Is Pocahontas really hated?

[abenotgabe]

I was 10 when Pocahontas was released and I never thought of it as boring or serious. It was one of the movies I played until the VHS tape literally snapped. I didn't get to watch it in theaters but my I remember that my Lion King VHS came with a trailer that was pretty much the entire "Colors of the Wind" sequence and I would just play that over and over until it was finally released. The Hunchback of Notredame was the movie I thought was too serious and boring, I still don't care for it too much but I've learned to appreciate it.

[Cheshire_Cat]

I went to see Pocahontas in theaters (I was four when it came out). I don't remember what I thought of it (although I do remember getting a Pocahontas storybook to go along with the movie and a Pocahontas tent), but my mom thought that it was boring.

I watched the movie on Youtube not long ago, and I liked it. The songs and animation were great, although I didn't care for the villain's songs.

[PheR]

Pocahontas didn't kill Disney's reinassance, Toy Story did. After CGI animation's birth, people started to become less and less interested with traditional animation, if Toy Story had premiered 5 years before, Tarzan would have been CGI I'm sure

[abenotgabe]

Pocahontas didn't kill Disney's reinassance, Toy Story did. After CGI animation's birth, people started to become less and less interested with traditional animation, if Toy Story had premiered 5 years before, Tarzan would have been CGI I'm sure

I completely agree with you on that.

[cms382]

My main issue with it is that it needed like one more scene in a new location to feel more whole. I don't know. It's not the best DAC, not the worst. Plus it was followed by Hunchback, which is amazing. It was crazy of people to expect each animated feature to be doing $200 million and over.

[Dream Huntress]

I didn't know people hated Pocahontas, I was under the impression that people ignored Pocahontas.

I loved Pocahontas when I was a kid, and I still like quite a bit, but yeah, not one of the strongest offerings from Disney. It's not particularly bad, is just dull.

Also, who was the person that came with the brilliant idea of making Mel Gibson sing?

[ajmrowland]

Pocahontas didn't kill Disney's reinassance, Toy Story did. After CGI animation's birth, people started to become less and less interested with traditional animation, if Toy Story had premiered 5 years before, Tarzan would have been CGI I'm sure

I completely agree with you on that.

That's a very subjective statement. It could've been poor marketing(Treasure Planet) bad screenplays(of which there were a couple), and/or the lack of familiarity with the stories(Disney tried to be different).

[monorail91]

Does the Renaissance refer to the popularity of the films, or the quality?

If it's in terms of popularity, then certainly Lion King was the last one under the "movement" haha.

Quality-wise, I think it ends with Mulan. Tarzan's good but not great IMO. I think Pocahontas, Hunchback, Hercules, and Mulan are all fantastic though!

[Disney's Divinity]

Even the villain was a snooze (and captivating villains can often save even the most mundane Disney films), and his big song was instantly forgettable.

I think that's because the villain's not really a focus of this film. He's just a stand-in for greed, etc.

Other than Beauty and the Beast and Lady and the Tramp, this is one of the few Disney films that put a huge focus on the protagonists. The only problem is that John Smith is a bit wooden. Pocahontas I like, but she's not accessible to a large majority of people. Plus, the art style worked against the emotion a lot of times. Still, I personally like this film, though it definitely has a handful of flaws. I love Pocahontas, Grandmother Willow, and Powhatan, and there are some spectacular songs ("Just Around the Riverbend" is the highlight).

I do believe Pocahontas was a downturn for Disney though, in the sense that they no longer had everybody rooting for them like before. The Little Mermaid is the one that led everything up, and Pocahontas was the beginning of the downwards fall. The films became increasingly more formulaic from here on out--and especially more preachy--until you get to Fantasia 2000.

[Jay]

Long before Tiana, she was enamored with the prospect of Disney introducing their first non-Caucasian princess.

Jasmine was the first non-Caucasian Disney Princess


I have always liked Pocahontas. I feel that the film is a little too serious. Hunchback is very serious as well but atleast it had the gargoyles to lighten the mood, though I know alot of people hate them anyway haha. Poca herself is a good heroine I feel and beautifully draw. John Smith is meh. Ratcliffe is ok but he is disappointing after Disney had two great, hugely popular villains in a row with Jafar and Scar. The songs are great though "Colors of the Wind" is definately on of the most popular Disney songs and the animation is great. I feel that the films biggest flaw is its over;y serious tone it it can be a tad boring for the kiddies I suppose.


On a side not I remember there use to be really good Pocahontas flavored yogart sold at the stores and it rocked =D

[Super Aurora]

Long before Tiana, she was enamored with the prospect of Disney introducing their first non-Caucasian princess.

Jasmine was the first non-Caucasian Disney Princess

Arabs and Persians (and people of India) ARE Caucasians.

So Semaj is correct.

[KubrickFan]

It's not really the seriousness I mind. I can handle that. But it's just not very interesting most of the time, with two stereotypical main characters and a completely boring villain. The animal sidekicks were incredibly out of place, and destroyed every moment of genuine sympathy the main characters could have had, with predictable comedy. Disney didn't lose because everyone didn't want to see 2D animation anymore, but because Pixar's movies simply were better and innovative, while Disney only wanted to replicate the success of the early 90's movies they made.

[monorail91]

Agree with you on the animals. They are cute on their own but I think they ruin a lot of the seriousness and overall beauty of the film.

That said, I think the scene where Pocahontas and John Smith meet at the waterfall is Disney's most romantic...mad props Disney!

[Prince Edward]

I loved Pocahontas as a kid, and I still love it! It has beautiful animation and music and feels really epic.

[LySs]

Oh man I was so obsessed with Pocahontas when I was a kid.
I think I was around 6 when it first came out, and I used to sing "Colors of the Wind" around the house every day. My older sisters still pick on me about it.

It may not be the greatest Disney movie as I watch it now without the nostalgia goggles, and yeah it can be a bit preachy, but it still holds a huge place in my heart. Especially since it was the very film that inspired me to pursue graphic art. I still love the music, the colors, the direction, etc.

I remember my older sister drew me a picture of Pocahontas, and my mom taped it on my wall. Every day I would look up at that picture and try to draw it over, and over, and over, and I remember getting so pissed because her face came out looking like something from Picasso.

I still have the Keepsake Doll, a Plush Doll that I keep on my shelf, a couple of mugs I still use, and even a small Pocahontas Wigwam Lamp.
The lamp I haven't used since I was a kid, but I don't have the heart to get rid of it because my grandma got it for me right before she passed away.

It's not the best film, but it's by no way the worst.

[DisneyFan09]

Your question is fairly complex one (no offence). But the truth is that “Pocahontas” did get a lot of criticism back in 1995. First of all; It was a story which was based very lightly on historical events. Whether Disney had the right to change the story or not, is another discussion, since the facts about the story of Pocahontas are surrounded by legends. However, an animated musical which is loosely based on historical events is always going to be criticized

Second; Disney was on a crucial point on their career. They had released three hugely successful movies, which were loved by audiences, critics and did well on the box office (The Little Mermaid doesn’t count, since it wasn’t a huge box office hit compared to the other flicks). Despite that “Pocahontas” had some of the components of the formula, it was a ambitious film that broke with the typical Disney pattern. It had also a slower pacing and was more serious. And to refer to your question, “Pocahontas” did got hostile reviews by the critics, but still was a huge box office hit (perhaps not as big as The Lion King, but still good).

But the truth is that every film has haters and lovers. Some films has a bigger fanbase than others, though. So yes, it would be easy to assume that Pocahontas is hated, but hated by SOME. Not by everyone.

[The_Iceflash]

I think the end of the renaissance ended in 1999 with "Tarzan". "Dinosaur" and "The Emperor's New Groove" in 2000 were significant downfalls, if not in visual animation, then in storytelling.

To me, as much as I love the Big 4, "Pocahontas", "The Hunchback of Notre Dame", "Hercules", "Mulan", and "Tarzan" were just as strong and offered, in some cases, stronger animation and scores.

I think the downfall began with Mulan. I put BATB, Aladdin, The Lion King, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Hercules on the same level. I always have. Don't get me wrong, I love Mulan and Tarzan but I didn't get the same feeling from them that I got from the others. I liked Dinosaur and I loved the animation in "The Emperor's New Groove" and the story.

[PheR]

I think the renaissance ended, just because Disney themselves changed, and they changed a lot after TLK. Their movies didn't appeal to everybody (something most Pixar movies have) cause they tried to be too serious, historical, preachy and award seekers, more than family appealing. I love Pocahontas, Hunchback, Hercules and Mulan but they're not as Family friendly as Mermaid, BATB, Aladdin or TLK. Tarzan was more appealing (hence more successful) but Disney's reputation had already changed in people's eyes after 5 years.

Disney wanted to change their formula cause people were saying it got tired, so there were no singing characters in Tarzan and no songs at all in the later ones. They tried to go different routes because of it and they scrapped the whole 'Kingdom of the Sun' project (with songs by Sting) and turned it into a fun lighter warner like cartoon, and then they got a "let's make a totally unexpected teenage fantasy/sci-fy black cauldron deja vu" (these people did't get it the first time) and made Atlantis and Treasure planet. Lilo and Stitch again made good numbers because it appealed to families again, and Brother Bear was another Pocahontas. And don't get me started on HOTR and Chicken Little, Disney was totally lost by that time.

Robinsons and Bolt are the firsts steps after the rock bottom.

PATF and Tangled are great fresh air (specially the later), but then there's Pooh (cute, yet weird desition for a new animated feature, and very segmented, not for everyone, again, just like 'Tinkerbell') and... what's next? another "let's make a totally unexpected teenage fantasy/sci-fy black cauldron deja vu"??

[DisneyFan09]

I think the renaissance ended, just because Disney themselves changed, and they changed a lot after TLK. Their movies didn't appeal to everybody (something most Pixar movies have) cause they tried to be too serious, historical, preachy and award seekers, more than family appealing. I love Pocahontas, Hunchback, Hercules and Mulan but they're not as Family friendly as Mermaid, BATB, Aladdin or TLK.

Do you honestly think Mulan and Hercules weren't family friendly? What were so not-friendly about them?

Otherwise, I agree with your opinions.

[PheR]

I think the renaissance ended, just because Disney themselves changed, and they changed a lot after TLK. Their movies didn't appeal to everybody (something most Pixar movies have) cause they tried to be too serious, historical, preachy and award seekers, more than family appealing. I love Pocahontas, Hunchback, Hercules and Mulan but they're not as Family friendly as Mermaid, BATB, Aladdin or TLK.

Do you honestly think Mulan and Hercules weren't family friendly? What were so not-friendly about them?

Otherwise, I agree with your opinions.

They are, specially Hercules, but it came after two really serious movies, and they both were based on more "mature legends", one from ancient greece and one from china, they were part of the "Disney diversification" plan. Mulan dealt with cross genre and war, and this "girls can be tough too" mood. As cool as they both were (I repeat, I LOVE them), it's not the same than a bunch of sea creatures dancing "under the sea" or all those dishes singing "be our guest", those things are wider, you can be segmented, but not everyone will like it. If you only have chocolate cookies in your box, those who don't like chocolate won't pick one.