With Beauty and the Beast following in the shadows of Alice in Wonderland, Maleficent, Cinderella, and the Jungle Book, it seems that more than ever does Disney want to re-imagine their movies for a new generation. Since dozens of other live action remakes have been announced by Disney (such as Cruella, Tink, and Dumbo), I can only hope that some of these other films I suggest will be remade too. It seems that Disney has a lot on their plate right now, so it is unlikely that any of my ideas will be announced as remakes soon, if at all. But, a girl can dream, and here are some of my dream live action remakes.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
With it's breathtaking visuals, sweeping score, and utterly dark themes, a remake of Hunchback I can almost guarantee would earn Disney studios an Oscar. The musical version of the show has earned much praise and fan approval, and with messages of kindness, prejudice, racism, and what truly makes a man a man are very much needed in days like these. It would truly be an epic for the ages, and would have a huge cast of all kinds of characters for all kinds of actors. Since the musical will not be coming to Broadway, this could be the next step to make it even bigger.
Tarzan
Like Hunchback, Tarzan also had a musical version, though it was not nearly as acclaimed or lasted very long. Nonetheless, Tarzan's story is a lovely one, and with an awesome soundtrack from Phil Collins, remains near and dear to the heart of many Disney fans. The film has a message of family not necessarily being bloodline, and how all together, the world is one connected community. It is a story that is touching, funny, witty, and emotional, and those emotions could be conveyed even more with a live action adaption. Plus, it would be awesome to hear Phil Collins' 90's soundtrack be updated with modern twists.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Treasure Planet
I'm putting these both in the same category because I haven't seen either of them. But, I know that both have developed cult followings, and didn't do as well as hoped in the box office, so they have been shelved by Disney. I think it would be awesome to see these two made into live action films, because they are sci-fi based, and could create some stunning visuals of the sea and the stars. And, it would be a great way to reintroduce the original films to newer audiences, and make up for the loss of their original releases. How's that for a turnaround?
The Princess and the Frog
PatF is absolutely my favorite Disney movie. People are often very surprised when I tell them this, and often seem to be in shock that out of all the Disney movies I have seen, this one is my favorite. However, everyone I have met who has said that to me have not seen the film itself. On more than one occasion have I convinced a friend to watch PatF, and on each occasion, they have thoroughly enjoyed it.
Though the film made over its budget at the box office, it had two fatal attributes that did not make it as successful as Disney had hoped- it was released the same week as Avatar, and the use of the word "princess" in the title led to many young boys not wishing to go see the film. This led to Disney changing the name of their next film Rapunzel, to Tangled, in hopes to attract more boys.
With the unfortunate failure of Disney's marketing, PatF nonetheless has garnered much acclaim and fan followings, and is overall, one of Disney's best and most beautiful films. The script is astounding, the soundtrack fun and fabulous, the messages and themes wonderful, and the characters are realistic. However, what sets aside PatF the most from other Disney films is the animation, which is some of the best I have ever seen, not in just other Disney films. Being able to take a story as grand and gorgeous as the Princess and the Frog and bringing it to live action would take risks, but would be so great of a product that I doubt Disney would ever be able to follow up to it. It is overall unique, fun, and unlike any other film out there.
Disney seems hell bent on adapting all of their animated films into live action. Though it will take years for more to be developed and put in theaters, perhaps one day, all of the classic Disney films I grew up with will be brought to life. Until then, I can dream my Disney dreams.
