Whitney's birthday

[davidn]

Whitney's birthday was yesterday, and as a result of going out for dinner in the evening I think I might have discovered the closest thing to authentic Britindian korma that I've yet experienced in this country. I have absolutely no idea what its name was, but after ordering some kind of coconut and chicken stew I got what might be described as a slightly hotter, thinner version of it with heaps of pepper. But it was the right colour, and after so many attempts that resulted in things with the same name that were entirely unlike what I was expecting, I'm prepared to accept this as a reasonably good start.

We watched 101 Dalmatians in the evening, which I hadn't seen for at least fifteen years, and I was very surprised by how much there was in it that they would never include now - in modern Disney films you're certainly not allowed to show smoking or drinking, and I'm fairly certain that "hell" is one of the words that people have to be shielded from as well. They're all too soft now (though I must admit that I found the milking scene extremely weird, and never did before).

I had also forgotten just how English it was - every character talks with a stiff upper lipped or generally well spoken accent, with the strange exception of the puppies who are all American. I'm not sure how I didn't notice this before, because I imagine a significant amount of the film and TV output I saw was American even then, but I have found myself noticing non-American accents more and more since starting living here. It could have challenged my natural belief that I'm the only person in the world who pronounces words correctly - everyone has this, presumably even Loyd Grossman, which is a bit of a worrying thought.

The last thing I noticed was that unlike how I remember the old Disney films, it wasn't a musical - there are only two songs in it, both as part of the storyline rather than the dramatic dream sequences that most of them became later on. Of course, of the two one has become absolutely iconic, and at the very end of the DVD version, they helpfully included a music video of them thoroughly raping it for the next generation. Thanks.

Comments

[kytheraen.livejournal.com]

what the fuck is that song... i mean... what. ugh. yeah, rape is too kind a word.

[pami-zee.livejournal.com]

Coincidentally we watched quite a lot of old disney films last weekend - 101 Dalmations was rejected because we wouldn't have enough to sing along to.

Unfortunately Rich has picked lots of holes in Beauty and the Beast for me now...! Also watched Cinderella, Sword in the Stone and Robin Hood (which is fantastic).

[thebluelight1.livejournal.com]

...but surely that's a good thing?

[davidn]

How do you pick holes in Beauty and the Beast? It's not exactly something particularly realistic in the first place, with a talking candle and teapot and a beast that's transformed into Guybrush Threepwood at the end.

[pami-zee.livejournal.com]

Well, he has to love and be loved by his 21st year - how old was he when the witch/enchantress came to his door? 17 at the earliest? How did an entire town full of people forget there's a castle in the forest, within walking distance, in those, say, 4 years? Surely they should be able to see a giant castle in the forest? etc...

And Mrs Potts is wonderful! xxx

[rakarr.livejournal.com]

I never watched that movie, but now I am tempted purely for the Guybrush Threepwood reference you just made.
I mean, in tales that involved shapeshifting I always felt it was a shame when someone became human again because you had spent the whole movie/story relating to them as this creature and it put them into a situation where they needed to find qualities that lay beneath the skin and make friends with creatures that they would normally abuse... but if turning back into a human means becoming Guybrush Threepwood? That's another matter entirely.

[davidn]

I think it's one of the high points of 90s Disney! (As I've often said, being married makes it OK to watch Disney films again.) For the music, as well as the humour in it that I just didn't get at the age I was when I first saw it.

I can't find any reference pictures, but I thought the resemblance was uncanny - it was when we were watching it as a family at some point a few years ago, after not seeing it for years, that the transformation scene happened and both me and my brother simultaneously shouted "It's Guybrush Threepwood!" He turns around and... does one of the Guybrush expressions perfectly. It's amazing.

[rakarr.livejournal.com]

and at the very end of the DVD version, they helpfully included a music video of them thoroughly raping it for the next generation.

Gah, it burns! More for the constant cuts to the eye-gouging white, than the music, although that is problematic too.

Looking at those clips from the movie, though, I'm reminded just what an interesting and unique animation style it employed. It's certainly different to most of Disney's other offerings, especially post-80s.