Thank you for watching, if you have time why not watch another video: "Why Journey to the West is still so very Popular" : th-cam.com/video/RAs3uSPowFw/w-d-xo.html
You are correct sir! Though it still is a little strange that they chose to go with a mixture of Cantonese and Mandarin for her name in the Disney movie. I guess "Hua" is too hard to say from Mandarin and Moak-Lan is too difficult from Cantonese. Thanks for watching iHaveContrl!
purely for pronunciation ease, cantonese is going to be phased out, it only seems like a large portion bc they were almost the only source of immigrants to the west and HK was the only connection to the west when US and China had no political relations
Personally I think the fact that she starts out clumsy and awkward makes her even more badass and empowering because it tells little girls that they can start out anywhere at any level of experience and still break through and do amazing things
Training starts when you're little and still learning very fast so if it was back in the day 4-5 you train. The Generals of the Yang Family, all family members can fight male or female. It wasn't an issue back in ancient China, but fighting front line was different.
True.. so true. It takes more courage, determination, and love to make a difference on sheer will.The skilled fact closes all the options for other women without commanding skills to go ahead with a clean slate, will and dare.. married off to a random neighbor is not so great, unless she chooses to; cause with her efforts she should earn a spot in the society as any other hero; and she should have say in her marriage. This made me think that in the original story she had no choice and just doing what she is suppose to by the norms of society. She fought in disguise, welcomed as hero and returned to her earlier state which to me is strange as every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The reaction should alter her state of wellbeing, what I mean is better her prospects, like being a part of army/ kings commission/ rewarding position. And, I have no prior insite about mulan except for the movie, and opinion Expressed in this video.
I think the Disney movie emphasized Mulan's intelligence more instead. Her turning point in "Be a Man" was when she retrieved the arrow, and she could do so because of her determination and smarts. She defeated the Huns at the mountain with strategy, not just skill and strength.
Yea but that didn't happen in real life and was just a tactic to make the men seem incompetent and stupid like they were the entire movie (even shang, though cool, couldn't hack it in the end)
@Akin Khoo I thought that they way the story played out was that in the opening scenes her clumsiness was making her inner intelligence appear as absent-mindedness. Then her military training helped her overcome her clumsiness, allowing her intellect and cunning to shine through. She showed her heart all along by risking her life to join the army, and also by returning to rescue the emperor despite being rejected by her friends. Tell me if this clashes with traditional Chinese values; I believe it takes a much greater heart to do what is right when everyone will hate you for it than it takes to do what is right for honor and admiration. That was her greatest victory.
I've heard a lot of people say that the 1998 film was actually quite empowering to women because it showed Mulan struggling. Rather than labeling Mulan as exceptional in the beginning, she had to earn it, and had to grow into a warrior alongside all the other men she was training with, and through her dedication, grit, and intelligence, she was the only one able to climb the pole, not because she was gifted. It was her rejection of both hyper-feminity and hyper-masculinity that allowed her intelligence to shine through as well. She's established as a problem-solver, and in the climax of the film, she disarms Shan Yu with her fan, and teaches her male friends how to climb pole the way she did, and they were even willing to dress as women to sneak into the palace with her. It's not a perfect film of course, but I like the flawed Mulan better. She teaches girls that you don't have to already be gifted to do great things; just believe in yourself and work hard to reach your goals.
The name is pronunciation is consistent with the setting of the film though. She lives in the south, so I think that had some influence on how they wanted to name her.
Unfortunately, had Disney made her badass from the start, she would have been dubbed a 'Mary Sue' instantly (see Rey in 'The Force Awakens'!). In any case, Disney's decisions actually make sense when you think about the narrative. They make the character much more relatable, and they allow her to grow as the movie progresses. If she starts badass and ends badass...well, there's really no arc there. And the lack of drama, as well as defeating the obstacle easily would eliminate the conflict, which is at the core of any great cinematic story. It's a great original, though! But I'll stay with Disney's.
I spent a lot of time trying to think of a way that Disney could have followed the original more closely without having a 'Mary Sue' type character. Here is my pitch: If the story showed her studying martial arts as a child and have her develop and compete against her kung fu classmates this could show that women are just as competent as men. It can also have her, despite being the best student, being told to stop training as she gets older, as women of that period needn't learn to fight. This is something which she rebels against and continues to study with either her grandma or father. With that out of the way, the main plot of the story can be about her long journey tracking down and defeating the big bad all the while fulfilling her family duty. The overarching moral is that strength is not all you need to win, you also need to develop a great tactical mind (which is what she learns during her journey). I think this way it could have stuck much closer to the original source material. Also it would have Mulan sing the "Make a man out of you" song while training her troops, which would have been fun. But hey it's still a great movie and the changes don't make the original any less great. Thanks for watching, SolRS18, you made a great point :)
I like it. I still think Disney will have to be careful with not making Mulan too powerful to be relatable. In the animated version she has flaws, she's clumsy, she's learning, she's discovering her strength...if that's missing in the live-action version, I think it might backfire. I do like your suggestions, though. I wouldn't mind watching a young Mulan being trained. I don't think she should be perfect as soon as she's drafted, but it would definitely help to know she isn't a complete newbie. And if she was trained by her father, it also gives Disney an opportunity to explore another angle of the father-daughter relationship. Hopefully, now that the live-action adaptation is unavoidable, we'll get to see some of these ideas come to fruition. We'll have to wait and see!
WooKong I do agree with you with some points, but in the movie Mulan doesn’t go through life as a feminist, she didn’t join the army to empower women or show that they can be as strong (etc) she only joined for her father. And making her learn at home would contradict her as a character. It’s most likely her family would look down upon her learning martial arts from street boys, and she tries to please her family. So if she did try it once, her family would disagree with her choices, and because of that she would stop. It also shows how she learns, it gives a reason for her next actions and that most of her tactics came from her own mind and also other people’s teachings.
@@WooKong Michael only told Joan to repel the English from her homeland, and reconquer Reims for France. She should've returned back to Orleans when Charles VII was made king. But I guess she was carried away by the divine helps just like many Biblical characters did in the book of Judges. She should've lived. Her death also tainted the historical image of Philip the Good, the duke of Burgundy.
Yeah it's a little strange why they would use the madarin given name and the cantonese family name, aside from ease of pronunciation. Glad I could help :)
WooKong I guess it’s all about marketing. If they use the Mandarine, huā mù lán, or the Cantonese, fa1 muk6 laan4, I don’t think many westerners can get all three words right. By combining the given names into one word, they have already made it an English name instead, so why not change more to make it easier. If Disney cares about accuracy that much, little mermaid won’t live, princess jasmine will have another name, and many more. Maybe we should start lying to earn as much as Disney does 😂
In the Disney version, the horse and sword/armor are her father's that she merely took without asking for permission since if she had tried to get permission first she would have been forbidden because of both the law and the dangers of war in general.
I don't mind 2 dimensional villains as long as they evoke strong emotions. The animated version had a truly menacing villain with strong characterization despite not having much depth. I look at the new guy in the live action and feel nothing, tbh.
I found on Wikipedia that when mulan returned home her father was dead and her mother had remarried. She then became a concubine but committed suicide and said "I have done enough and want to now join my father"
Yeah that's a version of story from the Sui Tang Romance, a story written some 400 years after the play by Xu Wei and around a thousand years after the original recorded poem. That version has become popular online in the West as it follows a more old school "Grimm Fairy Tale" like structure where something terrible happens at the end but is nowhere near a true interpretation of the original work. Thanks for watching pretty princess :)
pretty princess actually.... what really happened the most true story behind it was when she returned home it was really bad. The family was "ruined" and a few days later or something she was a sex slave... and she did kill herself because she didn't wanna be in that position...
i red this too. The thing with Disney is they tend to romanticise the story of historical figures eg Mulan and Pocahontas. When in reality these woman don’t get their happily ever after
Wikipedia sometimes are full of craps because anyone can edit it. The original Ballad of Mulan says he returned home with military awards and was happily welcomed by her aging parents and grown up siblings.
@Arigato Senpai I wouldn't say a Mary Sue can ever be good if done right. In my eyes, a Mary Sue is when a strong woman is done wrong. By definition, it's a woman who's so perfect that it undermines a lot of the story and the world around her.
You guys are both wrong, it finally got released in Disney+ on 4th Sept 2020 and i finally watched it. This Live-Action version Mulan is more of a Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon jumping rooftops/Kung Fu badass already before training but she wasn't all perfect though. I don't want to spoil too much but they had made few changes here too just like how the animation did but in different ways again.i liked the more badass personality she has in the movie version but the ending felt kind of rush which was my biggest downfall from the movie. It was still a fun movie but not the best for me.
Skaii Lovesyou it's somewhat based but it's still a fiction and has supernatural elements. Not 100% accurate, same like the animation but the changes are different in both.
Great video! My mother told me Mulan's story when I was a child and in her story Mulan went to war with the name Ping because that was her younger brother's name. Have you watched China's 2009 live action movie, Mulan: Rise of a Warrior. What are your takes on that depiction of Mulan's story? It doesn't closely follow the original poem of Mulan you described in your video, but I think it did a fairly good job telling her story.
Hi Connie, thank you for watching! The Ping name would make sense if it were her brothers name. The live action movie is on my list of movies to watch this year, thanks for the reccomendation :)
Mulan starting off clumsy was what made the song To Be A Man possible that song is the only true bop. Also it shows how even the most talented and skilled can start off like a doofus
Don't get me wrong, the song is kick ass and I like the Disney version, but for me personally I enjoyed the story of Mulan being a highly skilled warrior serving her kingdom and family a little more. But hey, that's just my opinion :)
They literally just gave her the Disney Princess treatment so it will appeal to its younger audience but could also be enjoyed by adults. As a kids movie Disney’s Mulan is perfect. But original tales is what I love. Westerners spin on things can be a bit 🙄
I just recently watched the live action Mulan, and let me tell you she starts out being bada** so... there you go.. personally tho I didn't very much like it that way but oh well🤷♀️
@@julietalazo7954 Also compare the Chinese done 2009 version MULAN RISE OF A WARRIOR It is also on DVD and Chris Carter did a very good comparison of the to Live Action Movies Fun Fact LIU YIFEI had already applied for the Mulan -- role in 2009
I found all of your points extremely interesting and very educational. however I think that if the Disney mulan had been a badass from the start then she wouldn't have been so relatable for young girls of the era. (90's) young girls have a lot more going on in their early years with growth and hormones and we know that physically, we are weaker than men. if we want to be as PHYSICALLY strong as a man then it would require the same sort of and amount of training shown in the movie. that is why Mulan's story is so relatable for young girls and why so many girls now have interests like football and martial arts, big films make big impacts and this one said that if we, as the human race, try hard enough then we can accomplish things thought to be impossible before we tried. no offense was intended in this comment. I just wanted to share my thoughts on the two stories.
You raise a fair point, but for me it's just personal preference. As I mentioned in another comment, ideally it would have been great to show her training in strategy and martial arts with her father at the beginning of the movie to create a stronger emotional connection and then have him stop her from continuing her training as she must prepare to get married. All of which culminates with her using her skills to protect her father from joining the army and while in the army she can show that her discipline and training trumps physical strength. I think this could have created better tension, kept her as a badass and could have been just as empowering :)
thanks for this trivia... mulan is a movie close to my heart... my grandpa and i used to watch it on cd (the cartoon i mean) when i was still young and when his still with us... almost every sundays we watch it repeatedly... we always talk and laugh about it evrytime and everytime feels like it's our first seeing it...we're having a good time. me, my lolo and mulan... and now that i'm old i get to know the real story about it and remembered my once upon time with my lolo... thank you so much
It's interesting to hear the original story of Hua Mulan. Thank you for the video. Well done. P.S.: When did Disney ever adapted something faithfully (Maybe except for The Christmas Carol or the 1961-Parents Trap)? Most of their movies based on historical events or novels are changed around to make it more sweet or funny for the families.
I saw the 2009 Chinese version of Mulan. You are 100% correct. Like other serious dramatic Chinese movies, it is far superior to anything put out by Hollywood or by Disney. Sticking to the original version of any story/ novel is always better than the Hollywood version.
I'm glad that she didn't start out as a badass. While that works for a 62 line poem, for a 21st-century family movie it would be so boring and no one would sympathize with her. There is no character development if you start out a badass and end as a badass. Fa Mulan's journey shows growth.
I am surprised at how much I really love this movie. I saw it in the theater when it came out. Checked it out of the public library recently. and liked it all over again. Thank you so much for this video -- I learned a lot!
I like how Ling actually uses his training at the end of the movie too. You see him mess up during training, trying to break a block in half. Fails. But at the end, you see him use that same move to take down Shen Yu's guard. Even side characters are developed
Yes but no. Bc I'm not going to war tho. I fahnah die 😭🪦. I feel a little more Repunsal these days. Idk how to spell her. But these brats, they love to pull my hair .. I'm a product of refugees tho. I just never been in that kind of war
Actually she didn't marry anyone but the emperor tried to force Mulan to marry her causing Mulan to loose her freedom but if Mulan said "No" the emperor would kill her family (harsh) and so Mulan said "Fuck this shit I'm out" and committed suicide.
Ah now I see where you are getting your information from. The story you are referring to is from Sui Tang Romance, a story written some 400 years after the play by Xu Wei and around a thousand years after the original recorded poem. That version has become popular in the West as it follows a more old school "Grimm Fairy tail" like structure where something terrible happens at the end but is nowhere near a true interpretation of the original work. Thanks for watching though!
SO Glad to be getting the real story. As I first learned about Mulan from Maxine Hong Kingston's memoir The Woman Warrior before the Disney movie ever came out--I knew that it wasn't really a story of a plucky, charming, clumsy misfit girl but more the story of a Woman Warrior. Thank you for letting me see what that would look like in the original Chinese context...
The original ballad left Mulan wide open for a colorful story so it was wiser to go with it (since Mulan was legend and not reality you could have fun with her). The ballad indicated she was the good dutiful daughter who acted more out of love for her father than a desire for adventure so the Disney approach may have been more correct than you suggest. The Chinese produced a version of Mulan that didn't leave her bad ass, but she was brave, doing what she had to do to defeat the enemy before her. I enjoyed the Jerry Goldsmith score for the Disney film, it seems he borrowed heavily from music scores from the silent film era.
In almost every version, including Xu Wei's play she was trained by her father. During the time that this was written it wasn't uncommon for young women to learn martial arts as well as become classically versed. Thanks for watching Hecate Mist :)
You know, there was already a live-action Mulan titled "Hua Mulan" in Chinese (Mulan 2009 or Mulan: Rise of a Warrior) . I think that version sticks closer to original story than Disney's version. If you can accept reading subtitles, i think it's an ok movie.
uh, the ending is WRONG! Ha, like hell the ending would be so happy, women going to war = family execution, she wouldn't return home if there was a chance that her whole family would be executed! This is what was written in the (Chinese) history TEXTBOOK: Mulan never returned home, she never got discovered as a female until the Emperor bestowed marriage upon mulan (who is thought to be a male) and the Princess of the Chinese empire for her efforts in war, but on the day of the marriage the Princess discovered mulan to be a woman but still loved her regardless of her gender, knowing that she would be beheaded if her gender was discovered, the Princess let her go and no one has heard from her ever since. The end.
Hi Kumiko XIII Thanks for watching! That's an interesting interpretation of the original poem, though I have no idea where you got it from. Please do let me know the name of the history textbook (strange it has fictional stories in it though), I'd love to read that version.
Yeah it's interesting that they combined cantonese and mandarin to create a new name for her. I guess the mandarin Hua Mulan and the Cantonese Fa Muklan are viewed as too difficult seperately to pronounce.
Depends if you are asking which is more satisfying or which is more entertaining. There are aspects of the original that are more satisfying, but elements of modern storytelling to make it more entertaining: the need to overcome personal shortcomings, personal setbacks against the main antagonist, dynamic relationships with other characters. a cunning victory against impossible odds using skills learned during the course of the story, and a happily-ever-after ending with someone the audience is invested in. All of these are possible while staying true to the original.
WooKong? As in, the Monkey King? Anyway, I enjoyed your video, and I hope you'll do another one involving this year's Disney Mulan movie after it's released. I've been impressed by the trailers!
The mulan's story could be real. Maria Quitéria de Jesus was born on June 27, 1792, in Licurizeiro, in the parish of São José das Itaporocas (now located in Feira de Santana), Bahia. She was the eldest daughter of a farmer, Gonçalo Alves de Almeida, and his wife, Quitéria Maria de Jesus. Although Maria received no formal education, she would have practiced the skills necessary to farming, such as riding, hunting, and using firearms-these skills would serve her in the military as well. Against her father's will, an unmarried Maria Quitéria enlisted in the Brazilian army, as a man, in October 1822. Until June 1823, she fought in several battles against the Portuguese in Bahia, where she lived. Maria Quitéria's father outed her as a woman once he discovered her betrayal-but because of her skill in battle, she was allowed to continue to fight. She was promoted to cadet in July 1823, and then to lieutenant in August, where she was received and decorated by the Emperor. After her time serving in the war, Quitéria married Gabriel Pereira Brito (who was a former lover of hers) and had one daughter with him, named Luisa.
I mean Mulan took place during a period when Cantonese was the main language in China, I think. (Don't quote me.) Mandarin came later on. So her surname Fa isn't all too inaccurate to her time period.
The fact that she from a family that faught in previous wars means that girl or not she would have trained to fight from a young age. For her own protection. Not for war. So Disney wasn't very realistic at all (ignoring the talking cricket). They should have should have shown her with adequate skill
I am thinking that is natural that some things are changed when people try to make a movie or a animation since they have to add some drama (and in the disney context some entertainment for children) I find Mulan one of my favourite Disney movie of all time! There are obviously more than one theme. Even if it is far away from the real legend I think is equally worthy it's fame
Always thought the horse in the film [Khan] was oddly proportioned and angular, but seeing the Chinese illustration with the poem at 00:18 and 04:59 it’s nice to realise where the inspiration likely came from for the shape!
2:36 Fun Fact: In German Mushu had been voiced by the famous Comedian OTTO WALKES, also just called OTTO. I personally prefer the Walkes to Eddy Murphy´s interpretation but that just is a question of personal preference .
I am still trying to get my hands on the China released movie Mulan. Thank you for sharing the true and inspirational story of an amazing bad-ass woman. More people should know about her.
Idk, DisMulan gives her a character arc with growth whereas the original just starts with character is badass and stays there. It enhances a, by contemporary media standards, extremely dry narrative into something that will get theaters filled.
There is actually a live action movie of Mulan released in 2009. I prefer the 2009 version since it’s in Chinese, has a stronger appeal and story and overall the movie is closer to the original tale rather than the Disney version. You guys should see it if you haven’t.
I have heard slightly different details in a story on NPR, in which Mulan actually gets a commission and land after a relatively long military career... And might possibly have been in the attacking army. When were "Mulan" martial arts developed (e.g., Mulan fan)?
I remember reading about the “original” story of Mulan. The reason why she was already an experienced martial artist was because her father actually taught her to fight. She also had one or two younger sisters and a brother who, like what was said in the video, was too young to join the war. She also became a general in the army and was highly revered, there were no gender or crossdressing drama, like what was said again in the video. Everyone was amazed about how she was actually a woman despite her big reveal. Mulan, also, was never a “tomboy”, you know, clumsy and awkward, she acts like an ideal Chinese bride- graceful, refined, and obedient. And finally, I remember reading that the emperor wanted to make her one of his concubine. Since she didn’t want that and since she had no choice, she just killed herself.
Yeah that's a version of story from the Sui Tang Romance, a story written some 400 years after the play by Xu Wei and around a thousand years after the original recorded poem. That version has become popular online in the West as it follows a more old school "Grimm Fairy Tale" like structure where something terrible happens at the end but is nowhere near a true interpretation of the original work.
Nice, although I personally think that mulan is more on protagonist vs. Society (Societal Expectations/Norms) rather than a protagonist vs. anatagonist (the dude with the hawk 😰can't remember his name 😂) *looking it up was so spot on *
My only suggestion would be to cite your sources in the description! And if able, have high quality clips instead of watermarked, lower quality ones! Good luck m8!
Nope that was a version in a collection of stories called the Tang Sui Romance written about 1000 years after the original. It became popular online because of the shock value twists and extra plot points it added to the story, but it isn't considered anywhere near a true interpretation on the original. Thanks for watching Yanru Chen :)
I like the Disney version.(I never thought I would say this in my entire life).. but it's more realistic...I'm not a fan of overly heroic tale. Still respect the original so very much
The film is an escapist fantasy. Only in a Disney movie for that mulan not to have died. The Hua mulan's story is more like Princess Pingyang and Liang Hongyu, who were loyal, courageous women.
I heard that it was called fa instead of hua because the poem was originally wrote in Cantonese. The poem rhymes in Cantonese, but doesn't rhyme in Chinese, but people still think that it is Chinese.......
Fa is the cantonese word for hua and it's easier for westerners to pronounce. Mulan is easier to pronounce than the cantonese name Muklan. As far as the original is concerned, as far as I know it wasn't first recorded in Cantonese and in Mandarin it rhymes pretty well (zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E6%9C%A8%E8%98%AD%E8%A9%A9) but you also need to account for the fact that the Chinese langauge has changed a lot since it was written. Though if you have any links that show it was cantonese in origin I would love to read them :)
Is the random witch in the live action REALLY in the original play???? I think she kinda undermines the whole point of her taking down the male villain by herself. Also i would have been okay with a LEOPARD MAN as a villain. 😂👌🏼✨
The original was better by a long shot. Real women are strong, vibrant, and wise, as well as truthful, patient, wild natured, and courageous, yet kind. 😊 just like the real woman I've known since childhood, Brea... I was very lucky to be with her. And that she tried so much.
Question did Disney research different stories of Mulan. Also I think they could change the story in live action. I just don't like they are taking out character like Mushu. No he isn't apart of the history, but he is apart of Disney story. People are confused about the difference between a Disney movie and history.
I was originally alternating between the correct Chinese pronunciation and English pronunciation for the respective characters. Though I think towards the end it became a little muddled haha. Thanks for watching Katie Marie!
Ever since being little I've loved the story of Disney's Mulan most likely because she resembled my sister :3 But ever since I went to college to study Chinese, chinese history and culture I've grown more attached to the original story. I think you first need to understand a bit of chinese moral values and society to understand what the story is about and to not be confused by it's ending (although there are some versions with different endings) It's is a good story about filial piety and courage!
This video is fantastic, and now I have learned something about history that I never knew about. Thank you for pointing out the true story, it really fascinated me. I love the Movie, but seeing that I just learned about this, I prefer the real story seeing that she is such a bad ass!! I wouldn't be surprised if they change the live action movie to coincide with the actual real story. That would be awesome to watch!!
It would have been awesome if the animated movie was more like the original and with her already knowing how to fight but still keep "I'll Make A Man Out Of You" just because it's a cool song
I like both, personally. But, I never understood why in the Disney version they made her inexperienced when she joined the army; when in the original story, her father gave her the same training as a lot of boys had back then because she had no older brother. Also, I heard that The Ballad of Hua Mulan was based on true events. That's pretty cool, especially for a time when women for the most part were seen as next to nothing.
@@ErickSoares3 There isn't very much proof that Hua Mulan was a real person, except for the legend. But, I choose to believe in it because it's pretty badass and there's no proof that proves otherwise either.
If you like Mulan, watch or listen to, "The Red Detachment of Women" a Maoist Model Play: it can be found on youtube in its movie form, ballet form, and soundtrack to the ballet.
"Fa" is just the Cantonese pronunciation of the same surname 花 or "Hua" in Mandarin. Why did Disney choose the Cantonese pronunciation of the surname while the given name Mulan remains Mandarin? Your guess is as good as mine.
Shan Yu is actually a title, it might literally mean "the greatest one". This Title was given to the ruler of the Xiongnu tribes in eastern central Asia. Now many people think that the "Xiongnu" and the "Hunni" are the same people, but since archeological proof of that connection hasn´t been found yet, it remains a Hypothesis. Quite interesting topic :)
Thank you for watching, if you have time why not watch another video: "Why Journey to the West is still so very Popular" : th-cam.com/video/RAs3uSPowFw/w-d-xo.html
the 2009 hk/taiwan production of mulan rise of a warrior
Quick fun fact, "Fa" is Chinese Cantonese and "Hua" is Chinese Mandarin, they both mean flower, just different pronunciation.
You are correct sir! Though it still is a little strange that they chose to go with a mixture of Cantonese and Mandarin for her name in the Disney movie. I guess "Hua" is too hard to say from Mandarin and Moak-Lan is too difficult from Cantonese. Thanks for watching iHaveContrl!
WooKong large portion of Chinese Americans are Cantonese.
purely for pronunciation ease, cantonese is going to be phased out, it only seems like a large portion bc they were almost the only source of immigrants to the west and HK was the only connection to the west when US and China had no political relations
I was gonna type the same thing
In Cantones, her name would be Fa Mooklan, in Mandarin, it is Hua Mulan. Disney mixed the two together.
Personally I think the fact that she starts out clumsy and awkward makes her even more badass and empowering because it tells little girls that they can start out anywhere at any level of experience and still break through and do amazing things
I can totally understand your opinion, just for me personally like her as someone who is already skilled like she was in the poem and play :)
I was thinking the same thing.
In the Chinese movie shows the idea that she trained to be a badass fighter since an very young age despise how the society from the time saw that.
Training starts when you're little and still learning very fast so if it was back in the day 4-5 you train. The Generals of the Yang Family, all family members can fight male or female. It wasn't an issue back in ancient China, but fighting front line was different.
True.. so true. It takes more courage, determination, and love to make a difference on sheer will.The skilled fact closes all the options for other women without commanding skills to go ahead with a clean slate, will and dare.. married off to a random neighbor is not so great, unless she chooses to; cause with her efforts she should earn a spot in the society as any other hero; and she should have say in her marriage. This made me think that in the original story she had no choice and just doing what she is suppose to by the norms of society. She fought in disguise, welcomed as hero and returned to her earlier state which to me is strange as every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The reaction should alter her state of wellbeing, what I mean is better her prospects, like being a part of army/ kings commission/ rewarding position. And, I have no prior insite about mulan except for the movie, and opinion Expressed in this video.
I think the Disney movie emphasized Mulan's intelligence more instead. Her turning point in "Be a Man" was when she retrieved the arrow, and she could do so because of her determination and smarts. She defeated the Huns at the mountain with strategy, not just skill and strength.
good point :)
Yea but that didn't happen in real life and was just a tactic to make the men seem incompetent and stupid like they were the entire movie (even shang, though cool, couldn't hack it in the end)
Agree
kedandunn that’s what I like so much about her
@Akin Khoo I thought that they way the story played out was that in the opening scenes her clumsiness was making her inner intelligence appear as absent-mindedness. Then her military training helped her overcome her clumsiness, allowing her intellect and cunning to shine through. She showed her heart all along by risking her life to join the army, and also by returning to rescue the emperor despite being rejected by her friends. Tell me if this clashes with traditional Chinese values; I believe it takes a much greater heart to do what is right when everyone will hate you for it than it takes to do what is right for honor and admiration. That was her greatest victory.
Thanks for the video
I found a translated version of the original poem. The translator really did a great job!
Tsiek tsiek and again tsiek tsiek,
Mu-lan weaves, facing the door.
You don't hear the shuttle's sound,
You only hear Daughter's sighs.
They ask Daughter who's in her heart,
They ask Daughter who's on her mind.
“No one is on Daughter's heart,
No one is on Daughter's mind.
Last night I saw the draft posters,
The Khan is calling many troops,
The army list is in twelve scrolls,
On every scroll there's Father's name.
Father has no grown-up son,
Mu-lan has no elder brother.
I want to buy a saddle and horse,
And serve in the army in Father's place.”
In the East Market she buys a spirited horse,
In the West Market she buys a saddle,
In the South Market she buys a bridle,
In the North Market she buys a long whip.
At dawn she takes leave of Father and Mother,
In the evening camps on the Yellow River's bank.
She doesn't hear the sound of Father and Mother calling,
She only hears the Yellow River's flowing water cry tsien tsien.
At dawn she takes leave of the Yellow River,
In the evening she arrives at Black Mountain.
She doesn't hear the sound of Father and Mother calling,
She only hears Mount Yen's nomad horses cry tsiu tsiu.
She goes ten thousand miles on the business of war,
She crosses passes and mountains like flying.
Northern gusts carry the rattle of army pots,
Chilly light shines on iron armor.
Generals die in a hundred battles,
Stout soldiers return after ten years.
On her return she sees the Son of Heaven,
The Son of Heaven sits in the Splendid Hall.
He gives out promotions in twelve ranks
And prizes of a hundred thousand and more.
The Khan asks her what she desires.
“Mu-lan has no use for a minister's post.
I wish to ride a swift mount
To take me back to my home.”
When Father and Mother hear Daughter is coming
They go outside the wall to meet her, leaning on each other.
When Elder Sister hears Younger Sister is coming
She fixes her rouge, facing the door.
When Little Brother hears Elder Sister is coming
He whets the knife, quick quick, for pig and sheep.
“I open the door to my east chamber,
I sit on my couch in the west room,
I take off my wartime gown
And put on my old-time clothes.”
Facing the window she fixes her cloudlike hair,
Hanging up a mirror she dabs on yellow flower powder
She goes out the door and sees her comrades.
Her comrades are all amazed and perplexed.
Traveling together for twelve years
They didn't know Mu-lan was a girl.
“The he-hare's feet go hop and skip,
The she-hare's eyes are muddled and fuddled.
Two hares running side by side close to the ground,
How can they tell if I am he or she?”
From:The Flowering Plum and the Palace Lady: Interpretations of Chinese Poetry
By Han H. Frankel, Yale University Press, 1976
Thanks for watching and sharing :)
Wu Jason thank you so much for sharing...really helpful
Thank you for sharing, this lovely and strengthening.
Wow👌
Thanks for sharing
I've heard a lot of people say that the 1998 film was actually quite empowering to women because it showed Mulan struggling. Rather than labeling Mulan as exceptional in the beginning, she had to earn it, and had to grow into a warrior alongside all the other men she was training with, and through her dedication, grit, and intelligence, she was the only one able to climb the pole, not because she was gifted. It was her rejection of both hyper-feminity and hyper-masculinity that allowed her intelligence to shine through as well. She's established as a problem-solver, and in the climax of the film, she disarms Shan Yu with her fan, and teaches her male friends how to climb pole the way she did, and they were even willing to dress as women to sneak into the palace with her. It's not a perfect film of course, but I like the flawed Mulan better. She teaches girls that you don't have to already be gifted to do great things; just believe in yourself and work hard to reach your goals.
i think Disney went with the Cantonese "FA" so it'd be easier to read and pronounce for westerners
You are correct! :)
lol I can confirm that as a Hong Konger.
The name is pronunciation is consistent with the setting of the film though. She lives in the south, so I think that had some influence on how they wanted to name her.
Unfortunately, had Disney made her badass from the start, she would have been dubbed a 'Mary Sue' instantly (see Rey in 'The Force Awakens'!).
In any case, Disney's decisions actually make sense when you think about the narrative. They make the character much more relatable, and they allow her to grow as the movie progresses. If she starts badass and ends badass...well, there's really no arc there. And the lack of drama, as well as defeating the obstacle easily would eliminate the conflict, which is at the core of any great cinematic story.
It's a great original, though! But I'll stay with Disney's.
I spent a lot of time trying to think of a way that Disney could have followed the original more closely without having a 'Mary Sue' type character. Here is my pitch:
If the story showed her studying martial arts as a child and have her develop and compete against her kung fu classmates this could show that women are just as competent as men. It can also have her, despite being the best student, being told to stop training as she gets older, as women of that period needn't learn to fight. This is something which she rebels against and continues to study with either her grandma or father. With that out of the way, the main plot of the story can be about her long journey tracking down and defeating the big bad all the while fulfilling her family duty. The overarching moral is that strength is not all you need to win, you also need to develop a great tactical mind (which is what she learns during her journey). I think this way it could have stuck much closer to the original source material.
Also it would have Mulan sing the "Make a man out of you" song while training her troops, which would have been fun.
But hey it's still a great movie and the changes don't make the original any less great. Thanks for watching, SolRS18, you made a great point :)
I like it. I still think Disney will have to be careful with not making Mulan too powerful to be relatable. In the animated version she has flaws, she's clumsy, she's learning, she's discovering her strength...if that's missing in the live-action version, I think it might backfire.
I do like your suggestions, though. I wouldn't mind watching a young Mulan being trained. I don't think she should be perfect as soon as she's drafted, but it would definitely help to know she isn't a complete newbie. And if she was trained by her father, it also gives Disney an opportunity to explore another angle of the father-daughter relationship.
Hopefully, now that the live-action adaptation is unavoidable, we'll get to see some of these ideas come to fruition. We'll have to wait and see!
More good points! I'm actually looking forward to it now haha
Meh, I think the original Mulan's more than relatable. I've watched more than enough Mulan adaptations in Hong Kong to buy into Disney's version.
WooKong I do agree with you with some points, but in the movie Mulan doesn’t go through life as a feminist, she didn’t join the army to empower women or show that they can be as strong (etc) she only joined for her father. And making her learn at home would contradict her as a character.
It’s most likely her family would look down upon her learning martial arts from street boys, and she tries to please her family. So if she did try it once, her family would disagree with her choices, and because of that she would stop. It also shows how she learns, it gives a reason for her next actions and that most of her tactics came from her own mind and also other people’s teachings.
European Mulan was burnt and accused as a witch. *cough* Joan the Arc.
To be fair Joan of Arc heard the voice of god in her head, but yeah burning her alive was a bit of an over reaction.
ARWDITA true
@@WooKong "Burning a human being alive is a BIT of an over-reaction" LMAO
@@WooKong Michael only told Joan to repel the English from her homeland, and reconquer Reims for France. She should've returned back to Orleans when Charles VII was made king. But I guess she was carried away by the divine helps just like many Biblical characters did in the book of Judges. She should've lived. Her death also tainted the historical image of Philip the Good, the duke of Burgundy.
"white people"
fa and hua are basically the same word but said in Cantonese and Mandarine. Thanks for the idea for one of our coming Cantonese video~
Yeah it's a little strange why they would use the madarin given name and the cantonese family name, aside from ease of pronunciation. Glad I could help :)
WooKong I guess it’s all about marketing. If they use the Mandarine, huā mù lán, or the Cantonese, fa1 muk6 laan4, I don’t think many westerners can get all three words right. By combining the given names into one word, they have already made it an English name instead, so why not change more to make it easier. If Disney cares about accuracy that much, little mermaid won’t live, princess jasmine will have another name, and many more. Maybe we should start lying to earn as much as Disney does 😂
Out of all the Disney movies, Mulan is the one that speaks to my soul deeply...I love it so very much ♥️
she also was in war for 12 years not 10
Hi Philip thanks for watching! You are right, which is why I said for "over ten years". :)
oh yeah sorry
why not just say 12 years
he said over 10 years, he got it right. over ten can be 12, so he's telling it fine.
@@jordanb1390 why not just say over 10 ???? bot
wait, so she bought a horse and swords to join the army? in disney she stole the horse and stuff
In the Disney version, the horse and sword/armor are her father's that she merely took without asking for permission since if she had tried to get permission first she would have been forbidden because of both the law and the dangers of war in general.
Amarindra Nicol lol
Amarindra Nicol Disney is a lied
In the original she went to the market the night she left home and bought all her stuff then.
@@abadgurl2010 Thats called stealing
I don't mind 2 dimensional villains as long as they evoke strong emotions. The animated version had a truly menacing villain with strong characterization despite not having much depth. I look at the new guy in the live action and feel nothing, tbh.
Like the ending on Disney better. But I think the original ballad was excellent!
Yeah being married off to some random guy, while historically accurate leaves you feeling a little disappointed. Thanks for watching 1979hellcat :)
I found on Wikipedia that when mulan returned home her father was dead and her mother had remarried. She then became a concubine but committed suicide and said "I have done enough and want to now join my father"
Yeah that's a version of story from the Sui Tang Romance, a story written some 400 years after the play by Xu Wei and around a thousand years after the original recorded poem. That version has become popular online in the West as it follows a more old school "Grimm Fairy Tale" like structure where something terrible happens at the end but is nowhere near a true interpretation of the original work. Thanks for watching pretty princess :)
pretty princess actually.... what really happened the most true story behind it was when she returned home it was really bad. The family was "ruined" and a few days later or something she was a sex slave... and she did kill herself because she didn't wanna be in that position...
i red this too. The thing with Disney is they tend to romanticise the story of historical figures eg Mulan and Pocahontas. When in reality these woman don’t get their happily ever after
Wikipedia sometimes are full of craps because anyone can edit it. The original Ballad of Mulan says he returned home with military awards and was happily welcomed by her aging parents and grown up siblings.
I read the original poem, in Chinese, and I just gotta say..
_Where the fuck did y'all get those from?_
The live action Mulan I heard will be basing the story from the original story of mulan
I hope that they still keep the clumsy mulan cause i don't wanna see a Mary Sue :/
@Arigato Senpai I wouldn't say a Mary Sue can ever be good if done right. In my eyes, a Mary Sue is when a strong woman is done wrong. By definition, it's a woman who's so perfect that it undermines a lot of the story and the world around her.
You guys are both wrong, it finally got released in Disney+ on 4th Sept 2020 and i finally watched it. This Live-Action version Mulan is more of a Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon jumping rooftops/Kung Fu badass already before training but she wasn't all perfect though. I don't want to spoil too much but they had made few changes here too just like how the animation did but in different ways again.i liked the more badass personality she has in the movie version but the ending felt kind of rush which was my biggest downfall from the movie. It was still a fun movie but not the best for me.
Skaii Lovesyou it's somewhat based but it's still a fiction and has supernatural elements. Not 100% accurate, same like the animation but the changes are different in both.
Great video! My mother told me Mulan's story when I was a child and in her story Mulan went to war with the name Ping because that was her younger brother's name. Have you watched China's 2009 live action movie, Mulan: Rise of a Warrior. What are your takes on that depiction of Mulan's story? It doesn't closely follow the original poem of Mulan you described in your video, but I think it did a fairly good job telling her story.
Hi Connie, thank you for watching! The Ping name would make sense if it were her brothers name. The live action movie is on my list of movies to watch this year, thanks for the reccomendation :)
Mulan starting off clumsy was what made the song To Be A Man possible that song is the only true bop. Also it shows how even the most talented and skilled can start off like a doofus
Don't get me wrong, the song is kick ass and I like the Disney version, but for me personally I enjoyed the story of Mulan being a highly skilled warrior serving her kingdom and family a little more. But hey, that's just my opinion :)
They literally just gave her the Disney Princess treatment so it will appeal to its younger audience but could also be enjoyed by adults. As a kids movie Disney’s Mulan is perfect. But original tales is what I love. Westerners spin on things can be a bit 🙄
this comment just shows how much idiots complaingin about the mulan live action there are
I just recently watched the live action Mulan, and let me tell you she starts out being bada** so... there you go.. personally tho I didn't very much like it that way but oh well🤷♀️
@@julietalazo7954 Also compare the Chinese done 2009 version MULAN RISE OF A WARRIOR It is also on DVD and Chris Carter did a very good comparison of the to Live Action Movies
Fun Fact LIU YIFEI had already applied for the Mulan -- role in 2009
4 years later a live action remake of the animated film was created and boy was it bad
I really liked Disneys Mulan and remember that most Disney movies are based off of history and books and love to create their own story.
Don't get me wrong I liked the movie too :) but comparatively I like the original more. Thanks for watching!
I found all of your points extremely interesting and very educational. however I think that if the Disney mulan had been a badass from the start then she wouldn't have been so relatable for young girls of the era. (90's)
young girls have a lot more going on in their early years with growth and hormones and we know that physically, we are weaker than men. if we want to be as PHYSICALLY strong as a man then it would require the same sort of and amount of training shown in the movie.
that is why Mulan's story is so relatable for young girls and why so many girls now have interests like football and martial arts, big films make big impacts and this one said that if we, as the human race, try hard enough then we can accomplish things thought to be impossible before we tried.
no offense was intended in this comment. I just wanted to share my thoughts on the two stories.
You raise a fair point, but for me it's just personal preference. As I mentioned in another comment, ideally it would have been great to show her training in strategy and martial arts with her father at the beginning of the movie to create a stronger emotional connection and then have him stop her from continuing her training as she must prepare to get married. All of which culminates with her using her skills to protect her father from joining the army and while in the army she can show that her discipline and training trumps physical strength. I think this could have created better tension, kept her as a badass and could have been just as empowering :)
thanks for this trivia... mulan is a movie close to my heart... my grandpa and i used to watch it on cd (the cartoon i mean) when i was still young and when his still with us... almost every sundays we watch it repeatedly... we always talk and laugh about it evrytime and everytime feels like it's our first seeing it...we're having a good time. me, my lolo and mulan... and now that i'm old i get to know the real story about it and remembered my once upon time with my lolo... thank you so much
It's interesting to hear the original story of Hua Mulan. Thank you for the video. Well done.
P.S.: When did Disney ever adapted something faithfully (Maybe except for The Christmas Carol or the 1961-Parents Trap)? Most of their movies based on historical events or novels are changed around to make it more sweet or funny for the families.
Very true ;)
It's surprising that Disney even considered adapting The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
I saw the 2009 Chinese version of Mulan. You are 100% correct. Like other serious dramatic Chinese movies, it is far superior to anything put out by Hollywood or by Disney. Sticking to the original version of any story/ novel is always better than the Hollywood version.
The Mulan live action film trailer that came out in December 2019 is INCREDIBLE!
I'm glad that she didn't start out as a badass. While that works for a 62 line poem, for a 21st-century family movie it would be so boring and no one would sympathize with her. There is no character development if you start out a badass and end as a badass. Fa Mulan's journey shows growth.
Nahhh thats unrealistic, she would have been killed in her 12years of war if she wasnt a great martial artist before she join the army.
I am surprised at how much I really love this movie. I saw it in the theater when it came out. Checked it out of the public library recently. and liked it all over again. Thank you so much for this video -- I learned a lot!
That's awesome, glad you enjoyed it :)
Actually mulan not being a bad ass as first is also empowering because it shows us that we can accomplish anything if we work hard towards it
I like how Ling actually uses his training at the end of the movie too. You see him mess up during training, trying to break a block in half. Fails. But at the end, you see him use that same move to take down Shen Yu's guard. Even side characters are developed
Yes but no. Bc I'm not going to war tho. I fahnah die 😭🪦. I feel a little more Repunsal these days. Idk how to spell her. But these brats, they love to pull my hair .. I'm a product of refugees tho. I just never been in that kind of war
Actually she didn't marry anyone but the emperor tried to force Mulan to marry her causing Mulan to loose her freedom but if Mulan said "No" the emperor would kill her family (harsh) and so Mulan said "Fuck this shit I'm out" and committed suicide.
Ah now I see where you are getting your information from. The story you are referring to is from Sui Tang Romance, a story written some 400 years after the play by Xu Wei and around a thousand years after the original recorded poem. That version has become popular in the West as it follows a more old school "Grimm Fairy tail" like structure where something terrible happens at the end but is nowhere near a true interpretation of the original work. Thanks for watching though!
nah I got this from my chinese teacher
Hope you can now go teach your Chinese Teacher a lesson haha.Thanks for watching and commenting Philip, really do appreciate it :)
SO Glad to be getting the real story.
As I first learned about Mulan from Maxine Hong Kingston's memoir The Woman Warrior before the Disney movie ever came out--I knew that it wasn't really a story of a plucky, charming, clumsy misfit girl but more the story of a Woman Warrior.
Thank you for letting me see what that would look like in the original Chinese context...
Sorry this is fake history.
Google searchs mulan history fake.
Real history ancient scriptures🙏🙏🙏
that woman is a syambi woman
Fuck china fack historys🖕🖕🖕🖕🖕
I like that very casual change back she does at the end and her friends being chill about it XD
The original ballad left Mulan wide open for a colorful story so it was wiser to go with it (since Mulan was legend and not reality you could have fun with her). The ballad indicated she was the good dutiful daughter who acted more out of love for her father than a desire for adventure so the Disney approach may have been more correct than you suggest.
The Chinese produced a version of Mulan that didn't leave her bad ass, but she was brave, doing what she had to do to defeat the enemy before her.
I enjoyed the Jerry Goldsmith score for the Disney film, it seems he borrowed heavily from music scores from the silent film era.
Very true :)
If she's a badass and "skilled martial artist", where did she get the skills?
In almost every version, including Xu Wei's play she was trained by her father. During the time that this was written it wasn't uncommon for young women to learn martial arts as well as become classically versed. Thanks for watching Hecate Mist :)
@@WooKong not nearly as interesting as seeing the training ark that is in the movie.
I will now start using "flower pot" in my vocabulary to describe people.
this is great! deserves more views
Hey thanks for saying so :)
You know, there was already a live-action Mulan titled "Hua Mulan" in Chinese (Mulan 2009 or Mulan: Rise of a Warrior) . I think that version sticks closer to original story than Disney's version. If you can accept reading subtitles, i think it's an ok movie.
uh, the ending is WRONG! Ha, like hell the ending would be so happy, women going to war = family execution, she wouldn't return home if there was a chance that her whole family would be executed! This is what was written in the (Chinese) history TEXTBOOK: Mulan never returned home, she never got discovered as a female until the Emperor bestowed marriage upon mulan (who is thought to be a male) and the Princess of the Chinese empire for her efforts in war, but on the day of the marriage the Princess discovered mulan to be a woman but still loved her regardless of her gender, knowing that she would be beheaded if her gender was discovered, the Princess let her go and no one has heard from her ever since. The end.
Hi Kumiko XIII Thanks for watching! That's an interesting interpretation of the original poem, though I have no idea where you got it from. Please do let me know the name of the history textbook (strange it has fictional stories in it though), I'd love to read that version.
Is this an actual history book or an opera adaptation of the ballad?
I like this ending. Makes much more sense.
I believe everybody's forgetting about Mulan: Rise of a Warrior here.
I'm saving it to compare with Disney's upcoming live action ;)
Fa is flower in Cantonese , and if u ask how i know that im eng, Cantonese,and chines and little JAPANESE
Yeah it's interesting that they combined cantonese and mandarin to create a new name for her. I guess the mandarin Hua Mulan and the Cantonese Fa Muklan are viewed as too difficult seperately to pronounce.
Lol mulka
Hua Ping is also "Camp Gay" from Chinese slang
WTF？as a Chinese，I just do not know this
@@顺天-u5c many chinese people told me that, maybe it's not a country wide slang term
@@m1nate I THINK MAY BE YOU ARE RIGHT
@@顺天-u5c yeah I mean slang is different even in different cities and towns
Depends if you are asking which is more satisfying or which is more entertaining. There are aspects of the original that are more satisfying, but elements of modern storytelling to make it more entertaining: the need to overcome personal shortcomings, personal setbacks against the main antagonist, dynamic relationships with other characters. a cunning victory against impossible odds using skills learned during the course of the story, and a happily-ever-after ending with someone the audience is invested in. All of these are possible while staying true to the original.
It's a tricky balance, I agree :)
Meanwhile in live action...
WooKong? As in, the Monkey King? Anyway, I enjoyed your video, and I hope you'll do another one involving this year's Disney Mulan movie after it's released. I've been impressed by the trailers!
The mulan's story could be real.
Maria Quitéria de Jesus was born on June 27, 1792, in Licurizeiro, in the parish of São José das Itaporocas (now located in Feira de Santana), Bahia. She was the eldest daughter of a farmer, Gonçalo Alves de Almeida, and his wife, Quitéria Maria de Jesus. Although Maria received no formal education, she would have practiced the skills necessary to farming, such as riding, hunting, and using firearms-these skills would serve her in the military as well.
Against her father's will, an unmarried Maria Quitéria enlisted in the Brazilian army, as a man, in October 1822. Until June 1823, she fought in several battles against the Portuguese in Bahia, where she lived. Maria Quitéria's father outed her as a woman once he discovered her betrayal-but because of her skill in battle, she was allowed to continue to fight. She was promoted to cadet in July 1823, and then to lieutenant in August, where she was received and decorated by the Emperor.
After her time serving in the war, Quitéria married Gabriel Pereira Brito (who was a former lover of hers) and had one daughter with him, named Luisa.
I mean Mulan took place during a period when Cantonese was the main language in China, I think. (Don't quote me.) Mandarin came later on. So her surname Fa isn't all too inaccurate to her time period.
Cantonese was never the main language of China... more like main language of Chinese Americans back then
@@wendyw4873 What are you on about? That makes no sense.
Is mushu the son of donkey and the Dragon from shrek
That's an awesome theory! In my head cannon he is now :)
Nice channel dude! Subbed.
Thanks jethreezy! really appreciate it, welcome aboard :)
The fact that she from a family that faught in previous wars means that girl or not she would have trained to fight from a young age. For her own protection. Not for war. So Disney wasn't very realistic at all (ignoring the talking cricket). They should have should have shown her with adequate skill
I am thinking that is natural that some things are changed when people try to make a movie or a animation since they have to add some drama (and in the disney context some entertainment for children) I find Mulan one of my favourite Disney movie of all time! There are obviously more than one theme. Even if it is far away from the real legend I think is equally worthy it's fame
Most definitely, it's one of my favourite Disney movies too. I think it's good to compare the two to see what was changed :)
Always thought the horse in the film [Khan] was oddly proportioned and angular, but seeing the Chinese illustration with the poem at 00:18 and 04:59 it’s nice to realise where the inspiration likely came from for the shape!
Very interested now in hearing your impressions of the live action version now that its out. It seems to be pretty faithful of the poem.
2:36 Fun Fact: In German Mushu had been voiced by the famous Comedian OTTO WALKES, also just called OTTO.
I personally prefer the Walkes to Eddy Murphy´s interpretation but that just is a question of personal preference .
I am still trying to get my hands on the China released movie Mulan. Thank you for sharing the true and inspirational story of an amazing bad-ass woman. More people should know about her.
Idk, DisMulan gives her a character arc with growth whereas the original just starts with character is badass and stays there. It enhances a, by contemporary media standards, extremely dry narrative into something that will get theaters filled.
There is actually a live action movie of Mulan released in 2009. I prefer the 2009 version since it’s in Chinese, has a stronger appeal and story and overall the movie is closer to the original tale rather than the Disney version. You guys should see it if you haven’t.
Dude you are good at this. Make more videos
I took a break for a while, but I'm back now :)
I have heard slightly different details in a story on NPR, in which Mulan actually gets a commission and land after a relatively long military career... And might possibly have been in the attacking army. When were "Mulan" martial arts developed (e.g., Mulan fan)?
I remember reading about the “original” story of Mulan. The reason why she was already an experienced martial artist was because her father actually taught her to fight. She also had one or two younger sisters and a brother who, like what was said in the video, was too young to join the war. She also became a general in the army and was highly revered, there were no gender or crossdressing drama, like what was said again in the video. Everyone was amazed about how she was actually a woman despite her big reveal. Mulan, also, was never a “tomboy”, you know, clumsy and awkward, she acts like an ideal Chinese bride- graceful, refined, and obedient. And finally, I remember reading that the emperor wanted to make her one of his concubine. Since she didn’t want that and since she had no choice, she just killed herself.
Yeah that's a version of story from the Sui Tang Romance, a story written some 400 years after the play by Xu Wei and around a thousand years after the original recorded poem. That version has become popular online in the West as it follows a more old school "Grimm Fairy Tale" like structure where something terrible happens at the end but is nowhere near a true interpretation of the original work.
I think that the live action version did a much better stretching of the story, kept it Disney while making her a legit badass.
Nice, although I personally think that mulan is more on protagonist vs. Society (Societal Expectations/Norms) rather than a protagonist vs. anatagonist (the dude with the hawk 😰can't remember his name 😂) *looking it up was so spot on *
The original tale is better for sure,
But You know Disney.... ;) they need to change stuff as usual (who says Lion King??)
Haha, yeah really interesting the things they chose to change... Haven't even tried watching the sequel yet. Thanks for watching!
Excellent editing skills!
Haha I'm still trying to figure out the best way to present these history videos, but I think this format works pretty well. Thank you for watching!
My only suggestion would be to cite your sources in the description! And if able, have high quality clips instead of watermarked, lower quality ones! Good luck m8!
will do! Thanks again :)
The thing about she hare and he hare in the end is awesome in the original story
I think mulan killed herself or killed by chinese emperor in the end??
Nope that was a version in a collection of stories called the Tang Sui Romance written about 1000 years after the original. It became popular online because of the shock value twists and extra plot points it added to the story, but it isn't considered anywhere near a true interpretation on the original. Thanks for watching Yanru Chen :)
What, no singing, no crickets, no clumsy dragons ? What's the fun in that ?
That was also my complaint about John Wick 3
I believe that "Fa" Mulan refers to the Cantonese version as the character 花 sounds like "Fa" in Cantonese while it sounds like “hua" in Mandarin.
You are correct, they combined the mandarin and cantonese names together. :)
Hua Mulan(mandarin) and Fa Muklan(Cantonese) etc are correct. But Fa Mulan is just weird.
This is the best movie ever made i can wait to watch the new version
I like the Disney version.(I never thought I would say this in my entire life).. but it's more realistic...I'm not a fan of overly heroic tale.
Still respect the original so very much
The film is an escapist fantasy.
Only in a Disney movie for that mulan not to have died.
The Hua mulan's story is more like Princess Pingyang and Liang Hongyu, who were loyal, courageous women.
I heard that it was called fa instead of hua because the poem was originally wrote in Cantonese. The poem rhymes in Cantonese, but doesn't rhyme in Chinese, but people still think that it is Chinese.......
Fa is the cantonese word for hua and it's easier for westerners to pronounce. Mulan is easier to pronounce than the cantonese name Muklan. As far as the original is concerned, as far as I know it wasn't first recorded in Cantonese and in Mandarin it rhymes pretty well (zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E6%9C%A8%E8%98%AD%E8%A9%A9) but you also need to account for the fact that the Chinese langauge has changed a lot since it was written. Though if you have any links that show it was cantonese in origin I would love to read them :)
2020 the live action is based by the real tale
"It has fighting, romance..."
*SHOWS HER SITTING WITH HER FATHER*
And who is lanling Wang
Prince of lanling
Is the random witch in the live action REALLY in the original play???? I think she kinda undermines the whole point of her taking down the male villain by herself. Also i would have been okay with a LEOPARD MAN as a villain. 😂👌🏼✨
Dude, your Eddie Murphy joke was killer!
The original was better by a long shot. Real women are strong, vibrant, and wise, as well as truthful, patient, wild natured, and courageous, yet kind. 😊 just like the real woman I've known since childhood, Brea... I was very lucky to be with her. And that she tried so much.
Well said :)
Now theres a 2020 live remake of Mulan
Question did Disney research different stories of Mulan. Also I think they could change the story in live action. I just don't like they are taking out character like Mushu. No he isn't apart of the history, but he is apart of Disney story. People are confused about the difference between a Disney movie and history.
Wait a minute. You mean to tell me that Mushu and the cricket didn’t exist? Oh no.
I already knew this. I still love Mushu and hope to see him as a water dragon not a phoenix
each time he says Mulan is different from the time before.
I was originally alternating between the correct Chinese pronunciation and English pronunciation for the respective characters. Though I think towards the end it became a little muddled haha. Thanks for watching Katie Marie!
Ever since being little I've loved the story of Disney's Mulan most likely because she resembled my sister :3
But ever since I went to college to study Chinese, chinese history and culture I've grown more attached to the original story. I think you first need to understand a bit of chinese moral values and society to understand what the story is about and to not be confused by it's ending (although there are some versions with different endings) It's is a good story about filial piety and courage!
This video is fantastic, and now I have learned something about history that I never knew about. Thank you for pointing out the true story, it really fascinated me. I love the Movie, but seeing that I just learned about this, I prefer the real story seeing that she is such a bad ass!! I wouldn't be surprised if they change the live action movie to coincide with the actual real story. That would be awesome to watch!!
It would have been awesome if the animated movie was more like the original and with her already knowing how to fight but still keep "I'll Make A Man Out Of You" just because it's a cool song
I'm embarrassed to admit 2:31 how frozen my brain went
I love her 😍 she is too sweet
Definitely one of the best! Thanks for watching Erin :)
I love this story she was a true heroe a girl with alot of courage im surprised that disney hasnt adapted joan of arc
then you have the 2020 mulan remake =_=
4rth century tales.
Mulan : " I'm the original cross dresser. The first woman to wore trousers. Give me five!"
I like both, personally. But, I never understood why in the Disney version they made her inexperienced when she joined the army; when in the original story, her father gave her the same training as a lot of boys had back then because she had no older brother. Also, I heard that The Ballad of Hua Mulan was based on true events. That's pretty cool, especially for a time when women for the most part were seen as next to nothing.
I saw that we didn't really know if the Ballad was based upon true events - but really existed women that entered in the Army across the history.
@@ErickSoares3 There isn't very much proof that Hua Mulan was a real person, except for the legend. But, I choose to believe in it because it's pretty badass and there's no proof that proves otherwise either.
my teacher sent me here O.o
If you like Mulan, watch or listen to, "The Red Detachment of Women" a Maoist Model Play: it can be found on youtube in its movie form, ballet form, and soundtrack to the ballet.
Came here after watch MULAN new trailer
Same
this is a great way to learn a history lesson :)
Thanks man, haven't heard from you in a while, hope everything is going well for you :)
Seems like the Disney remake is leaning more toward the original story
"Fa" is just the Cantonese pronunciation of the same surname 花 or "Hua" in Mandarin. Why did Disney choose the Cantonese pronunciation of the surname while the given name Mulan remains Mandarin? Your guess is as good as mine.
Haha, you are correct sir, though I still think that Hua sounds nicer than Fa. The changes they made do seem quite random. Thank you for watching!
Wait so mushu the dragon didnt exist in the real story of hua Mulan?
Shan Yu is actually a title, it might literally mean "the greatest one". This Title was given to the ruler of the Xiongnu tribes in eastern central Asia. Now many people think that the "Xiongnu" and the "Hunni" are the same people, but since archeological proof of that connection hasn´t been found yet, it remains a Hypothesis.
Quite interesting topic :)
Someone has been reading well, A+ and a gold star for you! :)
WooKong Thx :D can you mail the gold star to my place? I got the flu, so I cant get up :_(
Damn dude, that sucks. 🌟 🌟 have two gold stars. Hope you get better soon.
Thank you mate :)
Wasn't that picture of the jaguar Rob Lucci from the anime one piece. XD
Good spotting :)
WooKong I just watched the live action based on the poem. I think you'd really like it. Stuck to your description pretty much from start to finish.
NettaB007 Hi NettaB007, I haven't watched it yet but thanks for the recommendation, I'll definitely check it out now :)
WooKong I believe the title is Mulan: Raise of a Warrior. Watched it on TH-cam.
NettaB007 Sweet! I'll search for it tonight :)
So her origins is basically based on ONE very old poem that may or may not have been based on a real person .
This video is amazing 😁
Thanks Kaesolin Kim! It was the fifth video I ever made, so it's a little cringy for me haha