Mulan Movie Techniques Scene Analysis

The Disney movie “Mulan” is based upon the ancient poem, “Ode of Mulan”. This scene at the beginning of the movie displays Mulan making her decision to fight in the army in place of her father. It sets the mood for the movie, and portrays Mulan as a determined young woman, as she stayed unbending towards her decision, despite her family’s worries. The use of composition, mise-en-scene, sound, and symbolism work together to create the powerful effect this moment has on the audience. Mulan’s concern and distress is what drove her to make this life-changing decision. For example, the colour scheme of the scene is dark, composed of navy blue, grey and black. This symbolises her sadness and worry for her old father. When Mulan is gazing into the window and sees her parents; a shadow against the yellow to orange gradient, she is overwhelmed with a feeling of pity- when her father goes to war, her family must be broken up, without knowing if they will ever see her father again. The primary yellow gradient, luminous on her parents, suggests that her parents are happy together, with a mutual feeling of love. Seeing this, Mulan is moved to become a soldier, in order to protect her father and her family’s joy. She changes from a pink dress to a black piece of armour, changing her identity as shown by the significant colour change. Pink is stereotypically the colour for females, soft and gentle, while black is more of a men’s colour, meaning power. This abrupt change in colour contributes to the drama in Mulan’s identity change. Mulan’s decision to leave is powerfully shown by the cinematography in this scene. Mulan is filmed from a high angle shot when she is in the shrine, portraying that she is nervous and somewhat questioning her decision, hence having to pray to the gods. A close up shot is used when she makes her decision. Her eyebrows twist in courage, as she goes from a weary to persevering face. In this scene, she is illustrated as strong-willed and bold. A transition from close up to mid-shot is utilised when she finishes changing into her armour and reveals her new self by moving her sword. There are multiple long shots taken behind Mulan, for instance when she changes into her armour and when she ties her hair into a bun. This might be used because the director did not want to give away her new look until she was ready for war. This connotes that Mulan was impulsive and didn’t think much before she acted, and therefore she was also unprepared to see her new self. The use of shot types and swift transitions from one shot to another adds to the exciting mood of the movie. The use of music in this scene is impressive, as it helps portray Mulan as spontaneous. An example of this is the thundering sounds playing in the background, while Mulan grieves the fact that her father must go to war. These sudden peals of thunder represent Mulan’s urge to fight for her father. Another instance when this is applied is when slow, miserable music is playing while Mulan looks into the window, seeing her parents happily together. A Chinese flute plays slow, minor music in the background, hinting at the sorrow the couple would go through if their family needed to be separated. This choice of sound gives the audience a glimpse into how she felt- guilty that her father needs to fight, in spite of such old age. The music suddenly changes to confident, decisive music when she lifts her eyebrows and makes her decision. This rapid change in music exhibits how quickly she decided to go to war, an example of her spontaneity. Finally, Mulan leaves her home and this moment further indicates her determination to overcoming the challenges which lie ahead with her new role. This is demonstrated through the director’s skillful use of symbolism. This can be observed when Mulan puts down her flower hairpin. As hairpins are made for females and flowers are typically for girls, this connotes that she is ready to become a man, and she is putting down her identity as a woman. Another example of symbolism is when Mulan cuts her long hair off using her father’s sword. This was a bold move, and there was no turning back for her, which symbolised her commitment to war. She was holding a sword, which has associations with courage and strength. This might imply that she has potential, and that she can become a powerful soldier. When Mulan rides out of her city on her horse, Khan, the doors are open wide, and the mountains lay ahead of her are dark. The fast speed of the horse shows that she is excited for her future. The darkness of the mountains awaiting Mulan suggests that the future is uncertain, but she is eager to face the unknown and its challenges. In conclusion, this scene is a dramatic moment involving Mulan’s change of identity. This is exemplified through the noteworthy usage of cinematography and symbolism. These elements come together to allow the audience to understand multiple aspects of the scene, as well as to produce adrenaline and anticipation in the viewers. The directors have been effective in making this scene fascinating and dramatic, as it leaves the audience knowing how Mulan is feeling, and also taking the hint that many challenges are ahead for her.