The Magical "Music" of Disney

[Braidless Baka]

[color=orangered]We all remember those good old days, right? The days when characters in a Disney animation would just all burst into song! They'd know all the words, and nobody would give them funny looks for singing to an invisible orchestra in the wierdest of situations.

But recently, the sing-along music seems to have just... gone. The more recent Disney movies (like [b]Treasure Planet[/b], [b]Atlantis[/b], [b]Lilo and Stitch[/b], and even [b]Tarzan[/b]) seem to have moved away from the traditional way of bringing the songs into the animation.

So, my fellow Disney-fans, is this a good thing?[/color]

[James]

[color=#707875]I personally feel that the older Disney movies generally had better music in 'em. Or at least, they were all pretty good up until a few years ago.

Some of the newer Disney films just fall flat on their face when it comes to music. James & the Giant Peach comes to mind...the music in that movie was the most lazy, horrible stuff I've ever heard. lol

It's a shame, considering the gorgeous visuals and the wonderful original novel.

As I've grown older, I find that I tend to prefer cartoons that don't have characters breaking into song every five minutes. I increasingly find it very irritating.

I mean, I enjoyed movies like Toy Story because they really didn't have that element in them...they used music effectively, but the characters themselves weren't frequently doing a song and dance. There was greater focus on the story itself. So that's my personal preference.

So in terms of there being less music in general...I personally don't really care. If there's less music, there's also less chance of seeing [i]bad[/i] music. lol

But if the music used is clever and interesting...it can really add to the movie. It's just that the writers have to be very effective with music in order to pull that off, in my opinion.[/color]

[terra]

I'm a little torn on this topic myself. On one hand, I've always loved musicals and the improbability of characters bursting out into song (and perfectly choreographed dance) at any opportunity ... It's just so darn cute. In my opinion, Disney's most successful musical movie was probably [i]Lion King[/i] ... the songs were really well-integrated, really cute and catchy, and definitely added to the movie overall. And when I first heard that [i]Tarzan[/i] and the like wouldn't have that, I was pretty upset.

On the other hand, now I've seen several of the Disney movies without integrated songs, and they're still just as charming and touching as the older musical-type Disney films. I think Disney has accomplished the move really well, and I didn't even miss the songs after [i]Tarzan[/i]. So ... I can't say yes or no to if it's a good thing or not, but I, a die-hard fan of musicals, am all right with the change.

[Semjaza]

I was thinking more in terms of their animated features... so I won't even mention James and the Giant Peach or others like it.

I came in here and was going to be like "No, because blah blah blah", but when I started typing, I realized that I can't remember one damn song from [i]any[/i] of the movies you mentioned.

They went from being musicals to just being movies, really. There is a substantial amount of music, that obviously has a lot of time spent on making it, but it's background stuff. Tarzan had that part where the monkeys play the pots... but I can't remember most of it. Besides it had Rosie singing, so it obviously sucked.

The first movies I remember doing this from Disney were the Rescuer films. Both the original, and The Rescuers: Down Under. I don't think either of them had points were people sang. They had voiced music, but like the current ones, it was a background thing that fit the scene.

I can't remember any of those songs either. I don't think it's because they weren't good... I think it's just because they weren't being shoved down your throat like in every other Disney movie. You could just pay attention to something else in these, but in the character singing one you had to pay attention to it or basically just leave.

The difference between The Rescuers and recent movies of theirs is that I actually liked The Rescuers.

[Pagan]

The songs have stopped because kids are getting smarter. They need reasons for things now. Me and little cousin were watching Alladin every time a song came up he asked why are they singing(I ran out of reason after Genie's song). They need reason and good ones. I myself love the Disney songs. My favorites were the villians song(they were more up in pace and had more feeling). Poor Unfortunate Soul is amazing.

[Semjaza]

That's the most bizarre reason I've ever heard. So I was more stupid as a kid than most now? Some people here sure don't seem to back up that idea lol. Maybe in the sense that kids now are more aware of the bad things around them, I guess.

I think it's more that Disney wanted to mature and have their movies appeal to a wider audience. Most teenagers don't want to go see a cartoon in the first place, let alone one where everyone wants to randomly break out in song. They were musicals, which hadn't been popular for a really long time until stuff like Moulin Rouge and Chicago hit theaters.

This makes them seem like they're not totally just for children to many people. Of course, it seems to be backfiring... although I can't blame that on lack of music as much as I can blame that on lack of charm and interest.

Musicals don't have to explain why they have songs in them. They never really have and most never will.

[Moor_Child]

I've noticed that about Disney movies and how they don't really have all the music anymore. I was trying to figure out what was the last movie they made that actually did have all the singing and danceing. Anyone know?

I don't like how they stopped. They just don't seem like disney movies anymore, to me anyway.

[SadClown]

It all went down hill after Disney switched animation teams after they completed the Lion King. They adopted this angular, computer generated style that I just dont think fit the Disney charm. As for the singing, I half-heartedly agree with Hell Fire becuase, in a sence, kids of the present are more desensitized to things than I was when I was that age. TV's more violent so of course there's going to be less singing and more explotions.

[amibasuki]

[FONT=arial]I don't mind singing in movies (Disney or not), as long as the song isn't completely stupid or aggravating. don't particularly care what Disney does with the music either way, as long as the music fits.[/FONT]

[Queen Asuka]

[color=hotpink][size=1]I personally don't like the transition. I remember when Toy Story came out how much I hated that one guy sang all the songs in the movie and that the characters didn't sing them. Although now, Toy Story is one of my favorite Disney movies and I adore all of the songs in them. I just love Woody and Buzz! *Squeaks loudly*

Anywho, I ADORE Disney songs. (Where the characters actually sang, that is.) When I was a kid, it was so awesome to be able to just break into a chorus of "Prince Ali" or "Part of Your World" with my sisters. Heck, my sister burnt a bunch of copies of Disney CDs and one day we just rode around and sang them at the top of our lungs. You just can't beat that.

I especially like the songs from Cinderella and Mulan. And Aladdin. And the Aristocats. And Sleeping Beauty. And Beauty and the Beast. And HERCULES! Man, I love the songs from Hercules. You know what? I need to go watch some Disney movies before I have a nervous breakdown.[/color][/size]

[Turkey]

While I haven't been bothered by the transition, I do find some of the songs to be quite memorable. Still, I find that there are plenty of songs that feel like they were added at the last moment.

By the way, EMPEROR'S NEW GROVE ROXORS YOUR BOXORS!!!111ELEVEN1111!
Seriously thought, that movie's only song was an example of perfect delivery and lots of charm.

[Sere Tuscumbia]

[size=1]Wow, I never thought about the fact that there weren't songs in Disney movies anymore. I guess when I watch movies my mind numbs and I don't think about it.

But now that I've actually thought about it, you know, I liked the movies with the songs better. Just because it amused me that they would break out into song. And I liked it even better when the song would correspond with what they were actually doing (like in Aladdin, when he's avoiding the guards). Plus, I just feel that Disney songs should be kinda goofy, and they wouldn't be so goofy if they didn't have the random music.

And hey, I admit it. I was (and am still) one of those kids that would jump up and start singing and dancing along to the movies.

Having songs is a great way to set the mood in a movie.

*shrug* I don't watch movies much, but right now I have a weird urge to pop either [i]Beauty and the Beast[/i] or [i]Aladdin[/i] in and start singing along (however horribly, because I'm 1) sick and 2) still getting used to having a retainer and not having braces) at the top of my lungs.

Ahhh, good times. Good times.

--Sere[/size]

[JCBaggee]

[color=red][size=1][font=arial]Well, I do remember the good ol' days, when you wound up humming the music to the songs after you'd seen it, a trend that seems to have ended with "Pocahontas" (for me, at least). I don't mind the format of Toy Story (second on my list of favorite animated/CGI films ever), as it seemed sorta fitting. For some reason, I can't imagine Woody and Buzz doing a duet...

--Chris[/color][/size][/font]

[Dagger]

I've always loved Disney songs. For example, even though I had pretty mixed feelings about the historical inaccuracy of Pocahontas--I still ran around singing "Colors of the Wind." One of Beauty and the Beast's main charms is its catchy and touching music. Same goes for The Lion King. That's why they've both been wildly successful on Broadway.

I don't like the new Disney art style either. It doesn't have the charm or beauty of older movies, such as Sleeping Beauty. When I complain about American animation, it's not the old movies I'm thinking of--those are classics. It's the new ones. They may be decent, and perhaps I'm prejudiced, but they aren't great.

The best Disney animated film I've seen in recent years is The Emperor's New Groove. It was cute as well as very amusing. I just wish that the people at Disney would put more effort into attracting audiences to traditionally animated movies--and pay more tribute to the great films they made in the past.

~Dagger~

[Sara]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Queen Asuka [/i]
[B][color=hotpink][size=1]I especially like the songs from Cinderella and Mulan. And Aladdin. And the Aristocats. And Sleeping Beauty. And Beauty and the Beast. And HERCULES! Man, I love the songs from Hercules. You know what? I need to go watch some Disney movies before I have a nervous breakdown.[/color][/size] [/B][/QUOTE] [font=arial]Tori, you are so cool.

I like Disney songs. I do. A lot. I love singing. I'm practically bursting from all the songs mentioned in this thread; I don't know which one to sing first, heh.

I guess...I don't [i]miss[/i] having songs in the movies as much as I dislike the fact that more cool sing-along songs are not being added to my repertoire. Heh.

There are a few songs that I just love. Meg's song [[i]I Won't Say (I'm in Love)[/i]?] from Hercules is one of them. I wish I could find a good shot of her; she would make a good avatar, hm.

And pretty much [i]anything[/i] from [i]The Little Mermaid.[/i] That is probably one of my all-time favorite movies. We don't own it (why, I don't know), and every once in a while I'll inform my parents that we need to rent it that week.
There are such great songs in that movie. I sang [i]part of your world[/i] for an audition last year. It. was. so. cool.

I also really like the songs from [i]Hunchback.[/i] I don't know them as well as I know the songs from [i]Mermaid[/i], but a lot of them have pretty haunting moments in the melodies, which is an aspect of music I love. I actually have a clarinet book with all the songs from [i]Hunchback[/i]; I should get that out, heh.

Okay, I'll stop now.[/font]

[Queen Asuka]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Dagger IX1 [/i]
[B]I don't like the new Disney art style either. It doesn't have the charm or beauty of older movies, such as Sleeping Beauty. When I complain about American animation, it's not the old movies I'm thinking of--those are classics. It's the new ones. They may be decent, and perhaps I'm prejudiced, but they aren't great.
[/B][/QUOTE]

[color=hotpink][size=1]Yes, but what's neat about Disney movies is that each animated feature has it's own style. The characters look completely different from any other anime character. Compare Hercules to Pocahantas. Or Mulan. They look nothing alike.

Although, I didn't like the style of Lilo and Stitch. I haven't seen it yet because the characters just aren't cute and attractive. Maybe it's just me and I'm insane like that...

And I hate how everything is done with computers nowadays. I miss the old traditional ways of art...[/color][/size]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Saraness:[/i]
[size=1][b]I also really like the songs from Hunchback. I don't know them as well as I know the songs from Mermaid, but a lot of them have pretty haunting moments in the melodies, which is an aspect of music I love. I actually have a clarinet book with all the songs from Hunchback; I should get that out, heh.[/b][/size][/quote]

[color=hotpink][size=1]You know, I've never seen the Hunchback of Notre Dame. I guess I need to rent it and watch it. Especially if it's got good songs. ^_^[/color][/size]

[Dagger]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Queen Asuka [/i]
[B][color=hotpink][size=1]
And I hate how everything is done with computers nowadays. I miss the old traditional ways of art...[/color][/size]
[/B][/QUOTE]

It's too bad that computers are taking over hand-drawn animation. But I've got to admit, I'm pretty blown away by the latest crop of CG-integrating anime. For example, the animation and color in Full Metal Panic are just astounding.

The only thing I don't like is when an animated show or movie relies on cool CG effects rather than its characters, storyline, and plot.

~Dagger~

[eleanor]

[size=1] *looks around nervously*

I liked [i]I'm Still Here[/i] by John Rzeznik *gets pounded with various objects*

Erm...but I love the Disney Classics. There were more like musicals, like Semjaza Azazael said. Cinderella, Snow White, Beauty and Beast [I [i]so[/i] a musical piece of [i]Tale as Old as Time[/i] for the cello], Hercules, and Mulan. I absolutly adore Mulan. Unfortunately, I still don't have the DVD. V_V

The recent popular Disney movies [[i]Lilo and Stitch[/i] and [i]Treasure Planet[/i]] aren't so great. I love that John Rzeznick song, but the rest is over-played.[/size]

[Braidless Baka]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by maladjusted [/i]
[B][size=1] I liked [i]I'm Still Here[/i] by John Rzeznik *gets pounded with various objects*[/size] [/B][/QUOTE]

[color=orangered]Oh wow!! *hugs you to death* I [i]LOVE[/i] that song!! But then again I love [b]Treasure Planet[/b] too. (The French version of that song is... creepy O_o)

I guess as far as the music goes, I love the classics. I mean, some of the songs in the "musical" films were mind-blowing. ([b]Jungle Book[/b] anyone?) But I like the way they have it now. I think it's healthy that the characters don't burst into song at every oppertunity. That way the plot focuses more on the characters, and I think you really feel more for them if they don't inexpicibly burst into song every two seconds.

And I've gotta say [b]Lilo and Stitch[/b] were a big let down on the music front, though QA, I'd still reccomend it. It's one of my favourites ^_^;;

And when you're talking about computers taking over animation, do you mean the hand drawn stuff, or the 3D stuff? Because [b]Finding Nemo[/b] was one of my favourite movies ever ^_____^;; *plots to go see that movie again* And let's not forget [b]Toy Story[/b]! Yayness!

Heh, and just as a side-note, I can totally prove I like Disney songs. I have the songs in numerous languages on my PC. Chinese, Korean, Hawaiian, German, French, Dutch, Candian French, Japanese, Italian, Spanish etc etc etc O_o;; I went through a phase of madness ~____~;;[/color]

[Semjaza]

You make a good point... However, considering how bad the character development has been in some recent Disney films, I don't know if I could agree that it actually is true.

Ignoring the music hasn't really done anything. It's not as though the characters sang about unrelated things. They used them to convey their feelings in some form. Now we just get some guy singing a song in the background, generally while the characters just walk around silently.

Then you have films like Treasure Planet, which make it even less applicable, I think. That movie has so many characters in it that few even are worth liking.

To me, he problem isn't Disney's lack of focus on the music, or even their excessive use of it. It's that they seemingly have no idea how to craft a good story with memorable characters to the extent that they used to.

As for the Pixar stuff, I see no reason to even call it Disney. Pixar somehow realizes how to make good stories and characters along with their visuals. They know how to make things endearing. Disney doesn't seem to get that, and they very recently got rid of even more of their traditional artists with the plans of making their future stuff mostly 3D (not just computer drawn like most is anyway... Pixar style stuff). They're down to just 15 people now in that department. Last I heard, they wanted to make some 3D Pinocchio film. I wish they'd just give up.

[Queen Asuka]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Braidless Baka [/i]
[B][color=orangered]And when you're talking about computers taking over animation, do you mean the hand drawn stuff, or the 3D stuff? Because [b]Finding Nemo[/b] was one of my favourite movies ever ^_____^;; *plots to go see that movie again* And let's not forget [b]Toy Story[/b]! Yayness![/color] [/B][/QUOTE]

[color=hotpink][size=1]No, I was referring to how things aren't hand-drawn anymore. I love [b]ToyStory[/b] and [b]Monsters Inc.[/b] I'm talking about how they use computers to figure out how to put things together. I think they first started using it on the [b]Lion King[/b] with the large numbers of animals stampedeing. It's easiest to tell in[b] Tarzan[/b], though. I don't know. I just prefer traditional to the newer stuff.[/color][/size]

[quote][i]Originally posted by Semjaza the God[/i]
[b]Ignoring the music hasn't really done anything. It's not as though the characters sang about unrelated things. They used them to convey their feelings in some form. Now we just get some guy singing a song in the background, generally while the characters just walk around silently.[/b][/quote]

[color=hotpink][size=1]See, that's what I'm trying to get out. The songs had important significance to everything that was going on around them. I just think about how beautiful/fun the songs were...they weren't pointless. And that's why you can actually relate some Disney songs to aspects of your own life...at least, I can.

I think the songs made the movies DISNEY. They were musicals. They were classic. Disney is definitely losing it's touch. Everything doesn't have to be able 3D...[/color][/size]

[Doukeshi]

I don't know really. I mean I love disney movies, my favourite being a contest between Mulan and Beauty and the Beast, and I know that the singing and music was a big part of that. Anyone remember sing-a-long videos? Anyway, I think that the songs in more classic type disney movies like Aladdin and Mulan are far more catchier than those in movies like Toy Story and Finding Nemo. To tell you the truth I haven't really noticed the transition, although, those songs do seem to define what disney is.

For example, can anyone tell me if Shrek was Disney? Now for me, with all these dreamworks things wandering around like Sinbad and that moses one it's getting more and more difficult to tell. You used to be able to tell, like with snow white and stuff and the songs just made it recognisable. Disney is something everyone can enjoy and those songs are something everyone can sing, even if it isn't perfectly in tune ^_~.

I think that Disney should revert back to the original animation, song and dance, if only for a couple of movies, just for the nostalgic among us. I'm not saying that all the new stuff isn't great, but it seems to rely on humour more than hitting you here *pats chest*. You cry at most disney movies don't you. Who cried at Lion King? Who cried at Bambi? Who cried in Beauty and the Beast? These CG ones don't do that to me. They're brilliant movies don't get me wrong but there's just something missing. I haven't see treasure planet so I don't really know about that one.

You miss the singing...it's something you can sing to anyone at anytime and they know it. It's generational.

[Semjaza]

I don't know how anyone could ever confuse Dreamworks with Disney. Their 2D animation styles are totally different. I personally can just tell what is made by Dreamworks because of it, as well as the fact that they choose fairytales I can't see Disney ever touching.

Plus you get into their whole 3D thing... Pixar has Bug's Life, Dreamworks does Antz; Monsters's Inc. to Shrek; Finding Nemo to their upcoming shark mafia movie. They are a leech, and in my opinion their movies don't even compare (although I liked Antz at points).

I must be the only one that thought Shrek was mostly terrible, marred a good deal by the fact that by the time it came out, its jokes were terribly dated. Disney and Pixar can at least manage a timeless quality.

After Brother Bear, I don't remember what Disney has in the pipeline. The commercials aren't making me look forward to the film though. They always seem to try and focus on the lame comedy aspects for the last couple ones.

[Transtic Nerve]

The only Disney movies I liked were Alladin, Lion King, and Mulan.... and I own two of those soundtracks lol.

Disney is just.... blah.... Which is odd for me since they are like the biggest gay rights supporter. I still don't like em.

[Solo Tremaine]

I quite liked the Tarzan soundtrack. My friend plays it in his car on very high volumes, and I just like it, really. I'd have to say I'm more of a fan of that type of music than the more musical-style that the older films tended to have. Lilo and Stitch was another- I very nearly bought the soundtrack on several occasions.

maybe I'm just growing old of the 'musical' style. I think a lot of childran nowadays have grown up and are seeing things that are a lot more adult than a lot of the more 'cutesy-poo' Disney things (the comedy side-kick characters really start to annoy me now [e.g. Mushu and Cricket, B.E.N, just because they are an annoying stereotype in my view]).

Mind you, I did listen to the Lion King soundtrack every day for about two years at night. Wore out two double-sided audio cassettes, hehe.

The better ones in my opinion were Mulan (simply for the 'We Are Men' by Donny Osmond- I love that so much), The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast. The orchestral music for them was really good, too. Toy Story, although not specifically Disney, was very good too. I think it depends on who they get in to do the songs and music. Tim Rice and Elton John did fantastically on Aladdin and The Lion King (along with Hans Zimmer for the score music), and whoever it was on Mulan with James Horner.