MULAN: SPECIAL EDITION - Deleted Scenes & Fun Facts

[blackcauldron85]

So, I was watching the bonus features, and one of the deleted scenes, the main one that made me want to watch the deleted scenes today, is "Shan-Yu Destroys the Village". The director said that this scene was cut due to the development of Shan-Yu taking time away from the development of Mulan, but could the violence have had to do with the cutting of the scene? Or maybe it really was just due to development issues, and that scene wasn't part of the workprint shown to the MPAA...?

[DisneyJedi]

So, I was watching the bonus features, and one of the deleted scenes, the main one that made me want to watch the deleted scenes today, is "Shan-Yu Destroys the Village". The director said that this scene was cut due to the development of Shan-Yu taking time away from the development of Mulan, but could the violence have had to do with the cutting of the scene? Or maybe it really was just due to development issues, and that scene wasn't part of the workprint shown to the MPAA...?

Out of curiosity, was the scene fully animated, or just storyboards?

[ajmrowland]

I have a feeling Shan-yu's development was cut just because of that; The filmmakers weren't satisfied with the need to explain his psychological connection to the hawk.

[blackcauldron85]

Nope, it wasn't fully animated. I'm guessing that what was cut had to have been not completed, but in storyboards? Rough animation? And what was cut!?! Why this is bothering me so much, I don't know!

I actually like the connection to the hawk. I understand that reasoning, but I'm still bothered by the whole thing!

[Cordy_Biddle]

All that said, Shan-Yu is a pretty freaky character; I'm sure he gave quite a lot of kids the shudders when the film first came out. No doubt filmmakers were aware of this.

Just that one scene where Mulan's party finds the rag-doll in the middle of the massacred village speaks volumes about the evilness of the Shan-Yu character.

[disneyboy20022]

Shan-Yu....I believe is one Disney most evil of the crop of Villains they've created....and I think out of the villains he is underrated due to....what I believe...is character and ground to stand on.....yes we get that he is EVIL but I think why he more people remember Edgar From the Aristocats more than Shan Yu is because.....Disney didn't really market him that well....other than he's evil with a hawk.....and maybe the footage you are talking about was cut was this scenario

When Shan-Yu conqueres a post of the army...he catches 2 people fleeing for china or something....and one of them boldy but you can see the fear in their eyes says The Emperor will stop you...and he snuffs and says go tell your Emperor that we are coming and tell him to send his best men...and then when the two are running away to report Shan-Yu asks more like quizzes one of his fellow Huns and asks...How Many does it take to deliver a Message....and the Hun Replys with a Bow and Arrow ready to aim and he says very happily and satonic...One...and then it directly picks off on another scene which I can't remember which that is....

and Perhaps the murdering of Shangs father in battle was what made the rating flag go off....the village the huns burned....

[Linguini]

i agree, he's evil, but it's also war and that's evil the world knows, so his character is not really that special, it's like we know his kind already. Atrocity is sadly not new either.

[blackcauldron85]

All that said, Shan-Yu is a pretty freaky character; I'm sure he gave quite a lot of kids the shudders when the film first came out. No doubt filmmakers were aware of this.

Just that one scene where Mulan's party finds the rag-doll in the middle of the massacred village speaks volumes about the evilness of the Shan-Yu character.

That scene had been my first thought when I read about the post-MPAA screening cuts, since it is such an intense scene. And, as I said, in my mind, the Hun violence had to have been what made the MPAA want to give the film a PG rating- unless Mushu was going to tell some crazy jokes or something, then I can't imagine the film having anything more mature than Hun violence.

Shan-Yu....I believe is one Disney most evil of the crop of Villains they've created....and I think out of the villains he is underrated due to....what I believe...is character and ground to stand on.....yes we get that he is EVIL but I think why he more people remember Edgar From the Aristocats more than Shan Yu is because.....Disney didn't really market him that well....other than he's evil with a hawk.....and maybe the footage you are talking about was cut was this scenario

I agree. I think that my problem with Shan-Yu is, not so much about him not being marketed enough, but to the audience really not knowing his backstory. Maybe one just needs to brush up on history; maybe by knowing the real-life Huns' motives we would know Shan-Yu's motives, I don't know.

[blackcauldron85]

There isn't a Mulan discussion thread...I could make one...but we already have so many other Mulan threads!

So, I started buying soundtracks (I had had some and needed to replace them, but for the most part, I didn't have many), and I'm listening to the Mulan CD right now. I'm actually listening to the score! (I usually don't care about the scores, but now I do, hence buying the soundtracks).

So, track #6 is "Suite from Mulan"; usually scores have normal names. Is "Suite from Mulan" not in the film, or is it in the beginning of the film? I guess I'm too lazy to pop in the film...and usually I don't focus on the scores, but what's going on in the movie; maybe now I'll be able to focus more on the score, I don't know.

Wow, talk about babble. Anyhoo, if it's not in the beginning of the film, then where in the film is it? Why is it just called "Suite from Mulan"? Thanks!

[KubrickFan]

There isn't a Mulan discussion thread...I could make one...but we already have so many other Mulan threads!

So, I started buying soundtracks (I had had some and needed to replace them, but for the most part, I didn't have many), and I'm listening to the Mulan CD right now. I'm actually listening to the score! (I usually don't care about the scores, but now I do, hence buying the soundtracks).

So, track #6 is "Suite from Mulan"; usually scores have normal names. Is "Suite from Mulan" not in the film, or is it in the beginning of the film? I guess I'm too lazy to pop in the film...and usually I don't focus on the scores, but what's going on in the movie; maybe now I'll be able to focus more on the score, I don't know.

Wow, talk about babble. Anyhoo, if it's not in the beginning of the film, then where in the film is it? Why is it just called "Suite from Mulan"? Thanks!

A 'suite' is a piece composed of several themes that are in the movie. It can also be in the end credits, sometimes. So all the separate themes would be on the soundtrack, but the suite would feature them all after each other.

[SpringHeelJack]

To my knowledge, "Suite from Mulan" is just that, a series of themes from the movie, but the suite itself never features in the movie proper. It's more there just for funsies.

[blackcauldron85]

Thanks, you guys- you're so smart!

[drnilescrane]

To my knowledge, "Suite from Mulan" is just that, a series of themes from the movie, but the suite itself never features in the movie proper. It's more there just for funsies.

I've got a feeling that the Suite was the one apparently created for the credits before Burbank managed to drag Aguilera out of nowhere (Tony Bancroft was quite upset about it in Dream on Silly Dreamer and I don't blame him. Defeats the whole point of hiring Goldsmith.).