Some good news for a gloomy winter; Disney are planning a live action movie version of Lilo and Stitch. What’s that, you’re underwhelmed? That can only be because you haven’t yet seen the original 2002 animated film by Chris Sanders and Dean DeBlois, who went on to create How To Train Your Dragon. It’s worth remembering that back in 2002, kids films were for kids, Pixar was still establishing itself, and Dreamworks production Shrek was still in cinemas, breaking taboos about what kind of audience a family film might expect. Lilo and Stitch was ahead of the curve in several ways; it’s socially aware, totally woke to gender issues, and skips the sexism, racism and pretty much any kind of –ism in favour of fun, laughter and a genial sense of humour.
Lilo is a Hawaiian girl of six years old, orphaned after a car accident and brought up by her sister. She loves her island paradise, which abruptly becomes the centre of an intergalactic conflict when Stich arrives; otherwise known as Experiment 626, Stich can just about pass for a dog, even though his blue pallor and multiple sets of teeth suggest something else. Stich is an alien, much in the vein of Ridley Scott’s, a mutation deliberately created to cause utter chaos. Lilo adopts Stich on the understanding that he is a rather strange dog, but she sticks by him as part of an expanded family unit, in keeping with her own culture. Stich’s handlers close in, but Lilo and Stich have a bond that can’t be broken, and their friendship enables them to save the day.
I’m often minded to criticise children’s films for negative messages they send; Lilo and Stitch passes all tests with flying colours. Lilo’s ethnicity, background and economic situation are all well-drawn, the closeness of the sisters makes it a precursor of Frozen, and the film takes place in a recognisably real world, despite the crazy, Tex Avery-style opening set in space. Sanders himself provides the ‘voice’ of Stitch, although the creature does not speak; he makes plenty of other strange noises, and every appearance is notable, if not downright laugh-out-loud hilarious.
We are what we consume, and both children and adults deserve to have decent, strong-valued, yet irreverent films to watch. Lilo and Stich doesn’t seem to be celebrated in the way that the most popular animations are, which is a pity; perhaps this proposed new Disney take will put the little mite back on top. This is a kids film which is well worth seeing for adults, with a great moral, fun gags, and a slew of Elvis songs to keep the mood sky high from soup to nuts.
A childhood favorite. Lilo & Stitch is a rare exception for quality films in the Post-Renaissance era of Disney.
Totally, despite the brand being ubiquotous, Disney are still dining out on a purple patch from the 1990’s, with few effective new characters since then. Lilo and Stich is one of the few exceptions….
Never watched this, also after the debacle that was the Mulan live action couldn’t be anymore disinterested in a live action of anothe Disney classic. Why can’t they just pay people to come up with new ideas?
I hear you, and take you point; can’t bring myself to watch Mulan after many months. But Lilo and Stich are rare in that they are original characters, not historical, or folk tales, or legends, but an original bespoke idea in themselves. I’d say they are a new idea, new being something that’s happened in the last 20 years…
Ill give this a watch soon if i can
Strangely enough I haven’t seen an animated feature for years. I loved Toy Story etc but for some reason I just stopped giving them a whirl. Maybe it’s time to get back on that horse.
I hadn’t anticipated that a number of readers just shy away from any animation; here was me thinking animation is where it’s at! I think there’s more than a handful of great animations, like How to Train Your Dragon, that deserve to be considered as films, theye’re so well written and imagined, it would be churlish not to….if you’ve got time for The New Mutants, you’ve got time for this IMHO
Weren’t there a whole bunch of direct to video spinoffs of this? I never watched this and for some reason “that” seems to be why I never did.
As for the live action, well…..
Disney showed us what that means with the lion king. In other words, we shouldn’t even be prepared to be underwhelmed, just to have our time wasted on a blatant cash grab.
There were spin-offs but the original is best. Oh, saw Disney are streaming the original muppet tv show as per your request….
Ok, so I wasn’t imagining things then. That is good to know because there are times I wonder.
Dang! and I just bought the first 2 seasons on dvd. How much do you want to bet they get released later this year on blu ray at exorbitant prices?
Complete with a deleted song, $44.99
a season?
A muppet.
Ohhhhh, yeah, that sounds about like Disney….
I was with you all the way until ‘Elvis songs’. Nope.
Wut? Alex won’t watch cartoons, and you don’t like Elvis? How am I meant to work under these conditions?
You know, a certain little green guy went to Vegas and got to hang out with an Elvis impersonator. But he didn’t sing any songs. I’m just saying
Thanks to our department of leprechaun studies for this insight. Sigh.
You know you’re going to go green. Just do it. At least the first one. No Elvis in that one.
I’m surprised they could afford the rights.
Just carry on regardless, one day you’ll come good.
Not with this material to work with. Couple of nervous Nellies.
I’ll have to take your word for it being charming.
It is. Are you a complete cartoon denier?
Pretty much. I’m not even a fan of anime. I think part of it might be the fact that I don’t have kids/grandkids either so I never cared about children’s movies. I mean, I’m glad they’re being made, and that they’re well done, but I have no interest in them.
Tough crowd.