Disney's Mort

[Linden]

Am I the only one who thinks anything from Discworld is too adult for Disney?

It's not aimed at all ages (well, at least 10 and up) like...any of their previous sources.

I know this was posted a while ago, but I've been keeping an eye out for Mort at my work (I work at a library) ever since the news was released. There's a whole Terry Pratchett section in adult fiction, and most of the books in that section are Disc World books. But I've never found Mort there. Last month I found it shelved in the Young Adult section. So, it's not totally for adults.

Anyway, this is the movie I'm most excited about in Disney's lineup. I keep thinking of Mort as a chance to right the wrongs of The Black Cauldron .No offense to Black Cauldron fans, but the movie did absolutely NO justice to the books, even though it could be considered a passable movie.) I really would like a Disney fantasy movie (high fantasy, not fairytales, as much as I love them). More importantly, I'd like to see a Disney fantasy done well, respectfully adapting the source material, even if the look doesn't fit the classic Disney era look. I know you'd be disappointed, Disney Duster, but I think as long as the heart of the story fits in with the values of other Disney films, I'd be appeased no matter what it looks like. I just really, really hope they do end up making it. I'd still look forward to it if it were in 3D. Not to jinx it or anything...

[disneyprincess11]

Hey

OK, I know you guys will freak out on me, but...I have to say that I'm really disappointed with their next 2D movie. I expected their next 2D film like The Snow Queen. But Mort....ugh....it's so creepy and stuff. What are they thinking? Look at the summary:

As a teenager, Mort had a personality and temperament that made him rather unsuited to the family farming business. Mort's father, named Lezek, felt that Mort thought too much, which prevented him from achieving anything practical. Thus, Lezek took him to a local hiring fair, hoping that Mort would land an apprenticeship with some tradesman; not only would this provide a job for his son, but it would also make his son's propensity towards thinking someone else's problem....

OK, not too bad.

Then, just before the stroke of midnight, a man concealed in a black cloak arrives on a white horse. He says he is looking for a young man to assist him in his work and selects Mort for the job. The man turns out to be Death...

Well, this is creepy.

...and Mort is given an apprenticeship in ushering souls into the next world (though his father thinks he's been apprenticed to an undertaker).

Well, this video speaks my opinon of this clearly...
<iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/nNfx1kGV420" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

I mean, are we really going to spend our 90 minutes, watching a guy killing random people, and scaring the heck out of 3 year olds? I really hope Disney doesn't mean TOO scary, I hope they edit it out so people of all ages can enjoy it.

But, this doesn't mean I'm not going to watch it. The trailer and inside deeds of the film, the characters etc. will help me decide. Again, no offense, guys.

[Super Aurora]

Think of it more like this guy:

and the series he's from.

Same premise.

[DisneyJedi]

Think of it more like this guy:

and the series he's from.

Same premise.

But I ask you this: Which one came first?

[Super Aurora]

But I ask you this: Which one came first?

That doesn't mean anything. Even though Mort was written first. The concept is an old concept anyway.

Point being made, is that it can be made without being "ooohh scary"

[DisneyJedi]

But I ask you this: Which one came first?

That doesn't mean anything. Even though Mort was written first. The concept is an old concept anyway.

Point being made, is that it can be made without being "ooohh scary"

It wasn't meant to be taken seriously, FYI.

[Giygas]

I mean, are we really going to spend our 90 minutes, watching a guy killing random people, and scaring the heck out of 3 year olds? I really hope Disney doesn't mean TOO scary, I hope they edit it out so people of all ages can enjoy it.

Err... "ushering souls into the next world" ≠ "killing random people". Mort doesn't kill people, they just die someway or another and he just leads them to the next world. (that summary makes the book sound pretty different than it actually is. you should read the book, btw, it's one of Pratchett's best works.)

[estefan]

Not to mention, most Disney animated films are scary to an extent. I mean, Pinocchio is pretty frightening at points, but it's also a terrific film that's been loved for generations for years.

Plus, children love being scared. I was at a packed screening of The Nightmare Before Christmas in 3-D yesterday and there were plenty of children there. I don't think I heard any child scream or cry any time during the showing.

[Goliath]

I don't understand people freaking out over the 'adult themes' in Mort. I mean, Princess and the Frog already had a main character who could talk to people "on the other side"; Nightmare Before Christmas had a living skeleton for a main character; and people who know their mythology know that Hermes (Hercules) was a god who transported deceased humans to the underworld. Besides, if Disney can make acceptable adaptations of Greek mythology, they can do Mort too.

[DisneyJedi]

And The Black Cauldron's villain, The Horned King, was literally a freaking walking skeleton!

[disneyprincess11]

I mean, are we really going to spend our 90 minutes, watching a guy killing random people, and scaring the heck out of 3 year olds? I really hope Disney doesn't mean TOO scary, I hope they edit it out so people of all ages can enjoy it.

Err... "ushering souls into the next world" ≠ "killing random people". Mort doesn't kill people, they just die someway or another and he just leads them to the next world. (that summary makes the book sound pretty different than it actually is. you should read the book, btw, it's one of Pratchett's best works.)

Ohhhhhhhh ok! That's good b/c everything I see on TV is the Grim Reaper, killing people. So, I was confused. Thanks for clearing

[FigmentJedi]

Might be interesting if they're mashing up a few books into the mix to incorporate elements of Reaper Man. Basically involves Death taking a Holiday and multiple reapers of every creature taking his place, including a meaner, nastier New Death for humans. New Death would definitely work for a Disney villain.

[Linden]

Might be interesting if they're mashing up a few books into the mix to incorporate elements of Reaper Man. Basically involves Death taking a Holiday and multiple reapers of every creature taking his place, including a meaner, nastier New Death for humans. New Death would definitely work for a Disney villain.

PLEASE, no mashing up of books. Look what happened to The Black Cauldron!

[FigmentJedi]

Might be interesting if they're mashing up a few books into the mix to incorporate elements of Reaper Man. Basically involves Death taking a Holiday and multiple reapers of every creature taking his place, including a meaner, nastier New Death for humans. New Death would definitely work for a Disney villain.

PLEASE, no mashing up of books. Look what happened to The Black Cauldron!

Yeah, but you just know that Death of Rats would be exactly the sort of marketable little mascot Disney loves.

[LySs]

I've been wanting to get into the Discworld series for awhile now, so I finally decided to pick up the book Mort and read it for myself.

I'm only halfway through the book, but so far I can definitely see an animated adaption. It has a lot of humorous elements that can be incorporated, plus nothing seems too "scary" for a Disney film.

Also, the name of Death's horse is Binky

[pinkrenata]

and people who know their mythology know that Hermes (Hercules) was a god who transported deceased humans to the underworld.

Also that Zeus was a serial rapist, Hercules would someday kill Megara and their future children ... Yeah, what else did Disney leave out?

[DisneyJedi]

and people who know their mythology know that Hermes (Hercules) was a god who transported deceased humans to the underworld.

Also that Zeus was a serial rapist, Hercules would someday kill Megara and their future children ... Yeah, what else did Disney leave out?

I think the 12 tasks and the fact that Hera was the true villain?

[FigmentJedi]

Also that Zeus was a serial rapist, Hercules would someday kill Megara and their future children ... Yeah, what else did Disney leave out?

I think the 12 tasks and the fact that Hera was the true villain?

Most of the 12 tasks were referenced though between the Hydra fight, the montage of Zero to Hero and Phil mentioning the Aegean Stables

[Disney Duster]

Well, if Mort is young adult it stills tells you something. What would Bambi's book be considered?

But even with that, the fact that Death is a main character, and could walk around the parks...that doesn't feel Disney to me at all. Hades, a mythological character who sorta represents death but not really at all, no, not really at all, does. But Death himself, that just doesn't feel right from all we know of Disney.

[Super Aurora]

Well, if Mort is young adult it stills tells you something. What would Bambi's book be considered?

But even with that, the fact that Death is a main character, and could walk around the parks...that doesn't feel Disney to me at all. Hades, a mythological character who sorta represents death but not really at all, no, not really at all, does. But Death himself, that just doesn't feel right from all we know of Disney.

How can you say Death being at the park doesn't "feel Disney"? There's even an attraction in the theme parks that center around death and spirits. It's called The Haunted Mansion.

So I don't get this uncomfortable feeling over this Death character who is made be in a way a comedic character in the book....