In my childhood years, I was an avid reader of the novel series known as A Series of Unfortunate Events. I gained interest in the series after reading the first book loaned to me by my step-grandmother, as she felt I had to read the book before seeing the 2004 film adaptation. Upon seeing the aforementioned film, I was intrigued yet I wanted an adaptation that faithfully handled the source material. The Netflix series is faithful; however, is it too faithful? Is it too close to the source material?
My answer to both of these questions is a relieving "no". While the adaptation is a faithful one, it also expands upon the original work as well as adding some "Shyamalan"-style twists that fans of the books would not expect. To add to the previous statement, executive producer Daniel Handler (better known as Lemony Snicket, the author of the original novels) throws in a few red herrings to the plot to keep the story as unpredictable as possible. Initially, one might expect a full adaptation of Handler's novels. However, the viewer might be disappointed with that mindset. It is best to view this series with little expectation, aside from iconic events being faithfully recreated.
Thankfully, the characters in this film are smarter than their counterparts in the source material and the earlier 2004 film. Unlike the novel and original film, characters such as Uncle Monty are completely aware Olaf is in disguise. Unfortunately, characters such as Mr. Poe (the Baudelaire family banker) lose significant amounts of intelligence. As a result, I did not like his character as much as I did in previous adaptations. In this series, Mr. Poe is portrayed as gullible, moronic, and naive. While he did not initially recognize Olaf in disguise in previous incarnations, it was not like pulling teeth for him to see Count Olaf was standing right in front of him.
In regards to Count Olaf, he is portrayed similarly to an evil mastermind from an early 1980s cartoon, with a recent comparison being the Team Rocket Trio from Pokemon. Unlike previous incarnations, he relies more on his henchmen to pursue his goal of obtaining the Baudelaire fortune. Viewers are also given a stronger backstory than in previous adaptations, allowing for stronger character development. Neil Patrick Harris is a talented actor and accurately portrays the character, but he is not an antagonistic type. He does not look like the novels' Count Olaf, or the 2004 incarnation of the character portrayed by Jim Carrey. Jim Carrey was able to balance the comedic and sinister aspects of the character. Harris was more sinister than comedic, similar to Olaf from the novels.
The Baudelaire Orphans are portrayed as a mix of their counterparts from the original novels and the 2004 film, so not much has been changed. Sunny seems to be based more on her counterpart from the 2004 film, as her babbling is translated. The font size of her subtitles could have been reduced so they do not obscure a large portion of the viewing area. As for the other two orphans, their intelligence is emphasized and more opportunities are given for it to be utilized, such as during The Bad Beginning.
Overall, if you did not like the 2004 film but enjoyed the original books, then this show is one you must watch and will probably enjoy. It stays true to the spirit of the novels, as well as expanding upon them with new material, new characters, and some unexpected twists. Currently, the first season is available on Netflix, but it has been renewed for a second season.
As mentioned previously, I do not care for the showstopper, "Broadway-style" musical numbers of Disney films (aside from Aladdin's Prince Ali and Hercules' Zero to Hero). However, I do enjoy the songs sung by the villains of these films. I enjoy seeing how these songs can reveal a villain's plan, motivations behind the plan, and the backstory behind the motivation. Some songs are a culmination of a villain's character arc. It is for these specific reasons that I plan to reveal my top five favorite Disney Villain songs. (Embedded videos of the songs will also be in the post if you wish to listen to them) As a challenge to myself, I will only be looking at the songs that were actually in the film. As a result, any villain songs cut from the film during it's production or from stage adaptations are disqualified from the list.
#5- Friends on the Other Side, The Princess and the Frog
This number is one of those songs that can send a chill down one's spine. The imagery is shocking and somewhat scary. However, it will not upset younger viewers. The song details the meeting between male protagonist Prince Naveen and antagonist Doctor Facilier. However, Facilier had an ulterior motive for meeting with the young prince. Unfortunately, neither obtained what they desired as Naveen was transformed into a frog, and Facilier was unable to rule New Orleans. I found this song to be creepy through its use of "voodoo" imagery, such as the floating heads and the visualization of Facilier's magic. However despite the creepy imagery, I enjoyed the song and prefer it over songs with a similar premise such as Poor Unfortunate Souls. The song is later reprised when Facilier is ironically defeated by his own magic.
#4- Mother Knows Best, Tangled
Usually, the computer-animated Disney films do not catch my attention as much as those that are traditionally-animated. However, a notable exception to this rule was the 2010 film, Tangled. Despite being a computer-animated film, it is animated and styled similarly to something animated traditionally. It is for this reason, (as well as for the villain Mother Gothel) that Tangled is my favorite in Disney's new wave of animated films. Mother Gothel feels like a female version of one of my favorite villains, Claude Frollo from The Hunchback of Notre Dame. As a result, her song Mother Knows Best feels like a modified version of Frollo's section of Out There. Mother Gothel attempts to manipulate Rapunzel into staying in the tower, similar to how Frollo attempted to prevent Quasimodo from leaving Notre Dame. However, Gothel wants to keep Rapunzel in the tower for the purpose of remaining eternally young by using the latter's hair. Like the previous entry in this list, it is reprised when the villain meets her demise, once again through irony.
#3- The Mob Song, Beauty and the Beast
I understand that some readers may question this choice, as it is not the official villain song of the film. This song was chosen over Gaston for three reasons. The first reason was explained earlier, I am not a fan of the large showstopper numbers. The second reason is because The Mob Song advanced the plot of the movie more than Gaston did. The final reason is because this song is a culmination of Gaston's descent into madness that has been growing since the film started. Gaston's continued rejection of Belle slowly causes him to lose his sanity, and the sight of her associating with another suitor causes him to snap like a twig. The purpose of his angry mob was not to kill a beast that could terrorize the village, but to eliminate the competitor for Belle's affections. Gaston's loss of sanity and logic causes him to enact his endgame upon Beast so he could finally be with Belle. This is one song I cannot wait to see recreated in live action, as while it is dark, it is a song filled of energy and passion.
#2- Be Prepared, The Lion King
Along with Jafar and Frollo, Scar has always been a contender for my favorite Disney Villain. Scar is one of the darker antagonists in Disney history, mainly because of his success in usurping the throne. Scar is one of the few villains to achieve his goal, another being the aforementioned Jafar. The song, Be Prepared, advances the plot and reveals Scar's plan of usurping the throne from Mufasa. To gain the trust of the hyenas, he would promise them power and food in exchange for their assistance. In earlier drafts of the film, the song was later reprised when Nala was banished from the Pridelands. Another fact is Jeremy Irons sings half of the song, and a voice double was hired for after the lyric "You won't get a sniff without me'. Jeremy Irons lost his voice during recording, so Jim Cummings was brought in to finish in his place. Overall, this song is another that can shock younger viewers, but will not give them nightmares after viewing.
#1- Hellfire, The Hunchback of Notre Dame
This is a song that I would not recommend if you are immensely religious, faint of heart, or a younger viewer/reader.This song is significantly darker than other entries on this list, and discusses strong topics such as faith and lust. One may wonder what place it has in a children's film. The purpose of the song is to provide character development for the film's antagonist, Claude Frollo. Another effect of the song is viewers seeing a side of Frollo that is closer to the source material, as the song is one of the few based on an event in the book. However, the sequence is not a dream like it was in the source material. This song is significantly more intense than Be Prepared and Friends on the Other Side, and is even more so in the stage adaptations. Whenever I listen to this song, massive chills are sent down my spine and I am always blown away by the lyrics and orchestration. This is not only my favorite villain song in a Disney film, but it is my favorite song from The Hunchback of Notre Dame as well.
Do you have a favorite villain song? Why is it your favorite? Post your opinions in the comments below, and in the next Disney-related post, we are heading to the theater!
(Blogger's Note: I do not own the videos embedded in this list. If you are the original owner of the video and you want me to remove the video, then message me.)
2013 was a massive year of innovation for the Pokemon franchise. The anime adaptation started what is arguably the best region arc since Sinnoh (Unova's arc was not well-received by members of the fandom such as myself). The games also made multiple innovations, primarily the switch from two-dimensional sprites to cel-shaded models. Pokemon have been rendered as three-dimensional models before, but never in the main series of games. Pokemon X and Y serve as a transition point between the two eras of the franchise. These two games look beautiful with the three-dimensional makeover, they still play mostly the same as their previous iterations.
Since the battle system is an iconic part of the Pokemon franchise, it remains mostly unchanged. The battle system expands upon the innovations established in Black and White and Black and White 2, in which you see the entirety of the Pokemon as opposed to the head and shoulders of previous titles. The battle animations have also been significantly improved, thanks to the transition to three-dimensional animation. Unfortunately, the battle screens still look as they did in the Black and White series, only with a three-dimensional upgrade and changes to the user interface. The battle screen will not have any significant changes until Sun and Moon. A new and welcomed feature is "mega-evolution", in which certain Pokemon will gain a temporary new form during battle through the use of a "mega stone".
In terms of overworld gameplay, the player character can now move in eight directions instead of four, or all directions when controlling with the circle pad. Again, this is a result to using a three-dimensional game engine. The character animations are also more dynamic and expressive, with the addition of fully animated cutscenes interspersed throughout the story.
The Pokemon's sounds have been digitally remastered and re-recorded, such as Pikachu's being replaced by that of its anime voice actress, Ikue Otani. The sounds are significantly cleaner as a result of the remastering, and sound better to accommodate the changes in X and Y.
The overall game's difficulty has been reduced from previous installments, mostly due to the implementation of the experience share. The aforementioned item makes leveling up Pokemon easier, as all Pokemon gain experience regardless of participation in battle. Mega-Evolution also makes battles easier; however, the battle mechanic can significantly ruin the balance when using certain Pokemon. For example, a Charizard or Lucario that mega-evolves can significantly turn the tide of battle. Essentially, Mega-Evolution overpowers the Pokemon utilizing them.
Until the release of Sun and Moon came, X and Y had the best story I have seen in a Pokemon game. The story had always been improving since Diamond and Pearl, but X and Y's story had extra layers of depth and character development. The player could become invested in the character they were playing as along with becoming invested in the supporting cast. During my playthrough of X, there were times where I actually rooted for Shauna and Serena. I had rarely done that with rival characters in prior games, and I would usually root for myself (aside from May in Ruby and Sapphire and their remakes). I could actually sympathize with the main villain of the game, and I could see his motivation for enacting his plan. The main antagonist is a tragic character with a tragic backstory, and as a result, he wishes to remake the world/destroy the world using the game's legendary Pokemon.
Overall, the game is an excellent addition to the franchise and a welcome beginning to a new era loaded with innovation and positive change. However, I do wish they would change more to further improve gameplay mechanics. However, my wish would later be granted in Pokemon Sun and Moon.
While doing research for the upcoming History of Star Wars series, I managed to stumble across some early test footage of a Nickelodeon characters I enjoyed as a child. In this bit of footage, he is known as "Johnny Quasar". However, he would later be known as "Jimmy Neutron". The "Johnny Quasar" name would later be referenced in a crossover with another Nickelodeon show; The Fairly Oddparents.
(Source: Cartoondude413, DNA Productions)
(Blogger's Note: If Cartoondude413 or DNA Productions wishes for me to remove the video or delete the post, I shall.)
