The Art of Mulan

How the legend of Fa Mulan was brought to the screen as an animated Disney film is told in colorful illustrations and illuminating text in a coffee-table sized book as edifying as it is browsable. The first chapter includes a translation of the ancient Chinese ballad that tells of a young girl who, disguised as a soldier, joins the army to save her country from the advancing Huns. Here, too, are contained short biographies of the team that would make the film and how they were brought together for this project. Part two narrates their three-week journey through China where they visited historical sites and made important decisions about how to accurately portray Mulan's world. Part three is an investigation of the production itself: story line, animation, colors, effects, digital techniques, and the all-important casting of animators. Part four describes the experience of creating the film for some of the individuals of the team. Over 350 illustrations provide majesty and magic; some are colorful double-page spreads, others are line drawings from the storyboard, and four are graceful transparencies that separate the sections. Art students, film students, and movie fans will enjoy this evocative study.
Jackie Gropman, Kings Park Library, Burke, VA

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