Mulan is a 1998 American animated musical adventure film and the 36th animated feature in the Disney animated features canon, produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation. Loosely based on various versions of the Chinese legend of Hua Mulan (Fa Mulan), the film was the first of three produced primarily at the animation studio at Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando, Glendale, California. It was directed by Tony Bancroft and Barry Cook, with the story by Robert D. San Souci. The film's plot takes place in China during an unspecified Imperial dynasty, where Fa Mulan, daughter of aged warrior Fa Zhou, impersonates a man to take her father's place during a general conscription to counter a Hun invasion. The voice cast was ensemble such as Ming Na Wen, Eddie Murphy, BD Wong, James Hong, James Shigeta, Miguel Ferrer, Jerry Tondo, Pat Morita, George Takei, and June Foray.
Mulan was released in June 19, 1998 in the United States by Walt Disney Pictures. The film received positive reviews from film critics, who praised animation, plot, characters, and musical score, and became a most successfully Disney film of all time as well as Cinemascore gave this film an "A+" grade. The film grossed $304.3 million worldwide against its $90 million budget, making it a box office success. It was nominated for the Academy Awards 1999 for Best Original Musical or Comedy Score for Jerry Goldsmith and won 10 awards out of 12 at the Annie Awards 1999. The film also a spawned multimedia franchise in the film, starting with the sequel Mulan II, was released on direct-to-video on 2004, while the live action adaptation of the same name is released on 2020.
Plot[]
The Huns, who are led by the ruthless Shan Yu, invade imperial China by breaching the Great Wall. In the Imperial City, the Emperor orders a general mobilization, with conscription notices requiring one man from each family to join the Imperial Chinese Army. To the South, Fa Mulan is an adventurous and active young woman to the dismay of her family, who hope for her to bring honor to the family. She is arranged to meet a matchmaker to demonstrate her fitness as a future wife; but following a few mishaps, the matchmaker deems her a disgrace to the family.
Mulan's elderly father Fa Zhou - the only man in their family and an army veteran - is conscripted into the army. She tries to dissuade him from going, but he protests that he must do his duty. Fearing for his life, she cuts her hair and takes her father's sword and armor, disguising herself as a man so that she can enlist in his stead. Quickly learning of her departure, Mulan's grandmother prays to the family's ancestors for Mulan's safety. In the local temple, Mushu, a small red dragon, is a disgraced former family guardian who is demoted to the role of awakening the spirits of the ancestors. The Great Ancestor decides that the "most powerful of all," a massive stone dragon guardian, should guide Mulan; and sends Mushu to wake him. After accidentally destroying the guardian's statue, Mushu travels to Mulan's aid himself, desiring to redeem himself to the ancestors by making Mulan a war hero.
Reporting to the training camp, Mulan passes as a man named "Fa Ping", with Mushu providing encouragement and clumsy guidance throughout her deception. Under the command of Captain Li Shang, she and her fellow recruits—including Yao, Ling, and Chien-Po—gradually become trained soldiers, but the Emperor's belligerent counsel, Chi-Fu, threatens to dissuade the Emperor from allowing Shang's men to fight. Mushu then crafts a fake letter from Shang's father, General Li, ordering Shang to follow the main imperial army into the mountains. The reinforcements set out and arrive at a burnt village, discovering that the Huns have massacred General Li and his troops.
As the soldiers march up a mountain pass, they are ambushed by the Huns. Mulan cleverly uses a Huolongchushui cannon to cause an avalanche, which buries the entire Hun army. Angered, Shan Yu wounds Mulan during the battle, and her deception is revealed when the wound is bandaged. Instead of executing Mulan as the law requires, Shang spares her life and expels her from the army. Mulan is left behind as the other soldiers depart for the Imperial City to report the Huns' defeat. However, Shan Yu and several of his warriors have survived, and Mulan sees them heading towards the city.
Mulan enters the city and warns Shang. The Huns then capture the Emperor and seize the palace. Mulan, Yao, Ling, Chien-Po, and Shang enter the palace and defeat Shan Yu's men. Shang prevents Shan Yu from assassinating the Emperor, and Mulan lures the Hun leader onto the roof, where she pins him there with his own sword. Acting on Mulan's instructions, Mushu fires a large skyrocket at Shan Yu; the rocket strikes and propels Shan Yu into a fireworks launching tower, where he dies in the resulting explosion.
The Emperor initially reprimands Mulan, but then he and the city's assembled inhabitants praise her for having saved them, and they bow to her in honor. She accepts the Emperor's crest and Shan Yu's sword as gifts but politely declines his offer to be on his royal council and asks to return to her family. Mulan returns home and presents these gifts to her father, but he is happy to have her back. Having become enamored with Mulan, Shang also arrives and accepts her invitation to stay for dinner. Mushu is reinstated as a Fa family guardian as the ancestors celebrate.
Cast[]
- Ming-Na Wen as Fa Mulan
- Lea Salonga as Fa Mulan (singing)
- Eddie Murphy as Mushu
- BD Wong as Captain Li Shang
- Donny Osmond as Li Chang (singing)
- Miguel Ferrer as Shan Yu
- Jackie Chan as Shu
- Harvey Fierstein as Yao
- Gedde Watanabe as Ling
- Jerry Tondo as Chien-Po
- James Hong as Chi-Fu
- Lucy Liu as Lia
- Soon-Tek Oh as Fa Zhou
- Janet Waldo as Ming
- June Foray as Grandmother Fa
- Marni Nixon as Grandmother Fa (singing)
- Pat Morita as the Emperor of China
- Miiko Taka as Taki
- George Takei as First Ancestor Fa
- John Ratzenberger as Loi
- Togo Igawa as Li Mai
- Freda Foh Shen as Fa Li
- James Shigeta as General Li
- Miriam Margolyes as the Matchmaker
- Peter Cullen as Fhaou
- Frank Welker as Khan, Cri-Kee
Additional Voices[]
- Tom Amundsen
- Jess Harnell
- Carlos Alazraqui
- Jeff Bennett
- John DiMaggio
- Jim Cummings
- Arminae Austen
- David Boat
- Jon Curry
- Scott Menville
- Mary Kay Bergman as Ancestor
- Townsend Coleman
- John Cygan
- Danny Mann
- Susan Boyd
- Julianne Buescher as Young Bride
- Steve Bulen
- Mikey Kelley
- Rob Paulsen
- Charlie Adler
- John Kassir
- Kirk Thornton
- Corey Burton as Ancestor
- Mitch Carter
- Robert Clotworthy as Hun, Bao
- David Cowgill
- Grant George
- Laraine Newman
- Sherry Lynn
- Debi DerryBerry
- Gregg Berger
- Will Ryan
- Colleen O'Shaughnessey
- Cathy Cavadini
- Ben Diskin
- Sally Dworsky
- Bill Farmer as Ancestor
- Beth Fowler as Bather
- Don Fullilove
- Elisa Gabrielli
- James Arnold Taylor
- Jack Angel
- Michael Bell
- Jan Rabson
- Billy West
- Jack Gilpin as Bai
- Sandie Hall
- Bob Bergen
- Tara Strong
- Richard S. Horvitz as Chinese Solider, Zhencha
- Linda Kerns
- Matthew Labyorteaux
- Conan Lee
- Dana Lee
- Edie Lehmann-Boddicker as Chorus
- Luisa Leschin
- Christina Ma
- Susan McBride
- Huanani Minn
- Edie Mirman
- Mark Moseley as Mushu (Additional dialogue)
- Patrick Pinney as Fa Deng
- Peter Renaday
- Maurita Thornburg-Phillips
- John Walcutt
- Claudette Wells
- Warren Graff
- Chris Sanders as Little Brother
- Bob Joles
- Joe Alaskey
- Jeff Bergman
- Robin Atkin Downes
- Peter Siragusa as Lieren (uncredited)
- Jim Ward as Sheshou (uncredited)
International Versions[]
Danish[]
- Shang: Stig Rossen
- Mulan: Pernille Højgaard
- Mushu: Jan Gintberg
- Yao: Benny Hansen
- Ling: Jacob Morild
- Chien-Po: Morten Remar
- Shan Yu: Lasse Lunderskov
- Fa Zhou: Holger Munk
- Bedstemor Fa: Ghita Nørby
- Ægteskabsmælger: Ulla Jessen
- Første Stamfader: Ulrik Cold
- Chi-Fu: Per Pallesen
- Kejseren: Søren Elung Jensen
Additional Voices[]
- Karen-Lise Mynster
- Stig Hoffmeyer
- Peter Aude
- Peter Holst-Bech
- Michelle Bjørn-Andersen
- Dennis Hansen
- Søren Ulrichs
- Pernille Bruun
- Kit Eichler
- Peter Røschke