#mulan remake

[r1-jw-lover]

Chinese Idioms and Proverbs

What if swords in Mulan 2020 had actual Chinese sayings instead of “loyal, brave, true” as engravings. 

1. Hua Mulan:

日久见人心 (rì jiǔ jiàn rén xīn)

This is actually just the second half of the proverb "路遥知马力，日久见人心", which translates to “distance tests a horse’s strength, time reveals a person’s character”. I’m only taking the second half for simplicity’s sake. Besides, 日久见人心 on its own manages to cover the meaning & intention behind the whole saying in my opinion. 

日久见人心 (“time reveals one’s heart”) beautifully encompasses Mulan’s story of disguising as a man in place of her father to go to war solely out of love for her father, all while proving her capabilities along the way and coming to slowly accept & embrace her truest expression of her self, making this saying more than worthy to be engraved onto Mulan's new sword.

2. Hua Zhou:

逆境出人才 (nì jìng chū rén cái)

逆境出人才 has the meaning of “adversary breeds talent/flair”. This saying could reflect in some way Hua Zhou’s adamant attitude when faced with life’s situations/decisions, e.g. insisting he must serve the army even though he’s frail & had done his part before. (I like to speculate his stubborn determination was the reason he managed to accomplish much & got far as a soldier during his prime, therefore earning his sword engravings and becoming highly-regarded in the military.)

However, I chose this proverb not as much because I think it would be suitable for Hua Zhou’s character, but rather for how it will affect Mulan’s journey in her training to become a soldier when she took her father’s sword to war. (It’s the sword with the most screen time, by the way.) The engravings would serve as a reminder as well as an encouragement for her to strive to be the best warrior she could be. 

As Mulan develops as a person, the old "逆境出人才" nicely transitions into the new "日久见人心" in poetic fashion. Plus, both would go along neatly with the “pattern” of five-character sword engravings running through the Hua family, in this case. 

3. Commander Tung:

否极泰来 (pǐ jí tài lái)

For Commander Tung, 否极泰来 (meaning “peace comes after extreme evil”) would sound really cool & badass for a general like him (one who’s played by Donnie Yen no less) to the point where I feel like he would totally own it on the battlefield without a question. 

4. Sergeant Qiang:

惩前毖后 (chéng qián bì hòu)

Remember that second-in-command who’s strict and uptight about Mulan & her comrades’ performance and was given the “we’ll make a man out of every single one of you” line? I did. 

惩前毖后 (literally “punish first, prevent later”) has the meaning of criticizing or learning from past mistakes to avoid future ones and preventing them from happening again. Very fitting for Sergeant Qiang’s personality, and it gives extra insight into why he acted so strictly towards the new recruits. 

5. The Emperor:

尽忠报国 (jìn zhōng bào guó)

You may recognize this saying because it was popularized by Chinese folk hero & semi-historical figure Yue Fei (similar to Mulan). As you can tell, 尽忠报国 has everything to do with “loyal devotion to your country”. 

While such an engraving is befitting of an emperor’s sword, I think it would be hilarious seeing the other main characters having sword engravings that have their own poetic/badass meanings whereas the Emperor’s is probably the most basic shit you could put on a sword. 

6. Chen Honghui:

知音难觅 (zhī yīn nán mì)

Considering Chen Honghui’s role in Mulan’s journey, I think 知音难觅 would make a unique sword engraving for him since this idiom is one that’s about friendship.

The idiom means “an intimate friend is hard to find”, and seeing that Honghui had been nothing but an ally of Mulan through and through, there’s no other saying best encompassing his character. Since he’s staying in the military, I like to believe he would go on to become a leader that’s known to be supportive, encouraging & even caring not only to his peers but also his juniors as well. 

Tagging @delphiniumblooms :)

#non sw #disney #disney live action #mulan 2020 #mulan live action #mulan remake #mulan live action remake #hua mulan #hua zhou #commander tung #sergeant qiang #the emperor #chen honghui #chinese language #chinese idiom #chinese proverb #meta

[cjbolan]

finally, someone else who despises the cinderella remake. it's just so bland tbh. at least aladdin had the novelty of will smith as the genie, at least the lion king had the novelty of photorealistic animals, there's not a single memorable thing about cinderella

The only novel thing about that remake was her ball gown (which TBF does look really pretty !!) , and even that looks like a copy of Belle’s 1991 ball gown.

I hate this remake and Mulan (2020) for the same reasons: bland, boring female lead with only 1 facial expression most of the time, with no major character arc, in a poorly written story that not even its good visuals nor cool costumes can save.

I’ll always take a good story with bad visuals, over a bad story with good visuals.

#disney #remakes #disney remake #live action cinderella #cinderella remake #live action Mulan #Mulan remake

[yumnasfunblog]

I just gotta say it but having a movie be culturally accurate doesn't mean stripping all the life and soul out of a movie. Sherry Thomas, a Chinese author, wrote a culturally accurate Mulan (The Magnolia Sword) retelling with drama, internal conflict, enemies to lovers (that can't even be called toxic), etc. There's no excuse.

#mulan remake #mulan

[youruinedmylifebynotbeingreal]

Inspired by (x)

#night at the museum #night at the museum Kahmunrah Rises Again #animation #animated #live action #Cinderella #beauty and the beast #Aladdin #the lion king #101 dalmatians #cruella #live action remakes #Mulan #the jungle book #Disney #winx club #I know winx is a show but it COUNTS #personal #100 #500 #1k

[suzannahnatters]

A while back I realised that there's one specific fictional thing that is catnip to me, and that is vulnerability. People accuse me of liking dire things in stories, but it's not so much that I love it when fictional people are suffering. It's that I kind of crave vulnerability in my protagonists.

I would define vulnerability as the opposite of agency. At its core, it involves a denial or a willing sacrifice of agency, and while writers talk about agency a lot, I don't think we spend anywhere near enough time discussing vulnerability.

Vulnerability is incredibly powerful in building empathy with a character, but it also forces the character into dire choices that reveal their true nature, and it makes the antagonistic forces seem a lot more powerful and scary. Vulnerability is why whump is appealing. It's one of the reasons we all care so much about out good fried Jonathan Harker, utterly at Dracula's mercy. It's why the myth of the voluntarily dying god is so powerful, even if you aren't a Christian.

More recently, I've been thinking a whole lot about how important vulnerability is in constructing a believable romance. In a believable romance, the characters will be emotionally vulnerable to, and on behalf of, one another. The "if you dare touch her" trope where the love interest comes unhinged at the sight of a loved one's suffering is vulnerability. Enemies to lovers is delicious because it asks what might happen if the person to whom you're most vulnerable was also the one with the greatest interest in exploiting that vulnerability. As I've written before, romance is about trust; and the corollary is that no romance can live without that heartstopping moment when one character takes the risk of putting themselves helplessly into the power of the other.

But I think that a lot of storytellers these days are prioritising agency at the cost of vulnerability. Disney's attempts at feminism are a great example of this. While the animated MULAN is outed as a woman in a moment of vulnerability that was the most powerful thing in the movie for me, in the live action Mulan's unmasking becomes a expression of agency that in my opinion guts the story of feeling. On the other hand, in the cdrama I'm currently watching (GOODBYE, MY PRINCESS) the male lead is SO averse to letting himself be vulnerable in any way at all that I simply can't find any romance in his interactions with the heroine. I love to see stories that foreground marginalised people, but too often those stories focus on giving the protagonist agency at the cost of letting the antagonist land any hits at all. The result, imo, is a perfectly soulless story.

Of course, agency is a sine qua non of a good protagonist. But so is vulnerability, and there are so many amazing stories you can write about a vulnerable protagonist. W R Gingell's CITY BETWEEN series, for instance, is the story of a desperately vulnerable protagonist fighting to claim some agency in her own life and it's GLORIOUS. And beyond that, I would say that moments of vulnerability are indispensable even to very strong protagonists. One of the reasons FULLMETAL ALCHEMIST worked so gorgeously as a story for me, for instance, was the gutpunch moments of vulnerability that happened both at the very start and then with increasing tempo toward the end.

Vulnerability can be something a protagonist constantly struggles with, or something that unexpectedly blindsides someone who seemed to be invincible, or something a character does willingly for the sake of the people they love. It can be romantic, or not at all. But either way it's the interplay of agency and vulnerability that really MAKES a story for me. You HAVE to have both.

#writing #writing advice #writing tip #jonathan harker #dracula #mulan #disney remakes #the city between #fullmetal alchemist brotherhood #goodbye my princess

[the-girl-from-another-time]

At this point, what is even the point of making new animated movies? Why bother if they’re just going to be remade in live-action less than a decade later? Not to mention that remaking classic animated films devalues those classics and makes it less likely that future generations will see and enjoy them because they’ll watch the live-actions instead. Corporations are prioritizing money over telling meaningful and creative stories, and it shows.

So anyway, capitalism is killing art.

#seriously Moana came out barely seven years ago #disney #disney movies #animation #live action remake #moana #the little mermaid #aladdin #the lion king #beauty and the beast #mulan

[suzieloveships]

Snow White remakes gets more hate for being bad than Mulan remake got for normalizing a crime against humanity.

Rachel gets more hate for saying what is going to happen in a movie than a person that literally supported police brutality.

Snow white remake is a harmless movie unlike Mulan so can we please stop

#rachel zegler #anti Liu Yifei #snow white #snow white remake #mulan #anti mulan 2020 #disney #anti disney

[disneyboot]

#disney #disney movies #disney remakes #dumbo #aladdin #lady and the tramp #mulan #101 dalmatians #pinocchio #peter pan #the little mermaid

[velvet4510]

#disney polls #disney princesses #disney princess #live action remake #disney live action #maleficent 2014 #cinderella 2015 #beauty and the beast 2017 #aladdin 2019 #the little mermaid 2023 #mulan 2020

[kaixcastiel27]

#disney movies #disney remakes #live action #disney #beauty and the beast #disney mulan #aladdin #peter pan #jungle book #the little mermaid #maleficent #disney polls #tumblr polls

[r1-jw-lover]

Chapters: 1/10

Fandom: Mulan (Disney 2020), Mulan (Disney Animated Movies)

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Relationships: Fa Mulan | Hua Mulan & Commander Tung (Disney), Fa Mulan | Hua Mulan & Fa Zhou | Hua Zhou (Disney), Chen Honghui & Fa Mulan | Hua Mulan (Disney), Chien Po & Fa Mulan | Hua Mulan & Ling & Yao (Disney), Fa Mulan | Hua Mulan & Cricket (Disney)

Characters: Fa Mulan | Hua Mulan (Disney), Commander Tung (Disney), Chen Honghui, Yao (Disney), Ling (Disney), Chien Po (Disney), Cricket (Disney: Mulan), Longwei (Disney: Mulan), Sergeant Qiang (Disney), Fa Zhou | Hua Zhou (Disney), Fa Li | Hua Li (Disney), Hua Xiu (Disney), Xian Lang (Disney), The Emperor, Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character(s)

Additional Tags: Ancient China, Historical Inaccuracy, Chinese Language, Swords, Swordfighting, Canon-Typical Violence, War, Training, Training Camp, Military Training, Bathing/Washing, Battle Scenes, Fight Scenes, Action, Blood and Injury, Major Character Injury, Dismemberment, No ~~~Chi~~~ Bullshit, No Magic Creatures, No Animal Companions, Teacher-Student Relationship, Father-Daughter Relationship, Flashbacks, Friendship, comradery, Found Family, No Romance, False Identity, Gender Disguise, Crossdressing, Period-Typical Sexism, Misogyny, Rewrite, Canon Rewrite, Eventual Happy Ending, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Not Beta Read, Minor Original Character(s)

Summary:

MULAN 2020: A CANON REWRITE

Curious about the title of this fanwork? I’m joining an effort to call on AO3 to fulfill commitments they have already made to address harassment and racist abuse on the archive. Read more, boost, and get involved here!

Author’s notes:

I don’t wish to come off as lofty and full-of-oneself in the author’s notes, but no matter if you are a firm lover of the 1998 animated movie or an unapologetic fan of the 2020 remake, I would be more than grateful if you’re willing to spare me some grace and civility.

Personally, I have a love-hate relationship with Disney’s live action remake of Mulan. I really, really wanted to like the movie to the fullest but we were robbed of the epicness, grittiness and emotional rawness the trailers promised us. The disappointing, inconsistent writing plus the controversies surrounding the movie and Disney at the time had left a bad taste in my mouth.

That being said, the characters of the movie (Xianniang, Chen Honghui, Commander Tung, Hua Zhou, Hua Xiu, even Mulan herself) are the least aggravating aspect of the 2020 film and deserve so much better than being put into this… mediocre mess.

As an ethnically Chinese fan of Mulan media in general, albeit not a professional writer, this will be my best possible attempt at rewriting the whole thing in a hopefully more culturally-accurate manner. (This is more of an outline than an actual rewrite, but I find it more manageable that way and I would be putting off this little project for an indefinite amount of time otherwise. I hope you will find it understandable.)

It is still mainly based on the 2020 live action remake, but I will keep and expand on the things that I like and I feel have great potential while throwing away the things I don’t like. I’m adding in elements from the 1998 and 2009 versions, but the overall structure/plot and characters from the 2020 film is retained.

If you do not like to take this as a canon rewrite, please feel free to take this as an alternate universe, if you will.

You can read the tags on the things I’ve included or not included in here. Any questions or suggestions are welcome.

As always, comments and constructive criticism are much appreciated.

#non sw #disney #disney live action #mulan 2020 #disney mulan #mulan live action #mulan remake #mulan live action remake #hua mulan #canon rewrite #fanfic #my fic #ao3 #not beta read #not beta'd #self promo

[deathsmallcaps]

So, I was just looking for a Snow White gif set, and I came across quite a few posts expressing displeasure about Rachel Zegler’s flippant attitude to the original Disney film. And while I agree she was being a bit glib, you have to remember, it’s all about playing it up for the camera. Maybe her manager told her to push a love-to-hate-it angle. Who knows. Disney is still trying to work that little bit of feminism that is truly marketable but is ‘safe’ in their standards.

But what irritates me is that those posts immediately delve into the history and animation of the work in the film. As an artist, I totally respect the work and success Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was in 1937. It’s a beautiful piece, to be sure.

And Snow White was kind of modern for the movie’s supposed setting and time period! She has a bob! It’s easily demonstrated and acknowledged by the audience how hard she works, in both the castle and the cottage! She’s a upper class woman who manages to stay chaste despite living with, horror among horrors, seven unmarried men!

But, come on. She was relatively safe, barely pushing the envelope, in 1937. Women were in factories, wearing pants, and were still actively fighting for their rights at the time. All while weathering the Great Depression!

Films like Mirror Mirror and Snow White and the Huntsman have already done more-feminine-modern takes on the tale. But Zegler isn’t wrong. If the original film’s story, no changes, came out today, it would be disappointing to a lot of feminists. So if you’ve watched the other live action Disney princess films, I’d say don’t knock the Snow White one just yet. It might actually offer something new but nice to more modern feminist audiences.

Just please don’t forget that something can be wonderful in one way and meh in another. The original film was an artistic masterpiece, but wasn’t the be-all end-all of feminism in the 30s. Check out this film, for example.

And hey, this is the webbed site of anxiety. You’ve all probably said things you regret, whether you ‘deserve’ to regret it or not. Don’t forget actors can make mistakes too. They’re human.

#Snow White #trust me I love the already-out there modern live action remake Mirror mirror #but I think you guys are being harsh #Ann Vickers #snow white 2024 #what I liked best about the new little mermaid film was that we still got to see Ariel’s thoughts and passions (without it just being pixie #girl quirky) on land before her wedding to Eric #the expansion of her motivations #and a bunch of other little things that made it different from the original #I wouldn’t have seen it multiple times if it was just a carbon copy #my only complaint was that under the sea should’ve been a chorus song #some animals already sang! #but in any case I loved it #the parts I loved about the other live action Disney princess movies were the things they changed too! (mostly) #I enjoyed Belle actively using her book knowledge to invent #I like Cinderella having that one last conversation with tremaine and still managing to walk away fine and strong #maleficent’s new relationship with aurora was excellent #we got to see jasmine’s internal life richer and better than ever #and for all it’s faults I do appreciate that they tried making Mulan a warrior who didn’t have to hide her womanhood #I do think the Little Mermaid did it best though #so all in all #I think the new Snow White has potential

[cjbolan]

On one hand, I’m happy Disney’s Little Mermaid remake is adding a bunch of new plot points and songs, so at least it won’t be a boring copy like The Lion King (2019).

On the other hand, I’m scared it might lose focus on the main point with pointless filler like in Cinderella (2015) or Beauty and the Beast (2017). Or worse, it’ll have a completely opposite message and morals with completely rewritten characters like Mulan (2020).

Best case scenario it’s like Aladdin (2019): mostly faithful to the original plot, with some new songs/characters/plot points that help emphasize the original’s themes and ideas instead of changing them.

#unpopular opinion but I like the aladdin remake #disney #live action remakes #live action aladdin #live action little mermaid #the little mermaid #disney little mermaid #disney aladdin #aladdin #live action cinderell #live action beauty and the beast #live action mulan #live action cinderella #beauty and the beast

[aeide-thea]

also totally unrelated but like. thinking abt how many american transmascs have identified with figures like disney's mulan and joan of arc and how it's like. i super get it but also that identification rests on such a violent wrenching of those figures out of their original contexts…

#like once you find out joan is like. a mascot of modern-day french right-wing nationalism it just. doesn't taste the same. #similarly like. yeah we all have feelings abt when will my reflection show &c #if i were truly to be myself / i would break my family's heart #however like. kinda textbook appropriative‚ no? #this is really a reaction to the 2020 remake but it's an interesting readable overview of ways the story has been positioned: #https://www.thenation.com/article/culture/disney-mulan-review/ #anyway. Just Thinkin. #(also possibly something 2 be said here abt tumblr takes on caeneus.)

[astarion666]

I was b!tching about how the bests’ (from beauty and the beast) human form was just not giving. So i present to you, ✨daddy beast✨ Also gave Shang (from Mulan) a loose hair remake, cuz they did him dirty in the second movie.

#disney #beauty and the beast #mulan #disney remakes #yassified #give the man a beard #li shang #beast

[dance2my-destiny]

#disney #cinderella #lion king #maleficent #peter pan #wendy #beauty and the beast #little mermaid #cruella 2021 #jungle book #mulan #aladdin #alice and wonderland #remake #disney remakes #live action