It used to be that the Disney logo stood for magic and imagination. Now a days, those Mickey ears represent lifelessness. Although Disney, like any other corporation seeks to make a respectable profit, Disney is no longer able to provide the promise of substance. With nearly (nine!) live action Disney remakes considered or slated for the rest of the decade, Disney seems less occupied with the content of their product, and more focused on their tried and true money-making approach.
Growing up during Disney's Renaissance, I was always elated to see what new animated treasure Disney had to offer me. From The Little Mermaid to The Lion King, I marveled at how Disney always seemed to transcend my expectations. However, it looks as though after 77 years of releasing original feature films, Disney has finally surrendered from pioneering into the great unknown.
It's not difficult to understand the reasoning Disney has in making such lazy and unoriginal efforts. Recent Disney CGI-heavy remakes Alice and Wonderland, Maleficent and Cinderella have proven that this model can provide box office gold....but also poor reviews. (With the exception of Cinderella that is.)
I do understand the appeal of a live action remake from time to time. It's almost an ingenious scheme when you consider the wide audiences Disney can attract. For one thing, older viewers may want to relive their childhood by watching a reimagined take on their favorite Disney movies.
Yet, it seems rather presumptuous that all of these remakes are going to become as timeless as their animated counterparts. And does Disney really care? Not if you financially support each of these franchised titles....and statistically speaking, you most-likely will.
