By Reyhana A
Mulan is based on an ancient Chinese poem called the Ballad of Mulan. The movie is about a Chinese woman who breaks tradition by taking her fathers spot in the army after he becomes ill. She joins the imperial army ensuring no one else knows her gender. She proves her strength in the army and slowly makes friends, including Shang. Mulan was made on the 5th of June, 1998 and was directed by both Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft and the story was set in the Northern and Southern dynasties era (which is 4th-6th century) of Ancient Chinese history. The poem was an ancient story told for hundreds of years, unique because of the brave heroine and shows her independence and courage. The film portrays Northern Wei’s military campaigns against the nomadic Rouran.
Part 2 – Your opinion of the film
My opinion on the movie is 4 stars. The movie includes romance, humor and a disney twist with talking animals and has a message of feminism and honor. The film was very entertaining and the only downside was particular bits not being historically accurate e.g. supernatural/ancestors
Part 3 – Director’s Interpretation
Character 1: Mulan
Mulan is first portrayed as clumsy and not the ideal girl for marriage, but she was more ‘boyish’. Her character is seen as not giving up, selfless and self reliant. In short, she is abnormal and finds herself as she fights in the war in place of her father and slowly fits in with the rest of the army. Countless different camera angles are used when showing mulan, but there are a few that stand out. This includes close ups showing her vulnerable expressions as she is faced by Shang, the leader of the army and then later on her determination to prove Shang wrong and show her strength as she climbs up a pole that reaches the clouds that only she managed to climb up to. In the first half, there are high angle shots to show her inferior as she continues to make mistakes but slowly become eye-level shots as she becomes stronger and Shang becomes a less superior and strict leader, rather a friend. Her costume tells a story as we see her in dresses in the beginning of the movie and how uncomfortable and uneasy she is, opposed to her wearing warrior clothing and she is at ease and doesn’t look uncomfortable as she progresses through the training. Mulan's interpretation is clear through director tools and only really changes from when she leaves home to meeting the army, unlike Shang, whose interpretation changed slowly as the movie progressed.
Character 2: Shang
Shang is the confident leader of the group of men fighting against rebels invading China. He is undoubtedly the strongest and fiercest man and has authority over the soldiers. The high angle shots of him glaring down at Mulan and the others, his voice being loud and not wavering unlike Mulan and his clothes that also fit him well represent his superiority, strength and where he stands in front of everyone. In the mountain scene, where Mulan saves Shang, there is a close up shot of Shang's features turning less fierce as he tells Mulan he (she?) has Shang’s trust. The lightning is a bit brighter than usual as the directors show the significance of Shang putting his trust in a soldier under him who at first he saw as useless and weak. There are also a few extreme close ups in the last 10 minutes, showing his strong interpretation fall as he watches Mulan leave back home. The perspective the directors show of Shang changes, from a strict, mean and unapproachable leader to a kinder, trusting and nicer captain. As Mulan joins the team and she gets closer to the boys, we can see Shang slowly smiling more as she becomes stronger as the movie hints a love interest from Mulan to Shang and vice versa. At the end of the movie, an extreme close up of Shang's face shows the disappointed look as Mulan leaves and how he ends up following her.
Part 4 - Essay
Introduction:
Mulan,(1988) displays a vivid portrayal of Ancient China majorly historically accurate but falters in few scenes. The narrative follows Mulan as she disguises herself as a man to take her father's place in the army, defending China against invading forces. While the film captures the essence of Mulan's courage and sacrifice, its historical accuracy is somewhat visible in certain scenes regarding aspects including gender roles, military norms, and cultural representations seen in Ancient Chinese war history during the Northern and Southern dynasties.
Military Armor:
One major part of the movie Mulan is the armour representation and how historically accurate it is to real life. The movie seems to nail the depiction of how ancient armour in the Chinese troops was. Several statues have been found wearing heavy breastplates made of shell tied together and helmets made of bronze and often sported elaborate designs consisting of animal motifs. A specific example is an illustration of Mulan on a horse on the battlefield, made in 1837, based on how military was in the Northern Wei Dynasty and old stories. The animation manages to keep this look historically accurate throughout the movie, with little change to how the real life armour looks from what historians have found. We see this being shown in the majority of the film, representing the costume/armor of the troops accurately and the illustration of Mulan is seen in the fight seen against Shan Yu and his army which exhibits Mulan on her horse fighting. Overall, the depiction Disney shows of the military armour is historically accurate to what has been found over the centuries in ancient Chinese warfare and history.
Cultural Accuracy:
The film displays a large amount of Chinese belief and culture, which Disney seems to show is historically accurate. The movie showcases the ancestors and ‘Guardians’ that look over descendants, in this case, Mulan. Multiple statues of Guardians have been discovered, one being a tomb guardian called Zhenmushou. The statue is from the late Northern Wei Dynasty and Mulan seems to spot on recreate the guardians in Mulan's family look just like the real life statues of them. Along with this, the film incorporates Chinese traditions with family, such as Mulan's relationship with her family and Chinese norms along with the pressure on honor and duty, which agree with historical norms. This is seen throughout the movie, in times such as war being a must for men which we see when army men come to Mulan's village, or how when Mulan comes back from war, we see her kneeling to her father, a sign of respect towards elders. All together, the cultural side of Chinese history seen in Mulan is pretty much spot on accurate to history.
Supernatural/Beliefs and Accuracy to the origin story:
As a work of fiction constructed on an ancient ballad - Ballad of Mulan - the animation film Mulan takes artistic independence to rearrange the story for a modern audience by adding a more supernatural role to the story. While the movie encapsulates the spirit of Mulan's strength and wit, it strays from the historical accuracy in its display of events and characters regarding the ballad. There are many differences between the movie and the song, but the major one that stands out is that the ballad has no mentions of any supernatural aspects, whereas the animation includes Mushu, ancestors and fantasies about other parts of Chinese beliefs such as the ancestors having such a strong hold of one's fate. The supernatural and how in general the film fails to be accurate to the ballad is the main way the movie can be stated as not historically accurate as the other aspects already spoken about are both on point. Despite these departures from the origin story, Mulan remains a touching exploration of the themes of the supernatural and still heavily influenced on the ballad, although not completely historically accurate yet still incorporates the main idea of the song.
In conclusion, the 1988 film Mulan offers a captivating displayal of the legendary tale of Hua Mulan, although it strays from historical accuracy here and there. While the film takes inspiration from historical norms in its depiction of Chinese culture, beliefs/supernatural and military, it puts emphasis on Mulan's honor and strength within the context of Chinese history. Through its imaginative storytelling and spirited animation, Mulan rises above its historical setting to teach themes of bravery, loyalty, and resilience. Despite its fictionalized scenes , Mulan remains a loved classic that still inspires and relates with audiences worldwide.
Bibliography:
abilenetx.gov. (n.a.). History of Mulan , Abilene, TX. [online] Available at: https://abilenetx.gov/1005/History-of-Mulan#:~:text=The%20first%20written%20record%20of.
Bolick, H.C. (n.a.). LibGuides: China Studies Primary Sources: Home. [online] guides.lib.unc.edu. Available at: https://guides.lib.unc.edu/china_primary.
Cartwright, M. (2017). Armour in Ancient Chinese Warfare. [online] World History Encyclopedia. Available at: https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1143/armour-in-ancient-chinese-warfare/.
Dorner, J. (2024). Library Guides: History: Asia: Primary Sources - East Asia. [online] guides.lib.berkeley.edu. Available at: https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/history/asia/ps_eastasia.
Museum, T.T. of the B. (2020). Mulan with a Horse. [online] World History Encyclopedia. Available at: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/12676/mulan-with-a-horse/ [Accessed 7 Apr. 2024].
reporters, G. staff (2023). Over 300 Pottery Pieces Found in Northern Wei High official’s Tomb in Shanxi - Global Times. [online] www.globaltimes.cn. Available at: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202305/1290500.shtml#:~:text=Over%20300%20 relics%2C%20 mainly%20 pottery [Accessed 7 Apr. 2024].
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, D. of A.A. (2019). Period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (386–581). [online] Metmuseum.org. Available at: https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/nsdy/hd_nsdy.htm.
Part 1 – Brief summary of the film
Mulan is based on an ancient Chinese poem called the Ballad of Mulan. The movie is about a Chinese woman who breaks tradition by taking her fathers spot in the army after he becomes ill. She joins the imperial army ensuring no one else knows her gender. She proves her strength in the army and slowly makes friends, including Shang. Mulan was made on the 5th of June, 1998 and was directed by both Barry Cook and Tony Bancroft and the story was set in the Northern and Southern dynasties era (which is the 4th-6th century) of Ancient Chinese history. The poem was an ancient story told for hundreds of years, unique because of the brave heroine and shows her independence and courage. The film portrays Northern Wei’s military campaigns against the nomadic Rouran.
Part 2 – Your opinion of the film
My opinion on the movie is 4 stars. The movie includes romance, humor and a disney twist with talking animals and has a message of feminism and honor. The film was very entertaining and the only downside was particular bits not being historically accurate e.g. supernatural/ancestors
Part 3 – Director’s Interpretation
Character 1: Mulan Mulan is first portrayed as clumsy and not the ideal girl for marriage, but she was more ‘boyish’. Her character is seen as not giving up, selfless and self reliant. In short, she is abnormal and finds herself as she fights in the war in place of her father and slowly fits in with the rest of the army. Countless different camera angles are used when showing mulan, but there are a few that stand out. This includes close ups showing her vulnerable expressions as she is faced by Shang, the leader of the army and then later on her determination to prove Shang wrong and show her strength as she climbs up a pole that reaches the clouds that only she managed to climb up to. In the first half, there are high angle shots to show her inferior as she continues to make mistakes but slowly become eye-level shots as she becomes stronger and Shang becomes a less superior and strict leader, rather a friend. Her costume tells a story as we see her in dresses in the beginning of the movie and how uncomfortable and uneasy she is, opposed to her wearing warrior clothing and she is at ease and doesn’t look uncomfortable as she progresses through the training. Mulan's interpretation is clear through director tools and only really changes from when she leaves home to meeting the army, unlike Shang, whose interpretation changed slowly as the movie progressed.
Character 2:
Shang: Shang is the confident leader of the group of men fighting against rebels invading China. He is undoubtedly the strongest and fiercest man and has authority over the soldiers. The high angle shots of him glaring down at Mulan and the others, his voice being loud and not wavering unlike Mulan and his clothes that also fit him well represent his superiority, strength and where he stands in front of everyone. In the mountain scene, where Mulan saves Shang, there is a close up shot of Shang's features turning less fierce as he tells Mulan he (she?) has Shang’s trust. The lightning is a bit brighter than usual as the directors show the significance of Shang putting his trust in a soldier under him who at first he saw as useless and weak. There are also a few extreme close ups in the last 10 minutes, showing his strong interpretation fall as he watches Mulan leave back home. The perspective the directors show of Shang changes, from a strict, mean and unapproachable leader to a kinder, trusting and nicer captain. As Mulan joins the team and she gets closer to the boys, we can see Shang slowly smiling more as she becomes stronger as the movie hints a love interest from Mulan to Shang and vice versa. At the end of the movie, an extreme close up of Shang's face shows the disappointed look as Mulan leaves and how he ends up following her.
Part 4: Assess the historical accuracy of your chosen film.
Mulan,(1988) displays a vivid portrayal of Ancient China majorly historically accurate but falters in few scenes. The narrative follows Mulan as she disguises herself as a man to take her father's place in the army, defending China against invading forces. While the film captures the essence of Mulan's courage and sacrifice, its historical accuracy is somewhat visible in certain scenes regarding aspects including gender roles, military norms, and cultural representations seen in Ancient Chinese war history during the Northern and Southern dynasties.
One major part of the movie Mulan is the armour representation and how historically accurate it is to real life. The movie seems to nail the depiction of how ancient armour in the Chinese troops was. Several statues have been found wearing heavy breastplates made of shell tied together and helmets made of bronze and often sported elaborate designs consisting of animal motifs. A specific example is an illustration of Mulan on a horse on the battlefield, made in 1837, based on how military was in the Northern Wei Dynasty and old stories. The animation manages to keep this look historically accurate throughout the movie, with little change to how the real life armour looks from what historians have found. We see this being shown in the majority of the film, representing the costume/armor of the troops accurately and the illustration of Mulan is seen in the fight seen against Shan Yu and his army which exhibits Mulan on her horse fighting. Overall, the depiction Disney shows of the military armour is historically accurate to what has been found over the centuries in ancient Chinese warfare and history.
The film displays a large amount of Chinese belief and culture, which Disney seems to show is historically accurate. The movie showcases the ancestors and ‘Guardians’ that look over descendants, in this case, Mulan. Multiple statues of Guardians have been discovered, one being a tomb guardian called Zhenmushou. The statue is from the late Northern Wei Dynasty and Mulan seems to spot on recreate the guardians in Mulan's family look just like the real life statues of them. Along with this, the film incorporates Chinese traditions with family, such as Mulan's relationship with her family and Chinese norms along with the pressure on honor and duty, which agree with historical norms. This is seen throughout the movie, in times such as war being a must for men which we see when army men come to Mulan's village, or how when Mulan comes back from war, we see her kneeling to her father, a sign of respect towards elders. All together, the cultural side of Chinese history seen in Mulan is pretty much spot on accurate to history.
As a work of fiction constructed on an ancient ballad - Ballad of Mulan - the animation film Mulan takes artistic independence to rearrange the story for a modern audience by adding a more supernatural role to the story. While the movie encapsulates the spirit of Mulan's strength and wit, it strays from the historical accuracy in its display of events and characters regarding the ballad. There are many differences between the movie and the song, but the major one that stands out is that the ballad has no mentions of any supernatural aspects, whereas the animation includes Mushu, ancestors and fantasies about other parts of Chinese beliefs such as the ancestors having such a strong hold of one's fate. The supernatural and how in general the film fails to be accurate to the ballad is the main way the movie can be stated as not historically accurate as the other aspects already spoken about are both on point. Despite these departures from the origin story, Mulan remains a touching exploration of the themes of supernatural and still heavily influenced on the ballad, although not completely historically accurate yet still incorporates the main idea of the song.
In conclusion, the 1988 film Mulan offers a captivating displayal of the legendary tale of Hua Mulan, although it strays from historical accuracy here and there. While the film takes inspiration from historical norms in its depiction of Chinese culture, beliefs/supernatural and military, it puts emphasis on Mulan's honor and strength within the context of Chinese history. Through its imaginative storytelling and spirited animation, Mulan rises above its historical setting to teach themes of bravery, loyalty, and resilience. Despite its fictionalized scenes , Mulan remains a loved classic that still inspires and relates with audiences worldwide.
abilenetx.gov. (n.a.). History of Mulan , Abilene, TX. [online] Available at: https://abilenetx.gov/1005/History-of-Mulan#:~:text=The%20first%20written%20record%20of.
Bolick, H.C. (n.a.). LibGuides: China Studies Primary Sources: Home. [online] guides.lib.unc.edu. Available at: https://guides.lib.unc.edu/china_primary.
Cartwright, M. (2017). Armour in Ancient Chinese Warfare. [online] World History Encyclopedia. Available at: https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1143/armour-in-ancient-chinese-warfare/.
Dorner, J. (2024). Library Guides: History: Asia: Primary Sources - East Asia. [online] guides.lib.berkeley.edu. Available at: https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/history/asia/ps_eastasia.
Museum, T.T. of the B. (2020). Mulan with a Horse. [online] World History Encyclopedia. Available at: https://www.worldhistory.org/image/12676/mulan-with-a-horse/ [Accessed 7 Apr. 2024]. reporters,
G. staff (2023). Over 300 Pottery Pieces Found in Northern Wei High official’s Tomb in Shanxi - Global Times. [online] www.globaltimes.cn. Available at: https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202305/1290500.shtml#:~:text=Over%20300%20 relics%2C%20 mainly%20 pottery [Accessed 7 Apr. 2024].
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, D. of A.A. (2019). Period of the Northern and Southern Dynasties (386–581). [online] Metmuseum.org. Available at: https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/nsdy/hd_nsdy.htm.