So, I have made the executive decision to make this blog almost consistently to comment on Disney animations. Be it full-length movies or just little shorts they have released. I’m a child of the Disney golden-age and they all have a place in my heart. Well, with that now established, onto the real “good stuff”!
For Disney’s thirty-third film, the company decided to try a new avenue of story lines. They went with historical fiction. The story was skewed to fit the image of Disney, but overall the story reflects that of John Smith and Pocahontas back in the beginnings of America in the first colony, Jamestown, Va. The story isn’t important though. In fact, it’s a bit of a dull storyline and the “princess” isn’t very interesting at all. No, what is important about this movie is the soundtrack.
This Disney film’s soundtrack gained many different awards. These include: a Academy Award for Best Original Song for Colors of the Wind, Academy Award for Original Music Score, Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song, and a Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media for “Colors of the Wind”.
The song behind most of those listed awards was “Colors of the Wind”. This song is at the heart of all the themes of this movie. It’s about racial equality, nature appreciation, and cultural diversities. The song gives Pocahontas and John Smith character and provides each some understanding of each other. The song received a great reception and for that, many have remade it. There are at least 30 different re-makes of this song available.
For this animation, the songs provide each character’s rationale. The beat coincides with the speed of the action and the emotions within it. For example, in the song “Savages” all the characters are on edge and the music amplifies the mood. In the “Listen with Your Heart” the soft cool mood gives an airy, natural feeling and reflects the peace that Pocahontas is trying to find.
Overall, the music is what changed what was a mediocre movie into a gigantic hit.
I agree, what did make this movie good was the music. Like many of the Disney cartoons it features a number of songs that children and adults both love. I remember the soundtracks of other great Disney classics like ‘Beauty and the Beast’ ‘Aladdin’ and ‘Hercules’ to name a few. The music seems to almost boost the Disney movies to a level of drama and emotion beyond that of other cartoon movies that do not feature sung musical numbers or that of a very memorable soundtrack. Music can really make a or break a movie, whether it is does well and tastefully or if it is completely ignored and neglected.
Disney music is always amazing and thats why they have a hit radio station produce hit teen bopper idols and produce Disney CD’s that are nothing but collections of their soundtracks. I never took a look into the Grammy side of Disney till I read this. I always loved that the oscar they recieved for Snow White was accepted by shirely Temple and they got 7 tiny oscars in honor of the dwarfs. I wonder if they got anything special like that for the Grammys.