MUSIC
Although Pocahontas was not nominated for Best Picture at either the 1996 Academy Awards or Golden Globes, it was nominated for Best Original Song-Motion Picture for “Colors of the Wind,” winning at both events, and for Best Music, Original Score, which it won at the Oscars (though not at the Golden Globes).
The team behind the music of Pocahontas was made up of Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz, the music and lyrics, respectively. Stephen Schwartz would go on to write the lyrics for The Hunchback of Notre Dame, The Prince of Egypt, Enchanted and also several musicals. These include Pippin, Godspell, and Wicked.
Just Around the River BendPhoto: Disney
There were some lyrics changed in later releases, particularly in the song “Savages,” where the settlers and the Native Americans sing about the other group, and how they are going to war. The main message is that the two groups fighting each other don’t know about each other and that the main way to peace was through understanding and learning about other cultures.
The music is catchy and drives the plot. According to some sources, the song “Colors of the Wind” was written first, which then influenced the way the entire story was told. It’s a song that is this still fairly popular today. Both the songs and the score fit well into the established world and the soundtrack is pretty lush and grand-sounding, which complements the animation.
Disney’s Pocahontas
Disney’s Pocahontas was released in 1995 and was supposedly based on the life of a Native-American woman named Pocahontas from the Powhatan tribe and her experiences with the English colonial settlers from the Virginia Company. The film revolves around and romanticizes Pocahontas’s encounter with John Smith and the legend of how she saved his life.
Pocahontas was directed by Mike Gabriel and Eric Goldberg (in his feature directorial debut) and produced by Jim Pentecost. The screenplay was written by Philip LaZebnik, Carl Binder, and Susannah Grant. voiced Pocahontas, and Mel Gibson voiced Smith. David Ogden Stiers, Russell Means, Christian Bale, Billy Connolly, and Linda Hunt were also part of the voice cast.
The film was produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. At the time of its release, the movie was the fourth highest-grossing film in North America in 1995. However, critically, the film received mixed reviews.
DOES IT HOLD UP?
Honestly, Pocahontas is still not one of my favorite Disney movies. I enjoy the music and the message of peace, and it is a gorgeous film, but I cannot get over the things that bother me. The original story could have been a fascinating film, and I wish that they stuck closer to that tale. Some people love it, some people hate it. For sheer artistry alone, I’d check it out. You might really like it.
For next week: The Hunchback of Notre Dame
If you enjoyed this post and the others in the Revisiting Disney series, and have found yourself wishing that you could find them all in one convenient and bound book with eight extra essays, there is an option for you! Check out A Journey Through Disney: My Look Back Through Disney Canon, now available on Amazon as both a Kindle book ($4.99) and a paperback ($11.99).
OTHER SOURCES:
http://www.powhatan.org/pocc.html
http://www.thepeoplehistory.com/1995.html
http://www.kidzworld.com/article/4255-1990s-timeline
Bailey, Adrian. Walt Disney’s World of Fantasy. Everest House Publishers. New York, New York. 1982.
Finch, Christopher. The Art of Walt Disney: From Mickey Mouse to the Magic Kingdom. Harry N. Abrams, Inc. New York, New York. 1975.
Johnston, Ollie and Frank Thomas. The Disney Villain. Hyperion. New York, New York. 1993.
Sale, Roger. Fairy Tales and After: From Snow White to E.B. White. Harvard University Press. Cambridge, MA, 1978.
Tatar, Maria. The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales. W.W. Norton and Company. New York and London, 2002.
Thomas, Bob. Disney’s Art of Animation From Mickey Mouse to Hercules. Hyperion. New York, New York. 1992.
Wright, Gordon. The Ordeal of Total War: 1939-1945. Harper Torchbooks, Harper & Row. New York, Hagerstown, San Francisco, and London, 1968.
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Would Disney Ever Make a Live-Action Pocahontas?
The honest answer from where we stand is no; Disney would not greenlight a live-action remake of this movie, especially in today’s environment. The original Native American account of Pocahontas, i.e., Matoaka, is well known, and Disney has already faced a lot of flack for their portrayal of Native Americans in Peter Pan—something they took steps to correct in Peter Pan and Wendy.
Add to this Disney’s treatment of similarly controversial movies like Song of the South and its permanent retheme of Splash Mountain, and the pieces fall into place.
It’s important to note that Disney hasn’t made any official announcements about this movie or officially responded to the petition; however, this writer will be very surprised if the Mouse House does, in fact, go for a live-action film of Pocahontas.
Dwayne Johnson / Credit: The Rock, YouTube
Fans Petition for a Live-Action Remake of Pocahontas
The movie Pocahontas has drawn a lot of criticism for its problematic portrayal of Native Americans and romanticization of a tragic story for the Powhatan tribe. Pocahontas is more well-known among the Native Americans as Mataoka, and she was captured and held for ransom by the English colonial settlers.
However, many don’t know the true story behind the film because the Disney-fication of the movie worked wonders. Now, some devoted fans have started a Change.org petition to get the Walt Disney Company to green light a live-action remake of the film, featuring Dwayne Johnson as Chief Powhatan, Sofia Crnilovic as Pocahontas, and more.
The petition has currently gotten over 200 signatures and is still live.
A still from Pocahontas / Credit: Disney
LESSONS LEARNED
The biggest lesson from Pocahontas, I think, is that we cannot judge people without getting to know them. The settlers and the Powhatan people did not understand each other, and the misunderstanding leads to conflict and fighting. We need to strive to understand people and work through conflict. Peace is ideal, and we should fight for it in all the ways we can.
Another major lesson is that we need to take care of the environment. It’s beautiful, and it’s what we have. We have a duty to keep it safe, and there are ways to live that don’t require the destruction of the planet.
Finally, greed is bad. That sounds like a simplistic way to phrase it, but greed sent Radcliffe to the New World and almost started a war. I mean, the film sugarcoats the historical ending, but the basic moral still stands. Greed blinds you to everything else, so don’t let it consume you.
Why did Pocahontas save John Smith’s life?
According to Smith, during this visit Pocahontas again saved his life by running through the woods that night to warn him her father intended to kill him. However, as in 1607, Smith’s life was not in danger.
Did John Smith marry Pocahontas?
John Smith Came to the Powhatan When Pocahontas Was about 9 or 10. According to Mattaponi oral history, little Matoaka was possibly about 10 years old when John Smith and English colonists arrived in Tsenacomoca in the spring of 1607. John Smith was about 27 years old. They were never married nor involved.
Who married Pocahontas in real life?
John Rolfem. 1614–1617
Why is Pocahontas famous?
Among the most famous women in early American history, Pocahontas is credited with having helped the struggling English settlers in Virginia survive in the early 1600s. She secured her place in American history when Captain John Smith was captured by Powhatan’s brother Opechancanough that winter. …
Is Pocahontas a hero?
Matoaka or Pocahontas is a great hero who deserves her story to be known. Matoaka or Pocahontas united the English and the Powhatan Indians. She created peace in the land. She risked being exiled from her land because she warned the English that her father was planning an attack.
What is an interesting fact about Pocahontas?
1: “Pocahontas” was not her birth name. Born around 1596, Pocahontas was the daughter of Chief Powhatan and named “Amonute.” She was called “Pocahontas,” which means “playful one,” due to her frolicsome and curious nature. History tells us she was one to seek out an adventure and roam the grounds of the Powhatans.
Is Powhatan a Native American tribe?
The Powhatan Indians were a group of Eastern Woodland Indians who occupied the coastal plain of Virginia. They were sometimes referred to as Algonquians because of the Algonquian language they spoke and because of their common culture.
Задержка выхода «Белоснежки» означает, что «Муфаса: Король Лев» — единственный игровой римейк 2024 года от Disney
Изначально Disney придерживалась аналогичной стратегии в своих ранних ремейках игровых фильмов, но в последние годы значительно увеличила объем производства. Только в 2023 году студия выпустила две экранизации: Питер Пэн и Венди и Русалочка. Учитывая, что выпуск Белоснежки изначально планировался на 2024 год, Disney была готова повторить тенденцию 2023 года, представив в 2024 году премьеру двух фильмов. Однако теперь, когда релиз Белоснежки дата подтверждена — 21 марта 2025 года, в 2024 году выйдет только один игровой ремейк, Муфаса: Король Лев.
Технически, Муфаса: Король Лев даже не является ремейком игрового фильма, поскольку является приквелом к фильму Король Лев 2019 года. В отличие от большинства экранизаций Диснея, таких как Красавица и чудовище, Книга джунглей, Король Лев и даже Белоснежка , Муфаса: Король Лев будет иметь совершенно невиданную ранее оригинальную сюжетную линию. В связи с этим можно с уверенностью сказать, что в 2024 году после переноса даты выхода Белоснежки новых ремейков мультфильмов Disney не выйдет.
Audience Reviews for Pocahontas
-
Apr 12, 2014
For the past two years, I’ve had a hankering to rewatch «Pocahontas» to see if my childhood love for it still stands, and despite its glaring historical inaccuracies with Pocahontas’s and John Smith’s love plot, boy does it truly hold up in terms of animation, score, and message.
People are all praising millennial Disney princesses for not wanting to get married (Merida, Elsa, Anna), but they forget that 90s Disney heroines could be strong while still having love interests too. Mulan didn’t want to get married at first; after fighting and winning the war, she sensibly invites Shang over for dinner. Pocahontas didn’t want to get married at first; she falls in love with a perceived enemy but ultimately chooses to stay with her tribe.
The bold hues and watercolor effects are still captivating; «Just Around the River Bend» and «Colors of the Wind» are still sweeping and mature orchestral masterpieces; and the themes of interpersonal peace, ecological sustainability, and cultural understanding are still relevant and moving. So freakin’ good!
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Show MoreSuper Reviewer
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Nov 26, 2012
One of the most powerful films in the Disney collection, Pocahontas suffers from a weak villain and some throw-away characters, but features raw emotions and tension, a haunting, beautiful score, and some of the best songs ever written for film.
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Sep 07, 2012
Pocahontas is one of the worst Disney films that I’ve seen. This was the end of an era as far as I’m concerned. The film was well drawn and had a good cast, but it just lacked the key ingredient that makes a Disney film so special. This film just feels like it was rushed and it just doesn’t have anything memorable about. I really liked The Lion King, but this was such a disappointment. For me, it ranks as one of the most boring, uninspired Disney films. This could have been far better, but it failed to entertain me. This film feels uninspired and by Disney standards, it’s a shame that they couldn’t make a better film than this. This is a clichéd film that just doesn’t succeed at pulling off what it tries to do. There are so many great Disney films, but Pocahontas just feels like the filmmakers took the easy way out by rehashing the same old ideas that have made Disney a brand name. By this point, you could tell that animated features were no longer the studios strong point, and as a result they would start to venture into more live action films. The Lion was a great film, this one, not at all, and then there was The Hunchback of Notre Dame, a decent flick, but nothing good or great. This film had potential in being a great little flick, unfortunately, it fails. If you want a terrific film about Pocahontas, watch The New World.
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Show MoreSuper Reviewer
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Apr 25, 2012
All the negativity that this movie is given is far beyond me. I thought it was a great film, and I liked it for what it is. Of course it wasn’t historically accuate, but who cares. This is only a disney movie that people in all ages will enjoy. All the songs were astonishing and meaningful as well. Loved it when I was a kid, and still do in this day and age.
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The 1990’s
1995 was the year of the OJ Simpson Trial, the Oklahoma City Bombing, the beginning of sanctions against Iran, the execution of writer/activist Ken Saro-Wiwa in Nigeria, and an earthquake in Japan that killed almost 6,500 people.
It was also the time Syria and Israel sat down for peace talks, that the United Nations intervened in the Bosnian Civil War to negotiate a cease-fire (a treaty would be signed), and that the United States Space Shuttle (Atlantis) docked with the Russian Space Station (Mir). There were more negative things reported in 1995 than good ones, of course (some of which I didn’t mention), but there were good things.
Pocahontas and John SmithPhoto: Disney
I wonder if that was part of the reason that Pocahontas didn’t do as well as expected; maybe it was too real, in some ways. The ending is less happy than you are looking for in an escapist film and it deals with some really tough issues.
I think that’s why some people like Pocahontas so much too, it may be Disneyfied history, but it is a story based on our own history. In a time when so many negative things are happening, it is always comforting to look to giants of our past, people who we can look to for inspiration. There is also a major focus on the importance of peace, and that, I think, was a major part of what also draws people in; in the chaos and bloodshed, peace can be achieved.
SOURCE MATERIAL
The thing that always bothers me about the film is the historical inaccuracy. I know it’s an animated film, but when you tell me that a film is based on a true story and tightly tied to history, I tend to expect a lot of it.
Pocahontas is based on the life of a real woman who was the daughter of the paramount chief of the Powhatan Chiefdom. According to the research done by the National Park Service at Jamestown, she was born in about 1596 and named Amonute, Pocahontas being her nickname (it means “playful one”).
The settlers arrived in Jamestown in May of 1607, and soon after, Captain John Smith was captured by Pocahontas’ uncle and brought to the capital of the Powhatan Chiefdom. There, according to John Smith, he was brought to Chief Powhatan and placed with his head on two large stones. Then, a warrior raised his club to smash Smith’s brains in; before this could happen, however, Pocahontas rushed in and laid her head on his, which stopped the execution.
This part of the story of Pocahontas is drawn mostly from the recollections of Captain John Smith, who wrote his account 17 years after the events that occurred, and while the story is captivating, it does make you wonder how accurate it is.
Of course, there are theories that this was part of an adoption ceremony, and that Smith was never actually in danger, which would make sense. However, Chief Roy Crazy Horse of the Powhatan Renape Nation points out that John Smith never actually wrote about Pocahontas until after her death, when she was famous in both the colonies and in London.
Chief Roy Crazy Horse points out that out the Powhatan Nation complained to Disney about the film, saying that it “distorts history beyond recognition,” and he then outlines the life of Pocahontas in a very clear and concise manner. He points out that she had actually been a young girl when John Smith was in Jamestown, not a young woman like she was in the film.
Pocahontas also had a much more tragic life in history. She was seen as an important member of her tribe, as her father’s favorite daughter, often sent out as part of negotiations between her people and the settlers. However, as relationships between the two groups got worse with the settlers demanding more and more food, Pocahontas would be kidnapped by the settlers to force her father to negotiate. She had been in Jamestown on a social call, and then treacherously captured.
While in captivity, Pocahontas married an English widower, John Rolfe (her earlier marriage to Kocoum, a man back home, ended then). Her father agreed to the match, and in 1614, Pocahontas converted to Christianity. She changed her name to Rebecca, and their marriage brought about a peace in the region.
Traveling to England in 1616, Pocahontas and her family traveled to England to represent the colony, taking with them about a dozen Powhatan men and women with them. The family would move to the country, where Pocahontas would cross paths with John Smith again though according to accounts it was not a friendly meeting.
Pocahontas would die in March 1617 when the family was heading back to Virginia. Historians aren’t sure if she died of dysentery or of pneumonia, but it was sad regardless. She never saw her home again, though her descendants are still living today.
The story of Pocahontas is one that is not one that is typically associated with Disney films. To try to balance the tragedy and gravity of the historical situation, Disney used less comedy than they typically do, so “the ratio of comedy to drama was set at 1:3, a reversal of the usual Disney formula,” (Thomas 1992: 148). Despite the attempt to seriously honor a fascinating woman, Disney’s Pocahontas turned a tragic tale into an early American Romeo and Juliet, offending many people.
В старые мультфильмы «вшито» специальное обращение к зрителям
Стриминговый сервис Disney+ запустился 12 ноября, и до этого дня было неизвестно, вырежет ли компания «устаревшие культурные образы» из своих мультфильмов. В итоге студия Disney решила оставить мультфильмы нетронутыми, но, по примеру Warner Bros., предупредить зрителей о наличии оскорбительных эпизодов.
Мы оскорбим ваши чувства: Disney заранее извинился за «культурные стереотипы» в старых мультфильмах
«Леди и Бродяга», «Коты-аристократы», «Чип и Дейл»
Сиамские кошки в мультфильмах Disney считаются стереотипным расистским представлением об азиатах. Они злобные, с раскосыми глазами и мелкими клыками, а разговаривают со странным акцентом, напоминающим китайский. В «Леди и Бродяге» кошки исполняют песню, в которой говорится, что они приплыли из Сиама, и задержатся в этом доме, если он им понравится. Этот трек Disney пришлось исключить из ремейка 2019 года. Текст песни связывают с послевоенной ксенофобией в США – кошки предстают в образе двуличных и злобных героев, «заморских гостей», которых приютила американская тётушка. В мультфильме «Коты-аристократы» сиамский кот играет на барабанах и на пианино с помощью китайских палочек для еды, а ещё надевает на голову барабанную тарелку, напоминающую азиатскую шляпу. В мультсериале «Чип и Дейл» банда из кошек-двойняшек ведёт нелегальный игорный бизнес под прикрытием прачечной, а ещё они носят традиционные восточные костюмы. Как и в «Леди и Бродяге», коты похожи друг на друга, как две капли воды. Песня из мультфильма «Леди и Бродяга»:
Песня из мультфильма «Коты-аристократы»
Кошки из мультфильма «Чип и Дейл», Disney
«Питер Пэн»
Во время путешествия в Нетландию Питер Пэн вместе с Венди и Джоном посещает племя индейцев, их вождя и его прекрасную дочь, Тигровую Лилию. Индейцы курят «трубку мира», стереотипно танцуют и поют, рассказывая историю своего народа. На вопрос ребёнка о том, что делает краснокожих красными, вождь отвечает, что однажды индейский принц поцеловал девушку и покраснел – с тех пор их народ постоянно краснеет. Песню индейцев из «Питера Пэна» часто сравнивают с песней «Все дикие» из мультфильма «Покахонтас» – только последняя была написана такой намеренно, чтобы подчеркнуть, что расизм – это неправильно. Песня из мультфильма «Питер Пэн»
«Дамбо»
Среди героев мультфильма 1941 года – вороны, воплощающие все возможные стереотипы об афроамериканцах. Одну из ворон зовут Джим, что напрямую отсылает к Джиму Кроу и негласному названию законов о расовой сегрегации. В Америке двадцатого века это имя было нарицательным – так звали комического персонажа, бедного и неграмотного чернокожего. Работники цирка, в котором живёт Дамбо, – обезличенные (буквально) темнокожие. В своей песне они рассказывают, что работают до изнеможения и днём, и ночью, не умеют читать и писать, не знают, когда получат зарплату – и при этом счастливы. Песни из мультфильма «Дамбо»
Ворон из мультфильма, Disney
Оригинальный Джим Кроу
«Книга джунглей»
В оригинальной версии мультфильма орангутан король Луи, а вместе с ним и все его подданные-обезьяны, поют джаз – традиционную афроамериканскую музыку – и говорят с соответствующим акцентом. И хотя короля обезьян озвучивал Луи Прима, певец итальянского происхождения, его голос в сочетании с низкими нотами вокальных импровизаций напоминает голос темнокожего. При этом орангутан поёт, что «хочет стать человеком». Песня из мультфильма «Книга джунглей»
Мария Макарова
Леди и бродяга,
Коты-аристократы,
Дамбо,
Книга джунглей,
Питер Пэн,
Чип и Дейл
Новинка
Почему Disney отложила выпуск двух больших фильмов марта 2024 года «Элио и Белоснежка»
Белоснежка и Элио были одними из крупнейших запланированных релизов Диснея на 2024 год. Однако выход этих двух фильмов был перенесен на 2025 год, в первую очередь в ответ на продолжающийся SAG-AFTRA. забастовка рабочих. Поскольку в забастовке приняли участие многие известные звезды и артисты, у продюсеров не было другого выбора, кроме как остановить всю закулисную деятельность таких крупных проектов, как Белоснежка и Элио. Задержки в съемках и производстве в будущем нарушили закулисную логистику и, возможно, даже привели к увеличению расходов таких студий, как Disney. В любом случае Дисней столкнулся с негативной реакцией из-за выбора актеров и потенциального развития сюжета Белоснежки.
Задержки, возможно, помогли студии исправить свои ошибки, учитывая, что некоторые серьезные изменения в компьютерной графике были внесены в семь гномов Белоснежки после того, как их первоначально критиковали за отклонение от их изображения в оригинальной сказке. Однако исправление может быть не столько следствием задержки, сколько домино, которое вынудило студию перенести дату выпуска Белоснежки. Расширенное производство таких фильмов, как Белоснежка и Элио , вероятно, приведет к увеличению расходов студии на маркетинг и распространение. В связи с этим для Disney имеет смысл еще больше отложить даты выпуска и доработать их таким образом, чтобы в конечном итоге они оказались прибыльными после выпуска.
What obstacles did Pocahontas face?
Some of Pocahontas’ personality traits are: she was very brave, she was a playful little girl, she was very adaptable, she was loveable, and she was very curious. Pocahontas and James Rolfe. Her biggest obstacle was to try to get the Native Americans and the colonists to be friends.
Was Pocahontas beautiful?
John Smith, an early leader in Jamestown, described her as beautiful in “feature, countenance, and proportion” and filled with “wit and spirit.” But contrary to her depiction in films by Disney and others, Pocahontas wasn’t a busty teenager when the English encountered her.
What language is spoken in Pocahontas?
English
ANIMATION
In his book on animation, Bob Thomas called Pocahontas the Disney film that highlights natural elegance. The animators who worked on the film went to Jamestown and the Shenandoah Valley to see where the historic events had taken place so that they could best translate the landscape to film.
Thomas reports that the animators were “struck by the very strong verticals and horizontals in the region,” as well as trying to “present the world in a way that was kind of enchanted…so special, so delicate, so wonderful that it would be a shame if something happened to it” (Thomas 1992: 145). This comes across in the backgrounds, which are very realistic in many places. It’s the kind of art you can hang on your wall.
Strange CloudsPhoto: Disney
An interesting thing about Pocahontas is that the Art Director, Michael Giaimo, also used color to portray the emotion of the scene. The lack of color shows sadness while the use of bright red shows anger and violence.
Glen Keane, who had animated the Beast in Beauty and the Beast, animated Pocahontas, which Bob Thomas calls a “different kind of challenge,” as she had to be realistic looking (Thomas 1992: 146). Since the style of the film was more realistic, the characters had to be able to portray the emotions they are feeling.
Pocahontas, then, was a challenge to draw, not only because humans are very challenging, but also because she was often silent. Despite that, we still knew what she was thinking. The team remembers that Keane had looked at lots of photos of Native American women to try to make sure that Pocahontas did look Native American.
PocahontasPhoto: Disney
According to Thomas, the animation required a lot of draftsmanship, because the lines were so crisp and the animation is so realistic. Honestly, any complaint that I have about this movie is not related to the beautiful and very human animation, it’s related to the story (and the way it relates to the source material).
Задержка Элио в Disney может быть связана с новой стратегией Pixar
«Элементаль» стал успешным, когда вышел в потоковом режиме, но его первоначальные неутешительные кассовые сборы вызвали беспокойство у Pixar
Рассказывая об уроках студии, извлеченных из кассовых сборов Elemental, и их потенциальных стратегиях в будущем, креативный директор Pixar Пит Доктер сообщил (через The New York Times), что они внимательно изучают истории, которые они хотят рассказать, и удваивают внимание «к тому, что позволило говорить с аудиторией с самого начала». Поскольку Пит Доктер вдохновитель нескольких известных проектов Pixar, таких как Up и Inside Out, его заявления о переоценке Pixar своих стратегий подтверждают, что к Элио не будет относиться так же, как к Элементаль
На самом деле, задержка даты выхода «Элио» может быть во многом связана с тем, что Pixar переосмысливает подход к рассказыванию историй и продвижению своих фильмов в массы. Одной из основных причин, по которой фильм «Элементаль» не имел кассовых сборов, был плохой маркетинг. Хотя реклама и рекламные материалы изображали его как фильм о четырех элементах, живущих вместе в одном городе, он больше фокусировался на темах иммиграции и истории любви в стиле Ромео и Джульетты. Задерживая Элио, Pixar, возможно, планирует разработать новую маркетинговую стратегию, которая не повторит ошибок Elemental.
BACKGROUND OF POCAHONTAS
Released on June 23rd, 1995, Pocahontas captured the attention and imagination of young people everywhere. I was one of those children, drawn into the story, admiring the brave Princess, and singing along to the wonderful music which became a staple of show choirs throughout the ’90’s and early 2000’s.
Then, one day, I learned that it was based on a true story. At first, this didn’t bother me, but after I began to research this source material and really dive into it, I began to notice differences. Not just small ones, but major and jarring ones. This really bothered my young historian-in-training soul, and still kind of bother me when I rewatch Pocahontas today.
Pocahontas and John SmithPhoto: Disney
Made around the same time as The Lion King, Pocahontas was supposed to be a more prestigious film. In the “Making Of” features for The Lion King, the animators call the team who worked on Pocahontas the “A Team,” and remember how a lot of animators were jumping ship, in some ways to get off of The Lion King and onto Pocahontas. Although Pocahontas did not make as much as The Lion King and is not regarded as that film, it did make money. Regardless of that, however, and no matter how I feel about its historical accuracy (or lack thereof), the story of Pocahontas is fascinating.
The idea for a movie based on this story was pitched back in 1991 and is based on the story of Pocahontas and the early settlers at Jamestown in Virginia. We’ll come back to that in the “Source Material” section, but I did want to mention it here. The film took a bit of time to develop, mostly because of the attention to detail and the desire to make the film look as realistic as possible. Honestly, however I may feel about it personally, there is no denying that it is a gorgeous film. And it was a success; the film went on to make “over 100 million in domestic gross,” (Thomas 1992: 148).