Cultural deformations and reformulations: a case study of Disney's<i>Mulan</i>in English and Chinese

Xu, Mingwu; Tian, Chuanmao

doi:10.1080/02560046.2013.783956

Cited by 20 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 15 publications

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“…Take the translation of Disney"s Mulan, for example (Xu and Tian 2013). Disney misappropriated Chinese culture, and the Chinese legend about Mulan was wantonly tampered in order to cater to American audiences.…”

Section: Translators" Interventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

China against Hollywood: Visible and Invisible Walls

Tian

2016

IRA-JEMS

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<div><p><em>Hollywood’s global expansion has been met with resistance in many countries. To resist Hollywood, some countries have developed their own way according to their tradition and relationship with the US in politics, economy, culture and diplomacy. Since the People’s Republic of China was founded, mainland China’s government policy, main-stream ideology, cultural values, economic status and relationship with the US have been ever changing. China is assumed to have adopted various measures to resist Hollywood. The current study suggests that game theory can provide a broad and useful guiding framework in analyzing the relationship, the strategic interactions in particular, between China and Hollywood. This article has discussed the interactions between China and Hollywood at the three stages, namely the planned-economy period (1949-1977), the transitional period of reform and opening-up (1978-1993) and the opening period of China’s film market to the West including Hollywood (1994-2009). It is argued that the game between China and Hollywood at each stage is characterized by the corresponding political and economic policies. As a result of this ongoing game, both parties will co-exist through cultural diversities and Hollywood’s expansion in China.</em></p></div>

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Section: Translators" Interventionmentioning

confidence: 99%

China against Hollywood: Visible and Invisible Walls

Tian

2016

IRA-JEMS

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“…Mulan's action in the Disney version also introduces her desire to discover her identity and self-worth, adding feminism and romance to the story [14,15]. In addition to westernized elements grafted onto the Chinese ballad, there were historical inaccuracies (like confusing Huns with Mongols) in which Asians are treated as interchangeable "Others" [14].…”

Section: Mulanmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the Americanized version, however, Mulan defies her parents when she slips away from home, which would have caused her parents grief and hardship (especially since Disney's version omitted an older sister and younger brother in the ballad who would have been able to support the parents). In the Disney rendition, her sex is revealed during her service, resulting in disgrace and dismissal (for further details, see [15] and the English translation of whole ballad as well as a table with a comparison of the Chinese versus Disney plots).…”

Section: Mulanmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…We cannot rule out the possibility that white buyers prefer to purchase white characters for no other reason than skin color. In the case of Mulan, the cultural gaffes in portraying a revered Chinese character could have deterred buyers, especially Chinese shoppers who were more apt to be aware of the way in which the story was Americanized with so-called cultural deformities (such as the dragon's lizard-like portrayal as well as Mulan's rebelliousness and individualism) [15]. While it is impossible to tease apart the relative impact of consumers' connection to characters based on their race and the distinguishing elements found in Mulan and Princes and the Frog, the popularity gulf between white and nonwhite characters reveals a race-correlated princess A-list.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In spite of creating more characters of color and winning acclaim for new protagonists that purportedly model feminism [10], Disney does not achieve racial or gender parity in its portrayal of either Asian heroine Mulan (1998) or African American protagonist Tiana in Princess and the Frog (2009) [11][12][13][14][15]. Mulan's heroics occur mostly during the half of the movie that she serves as a male soldier, and only with indispensable help from two male characters.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Reel Royal Diversity? The Glass Ceiling in Disney’s Mulan and Princess and the Frog

Dundes

Streiff

2016

Societies

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Both in Mulan and Princess and the Frog, Disney eschews a traditional fairytale ending involving palatial opulence by substituting an alternative narrative for women of color. Mulan disguises herself as a male soldier in order to serve in her father's place. After sharing victory with male companions, she willingly returns home to domesticity and the confines imposed by her gender. Tiana spends two thirds of the movie as a frog, substantially limiting her on-screen time as an African American female. Like Mulan, she is driven to please her father. She fulfills his dream of owning a high-end restaurant, ironically named Tiana's Palace, the closest she comes to a royal lifestyle. Although protagonists with more realistic lives could potentially enhance viewers' connection with them and model a work ethic or commitment to home life, the standard and more financially successful Disney narrative immerses viewers in a fantasy world of endless prospects including a life of royalty. These nonwhite heroines instead display a willingness to settle for more modest aspirations in stories replete with stereotypical gender and race-bound tropes. This divergent narrative suggests that protagonists of color are not entitled to a life of leisure and privilege that white Disney princesses enjoy.

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Voices of Mulan in Animated and Live-Action Cinematic Spaces

Lau

2021

Reorienting Chinese Stars in Global Polyphonic Networks

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Cultural deformations and reformulations: a case study of Disney'sMulanin English and Chinese

Cited by 20 publications

References 15 publications

China against Hollywood: Visible and Invisible Walls

China against Hollywood: Visible and Invisible Walls

Reel Royal Diversity? The Glass Ceiling in Disney’s Mulan and Princess and the Frog

Voices of Mulan in Animated and Live-Action Cinematic Spaces

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