How To Make A Classic…Family Film- The Disney Equation

Walt Disney has made some of the most known and best-loved family films of all time. Success to them is a formula that works every time. Every classic Disney movie has several key aspects that make the movie a classic; they need an unoriginal story, adult themes and an amazing soundtrack.

The idea of using an unoriginal story seems a bit backward, but looking at all the Disney classics many, if not all, are based on old children’s books and fairytales: Aladdin, Hercules, Cinderella, The Jungle Book, Alice in Wonderland are just a few, but the list goes on ad infinitum. These stories work for Disney because they are timeless tales that are known to work. If these stories have survived decades (often centuries) of publishing then they can survive a Disney make over. As anyone will know, the success of Disney franchises tends to wane when the House of Mouse releases the sequels and prequels they develop themselves.

On top of the classic story a Disney family film will include adult content. Some of the most memorable scenes from Disney are also the most harrowing; the death of Bambi’s mother and of Simba’s father defines both films. These scenes work because they don’t treat the child watchers like idiots. Not only do these scenes leave a lasting impression on the children, but they also bring in the parents who can enjoy the film as well. But there is a limit. Bad deeds done to the protagonist are fine, since the protagonist can overcome them; bad deeds done by the protagonist cannot be so easily justified. In the Hans Christen Anderson version of the ‘The Little Mermaid’ the mermaid must murder the prince’s wife in order to remain human. She decides not to, but instead drowns herself in the ocean. Suitable content for a children’s film? I think not: Disney wisely decided to leave this story direction out. The final essential part of a Disney family film is of course the music.

All classic family films must have a great soundtrack that is so catchy that you will remember it years later merely seconds into the song. It is these catchy tunes and wonderful lyrics that have families coming back time and time again. The music and the happy ending.

This formula which Walt Disney first equated almost a century ago has been shown to child after child for generations. And how successful it has been!

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There is no question of the fact that hand drawn animation has made classic films. Childhood movies (think Bambi, or Snow White) will forever bee crucial to cinema. Now, however, the new way of telling stories is CGI.

You can’t talk about CGI without mentioning the big studios, Pixar, and Dreamworks, who have made a fortune out of the new technology. Pixar’s Up opened with a staggering $64 million, $44 million more than Disney’s recent hand-drawn release The Princess and the Frog. Admittedly high box office figures don’t make a good film, otherwise every Harry Potter would have won an Oscar and The Hurt Locker would be at the bottom of the bargain bin. CGI, however, unarguably has the power to drag you into the film itself. The worlds that CGI achieves have more depth, texture and richness than anything drawn with pencil and paper. The beautiful coral of Finding Nemo and Puss’ fur in Shrek make CGI films feel more real to the audience. CGI animation also gives each character more expression and life than their drawn counterparts. The character that most epitomizes this is Pixar’s Wall.E; the mute metallic robot is one of the most expressive, adorable characters in animation – all done through a computer. It is true CGI films can be nothing more than cash cows, as films like A Shark’s Tale make explicitly obvious. However, what movie genre doesn’t have a few embarrassments that were better off on the drawing board?

CGI will also evolve as films continue to evolve. The animation will improve, the techniques will improve and, if Pixar are anything to go by, the stories will improve. Its existing stunning properties coupled with a limitless potential to be better is why I will always champion CGI over and above hand drawn animation.