Hey everyone! This blog post is a continuation of the use of death in Disney movies. If you haven't already checked out part one, go ahead and give it a read now.
The Lion King and Big Hero 6 cover the death of a family member from a child or teenager's point of view. On the other hand, Up and Coco look at death in grief in substantially different ways. In Up, Ellie dies of natural causes and at an old age, and in Coco, most of the characters are already dead, and Mama Coco also dies of natural causes at an old age. Although different than the tragic and sudden deaths of Mufasa and Tadashi, both films still cover death and grief in a way that is relatable to Disney's dual audience of children and adults.
Up
If you ask someone what they think the saddest Disney/Pixar movie is, chances are Up will be among them. In contrast to films like The Lion King, Big Hero 6, Bambi, etc., the death in Up occurs at the very beginning of the film and happens naturally. However, it still manages to be an effective portrayal of death and grief.
Ellie and Carl are relatable characters. Children see their grandparents in them, and adults see their parents. Ellie's death is natural and after a long life, but it is still sad for both children and adults. For children who have lost a grandparent or adults who have lost a parent, the death of Ellie is relatable; the portrayal of grief helps them cope and understand that sometimes people die of natural causes and have a long and good life, but their death is still a grieving process. This is the driving concept in Up: the fact that Ellie and Carl lived a long and happy life doesn't discount the sadness of Ellie's death. Carl, whose prototypical character of the grumpy, lonely old man whose grumpiness is tied to grief, is relatable to children, who may have a grandparent or uncle who acts the same.
Interestingly, the main villain of Up isn't super important. The fact that Charles Muntz, Carl's childhood hero and inspiration for moving to Paradise Falls, is actually a bad person is necessary for Carl to learn to move on. However, the real conflict is grief and the "villain" is the internalized difficulty of moving on. The running theme of Up is how to move on from death and grief, and it's a message that is important for anyone who is experiencing grief, children and adults alike. The ending scene of Carl choosing to "find a new adventure" by helping Russell shows children how they can cope with grief by forming connections with people and trying to help others. The ending scene of Carl and Ellie's house, which represents Carl's inability to move on from his grief, shows that Carl has learned to live with his grief. And his relationship with Russell shows how he learned to move on from grief.
When Carl gives up what he thinks is his dream, he learns that he was spending too much time attached to his grief and his past. Children learn the importance of moving on, meeting new people, and choosing new adventures.
The imagery and symbolism of Carl and Ellie's house are important. It's not until Carl physically rids the house of all the items (and baggage) that it is light enough to fly away; it's not until Carl leaves behind the house (and the past) that the house (and Ellie) can rest in peace at Paradise Falls; and it's not until Carl physically separates himself from the house (and his grief) that he is able to move on.
Of course, Up does an excellent job including kid-related content. While adults may relate to Carl more, kids can relate to the silly Russell. Up is filled with goofy animals, from the colorful Kevin to the conversational and playful Dug. In fact, all the talking dogs, even when they are under the control of Charles Muntz, are fun characters for kids to watch. This content is enjoyable by all, but it's especially useful in capturing children's attention and preventing the film from becoming too sad.
Used to make children smile and laugh like Russel is in this image, the colorful Kevin and the silly Dug brighten the film.
Photo Retrieved from Pixar Animation Studios.
Coco
One of Pixar's more recent films, Coco is a unique portrayal of death and grief because the entire movie is about death. Most of the characters in the film are already dead. Set in Mexico, Coco is about Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, a Mexican holiday that celebrates deceased family members and ancestors in a show of love and respect. To those of us who are not familiar with Día de los Muertos, it may seem like a grim celebration; on the contrary, Día de los Muertos is a lively holiday meant for celebration rather than mourning. This is seen with the imagery and setting of Coco. The creators did lots of research to accurately portray Día de los Muertos and Mexico, and this research is important for the portrayal of death and grief in Coco. By showing a celebration of the memories of those who have passed away, Coco shows kids how they can be sad over lost ones but also celebrate their lives.
The main purpose of the bright and colorful imagery of Coco is to respect the culture and meaning of Día de los Muertos, but it serves the dual purpose of keeping the film light-hearted for children. Typically, death is portrayed with dark colors or somber music, but the Land of the Dead is vibrant in music and color. Coco also uses the typical storytelling elements of humor and sidekicks to cater to the audience of children. From the goofy Frida Kahlo jokes to the lovable Dante, Coco is filled with gems for kids.
From bright colors to fast-paced music to lots of humor, Pixar expertly creates a film entirely about death that manages to keep an upbeat tone.
Photo Retrieved from Wallpapers Home.
Most Disney/Pixar films use goofy sidekicks to lighten the mood, and Coco uses this technique with Dante.
Photos Retrieved from Disney Fandom | Dante and Hero Fandom | Dante.
Most importantly, Coco covers the importance of remembering those you have lost. The entire plot circles around Miguel trying to help Héctor be remembered so he doesn't fade away, literally and figuratively. When Miguel finds out Héctor is his great-great-grandfather, he becomes determined to help his daughter, Coco, remember him, despite the grievances and misunderstandings his family has about Héctor. When Miguel succeeds by singing "Remember Me" to Coco, what follows is an incredibly emotional and important scene:
Miguel saves Héctor's life in the Land of the Dead by helping Coco remember him, but he also saves the rest of his family by establishing the importance of remembering and loving their ancestors. When Coco dies and is celebrated/remember in next year's Día de los Muertos, the story comes full circle.
That's the end of my discussion on death in Disney. Tune in for next posts on much more light-hearted topics.
Until later, have courage and be kind.
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