Disney: The Death of Creativity
To start this off let me begin by saying, Disney was my childhood hero. As an artist I drew many things as a kid, Pokemon, Digimon, cartoons but also Disney characters. I used to look up to them, as one might do so with a hero. Used too. But all our hero’s fall on day, Disney taught me that. Then they became less about creating and more about Money. Not to mention their vindictive nature when it comes to using “Their” property or others ‘Borrowing’ it. And yet they have a well founded history of ‘borrowing’ source material. So get a shovel and let’s evaluate some history.
Let’s set a few standards for rating.
1. Was it their story? Did they “borrow” it?
2. Was it done in a new way? Did they at least try something new with it?
3. Is it now one of the icons of Disney? Did their “borrowed” ideas get labeled as their own?
Snow White and the seven dwarves
1. It was a story they borrowed. 2. It was THE FIRST animated in color movie animation ever to exist so it was rather important and set the standard for today. 3. Oh she is one of the Disney Princess harem.
1. “Borrowed” story (your going to see this a lot.) 2. Disney was hitting it’s stride and was still high off the first movie and this was a relatively new. (You want some nightmare fuel? Go back and watch the pleasure island parts.) 3. Though he has fallen from popularity, he is indeed a well known icon.
1. The stories I will admit are completely their own, however the music is not so Ill let them have this one. 2. Again I will give them this as while animated musical shorts were rather common, making a full movie was not, so again I yield this one to them. 3. Do you even have to ask?
1. It was a book they borrowed the idea from. 2. It was new, and nobody else has bothered to tell Jumbo Jr’s story it seems, but Disney had been making animations so it was beginning to be more common. However it has under aged characters getting drunk so that counts as new to me. (again more nightmare fuel.) 3. Dumbo while somewhat forgotten, is still widely well known.
1. This was a book, and they used the story. 2. This is possibly the first documented tragic movie for children and really surprised a lot of people. 3. Yeah, you cannot say Bambi without invoking this deer in peoples minds.
The Headless Horseman and Mr. Toad
1. Another story they used. 2. At this point making cartoons was not new or novel and this one is more forgotten. 3. Surprisingly these ones are not that known as Disney compared to the others.
1. Yes they took this story too. 2. Nothing about this one really sticks out, very generic and even looks like the original source. 3. Disney practically OWNS the name now because it is so well known.
1. Disney isn't the only one to use this madness franchise. 2. The movie had some interesting visuals but again, compared to other Alice cartoons it isn't all that special. 3. Amazingly Alice is not known completely as a disney character. Good on you American McGee.
1. This was a book before it was a play, it was a play before it was a cartoon, and it was a cartoon before it was a live action movie. Yeah they copied it. 2. Basically the same as every other Peter pan cartoon you have seen before. 3. He isn't a princess so he doesn't get much love these days. Can’t imagine why.
1. It was a book. 2. To be fair this is possibly the most iconic and only depiction of this story so it gets a free pass here. 3. With a movie as classic as this you would think they were cherished, and yet the Disney princesses trump this.
1. This is where Disney took a more well known story after doing a lesser known one. 2. Just another musical fantasy. Nothing new here. 3. The next member of the Disney Princess Harem. You know, the story’s they did not come up with.
1. Again, another borrowed story, but one they made popular. 2. This one broke records for most animated characters in frames. They even had to reuse and change some of the dogs because there were just so many. 3. Surprisingly you don’t see many dalmatians in Disneyland compared to Princesses or Main characters, and it would just be a dog.
1. Possibly one of THE most told stories in all of time, and they still didn’t even cover the interesting parts very well. Even Merlin left. 2. Nothing new here we have not seen anywhere else. 3. Possibly the most forgotten of Disney lore, ironic considering its king Arthur.
1. It has book in the title what do you think. 2. They really did not attempt anything new here, in fact they even reused bambi’s mom footage for one of the deer in this movie. 3. In a funny twist of events Mowgli was forgotten, however Baloo would go on to appear again and even get his own show ‘Tailspin.’
1. Another book. 2. Its like 101 Dalmations but came off like a cat diet version. 3. Pretty much forgotten.
1. Again another iconic story borrowed. 2. Despite its animation, they do nothing new. IN FACT they reuse not only Baloo, they also use some of his animation frames from jungle book and they borrow the same dancing frames from snow white. 3. And again Baloo walks away the true star.
1. This one was at least a fresh story. 2. This was at least a series of little stories that played out over time. It’s one of my personal favorites but still cant call it an original idea but at least they tried some 4th wall breaking. 3. He may not be as popular now, but he is more than iconic than most.
The Rescuers/Rescuers Down under
Combining them to save time. 1. Yes they were a book. 2. They had some neat animations but if you asked me if they did anything that stands apart in either of them compared to other movies best I could say was they fly. 3. Doubt they even have an attraction at Disneyland involving them.
1.It’s a depressing book. 2. Nothing new here. 3. Equally forgotten.
1. Surprisingly this movie is not original, it is based on a book. 2. This movie gets points for trying something new. They not only have the death of a main character, who is not a hero, but also the death of the villain. This movie is also really scary for kids. 3. Remembered by fans, but a project Disney does not want remembered. You won’t find these characters in Disneyland. It’s underrated in my opinion.
The Great Mouse Detective
1. While based on Sherlock Holmes, it gets brownie points for trying. 2. Its well done but again I really can’t say there is anything groundbreaking about this. 3. Tragically underrated by Disney.
1. It’s Oliver Twist with Billy Joel. 2. Again nothing new, its not the first time a cats and dogs had a movie. 3. If you are not a Princess you really don’t stand a chance these days.
1. Another book from copyright free days. 2. Nothing new, original, Zip. 3. Chalk another princess up for the books.
1. A story from a book, with a girl with books, taking place in a book. 2. I am willing to give the dance scene her a pass because they do some amazing perspective animations. 3. While not technically a princess she falls in the same group as them.
1. Borrowed story #100 out of 1001. 2. Beauty and the Beast did it better with the perspectives but they use some CGI here and there. 3. A movie where the main protagonist is remember less than the supporting Princess.
1. This is just blatantly stolen. Its hamlet, and they even admit it, but it’s also Kimba the Lion. 2. Animation is nice but aside from being stolen, it really has no outspoken quality's other than the music, and we are not grading that here. 3. This franchise has almost all the characters remembered, which is rather rare.
1. You can’t really STEAL history but they certainly didn't come up with it. 2. The colors are nice, but I’m grasping at the wind when it comes to something new here. 3. A real princess and yet I think she is the most sidestepped of the princesses. Must be the lack of a puffy dress.
1. Have you noticed how Disney seems to love the really sad and messed up stories and then waters them down for kids? 2. Parkore was not a thing yet, but Quazi really has some amazing moves in this, so a forced but begrudging creative point here. Also the main hero DOES NOT GET THE GIRL for a change. 3. Heh, Disney tells you looks don’t matter, yet I don’t see this guy getting much love.
1. Its funny, because Hercules is based of the Jewish legends of Samson. So it’s a stolen story that was stolen. 2. It had a really unique art style but that alone is not enough. The Titans were not cool enough either, cept that winter one. 3. His pretty mug is well remembered.
1. Another historic legend. 2. I will give points on creative art style for this one because it perfectly matches the mood and story and isn't overly toony like Hercules. 3. Oh yeah, not a princess but people love her.
1. Almost as old as King Arthur and Robin Hood in the book department. 2. Had some snazzy scenes with vines using some new 2D/3D technology so it gets a pass. 3. Yeah can’t say people really attribute him with Disney.
1. Not based on a book amazingly! but still based on music they didn't make. 2. The animations, styles and stories are very well done and unique here. 3. Donald just didn't match up with his lack of magic.
1. IT’S A FIRST PEOPLE. A movie not based on a book! even if it pretty much is “if Tarzan was a dinosaur and raised by lemurs instead of gorilla’s.” (also his mom lived on his back, think about that.) 2. Disney’s first all CGI movie. 3. And yet, the movie was a flop, bet they wish a meteor would hit this movie.. Their first original idea people.
1. What’s this? A second original movie with no “borrowed” material? 2. Unique art style, new method of storytelling and breaks the fourth wall more the Deadpool. 3. Not the best remembered but still loved.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire
1. An epic story they thought up themselves? Amazing indeed. 2. I love this movie, it may even be my favorite. I did that steampunk thing before but this would fall under like... Soulpunk or something if I had to classify it. Messing with powers beyond your control. It was just so perfect. 3. And like most of their amazing ideas that was not a pet project they try to forget about it, leaving the fans out cold.
1. And we are back to the stories from books. 2. This movie gets a pass because they even said, they made the entire movie using curves and circles, No sharp edges anywhere. 3. Icons to be sure, even if the producer happened to be one of them.
1. Based on a classic story. 2. Like steampunk? You will love this. It does everything so unique and creatively. I almost wish it had been their own idea. Not to mention PERFECTLY blending animation and 3D models. 3. Sadly Disney wanted this movie to fail and it did, and nobody seems to remember it.
1. Surprisingly this was not based on a book, although it feels like it is. 2. Disney falls back into not really doing anything spectacular as they were about to give up on classic animation. 3. Thankfully forgotten and not iconic. I did not find this movie to be all that great, but it apparently got a crappy sequel. Poetic.
1. Completely new idea, no book was used. 2. It has some psychedelic moments but is pretty forgettable. 3. Heh, Disney is still trying to forget this one.
So as we can see, not what you were expecting I am sure. And way longer than anyone wanted. yes I did not count the frog princess, because it was sort of after they stopped doing animation and... well its the frog prince so it would fail the creativity part anyway. Still I plan on doing a follow up list to demonstrate all this for those who do not want to read this much.
Hmm? What’s this? Disney is filing a cease and desist? Sounds about right. I think I have shown that Disney has more than stolen its ideas and stories from other sources and yet viciously protect ‘their’ property (they stole from other people) from other people using it.