The Weekly Planet - Mulan - Caravan Of Garbage

Episode Date: September 10, 2020

Mulan 2020 has hit Disney Plus BUT FORGET THAT LIVE ACTION REMAKE because the 1998 animation is where it's at. Telling an epic tale tacking the patriarchy in ancient China it sees Mulan tackle the Hun killing most of them and saving a nation. This is our Caravan Of Garbage review!Help support the show and get early episodes at https://bigsandwich.co/SUBSCRIBE HERE ►► http://goo.gl/pQ39jNVideo Edition ► https://youtu.be/46Woe-jGjFIJames' Twitter ► http://twitter.com/mrsundaymoviesMaso's Twitter ► http://twitter.com/wikipediabrownTWP Itunes ► https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-weekly-planet/id718158767?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4TWP Direct Download ► https://play.acast.com/s/theweeklyplanetTWP YouTube Channel ► https://goo.gl/1ZQFGHPatreon ► https://patreon.com/mrsundaymoviesAmazon Affiliate Link ► https://amzn.to/2nc12P4T-Shirts/Merch ► https://www.teepublic.com/stores/mr-sunday-movies#Mulan #Disney Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FX's The Veil explores the surprising and fraught relationship between two women who play a deadly game of truth and lies on the road from Istanbul to Paris and London. One woman has a secret, the other a mission to reveal it before thousands of lives are lost. FX's The Veil, starring Elizabeth Moss, is now streaming on Disney+. This podcast is part of the Planet Broadcasting Network. Visit planetbroadcasting.com for more podcasts from our great mates. We are back in this ongoing series of Mason is forced to watch a classic Disney animated film and then people yell at him in the comments about whether he liked it or didn't like it.

Regardless of my choice. That's right. That's not really a choice, is it? I either liked it or I didn't like it. Opinions, opinions, man. But when it comes to Disney, you know they pay everybody online. Except for those people who tell it how it is. You know what I'm talking about.

Is that us this time around or not? Who's to say? I don't know. Basically, though, please leave a like if you could. We really appreciate it. We've done some of these in the past. We've done a Lion King. We've done Aladdin.

We've done Dumbo. We're now doing the 1998 film Mulan. Mulan, more like Poo-lan. Oh, no! No, actually, I quite like this one. I was going to say. You know why? Easy algorithm.

The parents are alive. I was going to say, that's a big part of this movie, isn't it? Yeah, the parents are alive. It's not a grim, sad tale of dead parents and my life's really terrible. Maybe it'll get slightly better. Did it? I don't know. But in this,, parents are alive.

Find out in the direct-to-video sequel if my life got better or not. I mean, okay, spoilers, I don't know if this is true.

There are direct-to-video sequels to this one. There is. Is there this one? There's two, yeah. Do any of the parents, did the parents die? I have no idea.

Okay then, right. And when I said there's two, I mean like, there's a second one. There might be a third. I don't fucking, I don't know, I haven't seen either. One, three, back in the habit? Oh my goodness. I had, like, there's a second one. There might be a third. I don't fucking, I don't know. I haven't seen either.

A lot of three back in the habit. Oh, my goodness. I had this whole build up to, like, ask you about what you thought of this movie. I wrote this thing out and you just jumped into it. Okay, fine. Here we go. Let's do it anyway. Mason, this movie was 2,000 years in the making.

Five years of work. It's adapted from a sixth century legend. So, 2,005 years in the making? Whatever, man. Just. Captured from a 6th century legend. So 2005 years in the making? Whatever, man.

Okay, I realise now this wouldn't have gone well regardless. See? It had cutting edge animation techniques with painstaking historical recreation because they visited things like the Great Wall of China from end to end to see how does this all come together. Did they? Borrowing art styles from Chinese culture and blending it. Yeah, the whole thing. The whole thing.

With modern art techniques. I also wrote that they kept both their parents alive and then said, is it any good? And you would have said, yeah, you liked it. So there we go. No, I would have said Mulan more like Pulan. I would have said that. Okay, yeah, yeah.

That's a primo joke. Yes. And then I would have said that I liked it. I do like a lot of the casting in this movie. Do you think they sent an intern with one of those clicky wheels to go all the way down the Great Wall of China? And they sent them into space to see if you could really see it from space. You can't, it turns out.

That's a myth. You cannot see it from space. That's a myth. That's a myth! I quite like this one. I don't think it's perfect. There's some elements of it that I don't like. One of the things I do enjoy, though, is Ming-Na Wen as the lead.

I think she's terrific. I think they even added touches of her to the character. Like, Ming-Na Wen as the lead. I think she's terrific. I think they even added touches of her to the character. Ming-Na Wen apparently touches her hair a lot and so they added that in. But I feel like people just touch their hair, don't they? I've never touched my hair even once. I'm letting all the oils build up.

Yeah, but you've got a guy for that. He touches your oily hair. Still oily, he says. Still oily, sir. Yep, that's good. It's me. I'm the guy. And's right. Still oily, he says. Still oily, sir. Yep, that's good. That's me. I'm the guy. And well done. Another one.

Yeah. It's interesting, though, because originally when they were putting this together, they went away from the folktale, and they started this character as someone who wanted to escape, and she was quite self-serving. And then they realized this isn't a very likable character. So they went, why don't we just do the thing that's kind of traditionally the case in this story, where she's trying to protect her family, father specifically. So let's adapt the actual story of The Legend of Milan into the movie Milan.

And we'll put a dragon in it for no reason or whatever, called Mushu. I don't love the dragon. I think the dragon is a mistake. I have not seen the new movie when we are recording this. I don't care that they took it out. Do you think they thought they needed like an Aladdin style don't care that they took it out. Do you think they needed, do you think they thought they needed like an Aladdin style? I think that's exactly what happened. I was reading up

on the reason they did this and yeah, they went Robin Williams, Genie, Eddie Murphy, Dragon. I just don't think it fits or is very funny. And he's also got a side kick. Yeah, the little grasshopper thing. I think you could have just kept the grasshopper and just kind of leave it at that. Maybe like a giant monstrous grasshopper?

Like as big as a bus? Like as big as a bus. Ah! Exactly. Malign, you can do it! Ah! We're going to sneak into this temple. I'm going to dress as a lady.

Ah! Crush. So the other thing is I really love the relationship between her and her father. It's depicted really well. Because he's alive. Because he's alive for all of it. And I also like the idea that you get this glimpse of this man who used to be. When he volunteers, well, not volunteers.

He's made to join the army. He doesn't run like a coward. No, he doesn't. And then when you see him practicing with his sword and you're like, okay, this guy, he was really somebody special. But obviously now his time and injuries have taken its toll. Now he's not special. He's just a regular old man. Boo!

Right? Ah! Your dad's not up for this! Ah! So I accidentally crushed him. Oh, no. B.D. Wong is in this as well. He is the voice of the lieutenant, the sergeant, the captain

That's right But he is not the singing voice I'm like this seems familiar But I could not tell you for a million dollars why So I looked it up, it's Donny Osmond You better believe it is And the same singing voice for Princess Jasmine Did Milan singing in this as well

So there's a bit of crossover there What I like about also is they got real martial artists in to kind of refine some of these techniques. And you kind of notice that in the fluidity of the movements. It's beautifully animated in that way. It's good kung fu. It's great kung fu, Mason. Okay, now, you're a 10th Dan Black Belt.

Come over here. We're going to drop a bus-sized stone grasshopper on you. We're going to see how you react. We're going to film it. We're going to drop a bus-sized stone grasshopper on you. We're going to see how you react. We're going to film it. I think there's also something really simplistic in the melding of Chinese artwork and traditional animation.

They talk about in the making of the use of negative space in the background for a lot of it and things like the computer elements of the Hun coming over the hill. I think that's absolutely spectacular, that entire sequence. That training montage, if we can talk songs, there's reflections, obviously. There's some bangers in this, mate. I don't find these songs as memorable as, say, Aladdin.

I don't love reflections. My wife, Claire, she loves it. You only love your bloody own reflection, I'd say, that much. Are you talking to me? Yeah, I'm talking to you. Okay, cool. Yeah, I do, actually. In my oily hair.

That's why I do the job. That's right. Yeah. Girl With Fighting Force is kind of a fun song but that I'll make a man out of you. That's a good one. That might be one of the best

montage songs or even montage sequences of all time. People would say Rocky obviously which I can't disagree with. Too sweaty. He's so sweaty. I mean I can see my reflection in him.

Yeah, that's good. That is good. But yeah, I can see my reflection in him. Yeah, that's good. That is good. But yeah, I just think that montage and that song is just such a winning combination. And you know what I like that I didn't think I would like? All of Milan's sidekicks. I mean, she's got a lot of sidekicks, obviously. She's got Mushu.

She's got the grasshopper. But then she's got three more sidekicks. What I like about... Fat one, tall one, little one. The tall one. Yes. He's also not the tallest one, I think. Maybe.

I don't know. He's also a guy who shatters all these teeth twice. There's a lot of broken teeth in this movie. I think it's the same guy. Oh, is it? Okay. So either they were his baby teeth, or that guy has three sets of teeth, or I guess he's like a shark and he's just got rows and they just kind of grow out because he's constantly

breaking his teeth. But no, I agree. I think the camaraderie there feels very real yeah probably asked real war guys about it what do you think war guys is this real real enough wow that's what they said wow but what i find fascinating about this movie also is yes milan is the greatest murderer in disney history oh because that avalanche? Got some numbers here, Mason. I mean, there's no guarantee. I mean, the main guy lived.

Yeah. So maybe they all lived. Let's assume to be on the safe side. Let's think positive and assume she killed them all. How many did she kill? I have actual numbers here, and she did kill most of them. Okay. Okay, so Milan is by far the Disney character, hero or villain,

with the highest body count. Maybe that's changed in the 20 years since this movie's been out. Lightning McQueen did mow down a lot of pedestrians. He certainly did. The production team drew 2,000 Hun soldiers in addition to the 2,000 horses, and only six people survived that avalanche from the Hun. So we're including dead horses. Yes, that's right.

So what's that? 3,994 people and horses killed in this avalanche. Wow. That's fair though. I mean, it's war, isn't it? They really did make a man out of her or something. That's right. But it was ironic, Mason, because she's not a man.

They're like, be a man. But she wasn't a man. Oh, I get it now. Yeah. You know what I don't also like about this movie? What's that? The fact that when she becomes a man, it's noble and it's cool. It's the best thing you can do.

But when her dumb friends dress up as women, they're like, oh, man, how silly is that? Imagine, look how ugly these men are and how stupid they look. Why didn't they make the handsome guy put him in a dress? He didn't dress up, did he? You know why? Because he's too noble. They wouldn't do it because it's not funny, is it? Yeah.

That's true, yeah. And that fan manoeuvre is pretty sweet though, isn't it? Where she disarms with the fan. That was sick, yeah. That's sweet as. What a manoeuvre. And then he gets killed by fireworks. And he gets killed by fireworks.

One more. Yeah, that's right. Exactly. We've got the famous segment of the show now. It's right here. It's Give Me Some Trivia. That comes up every week, doesn't it? Absolutely, of course.

It's always called that. And we love to give you some trivia to you too. To you too, that's right. That's what comes up every week doesn't it absolutely of course it's always called that and we love to give you some trivia to you too that's right so we say every week every week we have never not said it uh this is the first ever disney dvd to release that happened in 1999 pat morita plays the emperor among you're gonna say pat morita plays the dvd oh my god he could couldn't he yeah uh what's in maybe look he could portray a DVD, but he couldn't play a DVD on a DVD player. The technology is beyond him. That's true. This I love.

Yes. Jackie Chan voices Shang for the Chinese release, right? Oh yeah, okay. But also, and Ben will put in a clip, he sings the song, I'll Make a Man Out of You. Wow. And the film clip is amazing. Again, in the American- He's balancing on a board between two buildings and people are throwing stuff at him and he's

singing. He's dedicated to the craft. Oh, he can do it all, that guy. I just feel like Donny Osmond, that's weak, Jackie Chan singing a sweet song. Yeah. One of the best things that have ever happened. Donny Osmond will see you fight a bunch of gang members with a fridge. Won't happen.

You'll be killed immediately. That's right. Milan spends most of the time in her training uniform in the film or a battle armour or a blue infiltration dress. Well, in the merchandise though,

she's mostly shown in her normal dress or her pink matchmaker dress. Interesting. The patriarchy, Mason. It is the patriarchy. They're like, we won't sell any of these

to boys, we'll sell the girls the Barbie one. Give her some judo chop action. Oh, my goodness. Right? Give her a grappling hook gun that goes on her back. Just give her all the Batmans, all of them. Just switch the head.

It's fine. Give us fighting in the lava action Mulan, you know? Exactly. With magma gun. Exactly. And, of course, I have to bring this up. I don't want to. Rick and Morty, Szechuan sauce.

Because I just know the comments are like... Oh, okay. Do you want to explain that? Everybody knows this. I guess everybody... But I'd only just remembered this. So for the release of Milan, I guess McDonald's released chicken McNuggets with a Szechuan sauce. Is that right?

That's correct. And that, of course... I mean, the nuggets were already out, but yes. Okay. I know they didn't invent McNuggets. But I'm saying it because people will be like, actually, Mason, the nuggets were already out but yes I know they didn't invent McNuggets but I'm saying it because people will be like actually Mason

the nuggets already existed I'm just saving you some time okay that's absolutely for the best and I thank you for it and Rick loves it

he loves that Szechuan sauce as we all know and so people went mental for it and tipping over counters and yelling at McDonald's staff

which is real cool. Even if you're doing it ironically, you're being a fucking idiot. Don't do it. Just make your own Szechuan sauce. Yeah. That's how McDonald's did it. Yeah. They came up with a recipe and they made it.

Eat better food at a different place. That's a bridge too far, all right? You walk that back right now, James. I will not. Wow. There's also something interesting and controversial around the release of this in China because Disney actually funded the release of a movie

about the Dalai Lama. And obviously the Dalai Lama is no friend to the Chinese government and vice versa. I see. Look, to get into the conflict would be me saying things I don't understand. Let's just suffice it to say they got beef. They got beef, mate.

So Disney hoped to smooth over this recent rough patch in their relationship because, of course, this would be a big money-making film, you'd think, in China. And at the time, China only allowed 10 foreign films in a year. Yeah, and they'd already done Police Academy 1 through 7 that year. So there's only a couple of slots left. Running out of options. That's right. So they's only a couple of slots left. Running out of options. That's right.

So they eventually ended up releasing the film, but it was in a time period after Chinese New Year where a lot of the big releases normally happen, a lot of the local films, so it didn't end up making a lot of money. And because it was also a year after it came out, for Western audiences, there was also a lot of piracy, so it just didn't do super well at all.

Because when it finally came out everybody had seen it. Exactly. And the other thing is, the Chinese people complained that Milan was too foreign looking and the story was too different from the myths. She was not Chinese enough. Apparently so. So look, it remains to be seen how that's going to fare with

the new one, but I feel like Disney has really bent over backwards to kind of make sure that this new one gets a big push in China. For sure, yeah, yeah. And we'll see how that goes, won't we? And we're going to see how it goes in our podcast, The Weekly Planet, where we're going to talk about it on Monday. I'm kind of excited to see it now. Of all the live-action remakes that they've

made so far, this is the one where I'm like, who's to say whether it'll be good? But I think this genuinely looks good. Right, and they've taken out Mushu. Yeah, and of course Disney gave us that money for us to say that. Exactly, so we'll say it regardless, you know. I shouldn't have said that. I just realise it's proof now that we get, what have I done?

I think that people should know. Why haven't I edited this out? You had plenty of opportunities too. You could have got Ben to do it. Yeah, right? Yeah, Ben, why did you leave this in? You've ruined us all. I mean, we're pretty rich though.

Yeah, exactly. It doesn't matter at this point, does it? We've ruined us all. I mean, we're pretty rich, though. Yeah, exactly. It doesn't matter at this point, does it? We've snookered so many people at this point. Yeah. All in all, I think this is pretty solid. Do you think it's up there in terms of the four that you've seen now? I think it is, yeah. It's certainly no Dumbo.

By that I mean it's a million, billion, trillion times better than Dumbo, as an example. As an example. It's a terrific example. Also, of course, we do Caravan of Garbage here every week. Here is a hint towards next week's episode. Oh, I'm a grasshopper! It's a sequel.

It's a spin-off, yeah, exactly. For the listeners of the audio edition, I haven't done this yet, but I'm going to put up a poll because the new Mutants is coming out. So people are saying Generation X, Wolverine Origins. We've got some options here, man. You know what? People have mentioned it before.

I think we confused. We were speaking about them. I confused the TV pilot Generation X with the TV series Mutant X. They're two different shows. Let's just do them all then. And they're all bad. They're all terrific, I heard. Never seen them, but I've heard good things.

From who? You, Mason. Not me. Exclusively you. Oh, that's right. I seen them, but I've heard good things. From who? You, Mason. Not me. Exclusively you. Oh, that's right. I lied to you for years. I remember now. Anyways, of course, like I said, we've got a podcast.

You can come along if you want. I'm at MrSundayMovies on Twitter. I'm at WikipediaBrand on Twitter. Do you like subscribing to things, Mason? Yeah. Well, now's the perfect opportunity to do that if you haven't. I mean, my phone's all the way over there. It's right in front of him.

I'd have to move my arm. He's not going to do it. More like the weekly poo-lanet. Hey, you're on that. No, I'm standing by that one. Anyways, guys, see you next week. Grab that jimmy, guys. We'll see you next week.

I said see you next week. You've got to say, when I say that, you have to say a different thing. We'll see you next week and the week after next and the week after that, but then no more weeks. Agreed. Try it out for a few weeks and then be like, it's not for me. Never again. Okay, bye.

This podcast is part of the Planet Broadcasting Network. Visit planetbroadcasting.com for more podcasts from our great mates. I mean, if you want. It's up to you. FX's The Veil explores the surprising and fraught relationship between two women who play a deadly game of truth and lies on the road from istanbul to paris and london one woman has a secret the other a mission to reveal it before thousands of lives are lost fx is the veil starring elizabeth moss is now streaming on disney plus