By Rachel Chiang | Assistant News Editor
They did it with “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” Twice.
The first time, it was so bad the world has collectively tried to erase it from their memory. The second time, despite being better cast and produced, they still failed to achieve the magic the original animated series had.
Over the last decade, Disney’s (and now DreamWorks) attempts to produce live-action versions of many of our favorite classic animated films have let fans down too many times. At first, they were exciting as we got to see our favorite princesses portrayed in real life while relating to them on a new level, but soon, it became obvious with each Disney film. They were running out of ideas.
A film doesn’t need to lose its animation to become mainstream or serious. Studios may feel like animation is for children and thus, with a live-action remake they can reach a more serious, wider, adult audience while also preying on their nostalgia.
Japan cracked the code decades ago. Anime in Japan fuels their culture and entertainment for years and for audiences of all ages. Studio Ghibli continues to release 2D animated films that reach a younger audience but still manage to touch on topics that leave older audiences pondering life.
The magic in their films isn’t accomplished by star-studded casts and complex CGI but in the simplicity of beautifully hand-drawn art and lovable characters tackling life’s simplest issues.
Even other Japanese animated films like “Perfect Blue” or “Akira” can have elements of psychological horror and sci-fi action that aren’t suitable for younger audiences, and yet these films are cherished and well-respected within the film industry.
Why? Because some things are simply better told through the mechanics of animation.
However, there is one more aspect that makes these animated films great — a great soundtrack.
Joe Hisaishi has been faithfully producing the soundtracks for each Studio Ghibli film for the past three decades, each soundtrack beautifully crafted to match the aesthetic and character of its film.
“Perfect Blue” utilizes its soundtrack to sell its story with its haunting theme that consistently plays over the main character’s gradual descent into madness.
Other studios have begun catching on. Sony’s animated “Spider-Man” movies and Riot Games’ “Arcane” series both feature specially produced soundtrack albums featuring major artists that add so much depth to their characters and plots.
Plus, both the series and movies have perfected the practice of utilizing different types of animation that don’t even feature the most cutting-edge 3D art. Certain scenes are intentionally choppily edited, shot in a slower frame rate and overlay different art styles to convey complex situations and characters.
With live-action remakes, you lose nearly all those elements.
Disney’s “The Lion King” is an unfortunate victim of this practice. The original film features great voice acting, Hans Zimmer’s musical brilliance and adorable animated characters. When they released a live-action remake of the original film, the animals’ expressions fell flat. Songs weren’t sung against brilliant vibrant colors with dancing animals. Audiences realized that some of these animals are not cute in real life.
Making an animated piece into a live-action doesn’t make it feel more adult, more serious, or ironically, more realistic. Oftentimes, it just reminds us that these aren’t real stories and could never occur in real life, as the CGI looks clunky and awkward.
The beauty of an animated film is its capacity to create scenery and art that feels limitless. Creating these worlds allows audiences to appreciate a well-told story and be immersed in a very clearly fictional world and escape the pressures of reality. You can still accomplish serious, grown-up films with animation if that’s what you are shooting for.
Animation is an art that needs to be protected and embraced. Some stories simply can only be told through animation. It requires a perfect blend of art and sound, and anything less would be an insult to its art and story. Sometimes you have to respect an original creation for how it was made and leave it at that.
