Ok, intital thoughts....
Mulan is the last film where there was a significant amount of character singing.
This has brilliant songs... I love the music in this one - reflections is one of my all time favouite Disney songs. But then I love the entire thing so its a no brainer really.
Tarzan
LOVE the soundtrack to this - can't go past Phil Collins, he's a master.
The Emperor's New Groove
Can't even remember the music from this...
nope....
nothing springs to mind.
Lilo & Stitch,
Love the music but frankly, it would have been weird for Stitch to be singing
Treasure Planet, Atlantis
Can't even remember hearing the music. Must have blended well or been insignificant .... not sure which.
Brother Bear,
Can't remember the music from this but I
do remember trying to get the music from BB 2 because it was really good, and not even being able to find it anywhere. (does anyone know where I can get this, I still want it)
Home on the Range, Chicken Little and Meet the Robinsons...
the rest I either didn't notice or haven't seen yet.
So, have animated movies lost a bit of their magic because of this omission? Is this why the more recent Disney offerings have not seemed quite as good as the hey-days of the late 1980's - 1990's? Do we need to see a return of the traditional Disney musical, or do you think the more recent style with a pop/rock soundtrack is more in keeping with today's audience?
Ok... well, I think that having the soundtrack as a background works for more modern offerings like Lilo & Stitch.
But as a rule, I think that despite the oft maligned 'singing animals' thing that people love to poke fun at Disney movies with, all those 'singing animals' are in movies that are absolute classics that people the world over love. So there has to be some connection. I think that if it is embedded in the story then it has more impact than if its just a veneer.
And I think thats why one of the only recent movies to have spurred me to buy the soundtrack ( Cars notwithstanding - that one was brilliant) was Brother Bear 2 because the character actually sang the song that made me teary, and thats the connection I want from music in a movie. I want to feel like I'm there.
So, yep, I do think that moving away from the 'singing animals' thing hasn't worked out so well, but maybe they needed to do that to see that its part of the magic after all.
Phew....
Capeesh?
~ Lisa ~