FA+
Shop
Oh I Just Can't Wait To Overthink Things
5 years ago
So I love Disney's animated movies. I'm sure this is a huge shock.
One thing I look to do when going through these movies is to consider the "purpose" of a musical segment. By this, I mean that a song in a Disney movie can effectively be judged based on three criteria, all of which are irrespective of the actual quality of the song's composition.
1) Does this song establish a character's personality or motivations, or otherwise flesh out the world?
2) Does this song progress the plot or show a character's growth?
3) Does this song serve either to set the tone for the movie, or otherwise release a building tension?
To give some examples, let's pick the three songs which I think best exemplify every criterium:
1) "Belle", from Beauty and the Beast, is a marvelous example of a song that does more than just play a melody. As the song progresses, we learn all we need to about the titular character, her motivations, and the way in which she is perceived by the town. The song also establishes Gaston and Le Fou, and indicates Belle's family life ("The inventor's daughter?!"). This is to say nothing of how the cheerful depiction of the townsfolk is eventually flipped on its head when the town storms the castle later in the film.
2) "I'll Make A Man Out Of You", from Mulan, is effectively just a montage, but, you know, there's a reason montages are relied on so heavily in media. In addition to being an unquestionably kickass song, IMAMOOY (<- I love that) shows Mulan's progression from zero to hero. It doesn't really tell us anything we don't already know (that Mulan is clever but has a hard time fitting in, and that exercise is hard), but rather provides a sense of progression of time and character.
3) "Hakuna Matata", from The Lion King, is on the surface level not an 'important' song to the movie's narrative. Some people have even said that the song is a sort of tonal whiplash. After Mufasa's death and Simba's subsequent exile, a spirited and colorful song about two gay insectivores doesn't seem to have its place. I would disagree on the basis that it serves as a much needed breather. While I wouldn't exactly call TLK a "depressing" movie, the plot takes a pretty steep decline into more serious subject matter as early as the elephant graveyard. A tension breaker is required, and not just because TLK is "a kid's movie". PG-13 and R movies often also employ lighter scenes to serve as a break after depicting a horrific event, so it works here. (Note: Just about every love song fits #3.)
Naturally, the primary purpose of any song is to entertain. Scar doesn't really need a kickass number to effective say "hey guys BTW we're committing regicide tomorrow so eat your Wheaties", and many great animated Disney movies have only one or two noteworthy songs while still conveying everything they need to through the text and visuals. A musical number is simply one means of conveying the three above points. Even so, I appreciate when a song serves a greater purpose than simply being good music.
That leads me to the question I had when watching The Lion King for the 5,205,175th time (yeah okay it's my comfort movie). The song I Just Can't Wait To Be King is a great, memorable, fun, awesome song that also raises a plot question.
Let me ask you something. Is IJCWTBK diegetic? That is to say, are the characters in the song actually singing?
The immediate response is, of course not. Simba literally kicks off the song by pouncing the world into a technicolor extravaganza. Predators and prey are stacked on top of each other like Lego blocks (inspiring hours and hours of a frustrated little Sam during the TLK video game levelyou frickin' monkeys stop throwing me or I'll--Herds of animals shuffling left and right and singing about how much they revere the guy who's going to one day eat them. For a movie that otherwise takes itself pretty seriously when it needs to, this is not a serious song.
But the song serves an essential plot function! The song is the distraction by which Simba and Nala are able to escape from Zazu's oppressive gaze. How does Zazu end up crushed under a rhino's butt, if not through a particularly catchy song-and-dance routine?
Yeah, it's possible they could have tricked him in some other way, Zazu is self-important enough that it wouldn't be hard to convince him to stand still right under a rhino's rump as he talks about, I don't know, taxes or whatever. But this isn't conveyed in any way through the movie. There isn't a single suggestion of anything other than the musical number being the thing that temporarily Zazu out of the picture.
And I just think that's -- maybe not weird, but interesting. This weird drug trip of a song is at least in some way shape and form diegetic.
Anyway, next time you're cruising through a classic Disney movie, think about the above points. And remember that they don't in any way shape or form state to the quality of the song. As examples, Billy Joel belting out "Why Should I Worry" is an underrated gem, but it doesn't really tell us anything we don't already know about Oliver, Dodger, or New York City. Tamatoa's "Shiny" rocks and I'm glad it was included, but it's fundamentally pointless. By comparison, I actually don't really care for the song "Friend Like Me" itself, but the song does an excellent job establishing the zany antics of the genie right out of the gate.
As a parting note, if you're curious about the movie with the most songs that serve a purpose and fit the above criteria, it's probably Beauty and the Beast. Just about every song is meaningful beyond just being great music. The one exception ("Human Again") was cut from the original showing, so I won't include it, which is good 'cuz it's pointless.
The one with the least? Uh, Zootopia. It has one song and it doesn't say much. It is catchy, though.
One thing I look to do when going through these movies is to consider the "purpose" of a musical segment. By this, I mean that a song in a Disney movie can effectively be judged based on three criteria, all of which are irrespective of the actual quality of the song's composition.
1) Does this song establish a character's personality or motivations, or otherwise flesh out the world?
2) Does this song progress the plot or show a character's growth?
3) Does this song serve either to set the tone for the movie, or otherwise release a building tension?
To give some examples, let's pick the three songs which I think best exemplify every criterium:
1) "Belle", from Beauty and the Beast, is a marvelous example of a song that does more than just play a melody. As the song progresses, we learn all we need to about the titular character, her motivations, and the way in which she is perceived by the town. The song also establishes Gaston and Le Fou, and indicates Belle's family life ("The inventor's daughter?!"). This is to say nothing of how the cheerful depiction of the townsfolk is eventually flipped on its head when the town storms the castle later in the film.
2) "I'll Make A Man Out Of You", from Mulan, is effectively just a montage, but, you know, there's a reason montages are relied on so heavily in media. In addition to being an unquestionably kickass song, IMAMOOY (<- I love that) shows Mulan's progression from zero to hero. It doesn't really tell us anything we don't already know (that Mulan is clever but has a hard time fitting in, and that exercise is hard), but rather provides a sense of progression of time and character.
3) "Hakuna Matata", from The Lion King, is on the surface level not an 'important' song to the movie's narrative. Some people have even said that the song is a sort of tonal whiplash. After Mufasa's death and Simba's subsequent exile, a spirited and colorful song about two gay insectivores doesn't seem to have its place. I would disagree on the basis that it serves as a much needed breather. While I wouldn't exactly call TLK a "depressing" movie, the plot takes a pretty steep decline into more serious subject matter as early as the elephant graveyard. A tension breaker is required, and not just because TLK is "a kid's movie". PG-13 and R movies often also employ lighter scenes to serve as a break after depicting a horrific event, so it works here. (Note: Just about every love song fits #3.)
Naturally, the primary purpose of any song is to entertain. Scar doesn't really need a kickass number to effective say "hey guys BTW we're committing regicide tomorrow so eat your Wheaties", and many great animated Disney movies have only one or two noteworthy songs while still conveying everything they need to through the text and visuals. A musical number is simply one means of conveying the three above points. Even so, I appreciate when a song serves a greater purpose than simply being good music.
That leads me to the question I had when watching The Lion King for the 5,205,175th time (yeah okay it's my comfort movie). The song I Just Can't Wait To Be King is a great, memorable, fun, awesome song that also raises a plot question.
Let me ask you something. Is IJCWTBK diegetic? That is to say, are the characters in the song actually singing?
The immediate response is, of course not. Simba literally kicks off the song by pouncing the world into a technicolor extravaganza. Predators and prey are stacked on top of each other like Lego blocks (inspiring hours and hours of a frustrated little Sam during the TLK video game level
But the song serves an essential plot function! The song is the distraction by which Simba and Nala are able to escape from Zazu's oppressive gaze. How does Zazu end up crushed under a rhino's butt, if not through a particularly catchy song-and-dance routine?
Yeah, it's possible they could have tricked him in some other way, Zazu is self-important enough that it wouldn't be hard to convince him to stand still right under a rhino's rump as he talks about, I don't know, taxes or whatever. But this isn't conveyed in any way through the movie. There isn't a single suggestion of anything other than the musical number being the thing that temporarily Zazu out of the picture.
And I just think that's -- maybe not weird, but interesting. This weird drug trip of a song is at least in some way shape and form diegetic.
Anyway, next time you're cruising through a classic Disney movie, think about the above points. And remember that they don't in any way shape or form state to the quality of the song. As examples, Billy Joel belting out "Why Should I Worry" is an underrated gem, but it doesn't really tell us anything we don't already know about Oliver, Dodger, or New York City. Tamatoa's "Shiny" rocks and I'm glad it was included, but it's fundamentally pointless. By comparison, I actually don't really care for the song "Friend Like Me" itself, but the song does an excellent job establishing the zany antics of the genie right out of the gate.
As a parting note, if you're curious about the movie with the most songs that serve a purpose and fit the above criteria, it's probably Beauty and the Beast. Just about every song is meaningful beyond just being great music. The one exception ("Human Again") was cut from the original showing, so I won't include it, which is good 'cuz it's pointless.
The one with the least? Uh, Zootopia. It has one song and it doesn't say much. It is catchy, though.
