Moana

[DisneyFan09]

It's certainly pretty remarkable that the lead actress is doing so much press work for "Moana" currently. Perhaps it could be to build upon the success of "Frozen". Or that we're getting another Princess of colors, when we've actually had two priorly (if you'll count Jasmine, there's three, but she's not the main lead). At least Pocahontas was the daughter of an actual Chief, as she was in real life. While not being technically royal in European terms, she was still royal in a tribal sense. And you all know the fate of the last Princess of color and how contrived her fate was...

Either way, I still wonder how the tone of "Moana" is going to be like. As I've previously mentioned in my blogs, Musker and Clements trademarks are fun, lightness and sass. I wonder if "Moana" will be like "The Little Mermaid" and "The Princess and the Frog", just pure light adaptations of fairy tales. Or if it's going to be like "Aladdin" and "Hercules", filled with pop culture references, snark and puns. I guess the former. "Treasure Planet" was somewhat of a departure, at least tone-wise, for being a straight-forward adventure movie and simply lacked snark.

And why not have Kirk Wise and Gary Trousdale returning to direct a feature again? I guess they're doing their own projects, but still.

[Disney's Divinity]

You're putting your own tone on what was said,

Well, that is what we call an opinion...

Either way, it's not something that they're used to and we do know they didn't want to make a 3D film, so... It wouldn't really matter if they said they loved it/hated it/etc. since all the cards have been seen at this point, they're just making the best of the situation.

I would like to think that the new artists at Disney would want to learn from M&C, but I'm not sure if I believe that considering all the other things we've read about the newcomers' relationship with the ones that haven't been fired (yet).

[blackcauldron85]

It's weird that Aulii is already doing so much press for the movie. Not even the actors for Zootopia are doing press yet. It looks like Disney's bent on promoting Moana as much as possible (perhaps to ease fears that a princess movie starring a girl of color might not be successful at the box office?)

Maybe Moana is getting so much advanced promotion is because so many people were posting audition videos to YouTube...?? When have we heard of such public auditions for a Disney film before?

[Sotiris]

Read between the lines. They keep mentioning how they used to do 2d every time they have the chance, but they cant overtly mention that they would have preferred to have done it in 2d b/c they dont want to end up like a lot of their peers, without a job.

Exactly. They can't spell it out for us. Do people honestly expect they'll come out and say "We wanted to do the movie in 2D but they didn't let us"? It's going to be more subtle than that, for obvious reasons. It's not the first time John Musker expressed how much 2D animation means to him during Moana's production. And considering how they wanted to do the movie in 2D but forced by Lasseter to make it CG and the hard time they had directing it in CG, reading between the lines becomes much easier.

[ce1ticmoon]

While I certainly don't have any doubt that they had no choice as to the medium that the film is being produced in, and that they would have chosen hand-drawn animation had they truly had the choice, I really don't see how those quotes indicate that sentiment. I mean, Musker mentions that this is their first CG film, and obviously that is worth noting considering everything they have done up to this point has been hand-drawn. And in the first quote, he mentions that the process is very different from hand-drawn, and that the whole film production process is a learning experience for them. That would be true whether they actually chose to do CG or not. And all I really get from the second quote is how they came into the industry as fans of the Nine Old Men and were able to learn from them, and now that they've grown older and gained experience, they have taken on a similar role for the next generation at the studio.

There is reading between the lines, then there is confirmation bias. We already know what their preference is, and what the stance is at WDAS. It is definitely far from an ideal situation. The reports about the treatment of 2D animators at the studio are disheartening, and I'm sure Musker and Clements would have a lot to say about it if they had a safe platform to do so. But I don't think it means that Musker and/or Clements will be dropping hints about it every chance they get, whether outwardly or subtly. What I get from those quotes is that Musker is a humble guy who is spinning a less-than-ideal situation into an opportunity to learn something new while imparting the knowledge that he has gained during his fruitful career. Hopefully the younger generation at the studio realizes just what an opportunity they have working under these directors.

As for the marketing and PR, it is very uncharacteristic, but it makes a lot of sense. They are definitely going to try and build this up as the next Frozen.

[Sotiris]

It's been confirmed that Moana won't have a love interest.

The new movie will not have a love story. Instead, it is a coming-of-age story that follows a fearless teen who sails out on a daring mission. “She’s not out looking for her prince or anything like that. She’s out connecting to her deeper culture,” Musker said.

Source: http://khon2.com/2015/10/12/aulii-crava ... eys-moana/

[Disney's Divinity]

That's good. I'm not sure she was ever planned to have one either, since the character began as a 14-year-old, right? Or was she younger (for some reason, I thought they aged her up a little)?

This movie sounds very action/adventure, for the most part. Maybe there's more going on with the villain that'll be dramatic, possibly threatening Moana's home? I hope they do a good job with the villain. Please! They were really close with Facilier.

[ce1ticmoon]

I really like Facilier. He has a great design and movement, and is super charismatic. Indeed, they just missed the mark, though, since his motives just seemed so weak. I also hope we can get a truly iconic villain one of these days. To get one in Moana would be great.

[Sotiris]

I'm not sure she was ever planned to have one either, since the character began as a 14-year-old, right? Or was she younger (for some reason, I thought they aged her up a little)?

Well, when the film was first announced in October 2014 she was 14 but since the Cannes presentation in May 2015 she's been 16. Also, in earlier iterations of the story, Moana was to have brothers but now she's an only child.

I hope the movie doesn't have a romantic subplot at all. I'd hate for Maui or some side character to get a love interest either.

[DisneyFan09]

Whoa, whoa, whoa! I'm honestly baffled! Disney dares to actually make a so-called Princess movie without an love interest??

This is certainly a first (well, if you'll exclude Sofia the First, but the title character is just a kid)! It's really remarkable how Disney and Pixar were launching Merida as the first Princess without a Prince/love interest. Yet the plot revolved her to have three proposers and having her to rebel against them.

But this is certainly a first. It's not as every Disney Princess needs a love interest to begin with. Besides, hence Disney's made several movies with male protagonists without a romantic subplot. Who wonders if Disney will make a movie with a male revolving subplot again.

I really like Facilier. He has a great design and movement, and is super charismatic. Indeed, they just missed the mark, though, since his motives just seemed so weak.

I liked him too! He was such a charismatic and enjoyable villain! While his motivation was less elaborate, I felt he was the strongest villain in a long time, stronger than the tame and generic Mother Gothel. It's also a pity that he was killed.

[disneyprincess11]

I'm literally not trying to be rude here, so my apologizes if I sound rude. Are people actually surprised? It's pretty obvious that based on the casting, Moana and Maui won't get together. There's no way that they would get an 16 year old with a 44 year old guy. People would lose their minds for the right reasons.

Sotiris: How do you know that the brothers are gone? It would be a shame.

[Sotiris]

It's pretty obvious that based on the casting, Moana and Maui won't get together.

I don't think people were expecting Moana and Maui to get together but maybe they were expecting there'd be another male character that would serve as a love interest for Moana.

Sotiris: How do you know that the brothers are gone? It would be a shame.

From here:

Cravalho is a native Hawaiian and is also part Puerto Rican and Irish. She is a student at Kamehameha School and enjoys singing. Like her animated character, Moana, she is an only child.

Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment ... d=11528541

[disneyprincess11]

Here is Auli'i's singing voice! Keep in mind this was from 2 years ago

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzJ3cW86xq0[/youtube]

[Atlantica]

Is it bad that I kind of miss Princess full blown love stories ? It's like they are really frowned upon these days, and Princesses should either not have one, or have a self discovery journey and then discover love.

I know that's maybe more true to life, but I love the full blown romance of 'Once Upon A Dream', or the ballroom dance in Cinderella. Maybe I'm just old fashioned, but I love it, and would love to see it again from a Disney picture.

[DisneyFan09]

Yes, it's bad that you're yearning for a full-blown Princess romance.

Just kidding! No, it's not bad at all. I wouldn't mind it myself, where romance is a crucial part of the story.

[disneyprincess11]

I was thinking that, yesterday. I love these new stories, but I am really craving a good old fashioned Princess story. Not saying she has to wait for her prince to rescue her "and be weak", but just that she does want a prince and her biggest weapon is her kindness. It's sad to think that in order for a Disney princess to be a good role model, they will have to kick butt like Moana, Mulan, Merida etc. Which they have to, but Snow White and Cinderella are just as good as everyone else. When their lives are terrible, they look at the bright side of life and treat everyone with goodness and kindness, even with others are cruel to them. At the end of the day, their goodness is what saves them and that's why they get the prince, not the fact they're "powerful". The closest princess we have to this is Anna, whose sacrifice to give up her life saves herself and her sister. And yeah, I do miss scenes like Once Upon a Dream and So This is Love, and I'm glad we still have scenes like Ma Belle Evangeline and I See the Light to remind us of them. There's nothing wrong with those scenes and the want to get a prince. Who doesn't want a princess or prince?

[Disney's Divinity]

We're still at that point--depressingly--where it's refreshing to see a female protagonist without a love interest. You didn't see them for Bolt, Hiro, or Wreck-It Ralph, for instance, while there was Naveen, Flynn, and Kristoff for the women. Even looking at M&C specifically, the only films they've been involved with that didn't revolve around love was TGMD and TP, both "boys'" films.

Tbh, I rarely like both halves of a couple in Disney films, so the only thing missed is love themes like "AWNW." And, tbh, "IStL" and "Ma Belle Evangeline" are no "AWNW"...

At the end of the day, their goodness is what saves them and that's why they get the prince, not the fact they're "powerful".

Actually, what saved the Walt princesses was men, and how attractive they were to those men. Because the men had power and they did not.

Personally, I consider Belle, Pocahontas, Tiana, and Rapunzel just as "good" as any of those characters, but they're good and moral without being objects with no agency--and they definitely don't accept abuse (and I'm glad, because why should anybody accept abuse?). Unlike the Walt princesses, their goodness transforms--the Beast, John Smith and Powhatan, Naveen, Flynn. Btw, I'm not sure why you link Mulan with Merida and Moana, since Mulan also had a love interest.

[jazzflower92]

We're still at that point--depressingly--where it's refreshing to see a female protagonist without a love interest. You didn't see them for Bolt, Hiro, or Wreck-It Ralph, for instance, while there was Naveen, Flynn, and Kristoff for the women. Even looking at M&C specifically, the only films they've been involved with that didn't revolve around love was TGMD and TP, both "boys'" films.

Tbh, I rarely like both halves of a couple in Disney films, so the only thing missed is love themes like "AWNW." And, tbh, "IStL" and "Ma Belle Evangeline" are no "AWNW"...

At the end of the day, their goodness is what saves them and that's why they get the prince, not the fact they're "powerful".

Actually, what saved the Walt princesses was men, and how attractive they were to those men. Because the men had power and they did not.

Personally, I consider Belle, Pocahontas, Tiana, and Rapunzel just as "good" as any of those characters, but they're good and moral without being objects with no agency--and they definitely don't accept abuse (and I'm glad, because why should anybody accept abuse?). Unlike the Walt princesses, their goodness transforms--the Beast, John Smith and Powhatan, Naveen, Flynn. Btw, I'm not sure why you link Mulan with Merida and Moana, since Mulan also had a love interest.

Actually the dwarves saved Snow White, the fairies could be said to be the true protagonists of Sleeping Beauty, and it was Cinderella's animal friends and godmother who helped her in her time of need. For the latter two, you could say that women came to the help of their fellow women when they were in trouble. Also in Sleeping Beauty its actually the fairies that save the prince character and protect him from all adversity.

[Disney's Divinity]

Well, the dwarves are men and Cinderella's friends are almost all male, but moreover, the prince is the one who keeps SW and Aurora from sleeping forever and the one who marries Cinderella, allowing her to escape. The fairies I'll give you, but it's worth pointing out that they couldn't have defeated Maleficent without Phillip any more than he could have without them, otherwise they'd have done it already.

[Sotiris]

The movie will include haka.

While they're certainly not keen to give too much away, I did manage to extract one juicy tidbit: we may well see a haka in Moana. "How like with the All Black team and All Blacks and how they do their haka and how important that is in terms of facing opponents down, we kind of have some aspects of that" said Ron Clements.

Source: http://www.3news.co.nz/tvshows/story/di ... z3pFxzWADC