film american animated musical action comedy drama film produced based chinese legend disney 36th animated feature directed story screenplay star english version provided voice chinese film film plot takes place han dynasty daughter aged warrior man father place general conscription counter invasion released features produced primarily disney animation studio orlando florida development film began number artistic sent china receive artistic cultural inspiration received critics public grossing million earning nominations winning including direct video sequel followed plot led ruthless invade chinese emperor begins command general family given conscription notice requiring man family join chinese army hears elderly father man family war anxious decides deal man war instead father family learns departure anxious grandmother family ancestors safety ancestors order great stone dragon protect ancestors unaware statue great stone dragon failed come life small dragon sent protect behave like man starts training camp command new workers camp skilled warriors succeed creates fake order father general ordering follow mountains troops set meet general arrive burnt discover general troops killed leave mountains ambushed uses cannon create enraged chest deception revealed wound instead executing law requires decides spare life saving army mountain rest army departs report news demise revealed warriors including survive catches sight way city intent capturing emperor attempts warn refuses listen appear capture emperor lock palace help pose able enter palace help defeat men prevents emperor boss roof engages solo combat acting instructions fires bundle fireworks rockets signal fireworks strike explode killing praised emperor people china bow unprecedented honor accepts emperor crest sword gifts declines offer advisor asks return family returns home presents gifts father safely soon arrives guise returning helmet accepts family invitation dinner granted position family guardian ancestors amid returning celebration cast singing voice provided captain singing voice provided june foray singing voice provided emperor china ancestor general khan horse dog ancestors voiced mainland standard versions film respectively provided voice chinese versions appeared version promotional music videos man production development florida opened employees original purpose produce cartoon shorts late following animation duties beauty beast disney executives convinced allow feature animation florida studios produce independent film time developed interest asian themed legends beginning books children book author consulting relationship disney executive time short straight video film titled china doll oppressed miserable chinese girl away happiness west development asked additional stories turned manuscript book based chinese poem song ultimately disney decided combine separate projects following opening studios served special effects animator department directed roger rabbit cartoon produced satellite studio lunch invitation cook offered projects development scottish folk tale dragon existence dragons chinese mythology cook suggested adding dragon week later urged cook drop scottish project accept project following cook immediately assigned initial director project cited influences production working supervising animator notre dame offered direct film following recommendation director accepted joined creative team early development began production team sent select group artistic china weeks photographs drawings local landmarks inspiration local culture key members creative team time pam coats invited travel china research trip study landscape people history original legend june july research trip flew beijing china inspired placement flags great wall writing earliest stages story originally conceived like romantic comedy film loves father met day father destiny stone tablet family temple anger runs away forge destiny november finished storyboard work hopeful work notre dame appointed work instead acting head story grew frustrated romantic comedy aspect story urged producer faithful original legend having leave home love father convinced filmmakers decide change character order appealing sequence takes father conscription order cuts long hair father armor served pivotal moment evolution character director explained sequence initially started song character designer following story changes leave save father song dropped storyboard artist head story tasked revise sequence decided board sequence minimal dialogue assisted existing musical selection film score courtesy sequence reel screened impressed stated sequence sequence got production helped establish silent approach additionally general originally going related changing story filmmakers able mirror stories love fathers dragon original legend animal companions suggested character veteran story artist created cricket character animator admitted directors didn want movie story department didn want movie people truly wanted movie assigned character sit meetings cricket somebody hell cricket felt character wasn necessary tell story true development film grant slip sketches directors door casting production began production team sought chinese japanese filipino korean vocal talents early candidate voice title character singing voice princess cast speaking voice directors find attempt deeper speaking voice convincing brought speak role later relegated providing singing voice landed role filmmakers listened narration beginning coats reflected decision stating heard voice knew likable lovely voice qualities looking role disney aiming hollywood talent vein performance approached recording disney studios asked record voice basement bubble hill mansion new_jersey speaking voice captain hired singing voice song man performed originally auditioned speaking voice title character hercules casting originated suggestion casting director recording studied dialogue tapes aimed match personality commented sons decided finally business disney film likewise role june foray provided speaking voice supplied singing voice animation design achieve visual look producer designer art director head backgrounds collaborated establish proper chronological location film chinese history general consensus time existence based visual design important element design turn art style closer chinese painting simpler design opposed details notre dame studied thirty film directors ranging silent era german british american 1950s 60s inspiration composition lighting staging establish settings enhanced characters additional inspiration found earlier disney animated films establish sense staging october announced major expansion florida animation operations constructing square foot story animation building addition animators workforce create soldiers attack sequence production team developed crowd simulation software called software allows thousands unique characters variant program called dynasty final battle sequence create crowd open render crowd software developed movie add depth flat dimensional painting developed late production progress shots including dramatic sequence features great wall china final battle sequence runs scene chinese crowd film real people edited animated foreground scene music march attached compose lyrics music songs film following research trip china june contacted disney studio chairman compose songs agreed president threatened removed publicity materials notre dame urged commitment refused left project departure songs written stone destiny china doll dropped amid story character changes shortly disney music executive heard demo stage musical adaption cry heaven selected replace joined write lyrics film featured songs composed sixth originally planned dropped following involvement character considered score film english composer selected film composer pregnant production decided following departure theme trailer considered available signed dropping project film soundtrack credited starting career pop singer christina_aguilera song released rendition reflection single soundtrack song vocals received landed recording contract records release self titled debut album reflection included pop version reflection polish version performed spanish versions spain performed latin_america performed international versions include brazilian portuguese version korean version performed version music featured scene referred decision score different soundtrack album soundtrack album uses orchestrated score movie uses heavy synthesizer music synthesizer version available limited edition sings movie music concerts disney medley expanded version reflection version provided singing voice movie sequel release disappointing box office performances notre dame hercules disney restricted marketing campaign spending million promotional advertisements compared million hercules year instead lavish media event electric light parade fifth avenue hercules disney opted premiere film hollywood bowl complete chinese fortune days general release mcdonald launched promotional campaign including toys free purchase happy meal collaboration disney published art authored chronicled production film addition publication issued collector folding book ancient poem inspired film august pieces recalled manufacture discovered contained lead based paint home video film released vhs february disney masterpiece collection line year film released dvd limited issues line released dvd disney gold classic collection line second dvd release entered january october released special edition march released blu ray dvd coincide film 15th anniversary reception critical reaction reception positive rotten_tomatoes gives rating based reviews average rating site consensus reads exploring themes family duty honor breaks new ground disney film bringing vibrant animation characters screen countdown rotten_tomatoes ranked fourth canonical animated disney features metacritic film score based critics indicating generally favorable reviews reported audiences gave film rare grade described visuals breathtaking described animated film critic roger_ebert gave half stars written review said impressive achievement story treatment ranking beauty beast lion king negative reviews described disappointment songs accused memorable slowing pace movie slant_magazine criticized film portrayal asian society movie subject comment feminist critics says film fun ultimately gender roles seek creature agreed saying lyric film gives lie entire girl power movement pointed needed boy order accomplish assistant professor english criticized film portrayal gender roles order imagine female heroism placing realm fantasy producer said film aims present character exhibits masculine feminine influences physically mentally strong box office opening weekend box office gross revenues million making second highest grossing movie week x-files went gross million canada combined million worldwide making second highest grossing family film year bug life seventh highest grossing film year overall disney films preceded notre dame hercules box office returns failed match disney films early 1990s beauty beast internationally highest grossing releases included united_kingdom million france million awards won including individual achievement awards producing directing writing production design effects animation voice acting character character animation music nominated annie award character animation musical score received significant praise won bmi film music award nominated lost score shakespeare love nominated nominated beaten prayer respectively reception china disney keen promote chinese hoping replicate success film lion king country highest grossing western films time disney hoped smooth relations chinese government release disney funded biography chinese government considered politically provocative china threatened business negotiations disney film government accepts western films year shown country chances accepted low finally year delay chinese government allow film limited chinese release chinese new year ensure local films dominated lucrative holiday market box office income low unfavorable release date rampant piracy chinese people complained depiction foreign looking story different myths legacy video game playstation action adventure game based film titled disney published developed kids revolution released december game met generally positive reception holds average rating review aggregator website gamerankings live action adaptation disney expressed interest live action adaptation starring international star chosen director film originally planned start filming october canceled march hollywood reporter reported disney developing live action remake producing write screenplay
Mulan (1998 film)