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A article discussing the Era Disney movies between 1989 and 1999 called the Disney Renaissance. The article goes over Disney history prior to the Disney renaissance and every film released during that period. I can use the information about the Disney renaissance and the movies near and around Mulan's release from the article.

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Between 1989 and 1999, Walt Disney Animation Studios came back from a box office slump to produce some of the most successful animated features of all time with "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," and "The Lion King," to name a few. This period, known as the Disney Renaissance, ushered in a new era for the studio and created a lifelong Disney obsession for '90s kids and their parents.

Background: Disney's pre-Renaissance slump

It's hard to believe now, but in 1989, Walt Disney Animation Studios was not doing well. After the deaths of Walt Disney and Roy O. Disney, in 1966 and 1971, respectively, the studio's box office success was heading downhill. In 1979, long-time animator Don Bluth left to start his own production company, Don Bluth Productions, taking 16 other animators with him. The studio became a major competitor for Disney, producing films like "The Secret of NIMH" (1982), "An American Tail" (1986), and "The Land Before Time" (1988). In 1989, as the Disney Renaissance was about to begin, Don Bluth Productions was getting ready to release "All Dogs Go to Heaven."

Meanwhile, after investors attempted a hostile takeover, The Walt Disney Company made organizational changes in 1984. Michael Eisner, formerly of Paramount Pictures, became CEO, and Frank Wells, formerly of Warner Bros., became President. Eisner brought in Jeffrey Katzenberg, his colleague from Paramount, as Walt Disney Studios chairman. Roy E. Disney (the son of Roy O. Disney) became supervisor of the feature animation department. That same year, Disney Television Animation was founded as an alternative to theatrical animation.

The next year, 1985, was a tough one for Disney's animation department. To make way for more live-action productions, the animators were moved from the main lot in Burbank to temporary offices in warehouses and trailers in nearby Glendale. They would remain there for the next 10 years.

Also in 1985, Disney released "The Black Cauldron," their first PG-rated animated film. The movie had a budget of $44 million, making it the most expensive animated film ever made at the time, but it earned only $21.3 million domestically at the box office. The film had a much darker tone than previous Disney features and included a "Cauldron Born" section with rotting corpses. During the test screening, that particular scene terrified the kids in the audience. "Right on cue, the doors opened and a mom was angrily leaving with her two wailing children in tow. She was followed by another, and soon there was a sizable exodus of crying kids and upset parents fleeing from the theater," recalls animator Michael Peraza.

Disney's new chairman, Jeffrey Katzenberg, wanted 10 minutes cut from the movie. Eventually, about 12 minutes of footage was deleted, but some of those missing scenes were included on the movie's 25th anniversary release.

Despite that disappointment, over the next few years, Disney's theatrical releases sparked hope for the animation department. "The Great Mouse Detective" (1986) was well-received by audiences and critics, and "Oliver & Company" (1988) managed to outgross Don Bluth Productions' "The Land Before Time" at the box office.

In 1988, Disney also collaborated with Steven Spielberg to produce "Who Framed Roger Rabbit." Released through Disney's Touchstone Pictures label, the live-action/animation hybrid was a success, winning three Academy Awards for technical achievements. Walt Disney Animation Studios was poised for a comeback.

Disney Renaissance: 1989 - 1999

After initially being floated as a movie idea in the 1930s, plans for " The Little Mermaid" were dormant until the mid-80s. Lyricist Howard Ashman and composer Alan Menken, known for their work on the Off-Broadway musical "Little Shop of Horrors," were brought on to create the score. At Ashman's urging, the character of Clarence, an English butler crab, was changed to the Jamaican crab, Sebastian. This change influenced the score, leading to the catchy song styles of "Under the Sea" and "Kiss the Girl." He also thought it was important to hire actors with musical theater backgrounds, and Jodi Benson (who had previously worked with Ashman on the Broadway show "Smile") was brought on to play Ariel.

"Part of Your World," one of the most memorable Disney songs of all time, was almost cut from the film. Katzenberg worried kids would get bored during the ballad, but Ashman insisted the Broadway-style song was necessary because it reveals what Ariel wants near the beginning of the movie, setting up a clear story structure. The song stayed.

"The Little Mermaid" was released on November 17, 1989, and earned $84.4 million in domestic box office. In his review, film critic Roger Ebert said, "Here at last, once again, is the kind of liberating, original, joyful Disney animation that we all remember from "Snow White," "Pinocchio" and the other first-generation classics." In 1990, the movie won Academy Awards and Golden Globes for Best Score and Best Song ("Under the Sea").

Disney's next release was " The Rescuers Down Under," the first canon sequel produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. Though the movie was generally well-received, it didn't reach the heights of "The Little Mermaid" and took in about $28 million in domestic box office.

Their next film, however, was the massively successful " Beauty and the Beast " (1991). Once again, Howard Ashman and Alan Menken teamed up to create the score, which includes songs like "Be Our Guest," "Belle," and the title song, "Beauty and the Beast."

Paige O'Hara played Belle, and like Jodi Benson, she had a musical theater background. The cast also included Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Potts and Jerry Orbach as Lumiere. You can watch a behind-the-scenes clip of Lansbury and Orbach in the recording studio with Ashman while working on "Be Our Guest."

Writing for the New York Times, film critic Janet Maslin said, "Two years ago Walt Disney Pictures reinvented the animated feature, not only with an eye toward pleasing children but also with an older, savvier audience in mind. Disney truly bridged a generation gap with "The Little Mermaid," bringing the genre new sophistication without sacrificing any of the delight."

During its initial film release, "Beauty and the Beast" earned $145.9 million domestically and $351.9 million worldwide. It was the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and it was the only animated film nominated back when only five nominees were allowed in that category. Ashman and Menken won the Academy Award for Best Original Song ("Beauty and the Beast"), and Menken won Best Original Score. The film also earned Golden Globe and Grammy awards.

While the studio was savoring a major success, it was bittersweet. A few months before "Beauty and the Beast" arrived in theaters, lyricist Howard Ashman passed away at the age of 40 due to AIDS-related complications. Before his death, he contributed to Disney's next animated feature: " Aladdin."

Ashman first pitched the idea for "Aladdin" in 1988, but the project was removed from development until 1991. Three of the songs Ashman and Menken wrote together remained in the final film: "Friend Like Me," "Arabian Nights, " and "Prince Ali." Tim Rice took over as lyricist following Ashman's death, and he and Menken would win an Academy Award for "A Whole New World."

"Aladdin" became the No. 1 movie of 1992, earning $217 million domestically and $504 million internationally, but it wasn't without its complications. In April 1991, just 19 months before the scheduled theatrical release, Jeffrey Katzenberg asked directors Ron Clements and John Musker for a new script. That day became known as "Black Friday," and the directors and writers scrambled to complete rewrites in time for the movie's scheduled release.

The film memorably featured Robin Williams, who stole scenes as the fast-talking, comedic Genie. The Golden Globes created a special achievement award to recognize his performance, which was recorded at the same time Williams was filming "Hook."

Disney's next film was " The Lion King " (1994), which earned $763.4 million during its initial run. Having now established a formula with "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," and "Aladdin," this movie was a departure from the norm. It was the first Disney animated feature with an original story, rather than based on existing work, and there were no human characters in sight.

It was also the first of these majorly successful Disney Renaissance films with no involvement from Howard Ashman and Alan Menken. Instead, Elton John and Tim Rice wrote the lyrics with a score composed by Hans Zimmer, which led to classics like "Circle of Life," "Be Prepared," "Hakuna Matata," and "Can You Feel the Love Tonight."

Production on "The Lion King" started at the same time as " Pocahontas " (1995). Most Disney animators chose to work on "Pocahontas" instead, thinking it would be the more successful movie. However, the studio's gamble with "The Lion King" paid off, while "Pocahontas" earned mixed reviews and $346 million at the box office.

"With dismay, I realize that virtually everything in the movie - every character, every story twist, every song - is as generic as the two hygienic lovers," critic Owen Gleiberman wrote of "Pocahontas." Still, Alan Menken managed to win Best Original Score and Best Original Song ("Colors of the Wind") at the Academy Awards.

By now, the Disney Renaissance was definitely on the decline, but the studio had earned enough to bring its animators back from exile in Glendale. A 240,000-square-foot building was opened across from Disney's main lot in Burbank on December 16, 1994. That same year, Jeffrey Katzenberg left Disney to become co-founder and CEO of Dreamworks Animation.

Post-"Pocahontas," Disney made the somewhat surprising choice to release " The Hunchback of Notre Dame " (1996). Based on the 1831 novel by Victor Hugo, "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" features pretty dark themes for Disney, though they did spare Quasimodo from death in their version.

In the end, "Hunchback" earned over $100 million domestically and enjoyed positive reviews. "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" is the best Disney animated feature since "Beauty and the Beast"- a whirling, uplifting, thrilling story with a heart-touching message that emerges from the comedy and song," wrote critic Roger Ebert.

Three more films rounded out the Disney Renaissance era: " Hercules" (1997), " Mulan" (1998), and " Tarzan " (1999). Out of these three, "Mulan" probably had the most lasting impact, giving Disney another princess to add to their canon.

After less than stellar box office returns for "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "Hercules," Disney wanted to avoid "Lion King"-sized expectations for "Mulan." On its opening weekend, the movie earned $22.8 million and came in second at the box office behind "The X-Files: Fight the Future." It went on to outgross "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" and "Hercules," but failed to meet the incredibly high box office bar set by earlier Disney Renaissance films.

"Tarzan," the final film from the Disney Renaissance era, was the most commercially successful film since "The Lion King." It garnered positive reviews, earned $448 million at the box office, and won the Academy Award for Best Original Song ("You'll Be in My Heart").

In all, here's the full list of Disney Renaissance movies, with release date and writers/directors:

The Little Mermaid - (November 17, 1989) Written and Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker.

The Rescuers Down Under - (November 16, 1990) Written by Jim Cox, Karey Kirkpatrick, Byron Simpson, Joe Ranft. Directed by Hendel Butoy and Mike Gabriel.

Beauty and the Beast - (November 22, 1991) Written by Linda Woolverton. Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise.

Aladdin - (November 25, 1992) Written by Ron Clements, John Musker, Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio. Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker.

The Lion King - (June 24, 1994) Written by Irene Mecchi, Jonathan Roberts, Linda Woolverton. Directed by Roger Allers and Rob Minkoff.

Pocahontas - (June 23, 1995) Written by Carl Binder, Susannah Grant, Philip LaZebnik. Directed by Mike Gabriel and Eric Goldberg.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame - (June 21, 1996) Written by Tab Murphy, Irene Mecchi, Bob Tzudiker, Noni White, Jonathan Roberts. Directed by Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise.

Hercules - (June 27, 1997) Written by Ron Clements, John Musker, Donald McEnery, Bob Shaw, Irene Mecchi. Directed by Ron Clements and John Musker.

Mulan - (June 19, 1998) Written by Rita Hsiao, Philip LaZebnik, Chris Sanders, Eugenia Bostwick-Singer, Raymond Singer. Directed by Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft.

Tarzan - (June 18, 1999) Written by Tab Murphy, Bob Tzudiker, Noni White. Directed by Kevin Lima and Chris Buck.

Post-Renaissance and beyond

After the Disney Renaissance, many of the studio's most popular movies have come from the Disney-Pixar partnership. Their first collaboration actually arrived in the midst of the Renaissance era, with " T oy Story" in 1995. Since then, they've delivered hits like " Toy Story 2" (1999), " Monsters, Inc." (2001), " Finding Nemo" (2003), " The Incredibles" (2004), " Cars" (2006), and " Up " (2009), just to name a few. In 2006, Disney purchased Pixar for $7.4 billion in an all-stock deal.

In 2013, Walt Disney Animation Studios had a huge success with " Frozen," which has a movie sequel due in 2019 and is currently a Broadway musical. We also got a new version of the Disney Princess story with " Moana " in 2016, which did not feature a love interest for the heroine.

Now, like it or not, Disney is circling back to their Disney Renaissance films with live-action remakes. A live-action "Beauty and the Beast" was the first to arrive in theaters in 2017, with "Aladdin" and "The Lion King" premiering in 2019 and "Mulan" in 2020. A live-action version of " The Little Mermaid " is also in development, with Alan Menken and Lin-Manuel Miranda teaming up to work on new music for the movie.

Through some magical combination of story, animation, and music, the movies of the Disney Renaissance era cemented our love for the House of Mouse, and as the live-action " Beauty and the Beast " box office receipts prove, we just keep coming back for more.

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The Disney Renaissance: How a 10-Year Era Took Disney Fandom to the Next Level

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Between 1989 and 1999, Walt Disney Animation Studios came back from a box office slump to produce some of the most successful animated features of all time with "The Little Mermaid," "Beauty and the Beast," "Aladdin," and "The Lion King," to name a few.

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A film analysis of Mulan. It breaks down each act of the film, going in depth with the movie's story structure and elements. I can reference the topics and ideas brought up in the article for my essay.

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An Essay analyzing the soundtrack of Mulan and how it relates to the film's storytelling and themes. The essay delves into the culture ideas behind the film and the soundtrack relating to the original myth of Hua Mulan, and how the soundtrack reinforces in the storytelling. I can use this analysis to talk more in depth about the movie's soundtrack and how the cultural and gender ideas behind both the film and the myth effect the story.

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Cultural Studies for the Socially Liberated

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The 1998 Disney movie, Mulan, brings to life the historical Chinese heroine Hua Mulan (known as Fa Mulan in the Disney film) in the form of an animated children's musical. Although Mulan is a Disney female protagonist, she does not fit into Disney's princess category; rather, the character Mulan is a better fit for Disney's hero category which is reserved for male figures (i.e. Hercules). The structural relationships present in Mulan can be interchanged with that of any male protagonist but not with another female. These structures are then reinforced by the movie's soundtrack which illuminates cultural, gender, and sexual expectations and restrictions. The songs "Honor to Us All," "Reflection," "I'll Make A Man Out of You," and "A Girl Worth Fighting For" each posses specific language in order to demonstrate the various influences of Mulan's environment. The cultural, gender, sexual, and even economic influences weaved throughout the soundtrack are made apparent via the methods of psychoanalysis and structuralism.

The original tale of Hua Mulan takes place during the Wei Dynasty and is an example of a fulfillment of two quintessential Confucian teachings: filial piety and national service. The Epoch Times article, "The Legend of Mulan," explains that although the Disney adaptation contains many deviations from the actual legend it holds true to those two teachings. Confucius is arguably China's most influential philosopher and his teachings permeate the culture even into the modern day. His teachings of piety and service to one's family and country establish the cultural norms of the Chinese people. These are the norms that play throughout the Disney movie as well. The expectations and restrictions of the son versus the daughter creates the tension between Mulan's duty and her gender. As a daughter she is obligated to serve her parents by obedience and her country by producing more sons, but Mulan deviates from her role as a female child to that of a male child. When Mulan's father is called to serve in the army, she insists to take his place due to his old age. In order to do so, Mulan disguises herself as a male and joins the army. As a son, Mulan serves her father by protecting him from sure death and serves her country by fighting off foreign invaders. Therefore, the transition of gender implies the transition of cultural expectations and restrictions, which ultimately allows for the interpretation of her story as one of Disney's heroes rather than a princess.

Mulan is the first Disney non-princess to take on a non traditional female role as a hero. I choose the word hero rather heroine because she accomplishes her duties while disguised as a male soldier. In a way, it makes sense for Mulan to be excluded in the category of the Disney princess because it does not correlate to her function. Furthermore, the film is organized in the format for a Disney hero rather than a Disney princess. Eagleton writes that Structuralism "...brackets off the actual content of the story and concentrates entirely on the form. You could replace father and son, pit and sun, with entirely different elements - mother and daughter, bird and mole - and still have the same story. As long as the structure of relations between the units is preserved, it does not matter which items you select" (Eagleton 83). Therefore in the case of Mulan, her story is structurally similar to that of Hercules, a well known Disney hero, rather than to Cinderella, a well known Disney princess. The difference in context is irrelevant to structural analysis, but the overall construct of the movie is as follows: China is threatened by the Huns, she struggles with her identity but decides to follow her heart, she runs away from home in order to address the danger and find herself, goes through rigorous training with the help of a mythical creature (Mushu) and an animal companion (Khan), develops a love interest (Captain Li Shang) but is unable to pursue him due to the imminent danger, proves her worth as a hero to Emperor of China and the rest of her country, ultimately saves the love interest and the rest of society, and is reunited with her family. For those who have watched Hercules, the components mentioned can be applied like so: Olympus is threatened by Hades and the Titans, Hercules struggles with his identity but chooses to follow his heart, he runs away to address the danger and find himself, goes through rigorous training with the help of a mythical creature (Phil) and an animal companion (Pegasus), develops a love interest (Megara but is unable to pursue her due to the imminent danger, proves her worth as a hero to Zeus and the rest of Olympus, ultimately saves the love interest and society, and is reunited with his family. These parallels between the characters Mulan and Hercules support "that the individual units of any system have meaning only by virtue of their relations to one another" (82). Mulan thus does not posses the structure of a princess, but her character fulfills the criteria of the hero role. However, in order for Mulan to perform the role of the hero, she must temporarily forgo her womanhood and identify herself as a man. Her journey to "manhood" is reinforced by the movie's soundtrack. I would also like to note that the musical quality is another shared structure, but this can be applied to most if not all of Disney's animated films.

The music of any album follows a particular theme just as the movie's soundtrack reinforces the storyline via song. The soundtrack adds another layer of language on top of the movie's spoken and visual dialogue. The placement and structure of each song is intentional and Eagleton's statement that "words are not just strung together for the sake of the thoughts they convey, as in ordinary speech, but with an eye to the patterns of similarity, opposition, parallelism, and so on created by their sound, meaning, rhythm and connotation," can be applied to their formation (86). On the other hand, psychoanalysis can also be used to unpack the content of individual songs since "psychoanalytical or humanist readings...depend on these items having a certain intrinsic significance [and] to understand..we have to resort to our knowledge of the world outside the text" (83). It is also essential to keep in mind the prevalent Confucian influence when using psychoanalysis. Since it is necessary to understand the historical, cultural, and even economical implications of the text, the role of men and women and the importance of fulfilling those roles in Chinese culture cannot be ignored. The relationship between men and women was discussed:

...in terms of yin and yang. Women were yin, men were yang. Yin was soft, yielding, receptive, passive, reflective, and tranquil, whereas yang was hard, active, assertive, and dominating. Day and night, winter and summer, birth and death, indeed all natural processes occur through processes of interaction of yin and yang. Conceptualizing the differences between men and women in terms of yin and yang stresses that these differences are part of the natural order of the universe, not part of the social institutions artificially created by human beings. In yin yang theory the two forces complement each other but not in strictly equal ways. The natural relationship between yin and yang is the reason that men lead and women follow. If yin unnaturally gains the upper hand, order at both the cosmic and social level are endangered. (Ebrey)

The historical Hua Mulan and the fictional Fa Mulan both challenge this notion of gender-based occupations. The situation then questions the importance of fulfilling one's duties as specified by gender versus fulfilling the virtue of the teaching despite physical gender. Utilizing both structuralism and psychoanalysis, we can simultaneously achieve a close and general reading of the songs "Honor to Us All," "Reflection," "I'll Make A Man Out of You," and "A Girl Worth Fighting For."

The movie first introduces Mulan as she prepares for her meeting with the town matchmaker. The audience is introduced to an immature and irresponsible young lady who struggles with organizing herself. The song, "Honor to Us All" begins as Mulan meets her mother in town to be washed and dressed by other townswomen. This point in the movie is when the audience observes Mulan's non stereotypical behavior in comparison to the rest of the young women present for their meeting with the matchmaker. The first, second and third verses address Mulan's transition into womanhood from her disheveled state:

This is what you give me to work with? Well, honey, I've seen worse. We're going to turn this sow's ear into a silk purse/We'll have you washed and dried, primped and polished till you glow with pride. Trust my recipe for instant bride, you'll bring honor to us all/Wait and see when we're through, boys will gladly go to war for you. With good fortune and a great hairdo, you'll bring honor to us all. (Mulan)

Mulan's environment, as mentioned earlier, is heavily influenced by Confucian philosophy and the role of women and according to Freud, "This parental influence of course includes in its operation not only the personalities of the actual parents but also the family, racial and national traditions handed on through them, as well as the demands of the immediate social milieu which they represent" (Freud 139). The Confucian emphasis on female roles within the family is a fundamental component of Mulan's culture. In verse four, this idea of honor is correlated with the fulfillment of one's gender responsibility: "A girl can bring her family great honor in one way, by striking a good match and this could be the day" (Mulan). The gender roles are then mentioned again in verse six in a parallel manner: "We all must serve our Emperor who guards us from the Huns. A man by bearing arms, a girl by bearing sons" (Mulan). The importance of the matchmaker visit is based on the societal bias for men while women are merely producers and caretakers of the men. Her duty is to her father, husband, and son, and the greatest honor comes from fulfilling her obligations to them. Throughout the song, however, Mulan is seen acting out of her gender role. She demonstrates her intellect as she helps an elderly man win a board game and demonstrates her assertiveness by helping a little girl who is bullied by young boys. All the while, her mother, grandmother and townswomen sing the requirements for a desirable wife: "Men want girls with good taste, calm, obedient, who work fast-paced. With good breeding and a tiny waist, you'll bring honor to us all" (Mulan). The women are made into objects of desire for the men, and her success is measured by her ability to attract a husband. This objectification of the female is also seen later in the song "A Girl Worth Fighting For." Mulan ultimately fails her meeting in which the matchmaker states that Mulan "may look like a bride, but [she] will never bring her family honor" (Mulan). In addition to the objectification of women, honor becomes an object of desire in which the fear of attaining it is enough to put a person in a state of distress. This "object-love," as coined by Freud, for honor is another theme present throughout the movie (138). Discouraged and dishonored, Mulan returns home and struggles to reconcile her gender with her expected role in society. She is not fit to be a bride, yet her gender binds her to a task that she cannot accomplish.

Mulan's fear of absolute dishonor upon her family pushes her to self-reflection as her father learns of her failure with the matchmaker. The song "Reflection" reveals the conflict within Mulan's character. The verse states Mulan's awareness of her gender's role and her incompetence: "Look at me, I will never pass for a perfect bride or a perfect daughter. Can it be I'm not meant to play this part? Now I see that if I were truly to be myself, I would be break my family's heart" (Mulan). The chorus then directly addresses her gender and her seemingly inescapable situation: "Who is that girl I see staring back at me? Why is my reflection someone I don't know? Somehow I cannot hide who I am though I've tried. When will my reflection show who I am inside? When will my reflection show who I am inside?" (Mulan). According to Freud, "All, then, would now seem in place for gender roles to be reinforced, satisfactions to be postponed, authority to be accepted and the family and society to be reproduced" (137). Mulan, at this point in the movie, cannot reconcile any of the three components mentioned by Freud. She failed her parents because she could not function properly as a woman. Mulan lacks as a woman because societal and cultural decorum expectations conflict with her personality. Since she was denied by the matchmaker, Mulan cannot participate in the reproduction of her family or society. Thus, Mulan is stuck at a binary opposition between her ego and the desire for honor. She can either choose to abandon her personality in order to satisfy the cultural, gender, and familial demands or to fully embrace her personality at the cost of disappointing the mentioned demands. The internal conflict that Mulan experiences is explained by Freud, "We may have certain unconscious desires which will not be denied, but which dare not find practical outlet either; in this situation, the desire forces its way in from the unconscious, the ego blocks if off defensively, and the result of this internal conflict is what we call neurosis" (137). It is not completely clear that Mulan contemplates functioning as a male child during this song, but it becomes an option later on in the movie. Her internal conflict consequently contributes to her aggressive behavior towards her father in the scene after the song. She is outraged by her father's decision to serve in the army, but she may also be angered at the fact that she is unable to help her father on top of dishonoring him. On the other hand, we can apply a structural view on the Confucian teachings of filial piety and national service to Mulan's situation. According to Eagleton,

Meaning was neither a private experience nor a divinely ordained occurrence: it was the product of certain shared systems of signification...language pre-dated the individual, and was much less his or her product than he or she was the product of it. Meaning was not 'natural', a question of just looking and seeing, or something eternally settled; the way you interpreted your world was a function of the languages you had at your disposal, and there was evidently nothing immutable about these. Meaning was not something which all men and women everywhere intuitively shared, and then articulated in their various tongues and scripts: what meaning you were able to articulate depended on what script or speech you shared in the first place. (93)

The meaning of filial piety and national service is a product of the society in which it is termed. The language used in order to coin the Confucian teachings does not specify the meaning; instead, it portrays the idea of devotion towards one's family and nation. The actual words do not have an inherent meaning as psychoanalysis suggests. It does not imply gender or restrictions because it is the culture that shaped those aspects. Mulan could still serve her father and country by choosing to impersonate a male soldier. Her femininity is no longer a factor as she adopts masculinity in order to fulfill her obligations to her father and China. Thus, Mulan challenges the society in which the terms are defined by switching genders in order to exercise the meaning of filial piety and national service. The words are used as a specific relationship while the gender becomes the variable. Just as mentioned earlier, the meanings of filial piety and national service should remain the same despite switching the pronouns indicating gender. The teachings provide a structure in which the society projects gender-based roles onto the overall structure.

Mulan begins her quest to return honor to her family and to serve the emperor when she begins her military training. Her training is accompanied with the song "I'll Make a Man Out of You" in which Captain Shang addresses his incompetent troops. The very first verse begins by addressing gender stereotypes: "Let's get down to business to defeat the Huns. Did they send me daughters when I asked for sons? You're the saddest bunch I've ever met, but you can bet before we're through, mister, I'll make a man out of you" (Mulan). This sets up the binary opposition between the male and female, or rather, the son and daughter. By the end of her training, Mulan, the daughter, will assume her identity as a man and therefore a son. The line, "I'll make a man out of you," is repeated at the end of every verse in order to reinforce the transition that will occur by the end of the song. However, one may wonder why Mulan would resort to drastic measures at the sake of preserving her family's honor. Eagleton writes,

Every human being has to undergo this repression of what Freud named the 'pleasure principle' by the 'reality principle', but for some of us, and arguably whole societies, the repression may become excessive and make us ill. We are sometimes willing to forgo gratification to an heroic extent, but usually in the canny trust that by deferring an immediate pleasure we will recoup it in the end, perhaps in a richer form. We are prepare to put up with repression as long as we see that there is something in it for us; if too much is demanded for us, however, we are likely to fall sick. (132)

The training is rigorous, and as the movie progresses it almost seems as if Mulan does not have what it takes to complete her duties as a male either. The song's structure echoes Mulan's struggle as the last lines of each verse go from, "Mister, I'll make a man out of you," to, "Somehow I'll make a man out of you," to, "How could I make a man out of you?" (Mulan). Captain Shang even tells Mulan to leave the army because of her poor performance. However, Mulan finds a way to redeem herself by accomplishing a task that no other man could. At the beginning of the song, Shang began the training by proposing a challenge to the fresh recruits. If any of them could retrieve the arrow at the top of a wooden pole, they could prove their worth as a true man and soldier. In addition to climbing the wooden pole, the men were require to strap two weights to their arms in which one weight represented strength and the other represented discipline. No one was able to conquer this feat until Mulan did after Shang had told her to leave. She mustered all of her strength and discipline into that one task to redeem her honor. Objectively, Mulan can be considered a man because she successfully completed her training. Why was Mulan, a woman, able to complete a task no other man could? Surely, there were stronger and more disciplined men in the training camp, yet they had all failed. The answer lies in what Freud refers to as the phallus or the male genital organ. Psychoanalytically, Mulan performs an act that is stereotypically designated to women - handling a pole. The pole can arguably represent the male genitalia and Mulan's success is due to her nature as a woman. The repression of Mulan's sexuality forces her to divert her energy towards military training. Eagleton explains, "One way in which we cope with desires we cannot fulfill is by 'sublimating' them, by which Freud means directing them towards a more socially valued end...it is by virtue of such sublimation that civilization itself comes about: by switching and harnessing our instincts to the higher goals, cultural history itself is created" (132). In order for Mulan to participate in her environment, she must repress her sexuality, and according to Freud this is common human behavior. The repression of her "libidinal energy" (134) is translated into aggression which physically enables her participation as a soldier. Interestingly, the conquering of the pole implies that Mulan was able to indirectly satisfy herself sexually despite having to repress her womanhood.

The rest of the men express their sexual desires openly because they are also experiencing a sort of sexual repression by being removed from society where women are present. Their desires are revealed in the last song,

For a long time we've been marching off to battle. In our thundering herd, we feel a lot like cattle. Like the pounding beat, our aching feet aren't easy to ignore. Hey, think of instead a girl worth fighting for. That's what I said, a girl worth fighting for. [Ling] I want her paler than the moon with eyes that shine like stars. [Yao] My girl will marvel at my strength, adore my battle scars. [Chien Po] I couldn't care less what she'll wear or what she looks like. It'll all depend on what she cooks like beef, pork, chicken. (Mulan)

Each man brings his idea of the perfect woman and these desires all correlate to the expectations seen at the beginning of the movie during the matchmaker scene. The desire for a beautiful, adoring, obedient, and domestic wife is consistent with the expectations introduced in "Honor to Us All." A specific example of this relationship between the two songs is seen in the line, "When we're through, boys will gladly go to war for you." This directly demonstrates a structural correlation between "Honor to Us All" and "A Girl Worth Fighting For." The two songs are two sides of one society - the female perspective and the male perspective. Although the songs individual structures are not necessarily similar, they contribute to the movie's overall structure. The first song has Mulan as a woman being introduced to the female's perspective while the last song has Mulan as a man being introduced to the male's perspective. Psychoanalytically, the song reestablishes the status of women in relation to men. Women, in this case, function as the object of men's desires and their hope is that they are chosen by a potential husband. Men, on the other hand, possess the liberty to desire women just as Eagleton suggests,

One belief which has apparently not varied in these institutions is the assumption that girls and women are inferior to boys and men: this prejudice would seem to unite all known societies. Since it is a prejudice with deep roots in our early sexual and familial development, psychoanalysis has become of major importance to some feminists. (142)

It is also significant to note the correlation between the soldiers, their desire for women, and the drive to fight. It is true that the motivation to fight stems from their duty to defend the Middle Kingdom from foreign forces, yet the phrase "a girl worth fighting for" indicates that the men's motivation stems from the desire for the female. Freud describes a connection between sexual energy and the destructive instinct called 'libido' (140). He argues that sexual repression can manifest itself in the form of energy, namely violent energy. This can be applied to the men's situation as they march towards the battlefront. Their disconnection from women is indicative of their sexual repression, so the only way to relieve this tension is to fight in the war. By fighting, the energy is exerted in the form of violence which allows for enough relief until the men are reunited with society. Each man hopes to return home as a war hero in order to acquire a woman: "[Men] But when we come home in victory, they'll line up at the door. [Ling] What do we want? [Men] A girl worth fighting for! [Ling] Wish that I had [Men] a girl worth fighting for!" (Mulan). By ending the musical numbers in the movie with this song, Mulan has come full circle in terms of gender roles.

The overarching structure of the movie is demonstrated by the strategic utilization of the soundtrack. The order places a significant role in reinforcing Mulan's transformation. "Honor to Us All" is the beginning of Mulan's journey as she interacts with the social dynamics of her culture. The demands of her gender are laid out, and the nature of her true character is revealed. "Reflection" initiates Mulan's transitional stage from woman to man as she realizes that she must drastically change in order to function within her society. "I'll Make A Man Out of You" demonstrates Mulan's metamorphoses into manhood as she assumes her new identity and function. "A Girl Worth Fighting For" brings Mulan back to where she started in the beginning of the movie, but in this case she views the world through the male lens. Psychoanalytically, the content of each song suggest a strong influence of Confucian thought. The family and nation are elevated in terms of priority while the individual is de-emphasized. Honor does not begin with oneself because it rightfully belongs to the nation and family lineage. Gender roles are also specified by Confucian teachings, and these teachings are responsible for the bulk of each song's content. "Honor to Us All" and "Reflection" unpack the requirements, duties, and expectations of the female. "I'll Make a Man Out of You" and "A Girl Worth Fighting For" discuss the requirements, duties, and expectations of the male. The juxtaposition of the songs allow for the gender roles to be defined via negations, as Eagleton notes, "'In the linguistic system,' says Saussure, 'there are only differences': meaning is not mysteriously immanent in a sign but is functional, the result of its difference from other signs" (84). Thus, "Honor to Us All" defines the male gender by virtue of not being female. The gender stereotypes apply solely to women which indicates that they do not apply to men. The same can be applied to "I'll Make a Man Out of You," since females do not function as males they cannot be a man just as the song's chorus suggests. In conclusion, the heroine Mulan negotiates the gender roles specified both by her movie's genre and historical stereotypes. Just as she assumes the position of a male soldier despite being a woman, Mulan situates her story within the hero genre despite being a female Disney character.

Works Cited

Ebrey, Patricia. "Women in Traditional China." . Asia Society, 1 Jan. 2014. Web. 11 May 2014.

< http://asiasociety.org/countries/traditions/women-traditional-china>.

Mulan. Walt Disney Home Videos., 1998.

Shen, Teresa, and Gisela Sommer. "The Legend of Mulan." Epoch Times. The Epoch Times, 31

Aug. 2011. Web. 10 May 2014. <http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/china-news/the-legend-of-mulan-61005.html>.

Eagleton, Terry, Literary Theory. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 1996.

Social Theory: the Multicultural and Classic Readings, Charles Lemert, ed. San Francisco:

Westview Press, 1993. (Sigmund Freud, an Outline of Psychoanalysis)

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I'll Make a Cultural Analyst Out of You: a Close Reading of the Mulan Soundtrack -- Ashley Canastra

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The 1998 Disney movie, Mulan, brings to life the historical Chinese heroine Hua Mulan (known as Fa Mulan in the Disney film) in the form of an animated children's musical. Although Mulan is a Disney female protagonist, she does not fit into Disney's princess category; rather, the character Mulan is a better fit for Disney's hero category which is reserved for male figures (i.e.

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An article over viewing the soundtrack and music of Mulan.  It highlights some of the music and its lyrics, and how they convey certain themes, undertones, and cultural ideas with the lyrics and instrumentation of the songs. I can use this in my essay to talk about the music in Mulan and how the songs help convey certain messages and themes for the movie.

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Despite its release twenty years ago, Mulan remains a favorite of the Disney classics. The film features a strong main female character who is relatable an…

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Art Of Mulan.pdf - Free ebook download as PDF File (.pdf) or read book online for free.

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Cartoon characters are not real, and animated features definitely aren't intended to have a sense of documentary realism. But don't tell that to Walt Disney Pictures officials, and especially producer Pam Coats.

Disney received complaints from American Indian leaders about the treatment of historical characters and American Indian culture in 1995's "Pocahontas." And similarly, the release of Disney's animated "Hercules" musical set off protests and picketing in Greece last year because the film reworked classic Greek mythology in its interpretation of mythical characters.Consequently, studio officials say they are more mindful now of how other cultures are depicted onscreen. That put additional pressure on Coats and her already-harried creative teams, who were busy making the studio's 36th animated film, "Mulan," based on a 2,000-year-old Chinese legend. (The movie opened Friday in theaters nationwide.)

"The studio was looking to do something radically different, and the idea of making this legend into a movie came up," Coats said during a telephone interview from California. "However, the story it's based on is revered in the Asian community, so there's a real need to be as true to the source as possible."

As for the results, Coats said she is quite satisfied.

"Obviously, we've made the additions of original songs and new characters," she said." But I think we've captured the essence of the original story . . . or at least I hope we have."

The movie version of "Mulan" tells of a young woman - the title character - who disguises herself as a man and becomes a soldier in the Imperial Chinese Army so her ailing father will not have to serve. Aided by Mushu, a "guardian dragon," she learns to become a skilled warrior, and eventually participates in the final battle to protect the emperor from the villainous Hun army.

Adding authenticity to the musical adventure is the presence of several veteran Asian-American performers who lend their voices to the animated characters, including B.D. Wong, Gedde Watanabe, James Hong, Soon-Tek Oh, Pat Morita and George Takei.

Actress Ming-Na Wen, who voices Mulan, landed her part not because of dramatic film credits or her comedic television roles, but for the narration she provides at the beginning of the film adaptation of "The Joy Luck Club."

"When we heard Ming-Na doing that voice-over, we knew we had our Mulan. She has a very likable and lovely voice, and those are the qualities we were looking for," Coats said. "Also, it was extremely important that we have an Asian-American actress play her and we couldn't have done better than Ming-Na."

Less obvious was the choice of Eddie Murphy, who provides the voice of Mushu, her tiny but enthusiastic companion.

"We were hoping to get someone like Robin (Williams), who was so great in `Aladdin,' and Eddie has proven he has that kind of comedic talent," she said. "Fortunately he said he was extremely interested in doing an animated film. When we did some test animation, he had a great time showing off."

Coats has similar praise for Donny Osmond, who provides the singing voice of Shang, the army commander who becomes Mulan's love interest.

"Donny's voice was almost a perfect match for (B.D. Wong, who provides the acting voice for Shang), and he wanted to do a movie with us," she said. "He really is a lovely man to work with."

But efforts to make the film as authentic as possible didn't stop with the performers or the story content. "Mulan" features the usual Disney quality animation, but the characters are drawn in an exaggerated manner that recalls the style of Asian cartoons.

Chen-Yi Chang, an animator known for his work on the "Batman" cartoon series, supervised the character designs and spent considerable time researching the period costuming.

"Chen really went above and beyond the call here," Coats said. "Of course, he's loved this story his whole life, so he wanted to make sure we did it right. He was a really handy person to have around."

Though Coats has worked as a production assistant with Disney for nearly a decade, "Mulan" is the first full-length movie produced by the former Utahn. (However, the animated short films she has produced at Disney include 1993's "Trail Mix-Up," starring Roger Rabbit, and "Runaway Brain," a 1995 Mickey Mouse short that was nominated for an Academy Award.)

The film represents the end of her six-year struggle to bring the story of "Mulan" to the screen. "It feels overwhelming, but very gratifying to have the movie done. I know it may sound corny, but it's really been a journey of self-discovery."

Her years in Utah theater, including LDS Church productions, and at Utah State University, prepared Coats to meet the studio's grueling production schedules and face a series of seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

"When Disney has a schedule in mind, they hold you to it, which can be very stressful. But it's no comparison with some of the things that happened in Utah," she said.

"Obviously, all those experiences helped me deal with the pressure."

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Cartoon characters are not real, and animated features definitely aren't intended to have a sense of documentary realism. But don't tell that to Walt Disney Pictures officials, and especially producer Pam Coats.

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The IMDb page for Mulan (1998). Lists all the people and actors working on the film. I can use this information about the production of the film in my essay.

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Mulan (1998) cast and crew credits, including actors, actresses, directors, writers and more.

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The box office numbers for Mulan(1998). Information about how well Mulan sold and did in theaters. I can list this information about how well Mulan did in my essay.

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Mulan summary of box office results, charts and release information and related links.

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A series of videos about the making of disney's Mulan from the makers of Mulan. The video's contains producers, animators, designers, and more talking about making the movie. I can use these videos as sources for the movie makers intentions and objectives in making the movie the way it is.

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Music Lyrics for the songs in Mulan. Mulan has a number of songs about honor, gender, and finding out who you truly are. Can use to analysis the songs, their message, and themes.

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This is what you give me to work with?
Well, honey, I've seen worse
We're going to turn this sow's ear
Into a silk purse

We'll have you
Washed and dried
Primped and polished till you glow with pride
Trust my recipe for instant bride
You'll bring honor to us all

Wait and see
When we're through
Boys will gladly go to war for you
With good fortune and a great hairdo
You'll bring honor to us all

A girl can bring her family
Great honor in one way
By striking a good match
And this could be the day

Men want girls with good taste
Calm
Obedient
Who work fast-paced
With good breeding
And a tiny waist
You'll bring honor to us all

We all must serve our Emperor
Who guards us from the Huns
A man by bearing arms
A girl by bearing sons

When we're through you can't fail
Like a lotus blossom soft and palm
How could any fellow say "No sale"
You'll bring honor to us all

There - you're ready
Not yet
An apple for serenity ...
A pendant for balance ...
Beads of jade for beauty
You must proudly show it
Now add a cricket just for luck
And even you can't blow it

Ancestors
Hear my plea
Help me not to make a fool of me
And to not uproot my fam'ly tree
Keep my father standing tall

Scarier than the undertaker
We are meeting our matchmaker
Destiny
Guard our girls
And our future as it fast unfurls
Please look kindly on these cultured pearls
Each a perfect porcelain doll

Please bring honor to us
Please bring honor to us
Please bring honor to us
Please bring honor to us
Please bring honor to us all

Look at me
I will never pass for a perfect bride
Or a perfect daughter
Can it be
I'm not meant to play this part?
Now I see
That if I were truly to be myself
I would break my fam'ly's heart

Who is that girl I see
Staring straight
Back at me?
Why is my reflection someone
I don't know?
Somehow I cannot hide
Who I am
Though I've tried
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?

Let's get down to business - to defeat the Huns
Did they send me daughters when I asked for sons?
You're the saddest bunch I've ever met
But you can bet before we're through
Mister, I'll make a man out of you

Tranquil as a forest
But on fire within
Once you find your center
You are sure to win
You're a spineless, pale pathetic lot
And you haven't got a clue
Somehow I'll make a man out of you

I'm never gonna catch my breath
Say goodbye to those who knew me
Boy, was I a fool in school for cutting gym
This guy's got 'em scared to death
Hope he doesn't see right through me
Now I really wish that I knew how to swim

(Chorus:)
Be a man
We must be swift as the coursing river
Be a man
With all the force of a great typhoon
Be a man
With all the strength of a raging fire
Mysterious as the dark side of the moon

Time is racing toward us till the Huns arrive
Heed my every order and you might survive
You're unsuited for the rage of war
So pack up, go home you're through
How could I make a man out of you?

(repeat chorus)
(repeat chorus)

For a long time we've been marching off to battle
In our thund'ring herd we feel a lot like cattle
Like the pounding beat our aching feet aren't easy to ignore
Hey, think of instead a girl worth fighting for
Huh?
That's what I said:
A girl worth fighting for

I want her paler than the moon with eyes that shine like stars
My girl will marvel at my strength, adore my battle scars
I couldn't care less what she'll wear or what she looks like
It all depends on what she cooks like: Beef, pork, chicken ...
Mmmh ...

Bet the local girls thought you were quite the charmer
And I'll bet the ladies love a man in armor
You can guess what we have missed the most
since we went off to war
What do we want?
A girl worth fighting for

My girl will think I have no faults
That I'm a major find
How 'bout a girl who's got a brain
Who always speaks her mind?
Nah!
My manly ways and turn of phrase are sure to thrill her
He thinks he's such a lady-killer

I've a girl back home who's unlike any other
Yeah, the only girl who'd love him is his mother
But when we come home in victory they'll line up at the door
What do we want?
A girl worth fighting for
Wish that I had
A girl worth fighting for
A girl worth fighting -

Baby, I knew at once that you were meant for me
Deep in my soul I know that I'm your destiny
Though you're unsure why fight the tide
Don't think so much, let your heart decide

Baby, I see your future and it's tied to mine
I look in your eyes and see you searching for a sign
But you'll never fall till you let go
Don't be so scared of what you don't know

(Chorus:)
True to your heart
You must be true to your heart
That's when the heavens will part
And baby, shower you with my love
Open your eyes
Your heart can tell you no lies
And when you're true to your heart
I know it's goona lead you straight to me

Someone ya know is on your side, can set you free
I can do that for you if you believe in my
Why second-guess what feels so right
Just trust your heart
And you'll see the light

(repeat chorus)

Your heart knows what's good for you
Let your heart show you the way
It'll see you through

Girl, my heart is driving me to where you are
You can take both hands off the wheel and still get far
Be swept away
Enjoy the ride
You won't get lost
With your heart to guide you

(repeat chorus)

When things are gettin' crazy
And you don't know where to start
Keep on believin', baby
Just be true to your heart
When all the world around yu
It seems to fall apart
Keep on believin', baby
Just be true to your heart

Look at me
You may think you see who I really am
But you'll never know me
Ev'ry day
It's as if I play a part
Now I see
If I wear a mask
I can fool the world
But I cannot fool my heart

Who is that girl I see
Staring straight back at me?
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?

I am now
In a world where I have to hide my heart
And what I believe in
But somehow
I will show the world
What's inside my heart
And be loved for who I am

Who is that girl I see
Staring straight back at me?
Why is my reflection someone I don't know?
Must I pretend that I'm
Someone else for all time?
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?

There's a heart that must be free to fly
That burns with a need to know the reason why
Why must we all conceal
What we think
How we feel
Must there be a secret me
I'm forced to hide?

I won't pretend that I'm
Someone else
For all time
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?
When will my reflection show
Who I am inside?

Frank Pilhofer <fp -AT- fpx.de>Back to the Homepage
Last modified: Thu Jul 30 11:30:29 1998

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A site with a in-depth analysis of gender and sexuality in Mulan. It goes into the representation of gender and gender roles in the movie, highlighting examples of bad and good representation.

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Feminist and Queer Analysis of Disney's Mulan

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Feminist and Queer Analysis of Disney's Mulan

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Disney released the film Mulan in 1998 during the third wave of feminism, so perhaps this can explain why at first glance, Mulan seems to be a feminist film encouraging the individual...

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An article highlighting the 20th anniversary of the release of Disney's Mulan. Within is a discussion with the film's director about the making of Mulan and it's importance in the modern day.  I can use the discussion and quote the director in writing my essay.

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SALT LAKE CITY - According to "Mulan" co-director Tony Bancroft, getting Donny Osmond for the singing voice of Capt. Li Shang, Mulan's commander, was not especially difficult.

"I remember (him) being super excited to be in a Disney movie," Bancroft wrote in an email interview. "It had been a dream of his since he was young."

Osmond wasn't the only one who wanted to be part of the Disney family; like a lot of kids, Bancroft fell in love with animation as a child.

"It all began when I watched Disney's ' Great Mouse Detective' and I swore that one day I would make characters come to life like what I saw on the screen," he wrote. "I was spellbound by the idea that mere pencil drawings could make me feel sad or happy for the character.

"It was some kind of magic I had to learn."

Bancroft taught himself to draw by copying characters from comic books. A friendly artistic rivalry with his twin brother, Tom, helped him progress faster than he otherwise might have, and by the time he was in high school, Bancroft knew he wanted to make a living drawing cartoons.

When he graduated from the California Institute of the Arts, he landed a job that would come to define his work in many ways. "My first job in the industry ... was as a low-level intern with Disney, but I was on my way!" wrote Bancroft.

His low-level position grew by the year. "I worked on all of the Disney features through the 1990s such as 'Rescuers Down Under,' 'Beauty and the Beast,' 'Aladdin,' and 'The Lion King,'" Bancroft said.

After helping create the character Puumba for "The Lion King," Bancroft scored the enviable gig as co-director for the 1998 feature animated film "Mulan," which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

"The executives were looking for someone with experience as a character animator and at that point, I fit the bill!" he wrote.

He took responsibility for animation-related duties while co-director Barry Cook used his expertise in effects and painting. "We shared the heavy lifting of story and editorial," Bancroft said. "We also were always together when recording all of the actors and in post-production as everything came together."

The joint duties associated with recording the actors proved emotional for Bancroft. He vividly recalls the first time he saw actress Lea Salonga recording a song in her role as the singing voice for "Mulan's" title character.

"I remember (her) sounding like an angel," he said of the actress who made her first splash at Disney as the voice of Jasmine in the 1992 film "Aladdin." "In the recording sessions she would sing and it was just the most beautiful sound. When she sang Mulan's 'Reflection' song for the first time, I cried."

As for Osmond, whose vocal contributions to the movie are nearly as recognizable as Salonga's, Bancroft remembers the singer feeling not only excited, but also a bit puzzled. "He felt it odd that his opportunity would come as a vocal sound-alike for a Chinese man but he did a great job," Bancroft said. "I can't imagine 'I'll Make A Man Out of You' without Donny Osmond."

"Mulan" represented a career capstone for Bancroft, and his associations with actors such as Salonga and Osmond provided a treasure chest worth of memories. But when it comes to the lasting impact of the movie, Bancroft immediately zeroes in on the effect it had on his daughters.

"The story was really ahead of its time in many ways," he said. "It seems to resonate more today than when we made it in 1998 in light of female empowerment and the MeToo generation. I think Mulan is the original strong female heroine."

That story tells of a Chinese girl named Mulan who, to save her father's life, disguises herself as a man and joins the army to fight their enemies. "She is exuberant and a free spirit and wants to be herself in a world that says a woman is a servant and has little value," Bancroft said.

"Having three daughters of my own, I am most proud of making a film with a new type of Disney princess that has inspired my girls' generation to be strong females," he said.

Disney clearly agreed with Bancroft and is planning a live-action version of "Mulan" staring Chinese-American actress and singer Liu Yifei in the title role. While Bancroft believes animation provides a magical, fairy tale experience that cannot be matched in a live-action film, he has high hopes for both the production value and messaging potential of the new movie, which is scheduled to debut in March 2020.

"I do think audiences will be wowed by the visual effects and wonder of the new live action 'Mulan,'" he wrote. "I am excited to see it myself!"

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'Mulan' turns 20: Director talks Donny Osmond and making a new type of Disney princess

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SALT LAKE CITY - According to "Mulan" co-director Tony Bancroft, getting Donny Osmond for the singing voice of Capt. Li Shang, Mulan's commander, was not especially difficult. "I remember (him) being super excited to be in a Disney movie," Bancroft wrote in an email interview.

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From Legend to Life   The Making of Mulan

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An article pertaining the historical source and inspiration for Disney's Mulan. It tells the legend and history that is the source of Mulan's story in the movie. I can reference this article for the historical origin and original story of Mulan.

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Hua Mulan is one of the most legendary women of ancient China. Her story was originally described in a poem known as the Ballad of Mulan. There is no archaeological proof that she was a real person, but tales of her heroic actions are told in ancient text. Although her story was documented in literature only, it's also taught in today's Chinese schools.

In Chinese "Huā" means "flower" and "Mùlán" means magnolia. The magnolia flower is one of the symbols of China since ancient times. However, there is different information about Mulan's possible roots, and her family name is uncertain. In the text History of the Ming , her family name is Zhu, but in History of the Qing it is Wei. The only sure information is that her story is connected with the history of China in the 4th or 5th century AD.

The Origins of the Ballad

The original source of Mulan's story came from one folk song in the North Wei Dynasty (386 AD - 557 AD) which was called The Ballad of Mulan . The first known transcription of The Ballad of Mulan comes from the 6th century. Unfortunately, the original work no longer exists and the text of this poem comes from another work known as the Music Bureau Collection . This is an anthology of lyrics, songs, and poems compiled by Guo Maoqian during the 11th or 12th century. The author explicitly states that the Musical Records of Old and New was his source for the poem about Mulan.

The next appearance of Mulan's tale came in the late Ming Dynasty. In 1593, the playwright Xu Wei dramatized the legend as The Female Mulan or The Heroine Mulan Goes to War in Her Father's Place. It was a play in two acts. The last of the most important versions of the Ballad was incorporated into the Sui-Tang Romance , a historical novel written by Chu Renhuo in the 17th century. Thus, the folk tale about the warrior woman Hua Mulan stayed alive in people's memories.

The Story of the Bravest Heroine of Chinese Poetry

The oldest known Ballad of Mulan consists of 31 couplets and is composed of mostly five-character phrases. The legend of Mulan has been written with many variations, but the plot is always the same: Mulan was washing clothes when she heard that the army was recruiting new soldiers. To save her old and ailing father, Huan Hu, she decided to be recruited as his "son." She knew that her father was too old and too ill to survive the war, so she decided to disguise herself as a man to go in his place.

The tale continues with Mulan leaving for the battlefield carrying the sword inherited from the ancestors of the family. She fought for ten or twelve years and gained high merit, but refused any reward and retired to her hometown instead. During the war, she met an officer, who is normally named Jin Yong , with whom she fell in love.

Legends say that after 10 years on the battlefield Mulan was promoted to general. When Jin Yong learned that Mulan was a woman, he became more attached to her. In many versions of the story both Mulan and Jin Yong dream about getting married to each other. In time, other soldiers also started to find out that Mulan was a woman.

One day, before a very difficult battle, Mulan decided to go onto the battlefield in women's clothing so her soldiers would realize her true identity. The reaction of the soldiers was one full of respect and admiration. They were overwhelmed by her bravery, grace, and wisdom. Thus, she inspired her army to win a battle once more.
Mulan in battle. ( Disneyfied or Disney tried ?)
After another heroic triumph, the emperor wanted to reward Mulan. He was surprised that the bravest of his soldiers was a female. However, Mulan asked for nothing but a horse to ride home. Many variations of the story say that when Mulan returned home she discovered that her father passed away. In these accounts, she doesn't feel like a hero, but instead like she lost the love of her life. She is also depicted in these folk tales as haunted by her experiences on the battlefield. Feeling lonely and misunderstood, the legend says that she decided to commit suicide.

The Real Mulan

Traditionally, Mulan's life is placed in the time of the Northern Wei, however, many details of her story were added during the reign of the Tang dynasty around 620 AD. In 621, the founder of the Tang dynasty was victorious over Wang Shichong and Dou Jiande, and another story about a warrior woman appeared at this time. Legends about both of these women were eventually connected into one story.

The history of Mulan came about because in the 4th and 5th century China was suffering under the invasion of a nomadic ethnic group. The central government was completely destroyed by the "barbarian" group. The war was terrible and warriors needed a source of hope. The wars took more than three centuries and affected many parts of the Chinese Empire. Therefore, a woman solider (in the form of Mulan or others) was a phenomenon which inspired soldiers to fight.

Mulan in the Modern World

The legend of Hua Mulan comes back to life every time that China needs hope and inspiration. The character of Mulan has remained a very popular motif in art and literature. She appears as a heroine of more than 10 movies and theater plays. She is also a popular heroine of modern novels and researched books. Her monuments are located in many places around the world. Even a crater on Venus is named after her. Hua Mulan is a symbol of bravery and honor. Chinese people believe that she was a real person... and as long as she inspires them, it may not matter to them whether that is the truth.
Featured image: The Story of Mulan. Source: Chinese Garden 101
By: Natalia Klimczak

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The Ballad of Hua Mulan: The Legendary Warrior Woman Who Brought Hope to China

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Hua Mulan is one of the most legendary women of ancient China. Her story was originally described in a poem known as the Ballad of Mulan. There is no archaeological proof that she was a real person, but tales of her heroic actions are told in ancient text.