Message from aarmas

[Anonymous]

Disney films have always proven to be quite entertaining, but people have sometimes questioned the liberties taken with both fictional and non-fictional characters portrayed in them. When I saw "Mulan" the first, I was charmed by the portrayal of a female heroine who strong and fought the cultural restraints to help her country. I understood it was based on a real-life person. There were details in the film; however, that I found a bit confusing and believed slowed down the storytelling. After sittiing in the seminar, I can't help but look at those scenes in a different light.

There are direct references to the power of "ancestors" in the film, and although the portrayal of such figures is a bit comical in the film, it still carries its powerful message across. In fact the film itself, is full of cultural references to the country of China, and I want to buld a lesson around some of those aspects in the future. I am not sure whether this is factual, but Mulan's archrivals in the film appear to be somehow related to the Mongols or the Manchus. The film is not clear about the references, or maybe I should give it a second look.

I am definitely going back to give it a second look and see how it reflects or adapts some of the ideas and themes our seminar explores. Whatever happens, I might never be able to look at the same artwork and production the same way again.