I watched Mulan a few days ago, and Aladdin about six minutes ago. Now, one would think I would grow out of Disney movies the same way that I grew out of Ninja Turtles...but they would be wrong.
I remember seeing the trailer for Disney's next masterpiece (Mulan), how I would rewind the VHS to the last movie over and over again just to see the preview. And this wasn't just a preview, it had everything. You knew who the composer was, you saw shots of cel-animation, storyboards, saw the lyricist at work, how the concept was started, what the animators did to find inspiration for their art...the works. It was an event, and I looked forward to it with all my heart.
Sadly, though, after Tarzan (which I still adore), characters no longer sang, we no longer wanted the soundtrack, no storyboards presented themselves, we didn't care about the lyricist anymore...and then the sequels happened. True, sequels always happen, but never like this. I understand how the money machine works, but this is ridiculous. Bambi II!? What are they thinking?
Actually, that's pretty obvious: let's make more money. This has been happening for awhile, I know, but this is a yearly rant it seems. What happened to the magic? I'm sure the little kids don't care, hell that's where the money is (well, in their parents really), but what will they think when they grow up and look back on their movies? Will they find a renewed love for them, as I have, or discard them with the next shipment of trash? I fear the latter will occur more often than the former. Sequel plots and dialogue are thin, and the overruse of the 'cute' characters proves that Disney has lost its edge. Where the company would take risks and win, it is only playing it safe. ...Plus, Cel-Animation felt it's last hurrah not with Brother Bear, but with Sinbad (because no one cares about Brother Bear...cuz it was horrible). Now, animated movies have been infected with CGI, and the art is gone.
Pixar on the other hand, has the right idea. The line between them and Disney is beginning to blur I hear, but the facts and fans speak for themselves: Finding Nemo rocked. As did every other Pixar presentation in existence. So there.
In other news, the discovery of the Youngblood Brass Band is fine fuel for homework or screenwriting.
The UCMB recital has been pushed back until mid-April. Hey, maybe I'll have it on my birthday! So I have a bit more time to get my act squared away. Yay.
Wind Ensemble is proving to be quite a daunting mixed blessing. As much as I want to strangle the snickering trumpets, I am thankful for the challenge. If I could improve as much as I did last semester I can double the progress with the work ethic required for Wind Ensemble. Yeehaw.
Orchestra doesn't have parts for me yet, but Collegium and Chorus require tenors...so I have been recruited. It'll be good training for the ear. Piano is going well, I will be composing something for my brass sextet, arranging music for the pep band as soon as possible, and I'm finally in Brass Tech (learning Trumpet legitimately).
I'm busy as heck, so don't get too annoyed if I don't update for awhile. I'm in six ensembles, and I'm a music major, and I'm in a service organization, and I've got an acappella group to get off the ground. Deal.
Thanks for reading. Have a great night.
Adam
