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Post by jamie2c on Mar 24, 2020 18:23:22 GMT
When will Disney turn the 1995 animated film Pocahontas into a Broadway musical. I ask because of the audience reaction in this video of a girl singing Colours Of The Wind on The Voice tv competition. Check out the faces of the audience at 2:36
Would Pocohontas make a hit stage musical ?
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Mar 24, 2020 19:31:03 GMT
I'd love to see it as a musical, but it would need some retooling, and also a really good marketing campaign. It's not that fondly remembered compared to other shows of the era, I fear it would struggle (though it would probably be great, song-wise!).
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Post by ukpuppetboy on Mar 26, 2020 1:54:58 GMT
Along with Hunchback I think it rates as Alan Menken’s most interesting (and under-appreciated) work for Disney. Just Around the Riverbend is probably my favourite of all of his from that era. But I agree the book could definitely be less pantomime but it could be a great representation for first nation Americans on stage. I’m really not sure I agree that they would be forced to come up with a new way of incorporating the animal characters over and above secondary puppeteers or cutting them or why you would say this (other than just to find an original take on the concept for the show)?
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Post by ukpuppetboy on Mar 26, 2020 12:18:43 GMT
Not really sure how I should respond to that “full raccoon outfit” comment. But having made puppets - from robotic animatronics to bunraku for film/tv and theatre since 2001 there’s certainly a style that would suit the show that wouldn’t be a comedy hand puppet. The Pantelimon dæmon pinemartin from the NT production of His Dark Materials springs to mind. Fortunately I haven’t heard the Forbidden Broadway spoof so I don’t have that baggage; Though I do remember interviewing Alan Menken in ‘99 & telling him I thought it was British hating.
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Post by ukpuppetboy on Mar 26, 2020 13:51:34 GMT
Well I think we’re going to have to agree to disagree. The ‘Pan’ in HDM managed have a great deal of character (that it was a speaking role helped in that instance), but a less harsh and more mechanised (though simple) fabricated puppet could easily emote without being too theme park “cute”. There is a distinct lack of imagination in the art form in the West End since War Horse basically skewed all designs & directors to jump onto that bandwagon. Perhaps a better test will be the (non-speaking) phoenix in the forthcoming Mulan movie which is a significant part of the storytelling and emotional journey.
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Post by Sam on Mar 26, 2020 14:07:57 GMT
The Phoenix in Mulan is more of an inspirational mirage than a character she interacts with. Pocahontas actually speaks to Flit and Meeko, whereas Mulan essentially sees the Phoenix when she needs guidance or in moments of hardship ie when she gets lost, or needs to raise her game in a fight and she then is able to get back on the right path.
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Post by ukpuppetboy on Mar 26, 2020 14:26:27 GMT
The Phoenix in Mulan is more of an inspirational mirage than a character she interacts with. Pocahontas actually speaks to Flit and Meeko, whereas Mulan essentially sees the Phoenix when she needs guidance or in moments of hardship ie when she gets lost, or needs to raise her game in a fight and she then is able to get back on the right path. I was referring to the live action Mulan movie.
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Post by Sam on Mar 26, 2020 14:27:39 GMT
The Phoenix in Mulan is more of an inspirational mirage than a character she interacts with. Pocahontas actually speaks to Flit and Meeko, whereas Mulan essentially sees the Phoenix when she needs guidance or in moments of hardship ie when she gets lost, or needs to raise her game in a fight and she then is able to get back on the right path. I was referring to the live action Mulan movie. As was I. There isn't a Phoenix in the animated version.
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Post by ukpuppetboy on Mar 26, 2020 14:33:06 GMT
I was referring to the live action Mulan movie. As was I. There isn't a Phoenix in the animated version. The script must have changed in the reshoot then.
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Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Mar 26, 2020 15:39:52 GMT
I wonder if you could do it without animals at all? I feel like you could make more of Pocahontas talking to Grandmother Willow, or generally to 'the spirits', and maybe do it with projections or something instead.
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7,189 posts
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Post by Jon on Mar 26, 2020 19:20:07 GMT
I imagine it would seen as culturally insensitive to do a live action or stage adaptation of Pocahontas given unlike Mulan, Pocahontas was a real person
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Post by sparky5000 on Mar 27, 2020 0:25:13 GMT
When will Disney turn the 1995 animated film Pocahontas into a Broadway musical. I ask because of the audience reaction in this video of a girl singing Colours Of The Wind on The Voice tv competition. Check out the faces of the audience at 2:36 Would Pocohontas make a hit stage musical ? I’d like to see it, but imagine there would be difficulties in bringing it to stage. Colors of the Wind is such a beautiful song! Kat McPhee also just sang a cover of it and sounds absolutely gorgeous on it 😍
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