Comments
Posted by Stella on April 12, 2002 6:31 PM:
Here's as much as I've heard about the movie:
1) One of the most important lessons, according to the script, is about "ohana." (Actually a nice one, considering that Stitch is a dog from outer space. Ever notice that the promos are mostly about Stitch?)
2) Lilo is an Elvis fan - ergo the presence of Elvis songs in the soundtrack. But she does play ukulele.
3) No Waiks, thank God. (That we leave to the ER episode we've been talking about since last week.) From what I've seen of the animation stills in the press though, the setting is basically a sleepy beach-side island town.
Personally, I'm expecting this to be pure fantasy all the way, which I don't mind at all. We're talking about a cartoon about a dog from outer space, for crying out loud, so let's not take it up to task for presenting anything unrealistic. If this was live action (ahem, Pearl Harbor) I'd be a little more bothered.
BTW, this isn't exactly the first time Hawaii figured as a setting AND plot point in a major cartoon. Anyone remember that episode of The Simpsons where Homer and Bart end up in Kalaupapa? Apparently it was written by someone who was born and raised here...
Posted by Ryan on April 12, 2002 6:47 PM:
Kalaupapa? The Simpsons? Yow! I've never seen that one. Sounds like either something insanely great, or horribly wince-worthy.
I've been tracking Lilo and Stitch since last year - or earlier (a friend of mine is a Disneyphile and islander, and just about exploded when it first came up on the 'film snoop' radar). I've resigned to expect a fair amount of cheesy Hawaii-esque "camp" (especially given the Elvis soundtrack), but on the other hand, I don't hold it to as high a standard as other starring-Hawaii movies given that it's pure fantasy.
And from what I've read, they tried hard for authenticity and appropriate representation of Hawaiian culture and principles... even if they bungle it badly. One thing's for certain: after this movie, yet another word — `ohana — will enter the Western vocabulary. (Albeit, I guess, without the `okina!)
Posted by Ryan on April 12, 2002 6:54 PM:
Linkies:
Disney's Lilo & Stitch (Official Site)
Official Trailers (Apple.Com)
Upcomingmovies.com ('film snoop' site)
Yahoo! Movies (trailers and stills)
And oh my god, those trailers are hilarious. I agree, Disney is playing a very unusual card with this film. The buzz was that it's a "weird" film, by any standard, but especially Disney... and from their marketing angle alone, that seems to be the case.
(The sites noted these trailers tied to Monsters, Inc. and Ice Age but I never saw them!)
Now I'm trying to hack the various streaming media protocols to save those things to my hard drive...
Posted by Stella on April 12, 2002 8:22 PM:
My favorite Lilo and Stitch trailer involves Stitch crashing in on Belle and The Beast during their grand waltz scene while Angela Lansbury sings the love theme from Beauty and the Beast. Hilarious.
I keep forgetting about the plot of that particular Simpsons episode, but what I do remember is that Kalaupapa doesn't figure until the last few minutes - in which Homer and Bart suspect that they've contracted Hansen's disease and they're sent there (or did they send themselves there? again, my memory's not great) for isolation therapy. In the end, the title card says that the episode is dedicated to the real residents of Kalaupapa.
(Part of me thinks that, if they really wanted to be super-ironic, they would've had Iz's version of "Over The Rainbow" playing in the end credits. Which they didn't.)
Speaking of weirdness and camp: Did anyone notice that SpongeBob SquarePants has been toying around with some distinctly "Hawaiian" tiki-culture motifs, as well?
Posted by Ryan on April 12, 2002 9:01 PM:
Didn't have to hack! Found a site archiving the trailers in easily downloadable (right click!) ultra-high-bandwidth large-format stereo QuickTime versions. (Drool.) Grab them while you can - they're worth the download.
And now Jen and I (at Katie's urging) have watched those four trailers — Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, and the full-length Lion King variations - over and over again. Jen's favorite is The Little Mermaid (Ariel is wiped out by a wave). I like the Aladdin one (Jasmine gets a cooler ride) best.
I just can't get over how un-Disney this stuff is. Back in Black and Freebird and Burnin' Love? And when did they get a self-mocking sense of humor? (And, I wonder what do the writers and artists of those other movies think about their characters being revived for this promotional campaign?)
Like most armchair reviewers, we're already assigning movie-worth points, based solely on the trailers.
Good points: The Hawaiian characters actually look Hawaiian (and not just Ariel with a tan), the hula dancers are more Merrie Monarch than Sports Illustrated, the apparently authentic look to the setting (Haleiwa-like town, Waimea Valley-like mountains), the attempt at pidgin, and again the Hawaiian `ohana thing. Bad points? Jen dings 'em for using Tia Carerra again as the quintessential "ethnic female" voice.
`Ohana. We're going to be trendy again. It'll be like the 50s revisited.
Posted by Vivi on April 12, 2002 9:11 PM:
Yes, the Simpsons went to Kalaupapa. Here's an article about the writer of the epsiode.
I really am looking forward to Lilo and Stitch! Isn't this the first animated movie set entirely in Hawai'i? As far as I know, Lilo lives only with her older sister (voiced by Tia Carerre). So, the concept of "hanai" might play a big part in the film...
Posted by Bill on April 13, 2002 4:49 AM:
I saw one of the trailers in front of the E.T. reissue. Very funny, and one of the lines is still with me. It's Lilo saying "Mom, you said ohana means family, and family means never leaving anyone behind." I think this was a voiceover as Stitch is about to be captured by some other aliens. Anyone know when this is due to be released?
Posted by Bill on April 13, 2002 7:01 AM:
I really need to follow links before I talk. The trailer I saw was the full-length Lion King one, available on the download page that Ryan linked to. And I see I muddled up the quote. That's what you get for quoting from memory.
Posted by Ryan on April 13, 2002 7:58 AM:
Lilo & Stitch is due June 21. (And though I can't believe it, I'll have another little one in the family by that time.) And that's okay, Bill... I thought you got the quote right, actually.
Posted by Stella on April 13, 2002 9:18 AM:
Going back to the "ethnic voice" thing... I've noticed that, too. Mulan had both Ming-Na Wen (as the speaking Mulan) and Lea Salonga (as Mulan's singing voice; if I can recall, she was also the singing voice of either Pocahontas or Princess Jasmine)... this caused some confusion with a few Pinoys, or at least my parents, whenever Ming-Na would be introduced as "the voice of Mulan."
(Miss Salonga is now appearing in a revival of Flower Drum Song in New York, and a reviewer actually compared her to "the perfect Disney heroine.")
I'd guess that Tia Carrere got the job because she could handle the Pidgin accent best, especially since she's from here.
Speaking of Hawaii-born Filipinos working in animation: Nickelodeon's Rocket Power, with Andy Bumatai.
Posted by Cheyne on April 13, 2002 10:17 AM:
Wow. Thanks all for the great stuff on Lilo and Stitch. I agree that the trailers are hilarious and does seem odd for Disney to be poking fun at their selves...hmn.
Stella, I did notice the Hawaiian-esque motif in Spongebob when I first saw it -- I love spongebob! It's pure camp and hopefully Lilo and Stitch will have that same type of humor.
I wonder if there'll be any cameos in the film by old Disney characters? Hmn.
Posted by Stella on April 13, 2002 1:54 PM:
This one's for you, Cheyne: an LA Times story on SpongeBob and the accompanying comments from MetaFilter.
Quoth the Times: "The cartoon's colors are quasi-Hawaiian, but not jarringly so. The music is likewise--island sounds mixed with old-fashioned sea ditties, tunes reminiscent of the Beach Boys, country, even diluted heavy metal." And after watching two episodes back to back this morning, I couldn't help but notice anything Hawaii-related (at least from the tiki area in the '50s) in that program, like the big hibiscus prints in the background and the occasional ukulele track.
Whooooooo... lives in a pineapple under the sea? SpongeBob SquarePants!
Posted by Jon on April 13, 2002 5:49 PM:
"Come on, don't take that away from us. At least give us that." -- A film producer from New York City when told Hawaii isn't just puka shells and grass shacks.
Posted by NemesisVex on April 15, 2002 4:42 AM:
Dammit, Jon, I was going to say something to that effect. :)
I think the HCVB has a lot invested in making sure movie-going audiences perceive Hawai´i as a "fantasy island", nor do I think people in the 48 contiguous states want to see Hawai´i as anything else.
I try to explain to Mainlanders that visiting Hawai´i and living there are two different concepts altogether. Nobody wants to listen. They think of the beaches, and that's where it stops.
So, uh, who wants to start writing Hawaii's version of Slacker (the 1990 indie film parodied on the Simpsons episode "22 Short Films About Springfield", not to be confused with the 2001 big studio atrocity Slackers)?
Posted by Zlia on June 2, 2002 12:10 PM:
I wonder what the words are to the song that the children sing. does anybody know?
Posted by amanda on June 7, 2002 7:48 PM:
10 more days till lilo & stitch comes out in theaters i'm so excited.
Posted by Ryan on June 10, 2002 5:38 PM:
I'm on the lookout, Zlia. I know the Kamehameha Schools Choir performed the Hawaiian pieces, meaning there's got to be sheet music floating around somewhere, but...
The official soundtrack is out today, at least. Anyone with $17 and a good ear to spare?
Posted by NemesisVex on June 10, 2002 8:38 PM:
I don't remember stocking any today at work. Mebbe tomorrow -- new releases tend to hit stores on Tuesdays. Unless you Eminem.
Posted by NemesisVex on June 10, 2002 8:39 PM:
Crap. Misspelled my own damn link.
Posted by Ryan on June 10, 2002 9:39 PM:
Found it. Encoded it. Posted it.
They sing a bit too fast for me to even consider attempting to transcribe the lyrics just yet.
By the by, there's another song on the soundtrack, "He Mele No Lilo," that I suspect is a bit more traditional sounding.
Posted by Lpershing on June 12, 2002 4:54 PM:
I've been watching the previews for Lilo & Stitch and wondering if Disney has done any better this round in representing indigenous people. Is this another commercial rip-off? any thoughts on why they decided to use a female lead character? What do you think about the way the Hawaiians are drawn?
Posted by meri on June 12, 2002 5:27 PM:
Heh. I've always thought that Disney had two female leads. The blonde (Ariel, etc.) and the brunette (Mulan, Belle, etc.). You can change the skin hues as necessary (pale for Belle, olive for Mulan, dark for Pocohontas), but they all look more or less the same. My brain is siezing (day two of massive allergy attack), but doesn't the older Hawaiian girl look an awful lot like Pocohontas? Or am I just imagining things?
Posted by Ryan on June 12, 2002 10:40 PM:
I never noticed the Pocahontas similarity until you mentioned it. I do think - so far, sight unseen - that Disney is going a little further than before in representation. Lilo especially, as well as her family, definitely exhibit more 'roundness' than I would've given them credit for (note the nose). They ain't "Snow White with Darker Paint," that's for sure.
I think they love female leads lately, which is interesting. (Conventional wisdom in marketing says that while girls and boys like boy leads, boys aren't as likely to identify with girl leads.) More notably, if I recall correctly, Lilo is one in a series of "non-traditional family" characters. "Lilo" is supposed to mean "lost," and I believe her character is adopted. She has a mother figure but no resident father (not sure of how Jason Scott Lee's character fits in). Thus the 'ohana theme, and by adding an alien to the "family," the message takes shape.
Posted by Steve Haverda on June 16, 2002 7:54 PM:
SAW IT!!!!!!! Well, just saw it this morning on a sneak peek & it was GREAT! W/O give too much away lemme just say a few words. Hawaii looks great! Their is a town & its functioning like any normal low-tech based town would. Different beach scenes. Get the view of the island as a whole, not just one section. Ya dont see this huge family base (this i think stays true to the MAJORITY of Disney cartoons, where its always some sort of broken family. Lilo's is REALLY broken), & as a final word, ITS GREAT!!!!!! A good movie with the GREAT element of the King in it ;-) Also though, as you may notice it IS a PG cartoon, outside of the normal Disney toons. & seeing it ya can tell. Its great but not truely a kiddie movie like the others. More for i would say the 7-12 yr olds. Not just cuza the rating but for the content. I see why Disney did something they never have & put other cartoon char in the previews for Stitch. They wanted to draw fans of others whom may be scared off by the sci-fi OR PG properties. Overall, worth the $ spent & a GREAT plug for a beautiful yet home styled Hawaii!
Posted by Tom on June 17, 2002 10:28 PM:
And Hawaii has to pay Disney 1.7 million for what?
Posted by Ryan on June 18, 2002 12:48 AM:
A guess here, but probably to further develop the Hawaii setting and Hawaiian themes in the plot, rather than dropping Stitch in Kansas (the original concept).
Not the best expenditure of taxpayer money, perhaps, but it sure beats the "Hawaiian Punch" funny car.
Frankly, I have modest hopes for Hawaii's perceived level of coolness following this release. Even though "Lilo and Stitch" isn't a typical Disney 'toon. We probably won't reach the level of pop-culture love as we did in the '50s and '60s, but still...
Posted by Ryan on June 18, 2002 7:30 AM:
The Honolulu Star-Bulletin put out some stories on the Hollywood premiere of "Lilo and Stitch" yesterday. The piece on Carerra and Lee was quite illustrative of their respective personalities.
The invitation-only Waikiki premiere is tonight. The movie opens on Friday. By that point, we'll probably need a new "Did you see Lilo?" thread to discuss the film itself.
Posted by Stella on June 19, 2002 8:34 AM:
Heh. I'm listening to Oldies 107.9 right now. And guess what? Jayne Pasqual just mixed up Jason Scott Lee with Jason Lee.
Well, Jayne, I obviously can't see why you would cast a haole professional skateboarder to play a Native Hawaiian surfer...
(It's the worst since Diane Ako referred to Anthony Edwards' character in ER as "Michael" Greene. But, eh, sorry to point out the minutiae, eh? Aiyah. Must. Get. Caffeine.)
Posted by NemesisVex on June 19, 2002 8:31 PM:
Mebbe I'll wait till the Powerpuff Girls movie comes out and do an animated double feature with Lilo and Stitch the way I paired up Changing Lanes and The Sum of All Fears for a Ben Affleck double feature.
Posted by meri on June 21, 2002 3:46 PM:
Just got home from Lilo and Stitch, and I've got to say, I approve! Being surrounded by a theater full of wiggly children didn't even distract me from the movie. I loved it.
Have I mentioned I'm actually 9 years old?
Posted by Ryan on June 21, 2002 9:32 PM:
Ahoy! Now that it's out and folks are pouring into theaters, there's a new Lilo & Stitch thread. Click here to read it and share your thoughts!
Posted by Hicks on June 23, 2002 2:51 PM:
Did anyone see Dumbo on Lilo's easel or Mulan as a poster in Nani's room (when Lilo shows Nani Stitch's ability to play records)??
Posted by meri on June 23, 2002 3:45 PM:
Wasn't one of the shops in the movie also named "Mulan [something]"?
Posted by Ryan on June 23, 2002 9:36 PM:
Mulan Wok.
New thread! New thread!
Posted by Stefani on July 24, 2002 12:36 PM:
The movie was great everyone! It was worth it!
Posted by Stefani on July 24, 2002 12:36 PM:
The movie was great everyone! It was worth it!
Posted by Stefani on July 24, 2002 12:36 PM:
The movie was great everyone! It was worth it!
Posted by bob on July 24, 2002 12:37 PM:
It was a great movie everyone! It was worth it!
Posted by Amanda on September 23, 2002 1:58 PM:
this movie is so cute and my 2 fave charaters is jumba and pleakley well i kinda like jumba best cause he's so cute.
Posted by macpro on September 24, 2002 7:49 PM:
FYI: Lilo & Stitch is being released to home video (DVD / VHS) on December 3.
It's the best Disney movie I've seen in a long time.
Posted by helen on September 24, 2002 8:03 PM:
Prefect for Christmas!
Posted by angela on March 27, 2003 4:23 PM:
does anyone know what the lyrics are to "he mele no lilo" in english? just curious!
Posted by Glen Miyashiro on March 27, 2003 9:04 PM:
Look here for complete lyrics in Hawaiian and English.
Posted by Lavarock on August 6, 2006 11:04 PM:
lol, my class sang "Hawaiian Roller Coaster Ride" in Hawaiian for our school's song contest.
Aloha e, aloha e, ano ai ke aloha e...
Hele hele mai kakou e!
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