Project Disney- Lilo and Stitch

 

Project Disney: The plan is to tackle all of the Disney films, re-reading the classic stories and tales that inspired many of them and to look at how the changes the filmmakers made, the new elements they introduced and the essential elements they kept. We will, of course, be talking about the films as movies as well, saying why we enjoy them and what some of our favorite moments are, but our focus will be on looking at them as adaptations. For the films that are not drawn from any one work we’ll be looking at some of the possible literary influences that we see in the stories. I am participating in Project Disney inspired by Picture Me Reading!

"'Ohana" means "family." "Family" means "no one gets left behind."  This week's Project Disney is Lilo and Stitch. I remember when this film came out...I was so excited!!  Then I went to the theater to see it and was .. well disappointed.  It was different then I thought it was going to be.  I don't know what it is about this film.. but it is one of my least favorites.  There is unfortunately no book that the movie is based off of.  The creator did pitch Stitch originally as a children's book character but was turned down and then Disney picked it up.  I do enjoy the water colors that are used in the animation of the film though, beautiful.

The movie is about an alien named Stitch who is pretty bad.. and so his alien community wants to exile him onto a deserted asteroid. He then hijacks a spaceship and runs away ending up on earth.. in Hawaii of all places.  Some of this is quite funny actually to see Stitch try to become acclimated to Earth. Stitch is found when he crashes and is taken to a shelter where Lilo and her sister (Nani) go to adopt an animal. Lilo of course thinks Stitch is the coolest and adopts him.

Some of the agents from the alien planet are now on Earth looking for Stitch... who discovers he can't run away from Hawaii because of all the water around the planet (his body is too dense for swimming).  Nani gets fired from her job because Lilo and Stitch make a scene. She has to go look for employment and must drag Lilo and Stitch along because of child services.  Their parents have passed away so Nani is in charge and doesn't want Lilo taken away from her.

Lilo tries to get Stitch to be a better pet.  She begins to teach him to be more like Elvis. There is a lot of Elvis music in this movie.  I think that yes it does fit the film and adds a theme to it.   Lilo and family with Stitch go surfing.  Stitch can't swim so he grabs Lilo and pulls her under the water.  Child services sees this and then decides to take her away from her home with Nani.  The next day Stitch and the alien police get in a big gun fight and destroy Lilo's house.  Lilo and Stitch run away and are caught by the alien police who puts them both in a pod to fly them back to space.

Eventually the Commander who is trying to capture Stitch comes to earth and realizes he is civilized after all and allows him to do his exile on Earth. There is of course a straight to video sequel of the movie and there was even a cartoon series on Disney for it. I was never interested in Lilo and Stitch enough to ever even watch it.  I just find Lilo very whinny though out the film. Stitch is also annoying to me. Though I will say that Stitch is cute.  I love when he learns to speak and starts talking about family and love.

 

Overall I like this movie but I remember thinking it was going to take place more in space. I do wish there was a book to read with this one but it is one of the few original Disney movies.  It has a lot of sad moments with Lilo being taken away from her family, and of course no one believing her that Stitch is a dog (she doesn't realize he isn't a dog until he shows her he has more then two hands).  I do think too that Stitch's animation does an amazing job showing different emotions on his face.  What do you think about this film??

Check out my other Project Disney:
Snow White
Cinderella
Peter Pan
Treasure Planet
Sleeping Beauty
The Great Mouse Detective 
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
The Princess and the Frog
Pinocchio 
Fantasia 
Beauty and the Beast
Lady and the Tramp
Alice in Wonderland
The Rescuers
The Rescuers Down Under
Tangled
Oliver and Company
Mulan
The Little Mermaid
Bambi
101 Dalmatians
Frozen
Fantasia 2000
The Jungle Book
The Emperor's New Groove
The Sword in the Stone
Aladdin
Atlantis
The Aristocats
The Lion King
The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977)
Winnie the Pooh (2011)
Robin Hood
Hercules
Pocahontas
Dumbo
The Black Cauldron 
Mary Poppins
The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
Make Mine Music
Tarzan
Fox and the Hound 
Melody Time