A Simple Summary

In the past nine weeks, I have introduced ten Disney animations.

Not only readers, I myself also recalled wonderful childhood memories.

So I try to find out what make them so popular.

I think... it's creativity!

It occurred to me that

when I introduced the plot in previous posts, I always used "HOWEVER" and then "FINALLY".

It means that the stories are always "cheesy". (In Taiwanese term, we call "芭樂" XD)

But!!!

Even though we know the plot is cheesy, we are still attracted to it.

Even though we know the main character would met some obstacles, he/she might become miserable, then eventually succeed, and everything comes to a happy ending, we still love it!

We don't get bored. We feel excited and satisfied during seeing every Disney animation.

I think "creativity" give them such incredible power. The figures are elaborately designed. They can make up various princesses for different animations. The stories are a little bit complex just at a perfect level. We can easily understand, but don't feel bored. The frame is simple, but there are always distinctive content that amaze us.

Let's await the next Disney animation and enjoy it!!!

Since Disney animations are so popular, there are many people "researching" about them.
You can find many fun facts on the Internet. Let me give some examples.

1. This storm scene looks marvelous, right?
"It took a team of 10 animators an entire year to finish the 10-minute sequence." 

2. Nemo appears as a toy in Mosnters Inc. Haha!

3. Ooh~ Goofy was in the crowd in "The Little Mermaid".

reference:

http://thechive.com/2013/06/16/hidden-gems-in-disney-movies-27-photos/

http://www.interestingfactss.com/hidden-disney-characters-in-disney-movies/

http://movies.yahoo.com/blogs/movie-talk/17-things-didn-t-know-little-mermaid-201752088.html

Monsters University

Haha! These cute guys appear again.
As you might know, Monsters University is a prequel(前傳) to Monsters, Inc.(怪獸電力公司)
Of course, the popular lead roles like Michael "Mike" Wazowski and P. "Sulley" Sullivan show up.

1. On a school field trip, Mike once visited Monsters, Inc., the most profitable company in his town. Thus he dreamed of being a professional "scarer". And he majored in "scare" in the Monsters University. He and Sulley also became roommates at that time.

(This is perfectly matched with the plot of Monsters, Inc., right?)

2. They both joined fraternities(兄弟會,which is a very different university culture between us and USA), but different ones. During a race among all the fraternities, Mike was angry about Sulley's cheating. He accidentally ran through a door which led to human world.

3. Then Sulley also came to human world and reconciled with Mike. However, when they wanted to go back, the door was closed by their authority. They generated enormous power by make a group of people scream, and that activated the door successfully.

Now, I would like to provoke your interest in another way.Three soundtracks in this film was accompanied by the drum line of The Blue Devils.

What?! You don't know what the Blue Devils is?

Let me tell you =v=

They are a team of DCI. 

What?! You don't know DCI? Let me explain~

= v =

When you think about PROFESSIONAL basketball, there comes up NBA.

Similarly, when you think about PROFESSIONAL marching band, there should come up DCI.

↓

The Blue Devils has won 15 Championships since 1971.
So you know how magnificent their drum line(鼓隊) can be!!!

Next time when you see this animation, maybe you can pay some attention to its music, like this one... 
Enjoy the beat!

This is the official trailer...

reference:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsters_University

http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%80%AA%E7%8D%B8%E5%A4%A7%E5%AD%B8

http://allen201242002.pixnet.net/album/photo/84300218

http://animationfascination.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/monsters_university_mike_wazowski_latino_cine_1-2.jpg

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEQ2A3suZ-nJOwbna2D1xqUS_1v8R4Q6m3mtUE0dOUVbIx5FDFUcbdo7mUU4xDAElPaYXiXpTSG9jr3PHIqoOC9fZpXU7aJUE7Y5QvS3jr-9nGNUM1kj48s-v-5Kouswazi4V-8kBG8Gs/s1600/DAR17.jpg

http://adanai.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/marching_band_1_coloring_book_colouring-2555px.png
http://www.corpsconnect.com/wp-content/uploads/dci-2011-tour-of-champions.jpg

The Little Mermaid

A familiar song! Let's swing and get high!
Under the Sea~

Without my introduction, you've known it's The Little Mermaid.

First of all, don't forget it's originally Andersen's(安徒生) fairy tale.

And when we talk about the "real"  美人魚 in Chinese, it's actually something called "儒艮".

A creature you'll never use "beautiful" to describe. XD

The following is the plot:

   A mermaid princess, Ariel, felt bored with her life in the ocean. She wanted to live on land just as human. One day, when Prince Eric was celebrating his birthday on the ship, he met a heavy storm. In the chaos, Ariel sang a love song to him, and saved his life. 

   To find Eric personally, she got help from a witch called Ursula. She turned Ariel into human, but Ariel had to give her voice to the witch. Moreover, she had to kiss Eric in three days, otherwise she would change back. 

   On the second day, Ursula disguised as a beautiful girl by using the voice exchanged from Ariel. Eric was cheated and would like to marry her. On the third day, when the witch's fraud was revealed, it was already too late. Ariel became a mermaid, and Ursula captured her by force.

   In order to save his daughter, Ariel's father, King Triton surrendered to Ursula, giving her the throne. This time, Eric came to their rescue. He used the mast(船桅) to stab into Ursula's body, defeating her successfully.

Here are my thoughts:

1. I am especially impressed by The Little Mermaid, because I once saw its "ice-skating show" when studying in elementary school. The vibrant music, the performers' graceful movement on ice, and the light blazing with storyline were all magnificent. As a "naïve" kid, I was really scared by Ursula's evil appearance at that time. XD
2. Love is so powerful. There are many touching stories in fairy tales and dramas. Ariel sacrificed her fascinating voice to meet her dear prince. In our real life, there are even people who sacrificed their lives for lovers or family. Will I be willing to do these courageous deeds?
Love is the sweetest and greatest emotion!!!

p.s. There is always a cute figure in every Disney animation.

...Sebastian! I want to give it a big hug. =v=

Let's enjoy the joyful ending of The Little Mermaid!

referece:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Mermaid_(1989_film)
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E5%B0%8F%E7%BE%8E%E4%BA%BA%E9%B1%BC
http://disneyvault.net/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/The-Little-Mermaid-3D.2.jpeg
http://7.blog.xuite.net/7/6/2/3/21149196/blog_1972308/txt/47502523/0.jpg
http://static2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20121130073859/disney/images/e/e5/Tlmpe1186.jpg
http://mentalfloss.com/sites/default/files/styles/article_640x430/public/sebastian-crab-lobster_5.jpg

The Lion King !

Enjoy the energetic atmosphere!
This week, let's travel to Africa, running on the grassland!

...The Lion King!

Upon hearing its name, there might be some songs that pop out from your mind, like "Can You Feel the Love Tonight", "Circle of Life" and so on. Actually, many songs in this animation were composed by Elton John, an UNMATCHED singer and composer. Also, The Lion King's music became classic works. It was later rearranged into a musical. In 2008 August, it was once shown in Taiwan!

Next, let me introduce the plot:

1.     Mufasa, the lion king of Pride Lands in Africa, announced the birth of his son, Simba. However, Mufasa's borther, Scar, was unhappy. He thought of Simba as a rival to compete for the throne. He tricked Simba to a gorge, and made a lot of wildebeests(牛羚) run over the gorge on purpose. While Mufasa came to his son's rescue, Scar pushed Mufasa down the cliff.

2.     Simba suffered from deep grief, leaving Pride Land. He met Timon and Pumbaa. They taught him a concept called "Hakuna Matata", which means "Don't worry". Gradually, Simba grew into a mature lion. One day, he reunited with his friend, Nala. He learned that their country became a mess under Scar's control.

3.     Simba went back to fight with Scar and his fellows. Though he was once at a disadvantage, he still summoned up his courage, and beat Scar finally. Simba then became the new king!

Some of my opinions:

1.     Jealousy is horrible. We can do any bad things, once our minds were filled with this negative emotion. We should appreciate the things and abilities we have. We should fight for the power, the ranking, the opportunity... etc. in a positive way, but not use tricks or come up some plots. Like Scar in the film, his crazy deeds would be scaring if those truly happened in life.

2.     After midterm exam, I would like to say "Hakuna Matata" to myself and some of my friends. It was the first time for us to have such exams in university life. We still have much time to adapt, and to manage our time properly. What's more, grades are nothing at some degree! If we indeed acquired those knowledge during courses, that's enough! Take it easy.
Let's shout it out aloud, "Hakuna Matata!"


I would like to use this amazing song for the ending~
LOVE, the most beautiful thing.

reference:

http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%8B%AE%E5%AD%90%E7%8E%8B
http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lion_King
http://cltampa.com/imager/animal-attractions-the-beloved-characters-from-the-lion-king-once-again-gr/b/original/2672662/c872/the-lion-king-original.jpg

http://images.fanpop.com/images/image_uploads/The-Lion-King-the-lion-king-541187_1024_768.jpg

Mulan

Enjoy the beautiful song, please~
Reflection
There is also a Chinese version sung by Coco 李玟, called "自己"

This week, let's look at something old, first released in 1998.
...MULAN!!!
We are all familiar with her story, because of the poem in Chinese textbook,
木蘭詩：「唧唧復唧唧，木蘭當戶織...」

However, there are some slight differences in Disney's animation. Disney lengthened the story, making it more dramatic and complicated.

Let me give a brief introduction. (Most information come from Wikipedia)

1. Mushu, the guardian dragon of Fa Family, was sent out by ancestors, to travel with Mulan.

2. Mulan was once heavily injured. When the doctor came to treat her, her true identity was revealed. In Chinese legend, she wasn't found out as a woman.
3. The climax of whole animation:

The Emperor was captured by his enemy, Shan Yu(單于) and his army. (They disguised as lion and dragon dancers in advance.) Mulan sneaked into the palace, and had a battle with Shan Yu on the roof. She finally used explosive to combat him. Shan Yu flew far away, blasting with fireworks. Mulan thus became the hero of China.

The following are my thoughts and reflections:

1. Mulan is a legend figure from "China". However, I knew her as a character of an "American" animation for the first time. How globalization affects our lives! And how profoundly American culture dominates this era! While we work so hard on international stage, should we also pay more attention to those belong to our land, our history, and our culture? 

2. Mulan is a girl, but her courage and martial art(武術) can compete against all men. Taking her father's place to join the army is admirable and it required strong determination! That remind us not to discriminate against others. Until today, Stereotypes still exist in our society.

3. As the lyrics in the theme song,

"Why must we all conceal
what we think, how we feel?
Must there be a secret me
I'm forced to hide?"

Mulan met a contradictory situation. She had an outgoing personality like a boy. But she was forced to hide her real feeling and to behave "like a girl".

I think we all have asked ourselves, "Who am I?"

"Do I love myself? Do I really want to be that way?" 

Sometimes we are suppressed by the society. Even though we act a little different from most people, or we have some unusual opinions, it doesn't matter at all. It is amazing to be ourselves! It is the bravest deed to express our true emotion! 

I would like to use the picture of my favorite figure as the ending.

Mushu, 木須龍! He is really cute!

The disgusting bad guy Shan Yu failed!

reference:
http://images5.fanpop.com/image/photos/30300000/Walt-Disney-Screencaps-Mushu-walt-disney-characters-30310365-2560-1511.jpg
http://images2.fanpop.com/images/photos/6600000/Mulan-Wallpaper-disney-6628330-1024-768.jpg
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%8A%B1%E6%9C%A8%E5%85%B0_(1998%E5%B9%B4%E7%94%B5%E5%BD%B1)

The Incredibles

To make reading not so boring, 

you can click me and enjoy the theme song.

     This week, I would like to introduce "The Incredibles".

     Its subject is actually old. We can find out countless movies about superheroes everywhere. But Pixar is quite smart and creative. The figures are not totally unique, but the plot is. The scenes of fighting are tense but not bloody. It also concerns about many aspect of our life, like "midlife crisis" or family problems, but not only "superman saving the world".

Here is the story: 

     Because of some lawsuits, Bob Parr(Mr. Incredible 超能先生) was forced to retire from his work and to stop using his ability. He led a normal life with his wife Helen(Elastgirl 彈弓女俠), and their three kids, Violet(巴小倩), Dash(巴小飛), and Jack-Jack(巴小傑). They all have their distinct superpower. Someday, the evil guy Syndrome(辛拉登) pretended to offer a work opportunity to retired Mr. Incredible. However, it was actually a plot. After Mr. Incredible started the secret mission for a while, Syndrome confined him. At the same time, Syndrome invented a robot, using it to ruin the city. Helen came to her husband's rescue, and the kids secretly followed her. With Mirage's(a unimportant role XD) aid, they finally escaped.

     When they came back to the city they lived, the robot was so smart that he broke the remote control and destroyed the city madly. "The Incredibles" worked together, along with an old friend Frozone. They had a violent battle, and eventually killed Syndrome and the robot.

     In all characters, I like Elastgirl(Helen) the most. "...Helen can stretch any part of her body up to 100’ (34 m) and can be 1 mm thin." quoted from Wikipedia. What a fascinating and marvelous superpower! Just like 魯夫 in the animation One Piece(海賊王). The scene that she became a parachute really impressed me. If I were her, I don't have to ride a bicycle in NTU. I can always land on the roof of 新生 or 普通 building. Ha ha ha! XD

Bonus: 小傑的攻擊 in Taiwanese!
You HAVE TO watch this!

And this one is official trailer~

reference and pictures:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Incredibles

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_The_Incredibles_characters

http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E8%B6%85%E4%BA%BA%E7%89%B9%E6%94%BB%E9%9A%8A_(%E9%9B%BB%E5%BD%B1)

http://www.dan-dare.org/FreeFun/Images/CartoonsMoviesTV/IncrediblesWallpaper1024.jpg

http://photos-a.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/551527_10151425980716168_443079601_n.png

Alice in Wonderland!

This is a "computer-animated and live action fantasy film" (quoted from Wikipedia).
Let's just consider it as an animation. : )

     Alice in Wonderland is undoubtedly a famous fairy tale. I think none of college students wants to read it again. However, Disney uses a high-tech and humorous way to combine the elements in the original story. And they create a totally different plot. Also, the great cast makes it more appealing, inclusive of Johnny Depp and Ann Hathaway.

     Alice was forced to attend her engagement party. Not knowing how to reply to the proposal, she ran away and followed a rabbit in a blue coat. She suddenly dropped into a big hole, entering "Underland".  After others' explanation, she knew that Red Queen robbed the crown from her sister, White Queen. There was a prediction that Alice would kill Red Queen's guard, Jabberwocky(空龍) on "Frabjous Day"(奇妙日).
     The Hatter brought her to White Queen's castle to escape the capture from Red Queen. However, he himself was caught. To save the Hatter, Alice went to Red Queen's palace. She ate certain food and became gigantic. She was welcomed, successfully deceiving Red Queen. Besides, Alice got the only sword to kill Jabberwocky from a monster. She then quickly ran back and gave it to Red Queen.

     On Frabjous Day, the fierce war between two queens broke out. While their armies were fighting, Alice finally summoned up her courage and killed Jabberwocky. Red Queen ended up reigning Underland again.

     (Apologize for the lengthy introduction above...)
 

     When I saw this movie for the first time, I thought it strange and absurd. But later, I knew that they designed such weird figures and costumes intentionally. Since it's a wonderland, everything is possible. The director must be so creative to imagine both magnificent and ugly scenes. The atmosphere in this animation is strange, but it has its distinct style! You will enjoy many unique creatures and scenery you never met before, and it's truly a perfect adventure!

I love Red Queen the most among all characters.

Her disproportional big head is cute!

movie trailer~

reference:
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%AD%94%E5%A2%83%E5%A4%A2%E9%81%8A
http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/11000000/Alice-in-Wonderland-alice-in-wonderland-2010-11053710-1600-1200.jpghttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_in_Wonderland_(2010_film)

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/images/still/alice_in_wonderland17.jpg

      

Toy Story 3

“To infinity.... and beyond!”
I would like to use this sentence as my opening. If you feel quite confused, let me repeat it again in Chinese.
「飛向宇宙，浩瀚無垠!」

Then I think everybody understand now. I am going to introduce Toy Story 3. I choose this because among three episodes, it corresponds to our situations the most. Let me simply explain the plot.

     It had been 11 years since the last adventure finished. Andy became an undergraduate, leaving home for his new life. A misunderstood occurred between him and his mother, and thus toys would be thrown away. They escaped to a daycare center, Sunnyside. At first, the toys were content, receiving warm reception from their new friends. However, they gradually found that in fact, Sunnyside was strictly controlled by Lotso, a purple, evil bear. The toys carried out their escaping plan. Here’s the climax of the animation, the long and exciting adventure how the toys got rid of Losto and his fellows’ chasing. Being transferred into a landfill, they were finally dumped on the conveyor belt (輸送帶), which is the path to an incinerator (焚化爐). Just at that critical moment, Squeeze Toy Aliens came to their rescue, operating a big crane to save their lives.

     

     From my opinion, “Buzz being reset to Spanish mode” is the most hilarious part. He spoke in Spanish and even asked Jessie (the cowgirl) to dance Flamenco, showing his deepest love. That scene was accompanied by traditional Latin music, which will make you laugh out aloud right away.

     

    The whole ending thoroughly touched my heart. I almost cried when I was seeing this animation in the cinema. After being sent to the new owner’s house, Woody and other toys sat on the doorstep. As Andy drove his car farther and farther, Woody softly said, "So long, partner." This reminds me that we might have a strong bonding with ANYTHING, not only human. A musical instrument, a novel, a bicycle or a toy mentioned in the movie could become our intimate partner. We are just like Andy, going to be a grownup. Maybe we used to love something crazily in our childhood. All of us should spend some time visiting those “old friends”. I think it will be a rewarding reunion.

     
     

An official trailer~                                    

   

Flamenco Buzz Lightyear !  

Super touching ending  T    T 

*The pictures come from:

http://www.insidethemagic.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/buzz-lightyear-dancing.jpg

and 

screenshot from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWkCwCi_a24

                                                     

Finding Nemo~~~

     

     I think most of us did not care much about the creature “clownfish”(小丑魚). However, after the animation “Finding Nemo” became a great hit, everybody knew that it is absolutely cute!

     Marine life is a usual topic used in animations or other movies. But I think Finding Nemo is the most successful one. It combines every element we like. Family love, adventure, tension, sorrow, and of course, a happy ending are all included.

     Let me make just a simple introduction of the storyline. During the school field trip, Nemo was captured by scuba divers. His father, Marlin, thus began a journey to save his dear son. On the way, he met some friends, like Dory, a kind “Regal blue tang”(擬刺尾鯛). He also encountered danger like a stuck of jellyfish who wanted to set them to death. After lots of effort, Marlin finally reached the destination Sydney Harbour. On the other hand, Nemo was confined in a dental clinic. Once, a pelican(鵜鶘) named Nigel, flew into the office, making a chaos. Nemo seized the chance and escaped into a drain. He and his father eventually had a reunion back in the sea.

      I am sorry to skip so many important and wonderful plots. Enjoying the movie again by yourself is the best way! Next, I would like to pick two scenes that are most impressive to me.

1.
The cute and stupid (XD) Dory has short-term memory loss. She is also optimistic. She thought that she could speak "whale", and started using a strange tune to talk to the giant whale. Both Chinese and English dubbing(配音) are super ridiculous and funny. It always make me laugh!

2.
On the way to Sydney, they met a Green Sea Turtle called Crush. His huge family were all migrating. They took Marlin and Dory a ride on the East Australian Current(東澳洋流). This scene in the animation looks awesome and magnificent!
I like to imagine if I could swim with the current. The speed and excitement must be unforgettable, just like taking a plane in Human's world! 

Here are two videos. 

One is the trailer, and the other is "Dory Speaking Whale" I mentioned above.

This animation was released in 2003. I know all of you can't wait to refresh your memory. So... here comes the sequel!
It is called "Finding Dory"! 
2015 November, let's meet in the theater!

Fantasia

This week, I would like to introduce an animation called Fantasia.

WARNING! It has A LOT to do with CLASSICAL MUSIC.
(So...don't escape my blog! It's pretty fun!)

The animation consists of seven segments, each created with one piece of classical music. The incidental music was conducted by Leopold Stokowski, and performed by famous Philadelphia Orchestra.

However, let me home in on the most (and only) renowned part, The Sorcerer's Apprentice.

First, let's acquire some preliminary knowledge.

The Sorcerer's Apprentice was originally a poem made by a German poet, Goethe, in 1797.

Later, the French composer Paul Abraham Dukas created an orchestral work under the story in 1897.

In 1936, Walt Disney felt that the star character Mickey Mouse's popularity was gradually surpassed by Donald Duck. Nonetheless, Mickey Mouse was his most-cherished role. Thus this part is designed to help Mickey make his comeback.

It was more complicated than any previous Disney short. The animator redesigned Mickey and added pupils for the first time in order to achieve greater ranges of expression. Most of the segment was shot in live action. One UCLA athlete was even asked to run and jump across the studio's sound stages with barrels in the way. Then it can be used for reference when Mickey traverses through water. For its great achievement in motion pictures, Fantasia was the subject of two Academy Honorary Awards in 1926.

The story unfolds just as the title. Mickey, wearing a red gown, studies under a sorcerer. He naughtily wears his master's blue cone hat, trying fantastic magic skills. He asks the brooms to do chores for him, himself getting rest and performing other magics excitedly. However, his poor ability makes everything go out of control. The basement is flooded. Mickey even gets trapped in a swirl. The whole tragedy comes to an end until the sorcerer shows up. Of course, this mischievous apprentice gets a spank on the butt by his master. The entire plot matches perfectly with the incidental music.

Time to watch the funny video!

I know the introduction (from start to 1:12) is a little boring.
BUT...If you skip it, there is no English in the video.
Haha = v =  

click me please~