The first article in this series will focus on Moana, the next animated blockbuster from Disney. Walt Disney's Animation studios are in the midst of a purple patch, and it seems like Moana will emulate the critical and commercial success of their recent hits, such as Frozen and Zootropolis*.
(*Also known as Zootopia in America.)
Moana is based on Polynesian folk tales about the demigod Maui, and centres around Moana, a girl from an Oceanic Island who seeks out Maui in order to restore the ability to navigate the oceans around her homeland. It will be released in the UK on 2nd December, a week after it is released in America.
Here are five reasons why I'm excited for it:
1. It Looks Set To Recall Disney Classics
Since Disney returned to the fairy-tale genre in 2009's animated film The Princess and the Frog, recent hits such as Tangled and Frozen have sought to capture the magic of classic Disney films whilst pointing out and subverting their flaws. Like its immediate predecessors, Moana will be torn between invoking the glories of the past and pointing the way forward for the future. However, it seems like it will be successful at doing both of these things.
Moana is being directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, the writer-director duo behind some of Disney's most iconic films of their "Renaissance" period (which stretched from 1989 to the start of the new millennium), such as The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Hercules. There are several elements of Moana which seem set to recall memories of Clements and Musker's previous films. Moana's desire to follow her dreams, in spite of her father being opposed to this, seems reminiscent of The Little Mermaid, and the depiction of the demigod Maui will invoke more than a few comparisons to Hercules. However, in case Moana seems a little too much like like a Greatest Hits compilation, there will be a number of unique elements. The titular protagonist will become the first female lead character in a Disney Fairy Tale film not have a love interest, and the film has a "heroes journey" storyline which will bring to mind many classic adventure films. Overall, it seems like Moana will succeed in appealing to both our nostalgia for Disney classics and our desire to see something new.
2. It Will Shine A Light On An Obscure and Fascinating Culture
Clements and Musker are known for playing fast and loose with the source material that inspires their films. The Little Mermaid used Hans Christian Andersen's melancholy tale as the basis for an upbeat romantic musical, whilst Aladdin and Hercules provided a flashy and comedic spin on Arabian Nights and Greek Myths respectively. However, Moana promises to provide a surprisingly faithful depiction of Pacific Culture. Clements and Musker first visited the islands of Oceania in 2011. They visited the continent again in 2014. During their visits, Clements, Musker and other members of Moana's creative team met with numerous experts on Polynesian culture. They formed the "Oceanic Story Trust", and spent years researching for the movie.
The research which the "Oceanic Story Trust" carried out had a significant effect on Moana's development. The concept of Moana was inspired by the 1000 year-long absence of records and stories about Polynesian navigators during the ancient era (their navigation resumed 2,000 years ago, to give you a perspective on how long ago Moana is set), and the Oceanic proverb "Know Your Mountain" - you have to know where you're from in order to know where you're going - was apparently a key influence on the story. This attention to detail extends to the animation, as items like beach sand and clothing were designed to be as faithful as possible to the things Moana's animators saw on the Pacific Islands. Overall, it seems like the people behind Moana are making every effort to convey "the deep relationship people have with the ocean" in Oceania, and this will ensure that the tale is a respectful tribute to Polynesian mythology which will bring it to the attention of millions of viewers.
3. It Has A Talented Cast and Crew
In addition to Clements and Musker, numerous talented people have helped bring Moana to the big screen. Maui will be voiced by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who is one of the most prominent and successful actors in Hollywood today. Whilst his presence in Moana may seem like stunt casting to some, Dwayne Johnsons's mother is Samoan, and his grandfather is the famous Samoan wrestler Peter Maivia. This means that Dwayne Johnson is probably one of the most notable celebrities with Oceanic heritage at the moment, making him an ideal choice to voice an iconic Oceanic figure.
In addition to Johnson, the Voice Cast features numerous prominent Oceanic actors such as Temuera Morrison (famous for starring in Once Were Warriors), Rachel House (famous for starring Whale Rider) and Jermaine Clement ( who starred in Flight of the Conchords and voiced villains in Rio and The BFG). Moana herself will be voiced by Auli'i Cravalho, a Hawaiian teenager discovered in an online search. In addition, the script was written by veteran New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi (currently working on the next Thor movie), with other screenwriters, such as Disney regular Jared Bush (who wrote and directed Zootropolis) working on the subsequent drafts. With so many talented people involved in bringing Moana to life, it seems like it will succeed in its twin aims of entertaining audiences and introducing them to Oceanic culture.
4. The Visuals Seem Stunning
All the best Disney films have a memorable cast, and Moana looks to be no exception to the rule. The supporting characters include the fifty-foot tall crab Tamatoa, a group of diminutive pirates called the Kakamori, and a rooster named Hei Hei. However, it seems like the stand-out character will be Maui. Maui's giant body is covered with tattoos which come to life to recount his numerous exploits. One of these tattoos is called Mini Maui, and will provide the role of his conscience. The tattoos will be depicted using traditional hand-drawn animation, in contrast to the computer animation used for the rest of the film, and there will be scenes where the mute Mini Maui interacts with Maui himself. Blending 2D and 3D animation in this manner is a very difficult undertaking, but the end result should be a lot of fun to watch.
However, the most revolutionary technology used in Moana is a newly-created system called "Splash",which will be used to depict the ocean. In Moana, the Ocean isn't merely a vast expanse of water - it will be portrayed as a living being that can interact with Moana and Maui. This means that "effects shots" will take up 80% of the film. "Splash" allowed the animators of Moana to animate a wide range of water-based scenes more quickly and effectively. This ensure that the water can be depicted with a level of detail seldom seen in an animated film, making Moana's world seem more realistic and beautiful. However, as Moana's technical supervisor, Hank Driskill, has pointed out "the water just has to look right" - the film will rely primarily on great characters and a great story in order to stand out.
5. The Music Will Be Great
One of the best things about Disney's animated films has always been the music. Songs like "The Bare Necessities", "Part Of Your World"and "Let It Go" are as wonderful today as they were when people heard them for the first time. It seems that Moana will continue to showcase Disney's ability at creating excellent songs to enhance their films. The main songwriter is Lin-Manuel Miranda, the man behind Hamilton, probably the most successful musical on Broadway right now. He will be aided by Opetaia Foa'i, a member of "South Pacific Fusion" group Te Vaka and Mark Mancina, who will compose the score (He previously composed the score for The Lion King) The soundtrack of Moana is mostly being kept under wraps for now, but I bet that it will feature excellent songs that will advance the narrative, develop the characters and their world and, most importantly, be enjoyed for decades to come.
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