Key Takeaways:
– Aladdin’s co-director, John Musker, believes Disney should prioritize compelling characters over political agendas.
– Recent live-action adaptations of Disney classics have received a mixed response from audiences and critics alike.
– Musker suggests Disney needs to re-orientate its focus on delivering entertaining films rather than being overtly progressive.
– Musker criticized the live-action adaptation of The Little Mermaid for losing focus on the core father-daughter relationship.
John Musker, the esteemed animator and co-director of Disney’s iconic ‘Aladdin’, recently offered some insights on the studio’s current struggles in connecting with contemporary audiences. In an interview with El Pais, Musker proposed a simple, yet profound, solution that Disney aficionados had been suggesting.
Musker’s Recipe for Disney’s Success
Musker, who has been part of creating well-known Disney classics including ‘Aladdin’, ‘Moana’, and ‘The Little Mermaid’, believes the recent live-action adaptations of these once-loved animated features have failed to resonate with audiences. According to him, the issue stems from Disney’s modern approach to storytelling, which often places a greater emphasis on addressing social agendas rather than creating appealing characters.
He firmly stated, “You don’t have to exclude agendas, but you have to first create characters who you sympathize with and who are compelling.”
Musker Pulls No Punches
Musker’s insights are critical as he has been at the helm of some of Disney’s most successful and culturally significant animated features in the past, and his works have collectively grossed millions worldwide.
The director pointed out how recent adaptations of ‘Dumbo‘, ‘Mulan‘, and ‘The Little Mermaid’—despite their good intentions of appealing to modern, progressive audiences—failed to make a significant impact due to an overemphasis on social commentary at the cost of a compelling narrative.
Disney’s Course Correction
Arguing for a course correction, Musker emphasized the need for Disney to keep the story and characters at the forefront of their crafting process. This change doesn’t imply completely excluding contemporary themes and messages, but rather introducing them in a balanced manner without compromising the character development and storytelling fundamentals that have traditionally earned Disney its success.
The Little Mermaid – A Case Study
In the same interview, Musker extended his criticism to the recently released live-action adaptation of ‘The Little Mermaid’, a film he co-directed in 1989 that earned two Academy Awards. The veteran animator explained that the remake fell short as it lacked the emotional core of the original: the father-daughter relationship.
He said, “I think there was a question even with The Little Mermaid. They didn’t play up the father-daughter story, and that was the heart of the movie, in a way.”
He further added that many modern studios prioritize minimizing risks, which often leads to uninspiring adaptations of otherwise popular Intellectual Properties.
Films like ‘Aladdin’ and ‘The Little Mermaid’ continue to be available for streaming on Disney+. As the company moves forward on their journey of creating more live-action adaptations, it’ll be interesting to see if they heed the advice put forth by one of their own veterans, John Musker.
