Disney's Live Action The Little Mermaid

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Rotten Tomatoes statistics and critics reviews = worthless, again.

You know what really throws that off?

When media mega companies “lean” on independent (laugh) Hollywood press

Like the Hollywood Reporter and Variety

 

[CaptainMickey]

Who would Disney blame if the movie bombed with a white actress that looked exactly like Ariel? Would they blame themselves for not making a product that the fans loved?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Who would Disney blame if the movie bombed with a white actress that looked exactly like Ariel? Would they blame themselves for not making a product that the fans loved?

It still would have come in under their goals

Repeat the same excuses they used for solo. Works like a charm

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So just for tabs…TLM took in less in BO on its second Monday - when much of the country is out of school…than GOTG3 did in its 3rd Monday.

Ummm…yeah..

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Yet most of Ariel super fans loved the movie

Those that bothered to go…apparently most were more busy now than in 1989?

But to the point: fan service to the prior generation is a key to big box office. There are easy examples here…

Disney…can’t seem to get it right

 

[Angel Ariel]

sure. but I'd argue the only real value these remakes even have is their ability to play on the emotions/nostalgia people have for the original film. so by making the 2023 mermaid different from the 1989 mermaid, you're necessarily kind of drifting away from the original film's iconography and, thus, its ability to play on people's attachment to the characters. Because now 2023 mermaid isn't really the same as 1989 mermaid....they're immediately different. Like I said, it's the same thing with any race swap, gender swap, recast, ornmajor change to a character. You're kind of sticking a wrench in people's attachment to said character. Which is why people get up in arms. Now I'm not gonna argue it's a good or bad thing. I'm sure plenty of people who care a lot more than I do could make convincing arguments for either. But, I will say it's 100% expected to see people react the way they did to thise race swap, or any other.

Have you seen the new movie?

I mean, take a look at my screen name. Obviously there is a huge nostalgia aspect to little mermaid for me, and Ariel specifically. Ariel is why I started to sing. I wanted to sound just like her. It started me down a path that ended in a career in music education. Huge attachment.

this movie absolutely plays on all of that nostalgia. I felt like I was a child again watching it for the first time. her *voice* and acting so encapsulated everything about Ariel from the original. king triton was the most jarring character, IMO, and his “look” really doesn’t stray from the original. The direction for the character just wasn’t great - not a lot of emotional range. That was MUCH more jarring than Ariel’s skin color.

 

[BlakeW39]

Yet most of Ariel super fans loved the movie

Many Disney fans will take whatever Disney gives them and lap it up asking for more. Proof: look at the parks forums

 

[Angel Ariel]

Miles' acceptance is different: He already endured a backlash in the comic book culture as "a black man replacing Spider-Man."

When it turned out that White Peter Parker was still *a* Spider-Man and not being killed off or disappeared, the brouhaha died down and comic book readers started liking Miles and all the other Spider-Variants.

This all happened way before his movie came out.

So the argument "but people are OK with Miles" doesn't hold water, because, at first, they most definitely didn't due to skin color.

Miles Morales - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Maybe we need a Disney Princess Multiverse.

I mean, isn’t that what the live actions are? That’s essentially how I have always seen them. They don’t replace the original. They exist alongside in parallel.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I mean, isn’t that what the live actions are? That’s essentially how I have always seen them. They don’t replace the original. They exist alongside in parallel.

It should be

But by remaking EVERYTHING…Disney is pitting each one against the accepted one. It’s not too bright

 

[Angel Ariel]

Those that bothered to go…apparently most were more busy now than in 1989?

But to the point: fan service to the prior generation is a key to big box office. There are easy examples here…

Disney…can’t seem to get it right

I mean, this is an insane time of year for those of us my age with kids. School is either getting out or about to get out. Summer care preparations are happening (be that day care, summer camps, ets), all the end of year wrap up things for schools - concerts, field days, end of year celebrations, end of year projects, end of year teacher appreciation (esp for those of us with elem school kids). And yeah, the expectations on all of those school things are WAY different (and require much more time) than they were/did when I was my daughter’s age.

Had my daughter not been having a medical procedure this week, we probably would have continued to wait to see the movie until school was out. The procedure upped our timeline as it’ll be more difficult for her to maneuver for a few weeks.

But in all reality, yes, families/parents are MUCH more busy than they were when I was a kid.

 

[Chi84]

Many Disney fans will take whatever Disney gives them and lap it up asking for more. Proof: look at the parks forums

You mean the people who actually go to the parks have positive things to say?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I mean, this is an insane time of year for those of us my age with kids. School is either getting out or about to get out. Summer care preparations are happening (be that day care, summer camps, ets), all the end of year wrap up things for schools - concerts, field days, end of year celebrations, end of year projects, end of year teacher appreciation (esp for those of us with elem school kids). And yeah, the expectations on all of those school things are WAY different (and require much more time) than they were/did when I was my daughter’s age.

Had my daughter not been having a medical procedure this week, we probably would have continued to wait to see the movie until school was out. The procedure upped our timeline as it’ll be more difficult for her to maneuver for a few weeks.

But in all reality, yes, families/parents are MUCH more busy than they were when I was a kid.

Oh boy…

You know avatar made like a trillion a couple days before Christmas, right?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

You mean the people who actually go to the parks have positive things to say?

Wanna hear my tron review?

 

[Chi84]

Wanna hear my tron review?

Husband and kids liked it. But that’s probably for a different thread.

 

[Angel Ariel]

Oh boy…

You know avatar made like a trillion a couple days before Christmas, right?

When kids are on vacation, and parents want them out of the house as much as possible? Not the same type of craziness

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

When kids are on vacation, and parents want them out of the house as much as possible? Not the same type of craziness

…you’re reaching

Are you suggesting that Hollywood was wrong in releasing their biggest movies on Memorial Day since jaws?

 

[Angel Ariel]

…you’re reaching

Are you suggesting that Hollywood was wrong in releasing their biggest movies on Memorial Day since jaws?

No, I’m not suggesting that at all. You referenced a specific demographic and made a comment about whether that specific demographic was busier now than they were in 1989.

As a member of that demographic now, I am simply sharing that yes that specific demographic is a LOT busier now than our mothers were in 1989. Especially in the area where I live. The expectations on extra curricular activity involvement (both through school and in the community) are significantly higher now than they were then, which requires more time from their adult caregivers. The latch key kid-ness that was fairly typical when I was a kid really is more rare than typical these days. ETA: and that activity involvement is typically significantly higher in June than it is in December.

Please don’t expand it to some greater scope than it was

 

[BlakeW39]

You mean the people who actually go to the parks have positive things to say?

I mean the people who can watch a major corporation consistently decrease the quality of their product but have convinced themselves that 'all is well' in spite of it.

but I'm going off topic

hows profitability looking for TLM right now?

 

[Chi84]

I mean the people who can watch a major corporation consistently decrease the quality of their product but have convinced themselves that 'all is well' in spite of it.

but I'm going off topic

hows profitability looking for TLM right now?

What I never understand about this type of comment is the assumption that people have “convinced themselves” of anything. Can’t they just go because they enjoy WDW?

 

[MisterPenguin]

Someone was just complaining about the old and new Ariel are in the parks simultaneously.

And now, this is what you're advocating, you can choose one or the other. No one's being replaced. The original movie still exists to be viewed. You can still buy and put original Ariel posters in your room and buy her action figure. She isn't replaced.

You can watch a movie with a dark-haired James Bond or the movie with the blonde-haired James Bond. Don't know why hair color doesn't matter but skin color does.