Episode 55: Mulan and Mulan

Cinema in Context

Two versions of Mulan. Sarah Watt, Jeremy Downing and William Chen discuss Mulan (1998) and Mulan (2020), both available on Disney+. We start by discussing the state of Disney live action remakes and whether the new Mulan is a "cash grab". We discuss the talents of Niki Caro and what she brought to the live action film. We criticise the lack of intention in the new live action films or the new films not understanding what made the original animated films tick, including bringing up Aladdin, The Lion Kind and The Jungle Book. We talk about the accents in the films and how language works in Disney films, considering where the story is set, like watching the Chinese version in Mulan and French version of Ratatouille. We discuss the openings of both films, with the instant stakes in the original and the messiness of the new film. We talk about the intended audience of the new film, comparing it to The Great Wall. We discuss the music in the animated Mulan film and both the great themes and missed opportunities, bringing up Hercules and The Little Shop of Horrors. We compare some of the set pieces between the two films, like the avalanche scene, the palace climax and the new film ending in a claustrophobic construction site. We talk about representation in both films, including Mushu in the original film. We discuss the gender play in the stories, including how much we can suspend disbelief and how the relationships are developed.