Lady and the Tramp Live Action thoughts · 4:38pm Apr 3rd, 2020
Okay, so this morning, set down and watched the live-action remake of the classic film. Thoughts after the break.
Well, it's not... bad, but it, as you'd expect, follows many of the same beats as the original. Mind you, there are a few changes here and there. Some additional scenes to fill out the two hour run time, but they don't feel like filler. No, the original movie had problems of the romance between Lady and the Tramp not feeling entirely developed. This, well they spend more time together on-screen so... it feels like there's a romance developing.
Also, the locations. By god, the scouts were good. The recreation of the town feels so unbelievably wonderful, like Lady's home for instance. And Tramp's trainyard. Hell, everything feels much more alive now, with the hustle and bustle of added extras.
However, there are a few odd choices. Jock and Trusty don't get as much screen time, and Jock is a girl. They don't even change her name, it's just she's a girl now with a love for fashion. It's... very odd and sorta offputting. Now Trusty really isn't that much different, and he rumbles with the voice of Sam Elliot. Good choice I have to say. On the subject of voices, Tessa Thompson brings an adorable charm to Lady. I was worried at first I wouldn't like her or Justin Theroux as the Tramp, but I was sold completely.
Now, there's another odd choice. Darling's a black woman. This isn't me being racist, but she's in a mixed marriage in 1909. I don't even need to explain the issue here, do I? However, she and Jim Dear do feel natural, and as they get more screentime you can really feel the romance on their end as well.
There are also a few cute nods here and there, in some dogs which I swear are lookalikes and homages to Buster and his Junkyard gang from Scamp's Adventure. Also, Devon and Rex AKA the new Si and Am. Not much to say about them, though they do get a new jazzy number which really bounces. Speaking of numbers, He's a Tramp is just as catchy as usual. Janelle Monáe may not be the great Peggy Lee, but she does the song well.
The climax is just as pumped as usual, though Trusty gets his awesome moment sorta negated by Lady. He still sniffs out the wagon, but Lady is the one to send the horses into a frenzy. Thankfully, the other part of the moment doesn't happen to her. It's... sorta annoying as a Trusty fan, given this was his big moment.
So yeah, a few missteps here and there, but all in all? It's not a bad remake, it's not the original film but it's harmless and it's still pretty good. Worth a look I say.
Wanna know why they swapped the race and gender? The Woke wave and diversity points. I'm not against diversity, but this woke wave that's been sweeping the entertainment industry is ruining other films and studies (FUNimation, BBC, and other parts of Disney). Look up YouTube channels like Just Some Guy, Yellow Flash 2, and Mr. H reviews for more details.
5234945
Oh, bullshit. The 'woke' thing is just a phrase that has been tossed around way too much and has lost all meaning. And forgive me if I take Youtubers at face value over official news sources.
5234952
Fair enough. I admit, the word woke is misused. I was just trying to give a reason as to the "odd changes". Most likely it isn't the only reason, just one of many possible reasons.
On a side note, I can't wait for the lost empire remake from Disney! Imagine the Leviathan in Live Action!
I liked how they made the rat more vicious and menacing.
5234988
My favorite addition was Tramp's backstory, it was only implied in the original but now... ooof. Breaks your heart.
Yeah, I heard about this bit, and it kinda raises my eyebrows a little. I mean, guys, I get that you're trying, but putting a mixed marriage in *that* time period is a whole other can of worms altogether.
5235088
Yeah... it just doesn't really work for so many reasons. It's pretty much whitewashing. No matter what state you're in, in that time period... Uh, yeah, no.
5235131
Agreed. It's at best a case of gross ignorance, and at worst it's willfully blinding yourself to the basic reality of the time you're portraying.