The magic of Disney has undoubtedly had a key role in most households across the world and arguably is a defining element of childhood.
Everyone must have at least one fond memory of a Disney film or show as they were growing up. However, recently many may question whether this old nostalgia attached to classics such as Beauty and the Beast is being overexerted by Disney, as live-action remakes are just about to swarm to our screens. Mulan and The Lion King are among the latest to be reworked, although sadly, I believe they will never live up to the classics they are based on.
“Disney manages to highlight that there is still a common need for fairy tales and a bit of imagination”
Personally, I think that they will be successful as they will target at a new audience. Cinema is emerging with a more advanced technological framework, meaning that demands are higher now than ever before as society are becoming increasingly critical.
For example, films such as 1951’s Alice In Wonderland no longer have the same quality that reaches our standards. Despite Disney attempting to digitally remaster their classics, the live-action version in which Alice slays the Jabberwocky is simply aimed at a different audience. Children in a modern society have different expectations to those in the 1950s and, despite older Disney fans taking a protective stance over the classics, a younger audience is sure to love them.
However, not all of their remakes are trainwrecks. The recent revival of The Jungle Book was still a great film in its own right and the story really came to life in a more interactive way as it was set in a more realistic framework. This is key because in a world of emerging scepticism, Disney manages to highlight that there is still a common need for fairy tales and a bit of imagination. Although I don’t believe it lives up to the original, those who have never seen the cartoon version may actually grow to prefer the live-action. Disney are managing to communicate to a wider audience, particularly as some snobs refuse to watch animation.
“The recent revival of The Jungle Book was still a great film in its own right”
Due to this, I believe that Disney have not gone too far with the films that they have released to this point. However, as this trend continues to grow with Aladdin also scheduled for a remake, Disney should begin to focus on creating new films and continue to broaden imaginations without relying on previous hits. This is to prevent old nostalgia being ruined by a potentially bad remake. Although it hasn’t yet occurred, the possibility still remains that a great reputation could be easily soiled.
Additionally, Disney’s subordinate company, Pixar have also followed in its footsteps by producing sequels, such as Finding Dory released earlier this year, and by announcing The Incredibles 2. Although many older fans will praise this, especially after the cliffhanger ending in The Incredibles, it is still long overdue. Finding Nemo was a successful stand-alone film, and although as an avid Disney fan I was hyped for this, the sequel was not necessary, especially 13 years later. As a result, I definitely believe that Disney are gripping onto nostalgia. Although I personally am not fazed by this and enjoy the films for what they are, I can certainly see why people believe Disney are going too far.