John Musker, the acclaimed animated filmmaker known for directing beloved Disney films like “The Little Mermaid,” “Aladdin,” and “Hercules,” has voiced his concerns about the Walt Disney Company’s focus on political messaging at the expense of storytelling.
During this year’s Animayo International Summit in Gran Canaria, Spain, Musker expressed his belief that there needs to be a slight course correction in prioritizing entertainment, compelling storylines, and engaging characters over the message itself. Musker shared his thoughts with Spanish outlet El País, emphasizing the importance of putting these elements at the forefront of storytelling.
According to Musker, the classic Disney films were not initially focused on conveying a message. Their main goal was to engage the audience with the characters, story, and world of the film. Musker believes that this is still at the core of Disney’s storytelling approach. While it is possible to incorporate agendas into the films, the first and foremost priority is to create characters that the audience can relate to and find captivating.
John Musker, a highly accomplished director, has worked closely with Ron Clements on numerous Disney animated films. Some of their notable collaborations include “The Great Mouse Detective” (1986), “The Little Mermaid” (1989), “Aladdin” (1992), “Hercules” (1997), “Treasure Planet” (2002), and “Moana” (2016). In addition to these successful ventures, they also directed “The Princess and the Frog” in 2009, which received mixed reviews due to its portrayal of Disney’s first Black princess.
“We didn’t set out to be woke, although I do understand the criticism,” Musker commented on “The Princess and the Frog.”
In another part of the interview, the animated filmmaker expressed his perspective on Disney’s live-action remakes. He remarked, “Companies are constantly looking for ways to mitigate risk. They believe that by recreating something that has already been successful, they can appeal to audiences again in a different format. Alternatively, they may believe that they have the opportunity to improve upon the original.”
In his critique, he particularly expressed his disappointment with the 2023 live-action adaptation of “The Little Mermaid.” He emphasized that the film failed to highlight the crucial father-daughter narrative, which he believed to be the heart of the story. Additionally, he compared the crab’s lack of expression in the movie to the livelier and more expressive live animals one could see in a zoo, drawing a comparison to “The Lion King.”
“The appeal is one of the fundamental aspects of Disney,” he further explained. “It is the strength of animation at its finest.”
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