It's Film Strip Friday! Pocahontas

It’s Film Strip Friday!

Pocahontas

Release Date June 26^h, 1995

 

 SYNOPSIS:

          Restless for adventure, Indian princess Pocahontas stumbles upon English settlers who've landed in the home of her tribe. She soon becomes entranced by handsome Captain John Smith, who's also smitten by Pocahontas' beauty and gentle spirit. However, when Governor Ratcliffe's greedy followers believe the Native Americans have hidden the gold they're searching for and demand its return, tension builds between the two groups. It's up to Pocahontas to discover her true destiny and restore peace among her people.

FUN FACTS:

Pocahontas is one of the main characters of Disney's 1995, thirty-third animated feature, Pocahontas, and its direct-to-video sequel, Phcahontas II: Journey to a New World. She, as well as the events she goes through, are very loosely based on the actual historical figure Matoaka, who is more popularly known by the nickname Pocahontas.

Though Pocahontas does not come from or marry into any monarchy like other Disney princesses such as Snow White, Cinderella and Princess Aurora, she is still included as an official Disney Princess because she is the daughter of a Native American Chief. This makes Pocahontas the first American Disney Princess. Pocahontas is also the first (and only) Disney Princess to have two love interests. However, most media, including the Disney Princess franchise, keep John Smith and Pocahontas as an official couple, completely ignoring John Rolfe.

She is voiced by and modeled after Native American actress Irene Bedard and her singing vocals were performed by Broadway singer Judy Kuhn in both films. Kuhn also reprises the role of Pocahontas in the Disney Princesses' single and music video, "If You Can Dream" and the original Disney Princess songs "These Moments We Share", "Silver and Gold" and "Christmas Is Coming!".

Personality

Pocahontas' name means "Little Mischief" or the "naughty one" She is based on the real historical figure, and was born into a highly sophisticated Native American culture that had some knowledge of Europeans.

Pocahontas is displayed as a noble, free-spirited and highly spiritual young woman. She expresses wisdom beyond her years and offers kindness and guidance to those around her. She loves adventure and nature. In the film, she appears to have shamanic powers since she was able to commune with nature, talk to spirits, empathize with animals, and understand unknown languages.

In the sequel, Pocahontas seems to have grown after thinking that John Smith had died. She keeps her independent spirit and playfulness, but is much more mature and self-assured than she was in the first film. During her stay in England, she nearly loses herself in the hustle and bustle of this new world and is turned into someone she is not. However, in the end, she bravely intends to sacrifice herself for her people's safety and returns to her homeland, finding herself, and love, once again.

Appearances

In the beginning of the film, Pocahontas learns that Kocoum, one of her dad's bravest warriors, has asked to marry her. (In place of a wedding ring, Pocahontas is given her deceased mother's wedding necklace, and she wears it throughout the bulk of the film.) However, Pocahontas does not feel that this is the right path for her. She is the first one to spot the ship carrying the Europeans, mistaking the ship's sails for clouds. Pocahontas later encounters one of the settlers, John Smith. As the story unfolds, it is revealed that her mother has died, and that she lives with her father.

Over time, the two get to know each other, asking all sorts of questions about each other's people, lives, and different worlds. However, the conversation goes sour when John Smith unintentionally reveals his prejudices towards Native Americans. Pocahontas explains to him the beauty and importance of nature and respecting the earth through the song, Colors of the Wind. This causes John to see the ill of his thoughts and change his ways, and the two fall in love with each other.

When Kocoum stumbles upon Pocahontas and John Smith kissing, Kocoum becomes enraged and attacks him. Before Pocahontas can break them up, Thomas, who had been sent to find John, shoots and kills Kocoum. John Smith takes the blame, is taken prisoner by the Powhatan men, and sentenced to die at sunrise.

Pocahontas realizes that she must stop the execution that will lead to war between the Native Americans and the settlers. She runs to where it will take place, calling out to the forces of nature to help her reach them in time. Pocahontas reaches John Smith just in time to throw herself over him and save him from being killed by her father, Chief Powhatan who then comes to his senses and releases John Smith. When the enraged Governor Ratcliffe shoots at the chief, John Smith pushes Powhatan out of the way, and takes the bullet.

Soon after, a wounded John Smith asks her to come with him to England, but she explains that her place is in Virginia, with her people. To comfort him, she tells him that no matter what happens, I'll always be with you, forever. They kiss, and the men carry him onto the ship. As it is leaving, Pocahontas runs as fast as she can to a cliff overlooking the ocean. John waves goodbye in the Powhatan fashion, and Pocahontas waves back in the Powhatan fashion, like she showed him to earlier when the two first met, as the ship sails away.

It is important to note that Jean Jacques Rousseau's notion of the "noble savage" was an important inspiration for this fictionalized story of the important historical persona that is Pocahontas. For as can be seen in other information given below, the story presented in the animated film is not an accurate telling of her life. Rather, it is an examination of the above notion.

Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World

In Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World, Pocahontas goes to London as a diplomat to stop a potential attack upon her people being ordered by King James in a plot by Ratcliffe. There, she is accompanied by John Rolfe and slowly develops a romance with him. In the end, she is reunited with John Smith, but explains to him that they are "no longer following the same path that they went on years ago", and parts ways with him. Successfully exposing Ratcliffe, who is then arrested by order of the King, Pocahontas and John Rolfe get on a ship going back to Virginia together, and kiss as the ship sails off into the sunset.

Other appearances

·        She is featured in Disney Hollywood Studios nighttime fireworks stage show Fantasmic and World of Color at Disney California Adventure Park.

·        She makes cameo appearances in numerous episodes of the Disney’s House of Mouse television series.

·        She appears daily at the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts for meet and greets. She is the most common Pocahontas character, next to Meeko.

·        She and John Smith appear in the Disney Cruise Line stage show The Golden Mickeys. She is also known to come out for meet-and-greets on the ships.

·        Pocahontas, Meeko and Flit make cameo appearances in the Hong Kong Disneyland version of It’s a Small World.

·        She had her own show entitled "Pocahontas and her Forest Friends" at Disney Animal Kingdom, which ran from 1998 to 2008.

·        It is also possible that Pocahontas will appear in the upcoming Kingdom hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, as director Tetsuya Nomura has confirmed that all Disney worlds featured in the game will be brand new. Pocahontas and Tiana are the only two Disney princesses that have not yet made any appearances in the Kingdom Hearts series.

http://disney.go.com/disneyinsider/history/movies

http://en.wikipedia.org