Disney Animation movies are imprinted in all of our hearts. None of us can imagine our childhoods without them. Playing with dolls or waiting for them to air on the Disney channels is a core memory all of us cherish, whether it was owning our own power like Elsa or waiting for our prince charming. Disney movies have always found ways to make their way into our hearts.
And believe everyone when they say Disney is magic because it is. Disney is a festival of color, wonder, magic, diversity, and smiles; it is every child's, even adult's, dreamland. And Disney spares no details when it comes to giving us the best experience, so much so that even if you try really hard, you will still miss some deep details in them. So, this article is a collection of such facts and details about Disney that'll make you look at them in a different light.
Alyssa or Ariel?
Deer-like wide eyes, long lustrous hair, and beautiful faces, every iconic Disney character had a certain charm to them and their beauty. And one must wonder where Disney took most of its inspiration for its characters from. Would it be a surprise for you if we said that it was people around them and not just someone's imagination?
In the case of The Little Mermaid, the facial features, the eyes, the hair, and the personality characteristics were all inspired by the 80's child star Alyssa Milano. Alyssa Milano was a famous name around town during the time the movie was being made; hence the Disney studio decided to base Ariel both on her looks and character traits.
Did Simba roar like a tiger?
Lion King is still one of those movies that could make anyone cry; it's iconic hence it is a hard one to miss from the list. And what is fascinating about the movie is that Simba's roar at the end of the movie isn't actually that of a lion but of a Tiger.
They wanted Simba's roar to be the roar of the newly risen king, as per the plot of the movie, and a lion's roar, in general, is always quieter than the roar of a tiger. And the Disney team wanted the roar to exude power and strength; they went with the roar of a tiger instead.
Lilo, Stitch, and Elvis: A love story
Disney movies are always drenched with small details and sometimes even pop culture references, and the case of Lilo and stitch is also such. We can't deny Lilo and stitch's obsession with Elvis, as we can't get enough of him either.
What is ironic is that even though Elvis movies were hardly ever well received by the critics, Lilo and stitch were nominated for an Academy Award for best feature film back in 2002, in which stitch obviously dressed up as Elvis.
Sleeping beauty could've said more.
Sleeping beauty is one of the most iconic stories/movies of Disney. Every child has been told the story of the girl who would sleep for 100 years and will only be awakened by a true kiss of love by a prince. However, to our knowledge, the main character Aurora only had 18 lines in the entire movie. We knew that she didn't talk much and spent most of the movie sleeping but isn't it amusing that she only had 18 lines as the lead of the story?
Apparently, Aurora didn't just have a low number of lines in this movie; according to Disney, Aurora has the second-lowest number of lines in any Disney movie, Dumbo being at the top with the lowest number of lines, but well, he is a baby elephant.
The beast: A mix of 7
As kids, when we used to watch these movies, we watched them for the magic, the drama, and the thrill. Little did we ever think about what the Beast from Beauty and the Beast actually looked like apart from being scary.
But now, when we look at him up close, we see that he isn't particularly derived from one feline creature but many. The beast has different characteristics from all the creatures, such as the mane of a lion, the beard and head of a buffalo, the brow of a gorilla, the eyes of a human, the tusks of a wild boar, the body of a bear and lastly the legs and tail of a wolf. Isn't it amazing, though, how each and every character in Disney movies is so well thought of and profound?
The shining or Toy Story?
Some movie callbacks in Disney movies are so random and subtle that it takes a keen observer to take out all the details from them; one such example is Toy Story. During the part of the movie when Woody is in Sid's home, and the tension is building, one can notice that the carpet outside the creepy kid's hallway is very similar to the one in the hotel from the ever-so-classic movie The Shining.
In fact, it is that the production designer Ralph Eggleston loved Stanley Kubrick's flick so much that this little detail in Toy Story was a way of paying homage to him.
The Beatles featured in The Jungle Book.
While watching a Disney movie, many a time we see characters and try to think why it looks so similar to someone or something, and that is because Disney has the tendency to base its characters on people and one such example of such an inspiration that Disney took from people and even music was of the Beatles for the characters of the vultures in the movie, The Jungle Book.
The four vultures in the movie are inspired by the very iconic, The Beatles. So much so that Disney even wanted the Liverpool band to actually voice the four birds, but unfortunately, John Lennon was hesitant to star in an animated feature at the time.
Pinocchio didn't lie that often.
All of us remember how when we were little, our parents would tell us about the stories of Pinocchio to get us to stop lying, as he was a boy whose nose grew every time he lied, and in case we did too, our noses would grow as well.
Well, one might think that if the growth of the nose is the magic feature, then we'd get to see it often in the movie. However, to our surprise, his nose only grew once throughout the entire flick, which was when he lied about meeting "two big monsters with big green eyes "on his way to school. Maybe it was for making emphasize on how lying is bad and one shouldn't do it. Whatever the case may have been, Pinocchio always brings back fond memories.
101 Dalmations and 6,469,952 black spots
Considering the movie has 101 Dalmations from the start to the end, have you ever wondered how many black spots can be seen in the movie 101 Dalmations? Knowing that the entire movie is about dogs, it isn't hard to guess that it must be in thousands.
It turns out that a mind-blowing number of 6,469,952 black spots can be seen in the entire movie. We don't know who counted them, but if Disney gives you a factoid, then you just take it because Disney doesn't mess around with details. And also, the fact that Perdita has 68 spots, Pongo has 72 spots, and the puppies each have 32 spots surely does help.
Did you spot Mulan's reference in Tarzan?
Another neat example of Disney movies subtly referring to another movie is Tarzan. And as subtle as it may be, only a handful of viewers would have been able to notice this little easter egg in the movie Tarzan.
During the scene where the professor gets a little too close to the Gorillas, a stuffed toy is seen to be falling out of his bag, which, if seen closely, is supposed to look exactly like the little brother, the dog from Mulan.
Eeyore and Optimus Prime's supremacy
You know how sometimes while watching an animated movie, you can make out who the voice actor behind the character is? Well, we are sure, in this case, you wouldn't have been able to guess it. Peter Cullen voiced the two very contrasting characters, which were of the transformer Optimus Prime and Eeyore the donkey from Winnie the Pooh.
Isn't it incredible to see how some voice actors are so versatile and diverse in their talents? Both Optimus Prime and Eeyore the Donkey are beloved and classic characters that are hard to forget, the best part being that they are voiced by the same actor.
Green eyes
When one looks at the Disney princess universe, each one of them stands out from the crowd in some way or another. While Rapunzel can separate herself from the rest of the crowd for various other reasons, this one reason still sets her apart the most among others.
One of the most distinctive physical characteristics that Rapunzel had was green eyes. While the rest of the Disney princesses tend to have either brown or blue eyes, the Tangled protagonist is the only one who has green eyes. And apart from her long luscious hair, her courage, her strength, and her eyes set her apart the most.
Tiana had a real job.
Tiana from The Princess and the frog was the first African-American princess in Disney history, and apart from making headlines in the news over that historical representation, there are many other fascinating facts about this movie. Such as, in all Disney movies, the princess or Disney heroines are either princesses or unemployed nobodies.
However, Tiana was pretty much the only one who had a real job. Apart from being a princess and a waitress, she aspired to become a chef. And it was surely refreshing to see good cultural representation and motivation for being independent in a movie.
Tom Cruise or Aladdin?
Disney loves basing characters on real-life people, and an iconic example of such is Aladdin. The charming grin, the groomed hair, and the prominent eyebrows are all characteristics that Disney has picked up from the legendary actor Tom Cruise.
Apart from that, the fact that Aladdin is also a short daredevil who loves to do his own stunts around the city of Agrabah is also a characteristic Disney picked up from Tom's real and reel life traits.
Remy meets Dug, the dog
This example of Disney referring to other movies in their films will make you think about how Disney always thinks ahead of time, and everything that is deeply embedded in movies or even the tiniest details have a meaning and a standing point.
In the movie Ratatouille, where Remy the rat is sneaking around, he ends up getting freaked out by a dog's shadow. And no, it's not just a random dog; it's Dug, the dog from the movie UP. What is even more interesting about this feature is that this reference was made even though Up hadn't even been released at that point.
Pocahontas is the only heroine that is based on Historical events.
As hard as it may seem for us to accept that Pocahontas was practically Disney's only heroine that was based on a real historical figure, as Disney always made movies that are factually correct and always profound, it is true. The real Pocahontas was a Native American woman from the Powhatan people who were captured by colonists in 1613 and forced to convert to Christianity. Anyhow, she got married and had a child in the subsequent years; she was the only historical woman on whom a Disney movie was made.
Even though there are disputes over Mulan also being a real person, others argue that she was merely only a character in old Chinese poems and nothing else.
Frozen's Hans makes a cameo in Big Hero 6.
There are many easter eggs that one can find in Disney movies, especially in the recent ones depicting how they are in the same universe or has some connection to one another in some way. Some of these Mouse Flicks are much more self-referential than they used to be.
For example, in the movie Big Hero 6, for example, for a brief second, a "wanted "image is shown with Hans from Frozen's picture on it. Isn't it amazing how even the smallest detail adds such an amount of impact to a scene?
WALL-E an ode to Walt Disney
Not every Disney movie calls back to the guy who started all the magic of Disney. The movie WALL-E however, does. The movie follows a robot who is alone on a planet that is left abandoned after human civilization drained its resources and moved to another planet. The robot, however, is the protagonist of the movie; his name is also a tribute to Disney's makes, Walt Disney.
And considering that Disney's full name was Walter Elias Disney, it's pretty obvious to see where the inspiration for WALL-E's name came from. Even though it's a small detail and factoid, we are sure not many people knew about this.
Is Maui Rocks Grandpa?
Other than voicing in the movie Moana, Dwayne Johnson had a much greater influence in the movie. The world-renowned actor managed to get the producers to base his character Maui's looks on that on his late grandfather, Peter Maivia.
Peter was a talented Samoan wrestler, and along with Dwayne's father, Rocky Johnson, Maivia helped Dwayne become a WWE superstar, which ultimately paved his way into the acting career, now making him one of the highest-paid actors in Hollywood.
Mickey Mouse is everywhere.
It's only necessary to pay respect to the character that started the magical era of Disney, Mickey Mouse. Whether these are worthy mentions in movies or cameos here and there or even the Disney signature easter egg-like appearances.
The same is the case in the movie, The Emperor's New Groove, the shape of Mickey's head can be seen multiple times in various scenes, the most obvious of them all being in the food on Kozco's plates and on Yzma's earrings.
The year: 3026 Apple Cars
Disney never forgets, in the movie, Cars which was obviously about, well, cars. We see a wide range of multiple models of cars with different quirky personalities. Each is more memorable than the other. But in a racing scene in the movie, a white car with apple's logo on it can be seen.
Isn't it interesting to see the details Disney puts in its movie? During the racing scene, the white car featured the apple logo along with the number "84," which was the year Apple's first-ever computer was released. And at the time the movie was released, Steve jobs was the largest shareholder of Disney.
The 11 sassy Horses of Disney
If you're a die-hard Disney fan, then you must've noticed a pattern of a sidekick, which included characters that were similar in traits, also the case of some of the Disney princesses. But in some movies, it is noticed that aside from the personality characteristics, some specific kinds of species have appeared in many movies too.
One one the most prominent of them all is a horse that is pretty but undoubtedly sassy. These horses have recurred in not one or two but 11 different movies in a very similar role. The 11 of them are Maximus, Pegasus, Angus, Phillipe, Samson, Major, Sitron, Bullseye, Khan, Achilles, and Buck.
Ariel and Belle's cameo in Enchanted
In the strictest sense, Enchanted may not be a fully animated film. It does, however, have a fascinating relationship with classic animated masterpieces. It highlights two of Disney's most recognizable princesses, or more precisely, the actresses that played them.
The voices of Ariel from The Little Mermaid, Jodi Benson, and Belle from Beauty and the Beast, Paige O'Hara, both appear in the 2007 film as a secretary and a soap opera actress, respectively. Knowing how Disney honors its artists and stories, we are nothing but amazed by their potential and creativity yet again.
Scar met his fate
It's well established that Disney movies like to include playful allusions to other Disney productions to give them more depth. But as seen in this case, some of those callbacks are much more obvious than others.
Such as, in the movie Hercules, the main character is seen wearing Scar's pelt from the Lion King on his head, depicting that Scar was allegedly the target of trophy hunting. But after what he did to his own brother, this was a setback that was coming his way.
Disney became PG18
There have been many cases in which Disney movies have been a stage front to many adult-oriented jokes, and in ways that were not so subtle considering that their main audience consists of children. One of the most explicit of them is in the film The Rescuers.
In a scene where Miss Bianca and Bernard are flying past a window, a topless woman can be seen standing behind that window. And we think it's safe to say that the scene was not well received by the audience, and Disney had to register appropriately 3.4 million complaints for it and ultimately had to take back the scene.
The life of a Luxo ball
While most of these fascinating facts are related to a certain Disney animated film, this one is applicable to many of them, particularly Pixar films. Fans are sure to recall the iconic "Luxo Ball," or the yellow ball from which Buzz Lightyear jumped. It has become a binding agent that has brought all the other Pixar films together after countless other Pixar films have included the very same ball in various different scenes.
These include mentioning a few of the links for the films Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, and Cars. Isn't it interesting to see how people noticed and remembered the ball being there in all these films, and the ball became an iconic toy at the end?
Cinderella: Walt Disney's favorite animation.
Listening to Walt Disney's views on the motion pictures he oversaw in his lifetime is always intriguing and inspiring. In an interview, the man who started it all claimed that his favorite animation out of all of his movies was the dress transformation in Cinderella – and we stand by his view as that dress transformation in Cinderalla was a making point to many more animations in the future.
Since his passing in 1966, Disney has released an incredible number of movies, and the animation in movies has only risen from strength to strength. And we think it's safe to say that Walt Disney would have been very proud to see the strides Disney has taken in the field of animation.
No teeth made me sound like a witch.
Disney has always been known for being creative when it comes to making characters or sound effects for movies. And at times, it happens that the actors bring their own creativity to the table, revolutionizing the feel of the character entirely.
This is also the case with the movie Snow white and the seven dwarfs, in which actress Lucille La Verne had the incredible idea for her role as the Queen/Witch of removing her false teeth before reading her lines, which helped pave the way for that iconic, evil voice.
Dumbo is the shortest Disney movie.
The majority of Disney's animated films are actually rather short. As one can't really expect their child to watch a three-hour-long movie, after all, right? However, Dumbo takes things on a different tangent.
Dumbo's duration is 64 minutes which clocks in at just over an hour, which is insane. When executives suggested that Walt Disney lengthens the film, he refused, saying that "you can extend a plot just so far and beyond that, it doesn't stay together." Even though what he is saying is correct, 64minutes still seems like a very short run time for a movie.
Merida or Rapunzel
Despite not being one of the most recognized Disney films ever, Brave is just as amazing as the rest because of its fantastic characters and stunning visual narrative. The teenage protagonist Merida, who has naturally wild, curly, red hair, is the focus of the film.
According to some experts, Merida's hair, if straightened, would come at, at least four feet long. Which is very long for an average person, but isn't it interesting to know how diversity is shown in Disney movies so beautifully?
The iconic Spaghetti kiss
One can never watch the movie, The Lady and the Tramp and not fall in love with the Spaghetti kissing scene. The movie showcases the love story between two very different dogs and has been an audience favorite for a long time now.
One of the sweetest and sometimes even funny, because many memes have been made on the scene, is the scene where the dogs are sharing a bowl of spaghetti. But apparently, Walt Disney didn't approve of this scene as he thought that it would look messy on screen. However, thanks to Frank Thomas, he reworked the entire scene and gave us the iconic moment that it is now.
Jackie Chan: A trained vocalist
The entire world knows Jackie chan as a man no one can harm. His stunt work in various action movies is beyond incredible. But apart from his stunt roles, he has also worked in famous Disney movies.
Chan is an operatically trained vocalist and has produced more than 20 albums in languages like Cantonese, Mandarin, and Taiwanese. Apart from playing the famous role of Captain Li Shang in the Chinese version of the 1998 film Mulan, he also recorded a version of the film's song, "I'll make a man out of you, "in Cantonese and Mandarin.
Hyenas aren't negative, and evil.
Animated movies aren't always the best places to learn about things, as certain times it happens that for the sake of the plot and the story, certain things are exaggerated. Such cartoon depictions can have negative repercussions for species like the spotted Hyena.
In the 1994 animated movie, The Lion King, the film features three spotted hyenas as dangerous and scary villains. So much so that a hyena biologist was so offended by the inappropriate depiction of the animal that he sued Disney for defamation of character. In reality, Hyenas are highly intelligent and adaptive predators.
Pumbaa's made history with his GAS.
Even though releasing gas is a normal body function, it is still laughed upon. And had never been depicted on film until Disney's The Lion King in 1994. The movie included the character of a warthog named Pumbaa, who occasionally experienced moments of gas release, much to the discomfort of other characters in the film, making it a hilarious laugh point.
Pumbaa's tendency to release gas was the first time a character did so in a Disney movie, in addition to being a cute and humorous character feature. Pumbaa's odor could not have been the issue, but rather the fact that he was interacting with creatures that had incredibly sensitive olfactory glands (a meerkat and a lion).
Gaston's, you mean old cookie.
It's not surprising that Gaston is one of Disney's least-liked characters. It's his general, cocky attitude and narcissistic personality that makes people dislike him the most. In the original fight scene, Gaston screams, "Time to die! "as he finally stabs the beast.
The scene was later changed into "Belle is mine! "in the final version of the film as many believed that the earlier line was very violent for younger audiences and very dark in nature, while the latter line fit the story plot as the two characters were fighting for Belle's affection.
Pocahontas' little Redfeather Turkey
Sidekicks aren't a surprise when watching a Disney movie. Their jolly nature and love for the protagonist is what adds layers to any story. So when animators considered giving Pocahontas a sidekick, it wasn't news to many people. But a turkey is not what everyone had in mind. As Turkeys are commonly found in the Virginia area where the movie was supposed to have taken place. Initially, the animators decided to give the native princess a turkey named Redfeather as a sidekick.
However, the actor voicing Red feather passed away, leading to the animators changing the princess's sidekick to a raccoon named Meeko. And Meeko indeed came as a blessing in disguise as he fits perfectly into his role, as seen when he has interactions with Governor Ratcliffe's pug.
The Spice Girls
The five muses assist in establishing the scene for the events of Hercules, an animated Disney film from 1997. The majority of the music in the movie is performed by these five women, who are modeled after various Greek gods.
Alan Menken, the song's composer, had initially envisioned the Spice Girls as the inspiration for "I Won't Say," one of the movie's most well-known songs. Due to schedule issues, the British female trio reportedly refused to provide their vocals. The soundtrack for the movie was ultimately composed of more gospel-influenced music than mainstream music.
Ursula: Almost Ariel's aunt
One of the most iconic villains of Disney is Ursula. Her distinctive looks and cunning charm is enough to make you hate her and also love her somehow. In the movie, Ursula offers Ariel a way to turn her into a human in order to fall in love with Prince Eric and spend a happily ever after.
But what is amusing about Ursula is that initially, she was supposed to be King Triton's sister, making her Ariel's aunt. Even though the plot of her being the family member who took the dark path was eventually scrapped, the film still references how she used to live in Triton's palace but was banished.
Real-life Tinker Bell- Margaret
When the character of Tinker Bell first came in the movie Peter Pan in the theatres in 1953, it was very well received. The audience loved her young and innocent charm and adorable antics. And it was later revealed that the character of Tinkerbell and the pixie dust of magic she brought with herself was actually inspired by the actress Margaret Kerry.
Animators studied Kerry in order to translate her movements and behavior into the film's action scenes. Kerry being the good sport that she was, even enacted several movie scenes using large props, such as getting stuck in a keyhole or posing with a pair of scissors, etc.
Chica made history in Disney.
In the movie The Emperor's New Groove, Chicha made history as the first pregnant character to ever appear in one of the Disney studio's films. Even though she only played a supporting role, her role was enough to change the usual course of play that Disney has for any character in a mother's role, which was of either being killed by the villain or turning into a villain.
With new movies, we can see how Disney is changing its patterns from strong female characters who don't need a prince charming to embracing womanhood. Chicha's off-and-on appearance in the movie was sufficient to make a noticeable difference in how Disney portrays women.
The Perfect Paris portrayal
One can never get enough of how Disney makes it a point to get everything just picture-perfect. Even though many animated films take place in different destinations, they are usually created in a single location. However, while creating the 1996 animated movie the Hunchback of Notre Dame, Disney wanted to capture the city of Paris in the movie as realistically as possible.
So much so that they outsourced 20% of the movie to a french based animation company. Filmmakers were flown into the french city in order to accurately capture the city's architecture and history; they were even given a private tour of the famous Notre-Dame cathedral.
Six planets or eight
In the movie, The Hercules, which is based on Greek mythology, the Fates have the ability to see into the past, present, and future. They depict a scenario in which, when the planets align, a prophecy will come true in one moment.
However, when we watch the movie carefully, we see that only six planets are shown in this scene. This is because, historically speaking, the ancient Greeks could only see six planets in the night sky, not eight. Mercury, Mars, Jupiter, Venus, Saturn, and Earth would have been those six planets. Isn't it amazing how Disney takes care of details and facts and makes sure that whatever is being shown is rather factually and visually correct?
The iconic Lion King scene took three years to make
The Lion King is and will always be one of Disney's most iconic movies of all time. Especially the stampede scene. Even though the scene is only two and a half minutes long, it is filled with a father's care for his son, love, loss, etc. It sure is enough to make anyone cry, but would you believe us if we told you that this iconic scene took over three years to make?
To create the scene, animators combined conventional hand-drawn animation with digital effects, and to accurately recreate the appearance of that area, they also investigated the herd dynamics of genuine wildebeests and visited the African savannah.
Atlantean: The language of Atlantis
Is there any length that Disney wouldn't go through to give its viewers the experience of a lifetime? We don't think so, either. In the 2001 Disney movie Atlantis: The Lost Empire, the creators didn't just want to explore the myth of the underwater city but also wanted to establish an important detail of a whole new language for the people of Atlantis.
The famous American linguist Marc Okraland, who is known for creating the language from the Star Trek television series, was brought in to work on the language the people of Atlantis would speak, Which is now known as the Atlantean language. Okrand coined about 1,000 terms which were then used in the movie.
Michael Jackson inspired Dr. Facilier's look.
Who said Disney villains couldn't be fashion icons? Dr. Facilier, who appears in the movie The Princess and the Frog, is one of the newest villains to join the Disney family. Dr. Facilier portrays a witch doctor from New Orleans who practices voodoo and other evil arts in the movie.
For Dr. Facilier of The Princess and the Frog, The King of Pop, Michael Jackson, served as the model for the Antagonist. Many of the pop star's gestures and demeanors were included in the character by animator Bruce W. Smith. Jackson's thin figure and costumes were inspirations for the smooth-talking villain that we see in the movie now.
As small as a tattoo
In the beloved movie Moana, the daughter of a Polynesian village chief, comes across a demigod named Maui. Apart from carrying a magical fish hook that allows him to change forms, Maui is covered in tattoos describing his supernatural achievements.
One of his tattoos is of himself, and it serves as an animated form of his conscience which is necessary for the character's development. Animator Mark Henn revealed that he designed the tattoo not only to be a Maui's company but also to be the voice of reason and good for whenever Maui is in a difficult situation. Isn't it interesting that a detail as small as a tattoo can hold such a deep meaning in Disney movies? We think this is the magic that people are always referring to when they say that Disney is magic.
Was Tarzan tree-surfing inspired by skateboarding
As a character that was raised in the jungle, it was only obvious that Tarzan would be accustomed to many things that normal people are not comfortable with within the jungle. Including climbing trees, walking on the ground barefoot, and swinging on tree vines.
While creating Tarzan, its animator, Glen Keane, wanted to create one of the animated film's most memorable scenes, so he looked for professional skateboarder Tony Hawk to perfect the tree surfing scene. Apart from that, Keane also looked at his own son's surfing and other extreme sports in order to come up with this iconic scene.
Lilo & Stitch or The Ring?
Lilo & Stitch (2002) is a story about an extraterrestrial entity(Stitch) that becomes part of a young and sassy Hawaiian girl's (Lilo) family. While one may think that the beautiful voice behind Lilo is of a young girl, It's difficult to imagine that the same actress who voiced her also voiced Samara in the horror movie, The Ring (2002).
Daveigh Chase, having such a wide range of acting abilities, had played such extremely different characters in the same year! It's almost frightening to think that Chase was able to play both the adorable and the terrifying characters with such ease.
The saga of casting Hades
James Wood's inclusion in the cast of Hercules was indeed a blessing in disguise for the Disney movie. Now when you think about it, It's very difficult to imagine any other person voicing the role of Hades, lord of the underworld. However, before the iconic role was offered to Woods, the Great Jack Nicholson was also considered to play the role.
Although this could not materialize, unfortunately for Disney, Nicholson decided to pass as they could not negotiate with the actor's demanded salary, which was way higher than what the studio was offering. Blessing is disguise, indeed!
Tim Burton is a difficult man to work with
The Nightmare Before Christmas is a 1993 American animated fantasy film directed by Henry Selick. The Nightmare Before Christmas is fondly remembered by the movie's climax, which depicts the demise of Oogie Boogie. The threads that held Oogie Boogie together are unraveled, resulting in his death.
Henry Selick, however, had a different climax in his mind where Oogie Boogie was supposed to be revealed as Sally's parent. Tim Burton, however, was furious and, at the same time, upset about this. Burton and Henry are believed to have gotten into a clash, and the writer, out of anger, even kicked a hole in the wall. Well, Tim was very passionate about the story and had been working on it for years.
Maila Nurmi: Maleficent
While Angelina Jolie flawlessly played the role of Disney's most memorable female Antagonist of all time, Maleficent, It was someone else who inspired the look of Maleficent. There have been female antagonists in the past, but Maleficent stands out from the rest primarily because of her distinctive appearance.
It was in the year 1959, after the release of "Sleeping Beauty," an animated film when rumors started making rounds that the look Maleficent was heavily inspired by the American actress Maila Nurmi who was famous for her tight-fitting gowns and glamorous gothic personality. Maila Nurmi, without a doubt, made Maleficent look magnificent!
The voices of the Sword in the stone
Young actors go through a lot of difficulties while shooting for movies, and experiencing the physical changes that puberty brings isn't certainly easy. Rickie Sorensen was a teenager when he bagged a role in Disney's animated movie "Sword in the Stone," which was based on the story of King Arthur. During the midway of shooting, he had a horrible realization.
His voice was changing! Wolfgang Reitherman, the director of the film, had to improvise to ensure that the film's production didn't stop. Luckily he had two kids that were of a similar age to the teenage actor, and they completed the voicing.
The CEO that gave us Ratigan
Set in Victorian-era London was a film called "The Great Mouse Detective. "An animated movie featuring mice and rats with the basic plot of the movie adapted from the classic tale of Sherlock Holmes. The Animators of the movie looked at old paintings of London from the Victorian era, i.e., the 1800s, in order to make the characters and the set more realistic.
While creating the film's Antagonist, Ratigan, the look was inspired by the former Chief Executive Officer of Disney. Ron Miller. Miller standing at 6' 6 and being a former professional footballer, was indeed huge and had a formidable frame.
Beyoncé missed the role of Tiana.
Having stardom comes with a certain sense of being superior, and it has its cons. Being a worldwide star sometimes results in the person feeling like auditioning for a role is unnecessary. Such is the story of Beyonce, a youth icon and a global star. Disney's movie "The Princess and the Frog" was under production, and Beyonce was under the impression that the role of the protagonist would be offered to her without her having to audition for it.
However, she was wrong. Beyonce and a few other well-known icons were not offered the role of Tiana and were asked to audition for it. Anika Noni Rose eventually auditioned for the role and became the voice of Tiana.
The Tarzan Yell
What's more iconic than Tarzan jumping from one branch to another? The "Tarzan Yell." This "Tarzan Yell" is so iconic that any actor who stars in a Tarzan movie should know that at some point, they will have to record a "Tarzan Yell."
However, this was not the case for the 1999 Tarzan actor Tony Goldwyn, who unfortunately could not create a convincing enough jungle call. The makers of the movie eventually had to ask Brian Blessed, who was voicing the film's Antagonist, for the film's signature sound. Funny as it may seem, every time you hear that "Tarzan Yell," you'll know what's going on.
The famous London street that made history
Who doesn't love a movie about a dog? Multiply that feeling by 101, and you have the 1961 Disney Classic, One Hundred and One Dalmatians. It is loved all over the world for its beautiful story and wholesome characters. One Hundred and One Dalmatians made history as it was the first animated movie that took place in a setting that was more familiar to the audience and was more contemporary.
Before 101 Dalmatians, most Disney movies were either set in fictional settings as they were fairy tales or in general geographical regions. 101 Dalmatians' was set in London, which came as a unique change that would become the norm for future projects with a specific setting in mind.
Tangled's Pascal
Tangled is a story about a young girl Rapunzel, who is locked up by her overly protective mother. She is accompanied by Pascal, a chameleon who happens to be the crowd's favorite character in the movie. Pascal is Rapunzel's close companion.
From the beginning, the makers wanted the protagonist to have an unorthodox animal sidekick and eventually decided to go with a lizard. Coincidently, on the sets of Tangled, one of the film's animators had a pet chameleon with the same name. Admirers of this Disney movie fell in love with his sassy demeanor and his adorably expressive eyes.
My girl, Tramp
The story of a stray dog getting adopted and getting a new life is always a wholesome one. So is the case with the dog, which inspired the character of Tramp in the 1955 musical movie," Lady and the Tramp."
A real stray dog was rescued and adopted by one of the screenwriters on the movie set. Erdman Penner, a Canadian screenwriter, known for his work in many classic movies such as Cinderella, saw the stray dog at the local pound where she was going to be euthanized. Fortunately, Penner rescued her from the pound. The stray dog eventually became one of the main live models for the movie makers.
Lilo & Stitch in Hawaii
It may be odd to think about Lilo and Stitch and not think about the lush island landscapes of Hawaii. However, this was not the original setting for the 2002 movie. Chris Sanders, who happens to be the storyboard artist for the Disney movie "Lilo & Stitch," visualized the storyline could take place in a remote location, specifically Kansas. However, it was later that he decided to go to the island of Kaua'i in Hawaii.
In the process of making the Island landscape, Sanders was heavily influenced by the Hawaiian cultural concept of ohana, which also becomes a central plot in the film. According to this belief, a family is not limited to people who are related to you or are your relatives; it also includes people who are actually close to you and are your friends.
The Jungle Book was originally for a mature audience.
The Jungle Book, released in the year 1967, is a movie that is nostalgic and close to everyone's childhood. It is mostly associated with fun characters and beautiful songs such as "That's what friends are for." The film, which caters to a relatively young audience, is based on Rudyard Kipling's book and also goes by the name "The Jungle Book."
Disney's version, however, is way lighter when compared to the actual version. The actual book was, in fact, a collection of stories that also dealt with darker themes such as abandonment and death. Bill Peet, who happens to be the film's original story artist, wanted a similar depiction of darker themes, but Walt Disney himself had other plans.
Toy Story's Rex could have joined the Avengers too.
Joss Whedon, a legendary filmmaker responsible for mammoth commercial superhero hits such as Marvel's The Avengers and DC's Justice League, has an interesting past. Who would believe that the man behind such big-scale action movies was actually, at one point, an active member of the creative team of the legendary Toy Story?
Whedon, In fact, was the one who made one of the most iconic characters of the movie. The nervous and shy character of Rex The Dinosaur was Wheadon's creation. The anxiety-riddled, plastic Tyrannosaurus Rex was made by the same man who made Ultron from Avengers: Age of Ultron.
Finding Nemo pays an ode to Jaws.
A terrifying predator looking to kill is what comes to mind when one thinks about a shark. But what if I tell you that there's a shark that was portrayed as a vegetarian in a classic movie? Yes, we are talking about the cult classic Disney movie Finding Nemo.
Bruce - The ever-friendly character from Finding Nemo, despite looking absolutely terrifying, was soft-spoken and a vegetarian! The story behind why he is called Bruce goes way back to 1975. Jaws, another cult classic, used an astronomical shark which was also named Bruce. Funny and clever, that's Disney for you.
Billy Crystal's favorite role
Billy Crystal has had some underwhelming projects where he could not show his real ability as an actor, mostly because of a weak script or a character to which the masses couldn't connect. With Monsters, Inc, however, it was different.
Playing one of the Lead characters called "Mike Wazowski," Crystal finally found peace in the arms of the green, one-eyed monster. A character whom he could relate to the "little guy in a big man's world." problem. In addition to this, reciting his lines with John Goodman made it feel realistic as he was also a part of the movie.
Disney loves grumpy old people
Age is a very interesting topic when one talks about Disney movies. Not only are the majority of antagonists portrayed by elderly characters, but most of the older characters in Disney movies are also portrayed a little more on the meaner side. Brigham Young University conducted a study on this topic, and the results supported the above stand. An astonishing one-fourth of Disney
Antagonists are older than the age of 57-58. On top of this, a little under half of Disney's older characters are generally mean. This has resulted in a lot of children stereotyping elderly people as mean and grumpy. However, Disney still has a lot of movies where elderly people are portrayed as wise and calm such as Oogway from Kung fu Panda!
Real-life Mickey and Minnie Mouse
Art is everywhere. As Funny as it may seem, One can even see Art and its impact in real life, even when you talk about Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Wayne Allwine and Russi Taylor, who were the voices behind these iconic characters, spent almost a little over 30 years together, lending their talented voice to Mickey and Minnie mouse.
A fun fact about the two voice actors is that since they spent so much time together over the years voicing the two characters, they eventually developed a very deep bond and fell in love! The two got married in 1991.
