I think I was five when Disney's The Little Mermaid came to theaters everywhere. And I fell in love with the main character, Ariel. Because I thought I was her. No matter that I couldn't swim and that I was terrified of water. She was cool because she had red hair like me and could sing just like I imagined I sang at Bible School. I so loved that movie. And when The Lion King came out, I watched the movie with my mom and brother . . . and loved it because Jonathan Taylor Thomas did the voiceover work for Simba. (JTT was sooooo hot!) And even though Moufasa dies in the picture, it's Disney, and hey, what kid doesn't like Disney?
So as I continue in my reading of Homer's Odyssey, I start getting a funny feeling . . . like I've heard some of the stories in this epic before. Oh yes . . . that's because I have. Famous lines and ideas begin to bombard me as I see they've only been reused in the tales I grew up with. For instance, I initially believed George Lucas to be a total genius when I thrived on watching over and over, the original Star Wars trilogy. "Luke, I am your father . . ." -- okay, this has to be one of the most famous lines in movie history. George Lucas, you plot twister, you. But no, I'm adventuring away with Odysseus and I come to a familiar line . . . Odysseus decides to reveal his true identity to his son, Telemachus and says, "Why confuse me with one who never dies? No, I am your father--" George Lucas, I must say, you are much like Will Smith. You take a great work by a great artist and alter it to be your own. Good job. But it's not just Lucas who does this. It is everywhere. For instance, let's take a look at Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Okay. A very similar theme takes place in The Odyssey. Athena. When she wants to disguise Odysseus, she simply changes him into an old, scary looking beggar. This scene is much like the Queen in Snow White. In order to "deceive" those around her, namely Snow White, she changes herself into an old beggarly woman, dressed in rags. Athena does the same with Odysseus. He goes from riches to rags and back. . . .again and again. Okay, now let's try The Little Mermaid. The sea witch, Ursula, in order to gain power over King Triton (a mixed up mythological image) uses her "cunning" to entrap Ariel. She tells her she will turn the mermaid into a human where she can be with her prince if Ariel gives the sea witch her voice. And Ariel gives it freely. The sea witch uses Ariel's voice to entrap Prince Eric and keep him from marrying Ariel. Ursula, becoming beautiful, in this sense, turns into The Odyssey's siren. She's irresistably beautiful and her singing voice is not to be turned down. And then there's The Lion King; the most obvious connection. When Odysseus leaves Ithaca, suitors from all over take over his home and eat his house out of food, destroying everything. When the Disney version remakes this story, the King dies. However, the hyenas take over the kingdom, destroying the land around them and eating everything they can find.
When Will Smith would steal tunes from Stevie Wonder and other artists, I was upset, thinking his work was unoriginal and I found it appauling. How could someone steal someone else's work? But as I continue, I see it's done everywhere. Animal Ant Farm redid Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal, etc., etc., etc. And it seems that everytime someone "borrows" an idea, it's still popular beyond belief. And I love all these Disney movies. And I love Star Wars. . . and it feels a tad odd--I don't want to support things that I feel are stolen but on the same hand, it seems that "borrowing" sometimes builds to bigger and better avenues or avenues that connect with the modern world. And as I'm discovering, it's not all bad to take a great idea and build on it, making more great ideas.
So as I continue in my reading of Homer's Odyssey, I start getting a funny feeling . . . like I've heard some of the stories in this epic before. Oh yes . . . that's because I have. Famous lines and ideas begin to bombard me as I see they've only been reused in the tales I grew up with. For instance, I initially believed George Lucas to be a total genius when I thrived on watching over and over, the original Star Wars trilogy. "Luke, I am your father . . ." -- okay, this has to be one of the most famous lines in movie history. George Lucas, you plot twister, you. But no, I'm adventuring away with Odysseus and I come to a familiar line . . . Odysseus decides to reveal his true identity to his son, Telemachus and says, "Why confuse me with one who never dies? No, I am your father--" George Lucas, I must say, you are much like Will Smith. You take a great work by a great artist and alter it to be your own. Good job. But it's not just Lucas who does this. It is everywhere. For instance, let's take a look at Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Okay. A very similar theme takes place in The Odyssey. Athena. When she wants to disguise Odysseus, she simply changes him into an old, scary looking beggar. This scene is much like the Queen in Snow White. In order to "deceive" those around her, namely Snow White, she changes herself into an old beggarly woman, dressed in rags. Athena does the same with Odysseus. He goes from riches to rags and back. . . .again and again. Okay, now let's try The Little Mermaid. The sea witch, Ursula, in order to gain power over King Triton (a mixed up mythological image) uses her "cunning" to entrap Ariel. She tells her she will turn the mermaid into a human where she can be with her prince if Ariel gives the sea witch her voice. And Ariel gives it freely. The sea witch uses Ariel's voice to entrap Prince Eric and keep him from marrying Ariel. Ursula, becoming beautiful, in this sense, turns into The Odyssey's siren. She's irresistably beautiful and her singing voice is not to be turned down. And then there's The Lion King; the most obvious connection. When Odysseus leaves Ithaca, suitors from all over take over his home and eat his house out of food, destroying everything. When the Disney version remakes this story, the King dies. However, the hyenas take over the kingdom, destroying the land around them and eating everything they can find.
When Will Smith would steal tunes from Stevie Wonder and other artists, I was upset, thinking his work was unoriginal and I found it appauling. How could someone steal someone else's work? But as I continue, I see it's done everywhere. Animal Ant Farm redid Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal, etc., etc., etc. And it seems that everytime someone "borrows" an idea, it's still popular beyond belief. And I love all these Disney movies. And I love Star Wars. . . and it feels a tad odd--I don't want to support things that I feel are stolen but on the same hand, it seems that "borrowing" sometimes builds to bigger and better avenues or avenues that connect with the modern world. And as I'm discovering, it's not all bad to take a great idea and build on it, making more great ideas.
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