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The Evolution of Disney Films

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Is it really okay to be a "Disney adult"? Join us as we explore this intriguing question and celebrate the magic of Disney across generations in our latest episode of Bonus Dad, Bonus Daughter. Hannah and I, Davey, embark on a nostalgic journey through Disney's rich history, from the groundbreaking animation of "Snow White" in 1938 to the rapid advancements in technology that define today’s films. We reminisce about our 2017 visit to Disney, where we were awestruck by the intricate, layered animation process that brought early films to life.

Nostalgia takes centre stage as we share our favorite Disney movies and the childhood memories they evoke. From the emotional resonance of "Coco" and "Inside Out" to the cultural influences in "Big Hero 6," we reflect on how these films have shaped our lives. We also tackle the importance of representation and inclusivity in modern Disney films, acknowledging the challenges Disney faces with outdated content like "Song of the South." Our personal reflections on Disney movies released the years we were born add a unique, heartfelt touch to our discussion.

Relive the magic of Disney's 90s classics with us, as we discuss titles like "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "Aladdin and the King of Thieves." We marvel at Disney's stage adaptations like "The Lion King" and share family anecdotes that reveal deep connections to Disney. Our chat includes a humorous reimagining of "Monsters Inc." and a spirited look at Disney Easter eggs and soundtracks, celebrating the clever references and unforgettable music that make these films timeless treasures. Whether you're a long-time fan or a newcomer, this episode promises to reignite your love for all things Disney.

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Davey:

Hello and welcome to Bonus Dad. Bonus Daughter a special father-daughter podcast with me Hannah and me, davy, where we discuss our differences, similarities, share a few laughs and stories. Within our ever-changing and complex world, Each week we will discuss a topic from our own point of view and influences throughout the decades or you could choose one by contacting us via email, instagram, facebook or TikTok links in bio. Welcome to another edition of Bonus Dad, Bonus Daughter podcast. I've really got to stop doing that.

Hannah:

Why do you do that? It's like you're trying to advertise something.

Davey:

They're already here.

Hannah:

I know they're here for a reason.

Davey:

I'm really rubbish at these intros. I really am awful. That's why I just get Hannah to do them all the time. I said I was going to do this one because it was a film one, Although I'm not actually really going to take the lead on this. Because this is a genre of film that I'm not overly au fait with.

Hannah:

Au fait Au fait. What did you mean to say?

Davey:

As in. You know, I'm not that knowledgeable of them.

Hannah:

Oh, that's a word Au fait. Au fait, I'm not that knowledgeable of them. Oh, that's a word Ofe Ofe, yeah, every day's a learning day.

Davey:

Every day's a learning day. So this was quite funny because obviously we were doing the different genres of film and Hannah wrote Disney films. I did, yeah, and you were really excited the fact that we were finally going to do it.

Hannah:

I am really excited I requested this one today.

Davey:

Yeah.

Hannah:

But I did want to mention before we start that there is such a thing going around on the internet as a disney adult and a lot of people using that in a derogatory term. And I just wanted to say as a blanket thing although I don't consider myself as a disney adult in the terms that people are saying online, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a disney adult I've never heard of this, so this is a term of basically saying that people haven't grown up, that they have, like Disney, paraphernalia on their body in terms of tattoos and things like that.

Hannah:

Same thing with Harry Potter and the I can't remember the name of the actress.

Davey:

Oh, I saw something in the news about this the other day. Was this Miriam Margo?

Hannah:

Yes, it was.

Davey:

Saying people should just grow up and get over it. You know what? Why?

Hannah:

Okay, you know, for some people films and things are an escapism. Oh, I understand. And if you love Harry Potter and you've got the Deathly Hallows tattoo, just hats off to you, crack on. I couldn't care less. And I'm coming from a place where I absolutely love harry potter and although I wouldn't consider myself a disney adult in the terms of having it on my body or having it on my profile, I enjoy a disney movie, I enjoy pixar movies and, um in, often I play them to go to sleep when I have insomnia. So everyone that thinks anything of that can get f***ed. You can bleep that one as well, given Davey Moore to edit. So anyway, on that note, you can like whatever you want to like.

Hannah:

Exactly, and we're going to talk about Disney films, which is this is a family friendly podcast.

Davey:

I know, and you've literally just said the F word which I'm now going to have to mute, mute, mute me literally just said the f word which I'm now gonna have to mute.

Hannah:

Mute, yes, um, yeah, this is. This is a episode all on disney films yes if you don't like disney films, you can pop off. So disney films, um, have been around for a very long time. The first ever disney film ever ever released as a full feature length movie yeah, you got a difference here time the first ever disney film ever ever released as a full feature length movie.

Davey:

Yeah, you got a difference here between the first disney release and the first disney feature film is snow white yeah, that was in 1938, so um before your time it was indeed. But you look at that film and look at that thing that was done in 1938. That's insane it's.

Hannah:

It's actually aged quite well in terms of really well the animation. Obviously it looks old, it is old yeah they did a very, very good job amazing job. Um, before that mega disney movie fans and and disney fans would say actually steamboat willie was the first, which was 1928. Um, but that isn't a full feature-length movie, it was a bit of animation.

Davey:

That was the introduction of Mickey Mouse, wasn't it?

Hannah:

Essentially, yeah, but he was called Steamboat Willie. Mickey Mouse, then and yeah, and we actually went to Disney. We went back in 2018. 2017.

Davey:

Oh 2017, sorry November of 2017.

Hannah:

Yeah, and we actually went and saw how they created Snow White and how they create the animation and something that really, really interested me and how they managed to do it with the technology that they had at the time was incredible.

Davey:

How they coloured each slide. Oh yeah, what got me as well is how they did the 3D effect. Yes, that was Layered film.

Hannah:

Yeah, Incredible, incredible, yes.

Davey:

That was layered film, yeah.

Hannah:

Incredible. Incredible. If anyone hasn't been to Disney and or, you know, not going to, or can't afford to because obviously it's quite an expensive trip, do a good YouTube and figure out, you know, really look into the animation of it if you're into that sort of thing. Because it was incredible how they managed to create Well, create a movie, it must have taken them so long, yeah. Well, create a movie, it must have taken them so long, yeah. And a point that I'll bring on to later is that the the time it took them to create animated movies like that as well, compared to nowadays, they they churn them out quite quickly, but back then, you know, it would have taken them years to create one movie and I'm pretty.

Hannah:

I don't know how long it took them to make make snow white, but I would guess at least two years.

Davey:

Yeah, I wouldn't be amazed if, after they'd done the Steamboat Willie, steamboat Willie came out 1928, 10 years before. Yeah, if they were already starting to probably work on it then, yeah, you know, as a full feature. I mean, that is such an ambitious project to do.

Hannah:

Yeah.

Davey:

Wasn't it back in the 30s? So ambitious and an interesting story to choose as well.

Hannah:

Yeah, yeah.

Davey:

The story of Snow White.

Hannah:

The story of Snow White came from the. It was a volcano, wasn't it? Snow White's the main volcano, and then there's seven little dwarf volcanoes around it, and that's where it originated from. But a lot of Disney classics originate from the Grimm's Tales. They are, yeah, are originated from the Grimm's Tales.

Davey:

They are yeah.

Hannah:

They are, which is, but also taken in a, let's say, they took it into a more family-friendly tone.

Davey:

Yeah, because the original stories are Well, the name is Grimm. Yeah, yeah, I mean well, they were called the Grimm Brothers, but yeah, they've kind of the original stories are very dark. Yes, I mean you look at the story of Cinderella with the bleeding feet in the original story.

Hannah:

Yeah, they cut their feet in order to get into the slipper.

Davey:

Yeah, that's right. Rapunzel, I mean the prince, gets blinded by thorns at the end. Yeah, you know it's a really, really dark tale.

Hannah:

I mean the fact that she was locked away in a tower is pretty dark in itself. I mean really dark tale. I mean the fact that she was locked away in a tower.

Davey:

It's pretty dark in itself.

Hannah:

I mean tangled, explain it away quite well, yeah, yeah, even so, if you look at it as a premise, you know she was a prisoner, so she was in her by her own.

Davey:

Well, not by her own mom, it was by him. Yeah, um, even even snow white. You know the um she dances to her death at the end yeah in that one? Uh no, I don't think she does. I think the the, the evil stepmother does I think she danced to death in the end. Um, and do you know frozen? You know frozen, based on a story called the snow queen oh, right, yeah do you know? I've never seen frozen. I have managed to escape it. Never seen it. Let it go so you know the songs?

Hannah:

I know the song, yeah but I've never seen frozen that's a good one.

Davey:

It's a good one, never seen it yeah, that's a good one, but you've got, so I mean you've got two types and when I think of Disney immediately and everybody thinks of Disney differently, but I see Disney characters as two different types of characters you've got the classic characters which I would see as Mickey Mouse, donald Duck, goofy Goof, um, and then you've got the more disney kind of princesses and uh, heroes such as snow white, cinderella, sleeping beauty, the little mermaid, um, those those types of ones. Well, actually there isn't third one as well. There's the other types of stories such as like 101 dalmatians, absolutely, yeah, um, fox and the hound.

Hannah:

They cover all. So sad. They cover all bases really. Yeah, you've got the classic characters which are more like TV show characters. I mean, you've got Fantasia, which is a long film, feature length film with them in, but then you've got, yeah, you've got Disney princesses. That's another category in itself, and then you've got all the kind of the Pixar animation.

Davey:

Yeah, you Up and you've got, like you said, oh, there's more character development in the first five minutes of Up than I know in any other film.

Hannah:

And there's no words said. That is heartbreaking, wally is the same, I want to cry now just thinking about it. Yeah, that's a heartbreaker that one it is Wally as well, and a lot of them have a moral to them. There is a hidden I don't want to say agenda that may be the wrong word Subtext. There's some subtext there, there's some subtext. Wall-e, for example, is all about climate and how we're destroying the earth.

Davey:

Yeah, we are, which is kind of right.

Hannah:

You've got Disney princess movies as well. A lot of them well all of them pretty much female led as well, pretty much female led as well.

Davey:

But you've now got Ah, but that's kind of changed, yes, that's kind of changed over time. So you know, even like Snow White, snow White's the main character, but would you say she was the heroine.

Hannah:

No, well, she kind of is, she kind of is.

Davey:

She kind of is, but isn't at the same time.

Hannah:

And then you've got Brave. And that was my terrible Scottish accent. I'm so sorry.

Davey:

Yeah, I used to call you brave, didn't I? You did.

Hannah:

And if I would dress up as any character, it would be her, because what an awesome character, what a great representation for a character as well Pretty stereotypical though, don't you think what? Do you mean? Because, she's Scottish and powerful.

Davey:

No, I mean the voice and the hair, and even like her dad and how it was.

Hannah:

Don't you think it's very stereotypical? Well, I think it's actually representative of the culture that she belongs to.

Davey:

Okay.

Hannah:

I'm going to go with that Cultural appreciation yeah, appreciation, not appropriation.

Davey:

Yes, appreciation, not appropriation.

Hannah:

Absolutely, and shouldn't we have more characters that look like that? We should have more characters that look like they come from the places that the movies are set. Like you know, Jasmine in Aladdin could have probably had darker skin if we're all being a little bit honest with ourselves, you know. So I think you know there is a place for that and they are getting better. Disney are getting better at that. I think. Originally Disney, you know they were trying to represent what they thought was their most target audience.

Hannah:

Yeah, yeah, yeah, and now they have such a global franchise actually would be the best thing, because not only do they have Disney films, they've got parks, they've got merchandise, they've got lots of things.

Davey:

Disney is now again. So over the years years, especially just of late, since they bought star wars and they bought marvel, of course disney's kind of spread out in some. So disney is global, it is global. Disney to me when I was younger was very much the animation. Yeah, that was the same. But then as you, as time's gone on, they've added, you know, you got pixar, that type of animation being thrown into the toy story side of things, uh, and then they've spread out and they bought star wars and they bought marvel and that's all comes, that comes under.

Hannah:

Now the uh, the disney umbrella, yeah, yeah I think you know disney is one of those things that it's not. It's not going to die out anytime soon no and the, the backing that they've got, the merchandising that they've got. They're not just films anymore, they're theme parks, they're clothing, they're toys, they're, they're everything, and so, therefore, that's why disney has to become inclusive, it has to become fit for all yeah, you know we've had incanto that come out recently and that's the first time I've ever seen really like the latino. Like is that?

Davey:

one where we've got to talk about Bruno. Yeah, is it yeah?

Hannah:

We don't talk about Bruno.

Davey:

Oh, we don't talk about Bruno. We don't talk about Bruno, yeah.

Hannah:

And you know, that's the first time I've ever seen like that representation. Coco is another one that's.

Davey:

Coco was really good. I think I've seen it. It's cracking. Yeah, I think I've seen it fantastic.

Hannah:

Inside Out is another one. It's bringing mental health to the forefront which they absolutely should be doing in the younger minds as well. You know, there's some really incredible ones. I love Big Hero 6 as well, because it brings in that Japanese animation mixed with Pixar animation, because they're San Fran, tokyo or something.

Hannah:

I can't remember what they call it now, but it's a mixture of Tokyo and San Francisco and they put it into one where it's set Right okay, and even when she pronounces his name Hiro, it's not Hiro, it's Hiro, you know it's kind of like it's got that influence in there and the names that they've picked and what they've done. It's very Akira style actually, oh amazing. Yeah, and there is a bike in it.

Davey:

I think they're doing a little nod.

Hannah:

Oh, like Tetsuo's bike yeah yeah, there's kind of a little nod to that and the Japanese influences in there, which is really cool.

Davey:

Sorry, just an aside. You know I've heard they're making a live action of Akira. Ah, yes, yeah, you sent me that.

Hannah:

The other day Did I send? So yeah, disney is a global franchise phenomenon, definitely, and it covers all sorts of things. We'll get on to our favourite Disney movies and stuff in a moment or so, but what I want to know first of all is let's go back in time to when you were young. How did you watch Disney movies?

Davey:

We would buy them on VHS the older ones, videos, yeah. So, snow White, we buy them on VHS the older ones Videos.

Hannah:

yeah, so Snow.

Davey:

White, and again, I may be misremembering this, but I'm pretty sure that we used to go to Cinema City to see some of them. Okay, and they would be the old ones. They'd be on at the cinema, like Snow White would be on. The first Disney film that I remember going to see at the cinema when it came out at the cinema was the Fox and the Hound.

Hannah:

Oh, sad one that one yeah. Yeah, Did you cry, oh God yeah, god, it was devastating.

Davey:

Saw the 101 Dalmatians at the cinema as well.

Hannah:

I don't know which one came out the first. I think the first Disney movie I ever saw in cinema that I can recall from memory is Toy Story 2.

Davey:

Okay.

Hannah:

Because I remember having Jessie's lunchbox when I first started school and I loved jesse because she was a girl and she was a cowboy and that was cool and she was. Her character is kind of a little bit silly, I think, and I think that's why I really connected with her, because I was silly too and it was it was nice, um, and she had red hair as well, which is, uh well, brownie red hair.

Hannah:

So I think for me it was like oh, a character that looks like me, um, which is, I think, so important for young children and that's why I'm really loving the inclusive approach that disney are now taking is that young boys and girls are from from all, all races or all countries in the world, kind of actually associate themselves with a particular character now, and that character looks like me and that's such a good representation like look at me, I'm in, I'm in a movie, like I can relate to that thing and that's really cool, yeah I remember what I remember seeing dumbo at the cinema oh, dumbo classic yeah, I remember um so lady, and the tramp, I remember seeing that at the cinema, yeah, but again, lady, and the tramp was done in the 60s.

Hannah:

I think yeah, yeah, I think it was.

Davey:

But yeah, Cinema City used to have like kids stuff on the Saturday.

Hannah:

Yeah.

Davey:

And I'm going back when I was really young, yeah yeah, yeah. That's when I still lived in Norwich, so I would be about five at the time. Yeah, but yeah, no all those kind of classic ones like D.

Hannah:

Yeah, pinocchio on VHS as well. Remember that, because the child catcher, god, terrified me, absolutely terrified me.

Davey:

In fact, because that is the thing as well. You know, almost like some Disney films, when you say they've got a message, like with Wall-E, and I look back to the messages in some of the other, like the message in Fox and the Hound is awesome.

Hannah:

Frozen is about two sisters reuniting. Yeah, after their after grief, which is quite a good tale to tell as well, and how different people cope with grief inside out is a fantastic example of how your brain is conflicted in emotional situations and yeah and how your mind can influence those certain things and how your memories in your life influence your decisions that you make.

Hannah:

The messages are strong and I think that's where Disney has to be careful with the messages they put across as well. And yes, some movies have become dated and some of them are deemed racist or homophobic and things like that, well, I was going to say because there was one particular disney film.

Davey:

I don't even think you can get it anymore and that's and that's and that's called the song of the south right.

Hannah:

It is yeah it's so stereotypically racist it came from a time where it wasn't you know it.

Davey:

They didn't think about the message they were putting across and they didn't think about society at the time, yeah, and they didn't think of the message they were putting across and they didn't think about society at the time yeah, and they didn't think of the global you know from it, from a global scale.

Hannah:

It was just what they thought would be hot at the time and the society that they lived in and that that's what based, you know, based a lot of them on. But I wanted to share a few few of the films that come out in 1975, the year you were born, and the the ones that come out in um, in the year I was born okay so for you, there's a lot less so one, two, three, four, five, six.

Hannah:

There's so six films. Uh, disney films come out in 1975 and I wanted to know if you heard of them yeah, okay because I don't think I've heard of any of them.

Davey:

But let's go for it yeah so the strongest man in the world nope, never heard of it, not seen it, never heard of it, not seen it, not heard of it.

Hannah:

Escape to Witch Mountain. Love it Fantastic. I've never heard of that one, yeah.

Davey:

I remember watching Escape to Witch Mountain. I absolutely love that film the Apple Dumpling Gang. Now the name rings a bell. I know the name, the I've seen it, which means either I've seen it and it didn't really make much of an impression on me, or I haven't seen it. Okay, fair enough.

Hannah:

One of our dinosaurs is missing.

Davey:

Again, remember it, not remember, but I recognize the name, but I don't know if I've ever seen it.

Hannah:

There's something called the Best of Walt Disney's True Life Adventures, which was a compilation film made up of highlights from True Life Adventures series.

Davey:

Nope, never heard of highlights from True Life.

Hannah:

Adventures series. Nope, never heard of it. No, True Life Adventures.

Davey:

No, and Ride a Wild Pony? Nope, not heard of that. No.

Hannah:

So you might have heard more of mine. Yeah, so Muppet Treasure Island.

Davey:

Yeah, I remember that Kraken movie. Yeah, I remember that.

Hannah:

Obviously Jim Henson. Yeah, we've talked about Jim Henson. Homeward Bound 2. I don't think I ever saw.

Davey:

Homeward Bound 2 have you? Yeah great movie James and the Giant Peach yes, and that's why our peach is called Peach is it? Did you not know that?

Hannah:

that's why we call Peach Peach, because his name is James oh, I thought you meant it's because the movie came out in the year or something.

Davey:

No, no, no, no. We call Peach Peach because his name is James. That's where it came from.

Hannah:

The Hunchback of Notre Dame came out in 1996 in June. Aladdin and the King of Thieves.

Davey:

Yep, remember that.

Hannah:

First Kid Never heard of that one.

Davey:

No, never heard of that.

Hannah:

The Mighty Ducks.

Davey:

Oh, that's got Emilio Estevez in it.

Hannah:

And of course we've already mentioned it 101 Dalmatians came out in 96. Incredible.

Davey:

Yeah, but that was the live action. So, I'm talking about when I saw 101 Dalmatians. I'm talking about the animation. Didn't that have Glenn Coase in it?

Hannah:

I don't know, I think it did yeah. Couldn't tell you. But yeah, all Kraken movies, most of them I've seen. I don't think I know what First Kid is, but yeah, fantastic, fantastic movies that came out when we were born.

Davey:

Well, I like as well how some Disney films are, because, we said, some of them are live action, especially the classics, and let's pick Lion King, for example. Has Lion King had a live action?

Hannah:

adaptation.

Davey:

Yes, so you look at Lion King, so you've got the original animation. Yeah, so you've got the original animation. Sorry, I just had that pop into my head. Then you had the live action, but also it's been translated again onto the stage.

Hannah:

Yes, yeah, the Lion King experience has been a very successful stage production for a very long time, considering that most of it is animated animals as well. They've done very good, because obviously you can't have animals on stage and they are people humans singing and dancing. Yeah, they've done a cracking job with that. That's been going around for years.

Davey:

Yeah, it has, since I can remember. Did you know your mum seemed frozen on stage? No, did you not know that? No, she went with. No, did you not know that? No, shouldn't we hills?

Hannah:

oh, of course yeah, well, do you? I've just, I've just thought, we should have had hillary here today we should have done that. We've, we've, uh, yeah, yeah, we've messed up we we have really messed up. We should have invited hillary on this podcast auntie hillary actually used to be a cast member at disney as well, yeah, so she could have definitely given us some. Maybe we can invite her for a Disney Plus episode on the parks, maybe, yeah, we'll leave park talk for her then. Yeah.

Davey:

Because I'm sure she'd love to come on. So could you argue that my sister Hilary is in fact a Disney, an actual Disney princess? Yes, she is, she is a Disney princess.

Hannah:

She is a Disney princess.

Davey:

Because remember, when we went to Disney, she was telling you, did she give you all those little?

Hannah:

things, the little badges. I feel like we need to save this talk for an episode with her.

Davey:

We need to get hills on here.

Hannah:

Yeah, we do so we won't talk about parks on this one no but um what's your favorite disney movie?

Davey:

see, this is see, I'm not sure see the first thing, the first thing that popped into my head was I love fantasia, but that was only because Fantasia was the music.

Davey:

It was very magical, that type of thing Fantasia is not where I thought you'd go with this no but as I sort of think more about it, that was the first one that popped into my head. But is it my favourite? I'm not sure it is. I love Finding Nemo. Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, I really love Finding Nemo. Oh, should I read that Pixar? Should I read that review? Out that I?

Hannah:

found. Yes, absolutely have you got it.

Davey:

I have got it. Let's see if I've got it in my phone, bear with me. So this was a message and you can Google this. It's a funny way of describing Disney films. This is a message that's been sent by somebody to somebody else and it says I just watched a film where a man's wife is brutally murdered by a serial killer and his son is left disabled. In a twisted turn of events, his son is kidnapped and he has to chase the kidnapper thousands of miles with the, with the help of another disabled woman. God, what's that called Finding Nemo? There are loads of them. You just have to explain Disney plots badly or explain Disney plots from a dark. There's loads and loads of them.

Hannah:

So, finding Nemo, are you going to go with that as your favourite? Yeah, pixar.

Davey:

Yeah, I probably would go with Finding Nemo, although, but then again it's quite difficult again as well, because when I think of other Disney films, other ones that pop into my head, such as the Fox and the Hound, because it's such a beautiful film.

Hannah:

So my favourite.

Davey:

Disney movie the Lady and the Tramp.

Hannah:

Yeah, my favourite Disney movie ever, the first one that always comes into my mind, is Monsters Inc. What a amazing yeah 2319. We got a 2319. Oh, I just love it so much always watching, wazowski always watching ross, mate, with some blast and snail, you're looking fabulous today.

Hannah:

Is that a new haircut? You had a lip, you've had a tug, you've had something. Listen, I need a favor. Random was working late on the scape floor and I really need the key to the door. He was using it. Motowski, mama, there's a gator in the house. A gator, give me that shovel. Yes, go on. A gator. A gator, give me that shovel. Kraken.

Davey:

Oh, I love Monsters Inc. What did you think of Monsters University. I liked it, did you?

Hannah:

It was a good prequel and it kind of understood the relationship between Sully and Mike, which is quite sweet. How Sully was a bit of a jock, a bit of a dick, and then Mike was the nerdy one. It makes sense where they ended up in the movie.

Hannah:

I really liked it. It's not one of my favourites, obviously up there, but yeah, I think Monsters Inc is up there. For me, in terms of princess movies representation, I think Brave would probably be up there as one of my favourites, just because it's nice to see a female heroine actor that doesn't have a love interest.

Davey:

And.

Hannah:

I said this with Captain Marvel in our Marvel episode I do like it when there's a female representation, where it's not just about getting the guy or getting the prince or anything like that. Have you got a favourite live action Disney movie?

Davey:

A favourite live action.

Hannah:

Disney movie. Have you seen many?

Davey:

Not that many.

Hannah:

Okay. Not too many, you've got Cinderella, there's Beauty and the Beast out, there's Lion King.

Davey:

So we watched the Little Mermaid the other week, didn't we? Yes, but I must admit I was on my phone For most of it. I didn't. Yeah, yeah, I wasn't really. I mean like Okay, so I know, this is, it is still Disney. So we're going to say Pirates of the Caribbean.

Hannah:

Okay.

Davey:

Yeah, I would say that you do like Pirates of the. Caribbean. I like Pirates of the.

Hannah:

Caribbean fan of beating the beast. I think emma watson done a cracking job at um being better. Oh, it's fantastic. Good representation, great music in it as well. Um added a few number. Gaston was incredible um in it um.

Davey:

His performance was amazing the guy who played gaston at disney. I know we'll work for hills, but he was brilliant, wasn't he?

Hannah:

yeah, we saw him yeah, he was incredible, um, so I think best, yeah, best live action, in my opinion, probably beating the beast. I just think it was done really well, just really well cast yeah and the music was really, really good. I liked lefou's character as well in it. Um, uh yeah, gaston was just amazing beast on a good job as well. Um, yeah, yeah, just thought it was a cool, cool movie.

Davey:

Yeah, there's your favourite, one favourite one. What did you think of the Lion King? Because I do like the Lion King, because the Lion King is essentially Hamlet, isn't it? That's what the Lion King is based on.

Hannah:

Confession Time. Yeah, never seen the Lion King, never seen it all the way through what the, the live action or the neither really it. It's one of those ones that and Bambi I've never seen. All the way through either. I can't cope with Bambi.

Davey:

I can't watch Bambi, bambi's mother, no Done, no, I'm sorry, no.

Hannah:

This is like I can't watch the first John Wick movie Like.

Davey:

I just no, well, we can watch it, but I just skipped that part. Yeah yeah, not a fan Inside Out got me when I first saw it as well, yeah, that made me cry.

Hannah:

There's a lot. I think Disney bring that whole sadness and comedy quite well in their Disney movies. They keep it very up and down kind of rollercoaster ride of a movie, and there's generally always a happy ending, although it is strange to me that most parents in disney movies are either dead, dying or evil, yeah, yeah, they don't like parents at disney and instead of the only the only good representation I can think of of parents just off the top of my head there's probably quite a few, but inside out, good parents- yeah, okay, yeah, yeah.

Hannah:

Both of them were alive for one yeah, um which, which which helps always step parents that seem to be evil as well. Yeah evil step mother yeah they don't really have any evil step fathers no.

Davey:

I guess they're just not in the picture are they?

Hannah:

no, they're not, no, no mums in Disney generally aren't always that great no mums or step mums really yeah yeah, because the dad dad dies in cinderella, because then she gets, she's with the evil stepmom yeah, and these sisters?

Davey:

yeah, ugly stepsisters they're called, aren't they yeah? Which is a bit mean yeah, exactly, yeah, it is a bit mean bell her mom's dead, her dad's insane, apparently yeah what are all the classic ones?

Hannah:

snow white. What happened to her?

Davey:

parents. She's wicked stepmother wicked stepmother?

Hannah:

yeah, of course she is. Yeah, yeah, stepmother aurora can't remember what happened to her parents. She's Wicked Stepmother. Wicked Stepmother? Yeah, of course she is. Yeah, yeah, wicked Stepmother Aurora can't remember what happened to her parents, but they're not about, wasn't there a stepmother? Which one's Maleficent? Well, that is Sleeping Beauty.

Davey:

That's Sleeping Beauty, isn't it? Yeah?

Hannah:

But that's not her stepmother, no.

Davey:

That's Then they went down the story of Maleficent as well, didn't they?

Hannah:

Yeah, which is called With Angelina Jolie, with.

Davey:

Angelina Jolie yeah.

Hannah:

Apparently, her kids were frightened to see that movie.

Davey:

Really yeah, apparently.

Hannah:

Frightened to see her in a bad character. She played that really well. I thought that's a nice live action, that's good, yeah, that is Good Maleficent.

Davey:

Have you seen the Huntsman with Chris Hemsworth? No, I don't think so. They don't tend to do as well as the animated ones for Disney do they?

Hannah:

No, they don't. I don't know what's the highest grossing success of Disney. I would say probably Beauty and the Beast. I think that's the one people most talk about.

Davey:

The most successful live action one?

Hannah:

Yeah, that would be my guess. I'm not sure what the actual stats are. But yeah, I would say Probably, yeah, I don't know, they should probably have some trigger warnings on some of these movies.

Davey:

Yeah, yeah, especially. I mean it's like Lion King.

Hannah:

That's sad.

Davey:

Dead Dad, see, that's another dead parent.

Hannah:

Yeah, they're obsessed with dead parents.

Davey:

And then Timon and Pumbaa's like.

Hannah:

Have all your days.

Davey:

Oh.

Hannah:

What.

Davey:

I just remembered one. Actually, we talk about favourite Disney films. There's one that I absolutely love. It's the Jungle Book.

Hannah:

Oh, jungle, book.

Davey:

I forgot about the Jungle Book.

Hannah:

Great Jungle.

Davey:

Book's great. I'm the king of the swingers on the jungle.

Hannah:

VIP yeah.

Davey:

I look for the bare necessities, the simple, bare necessities. Forget about your worries and your strife.

Hannah:

Yeah, man, I don't miss a beat.

Davey:

Yeah, he's in your stride. Yeah, man, I don't miss a beat. Yeah, baloo bagheera and the evil snake car. And what was it? Shere khan was the was the tiger, wasn't it? Shere khan was the tiger? But again, ah, here's a question for you. Do you think I mean, uh, okay, so I know that when you're talking about storytelling, there's generally I can't remember if it's 7 or 11, but there's either 7 or 11 plot lines and that's it. That's all there is in the world. Okay, 7 or 11 plots. Do you would agree that Disney it's almost like at some point do something original, because they rip off everything, all their classics, everything's ripped off from somewhere else.

Hannah:

Yeah, I mean, and it's a blatant rip-off as well, grimms, and yeah, yeah. I mean they use the same character names Exactly. They're not trying to hide the fact that they're ripping them off.

Davey:

Oh no, they're not trying to hide it.

Hannah:

They're just retelling it, aren't they?

Davey:

Yeah, I mean the Little I forgot about Mary Poppins, yeah.

Hannah:

Mary Poppins was great.

Davey:

The worst, the worst ever. Cockney. Accent by Dick Van Dyke, grudge, mary Poppins, it's stepping time what?

Hannah:

Yeah, oh, she played it great, didn't she? Julie Andrews, julie Andrews, yeah, julie Andrews was awesome.

Davey:

She's my Mary Poppins. Yeah, again, that's. I mean that's. It's a beautiful. The ending of that is very bittersweet.

Hannah:

Yeah.

Davey:

Because you know the whole idea is that she connects the child with the parents. Should you?

Hannah:

need us.

Davey:

No, that's elaborate, I know, I know, but the whole idea is that she connects the parents with the child and reconnects that family together. And they do, but she goes yeah, bittersweet, it is very bittersweet, it is very bittersweet, it is very, very bittersweet. So Disney as well. There is comment about Disney animators dropping little things.

Hannah:

Hidden messages.

Davey:

Hidden messages. Yes, have you seen this?

Hannah:

Well, there's a lot of phallic references apparently in Little. Mermaid. Yeah, yeah, I don't know if that was intentional or not, or whether it was just the animation style, the way they drew the underwater paradise. Yeah, I mean darling, it is better down where it's wetter so LAUGHTER, I don't know.

Davey:

I know you hear something like just like, really, I know we've mentioned before and we said about Shrek is like you know I've. We know we've mentioned before and we said about shrek is like you know, I've said that I've watched. When we watched shrek when we were, when you were little, we were watching two different films yes um and but.

Davey:

That is that is subtle, but in your face at the same time yeah whereas, like the disney, stuff is like you say it's, it's almost like easter eggs put in by the animators yes, yeah, uh yeah, because I think it is again. Sorry I'm missing Lion King again, but I think there's a thing in Lion King where it jumps in the clouds. It says sex in the clouds, Okay.

Hannah:

so apparently it says SFX.

Davey:

Is that what it is? Which is the animation company?

Hannah:

Right, okay, so yeah, there is a couple of things like that.

Davey:

Yeah.

Hannah:

And there's a lot of nods to other Disney films in Disney films. So for example in Monsters Inc, the ball that is in Toy Story is in Boo's room and the Nemo fish is also in Boo's room?

Davey:

Yeah, but isn't it that Pixar said they are all the same universe?

Hannah:

Yeah, so they are connecting them all.

Davey:

Yeah.

Hannah:

And there was, I think, in, I want to say it's in Incredibles Great movie, by the way.

Davey:

a, there's a helicopter crash and that's, that's the avengers civil war.

Hannah:

Oh so it's kind of, there's lots of nods and there's like a whole theory that so frozen the parents in frozen is the shipwreck in little mermaid which is also the couple that end up in tarzan, so tarzan is like their parents as well. Also, rapunzel and flynn rider are at the the coronation of anna and frozen.

Hannah:

There are so many theories around this that I don't know if they're true, I don't know if they're canon, I don't know if it's ever been um confirmed by disney. But yeah, there's a lot of easter eggs and a lot of films even before the films come out. Um, like, I think coco's guitar was in in a scene and another thing yeah, I just hear that you know before coco was even a thing.

Hannah:

Um, and maybe it's because, like, the animators make something and they're like, oh, we can just use that in another film. Like we've already animated the guitar, we might as well take that guitar and and put it into another thing. Like you know, we've already animated the guitar. We might as well take that guitar and put it into another thing. Like you know, we've created it once. You know, it might just be as simple as that.

Davey:

But yeah, in Monsters Inc, in Boo's room there's the Toy Story ball and Nemo's in there as well, but I don't know what it is about Easter eggs, but I love an Easter egg in a film. Yeah, I really do. I love it when that happens. I know it's not strictly Dungeons and Dragons, I mean not strictly Disney, but in the film Dungeons and Dragons I've already mentioned before they reference the cartoons because they're all in the cage.

Davey:

Now when I mean this will probably be completely lost on you, but I laughed in the cinema when we saw it because one of the cleric turns around and says I love the smell of fresh cut grass.

Davey:

Now that made me burst out laughing, because that is a reference to fresh cut grass in critical role and that was a real nod to the dungeon dragons and fandom yeah so, and I think by disney doing that in those little things also, it's like another little nods to other disney films and their fans and I just love what looking, looking out for them, because I do remember the coco guitar.

Hannah:

So yeah, I'm seeing that in something else. So we've talked a lot about the Disney films and how they can be musical numbers and we've sang a few. So do you have? I know I've written down my favourite soundtrack ever. Do you know what your film is and what has the best soundtrack for you?

Davey:

Right, so you've written one particular thing on here.

Hannah:

Yeah.

Davey:

Right. Which you're gonna leave me to say, because and I'm gonna leave you to say, because actually I do think I'm now not the soundtrack, but there's one song, yes, 100, that is the best disney song ever yeah, I love it okay, go so my favorite ever like disney kind of musical soundtrack is Hercules.

Hannah:

It is the most incredible. You've got kind of the Gossiple style but also the Greek influences and a lot of that. What the heck are you doing?

Davey:

I was trying to take a drink, but I didn't want to slurp it, so it came out of the microphone.

Hannah:

Okay, just pause one second.

Davey:

I just looked across and Davey had the bottle like arched over his head and was dripping the water into his mouth rather than sucking the bottle, and that was really off-putting sorry, I just I didn't want because because it's there's not much left in the bottle and I didn't want to suck the bottle and to make this kind of like sound over the microphone. So I was being really respectful of you then.

Hannah:

But oh god, okay, continue back to hercules. Yeah, so they've got this gospel like kind of style choir in there. The harmonies are incredible. Whoever wrote that soundtrack needs a needs an award. I hope they got an award. I don't know if they did, but what an incredible soundtrack. And hercules, of course, is a greek tale as well it is you know that's been ripped off in your opinion like you know it has. You know that's, that's you know, homer wrote that you know, you know, and and he's, he's old and not with us anymore.

Hannah:

No, it hasn't been for centuries centuries and centuries, you know, and it's, it's an incredible soundtrack and you know you've got quite that's again. You know his parents were quite good. He was adopted. That was a good tale about how adoption was really good and how he was trying. He never fit in and that's because of his adoption. You know he belonged with the gods but then he realized that he didn't belong with the gods. He, you know it was a love interest in the end, but you know he found his own way in life yeah he didn't feel like he belonged and then he found somewhere he could belong and he made that himself.

Hannah:

And it wasn't about being the best and it wasn't about being a god. It was about, um, treating people nicely and with respect and that's that's exactly. That exactly is the the. You know, the story with meg was the whole reason she was in the claws of the underworld Hades. What an incredible character. By the way, he's probably my favourite character in any Disney movie ever. He's probably got that car salesman style to him.

Davey:

I love the Disney villains.

Hannah:

Oh God, he's incredible. Hades is the most incredible villain ever. But yeah, all because a guy let her down and that's how she got into the underworld and, um, you know, and she was mistreated and then they both found someone that they could care about and they loved together. It was a lovely story, um, but yeah, hades, what an incredible character. Pain and panic oh, they're great as well. Yeah, but yeah, what's your favorite song in hercules? Now I'm interested is that?

Davey:

is that the gospel song?

Hannah:

I mean, there's lots, which one?

Davey:

um, oh, that's it, that one, yeah, yeah, yeah, that one, yeah slapped his face on every face, on every part where was it? I was with, and someone says every someone else said every time that comes on, they just have to start singing. I think that might be Hills actually. Yeah, I don't know.

Hannah:

I can't cast a burn. Yeah, it's an incredible, incredible soundtrack. Meg's song in that as well. You know, if there's a price for rotten judgment, guess I've already won that. It's a great song. No man has roughed the aggravation. It's ancient history, been there, done that aggravation. It's ancient history, been there, done. But there's a lovely like. That song in particular is a really good representation of. They change the lyrics to make it all greek inspired. Like that scene won't play, is it is a lyric in that song. It's all about greek scenes and greek theater and and like there's a lot of greek influences all the way through the animation as well, which is incredible. Talk about Hercules being a tragedy, and it's bringing that whole Greek theatre into play as well, which was incredible. But, yeah, what an incredible soundtrack. Do you have a favourite soundtrack of movies?

Davey:

A favourite soundtrack of movies Like a Disney soundtrack. When you think of Disney soundtracks, the things that do pop into my head is probably the Lion King. It's bizarre, I've not really even seen it that often, but when I think of a Disney song, the first thing that pops into my head is Timon and Pumbaa.

Hannah:

Okay.

Davey:

You don't think.

Hannah:

Let's get down to business. To defeat the Hun Mulanan, come on do you know what?

Davey:

I don't think I've even seen Mulan. I don't think I have father oh my god but you used to watch it all the time female heroine again yeah, I think she wasn't even a princess didn't you and your mum used to watch that a lot?

Hannah:

yes, dragon, I don't do that tongue thing, eddie Murphy yeah, that's incredible.

Davey:

I was actually. I was just looking through are there any um disney films that you don't like? Because I'm just literally I've just gone on wikipedia on my phone, wikipedia and I'm just looking through, or I mean, firstly, I was going to list all the disney films but, to be honest, we'd be here for another year if I was to listen more yeah, but there's a, there's one on here.

Hannah:

Mulan's animation wasn't, uh. Mulan's live action wasn't as good as I wanted it to be.

Davey:

There's one film on here that every time it comes off, I just really don't like it. I didn't like it as a child and I still don't like it now. That's Bedknobs and Broomsticks.

Hannah:

Oh, Bedknobs and Broomsticks. The never-ending film, the never-ending film. It's like, just please end, yeah, just please end that was one of those movies, a bit like Mary Poppins, where they had live action and animation yeah In one.

Davey:

Yeah, a bit random, who Framed Roger Rabbit as well did that yeah, yeah yeah, although I loved who Framed Roger Rabbit, it was brilliant.

Hannah:

I said brilliant. Is there any movie?

Davey:

Any that you don't like. Don't like God. Oh the Aristocats.

Hannah:

I wasn't actually a massive fan of Encanto, to be honest. I don't know why. I think it just had a lot of hype and then I didn't really understand the hype, although, again, the songs in it were quite cool. The soundtrack's good. I think it has a really good message as well, but it wasn't one of my favorites.

Davey:

I was just thinking was it Coco that was going to come? Yes, it was. So Coco came out November 22nd 2017. Because that's when we were in Disney.

Hannah:

We were and we saw the preview of it. Preview, yeah.

Davey:

Before it came out.

Hannah:

Yeah, that was incredible.

Davey:

Yeah.

Hannah:

Something we haven't mentioned as wellney does a couple of short animation films and sometimes they used to play them before a movie started. The one that sticks in my brain the most is one before toy story where there were little birds on a on the line yeah, yeah and then it blows up at the end um, so there's little things like that, and they're all on disney plus now, which is lovely, you can get them all yeah and there was like wally in real life as well on there, so it's like pixar in real life and they're so good.

Hannah:

Um, yeah, they're really good if you have disney plus. I highly recommend watching some of the short stories um they've got a lot of marvel ones if you're into that as well.

Davey:

So there's loads, there's loads of the great ones. Yeah, the great ones are really good, really really good yeah, so yeah, definitely so we were going to actually do a whole section on theme parks with disney, but we're not going to do that now. No, we're not gonna do that because we're gonna bully hillary and we're gonna get him she's actually in america right now, isn't she?

Hannah:

is she? Oh yeah, I think she is yeah yeah, I think she is because I stalk her on instagram.

Davey:

do you really? Yeah, do you like you? I know you like her, her, because we need to get her in as well, because she is essentially an influencer as well. So, yeah, we're going to do a. I think we need to do a podcast on influencers and also do one on Disney theme parks and get her on. Yeah, yeah, listening hills. We're coming for you, we're coming for you.

Hannah:

Well, we hope you've enjoyed this episode of Disney Films and join us next time for our next episode, which I don't know what it will be because we record these in advance. So enjoy the next one, enjoy the previous one, enjoy our podcast in general. Bye, outro Music.