I’m a huge fan of Disney’s movies, especially their animated stories. Although the more recent ones have decreased in quality, the classic movies and the renaissance of the ‘90s just can’t be beat. At the same time, a lot of the reason those movies work is because they follow a rather simple formulas. Disney tends to get in trouble when it deviates from those formulas. This means some of the movies are rather similar (count the movies where the antagonist doesn’t fall to their doom). That doesn’t detract from enjoying them.
One of Disney’s time-honored formula plots comes from the old Faust tale frame, where the hero makes a “deal with the devil” of sorts. Exactly what is traded may change, but it’s always done in the interest of finding true love. Of course, it wouldn’t do for Disney’s heroes to lose like Faust does in some versions of his story, so love always wins, but the framework is there just the same.
This plot device isn’t as present in the classic tales of Walt’s era, but it was a heavily used element in the resurgence of Disney’s success. Two of my favorite modern Disney cartoons come from both that era and the plot, and make a highly enjoyable, albeit lighthearted, double feature.
Hercules
A lot of people are quick to disparage Disney’s Hercules, although I’ve never quite been able to figure out why, other than Herc coming to theaters towards the end of Disney’s successful run of animated movies. The story is entertaining, built on a foundation of Greek myths that it doesn’t quite stay true to, but has fun with. The music is enjoyable as long as you ignore the pop version of “Go the Distance” by the no talent ass clown, Michael Bolton. The cast is probably the most loaded vocal cast Disney has managed to put together in one flick: James Woods, Bobcat Golthwaite, Matt Frewer, and Rip Torn, just to name a few. Of course, it does have one thing going against it: the protagonist isn’t a princess. For some reason, Disney movies that feature male heroes aren’t quite as popular as their princess movies. Still, you have the basic Faust story here. Hercules trades his immortality to save the woman he loves, taking him out of Hades’s way so the lord of the underworld can attempt to take over Mount Olympus. I particularly love the tongue-in-cheek portrayal of Herc’s ascension into popularity, making light of Disney’s own penchant for merchandising.
Even if you don’t like Hercules, just about everyone alive loves The Little Mermaid. Again, I think this has a lot to do with the story centering around a princess hero. Mermaid was kind of the start of the Disney renaissance, paving the way for the more successful movies to come, as well as a nice transition from what people expected from the classical Disney movies. Ariel has everything her predecessors like Snow White, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty carry. She has a daring spirit and a daydreaming nature, along with the desire to find her prince. Unfortunately for Ariel the mermaid, that man is a human, leading her to make her deal with the devil (in her case, the sea witch Ursula). Ariel trades both her voice and her soul for the chance to walk on land and win the heart of her prince. As always, the wondrous music speaks volumes to the audience, creating tunes that have become memorable parts of Disney’s legacy since the movie’s 1989 debut.
Other Disney deals with the devil: Aladdin (but not by the protagonist), Pinocchio (a little less obvious)
Enjoy our Double Feature suggestions? and maybe we’ll use them in a future column.
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