Moana- Articles & Interviews (Part 3)

Disney's most recent hit, Moana, enjoyed a highly successful run at the cinema, and has been nominated for two Oscars. This week, it began its transition from the big screen to home viewing, as it premiered on two major VOD platforms - Digital HD and Disney Movies Anywhere. After this, Moana will be released on DVD and other VOD sites in a fortnight, and it will be accompanied by a number of bonus features, such as Audio Commentaries, Making-Of Featurettes and Deleted Scenes.

In the past, I have provided two posts which have highlighted a number of fascinating articles about Moana. In honour of the film's Digital HD release, here is a set of 27 articles about the film and its release on Home Video and Streaming Platforms. These range from articles about the impact of the movie and its titular protagonist to previews of some of the bonus features available on DVD...

(A Quick Warning: Many of the articles listed in this post contain substantial spoilers for Moana. If you haven't seen the film yet, tread carefully...)

Moana as a Feminist Role Model

Moana's titular protagonist is the latest in a long line of female leads in Disney films to be praised for being strong and independant. However, Moana's tenacity, bravery and self-sufficiency, and her status as the future chief of her people, mean that she is being regarded as a particularly strong role model for girls...

Disney’s Moana is a Princess Head and Shoulders (and Feet) Above the Rest - This article from Washington Post journalist Carrie Dunsmore argues that "Moana is the greatest of all Disney Princesses". Dusnmore notes that Moana has no references to romance whatsoever, and praises the fact that dolls depicting the title character do not give her high heels. These changes show that Moana is a strong modern protagonist not constrained by traditional stereotypes of femininity, and thus an excellent role model for girls.

Is The Success Of ‘Moana’ An Indication Of The Empowering Direction Disney Will Steer Toward? - This article from GirlTalkHQ praises Moana for being a well-developed and relateable protagonist who doesn't need a love interest. However, the most notable aspect of the article is its examination of why Moana was created, as it explains how she represents a response to the growing demand for feminist role models.

No Prince Required: Moana and the Evolution of the Disney Princess - Unlike the previous two articles, this commentary from Tricia Ennis on Blastr looks at all the Disney Princesses instead of merely Moana. This highlights the fact that Moana represents the culmination of 80 years of change, during which Disney Princesses have become stronger and more independant characters. Ennis also considers the evolution of Disney villains. Although I personally disagree with this article's implication that the classic villains such as Maleficent and Ursula represent a dated template which should be discarded, I admire and appreciate the messages which Ennis is trying to provide, as she states that social problems such as fear and prejudice are greater than any "singular villain" and heroes and heroines should find nonviolent ways of dealing with their enemies. Ultimately, this is a very detailed and interesting article on how Disney films have evolved over the years.

Moana's Impact

Moana's success means that its impact on pop culture has been felt in many areas. Fans have devoted plenty of time to analysing the film and creating costumes based on the characters, whilst other cinemagoers have taken interest in the movies depiction of sailing and celestial navigation techniques.

A Phenomenal Maui Cosplay From Disney’s ‘Moana’ - In spite of the controversy generated when costumes of the character were accused of being racially insensitive, the charismatic demigod Maui has been very popular with Moana fans. In a tribute to the character, Philip Odango, creator of Canvas Cosplay, has designed an especially spectacular Maui costume.Odango created every part of the costume by himself, including the fish hook and necklace, and the end product is pretty impressive...

How Far They’ll Go: Moana Shows the Power of Polynesian Celestial Navigation - This fascinating article from The Conversation discusses Moana's depiction of the astronomy and celestial navigation which the ancient Polynesians used on journeys to discover new islands. Moana's portrayal of the techniques used is pleasingly accurate (for example, we often see Moana using her hands to measure the altitude of the stars in order to check the direction she is travelling in), and this provides a level of authenticity which is not normally associated with a Disney film.

How to Dress Your Pākehā Child Up as Maui or Moana Without Appropriating Pasifika Culture- New Zealand website The Spinoff has released a number of interesting articles related to Moana, and this one from Fijian author Emmaline Matagi provides some dos and don'ts for anyone who wants to dress up as Moana and Maui. She explains why Disney's Maui costumes were such a bad idea, making some very important points about the effect which racial prejudice has on Polynesian people, and the cultural significance of tattoos. However, Matagi also notes that Moana can provide an excellent gateway to learning more about Polynesian culture.

In the Shadow of Frozen - In spite of Moana's critical and commercial success, it hasn't become a phenomenon in the same way as Disney's 2013 hit Frozen, which continues to inspire a spectacular amount of merchandise. However, this article from Nouse argues that this is not necessarily a bad thing, as Frozen's overexposure has led to increased scrutiny and criticism of its flaws. Moana will still be regarded as a great film, even if it isn't being used to advertise tins of soup...

Moana: A Review for Sailors - One of the most unique and interesting features of Moana is its depiction of ancient wayfinding techniques. In this article, sailing expert Damian Lord provides his opinion on how Moana depicts wayfinding. The review is almost entirely tongue-in-cheek, and its insights on sailing are rather simplistic, but Damian provides some very funny comments about the unusual assistance which Moana receives.

Someone Noticed That “Moana” Basically Has The Same Plot As “The Lord Of The Rings” - This Buzzfeed article is inspired by a fan theory which states that Moana's magical Macguffin, the Heart of Te Fiti, has the power to extend human life. It points out the numerous parallels between Moana and Lord of the Rings, highlighting the enduring appeal of the 'Heroes Journey' narrative which links both films.

The Truth Behind Disney's 'Moana,' Overcoming 'The Long Pause' - This article from Iowa State Daily discusses the ways in which Moana was inspired by Polynesian culture and history. It places particular emphasis on the "Long Pause", a 1,000 year period when Polynesian wayfinding voyages appeared to stop. Their sudden return of this iconic tradition inspired the story of Moana's attempts to restore wayfinding to Motonui.

The Making of Moana

It's always fascinating to learn more about the making of Disney movies, as scripts, storyboards and drawings are steadily developed into an colourful and entertaining film which the whole family can enjoy. These articles look at how the music and animation, two of the highlights of the film, were created. They also provide some insights into the directors and voice acting.

Animating the Friendly Ocean in Disney's 'Moana' - One of the most spectacular aspects of Moana is its animation of the ocean, which the movie depicts as a living being that can interact with the same protagonist. In this article, animators Marlon West and Amy Sneed discuss how they used all sorts of sophisticated technology to depict the ocean. The process is difficult and time-consuming (it takes a week to finish 3 or 4 seconds of footage), but the end result makes all the hard work worthwhile...

Go Behind the Scenes of Disney's 'Moana' With Lin-Manuel Miranda - The music in Moana was created by three very different musicians: Composer Mark Mancina, who previously worked on The Lion King, Lin-Manuel Miranda, the man behind Broadway hit Hamilton, and Opetai Foa'i, founder of the New Zealand group Te Vaka. This Moviefone article provides a brief clip showing how the trio created one of Moana's standout songs, "We Know the Way". It highlights how well they got on, and discusses the hard work which goes into composing a catchy and memorable number.

‘How Far I’ll Go’: The Incredible Journey Behind Disney’s ‘Moana’ - In this in-depth article from Animation World Network, Moana's producer, Osnat Shurer, discusses the making of the movie. The article focuses on the film's animation, so it also features interviews with several of the animators, who reveal how much effort went into bringing ordinary things like costumes, feathers, hair and especially water to life. This resulted in detailed and realistic animation, which made Moana beautiful to watch.

LOOK: ‘The Art of Moana’ Delves Behind the Scenes of Disney’s Latest Animated Feature - Another article from Animation World Network, this shows off some of the artwork published in the tie-in book 'The Art of Moana'. Ranging from concept art depicting the ocean to drawings of characters like Moana and Gramma Tala, the illustrations shown here are pretty impressive. It's also fascinating to consider how these images were transferred to 3D animation.

‘Moana’: How Disney Crafted Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Oscar-Contending ‘How Far I’ll Go’ - Out of all the songs in Moana, the most successful is probably "How Far I'll Go", which has been nominated for Best Song at the Oscars. In this IndieWire article, Moana's directors, Ron Clements and John Musker, discuss how the song was constantly altered to reflect changes to the story and Moana's goal as the movie evolved. They also point out the ways in which the composition of the song, and the animation accompanying it, highlights Moana's internal struggle - Should she stay on the island, or follow the call of the sea?

The Man Behind The Magic - Before he teamed up with Ron Clements to direct Disney classics like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and Moana, John Musker studied English at Chicago's prestigious Northwestern University. This article from the Northwestern University website features Musker talking about how Moana was made, discussing the research trips to the Pacific Islands, the animation process, and the music. He also provides information about how his time at university inspired him as a film-maker and an animator.

The Rock Recording 'Moana' Song "You're Welcome" Will Make You Smile — VIDEO - In this article, Dwayne Johnson, who voiced Maui in Moana, discusses audience reactions to the movie, as he the wide range of fans who have asked him to sing Maui's signature song, the lively and anthemic "You're Welcome". We also get a clip showing Johnson recording the song.

Where Lin-Manuel Miranda Got Inspiration for his Oscar-nominated ‘Moana’ Song - Another article about the making of "How Far I'll Go", this piece in the Washington Post features Lin-Manuel Miranda discussing how he wrote the song, and drew inspiration from other classic Disney tunes such as "Part of Your World".

Deleted Scenes & Songs

Disney films tend to go through some substantial changes during the production process, as numerous characters, ideas and songs get cut at various stages. Moana was no exception to this rule, as a number of elements were altered or deleted whilst the movie was being made.

Deleted 'Moana' Reveals Maui Was Bald — and the Heroine Had Six Brothers - Here, USA Today provides an overview of some of the ideas and characters which were deleted. It showcases several rejected designs for Maui (who was initially supposed to be bald) and characters from earlier drafts of the script, such as Moana's six brothers.

Meet Moana's Six Brothers in Deleted Scene From Disney's Animated Adventure - This article gives us a more detailed look at Moana's brothers, as it shows a deleted scene where she competes against them in a canoe race. It's a very interesting and entertaining scene, and the brothers we see have plenty of personality. However, cutting the brothers allowed the film to focus more on Moana, so it was a wise decision.

“Moana” Almost Had A Very Different Ending - One of the best scenes in Moana is the ending, where Moana returns the Heart of Te Fiti to its rightful owner. However, it was a relatively late addition to the movie, being created just 8 months before it was released. This article from Buzzfeed features Moana screenwriter Jared Bush talking about the many alternate endings which were rejected during the production process, and explaining why the final version has such an impact.

'Moana' Deleted Scene Has Our Heroes On the Run From A Giant, Eight-eyed Bat - Another deleted scene included on the DVD provides a more detailed look at Lalotai, the terrifying underworld which Moana and Maui travel to in order to find Maui's magical fish hook. Here, Moana and Maui try to get past a number of scary creatures, including an eight-eyed monster called Walu the Wicked, as they attempt to regain the hook from Tamatoa. As Lalotai was a pretty memorable location, it's great to explore it and learn more about the monsters based there.

'Moana' Deleted Songs and Scenes Detail Cut Brothers, Maui's Past - This article from Hollywood Reporter discusses the deleted scenes and songs which have been released online. It provides a quick overview of these, with videos of three deleted songs: "More", "Unstoppable" and "Warrior Face".

The Moana Soundtrack Hints At Some Major Changes To The Film - Moana's deleted songs were initially released on the deluxe edition of the soundtrack, which also contains early demos of the numbers that appeared in the finished movie. This article from CinemaBlend examines the deleted songs and demos in greater detail. It analyses the lyrics of "More", "Unstoppable" and "Warrior Face" for the information they provide about the original portrayals of Moana and Maui. It also takes note of differences between the demo versions of "Where You Are" and "Shiny", and the completed songs. The effect which changing or deleting a song has on the characters and the message demonstrates how important music can be in a movie like Moana.

Watch a cut Moana song sung by Hamilton stars - Here we get a closer look at "Warrior Face", one of the deleted songs. Inspired by the Haka tribal dance, this pleasingly energetic and ominous number would have accompanied a scene where Maui teaches Moana how to intimidate the monsters they encounter in Lalotai. In this video, the song is being sung by two of the stars of Hamilton, Christopher Jackson and Phillipa Soo.

Other Bonus Features

In addition to the usual making-of featurettes and deleted scenes, the DVD of Moana has some more unusual bonus features. Here is some more information on them...

Dwayne Johnson Gets Schooled by the Ocean in Moana Bonus Clip - One of the most intriguing bonus features to accompany Moana's Digital and DVD releases is Gone Fishing, a comedic short featuring Moana and Maui in the vein of Tangled Ever After and Frozen Fever. It centres around Maui's attempts to show off his control of the Ocean, which don't go to plan. Dwayne Johnson shared a clip on Instagram a couple of months ago, and it can be viewed in this article. Based on the clip, it seems that Gone Fishing is going to be an enjoyable opportunity to spend some more time with Moana, Maui and their friends...

See the Secret Aladdin Easter Eggs Hidden in Moana - Like many other Disney movies, Moana features several subtle references to the studio's previous classics. Disney fans will be aware of some of the 'Easter Eggs' in Moana (e.g Maui shapeshifting into Sven from Frozen, Tamatoa talking about Sebastian from The Little Mermaid), but others are harder to spot, even in repeat viewings. This article from Entertainment Weekly highlights a number of references made to Disney's 1992 classic Aladdin. For many people, 'Easter Eggs' like these may seem innocuous, but they demonstrate the level of detail which goes into animating a Disney film.

Summary 

All of the articles listed above provide insights into how Moana was made and why it became so popular. Most of the articles show how much hard work went into making the animation, music and characters that allow the movie to stand out. Meanwhile, the rest of the articles demonstrate how popular Moana and its titular heroine have been. Overall, the articles shown in this post highlight why Moana is such a great film, and I definitely recommend buying it, whether on DVD or VOD platforms...

Future Fairy Tale TV Series #1 - Tangled: The Series

In November 2010, Disney released Tangled, their take on the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale Rapunzel. Depicting the adventures of Rapunzel, a sheltered teen with 70 feet of magical blonde hair, and the charming outlaw Flynn Rider (real name: Eugene Fitzherbert), Tangled marked Disney's return to form after over a decade in the wilderness, making over $590 million worldwide, and paving the way for the likes of Frozen and Moana. Although the protagonists of Tangled appeared in a 2012 short called Tangled Ever After, which depicted Rapunzel and Flynn getting married, Tangled has been overshadowed by Disney's more recent hits. However, Rapunzel, Flynn and their friends are about to return, as Tangled: The Series, which is set between the film and Tangled Ever After, will arrive on the Disney Channel next month, almost 2 years after it was initially announced.

Tangled:The Series is the thirteenth animated series to be spun off from a Disney animated film, following in the footsteps of shows like Aladdin: The Series and The Lion Guard. It will begin with a TV movie called Tangled: Before Ever After, which will air on the Disney Channel on Friday March 10th, with the series proper starting on March 24th. Tangled: The Series will last for three seasons, consisting of a total of 78 episodes. In addition, there will be two further TV movies after Tangled:Before Ever After, one airing in November, and the other airing in February 2018. There will also be four animated shorts released on April 11th (It is currently unknown whether these shorts will be standalones like Tangled Ever After, or form a continuous story like Frozen:Northern Lights). All in all, it seems like Tangled fans will be kept happy for a very very long time...

The Plot

Tangled:Before Ever After picks up where the movie left off, with Rapunzel being reunited with her parents, the King and Queen of Corona. However, whilst her father and Flynn (now back to being called Eugene) want her to settle down and embrace the responsibilities of life as a princess, Rapunzel would prefer to explore the world beyond the castle walls, aided by her new lady-in-waiting Cassandra. During the course of one adventure, Rapunzel comes across a set of mysterious stones, which causes the enchanted hair that got cut off at the end of Tangled to magically grow back. The rest of Tangled: Before Ever After, and the subsequent TV series, will depict Rapunzel's attempts at dealing with the return of her hair and healing powers, and her relationships with her friends and family.

The Characters

The two main characters in Tangled: The Series will be the movie's central couple, Rapunzel and Eugene, with Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi returning to voice them. Rapunzel wants to make up for 18 years stuck in a tower by doing as much exploring as possible. Meanwhile, after years as an outlaw, Eugene would prefer to live a normal life, hence his return to using his birth name. They will be accompanied by Rapunzel's two animal companions, her pet chameleon Pascal and crime-fighting horse Maximus, both of whom will probably steal as many scenes as they did in the movie. Also returning are the "pub thugs" who Rapunzel befriended in the original movie, such as Big Nose and Hook Hand. Their menacing looks contrast with their friendly personalities and passion for innocent hobbies such as piano playing and collecting ceramic unicorns. One of the most important reasons for Tangled's success was the strong  and appealing set of protagonists, and it will be great to see them go on new adventures.

Rapunzel's parents will also be central to Tangled:The Series Although they appeared in Tangled, they were not named and did not speak. They will have a much larger role here, with Rapunzel's father, King Frederic, being voiced by Clancy Brown, and her mother, Queen Ariana, being voiced by Julie Bowen. Both of these actors are intriguing choices. Aside from his portrayal of demanding boss Mr. Krabs in Spongebob Squarepants, Clancy Brown is almost entirely known for his villain roles (whether in live-action films such as Highlander and The Shawshank Redemption, or animated shows such as Superman:The Animated Series and Avatar:The Last Airbender), so it will be interesting to see him apply his signature deep and powerful voice to a loving (albeit overprotective) father. Meanwhile, as Queen Ariana, who shares her daughter's free-spirited nature, Modern Family star Julie Bowen is replacing Ashley Judd, who was originally cast in the role. It seems like Rapunzel's relationship with her parents will provide the series with its emotional core, and the 78 episodes and 3 TV Movies planned for Tangled: The Series represent an ideal opportunity to explore this in greater depth.

There will also be a variety of entirely new characters. The most prominent of these is Cassandra (voiced by Eden Espinosa), a feisty handmaiden who aspires to follow in her father's footsteps and join the Royal Guard. Other characters include a pirate called Lady Caine (voiced by Laura Benanti), who will be the primary villain in Tangled:Before Ever After, Lance Strongbow, one of Eugene's former associates (voiced by James Monroe Iglehart, who won a Tony for playing the Genie in the Broadway version of Aladdin), Varian , a teen alchemist (voiced by Jeremy Jordan), a Blacksmith called Xavier (voiced by Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), and Old Lady Crowley (voiced by Ursula herself, Pat Carroll, who is nearing 90 but still sounding awesome). We know little about these characters at the moment, but given the high-quality voice cast, we can assume that they will be pretty memorable.

The Animation

In contrast to the movie's elaborate CGI 3D animation, Tangled: The Series is animated in 2D. The 2D animation style used has a rougher, more primitive look similar to concept art. It also resembles children's storybooks, such as the Little Golden Books series. However, whilst it's not going to emulate the finesse and detail of the original film, the animation for Tangled: The Series is bright and expressive. Tangled was the first Disney Princess film to be made with 3D animation, so it's really nice to see Disney return to their roots in traditional animation with this series.

The two people most responsible for the animation on Tangled: The Series are Alan Bodner, the Art Director, and Claire Keane, who will be Visual Development Artist. The daughter of veteran Disney animator Glen Keane, Claire worked on the original Tangled, and her colourful approach (she created the murals which Rapunzel paints in her tower during the movie) is perfect for the series. Though the hair does not look as realistic, the animation for Tangled: The Series is pretty good when you consider the pressures of working on an animated series (you need to produce much more material in a far shorter time period),  and it provides a very distinctive look, but one which emulates the style of the original film enough to be recognised as part of the same universe.

The Songs

Claire Keane, Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi are not the only people from Tangled to return for the Tangled: The Series, Alan Menken and Glenn Slater, who wrote the songs for the original movie, will create new songs for the show. One of the songs they wrote for Tangled:Before Ever After, "Wind in My Hair", has just been unveiled. It's a catchy little pop song, which does a great job of conveying Rapunzel's free spirit and passionate nature. Another tune, "Life After Happily Ever After", will be released online the morning before Tangled: Before Ever After premieres. Alan Menken has earned his status as a Disney Legend, and Glenn Slater has worked with him as a lyricist since 2004. Hopefully, they will ensure that the songs in Tangled: The Series will be worthy of standing alongside the likes of "When Will My Life Begin?" and "I See the Light".

Summary

Whilst the original movie tried to please as wide an audience as possible, Tangled: The Series will seemingly be aimed primarily at preteen girls. However, this isn't a bad thing, as long as there is enough to keep other viewers interested and engaged, and those outside the target demographic will probably enjoy Tangled: The Series as well. Judging by what we know so far, it seems like it will retain the spirit of the original film, whilst taking Rapunzel's story into exciting new territory. This means that it is going to be a must-see for Disney fans, and enjoyable entertainment for children and parents.

Fairy Tales and Fanfiction

A Personal Introduction

In addition to my love of fairy tales and Disney films, I am a very passionate fan of fanfiction. In this article, I will discuss why I love fanfiction so much, and how it ties into my interest with fairy tales.

This article will often diverge from the fairy tale/classic mythology focus of this blog in order to discuss TV, film and literary franchises which have inspired particularly large and prominent fanfiction communities, such as Sherlock, Harry Potter and Twilight. However, there will still be significant emphasis placed on fanfiction based on classic stories and ‘fairy tale’ films. A further guide to which works are discussed on this blog can be found here.

A Brief Guide to Fanfiction

Fanfiction can be defined as stories which centre on characters from existing books and films. Within this field, there are numerous subgenres, including: ‘Shipping’ (fanfics which pair two characters in a relationship which tends to be romantic in nature), AUs (stories set in an alternate universe), ‘Fix Fics’ (stories which rectify issues with the source material) and straightforward sequels and prequels.

As long as there have been stories, authors have tried to respond to them explore the worlds and characters they depict from a new perspective. This has fuelled a number of classic stories, ranging from Virgil’s Aeneid to The Wide Sargasso Sea (Jean Rhys’ re-interpretation of Jane Eyre) which have placed characters from an existing story into a new one. One of the most famous examples of this is Tom Stoppard’s play Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, which tells the tale of Hamlet from the perspective of two peripheral characters. When established authors and directors create new stories in familiar universes (examples of this range from Anthony Horowitz’s Sherlock Holmes story A Touch of Silk to J.J. Abrams' reboots of the Star Trek and Star Wars franchises), the end product is often described as fanfiction. However, when fanfiction is discussed on this blog, it will almost entirely be the work of amateur authors. The concept of a ‘professional author’ emerged in the 18^th century with the birth of the full-length novel, and this led to literary fans trying to emulate the work of their idols. With the onset of the internet age, Fanfiction reached new heights of popularity. There are a number of online forums where these writers share their work, with the three most prominent fanfiction sites being Fanfiction.net. Archive of Our Own and Wattpad.

Differences Between Fanfiction and Fairy Tales

One difference between fanfiction and fairy tales is their perspective on character. Fairy tales often rely on moral certainties, with protagonists who are defined by their purity and innocence. The emphasis tends to be on the story and the moral lessons which it contains, meaning that the characters primarily exist to move from event to event and highlight the story’s messages.  In contrast, there are many fanfics which focus on the inner thoughts and feelings of characters and emphasise ‘angst’ and other extreme emotions in a way which most fairy tales don’t. As many fanfics are based on films and TV, writers often take advantage of the new medium and aim to get into the protagonist’s head in a manner which is difficult to do in the visual medium of film, or the plot-based medium of fairy tales.

In addition, whilst fairy tales are generally family-friendly, fanfiction is primarily aimed at teenagers and adults. Fairy tales are primarily designed to be read to children. Though they contain some violence, this is often depicted in a very simplistic style. We hear about the gruesome things which happen to the villains, but we don’t actually see them. Furthermore, whilst fairy tales often have sexual symbolism and undertones, they almost never depict sex itself. In contrast, fanfiction has a reputation for relying too much on graphic sexual content. This perception has been encouraged by the dominance of ‘shipping’, which tends to be romantic in nature. Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch is among those to associate erotic fanfiction with the form in general, as he once complained about stories which show “me and John Watson floating in space on a bed handcuffed to one another”. The perception that fanfic authors are focused on sex over story has also been encouraged by the infamous erotic novel Fifty Shades of Grey, which began life as a Twilight AU called ‘Master of the Universe’. The notoriety of E.L. James' signature story has led to significant attention to its provenance, and as ‘Master of the Universe’ fulfils many of the stereotypes associated with fanfiction, it has reinforced perceptions surrounding the genre.

However, the most problematic difference between the two forms of story is their legal status. Fairy tales are in the public domain (as are almost all works from before the 20^th Century), as enough time has elapsed since the author's’ death to allow people to use their work for any purpose without having to pay royalties. This is one reason why it’s so easy for studios such as Disney to adapt them into their own stories. In contrast, most works of fanfiction are based on the creations of living authors. This makes their legal status ambiguous, although the fact that they are non-commercial works means that creating them can be considered an act of ‘fair use’ and thus, they seem to be exempt from legislation concerning plagiarism and copyright infringement. Whether authors support them or not is a matter of personal taste. The likes of J.K. Rowling and Stephenie Meyer have endorsed fanfics based on their work (albeit with some reservations), but other prominent authors, such as Annie Proulx and George R.R. Martin, have been vocal about their distaste for fanfiction, expressing the belief that it disrespects the world they created, and arguing that it is lazy to write a story centred around pre-existing characters. These complicated issues mean that the world of fanfiction is focused on relatively small and exclusive communities, unlike fairy tales, which are designed to provide lessons for a wide audience.

A Wide Range of Genres

The term ‘fairy tales’ refers to a form of story rather than a genre. Therefore, whilst fairy tales have plenty of common tropes (such as the use of fantasy elements and supernatural creatures), they can belong to a wide range of categories. For example, Hans Christian Andersen’s collection of stories include satire (The Emperor’s New Clothes), adventure (The Snow Queen), romantic tragedy (The Little Mermaid) and social realism (The Little Match Girl). This diversity of genres also applies to fairy tale films. Most Disney films seem to belong to a distinct genre of their own, as they combine adventure, comedy, romance and music into a joyous and entertaining package. Meanwhile, Shrek is primarily a comedy, whilst Snow White and the Huntsman assumes a dark fantasy style. There are even a number of ‘fairy tale’ films in the horror genre, such as In the Company of Wolves. This highlights the manner in which the term ‘fairy tale’ can cover a truly diverse range of stories.

Fanfiction also incorporates a variety of genres.  Fanfiction.net classifies stories by putting them in categories ranging from Adventure and Family to Spiritual and Tragedy.  The fact that a single story can inspire works in so many subgenres indicates the universal appeal of the characters, the world they inhabit, and the stories which can be told with them. It may seem totally incongruous to imagine Disney princesses in a Sci-Fi story, but on Fanfiction.net, Frozen (which is, by some distance, the Disney film which has inspired the most fanfics) has 83 fanfics in this category. Many fanfic authors recognise that best characters are able to retain the traits which make them unique and appealing across a wide range of stories, and this has encouraged them to place familiar protagonists and antagonists into unfamiliar genres. Therefore, the field of fanfiction, like the fairy tale genre, is defined by the infinite possibilities it offers.

The Impact of the Source Material

Throughout history, fairy tales have been used to communicate messages and beliefs which are important to the storyteller. They often teach morality to audiences, with virtue and selflessness being rewarded, and disobedience and dishonesty being ruthlessly punished. As fairy tales convey important messages in a clear, fascinating and engaging fashion, they can have a significant influence on the world view of those who read them or listen to them being told.  Another visible example of the importance of folklore is Mythology. Though the stories of gods and heroes from ancient Egypt and Greece have survived due to their compelling characters and plotlines, they had great significance within their own cultures, as they could be used to teach people about the wider world. The predominance of creation myths across the globe to explain natural phenomena leads to a greater degree of insight into the unique and beautiful features of the world which are too often taken for granted. Fairy tales and myths are perfect examples of the way in which stories can be used to allow the messages and ideas which mean the most to the storyteller to be transmitted to a wide audience.

Fanfiction is also motivated by the desire to make people appreciate something which the storyteller finds important, though in this case, the thing which the storyteller finds important takes the form of an existing book, film or TV show. In recent years, fanfiction has been increasingly recognised as a means to demonstrate passion for a work and can even increase publicity for it. The 2012 animated film Rise of the Guardians was not a huge success on its initial release, making an underwhelming $306.9 million worldwide. In contrast, Frozen made roughly $1.276 billion worldwide the following year. However, when fans noticed the similarities between Rise of the Guardians protagonist Jack Frost and Frozen’s Queen Elsa (For starters, they both have the power to control ice and snow), fanfics shipping ‘Jelsa’ as a couple became incredibly popular. On Wattpad alone, there are over 6,800 stories about the duo. This means that Rise of the Guardians has gained the attention of numerous Frozen fans who had previously not given the movie a second thought. Some producers have deliberately tried to use fanfiction to promote their works. Many Star Trek fanfics have been published in print, and in order to promote the introduction of a new character in the drama series The United States of Tara, the cable channel Showtime created an entire fansite devoted to her fictional creations. Fanfiction exists because fanfic writers are enthusiastic enough to devote time and effort to stories about their favourite characters. These displays of passion demonstrate the power and appeal of the source material, just as retellings of fairy tales and myths are proof that they can resonate across the generations.

A Personal Spin

When the Brothers Grimm began collecting fairy tales, their intent was to preserve the stories as faithfully as possible, as representations of the German culture which they belonged to. However, over a period of 45 years, they gradually altered their tales to make them appeal to a wider audience. Meanwhile, many of Hans Christian Andersen’s stories were adapted from existing fairy tales, including Thumbelina and The Wild Swans. The extent to which fairy tales rely on the storyteller to make them unique is shown by the fact that fairy tales and folklore from all over the world often rely on common story types, with distinctive touches provided by the storytellers and the beliefs and culture which inspire them. Philip Pullman put it best when he stated that “a fairy tale is not a text”, and storytellers are free to alter it as they wish.  The wide range of variations on a single story type demonstrates that any fairy tale depends on the storyteller, as they emphasise their personal interests and skills, and use their native culture to enrich their tales.

Fanfiction also benefits from the unique perspectives which the author can bring to the characters and story which they are using. For example, “What-if” stories (e.g What if – Harry Potter was sorted into Slytherin?) show some of the changes which could have occurred if something happened a little differently. In doing so, they draw attention to the ways in which these events could have affected the characters and the story. There are also plenty of fanfics which provide the opportunity to see a familiar story take place in a new location. For example, Disney fans can enjoy a retelling of The Little Mermaid set in modern-day Australia, and a twisted take on The Princess and the Frog which takes place in the medieval era. The new setting for these tales encourages unique touches and innovations which makes them stand out. Like the best storytellers, fanfiction authors find ways to allow their stories to reflect their own interests, and this personal touch allows fanfics to feel distinct and gain a unique life of their own.

Conclusion

Even the most ardent lover of fanfiction will have to admit that many pieces of fanfiction are badly written. However, even the worst fanfiction is generally created by people who are passionate about the source material, and their willingness to put time and effort into new stories with their favourite characters demonstrates the importance and impact of the works which inspired them. 

Furthermore, there are thousands of high-quality fanfics with compelling stories which provide 

fascinating perspectives on the characters who inhabit them and the universe in which they are set. These aren’t just excellent tributes to the source material, they are great tales in their own right.

Ultimately, whilst there are plenty of differences between fairy tales and fanfiction, there are also a number of similarities. Both forms of fiction incorporate a wide range of genres, ranging from comedy and romance to horror and thriller. They also showcase the importance which storytellers attach to existing works. Most importantly, they both represent the way in which storytellers put their own personal spin on familiar stories and characters. Just as fairy tales are known for the variety of ways in which they can be adapted, fanfiction highlights the versatility and enduring appeal of the original stories which inspire it.

In the future, there will be a number of articles on this blog drawing attention to some particularly high-quality fanfics inspired by Disney films, classic literature, and fairy tales. It is going to be a real pleasure to share some of these stories with a wider audience. 

Moana - Articles and Interviews (Part 2)

Since it was released in America over Thanksgiving weekend, Moana has been a huge critical and commercial success. It has a 95% positive score on the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes, based on nearly 200 reviews, and has already been nominated for six Annie Awards and two Golden Globes. In addition, the film has currently made $284.5 million worldwide, and it's yet to be released in countries such as Australia and Japan. I saw Moana a fortnight ago, and I really enjoyed the film. The characters and story were interesting, and the songs and animation were excellent. Overall, it's another Disney classic.

Last month, I posted a set of articles about the film, mostly focused on the pre-release publicity. Here are 21 more articles about the movie. These range from interviews with people involved in making Moana to articles discussing the positives and negatives of the film's portrayal of Polynesian culture. 

Interviews with the Cast 

With the exception of Alan Tudyk (who voices the dim-witted chicken Heihei and gets a couple of lines as an unnamed villager), all the voice actors involved in Moana are Polynesian, or have Polynesian ancestry. They given a number of interviews where have praised the manner in which Moana brings their native culture to life.

Dwayne Johnson, star of Moana and the Sexiest Man Alive, is also a big ol’ crybaby - 2016's highest-paid actor, Dwayne Johnson (AKA The Rock), who voices Maui, is unquestionably the most famous person in Moana's voice cast. In this interview, he talks about how he"cried multiple times" when he saw the finished product, and praises its portrayal of Polynesian values.  He also reveals who his favourite Disney villain is, and how this inspired his portrayal of Maui. 

Jemaine Clement's 'crabulous' role in Disney's Moana - Flight of the Conchords star Jemaine Clement voices one of Moana's most memorable characters, the giant kleptomaniac crab Tamatoa. In an interview with Jack Van Beynen, he discusses what it's like to be a voice actor, and even briefly mentions Moana's fandom. This article also mentions a comedic play about Maui written by Clement and Taika Waititi 12 years before the Disney film came out. 

Jemaine Clement Talks Playing A Giant Crab In Moana, Channeling David Bowie And Maori Myths (Exclusive) - A second interview with Jemaine Clement, in which he predominantly discusses the creation of Tamatoa's signature song, "Shiny". He also talks about improvising a number of lines which were cut from the finished film, and mentions the "terrifying" nature of many Maui myths from the Maori culture.

Temuera Morrison and Rachel House on whether Moana is cultural appropriation - Two of the most prominent stars in Moana are the Maori actors Temuera Morrison (who voices Moana's father, Cheif Tui) and Rachel House (who voices Moana's grandmother, Gramma Tala). In this article, they both talk about what it was like to work with Disney, and praise Moana's portrayal of their culture. They also express hope that the movie will lead to increased interest in Polynesian stories. 

Interviews with the Crew 

A wide range of people are involved in the production process of an animated movie, ranging from producers and directors to costume designers. Several of the most prominent people to work behind the scenes on Moana have talked about the contributions they made to the movie, including a large number of people from the Polynesian islands. 

Disney's Moana: how Kiwis made it happen - This article from the New Zealand website Stuff centres around an interview with Moana's directors Ron Clements and John Musker, who discuss the contributions made by a number of important "Kiwis"; screenwriter Taikia Waititi (who wrote the first draft of the movie, and provided much of its "architecture"), actors Temuera Morrison, Rachel House and Jemaine Clement, and songwriter Opetaia Foa'i. Clements and Musker provide a number of interesting anecdotes, especially when they discuss how Morrison would prepare for recording sessions by speaking Maori. 

Moana is Making Waves Around Globe- Whilst Stuff's article focused on the New Zealanders who worked on Moana, this article from Voa News focuses on the Hawaiian cast and crew, especially Aaron and Jordan Kandell, a pair of Hawaiian twins who were among the seven people credited with writing the story. Voa News' article is full of interesting information, with Aaron Kandell discussing how his experiences as a wayfinder inspired his contributions the movie, and Jordan discussing the Moana's feminist messages. There is also a contribution from a friend of Auli'i Cravalho, the girl who voiced Moana. . 

Niuafolau’s experience contributing to ‘Moana’ - The Samoan anthropologist and historian Niuafolau Dionne Fonoti was part of the "Oceanic Story Trust", a group of experts in Polynesian culture who worked to ensure that Moana would portray their culture as authentically as possible. In this article, she discusses her initial concerns about working with Disney, but states that the hard work has paid off, as Disney "understood our cultures". Fonoti is also proud that Moana has been very popular in Samoa. 

Opetaia Foa'i Talks Disney's Moana & Helping To Bring Polynesian Culture To Life Onscreen (Exclusive)- Whilst a lot of the advance publicity for Moana has focused on the fact that the soundtrack was written by Hamilton creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, the contributions made by Opetaia Foa'i, lead singer of the group Te Vaka, were equally important in creating the movie's music. In this article, Foa'i talks about the attention which Moana has received, and the need to include key aspects of Samoan culture in the film. 

Reactions from Polynesia

Critics and viewers all over the world have reviewed Moana, but the most important reactions are those from the Polynesian communities whose culture and mythology inspired the movie. They have generally reacted positively to the film. 

Some Things About Disney’s “Moana” That Real Polynesians Want You To Know - This article on Buzzfeed examines how a range of Polynesian people reacted to the movie. 25 Polynesian people provide their opinions on different aspects of the movie. They seem to reach a consensus that Moana and Gramma Tala are the two best characters, but there is some criticism of couple of liberties taken by Disney (such as the idea of Moana becoming her Island's chief) . The Polynesian cinemagoers generally support Moana's portrayal of their culture, and are pleased about the increased publicity it has received as a result of the movie. 

Steve Soltysik teaches Wilcox 2nd graders about Polynesian navigation, Hokulea - This article centres around Steve Solysik, who teaches Hawaiian children about Polynesian traditions of navigation and wayfinding. At one point, he acknowledges that Moana has led to increased interest in these aspects of Polynesian culture. Solysik's comments provide important insights into the roles which movies can play in bringing important customs and traditions to mainstream attention. 

West Hawaii families praise ‘Moana’ - This article focuses on how West Hawaiian families have reacted to Moana. The people interviewed describe Moana as "meaningful", and claimed that the movie excited them enough to give them "chicken skin" (i.e goose bumps), even if its depiction of Polynesian lifestyles was more influenced by Samoan and Tongan cultures. 

Praise and Criticism 

Moana has received plenty of praise for its animation, music, strong lead character and portrayal of Polynesian life. However, the movie has also gained criticism for the way in which it combines elements from the culture and mythology a wide range of islands to form a single idyllic vision of Polynesia. There have also been some articles discussing how the movie relates to environmental issues. 

"Consider the Coconut": How Moana uses Polynesian culture to create a prototypical Disney story- Taking its title from a line in Moana's opening song, "Where You Are", this article on Slate discusses its portrayal of Polynesian culture. It praises the Polynesian cast and music and the portrayal of wayfinding, but notes that the movie closely follows the traditional Disney formula in many ways, highlighting the fact that it is primarily a product aimed at mass audiences. Overall, this article is very interesting, as it provides plenty of insights into "the complicated interaction between culture and commerce". 

How the Story of "Moana" and Maui Holds Up Against Cultural Truths - In this article, Smithsonian scholar Doug Herman discusses the positives and negatives of Moana's portrayal of Polynesian culture. He praises the movie's depiction of Polynesia's wayfinding history, which he refers to "as the greatest human adventure story of all time" but criticises the depiction of Maui and the overly romanticised portrayal of tribal life. He also believes that the troublesome Kakamora, who wear coconuts as armour, perpetuate stereotypes of the Polynesians as "Coconut people". Though I don't agree with all of Herman's complaints, he provides an engaging and balanced article which provides some very interesting information on Polynesian culture and traditions. 

Moana Movie: That Chicken is a Historical Interest, Not Just a Side Comic- There is plenty of interest in Polynesian culture in the Philippines, and many Filipinos believe that the Polynesian people originated from Southeast Asia. This article discusses this theory, and how Moana's chicken sidekick, Heihei, may be a homage to it. Heihei is a Bantam Rooster, and this species can be found in both the Phillipines and Hawaii. This article provides some interesting observations about the origins of Polynesian culture, and its links to Southeast Asia. 

Princess Moana, the Rogue One rebel, the Eagle Huntress: meet film’s female heroes - This article from The Guardian aims to look at a number of films released in the UK during December which feature strong female protagonists. However, it primarily focuses on Moana, mentioning how a number of writers have reacted to the titular protagonist and her movie.  Although the article mentions the small but vocal group of critics staunchly opposed to the idea of Disney making a film about Polynesian culture, the majority of people who contribute their opinions are full of praise for Moana, and hope that its success will lead to an increased number of films with "diverse and interesting characters"

The Hole in Moana’s Heart - Whilst most criticisms of Moana have focused on its portrayal of Polynesian mythology, the environmentalist Edward Stanton argues that a bigger problem is the movie's failure to engage properly with environmental concerns, as "People, not gods, were the cause of environmental devastation on Pacific Islands." Many of the tribes who settled on the Polynesian islands were affected by ecological decline, which eventually led to famine, especially in Rapa Nui (Easter Island). Stanton believes that Moana's refusal to discuss this reality is based on a desire to avoid offending people, and the movie needed a stronger approach in order to highlight the destructive effects of human disrespect for the environment. 

What Standing Rock and 'Moana' Have in Common - This article from Vice tries to link the themes and messages of Moana to the protests at Standing Rock, where Native Americans and environmental campaigners have fought to prevent the construction of an oil pipeline across sacred Sioux lands. Like the protestors at Standing Rock, Moana is fighting to preserve her land and her community. However, whilst Moana 's success highlights the power of the individual, the protestors at Standing Rock managed to get the pipeline withdrawn through mass protests and collective organisation.  

Criticism of Maui

One of the most polarising elements of Moana (especially among the Polynesian community) is the depiction of Maui. The revered demi-god is portrayed as a comic relief sidekick whose bravado hides some deep insecurities. Although I was generally OK with Moana's take on Maui, his bulky build and egocentric behaviour (especially in his early scenes) have annoyed a number of experts, who have provided some strong criticisms.

Goddess Hina: The Missing Heroine from Disneyʼs Moana - In this article, Tevita O. Ka'ili, a cultural anthropologist from Tonga, argues that one of the most problematic features of Moana is the omission of  the powerful goddess  Hina.  She is traditionally portrayed as Maui's female counterpart, (the exact nature of her relationship to Maui varies from island to island), and Ka'ili argues that the failure to include Hina leads to an overly simplified portrayal of Polynesian mythology, magnifying the problems with the movie's depiction of Maui. He regards the omission of Hina as an example of "Disneyfication" and concludes that "Disney lacks the cultural depth to tell our stories". 

Maui needs to Maui - This letter, written to the Samoan Observer, gets its title from the fact that the Samoan verb "maui" (spelled the same as Maui's name, but pronounced differently) means "to shrink". The writer, LV Letalu , argues that the decision to reduce Maui's power and increase his flaws is based on the need to emphasise Moana's status as the movie's protagonist, with Maui assuming the role of her "foil".

Moana and Resistance Spectating - Richard Wolfgramm's article for Medium.com focuses on the need to be a "resisting spectator" and watch movies like Moana with a critical eye. Whilst he praises several aspects of the film (such as the animation and Auli'i Cravalho's voice acting), he brutally attacks the portrayal of Maui, believing that he is reduced to an "arrogant, egotistical [and] self-absorbed" caricature rooted too heavily in Western stereotypes. Wolfgramm makes some interesting points about the uneasy relationship between big American film studios such as Disney and the minority cultures they often depict, but I passionately disagree with his claims that Moana's directors were motivated primarily by money. 

The Supersize Cliché in ‘Moana’ - This article in the New York Times is written by Lawrence Downes. He argues that Maui's design perpetuates the stereotype of "humongous Hawaiians", leading to greater ignorance of the fact "that Islanders come in all sizes". Although Maui's energy and agility confirms that his huge size is due to muscle, not fat, Downes raises some important concerns regarding the depiction of Polynesian males in the media.

Summary

All the articles listed above discuss Moana's portrayal of Polynesian culture, They provide a range of opinions, from praise for the movie's vibrant animation and depiction of wayfinding, to criticism of its take on Maui. In addition, the people who wrote the articles and the experts interviewed or quoted by them provide a number of fascinating insights into the mythology and customs which inspired Moana. Regardless of whether you're a fan of the film or not, these articles are all worth reading.

Christmas TV and Films

During the Christmas Season, the British TV schedules include a number of excellent TV programmes and films which aim to provide enjoyable escapism for the whole family on the dark, cold December nights. Here is a list of particularly interesting TV programmes and films airing during the last fortnight of 2016, all of which are based on, or inspired by, fairy tales, mythology and classic children's stories. In order to make this list easier to put together, I am only including films and TV programmes on Britain's five terrestrial channels - BBC1, BBC2, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.

Television

Paul O' Grady's Favourite Fairy Tales

When's It On? - Tuesday 20th December at 9PM (ITV1)

TV presenter Paul O'Grady, currently playing the Wicked Stepmother in the London Palladium's Christmas pantomime version of Cinderella, presents this documentary about the Brothers Grimm. In it, he looks at the German locations which inspired classic fairy tales such as Rapunzel and Snow White, and how these stories have evolved throughout the centuries. This documentary seems like it will be entertaining viewing for families and fairy tale enthusiasts, even if you are familiar with the insights which O'Grady offers.

Dancing The Nutcracker: Inside the Royal Ballet

When's It On? - Christmas Day at 4:00PM (BBC2)

The Royal Ballet's version of The Nutcracker, being performed to mark the 90th birthday of famed choreographer Peter Wright, is on at the Royal Opera House until January. In order to co-incide with its run, the Royal Ballet has provided a rare opportunity for TV audiences to see what life is like behind the scenes, as the company prepares for the production. Across three months of rehearsals, we get to see the cast, which ranges from 11 year-old pupils at the Royal Ballet School, to the woman playing the Sugar Plum Fairy herself, practise for their roles. We also get to see the technical crew in action, as the special effects are brought to life. If you are interested in seeing how an iconic ballet is made, or want an intelligent documentary to contrast with the usual Christmas Day entertainment, then then Dancing The Nutcracker: Inside The Royal Ballet is a must-see.

The Nation's Favourite Disney Songs

When's It On? - Boxing Day at 1:40PM (ITV)

This special was aired last year, but is being repeated during Boxing Day. If you haven't seen it already, The Nation's Favourite Disney Songs provides a countdown of the Top 10 Disney songs (according to a poll conducted by ITV), including classic tunes from iconic Disney films such as The Lion King, Frozen and The Jungle Book. The magician and TV presenter Stephen Mulhern narrates, as a number of celebrities, including McFly member Harry Judd and Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips, talk about why they love the songs on the countdown, with their children often providing additional praise.  In addition, a number of people involved in the production of the Disney films mentioned, ranging from Mary Poppins star Jane Dotrice to Aladdin songwriter Sir Tim Rice, provide insight into what it was like to work on a Disney film and hear the classic songs being brought to life. This countdown provides a strong list of  Disney songs, and even if you don't agree with it ("Classic" films from Walt Disney's lifetime are a little too dominant) it is interesting to see fans and experts talk about why these tunes are so appealing.

Revolting Rhymes 

When's It On? - Boxing Day and Tuesday 27th December at 6:30PM (BBC1)

Roald Dahl's 1982 book Revolting Rhymes contained six poems which provided twisted and irreverent takes on classic fairy tales. In this two-part animated series, we get adaptations of five of these poems, with "Goldilocks and the Three Bears" being the only one not to be included.

The first episode depicts the friendship between Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood, as the former helps the Seven Dwarves make a fortune through gambling on horse racing, and the latter makes a living by hunting wolves. Meanwhile, the second episode combines the stories of Cinderella and Jack and the Beanstalk, with Cinderella finding out that her Prince Charming is not as nice as he appears, and Jack learning that the only way to get a happy ending is to improve his personal hygiene. A number of British actors, including David Walliams, Rob Brydon and Dominic West, voice multiple roles in both specials. Revolting Rhymes promise to be perfect fun for fans of Roald Dahl, and it seems like it will capture the hilarious tone of the source material.

Peter Pan Goes Wrong

When's It On? - New Year's Eve at 6:20PM (BBC1)

Mischief Theatre have become the one of the biggest names in West End theatre due to farces such as The Play That Goes Wrong and The Comedy About A Bank Robbery. They have become so popular that their Christmas play Peter Pan Goes Wrong will be their first work to air on TV.

Peter Pan Goes Wrong, currently being performed at London's Apollo Theatre, tells the story of an ameteur dramatics society whose Christmas play (a version of Peter Pan) does not go to plan. Though this television adaptation will probably be heavily abridged to fit a one-hour time slot, it will also feature many of the play's most memorable moments as the cast argue and the special effects malfunction. The chaos will be highlighted by narration from Poirot star David Suchet. This looks like it will be great fun for those seeking to end the year by watching an amusing comedy.

Films

Hercules (2014)

When's It On? - Sunday 18th December at 9PM (Channel 5)

The myths about the Greek demigod Hercules have always been popular due to his sheer strength and power. Most films about him have taken his heroism for granted, but this 2014 movie, based on the graphic novel Hercules: The Thracian Wars, provides a revisionist interpretation. In it, Hercules is portrayed as a mercenary who has exaggerated the stories of his "Twelve Labours" in order to improve his reputation. However, it doesn't take long before he has to demonstrate that he's worthy of his heroic status. Dwayne Johnson is the ideal choice to play Hercules, and he is joined by a fine supporting cast, including John Hurt and Ian McShane. This take on Hercules is aimed primarily at teenagers and older males, but it's great fun for anyone who's into the sword and sandal genre.

Puss In Boots (2011)

When's It On? - Wednesday 21st December at 1;45PM (BBC1)

One of the best characters in the Shrek franchise was Puss in Boots, a Zorro-inspired take on the fairy tale feline. In this spin-off, we get a story from Puss in Boots' past, as he teams up with his old friend Humpty Dumpty in order to steal the Golden Goose. Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek and Zach Galifianakis lead the voice cast for a tale which provides a comedic spin on swashbuckling adventure stories, but does not rely on pop culture references as much as the four Shrek films which preceded it.

Saving Mr. Banks (2013)

When's It On? - Friday 23rd December at 8:30PM (BBC2)

Mary Poppins is one of Disney's best-loved movies, and it's become so iconic that there is even a film about how it was made. Saving Mr. Banks tells the story of how Walt Disney persuaded P.L. Travers, author of the Mary Poppins books, to hand over the rights to her property. Walt Disney is played by Hollywood icon Tom Hanks, with Emma Thompson as Travers. Although the movie sanitizes a lot of aspects of this real-life story (such as Travers' opposition to the finished product) it is still an interesting look at the work which goes into making a children's classic.

Hans Christian Andersen (1952)

When's It On? - Christmas Eve at 8:10AM (BBC2)

Hans Christian Andersen is not a conventional biopic about the legendary fairy tale author, but instead, it is "a fairy tale about the great spinner of fairy tales". Though purists may be annoyed by the lack of historical accuracy, the great Danny Kaye plays Andersen, and the movie contains a number of songs, including "Wonderful Copenhagen", "Inchworm" and "The Ugly Duckling", which still hold up today. It is certainly worth getting up early in the morning to see this.

Jason & The Argonauts (1963)

When's It On? - Christmas Eve at 3:10PM (Channel 5)

Jason & The Argonauts is based on the Greek myths about Jason, who found the magical Golden Fleece. It tells the story of Jason's quest, as he is assisted by figures such as Hercules and Hera. This film is famed for its special effects, created by Ray Harryhausen, as Jason battles an army of skeletons, a Hydra, and a 100-foot tall giant. The 50's and 60's saw a number of sword-and-sandal films, many of which based on Greek mythology, and Jason & The Argonauts is one of the best movies in that genre.

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

When's It On? - Christmas Day at 2:10PM (Channel 5)

L. Frank Baum wrote The Wizard of Oz in 1900 in order to provide an American equivalent to classic European fairy tales, and the iconic status of the 1939 adaptation of this book highlights just how successful his endeavour was. The Wizard of Oz airs every in Britain every Christmas, and also appears on TV during the Bank Holidays, but it still feels fresh. It's hard to believe that the film is almost 80 years old, but songs such as "Somewhere over the Rainbow" are classics and characters such as Dorothy and the Tin Man remain appealing even today. The film is also notable for being one of the first to use technicolour, and the transition from the black-and-white world of Kansas to the colourful land of Oz is still a wonderful moment.

Frozen (2013) and The Lion King (1994)

When's It On? - Christmas Day at 3:10PM (BBC1 and ITV)

Christmas is an excellent time to watch a Disney film, as families want familiar entertainment which they can enjoy together. BBC1 and ITV aim to exploit this with a "Disney Duel" on Christmas Day, as Disney's two biggest animated films will be aired opposite each other.

BBC1 is airing Frozen, which is appearing on terrestrial TV for the first time. By now, the adventures of Anna and Elsa need no further introduction, but children (and even many parents) will gladly seize an opportunity to see Elsa sing "Let It Go" once more. Meanwhile, ITV is airing The Lion King, another film whose songs and characters are also incredibly familiar. Both films are worth revisiting time and again, so it will be incredibly hard to choose which one to see on Christmas Day.

Brave (2012) and Sleeping Beauty (1957)

When's It On? - Boxing Day at 2:40PM (BBC1 and ITV)

The second "Disney Duel" between BBC1 and ITV involves two films which are not as iconic as Frozen or The Lion King, but are still fun to watch. Brave, from the Disney-owned animation studio Pixar, is set in the picturesque Scottish highlands, and tells the story of the impulsive Princess Merida and her relationship with her mother Elinor.  Meanwhile, Sleeping Beauty provides an adaptation of the classic fairytale inspired by Tchaikovsky's ballet. It is most notable for its iconic villain Maleficent, the sort of wonderfully diabolical baddie which Disney don't provide anymore.

The Chronicles of Narnia:The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (2005)

When's It On? - Boxing Day at 4:10PM (Channel 4)

C.S. Lewis' classic tale is notable for its blend of epic fantasy and Christian allegory, and this is mostly preserved in this adaptation, which tells the story of four children who discover a fantasy world hidden inside a wardrobe and have to protect it from the evil White Witch. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe has a strong cast headed by Tilda Swinton (who plays the White Witch) and Liam Neeson (who voices the Christ-like lion Aslan), and the appealing story and spectacular battles are enjoyable to watch. In addition, Father Christmas has a cameo, further cementing this movie's status as ideal seasonal fare.

Peter Pan (2003)

When's It On? - Thursday 29th December at 1:15PM (ITV)

There have been a number of adaptations of Peter Pan, and whilst the 1953 Disney version is the best-known, this 2003 adaptation from P.J Hogan is worth checking out. The movie stars Jeremy Sumpter as Peter Pan and Rachel Hurd-Wood as Wendy, with Jason Isaacs chewing the scenery as Captain Hook. This version of Peter Pan is darker than most adaptations, and deals with more mature themes (especially in its depiction of Peter and Wendy's relationship), but it's still suitable for the whole family, and has no shortage of enjoyable action sequences.

Moana - Review

Who Made Moana?

Moana is Disney's 56th animated movie. It is directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, with Don Hall and Chris Williams as co-directors. Jared Bush receives sole credit for writing the screenplay, but seven people are credited with creating the story, including the four directors. Taika Waititi, who wrote the first draft of the screenplay, is not credited. but according to those involved in the production of Moana, he had quite a bit of influence on the finished film. 

What’s It About?

Moana tells the story of Moana (voiced by Auli'i Cravalho), the daughter of Tui (voiced by Temuera Morrison), chieftain of Motunui Island, and his wife Sita (voiced by Nicole Scherzinger). Moana is being trained to take up her future role as leader of the island, but she feels an uncontrollable desire to explore the sea, which is encouraged by her grandmother, Gramma Tala (voiced by Rachael House). However, exploration of the sea is now no longer practised, due to an incident from a thousand years ago, when the demigod Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson), stole the gemstone which was the heart of the living island Te Fiti. His actions inadvertently unleashed the Lava monster Te Ka, as well as a blight which is beginning to spread across the Ocean. When this darkness finally encroaches upon Motunui and leads to food shortages, Moana takes a boat and sets sail in order to find Maui and get him to restore Te Fiti’s heart to its proper place. On their voyage, the duo encounter a tribe of diminutive imps called Kakamora, and Tamatoa, a giant crab who steals shiny objects, before finally coming up against Te Ka itself.

My Review

2016 has been a brilliant year for Disney. Zootropolis, The Jungle Book and Finding Dory have been major critical and commercial successes, and due to their ownership of Marvel Studios, Disney have completely dominated the list of the year’s highest-grossing movies. In order to meet the standard set by these movies, Moana had to be excellent. Fortunately, it provides viewers with the memorable characters, colourful animation and catchy songs needed for another Disney hit.

The first thing to note about Moana is that the animation is excellent – it’s really, really colourful. The vast expanses of water are depicted in great detail, and scenes where the ocean comes to life to assist Moana are fun to watch. The other locations, such as Moana’s island and the Underworld where Tamatoa lives (which is full of luminous ultraviolet monsters), are also animated very vividly. Meanwhile, the action sequences, including Moana’s initial attempt to sail beyond the reef, and her battle with the Kakamora, are fast-moving and exciting. However, the most impressive animation is used for Maui. His ability to shapeshift lends itself to a number of memorable visuals, as he changes into a wide range of creatures, including a bird, a beetle, and (for one brief but amusing moment) a reindeer. Maui’s tattoos are animated in traditional hand-drawn style, with a tattoo of himself (Mini-Maui) providing the role of his conscience, and getting some amusing moments. You can really see how much effort the animators put into the movie, and this makes it impressive, even by the higher standards of CGI animation.

The best character in Moana is easily the titular protagonist. Torn between her sense of duty to her island and her burning desire to explore the seas, she eventually finds a way to combine both of these seemingly conflicting aims. Moana can be funny, angry, kind, vulnerable and sensitive, and feels like a realistic and relatable character, keeping up Disney’s tradition of strong female leads. Another great character is Gramma Tala, the self-proclaimed “village crazy lady”, who tells Moana about her ancestor’s illustrious past. This is probably the first time that a grandmother-granddaughter relationship has been so important to a Disney film, and the bond between Moana and Gramma Tala provides the movie with many of its most powerful scenes. The other notable character is Maui. Given the reverence with which the demigod is viewed by many people, Disney were under a lot of pressure to do the character justice. There are some instances, especially early on, where he is a little too unpleasant to Moana, but he becomes more likeable when we learn more about his past and why he stole the heart of Te Fiti. In addition, Maui is often very funny. He gets many of the self-referential lines which have featured in Disney’s recent hits (for example, “If you start singing, I’m gonna throw up!”) and even manages to point out a couple of plot holes (Why did the ocean choose Moana?). However, for all these updates, Maui is still pretty close to the character from the myths. It is entirely plausible that his heroic deeds would make him become arrogant, and when Maui overcomes his flaws and unleashes the full power of his signature fish-hook, it’s genuinely awesome. Much of the second half of Moana features Moana and Maui on a boat together, but there’s nothing romantic about this relationship. Instead, it is more like the dynamic between a teacher and a student, as Maui teaches Moana the art of wayfaring, and Moana helps the demigod regain his former greatness. Though there are some amusing side characters (such as Moana’s dim-witted pet chicken Hei-Hei, who swallows rocks and ends up on her boat by accident), Moana, Maui and Gramma Tala are the three standouts, and they elevate the movie.

Much has been made of the fact that Moana features a cast consisting almost entirely of Polynesian voice actors (with the notable exception of Alan Tudyk, who provides Hei-Hei’s clucks and screams, and also voices a minor un-named Islander), and they all succeed in bringing their characters to life. As Moana, Auli'i Cravalho pretty much has to carry the entire film on her shoulders. With the exception of a couple of sillier moments, she resoundingly succeeds in this task – it’s almost impossible to believe that this is the first movie she’s ever starred in. Dwayne Johnson has no trouble showing off Maui’s confidence and energy, but also succeeds in highlighting his vulnerability later on. Rachel House is full of warmth and feistiness as Gramma Tala. Temuera Morrison, who voices Tui, is a convincing leader, whilst Nicole Scherzinger’s acting as Sita is solid enough for her presence not to be too much of a distraction. It is also worth mentioning Jemaine Clement, who is really funny as Tamatoa, but also gets a couple of more menacing moments when his character belittles Moana and Maui. It’s evident that the cast was chosen for their talent as well as their ethnicity.

The high level of authenticity in the casting extends to the depiction of Pacific Islander culture. In the scenes showing daily life in Motunui, we see a number of traditional Polynesian customs, such as the weaving of baskets and the creation of a full-body Pe’a tattoo. We also see how Moana manages many of the problems facing her island, such as the dying coconuts and fish shortages. As well as being interesting to watch, this develops the story – It’s rare for a Disney film to give us this much insight into what it’s like to be a ruler. The extra realism this adds makes the characters more developed and the storyline more engaging.

The movie has about eight songs (not including reprises), and they are all great. They probably won’t achieve the chart success of “Let it Go” or “Try Everything” (they’re too closely linked to the movie and its characters to have the near-universal appeal of those songs), but Lin-Manuel Miranda and Opetaia Foa‘I have managed to provide music which is right up there with the songs from the Disney Renaissance.  Among the memorable tunes in Moana are “We Know The Way”, which blends English lyrics with lines in Tokelauan language (Tokelauan is a rare South Pacific dialect used in much of Opetaia Foa‘I’s previous music) to tell the story of Moana’s ancestors, and Tamatoa’s song “Shiny”, a villain song reminiscent of Jemaine Clement’s past work in Flight of the Conchords.  However, the movie’s two strongest songs are Moana’s song “How Far I’ll Go”, and Maui’s song “You’re Welcome”. Like all the best musical theatre songs, “How Far I’ll Go” does an excellent job of conveying how Moana feels about her desires and insecurities. It seems like a difficult song to sing, but Auli'i Cravalho does an excellent job of conveying her character’s emotions. Meanwhile, “You’re Welcome” is a Big-Band song which shares some DNA with “Friend Like Me”, but it has a unique identity of its own, as Maui boasts about all his heroic deeds from Polynesian mythology (slowing down the sun to make the day longer, raising islands from the sea, etc…). Dwayne Johnson is a surprisingly strong singer, and the song really plays to his sense of showmanship.

Probably the main weakness with Moana is the lack of a central villain. Like Pinocchio (which was released 76 years ago), Moana has an episodic structure, with Moana and Maui meeting an enemy, escaping from them, and moving on. The three antagonists the duo face are all very interesting, which makes it a shame that they don’t get enough screen time. Of these characters, Tamatoa, an egocentric kleptomaniac crab who dwarfs even Maui, is easily the best, which makes it a shame that he doesn’t appear for very long. Te Ka, the Monstro to Moana’s Pinocchio, is intimidating, but doesn’t do much apart from throwing balls of fire at our protagonists, and the reveal of its true identity could have been a bit more powerful. However, the villains are not the only characters who should have appeared more. Tui is a well-developed character, and has a very good reason not to want Moana to sail beyond the reef (When he was younger, his friend drowned after a sailing expedition went wrong), but he vanishes from the story after Moana leaves her island. It’s understandable that Clements and Musker did not want Tui to be another King Triton-type overprotective father, but it’s a bit annoying that we don’t really see him react to Moana’s disappearance.

However, these weaknesses are relatively minor in comparison to the movie’s positives. For all of Moana’s flaws, it is an upbeat movie with the three things which matter most when creating a Disney movie: great songs, great animation and great characters. By delivering these, Moana marks itself out as an excellent addition to the Disney Animated Canon.

P.S -  If you stay in your seat during the end credits, you'll see a final scene with Tamatoa, where he gets a particularly funny line referring to another crab from a different Disney movie. Moments like this are why he should have been given a much larger role.

Verdict

Overall, Moana is another great animated movie from Disney, continuing the winning streak which began with Tangled in 2010. The story can be predictable at times, but this doesn’t really matter when the movie provides such enjoyable escapism. The songs are all worth listening to again and again, and the animation is wonderful to look at. It’s also clear that the filmmakers love the Polynesian culture which they are depicting, and the movie succeeds in providing an appealing introduction to Polynesian myths, customs and values. In addition, there are some great characters, and plenty of funny moments, with enough sad and intense scenes to give the film a bit of an edge as well. To conclude, Moana is definitely worth seeing, and deserves a place alongside the past Disney classics.

If You Liked This, See:

The Little Mermaid – Out of all Clements and Musker’s previous Disney films, Moana has the most in common with The Little Mermaid, due to the prominence of the ocean and the basic “follow your dreams” storyline. Although Moana is probably the more sophisticated of the two movies, The Little Mermaid’s songs, animation and characters still hold up today.

True Grit – Clements and Musker have often cited this classic 1969 John Wayne Western as an influence on their movie. This is because the relationship between Moana and Maui is similar to the dynamic between teenager Mattie Ross and washed-up lawman Rooster Cogburn, as Mattie persuades Rooster to bring her father’s killers to justice. If you are into Westerns, True Grit is essential viewing, as is the 2010 remake directed by the Coen Brothers.

Whale Rider – This 2003 film from New Zealand centres around a girl named Pai who wants to prove to her grandfather that she can be a future chieftain of a Maori tribe. Though it shares several themes with Moana, it takes a much more realistic approach, highlighted by its modern-day setting. It is also worth noting that Whale Rider features Gramma Tala herself, Rachel House, in a supporting role.