MovieChat Forums > Home on the Range (2004) Discussion > In the trivia...

In the trivia...

posted 16 years ago by Szabu
9 replies | jump to latest

Writers Will Finn and John Sanford originally pitched the film as an animated feature film based on the myth of the Pied Piper. Maggie the Cow was originally written as a deaf girl. Michael Eisner immediately hated the idea, because he thought no parent would take their children to see a movie where children are murdered. So Will and John wrote this movie, which contains elements from the Pied Piper myth.

hmm... "no parent would take their children to see a movie where children are murdered"

I definitely agree, but for whatever reason, that awful Prince of Egypt was a success.

[–] Blue_Spirit61 16 years ago

that's because it was based on a story from the bible.

And I will get him back even as he gloats. In the meantime I'll practice on less honorable throats!

[–] Szabu 16 years ago

Who cares what's it based on?
For me, and for children, too, the Bible is just another collection book of classic Mythology stories.

[–] Blue_Spirit61 16 years ago

alot of people who are really religous care.

And I will get him back even as he gloats. In the meantime I'll practice on less honorable throats!

[–] Szabu 16 years ago

Still, i don't get it.
Why is it okay to show a mass murder of kids if it's from the Bible, but not okay to show mass murder of kids if it's from real history, or a book?

[–] Blue_Spirit61 16 years ago

I unno. people are just crazy

And I will get him back even as he gloats. In the meantime I'll practice on less honorable throats!

[–] takiko-1 15 years ago

> Why is it okay to show a mass murder of kids if it's from the Bible, but not okay to show mass murder of kids if it's from real history, or a book? <

Well for the Prince of Egypt, it was closer to God allowing the first born to die because the Prince were enslaving a group of people. And the Bible would not be seen as equal to fiction as this story is. And Disney didn't want to alienate its audience by scaring them off. All the films they've made have earned a G audience rating in the USA.

And it depends on the culture. There is an Japanese anime movie called Grave of the Fireflies, and while it doesn't have hundred of kids dying, the outcome is still not good.

[–] Szabu 15 years ago

Actually, home on the range and Lilo & Stitch were PG for whatever stupid reason in the US.

And I don't want pointless mass murder scenes in Disney films, actually I'm kind of glad they made this instead.
But why people don't bitch about Prince of Egypt showing innocent kids die, people eaten alive by bugs, etc. is beyond me.

Grave of the Fireflies is a great film, and is a completely different case.
For one thing, it wasn't advertised as a kid's flick, but most importantly, it showed the events as tragic and unfortunate instead of triumphant and happy.
It was also written way better, but I won't be reviewing PoE and GotF on a Home on the Range board, so that's it for now :)

[–] PreachCaleb 10 years ago

Prince of Egypt wasn't a Disney movie. Hope that clears things up for you.

Can't stop the signal.

[–] Szabu 10 years ago

I know damn well Prince of Egypt isn't a Disney movie. It's just the funny difference between the attitudes of Disney and 90's Dreamworks, like:

"Hmm, a movie marketed for children, which involves mass murdering children won't be well received."
vs
"Hmm, let's adapt one of the most violent, backwards and racist story from the Bible, and market it to children! That sounds like a good idea!"