Brother Bear

[Farerb]

Not a villain, but an antagonist.

[JeanGreyForever]

Wow, you know this film is unpopular when the last post before the recent ones was back in 2003.

[Farerb]

It was a meh film to me. Too little too late.

[blackcauldron85]

To be fair to Brother Bear, there were 5 other BB threads in the past decade, though not with many posts. I adore this movie; it's in my Top 10, I collect it's merch. My mom saw it for the first time a couple years ago, and she really enjoyed it, too.

[Disney's Divinity]

I haven't watched this in soooo long. Definitely one of my least favorite Disney films. The funny thing is the only part about the film I enjoy (aside from the soundtrack which, while not on par with Tarzan at all, is still good) is the part I remember most people liking the least about it: the moose. Koda is one of those loud, bratty child characters Disney has so many of and are nails on chalkboard for me (Mowgli, Penny, Lilo, Hiro, Peter Pan, etc.). Not all their child characters are annoying, I know--and some are annoying on purpose, like PP. The bad ones just leave more of an impression. I think it's worse when they're surrounded by responsible, likable, long-suffering characters like Bagheera, Nani, Tadashi, and Wendy.

[JeanGreyForever]

To be fair to Brother Bear, there were 5 other BB threads in the past decade, though not with many posts. I adore this movie; it's in my Top 10, I collect it's merch. My mom saw it for the first time a couple years ago, and she really enjoyed it, too.

That makes more sense. I was very shocked that in a Disney forum, there could be a film that hadn't been touched since its release.

[DisneyFan97]

This is the only Disney movie where like the DTV series MORE than the original.

Way leass MOPY ! and i really like Nita !!

[Avaitor]

This is the only DAC, besides the most recent couple, that I've only seen once. I missed out on this, Home on the Range, and Chicken Little when they were new, and only got around to watching all of these a little over a decade ago when I was regaining interest in Disney. This is probably the best of the three, but I thought it was pretty damn bland, all in all. Phil Collins' soundtrack was the best part, but even that pales to Tarzan imo. I did get the Blu-Ray a few years ago to complete my collection, but I only opened it to acquire my DMR points. It hasn't been touched since.

And yes, I have seen Home on the Range and Chicken Little a second time, but only part of an April Fools Day prank with the Disney club I went to at my college.

[JeanGreyForever]

I'm sure I did rewatch Brother Bear on DVD after seeing it in theaters because I remember some parts too clearly for it to have been only seen by me once. However, I haven't seen it more than a decade and I can't say I've been motivated to do anything about that.

Home on the Range I've only ever seen the one time and that was not in theaters btw. Home on the Range and Treasure Planet were both the two Disney films of the 2000s that I skipped in theaters. Chicken Little I've seen multiple times because of the Disney Channel.

[Mooky]

Today I learned about a 1988 movie called The Bear, and after reading the synopsis on Wikipedia, it struck me how similar Brother Bear's plot is to this movie's. Now, I'm not saying Disney definitely ripped it off nor does it spoil my enjoyment of Brother Bear, but the similarities are quite uncanny.

I suppose this now joins other potential rip-offs like The Lion King/Kimba and Atlantis/Nadia/Stargate.

[D82]

I've seen that movie, but it was a long time ago. I don't remember if it was before or after seeing Brother Bear. I had never realized both films have so many things in common, but reading the synopsis now, I see you're right, Mooky. There aren't humans who transform into bears in the live-action movie, but the similarities are certainly suspicious.

Here's the trailer if anyone wants to check it out.

[Mooky]

Thanks for the trailer! It seems like a fun nature movie, the kind Disney used to make in the 1960s.

[D82]

I don't remember much from it, but I know I liked it. In Spain it has aired on TV several times. If it's shown again maybe I'll watch it once more because now I'm curious to know how much it really has in common with Brother Bear.

[blackcauldron85]

Obviously I don't know what the Brother Bear team saw or didn't see, or read since The Bear is based off of a book. But a cub didn't even play a part in Brother Bear's development for a long time.

In the Book Brother Bear: A Transformation Tale (by H. Clark Wakabayashi, Disney Editions, New York, (c) 2003):

p. 16, Michael Eisner wanted another "epic" animal film to come out a few years after TLK. He thought of the setting as "the Rocky Mountains and the American West." Since they wanted an animal film set in North America, they thought of using the grizzly bear. p. 18, An early version of the film was based on "King Lear." The animals were going to wear clothes; there was "an old bear with three daughters." p. 21, Aaron Blaise had previously traveled to Alaska, and he knew he wanted to work on what would become Brother Bear. p. 37, When Aaron Blaise became a director of the film, he didn't want to be beholden to the "King Lear" idea. [This next little part was a little reminiscent of The Bear, but I mean, there have been similar stories before.] p. 38, One of the earliest (post-"King Lear") versions had a cub who was "knocked over" by another bear and the cub lost its mom. Later on, the cub comes across that bear, who isn't too healthy, and he needs to decide: help or hurt? p. 39-46, They thought of a father-and-son (humans) story. Thomas Schumacher suggested that the filmmakers read existing bear stories, and they came across Native American bear stories, including ones involving a boy becoming a bear to learn lessons. Another idea was a shape-shifting human with daddy issues; he turns into a bear and he learns from an older bear. p. 80, Now it's evolved to a father-and-two-sons story. Kenai and Sitka. There's a bear, the dad died, the spirits are mad that Kenai killed the bear, Kenai's a bear, Kenai meets Grizz, forgiveness is the theme. p. 90-94, Sitka would die and his dad would be on the hunt. Then it was suggested that Grizz become a cub instead of an older bear, which was a controversial idea since Grizz had become beloved, but obviously Koda was created.

[Farerb]

So Eisner really wanted an animals film. That might explain Home on the Range and Chicken Little as well.

[Sotiris]

Joaquin Phoenix Urges Florida Park to Transfer Bears Used for Disney’s ‘Brother Bear’ to Animal Sanctuary
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movie ... 234990980/

[blackcauldron85]

What a lovely letter. The article is misleading a bit, mentioning that he asked that just the 2 bears are rescued, but his actual letter at the bottom asks that all the bears are rescued.

[Elladorine]

I’ve tried so hard to like this film. It has beautiful animation and a lovely, heart-felt message about seeing through someone else’s eyes and finding forgiveness, and of course it’s fair that it focuses on Kenai’s spiritual journey.

But what about Koda’s spiritual journey? It was always difficult for me to imagine how he’d ever be able to fully forgive Kenai over what happened, even though Kenai was admittedly ignorant at the time of the life he’d taken. That was Koda’s mother, after all. My brain just kind of blanks out at that scene where the music drowns out the dialog.

Honestly, I guess it didn’t help that this movie came out around the time I lost my dad, so maybe it’s simply a case of over-sensitivity that calls me back to my own dark place. And it’s not as if I expected them to fully explore Koda’s perception, as I know there isn’t enough room in the film for it.

Anyway, I respect it as a film and have even watched it recently with the fam, but I can’t exactly say it’s on my personal watch list.

[DisneyFan09]

But what about Koda’s spiritual journey? It was always difficult for me to imagine how he’d ever be able to fully forgive Kenai over what happened, even though Kenai was admittedly ignorant at the time of the life he’d taken. That was Koda’s mother, after all. My brain just kind of blanks out at that scene where the music drowns out the dialog.

Honestly, I guess it didn’t help that this movie came out around the time I lost my dad, so maybe it’s simply a case of over-sensitivity that calls me back to my own dark place. And it’s not as if I expected them to fully explore Koda’s perception, as I know there isn’t enough room in the film for it.

You know what? This has always been my main gripe with the film. Sure, the purpose is to stress the theme of forgiveness and love. But the whole setup for it is pretty unplausible, even for a Disney movie. Koda could always forgive, but how could he ever have the same affection for Kenai after what happened? I was honestly baffled about how this issue was never mentioned back on it`s release. And surprised that it`s now recently that users have brought this issue up.

I`m sorry about your dad, though.

[blackcauldron85]

I take it as Koda is alone in the world. Without his mom, he has no one else but Kenai. He's come to love Kenai, and obviously Tanana's goal was to change how Kenai sees the world, to understand kindness and compassion, to understand what it's like being an animal, that animals have feelings too, etc.

So Koda could leave Kenai and be on his own, or he...can understand where Kenai was coming from, a brother protecting his brother. Koda sees Kenai as a protective brother, and that's why Kenai killed Koda's mom, because he was trying to be a protective brother to Sitka in a way.

This is one of my favorite films because of how emotional it is. The "No Way Out" scene, and the ending, just get me bawling my eyes out. I think Koda doesn't get enough credit. Yes, it was traumatizing for Koda to lose his mom, and to learn that his "brother" did it. But I think the reasoning behind the killing maybe made it a bit easier for Koda. He'll always miss his mom, but the silver lining is he got a brother. Not under traditional circumstances and it's beyond sad that his mom dies. But Kenai lost and gained a brother, too.