The Emperor's New Groove
Let’s be completely honest here, I can’t very well sit here and call The Emperor’s New Groove a cult classic, can I? I can hear your scoffing from here...
“It’s a Disney film?”
Yes, yes it is.
“Disney has never ever done a cult film, ever.”
Well...
“Nope, nothing that has ever come out of Disney has not not made them money. They are rolling in the moolah.”
Now hold the phone my confused made up compadre. That isn’t exactly true. Just take a look at John Carter and The Lone Ranger AND all those Disney Original Movies you are willing to put down.
“Yes, but they are bad movies. I mean, aren’t cult classics supposed to be good but missed on first release.”
Oh, I see your point. So instead of writing about The Emperor’s New Groove, I should really write about a movie that although has a high critical response on websites such as Rotten Tomatoes, didn’t actually have a huge impact commercially. Yes, instead, I’ll write about a movie that was batched together and considered as part of the dark years of the studios. A film that made considerably less than its peers is barely recognised or thought about and is highly underrated by people due to its quirky and odd humour.
In other words,
The Emperor’s New Groove.
Boom.
If you haven’t seen The Emperor’s New Groove, it is loosely based on Danish folklore tale The Emperor’s New Clothes (about as loose and free as the Emperor in that tale.) Selfish teenage Emperor Kusco is transformed accidentally into a llama by is disgruntled ex advisor Ysma and her stupid right hand man Kronk. When Kronk goes to dispose of Kusco, Kusco winds up on the cart of peasant Pacha. Confusing Pacha to be the cause of this mishap, Kusco must find his way back to his kingdom and retake his thrown. And this being Disney, he must learn a thing or two to change his selfish ways.
The Emperor’s New Groove is a wonderfully fast paced and energetic. While it isn’t the most beautiful Disney animation, it certainly makes up for it with its jokes. From the weird to the whacky, this is the kind of humour you’d see in movies such as Airplane! Sophisticatedly odd, the comedy is brilliant. It is wickedly timed and the laughs come at every corner. It is quotable fun that is highly enjoyable for adults and children. With voice talents of John Goodman and Patrick Warburton, it is a wonderful cartoon that will have you howling from start to finish.
And yes, that is David Spade playing the same whiney character he does in everything he does. But don’t let that put you off; once you take away his face, his own comedy and vocal performance works here as the bratty Kusco.
towever, The process for making The Emperor’s New Groove was an arduous one where artists were torn down by studio bosses. The Sweatbox is a documentary which detailed this. It was a behind the scenes look at the making of The Emperor’s New Groove. The idea for the movie came 6 years before the film came out. Initially made to be a more ambitious movie called The Kingdom of the Sun, writers and animators were asked to change, edit and reshape their idea to become more commercial. The Kingdom of the Sun was actually based on The Prince and the Pauper idea, with the Llama element thrown in for good measure. Yet, Disney executives tore it apart causing Pop singer Sting was phoned to be informed his songs were being cut (apart from one Oscar nominated one,) voice artists to be changed and the storyboard cut to fit into a new movie that fitted in with the studios vision.
Unfortunately, you will not be able to find The Sweatbox or the original version of the movie anywhere, Disney has made sure of that. Nevertheless, studio bosses were proved wrong, The Emperor’s New Groove didn’t make as much money as it thought and never a commercial success. I like to think though, that with the final product, writers kept the heart and humour of their initial idea. But we will never know.
The Emperor’s New Groove has always been one of my favourite Disney movies because it is really different than anything they have done. It isn’t well known and that is highly disappointing because it is terribly good. Entertaining from start to finish, this movie can be watched over and still ensure the right amount of chuckle from you as though it were the first time. It is just, like Meet the Robinsons and Chicken Little, misplaced and unrecognised as the genius that it is. Whether you are a child, an over grown child or a llama, this movie is brilliant.
TTFN
Cookie