"Mulan" Fun Facts That Will Change How You Watch It

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3 days ago

"The greatest gift and honor is having you for a daughter." Too many people have slept on Mulan (1998) for far too long. I thought it'd be fun to share some fun facts about the classic Disney film. *takes off shirt*
Here are 21 Mulan facts that will make your mind as swift as a coursing river:
Mulan was no simple animated movie. It took about 700 animators, artists, and technicians to finish the film in five years. Safe to say, it was a movie worth fighting for, and simply needed the time to blossom.
If you know ancient Chinese, you will notice that the names of the animators who worked on the film are written on the temple stones when Mulan sings "Reflection."
Christina Aguilera released a pop version of "Reflection," which appears at the end credits of the movie. This song was actually her debut single — with "Genie in a Bottle" debuting a year later.
Everyone's favorite dragon doesn't seem to have many behind-the-scenes videos of studio recordings. That's because Mushu's voice actor Eddie Murphy opted to tape his lines for Mushu from the basement of his New Jersey mansion. Dishonor on your recording studio. Dishonor on your cow.
There are plenty of famous voices in the film, but I bet you didn't know two were incredibly important. Co-directors Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook were the firework operators who jumped off. What a cameo!
Mulan's dog, named "Little Brother," is actually a nod to one version of the Mulan legend. In that version, she had a younger brother who was to be enlisted in the military, but instead, Mulan went in his place.
Made in China? No. But it was the first Disney film to be animated in a Florida studio.
Field trip! In 1994, several members of the production team travelled to China and spent three weeks gathering information and sketching.
Although the way Mulan disarms Shan Yu seems overly cinematic, it is actually very doable. Tessenjetsu, the art of the Japanese war fan, was once widely practiced by samurai. It is something that appears in early Japanese legends.
It might sound hard to believe, but Mulan is the first Disney animated film to deal with warfare openly.
New tech was used for the film. Programs titled "Attila" and "Dynasty" (homages to the filming of Mulan) were both created to simulate thousands of independently moving individuals. This way, there was no need for animators to draw them in one by one. Think of it as an upgraded version of the stampede sequence from The Lion King.
Mulan marked Disney's first-ever DVD, released in November 1999. They'll be timeless...right?
Enter the DVD era, goodbye VHS era. Mulan was Walt Disney Animation Studios' last musical film to be released on VHS.
At the time, Mulan was one of only two Disney female characters to don trousers, the other being Jasmine from Aladdin (1992).
No song is sung by the characters after "A Girl Worth Fighting For" is cut off when they find the aftermath of the burned village. We do get that sweet "Be A Man" reprise, but no character is singing it.
Mulan, as a "singing musical," would be the last animated film as such until The Princess & the Frog in 2009. Other movies like Tarzan and Lilo & Stitch would feature music, but the characters weren't singing. That makes that "Girl with Fighting For" cut even more eerie.
The opening motion title card was created by simply applying watercolor to rice paper.
Ming-Na Wen, who voices the speaking role of Mulan, claims Mulan touches her hair a lot because it was a habit she had, so animators added it to the character as a quirk.
Lea Salonga, voice of Mulan, also provided the singing voice for Princess Jasmine in Aladdin (1992).
We were robbed of an extended version of "Reflection." It featured a second verse that would have added to the runtime of the film. Oh no, I say sarcastically. More Salonga is never a negative. Me:
And lastly, one for the road: Actor Joe Pesci was originally cast as Mushu. Safe to say Eddie Murphy was the right comedic choice for the character.
What is your favorite Mulan moment? Comment below!
Watch Mulan on Disney+.