Page 61 - CelebrationsSpring2020

It is clear to any Disney film fan that we are in the midst Music for an Original Musical or Comedy Score, as well as
of the age of live-action revivals. The newest film to join the list of remakes is Mulan, appearing in theaters in March.
This new rendition of the beloved story was written by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver (Jurassic World, the Planet of the Apes franchise), with Elizabeth Martin and Lauren Hynek in their feature film-writing debut. New Zealand- born Niki Caro directed the film, with a score by Harry Gregson-Williams (Shrek, The Chronicles of Narnia).
The animated version of Mulan, Disney’s thirty-sixth animated film, was released in 1998. It was directed by Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook, with a score by Jerry Goldsmith and songs by Matthew Wilder and David Zippel. It was the first movie to be created almost entirely at Disney’s Florida studio, which was located at what was then called the Disney-MGM Studios theme park (now Disney’s Hollywood Studios), taking a crew of 700 artists and technicians almost five years to complete.
Mulan is based on the poem Song of Mulan (also known as The Ballad of Mulan), which is believed to have been written by a woman, though the precise identity of the poet is unknown. What is known is that the poem was adapted into a book sometime during the later years of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). There is also speculation that the character of Mulan really did exist, although there is no definitive evidence to provide proof.
As often happens with stories passed down over generations, there is uncertainty as to when the original poem was written, as well as when it took place. While some sources say the poem was written as early as 200 B.C., others believe it was written during the Northern Wei Dynasty, which lasted from 386-534 A.D. There seems to be some consensus that the events described in the poem took place in the time of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, which occurred from 386-589.
The film’s creative team opted to place the story a bit later, in the Tang Dynasty (618-907) due to the fact that not only was this close to when Mulan would have lived, but also had its own distinctive styles of art, architecture and clothing.
The film achieved both commercial and critical success. Goldsmith, Wilder and Zippel would earn Golden Globe nominations for Best Score and Best Song (“Reflection”), an Academy Award nomination for Best
the Annie Award, the highest achievement for animated films, for Outstanding Individual Achievement for Music in an Animated Feature Production. (The Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film would not be established until 2001.)
While the 2020 incarnation of the film will maintain the beloved story of a young woman who struggles with the expectations of the village matchmaker, is reluctantly betrothed in an arranged marriage, but ends up joining the army to take the place of her disabled father (and displays outstanding prowess with both a sword and a bow), there will also be a number of changes. Director Caro desired to make the story as realistic as possible, which prompted the elimination of sassy sidekick Mushu, as well as any musical performances, though Caro stated that “we do honor the music from the animation in a very significant way.” If the haunting instrumental version of Wilder and Zippel’s “Reflection” heard in the trailer is any indication, devotees of the original film’s music should be comforted. And the new movie’s composer, Harry Gregson-Williams, has found himself on the other side of the coin with The Chronicles of Narnia: he scored the first two films, which were produced by Disney, but when Fox took over the third film, David Arnold was tapped to write the score, and went on to beautifully weave some of Gregson-Williams’s themes into the new soundtrack.
Another notable change is the addition of a witch named Xian Lang who has shape-shifting abilities, as indicated by her transformation into an eagle in the film’s trailers (apparently the desire for realism has its limits!). She is allied with Bori Khan, the leader of the Huns who is set on avenging the death of his father. The two antagonists are replacing Shan Yu, the loathed Hun leader of the original movie. Xian Lang is portrayed by esteemed actress Li Gong, whose credits include Farewell My Concubine (1993), Memoirs of a Geisha (2005) and What Women Want (2011), while Bori Khan is played by Jason Scott Lee, whose lengthy resume includes Back to the Future: Part II (1989) and the title role in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story (1993). He is also a familiar face at Disney, having starred as Mowgli in the 1994 live-action remake of The Jungle Book and providing the voice of David Kawena in Lilo & Stitch (2002).
Artwork © Disney
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