Mulan
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| Mulan | |
|---|---|
 Promotional Poster For Mulan by John Alvin |
|
| Directed by | Tony Bancroft Barry Cook |
| Produced by | Pam Coats |
| Written by | Robert D. San Souci Rita Hsiao |
| Starring | Ming-Na Eddie Murphy B.D. Wong Miguel Ferrer Harvey Fierstein Beth Fowler George Takei |
| Music by | Jerry Goldsmith |
| Distributed by | Walt Disney Pictures |
| Release date(s) | June 19, 1998 |
| Running time | 90 minutes |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $100,000,000 |
| Gross revenue | $504,320,254 |
| Followed by | Mulan II (2005) |
| Official website | |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Mulan is a 1998 animated feature film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation, and released by Walt Disney Pictures on June 19, 1998. The thirty-sixth animated feature in the Disney animated features canon, the film is based on the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan,[1] and was the first of three produced primarily at the animation studio at Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando, Florida.[2] It was directed by Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook, with the story by Robert D. San Souci and Rita Hsiao, among others.[3]. Mulan is part of the Disney Renaissance.
Contents |
[edit] Plot
When the White Huns, led by the ruthless Shan Yu (Miguel Ferrer), invade China, the emperor commands that each family is given a conscription notice, despite the leading General's belief in his troops can defeat the Huns alone. The Emperor comments that 'one grain of rice can tip the scales', and that 'one man may be the difference between victory and defeat.'
Fa Mulan (Ming-Na Wen) meanwhile, is preparing for her meeting with the matchmaker, in hopes of securing a marriage. The only way a girl can bring honor to her family and country is to marry well and have sons('Honor to Us All'). After a mishap involving Mulan's 'lucky cricket', Cri-Kee, the matchmaker throws her from the house screaming although she may look the part, she is a disgrace. Mulan returns home disheartened and ashamed ('Reflection'). She struggles to become someone her parents will be proud of, but knows that she cannot pretend to be someone she isn't.
As Mulan hides in the garden, her father Fa Zhou (Soon-Tek Oh). emerges and begins to talk of how beautiful the cherry blossoms are, pointing out one that has not yet bloomed. He comments that although it is late, when it does bloom, it will be 'the most beautiful of all.' A banging of drums announces the arrival Emperor's meddling and misogynistic adviser, Chi-Fu (James Hong), who brings with him a conscription notice for one man in every family. Young men take their fathers place, but Fa Zhou, having no son to fight, is forced to enlist, but he is old and suffered a leg injury during a previous war, and it seems clear he would not survive another. Mulan pleads with Chi-Fu, but both he and Fa Zhou command her to go inside. Later that night, when Mulan again brings up the subject the family is trying to avoid, Fa Zhou tells her that he is proud to die for what is right, and that it is time she learned her place.
Mulan flees the house spends the night outside in the rain, watching her mother and father through their window. Her father tries to make her mother feel better about his departure, but she pushes him away. Mulan takes Fa Zhou's sword and cuts off her long hair. She then takes her father's conscription notice, armor, and weapons so that he will not have to go. She rides away on her horse, Khan, to join the army. At the family shrine, the eyes on the starue of the First Ancestor glow as Mulan's grandmother wakes up and sounds the alarm. Mulan's mother implores Fa Zhou to go after her, fearing she will be killed, but a heartbroken Fa Zhou knows that if he reveals what Mulan has done, her sentence will be death anyway.
Mushu (Eddie Murphy), a small dragon, has been awakened by the family's First Ancestor (George Takei). Mushu had been demoted to gong ringer after a mishap that resulted in the death of one of the ancestors (apparently he was decapitated, and carries his head around under his arm). After the ancestors argue over whose genes have resulted in Mulan's disobedience, and the consequences to the family name if she is discovered, they begin to discuss which of the guardians should be awakened to send after Mulan. Eventually Musha is ordered to awaken the "Great Stone Dragon", whose statue is some distance from the shrine. Mushu attempts to wake 'Stoney', grumbling the whole time on the unfairness of the situation. When the stone dragon does not awake, Mushu begins hitting him with a gong, accidentally breaking him. At first Mushu panics, but quickly realises (with the help of Cri-Kee) that if he makes Mulan a war hero, he will be welcomed back with open arms.
Meanwhile, Shan Yu and his army are making their way across China. They stumble across two imperial scouts, and Shan Yu jokingly congratulates them on finding the massive Hun Army. One of the scouts bravely tells him the Emperor will stop him, but Shan Yu is not fazed. He lifts the scout up by the throat and tells him that the Emperor, by building his 'Great Wall', was challenging Shan Yu's strength. He throws the scout to the ground and tells them to return to the Emperor and tell him to send his finest army. Watching them run off, Shan Yu smiles and asks his archer how many men it takes to deliver a message. The archer strings his bow and answers, 'One'.
Mulan, having almost reached the camp, is practicing her 'drag show'. To the amusement of Khan, she is very bad at it, being unable to even draw her sword without dropping it. She has almost given up when Mushu (or to be more specific, his enhanced shadow) appears and tells her he is there to guide her through her masquerade. Mulan is clearly pleased until the 'travel sized' Mushu steps out from behind the rocks. Nevertheless, she agrees to listen to him.
Under Mushu's direction she marches into camp (although his instructions of 'shoulders back, chest high, feet apart, head up and strut!' result in a type of duck waddle, which is not unnoticed by the other men). After wandering through the camp and witnessing the 'disgusting' habits of men, and under the impression that punching is how 'guys say hello', Mulan proceeds to hit fellow soldier and 'tough guy' Yao (Harvey Fierstein). Yao's friend, Chien Po (Jerry Tondo) comments happily that Yao has made a friend. Encouraged by Mushu, Mulan slaps Yao on the backside. A furious Yao attempts to attack Mulan, but is calmed by Chien Po's chanting, and comments that Mulan is not worth his time, then calls the retreating Mulan Chicken Boy. Mushu is outraged by this and responds by calling Yao a 'limp noodle.' Yao swings and misses Mulan, instead beating up his friend Ling (Gedde Watanabe). A fight quickly breaks out and a long line of men and a large pot of rice are knocked over. Chi-Fu observes the men advancing on Mulan before ducking into a tent where Captain Li Shang (B.D. Wong) and General Li ([James Shigeta]) are disgusing battle strategies. The General tells Li Shang he is now Captain and is to stay behind to train the new troops while he attempts to stop Shan Yu at a mountain pass. Chi Fu comments that Li Shang is not experienced enough to lead the troops but the General waves him down, and tells Chi Fu to prepare a report on the troops over their three week training course.
Shang begins fantasizing about how he will soon lead the 'greatest troops of all time', before stepping outside to witness his soldiers brawling. The General rides off with the main army, wishing Shang good luck. Shang quietly whispers, 'Good luck...Father.'
Shang proceeds to break up the fighting, and all the men hurrily finger Mulan as the source of the trouble. When questioned on her identity, and with help (or rather, hinderance) from Mushu who is hiding in her shirt, Mulan says her name is Ping, and presents her conscription notice identifying her as Fa Zhou's son. Shang and Chi Fu, having heard of 'the Fa Zhou', are surprised at this, having no prior knowledge of a male heir, but Mulan simply claims he doesnt talk about her much (Chi Fu finds this acceptable, commenting 'the boy's an absolute lunatic'). Shang then orders the soldiers to pick up every grain of spilt rice.
The next morning Mulan is awoken early by Mushu, but still arrives late to training. The other soldiers prepare to resume their beating, but are interupted by Shang, who shoots an arrow into the top of a high pole. He instructs Yao to retrieve it, but ties two weights to his hands, representing disipline and strength, both of which are needed to reach to arrow. One by one the soldiers attempt to get the arrow, but none are able to. Over the next three weeks, during which Mulan earns the respect of her fellow soldiers and Shang by using her brains to reach the arrow, the troops complete their training ('I'll make a man out of you').
Shan Yu has by this time reached the mountain pass, where his falcon brings him a girl's doll. The Huns detect white horse hair, sulfur from cannons and black pine, showing Shan Yu that the Imperial Army is waiting for them in a village in the pass. The Hun archer points out it is easy enough to avoid them, but Shan Yu knows the pass is the quickest way to get to the Emperor, and cruely adds they need to return the doll to the little girl.
Back at the camp, Mulan has snuck away to have a bath in a nearby river, against Mushu's protests about her 'stupid girly habits'. While in the water, Mulan is interrupted by Yao, Lin and Chin Po, who also strip off and begin playing around in the water. Mulan hurridly attempts to hide, but Ling notices her and attempts to apologise for how she was treated when she first arrived. Ling suggests they start over, and as he and Chin Po are reintroducing themselves, a naked (but unseen) Yao climbs onto a rock, and proclaims himself King. As the three men attempt to fight to be 'King of the Rock', Mulan's secret comes close to being exposed. Luckily, Mushu swims in and bites Ling, allowing Mulan time to escape, just as the rest of the troops rush into the water.
Reentering the camp, Mulan overhears Chi Fu and Shang arguing. Although the troops have completed their training, Chi Fu refuses to let them see battle, stating 'those boys are no more fit to be soldiers than you are to be Captain.' Shang loses his temper but Chi Fu remains calm and reminds him that although Shang is the Emperor's son, he (Chi Fu) is still the emperor's consult. As an added insult, he adds that he got the job on his own. As a furious Shang storms out of the tent, Mulan, in an attempt to cheer him up, offers to hold Chi Fu while Shang punches. When this doesn't work, she calls out she thinks he is a great captain, which makes Mushu say that it is clear she 'likes' him, a claim Mulan denies (although her backward glance and soft smile suggest otherwise).
Mushu decides it is time he took control of the situation, and with Cri-Kee's help, forges a letter from the General, ordering Li Shang to meet him at the pass with his troops, which they deliver to Chi Fu inside a suit of armour stuffed with straw, atop a panda (Khan refused to participate). The troops set out to meet General Li ('A Girl Worth Fighting For'), encouraged by the thought of beating the Huns. However, arriving in the village they find it has been razed, and the Imperial Troops slaughtered. Chien Po recovers the General's helmet and Mulan finds the doll Shan Yu had used to determine the troop's wherabouts. Shang plants his sword into the ground and sets the helmet on top of it, then orders the troops to move out, reminding them they are now the only hope for the Emperor. Mulan lays the doll down next to the sword.
Disheartened, the group continues on towards the Imperial City, when Mushu accidently sets a cannon alight, which gives their position away to the Huns, who begin shooting at them. Mulan sets Khan free just as the flaming arrows set the cannon cart alight. Luckily, the troops recovered the cannon before it explodes, and Mushu and Cri-Kee are thrown clear in the blast (though Mushu is not happy Mulan saved 'the horse' and not him). The soldiers fire cannons at the mountain where the Huns are, seemingly destroying them. Shang orders Yao to hold the last cannon as Shan Yu appears on the side of the mountain bowl, surrounded by the remaining thousands of his army. Shang rallies his troups against the impossible odds, telling them to die with honor as the Huns begin their charge. As Shang orders Yao to fire the cannon at Shan Yu, Mulan notices a precarious mound of snow on the upper mountainside. She snatches the cannon and runs towards the approaching army, followed by Shang, and points the cannon towards the mountain as Shan Yu approaches. However, she is unable to light it, and is knocked over by Shan Yu's falcon, dropping her flint in the snow. Seeing this, Yao, Ling and Chin Po rush to help her. With Shan Yu only meters away Mulan uses Mushu to light the cannon, which fires just as Shan Yu is about to attack. Mushu, holding onto the cannon and under the impression Mulan was aiming at the Hun leader, is shocked she didn't hit him ('You missed! How could you miss, he was THREE FEET IN FRONT OF YOU') just as the cannon hits the mountain.
The collision causes an avalanche. Seeing Mulan's satisfied expression Shan Yu turns in time to see his army buried under a mound of snow. Outraged, he turns and slashed Mulan across the chest, and she begins to flee from the advancing wave of snow, grabbing a stunned Shang's hand as she runs past. Yao, Ling and Chin Po also stop and turn in the face of the avalanche, while Khan tears loose from the soldier restrainging him and rides to save Mulan and Shang, just as Shan Yu and the rest of his army are swallowed by the snow.
Mulan leaps onto Khan and reaches out for Shang's hand but he is pulled from her grasp. The troops take cover under a rock as the snow tumbles over the edge of the cliff. Mushu meanwhile, is togogganing down the mountain on a shield, searching for Mulan under the moving snow. After pulling up a Hun by the hair (and hurridly pushing him under again) he pulls out Cri-Kee just as Khan and Mulan emerge from the snow and begin battling against the wave that threatens to drag them over the edge. Mulan spots Shang being carried away by the current and begins moving with the snow to save him. Meanwhile, Chin Po, Ling and Yao have formed a tower allowing Yao to spot Mulan and shoot an arrow with a rope attatched to them, in the hope of pulling them to safety. Unfortunately no one thinks of grabbing the other end of the rope. Mushu and Cri-Kee catch up with Mulan and jump on Khan just as the arrow arrives. Mulan strings the bow and shoots it back towards the troops as they are pulled over the cliff
Yao, who is on the verge of tears after letting them 'slip through (his) fingers' inadvertently catches it and is dragged towards the edge of the cliff by the weight of Khan, an unconscious Shang, and Mulan, despite the other soldiers leaping on top of him to balance the weight. Luckily, Chin Po picks them up and calmly pulls them all back to safety. On the top of cliff, the troops begin to cheer for 'Ping, the bravest of (them) all', as Shang wakes up and tells Mulan she is the craziest man he has ever met, but for that he owes her his life, and she has earned his trust. For a moment Mulan is cheered by this attention, but it quickly becomes clear she is bleeding heavily from the wound on her stomach, and faints.
During treatment, Mulan's true identity is discovered, to the shock of Shang and the troops, and the disgust of Chi Fu, who loudly proclaims he knew there was something wrong with her, and calls her a 'treacherous snake'. Mulan tells Shang, who is expected by Chi Fu to execute her, that she did it to save her father. Shang grabs Mulan's sword, and throws it down in front of her, saying quietly 'A life for a life, my debt is repaid', before ordering the troops to move out, despite the protests of Chi Fu. The army leaves Mulan, Khan, Mushu and Cri-Kee behind and continues on towards the Imperial City.
Mulan remains behind in the snow, and questions whether she really came for her father, or for herself. Mushu confesses that he was never sent by the ancestors, and Cri-Kee reveals he is not really lucky (an admission Mushu is shocked at, and questions whether Khan is really a sheep). Mulan decides to return home and face her father, and Mushu promises he will stick with her.
Overhead, Shan Yu's falcon is circling and calling for it's master. As it dives low a hand emerges from under the snow and Shan Yu claws his way to the surface, to see nothing left off his army. He lets out an enraged cry that not only alerts Mulan to his presence, but awakens half a dozen of his best warriors. The small group stand on the mountain side and look down on the lights of the Imperial city, not knowing that Mulan is watching them. Seizing her sword and mounting Kahn, Mulan turns to follow them. Mushu is hesitant at first, pointing out that the huns just popped out of the avalanche 'like daisies!', but Mulan reminds him that they were supposed to be 'in this together', to which Mushu replies, 'Let's go kick some Hunny Buns!'
Meanwhile in the Imperial City the army are being celebrated as the heroes of China, but no one except Chi Fu is enjoying the moment they have dreamed of. Shang is shocked when Mulan rides up but dismisses her warning, telling her she doesn't belong there. Mulan asks him why he trusted Ping but not her, but is met with stony silence. She tells Yao, Ling and Chin Po to keep their eyes open, but they do not respond. Mulan vainly tries to warn people in the crowd but she is shrugged off.
Shang, having reached the Emperor, is presented him with the sword of Shan Yu. The Emperor tells Shang his father would be proud, and is about to accept the sword when the falcon snatches it from his hands and carries it to the roof of the palace, where Shan Yu, pretending to be a gargoyle, snatches it back as his henchmen leap out of a Chinese dragon that had been part of the army's parade. The Huns grab the Emperor and carry him into the Palace, barricading the doors.
The troops begin to ram the door with a pillar, but Mulan realizes that they will never get through in time, and calls out she has an idea. Yao, Ling and Chin Po follow her as she dashes around the side of the palace. The troops shed their armor and disguise themselves as concubines. They are soon joined by Shang and scale the wall of the palace in the same way Mulan had climbed the pole to retrieve the arrow during training.
The Huns have dragged the Emperor to a balcony, where Shan Yu attempts to force the old man to kneel before him. The Emperor calmly replies that 'no matter how the wind howls, the mountain cannot bow to it.' Outside the door, Mulan and her trio of 'concubines' distract the guards while Mushu takes care of the falcon. Once the guards have lower their defenses, the troops proceed to disarm them, allowing the still fully armored Shang access to the balcony, just as Shan Yu is about to kill the Emperor. The two begin to fight as Chin Po, Yao and Ling, with the Emperor in tow, slide down a rope to the ground. Mulan goes to follow but sees that Shang is being beaten by Shan Yu, and cuts the rope, prevents Shan Yu (and herself) from getting to the ground. Shan Yu is enraged and prepares to kill Shang, telling him that he 'took away (his) victory', at which point Mulan intervenes, holding up her hair to show that she is Ping.
Shan Yu advances on her and she flees the balcony, barricading the door behind her. While running she meets Mushu, and instructs him to get to a tower filled with fireworks. Shan Yu breaks down the door and follows Mulan to the roof. Having nothing on her but a woman's fan, Mulan manages to disarm Shan Yu and pins him to the roof while Mushu, positioned at the other end, lights an enormous firework. It slams into Shan Yu and carries him into the fireworks tower which explodes and presumably kills him, while Mulan leaps from the roof and slides down a rope to safety (landing on top of Shang and narrowly avoiding being hit by Shan Yu's sword as it falls besides her.
Chin Po emerges from the ruined palace, his hat smoking, convinced the entire ordeal was an attempt on his life, and attempts to get at Mulan, but Shang stops him. When Shang points out she is a hero, Chi Fu replies she is a woman and will never be worth anything. Shang loses his temper and lifts him off the ground, clearly intent on beating him up, when the Emperor intervenes. He silently waves the troops off and talks to Mulan, getting angrier with each point as he lists her crimes. 'And!' he almost yells, and Mulan winces, 'You have saved us all'. To everyone's surprise he proceeds to smile and bow to her, an incredible honor. Chi Fu and the troops quickly follow suit, and soon the entire Imperial City is kowtowing before her.
The Emperor offers Mulan a position on his council. Chi Fu happily replies that there are none, so the Emperor offers Mulan Chi Fu's job. Mulan politely refuses the offer and confesses that she wants to return home. The Emperor presents her with his crest, so her family would know what she had done for him, and Shan Yu's sword, so the world would know what she had done for China. Overcome, Mulan hugs the Emperor (When Yao questions whether this is allowed, everyone smiles and shrugs). Mulan then hugs Yao, Ling and Chin Po, and Shang attempts to talk to her, but can only manage 'You did good.' Mulan thanks him and leaves.
Shang watches her depature, as the Emperor approaches him to say, 'The flower that blooms in adversity, is the most rare and beautiful of all.' Shang does not appear to understand this, so the Emperor simplifies it to 'You don't meet a girl like THAT every dynasty', replaces his hat and leaves.
Back at the Fa home, Fa Zhou is watching the cherry blossoms fall when Mulan enters the garden. She kneels at his feet and hands him the sword of Shan Yu and the crest of the Emperor, gifts to honor their family. As she kneels, expecting a reprimand, Fa Zhou tosses the gifts to the floor and hugs her. 'The greatest gift and honor' he says, 'is having you for a daughter.' Mulan's mother and grandmother watch the scene from the gate. Though the mother is visibly pleased by the outcome, the grandmother is disappointed she brought home a sword and not a man, just as Shang appears. The stunned women point him in the direction of Mulan, and Grandma is content ('Woo! Sign me up for the next war!')
Shang attempts to present Mulan with her helmet, which she left behind, but is viibly flustered. Mulan offers to let him stay for dinner (Grandma offers to let him stay forever) and Shang happily accepts Mulan's offer.
In the shrine, First Ancestor is watching the scene. He reluctantly agrees to let Mushu be a guardian again. Mushu is ecstatic and the ancestors begin to party. Mulan approaches the shrine and kisses Mushu on the head, thanking him for his help.
[edit] Production
Mulan originally began as a short, straight-to-video film titled "China Doll" about an oppressed and miserable Chinese girl who is whisked away by a British Prince Charming to happiness in the West. Then Disney consultant and children's book writer Robert San Souci suggested making a movie of the Chinese poem, "The Song of Fa Mu Lan" and Disney combined the two separate projects.[4]
Development for Mulan began in 1994, after the production team sent a select group of artistic supervisors to China for three weeks to take photographs and drawings of local landmarks for inspiration; and to soak up local culture.[5] The filmmakers decided to change Mulan's character to make her more appealing and selfless[6] and turn the art style closer to Chinese painting, with watercolor and simpler design - opposed to the details of The Lion King and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.[7]
To create 2,000 Hun soldiers during the Huns' attack sequence, the production team developed a crowd simulation software called Attila. This software allows thousands of unique characters to move autonomously. A variant of the program called Dynasty was used in the final battle sequence to create a crowd of 3,000 in the Forbidden City. Pixar's photorealistic RenderMan was used to render the crowd. Another software developed for this movie was Faux Plane which was used to add depth to flat two-dimensional painting. Although developed late in production progress, Faux Plane was used in five shots, including the dramatic sequence which features the Great Wall of China, and the final battle sequence when Mulan runs to the Forbidden City. During the scene in which the Chinese are bowing to Mulan, the crowd is a panoramic film of real people bowing. It was edited into the animated foreground of the scene.[8]
[edit] Cast
- Ming-Na as Fa Mulan (singing voice provided by Lea Salonga), the female protagonist, based on Hua Mulan. She disguises herself as a man and joins the Chinese Imperial Army in her father's place. Instead of being punished for doing so, she ends up a war hero.
- Eddie Murphy as Mushu, a dragon and one of the Fa family's guardian spirits, previously demoted after misguiding one of the Fa family ancestors. He is reinstated as a guardian after successfully aiding Mulan in her efforts in the army.
- B.D. Wong as Captain Li Shang (singing voice provided by Donny Osmond), the son of General Li and the officer in charge of training the Imperial Army's new recruits.
- Miguel Ferrer as Shan Yu, the film's main villain and the head of the Hun army who attempts to conquer the Chinese Empire.
- Harvey Fierstein as Yao, a short but tough Imperial Army recruit who was initially antagonistic towards but later befriends Mulan. Known for the fact that his left eye is constantly shut. Despite this supposed handicap, he exhibits great proficiency with range weapons; namely the bow and the rocket.
- Gedde Watanabe as Ling (singing voice provided by Matthew Wilder), a lanky Imperial Army recruit who at first, similar to Yao, picks on, but later befriends Mulan. Initially seen as a weakling with a sarcastic jokester disposition, he later develops the capacity to deliver a hard and painful headbutt through Li Shang's training.
- Jerry Tondo as Chien-Po, a huge, rotund, good-natured, and inhumanly strong Imperial Army recruit who befriends Mulan. He appears to be one of the few who could appease Yao; mainly by the means of calming him down by holding him up and telling him to chant with him.
- James Hong as Chi-Fu, a member of the Emperor's consul and advisor to Li Shang who refuses to allow the recruits to join the battle against the Huns.
- Soon-Tek Oh as Fa Zhou, Mulan's father and a renowned war veteran.
- June Foray as Grandmother Fa (singing voice provided by Marni Nixon), the grandmother of Mulan, who is encouraging her to find a husband.
- Pat Morita as The Emperor of China, the target of a Hun kidnapping who commends Mulan after saving him and the Chinese Empire. Wise and decisive, he stated that "A single grain of rice can tip the scale; one man may be the difference between victory and defeat." Ironically, he was saved by a woman at the near end of the first film.
- George Takei as First Ancestor Fa, the head of the Fa family ancestors.
- Freda Foh Shen as Fa Li, Mulan's mother, who looks strikingly like her except that Fa Li has a different hairstyle and is chubbier than Mulan.
- James Shigeta as General Li, Li Shang's father who was killed in a battle against the Hun army.
- Miriam Margolyes as The Matchmaker, who attempts to find Mulan a husband at the start of the film.
- Frank Welker as Khan, Mulan's horse, Cri-Kee, a cricket given to Mulan as an amulet and Little Brother, Mulan's dog.
[edit] Reception
[edit] Critical reaction
Reception of Mulan was mostly positive, gathering a 90% fresh rating from Rotten Tomatoes.[9] Stephen Wong described the visuals as "stunning,"[10] Kyle Suggs described the visuals as "breathtaking,"[11] and Dan Jardine described the visuals as "magnificently animated."[12] Many praise the movie for attempting something new. Fa Mulan is unlike a traditional Disney heroine, suggesting that she is independent and brave; without being overtly glamorous.[10][11]
Film critic Roger Ebert gave Mulan three and a half stars out of four in his written review. He said that "Mulan is an impressive achievement, with a story and treatment ranking with Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King".
A negative review described it as a "disappointment." The songs are accused of not being memorable, and slowing down the pace of the movie.[13] Some reviewers suggest that the film is "soulless" in its portrayal of Asian society.[14]
This movie was also the subject of comment from feminist critics. Mimi Nguyen says the film "pokes fun at the ultimately repressive gender roles that seek to make Mulan a domesticated creature."[15] Nadya Labi agrees, saying "there is a lyric in the film that gives the lie to the bravado of the entire girl-power movement." She pointed out that she needed to become a boy to do it. Kathleen Karlyn, an assistant professor of English at the University of Oregon, criticizes it suggesting "In order to even imagine female heroism, we're placing it in the realm of fantasy". Pam Coats, producer of Mulan, aimed to produce a character that exhibits both masculine and feminine influences, being both physically and mentally strong.[16]
[edit] Box office performance
Mulan's opening weekend box office figures were $22.8 million,[17] placing it as the second highest grossing movie that week to The X-Files.[18] It went on to make $120 million domestically and $304 million worldwide, placing it the second highest family film of the year, behind A Bug's Life, and the 7th highest of the year overall.[19] However, these figures were criticised as being a significant decrease from former Disney films, and this was considered a sign of the decreasing popularity of cartoon animation.[20] Top international releases include United Kingdom ($14.6 million) and France ($10.2 million).[21]
[edit] Awards
Mulan won many Annie Awards. The film itself won the award for Best Animated Theatrical theatres. Individual achievement awards were awarded to Pam Coats for producing; Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft for Directing; Rita Hsiao, Christopher Sanders, Phillip LaZebnick, Raymond Singer and Eugenia Bostwick-Singer in Writing; Chris Sanders for Storyboarding; Hans Bacher for Production Design; David Tidgwell for Effects Animation; Ming-Na for Voice Acting Mulan; Matthew Wilder, David Zippel and Jerry Goldsmith for music and Ruben A. Aquino for Character Animation. Tom Bancroft and Mark Henn were also nominated for Character Animation.[22] It was also nominated for an Academy Award for Original Music Score in 1998, but was beaten by Stephen Warbeck's score for Shakespeare in Love.[23] The music score also received significant praise. Jerry Goldsmith won the 1999 BMI Film Music Award and was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Score in 1998. Matthew Wilder and David Zippel were also nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song the same year for "Reflection". They were beaten by The Truman Show and "The Prayer" from Quest for Camelot respectively.[24]
[edit] Reception in China
Disney was keen to promote Mulan to the Chinese, hoping they might replicate their success with their 1994 film The Lion King, which was one of the country's highest-grossing Western films at that time. Disney also hoped it might smooth over relations with the Chinese government which had soured after the release of Kundun, a Disney-funded biography of the Dalai Lama that the Chinese government considered politically provocative.[25] China had threatened to curtail business negotiations with Disney over that film and, as the government only accepts 10 Western films per year to be shown in their country, Mulan's chances of being accepted were low.[26] Finally, after a year's delay, the Chinese government did allow the film a limited Chinese release, but only after the Chinese New Year, so as to ensure that local films dominated the more lucrative holiday market.[27][28] Kelly Chen and Coco Lee voiced Mulan in the Cantonese and Mandarin dubs of the film respectively, while Jackie Chan voiced Shang in both dubs.
[edit] Chinese culture in Mulan
[edit] The Legend of Hua Mulan
The Chinese legend of Hua Mulan centers on a young woman who disguises herself as a man to take the place of her elderly father in the army. The story can be traced back to The Ballad of Mulan. The earliest accounts of the legend state that she lived during the Northern Wei dynasty (386–534). However another version reports that Mulan was requested as a concubine by Emperor Yang of Sui China (reigned 604–617).[1] The film may take place even later, as it prominently features landmarks such as the Forbidden City which was not constructed until the 15th Century. On the other hand, at the time of Northern Wei, the Xiongnu (Huns) had been already absorbed into Chinese culture. However, according to the style of dress (traditional Han clothing, also known as Hanfu), the film takes place sometime in the 15th century or before. The fireworks featured in the movie indicate that the movie is set during the Sui dynasty. Though Mulan is set in north China, where the dominant language is Mandarin,[29], the Disney film uses the Cantonese pronunciation, "Fa", of her family name. In Mandarin her name is pronounced "Hua". However, such conflicts over pronunciation are irrelevant as the Chinese language has evolved over centuries, rather than simply being geographically-based.
Disney's Mulan casts the title character in much the same way as the original legend, a tomboy daughter of a respected veteran, somewhat troubled by being the "sophisticated lady" her society expects her to be after failing the matchmaker's training, dishonoring Mulan's family. In the original Mulan legend, Mulan uses her father's name Li and not the name "Ping" and she was never discovered as a girl, unlike the film. Also in the original legend, Mulan went to war for her father, because her father was getting too old to fight, and had no sons to take his place. However, in the film, it was added that her father's leg was injured.
[edit] Language
The script used for most of the text in Mulan is Traditional Chinese, which is no longer used in daily life on Mainland China (but still used in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau, and many overseas Chinese communities), although people are still able to read it. The traditional name for the leaders of the Central Asian Huns was Shanyu. The war between the Huns and China was real, called the Sino-Xiongnu War.
When Mulan masquerades as a man, her name is a pun in Chinese. Her first name is "Ping" (瓶), meaning vase, and her surname (placed first using Chinese naming conventions) means Flower (花). Together they make "Flowerpot", a Chinese term meaning an effeminate man. According to Orpheus in Mayfair and Other Stories and Sketches by Maurice Baring, "Ping" in Chinese means soldier-man, and if you wish to express your contempt for a man there is no word in the whole of the Chinese language which expresses it so fully and so emphatically as the word Ping.[30] Chi Fu's name literally means, in Chinese, "to bully".
[edit] Music
Mulan features a score by Jerry Goldsmith and five songs by Matthew Wilder (music) and David Zippel (lyrics), with a sixth originally planned for Mushu, but dropped following Eddie Murphy's involvement with the character.[31] The movie's soundtrack is credited for starting the career of pop singer Christina Aguilera, whose first song to be released in the U.S. was her rendition of Reflection, the first single from the Mulan soundtrack. The song, and Aguilera's vocals, were so well received that it landed her a recording contract with RCA records.[32] In 1999, she would go on to release her self-titled debut album, on which Reflection was also included. As well as her own, the pop version of Reflection has 2 Spanish translations, because the movie has separate Spanish translations for Spain (performed by Malú) and Latin America (performed by Lucero). Other international versions include a Brazilian Portuguese version by Sandy & Junior ("Imagem") and a Mandarin version by Coco Lee.
Lea Salonga, the singing voice of Mulan in the movie, is also the singing voice of Princess Jasmine in Aladdin. The music featured during the haircut scene, often referred as the Mulan Decision score, is different in the soundtrack album. The soundtrack album uses an orchestrated score while the movie uses heavy synthesizer music. The synthesizer version is available on limited edition CD.[33] Salonga, who enjoys singing movie music in her concerts, has done a Disney medley which climaxes with an expanded version of 'Reflection' (not the same as those in Aguilera's version). Salonga also provided the singing voice for Mulan in the movie's sequel, Mulan II.
The song I'll Make a Man Out of You was performed by Donny Osmond, who commented that his children decided that he had finally "made it" in show business when he was in a Disney film.[34]
On Classic Disney: 60 Years of Musical Magic, this includes I'll Make a Man Out of You on the orange disc. And on Disney's Greatest Hits, this also includes Reflection on the blue disc, and I'll Make a Man Out of You on the green disc.
[edit] References in Other Media
[edit] References to Mulan in Disney Media
- When Mulan sings Reflection, in her father's shrine, her reflection appears in the polished surface of the temple stones. The writing on the stones is the names of the Disney animators who worked on the film written in ancient Chinese.[35]
- In the scene where Mushu awakens the ancestors, one set of grandparents worry that Mulan's quest will ensure her family loses their farm. This couple appears to be the couple on the farm in Grant Wood's famous painting American Gothic.
- There are a number of Hidden Mickeys in this film, including the spots on Shang's horse's neck and rump and in the training sequences, the first time the soldiers use their rockets.
- Although she is technically not the daughter of a king or other form of royalty, Mulan is often regarded as one of the Disney Princesses.[2]
- Mulan is present in the Disney and Square Enix video game series Kingdom Hearts. In the first Kingdom Hearts and in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, Mushu is a summonable character,[36] and in Kingdom Hearts II, the movie is featured as a playable world named "The Land of Dragons", with the plot being changed to accommodate the game's protagonists (Sora, Donald and Goofy) and Mulan (both as herself and in her Ping identity) able to join the player's party as a skilled sword fighter.[36]
[edit] References to Mulan in popular culture
- The British sitcom Spaced referenced Mulan in the second episode of the second series. In the show, characters are frequently hard-pressed to draw a line between fantasy and reality, and in this scene the character Daisy recalls Mulan as someone she has met "when she was traveling" until another character reminds her it was 'a Disney film'. Daisy also sings a very badly-remembered line of 'Reflection'.[37]
- In the television show Firefly, Shepherd Book mentions a Chinese warlord named Shan Yu who purportedly believed you could only truly know a man by torturing him.[38]
- Comedian Margaret Cho referred to a fish and rice diet a tabloid (falsely) reported her adhering to as being "so Mulan," in that it was based on the stereotypes of her ethnic background.[39]
- In the Ugly Betty season one episode "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", Mulan is referenced when Betty is quizzing Marc on his knowledge of her to fool his mother into thinking they are dating. However, he does not know much, as is evidenced when the question is about her favorite princess, and Marc guesses Mulan. Henry, on the other hand, knows it is Cinderella.
- In the episode of Family Guy titled "Love Thy Trophy", Stewie is taken from the Griffin family and placed in the foster care of a couple who has adopted many children of different racial backgrounds (Chinese, Indian, African, Inuit, etc.). Stewie turns them all against each other by letting them know of the conflicts between their homelands and then by getting them to argue the ethnicity of Santa Claus. During the argument, one child tells his adopted Chinese sister to "Go back to your rice paddy Mulan!"
[edit] References
- ^ a b J. Lau. Ode to Mulan. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ a b Disney Princess Official Homepage (SWF). The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved on 2007-09-08.
- ^ Mulan Disney VHS Release. The Walt Disney Company. Retrieved on 2007-09-08.
- ^ Brown, Corie and Laura Shapiro. "Woman Warrior." Newsweek. Jun 8 1998. Vol 131: p. 64-66.
- ^ "Discovering Mulan". Mulan DVD: Walt Disney Home Entertainment.
- ^ "Finding Mulan". Mulan DVD: Walt Disney Home Entertainment.
- ^ "Art Design". Mulan DVD: Walt Disney Home Entertainment.
- ^ Mulan DVD Commentary [DVD]. Walt Disney Home Entertainment.
- ^ Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ a b Wong, Stephen (1998). History? Close enough.... Entertainment Insiders. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ a b Suggs, Kyle (1998). Review of Mulan. Christian Spotlight. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Jardine, Dan (1998). Review of Mulan. Apollo Guide. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Review of Mulan. Need Coffee (1998). Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Gonzales, Ed (1998). Review of Mulan. Slant Magazine. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Nguyen, Mimi. "Negotiating Asian American superpower in Disney's Mulan", Pop Politics Media LLC. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Labi, Nadya. "Girl Power", TIME Magazine, 1998-06-26, pp. 1-2. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Box Office Report for Mulan. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Box Office Report for X-Files. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ 1998 WORLDWIDE GROSSES. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Corliss, Richard. "Stitch in Time?", TIME Magazine, 2002-06-24. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Woods, Mark. "'Mulan' hits $100 mil", Variety, 1998-12-01. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ 26th Annie Award Winners (1998). Retrieved on 2007-08-09.
- ^ 1998 Academy Award Winners (1999). Retrieved on 2007-08-09.
- ^ 1998 56th Golden Globe Awards. LA Times. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Fessler, Karen (June 23, 1998). Will Mulan open China to Disney?. Bloomberg News. Retrieved on 2007-06-23.
- ^ Michael Fleeman (1998). Hollywood hopes more movies will follow Clinton to China. The Associated Press. Retrieved on 2007-06-23.
- ^ Kurtenbach, Elaine (February 8, 1999). China Allows Disney Film Screening. Associated Press. Retrieved on 2007-06-23.
- ^ Shelly Kraicer (August 14, 1999). China vs. Hollywood : the BBC World Service talks to me. Retrieved on 2007-06-23.
- ^ China Factbook.
- ^ Baring, Maurice [August 1909]. Orpheus In Mayfair And Other Stories And Sketches. Mills & Boon. ISBN 1-404-32312-0.
- ^ "Songs of Mulan". Mulan DVD: Walt Disney Home Entertainment.
- ^ Smith, Andy. "One talented teen". Providence Journal.
- ^ Clemmensen, Christian (July 7, 2007). Filmtracks: Mulan (Jerry Goldsmith). Retrieved on 2007-07-28.
- ^ Scheerer, Mark. "Donny Osmond rolls with the punches for 'Mulan' success" (HTML), CNN, 1998-07-08. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Mulan Easter Egg Archive
- ^ a b Official Kingdom Hearts Website (SWF) (2006-02-08). Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Nick Lee. Spaced Out - Episode Guide. Retrieved on 2007-09-09.
- ^ Shack, Twop (2002-12-10). Girl-on-girl action! Woooo!. Yahoo! TV. Retrieved on 2007-08-11.
- ^ Gates, Anita. "Don’t Get Hysterical, Mom. Just Leave a Message. Beep!", New York Times. (English)
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Official Site
- Mulan at the Internet Movie Database
- Mulan at the Big Cartoon DataBase
| Mulan | |
|---|---|
| Films | Mulan | Mulan II |
| Characters | Fa Mulan | Mushu | Li Shang | Shan Yu |
| Songs | "I'll Make a Man Out of You" | "Reflection" |
| Soundtracks | Mulan: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack | Mulan II Soundtrack |
