story. This has led to various
re-imaginations of the story throughout the years, whether it be by Chu Renhou
or Xu Wei or Americanised by Disney.
Mulan and Disney
It is the adaption by Disney where the focus now shifts. Mulan (1998)
was well received in the US, Canada and Europe with audiences enchanted by the
narrative; songs; and talking a dragon. However, in China the film was not well
received, with complaints ranging from; the romantic sub-plot; confusion between China and Japan; and
Mulan herself not looking Chinese.
At the time of writing this, four other animated films have received their
live action remakes with four more alongside Mulan currently being produced.
Maleficent (2014) and Cinderella (2015) deviated from the original animations
whereas Beauty and the Beast (2017) could not have been any more similar.
Personally, I felt that The Jungle Book (2016) built on the first movie,
tightening the narrative and immersing the audience into the jungle. All the
above were well received by both critics and the audience although Cinderella
was perhaps the under performer of through group by collecting $543 million at
the worldwide box office.
Beauty and the Beast more than doubled this at $1.264 billion.
This would leave the executives at Disney a dilemma, do they follow the
original story scene-by-scene or take a route like that of Cinderella?
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| Liu Yifei |
Perhaps, when considering these complaints generated in China, it is of
no surprise that the live-action remake is going to be considerably different
from its animated predecessor. Rather than doing what Disney does best, drawing
on the nostalgia of the audience, they are taking a calculated risk with the
direction of Mulan. Liu Yifei (Crystal Liu) has been cast as Mulan, and is
notable because of her delicate appearance which earned her the nickname “Fairy
Sister”. It is also of note that much of the cast is of Chinese descent, moving
away from the criticism of the characters not looking of the correct origin.
Conclusion
It appears that the story will draw on more elements from the original ballad,
Mulan will have a sister and there will be no romance with her commanding
officer. Although, there will still be a romantic sub-plot with another
character. It appears that the iconic songs from the original animation will
not be returning and instead of the Huns, the villain will be an evil witch
portrayed by Gong Li (ah a witch, how Disney). This casting of a witch as a villain is of interest
to me. Why would they pick a witch over the invading Shan Yu and his Huns? I’m
just going to lean towards Disney being Disney and wanting some witch-craftiness
to add an intensity to the movie while bringing in another well-known name in
China and globally.
Overall, I am pleased with how this film is shaping up. By drawing more
from the original legend and using a wealth of Chinese talent, Mulan can
showcase these actors on a truly global - and Disney backed – scale. Under
representation is still a hot topic within Hollywood with past social media
campaigns such as #OscarsSoWhite showcasing the divide between talent of
various ethnic groups. Hopefully Disney will continue to follow on from the
success of Black Panther and continue to use diverse casts in their movies.
Now I hand it over to you, how do you think a witch will fit in? Will you miss the songs and Eddie Murphy's fabulous Mushu? Are you looking forward to this films release?
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