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MULAN
With the exception of the unforgettable FANTASIA, there has been nothing in the field of animation to compare with Disney's MULAN. The graphics were absolutely captivating. The battle scenes, the spears and arrows in the air, the city below, the snow, the crowd of 2,000 Huns on horseback, 7.000 lanterns, a crowd of 30,000. . . everything with perfection.
Then there is the wonderful story, in fact a great poem, (which originated during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-534 AD) that the Chinese have been relating to their children for some 2000 years so that everyone in China is as familiar with the story as we here are with Pocohantas. The original great poem begins with the sound of a loom, "Zhi-zhi, zhi-zhi." The poem's story over the many years of telling have resulted in many versions. It should be noted that unlike the MULAN film being reviewed here, the only love interest in all the stories was one of the paternal-filial kind. Hollywood added Captain Shang (voice of B. D. Wong).
The current film is based on the story version by the famous children's books writer, Robert D San Souci. China has been invaded by the Hun, Shan-Yu (Miguel Ferrer). The Emperor (Pat Morita) decrees that every household must send one male to help fight the invader. Mulan (Ming-Na Wen), a feisty, brainy young lady who, according to custom should be getting married, is very upset because her aged father, Fa Zhou (Soon-Tek Oh) the only male, is thinking of joining the army and will surely be killed. She throws all caution aside, dresses like a male and secretly sets off to join the army where she does heroic duty and helps save the day.
In the film, Mulan is slightly wounded, which is when it is revealed to Captain Shang by the attending physician that Mulan is woman. In the original poem, the revelation comes when she returns home from the war with a medal given her by the Emperor and the treasured sword. Adding the captain as the love interest does not hurt anything.
There is the delightful character, the dragon, Mushu, (Eddie Murphy) who was originally an ornament on an incense burner who comes alive to help Mulan. There's the matchmaker (Miriam Margolyes), there's Mulan's gruff but good-hearted comrade in arms, Yao (Harvey Fierstein), Shang's singing voice (Donny Osmond), and more.
One more word about the original poem which ended with a sentence that became famous in China: If two rabbits run side by side, how can you tell which is the male and which the female?
Songs and music by Matthew Wilder, lyrics by David Zippel, and an original score by Jerry Goldsmith.
Everyone connected with the film should be very proud. It is magnificent.
Directed by Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft.
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Copyright 1998 Ben Hoffman
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