My Disney Rant

*I want to preface that the topic discussed in the following blog post is something that is near and dear to my heart. The thoughts and opinions that follow are not meant to insult anyone. Please enjoy the oncoming rant. Thank you.*

Dear Disney, 

Remember the good ‘ol days when you were known for creating stunning works of animation and beautiful stories? Remember all the colorful characters and memorable songs that have become, for many, wonderful pieces of childhood nostalgia? Well I remember those days. In fact it wasn’t too long ago that your studio produced what many argue to be one of the best Disney films in years. I’m sure you know the one that I am talking about. It’s the one with that extremely catchy song that kind of sort of hasn’t totally gone out of the public conscious. Oh I remember what it was called.

FROZEN!!!!!!!!

Considering that this little blockbuster of yours has earned $1.219 billion at the box office, I was kind of shocked to read that in the coming years, your studio will be producing not one, not two, NOT THREE, BUT TEN live action remakes of some of your most beloved films. I understand the merits of making live action films to tell the story of Maleficent or giving my generation a live action version of the Cinderella story, but do you seriously need to add ten other remakes to your filmography????? 

While I am sure many are excited to see a live action retelling of some of your most classic movies like Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and even the Jungle Book, I’m kind of on the fence about the matter. Take Beauty and the Beast for example. This was one of your first masterpieces following the death of Walt Disney. It was so amazing that it became the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture. Why remake it? Do you think that making a live action version will somehow improve a story that you’ve already successfully told? Maybe I’m simply missing the appeal of having live action versions of some of my favorite childhood films. Let’s pick another film that’s getting the live action treatment. 

Dumbo. Yes, that’s right. The movie about the silent flying elephant and its talking mouse sidekick is going to brought back to big screen thanks to Tim Burton. Wouldn’t you say that this going a bit too far? How will this film even work without an excessive use of CGI? I understand that Tim Burton has had great success with the Alice in Wonderland films but using CGI works within the context of these films. Wonderland is place wholly apart from reality. Dumbo doesn’t take place in a land of make-believe. It takes place at a traveling circus. A circus that is grounded in the real world. Can I remind you how god-awful the Smurfs movie was? Do you really want to have something that bad listed on your filmography?

I’m going to wrap this letter up by simply asking for one specific thing. Please stop remaking your movies and go back to doing what Disney once did best: making amazingly memorable movies. If the next ten to fifteen years are going to be populated by live-action remakes of your movies, I’m afraid that I will simply have to boycott them. You have already told these stories, many of which you told wonderfully. Give us new stories. Help us fall in love with Disney again.

Sincerely, 

Jill

P.S. If you must make a live action remake of Mulan and Mushu is going to be featured in the movie, he better be voiced by Eddie Murphy. Don’t ruin this movie for me!