We all remember the warm, nostalgic feeling of watching your favorite Disney movie with the people you love most. No matter how long ago the stories were told, they stay in our hearts as if they were new.
In 1994, Disney released a live action version of “The Jungle Book,” a story about a young boy raised by a pack of wolves. This movie marks the start of a remake trend within the Disney universe that follows us to the present, with a live-action “Snow White” set to be released on March 21.
The live action remakes of our favorite childhood films spark a major debate between Disney fans. Some argue these remakes are a good way to bring our favorite stories to life, however, I argue that these remakes ruin the magic.
As a kid, I didn’t like that “real people” were trying to be the princesses I had grown up to love. It bothered me that the actors would look different, even if it was slight, from the original animated version.
Director Kenneth Branagh’s “Cinderella” was the first remake I had watched. While I don’t know how I would feel watching it now, as a kid, I didn’t like the movie. I wasn’t able to enjoy the tale like I’d been able to with the original.
As the years went on, I watched more and more of these renewed movies. While they weren’t horrible, watching them wasted my time. These movies are overhyped, and once they are released, they never fail to disappoint me. My expectations grow lower with each new release as Disney has failed to meet them every time.
Retouching on old stories also takes Disney’s time away from creating new ones. The children of this generation will grow up with Marc Webb’s “Snow White,” Dean Fleischer Camp’s “Lilo and Stitch,” Thomas Kail’s “Moana,” etc. Why not give children new stories to love and cherish? Why make their first exposure to heartwarming stories, like “Pinocchio” and “Dumbo,” a dull remake? If Disney is running out of ideas, they should spend their time brainstorming rather than ruining movies that were perfectly fine to begin with.
Some may argue that the remakes are better quality than the original. While that may be true, I don’t think visual quality overrides a well put together movie intended for children. As well as that, animations are more visually appealing to most children. This is why most children’s shows are animated.
Remakes may generate good money for the company, but not without the expense of losing many supporters as a result. Disney is supposed to be the most magical place on earth, but as of late, that magic has been fading. We need more movies with new stories that inspire humanity.
