In class this past week we watched the Disney animation classic, Pocahontas. Although we were having fun cracking jokes about how wrong most of the movie got the story of Pocahontas wrong, what I thought to be great about the movie was the animation and the animation styles that were used. The style of animation that was chosen to be used for the movie reflected the overall feeling and “spirit” of Pocahontas.
Although extremely cheesy, the shots of the wind and the leaves flowing though the air and the hair of Pocahontas were beautiful. The patterns that were made looked completely organic and reflected what is believed to be the spirit of Native Americans. This organic feel can also be found during the “Colors of the Wind” sequence when Pocahontas and John Smith are discovering the land around them together. When they are “running the hidden pine trails of the forest,” the animation is very colorful and the looks of the forest are a little off, giving the impression that they are more like spirits running though the forest than actual people.
Another cool scene that uses this free flowing technique is when they are watching the spirits of the future in the fire in their main tent in the village and they are being issued their warning. The shapes and images that appear of the animals and different scenes in the smoke as it curls around everybody who is standing by the fire are animated very much in the style that you could imagine a spirit to appear in a fire, and it is probably my favorite piece of animation in the movie because of this style.
I commented on Myca Taylor’s blog and Kristina Wade’s blog
April 12, 2010 at 3:49 am |
I agree that the animators got the overall theme and emotion of free flowing spirituality. It’s rather sad that they couldn’t focus their efforts on her face or that the voice actors couldn’t give more personality or that the writers couldn’t be less stereotypical…I could go on, but my point being the few good shots got lost in the overwhelming amount of bad.
April 12, 2010 at 3:50 am |
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April 12, 2010 at 1:16 pm |
The animation in this was absolutely beautiful. While this use may have been stereotypical, artistically it worked. I hadn’t remembered this and was really captivated by it when we watched this in class. Great post!
April 14, 2010 at 1:50 am |
I agree with Emily, I really enjoyed the actual drawing of this movie. I especially loved the realistic look of the mountains, rivers and forests, the colors and use of shadow and light were truly mesmerizing. Yes, the movie itself was cheesy, but I also agree with it evoking the spirit of Native American people and how much more beautiful this country must have appreared before most of our ancestors came and ruined it all.
April 14, 2010 at 5:43 pm |
I agree, I especially liked the way nature was conveyed in this movie, especially the scenes that show grandmother Willow’s leaves hanging densely on the water. I loved the colors and imagery used in the song sequences, particularly in “colors of the wind.” In “Colors of the Wind,” there were great sequences of colors, movement, and wind. Great Post!
April 14, 2010 at 5:45 pm |
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May 6, 2010 at 4:37 am |
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