There have been many Disney covers posted to YouTube. Some are good and some are just...not. It is hard to recreate songs of such caliber. But when a cover is done well, it is usually really really good and that is the case for Fred Mubang's Disney Medley Rock Guitar Remix. This rock remix does more than just simply replay notes on the guitar. Mubang really captures the music and incorporates his own style while still holding onto the magic of the original songs. The song covers five Disney tracks from Aladdin, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, Mulan and Pocahontas. The music video for this song is what is the icing on the cake. Directed and edited by Jared Miller, the video not only includes some awesome voice overs directly from the Disney movies featured but also is filtered with an old school, vintage VHS quality. Remember messing with the tracking on VHS players and trying to get rid of those annoying static white lines? Who would have thought we would come to appreciate them in twenty years! Videos like these are what make the internet so engaging. There are so many talented people out there and it gives them the ability to share their art with the world. This track and music video is really good and I would encourage every Disney fan to check it out right away! Well done Fred Mubang. Well done. CLICK HERE!
The films of the Disney Renaissance all share many of the same qualities. One of the qualities is the spiritual and religious metaphors and symbolism ingrained into each story. What sets the Renaissance apart from other eras in Disney film history is that the content not only looks and sounds good like normal but each film reaches it's audience on a deeper level. The characters are no longer boring two dimensional cartoons, nor are their story arcs. Each film has something profound to say and can be taken seriously unlike most animated films in years previous. Animation has never been an exactly respected medium but it gained more respect during the 90's and that is largely credited to Disney. Aladdin carries a lot of weight in the spiritual realm of the story, particularly in our main two characters - Aladdin and Jasmine. I believe Aladdin is a metaphor for original sin while Jasmine is a metaphor for forgiveness. I don't believe Disney went into this project with this intent however I do believe that if an art form is good, it will be open to interpretation because it will automatically leave the audience with those questions that bring about discussion and overall spiritual or narrative or scientific reassurance.
Allow me to go into more detail as to why I see Aladdin and Jasmine being symbols of these two religious symbols. Spark Notes published a blog a few years ago discussing why the Disney Princesses are bad role models. I disagreed with the article 100% and it inspired me to write my own article in defense of the princesses. One thing the author wrote on Spark Notes was that Jasmine was teaching young girls to allow their boyfriend to lie to them. While I can see why this may be true, I see Jasmine's choice to continue loving Aladdin as a decision to forgive him. She knows he is not perfect (nor is she) but a good man who she loves and understands and he obviously feels the same way. He pursues her but unlike the other men who have done the same thing, he values her. He knows she isn't a prize to be won (or at least comes to learn this) and that is why he makes the decision to not be a prince at the end and free the Genie. He acknowledges his unworthiness which is ultimately what makes him worthy. Jasmine, the symbol of forgiveness because of her unfaltering decision to love Aladdin and see him for more than his mistakes, forgives Aladdin because she puts herself in his shoes. When Aladdin apologizes for lying, Jasmine leans close and says, "I know why you did." That is all that needs to be exchanged between them. She isn't excusing him from his mistakes but saying, "I love you and our love is more important than either of our mistakes." This isn't to say this is a method every woman should use in a relationship but in this case it works. Forgiveness is a really hard place to get to. Disney realizes that love is complex and messy but it is rewarding and ultimately their films strive to display this reward. Whether their depiction of how it is achieved is accurate or not, it has taken the culture by storm. Jasmine is ready to let go of the hurt she felt because not only does it weigh her down but by letting go she has more room for love in all areas of her life.
Aladdin is on the other side of the spectrum, representing the allure of original sin. The symbolism of the Adam and Eve parable is beautiful. They take a bite of the sweet apple and it feels good but leaves them feeling naked and vulnerable and unworthy. Aladdin, who is frequently seem with apples in the film, also bites off more than he can chew when he lies. In the beginning lying is sweet. The moment the Sultan announces to Aladdin that one day he will take over and become Sultan, Aladdin has the realization that he has never been worthy for this and is suddenly ashamed and afraid of being found out. He has dug his own grave. This leads him to take the easy road by not freeing the Genie like he promised. It is only when he admits to his fallen nature that he realizes he never had to be perfect, he just had to be himself and that is when he becomes worthy. It takes Jasmine's forgiveness to also make this possible. What do you think of this analysis? Do you agree or disagree? Do you want to expand on my points? Leave it all in the comments or enter discussion on the Talk Magic to Me forums!
We talked about Aladdin on last month's episode of Talk Magic to Me! You can listen to it in the video below!
I was sitting in the family room, watching Jeopardy with my grandma. My dad was upstairs trying new clothes on and my mom was in the living room discussing vacation plans with a friend. It was a relatively ordinary evening. I had made dinner that night instead of my mother which was a welcomed change but other than that, everything seemed particularly dull. As we watched Jeopardy, a red banner appeared at the bottom of the screen with white letters. At first I thought it was a weather alert but upon reading the text, my mind first jumped to Tracey Morgan who I knew had been in a bad accident a few weeks ago. I assumed this may be an update on his condition. And then my eyes saw the name Robin Williams and my brain slowly registered what I was reading. Robin Williams found dead. Death by suicide, it said.
Perhaps it sounds strange when I say I teared up. I am writing this the day after and still feel choked
up about it. This has never happened to me before. I imagine I am feeling something similar to fans of MJ when he died. I never knew that I could feel a connection of such caliber from a person I never actually met. I know this is a pretty heavy topic to start out with on my new blog but I feel I need to reflect on the impact Robin Williams had on my life because truth be told, he was like a member of my family. My family and I may disagree on many things, but one universal truth in our house is that we are all lovers of Robin Williams. He has entered our household countless times, telling hilarious jokes and moving us to tears from his brilliant performances. Perhaps this is why I feel so sad about his passing. He was more than just an actor. He was a role model, a mentor, and a friend. Only the most brilliant actors are. Where do I begin? It is hard to find a starting place for this post. I can hardly begin to answer the question, what impact has Robin Williams had on my life? To answer in broad terms, he has introduced me to good comedy. He has demonstrated what it means to be a genuinely good actor. His film range is exceptional and every performance is beautiful and honest and funny and outright special. You will never forget a movie Robin Williams was in.
There are two roles that Robin played that I grew up with and these movies have stayed with me for a long time, and I imagine they will remain with me for the rest of my life. The first has to be the Genie from Aladdin. I grew up watching Disney movies constantly and Aladdin was one my brother and I always popped in to the VHS player. Speaking specifically toward Robin's character, I can't say enough just how much my friends and I quoted him in college. His performance as the Genie encompasses Robin completely...a man of heart and humor. You can't watch the movie without smiling. Aladdin is one of the best Disney movies ever made and part of that is the Genie's character, brought to life by Robin!
The other role which Robin played that was a huge part of my childhood is Daniel Hillard slash Euphegenia Doubtfire. Mrs. Doubtfire was the first PG-13 movie I ever saw, at the age of 9. My younger brother and I, oblivious to the film's dirty humor, cracked up at Daniel's alter ego. From watching her dance with a vacuum to Daniel's hilarious impressions with the social worker, we were hysterical. And it wasn't just us...it was our parents too. Yet the film is not just all laughs. It is about a very serious topic, divorce. Robin does an amazing job at capturing a man who would do anything for his children while also balancing being a big kid himself. The humor is dirty but man, it is fantastic. It is simply an amazing film.
Looking back, there are so many Robin Williams movies that I love and want to briefly reflect on during this blog post. One that doesn't come to most peoples minds is Flubber. That is another movie I grew up with though it never moved me as much as Aladdin or Mrs. Doubtfire. Flubber always cracked us up as kids. We still on it on VHS. Robin had perfect comedic timing and plays a professor who everyone can get behind.
The next movie I want to talk about is Dead Poets Society. Surprisingly I have only seen this movie once. Robin plays another professor though this time he excels in Poetry. This is the kind of film I knew I would love before I watched it, the kind where a teacher swops in and inspires their students to be more, that they are special and can make a difference in the world. His performance is fantastic. It completely exemplifies Robin's message - that you can do and be anything.
The next film is Patch Adams. I saw this when I was in middle school. Like most of Robin's films, it cracked me up (or rather, he cracked me up) and it once again embraces another one of his philosophies on life - that making people happy is essential. His character experiences great personal loss but still manages to bring smile to the world. His character shows that it isn't normalcy that cures or even standing out, it is love. He loves people as they are and meets them where they are.
Now let us talk about Good Will Hunting. This is another movie I have seen only once. I watched it on Netflix a little over a year ago. Again, Williams is a professor and a mentor. I don't have much more to say other than, watch the movie. It is as simple as that. You will thank me for it later.
Now The Bird Cage. This movie never cracked me up until my stomach hurt but the dry humor does make you chuckle quite a bit. It isn't a typical Robin film but I still love it. It just showcases another side to his acting style.
GOOOOOOOOOOOD MORNING VIETNAM! I have an interesting story to tell that is directly tied to this movie. In 2009 when my family traveled to Disney World, we rode the Great Movie Ride. At the end there was a brilliant montage that briefly scanned over the great Hollywood films and above Tara's Theme from Gone with the Wind came Robin shouting GOOOOOD MORNING VIETNAM and I felt such passion from him at that moment and I hadn't even seen the movie. It is phenomenal! A great portrayal of the damages of war and the humor and love that can exist despite the hardships.
My last mention will seem silly to some but it is another film that was a big part of my childhood. That movie is, Aladdin 3: The King of Thieves. Okay, so we all know Disney sequels usually equate to poop. But there are a few that are genuinely good and this is one of them. Not only is the story easy to get behind but Robin's comedy is top notch. His impressions and references are hysterical and his comedic timing is, you guessed it, brilliant!
He are some honorable mentions to end this blog: Hook, Jumanji, Night at the Museum, License to Wed, and Happy Feet.
The brilliance of being in entertainment is that your memory truly remains alive through the projects you were apart of. I hope to watch many Robin Williams films for the next few weeks. And I am aware of how many times I have used the word brilliant in this post...but seriously, how can I not?
Good-bye Robin. You will be deeply missed. I hope you find peace wherever you have gone. Your creative, awe inspiring, funny, and genuine acting style will not be forgotten.
