The title is a bit misleading because the changes weren't to the movies themselves but to the sources during adaptation. The subtle difference is that none of these were in the films script in pre production so weren't changes to the film in production, with the exception of fantasia.<p>Having worked in the animated film industry for a while, there's so much that does get changed in both pre production and production that people don't hear about.<p>Some of the best received animated films have been stinkers internally until something clicks. Whether that's rewriting a critical character a few months from delivery to throwing out entire sequences.<p>Similarly many poorly received films were great in production but after focus testing and suits getting involved, they get diluted down. Sometimes entire finished sequences get cut leaving the remaining shots from making sense to an audience.<p>Film making is a very organic process, sometimes good and sometimes not. There's this Illusion in public that what the public sees is the directors initial vision. But largely it's the work of hundreds of people, morphing over time to try and find what will be right.
As the Disney+ versions gradually become the canonical releases of all Disney movies, I wouldn't be surprised if they retcon a number of their movies. There's already been blatant examples like adding Hayden Christensen to Return of the Jedi[1], but they've also changed movies like Lilo & Stitch, Toy Story 2, Splash, etc and I think it will only get more prevalent as time goes by (although I'm sure the changes will be similar to the ones mentioned in the article- removing some of the darker aspects of their stories, or ones that might offend more puritan viewers.)<p>[1]: I realize this change was pre-Disney+, but presumably Disney has the rights to previous cuts of Star Wars in addition to the "Special" ones
I've read several traditional variations of the Rapunzel story, and they don't -- in general -- make much sense. (A pregnant woman will refuse to eat anything except Salad from lettuce that grows in a witch's garden; sends husband to steal lettuce. Witch catches him, takes newborn instead. Then there's other stuff about the prince that makes no sense).<p>The Disney version, though quite far, keeps enough main elements to be recognizably related to the original story; and the storyline makes a lot more sense.<p>I made sure my children are aware that it's disneyfication of the original story, but I don't blame them for not caring much.<p>The Little Mermaid, by comparison, is much closer to the (sad, dark) original -- with a notable exception of the end being a happy one. In this case, my children do care about the two very different endings, and like both.
watching Pinocchio (the series[1]) as a child was always somewhat scary. there were some moments that I remember until today which I was really terrified and that gave me actual nightmares.<p>I'd really love to see a remake of the film (or the series) but for adults and as a fantasy thriller/horror show. It would have lot of potential I think.<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinocchio:_The_Series" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pinocchio:_The_Series</a>
Semi related: A great YouTube video by Lindsay Ellis about how Disney has further changed aspects of their stories between Disney originals and the live action / CGI remakes / modern sequels, largely in the form of the remakes being woke meta-commentary on the original works:<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU1ffHa47YY" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xU1ffHa47YY</a><p>Topics it covers include:<p>• Dumbo and the attempts to paper over ideas of racism, alcoholism, animal cruelty;<p>• Beauty and the Beast and feminism/female empowerment;<p>• Aladdin adding redundant ideas of female empowerment (that the original arguably didn't lack);<p>• Mary Poppins being a story about not caring about material possessions to the 2018 sequel being centred around concern for material possessions.
I knew that Big Hero 6 was originally a Marvel comic. Quite frankly, it was lame, and originally intended as a way for Marvel to capture the weeaboo dollar. Disney was looking through the back catalog of their acquisition, Marvel, for properties to adapt into animation, came across BH6, and set it in its own universe which in many ways is even more grounded than the MCU. Sometimes, an adaptation -- even a Disneyfication -- brings out the best elements of the original and leaves behind the junk.