My Own Personal Nerdy Disney and Animation Scrutinizing Analyses: "Treasure Planet" - The Sci-Fi, Intergalactical Version of "Treasure Island" and the Second Sci-Fi Adventure Flop From Disney

Hi folks! Welcome to My Own Personal Nerdy Disney Scrutinizing Analyses blog, a blog where I'm analyzing several Disney films or Disney in general! These entries are meant to be my analyses only. Not reviews or statements. Just fun analyses! Though I'll make some personal remarks now and then, the content of these entries is meant to be depicted objectively. They're made for entertainment purpose only and the pictures/clips are copyright Disney or other companies.

Make sure to leave a comment if you like this site! And if there's something you think could be improved, please let me know. But in a constructive way, please. And just a note; I'm not a Native English writer, so my incorrect grammar may be notable.

And finally; If you haven't seen the films, beware of spoilers! And the funny lines aren't meant to be nothing than funny. So I hope you won't find them offensive. If so, I apologize.

Even in Outer Space we`re obsessed with selfies :) At least me (Jim) and Morph :)

Yes, there are many hot girls
on this side :)

The names of John Musker and Ron Clements are household names in Disney animation for two reasons: They`ve created some of Disney`s most influential and memorable movies from the Renaissance and even the Revival era. And they`ve also happened to be the latest Disney directors with the most directorial credit. But to summarize their history, one of the most interesting and remarkable trivia about them truly lies to one specific story: Their big dream project. Which was an adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson`s Treasure Island. The only difference was that it was going to be set in Space. While they were making The Great Mouse Detective (1986), they were suggesting to make that adaptation. But the executives at Disney were initially skeptical about it, so it was postponed. It was brought up again when The Little Mermaid entered the surface (pardon this intended pun), but the executives declined once again.

I know that you want to have
my glow, Jim. But you`ll have
to wait three years from now :)

But when Aladdin turned out to be a bigger hit, they proposed the idea again (and were planning to do it). But Jeffrey Katzenberg wasn`t keen on it anymore. They headed for Roy Disney, who gave them his support (where they signed a seven year contract). Still, the studio told them to do one more bankable picture before actually settling on their Treasure Island. Which happened to be Hercules (which happened to be the most deliberately commercial picture from the Renaissance). While Hercules happened to be their true underperformance, Musker and Clements were finally given a go to make their version of Treasure Island. It`s remarkable that it took them over 17 years before their pet project, Treasure Planet, was greenlit before it made the final screen. But unfortunately Planet ended up with the fate of being a quite remarkable picture for two reasons. For actually being the personal pet project who ended up being a flop.

General Information About Treasure Planet

Released November 27th 2002, Treasure Planet was the Fifth movie released from Musker and Clements (despite how only the Home Video release marketed the movie as "from the creators of Mermaid and Aladdin). And the first Thanksgiving release since Aladdin 10 years prior. It was the second animated release from Disney in 2002, five months after the highly successful Lilo & Stitch. It was produced by Roy Conli (The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Tangled) and Peter del Vecho (The Princess and the Frog, Frozen). And had their veteran writers Ted Elliot, Terry Rossio (Aladdin, Shrek, Pirates of the Caribbean) and Rob Edwards (Fresh Prince of Bel Air) among them.

The score was from James Newton Howard, scoring his third non-musical animated feature in a row (after Dinosaur and Atlantis The Lost Empire). The two songs in Planet were written and performed by Go Go Doll`s John Rheznik (I`m Still Here being the lone number in the movie). Who just like Jim Hawkins, missed a father figure and had a mentor who served that role. Among the cast was Joseph Gordon-Lewitt as Jim, Emma Thompson as Captain Amelia (her first Disney job before Brave), David Hyde Pierce as Dr. Delbert Doppler (his second Disney gig after A Bug`s Life), Brian Murray as Silver, Martin Short as B.E.N., Laurie Metcalf as Sarah (her second motherly Disney job after A Toy Story) and Tony Jay (Hunchback) as the narrator. Andy Gaskill (The Lion King) was the Art Director and Rasoul Azadani (Aladdin, Pocahontas) was the layout artist.

Veteran animators like Glen Keane (Silver), John Ripa (Jim), Ken Duncan (Amelia), Randy Haycock, Jin Kim, Michael Cedeno, Sergio Pablos (Dopper), Ellen Woodbury, Brian Ferguson (Onus) and John Pomeroy were among the animators. And perhaps not since Tarzan there was an animated feature that was so steeped in Deep Canvas. With it`s $140 million budget, it was the most expensive Hand Drawn film to date (despite how it didn`t went over-budget). It was the first film to be released simultaneously in regular and IMAX theaters. It was nominated for Best Animated Feature, but lost to Spirited Away (2001). And sure, it would`ve been easy to accuse Disney for self-cannibalization. Since Disney did actually adapt Treasure Island twice: As a live action film in 1950 and with The Muppets in 1996. But hey, it`s not that it`s been the only time Disney`s done it. But unlike it`s three predecessors which felt they could`ve come from other studios (The Emperor`s New Groove, Atlantis, Lilo & Stitch), Treasure Planet felt like 100% authentically Disney and didn`t felt like a complete outlier, despite how it followed a new formula.

Behind the Scenes Information

I wanted to look more badass
than both you, Morph and
B.E.N. :)

Treasure Planet came from Ron Clements, who is both a fantasy and Science Fiction fan. It was something that he wanted before Star Wars came. A executive was looking for an idea with pirates in space. And to combine Disney with Sci-Fi was a challenge. Planet took roughly four and a half years to make, but the concept for it (called Treasure Island in Space back then) was pitched by Clements in 1985 at the "Gong Show" where he and Musker also pitched Mermaid. Planet was rejected by Michael Eisner, because Paramount Pictures was making a Star Trek sequel with a Treasure Island angle (which eventually went unproduced).

This is my way of giving you
my respect, Amelia :)

And yes, Disney wanted Planet to be something else than Treasure Island in Space. They suggested turning the story into King Solomon's Mines or Romeo and Juliet in space. They also suggested making Long John Silver the lead and telling the story from his point of view. And making Jim an African-American or a girl. They were urged to do Princess of Mars after Aladdin. But Katzenberg finally agreed when he realized how much alike the Renaissance films were. Musker and Clements wanted to move the camera around a lot like Steven Spielberg or James Cameron. They wanted space to look like it had never looked before. A space that was warm and had more life to it than usual in a science fiction film."

I`ve been transformed into
clay :) By Midas :)

While Silver was declared to be the first Disney character to be a blend of both Hand Drawn and CGI, he was technically the second (folllowing Grandmother Willow from Pocahontas). But at least Silver`s maquette was a blend, as his arm was dimensional. But Glen Keane was afraid that his arms was going to stick out. Eric Daniels, who invented Deep Canvas for Tarzan, made the arm for Silver. And Keane didn`t want to do the arm, so therefore he approached Daniels.

Yes, this was my way of doing
a meow in three seconds :)

At one point, Peter Schneider and Thomas Schumacher wanted Planet to be an all-CG film because the CG crew was finishing up Dinosaur and had no other projects lined up for them next. Musker and Clements considered it briefly, but turned it down cause the CG animation of humans wasn't up to par at the time. The part of the moon as a spaceport was worked on two years. And it was a concept the directors came up with. And yes, just as with their previous movies, the directors have a cameo.

Rapunzel should`ve been with
me now :) For seeing the
lights :)

The name of the ship (RLS Legacy) was decided by a contest, despite how Musker wanted the name of the ship to be the same of the novel, Hispanolia. Elliot and Rossio wrote the script because the directors were burned-out, before the directors wrote their part. Despite how their final sript wasn`t that different. Morph was based on lava lamps and puppy dogs. The whales and the mantabirds were the first characters that were ever done in Deep Canvas. Glen Keane storyboarded the I`m Still Here song number (despite how he wasn`t the lead animator for Jim). And yes, having stars and clouds was too complicated for the crew to handle, so therefore the crew didn`t have them.

I know that you`re at an age
where you don`t like to be
cuddled, Jim, but you`ll get
used to it afterwards :)

Gordon-Lewitt recorded Bryan Murrey, who bonded together. Brandywine School, who had illustrators as N.C. Wyeth, Harsey Dunn and Maxfield Parrish, was the inspiration for the visuals. The script was sidelined cause that it was not compelling. Eisner was concerned when he viewed an early cut a year prior to the release. He was concerned about the characters and plot. By then it was too late to change. One problem was that Jim was too harsh and brooding. The second and third acts of the film was flat and emotionless.

The Second Sci-Fi Adventure From Disney

Yes, I wrote a journal
while I did my
dangerous stunts :)

With Atlantis, Disney was trying something semi-new in Full-Length Animation: To make an animated movie that was going to be a Sci-Fi Adventure (despite how Don Bluth`s Titan A.E. was technically the first). And it was a highly ambitious project for the studio (which they marketed the heck of). Unfortunately most Disneyphiles knows the unfortunate fate of Atlantis: For various reasons, Atlantis failed to connect with audiences (whether it`s truly unfortunate has been debatable, since several people seems to detest Atlantis completely). Therefore, things didn`t look too rosy for the next upcoming film which shared the same genre, Treasure Planet.

Ain`t I cute when
I`m dressed up
as a teacher? :)

Disney were apparently aware of it`s pitfalls and tried to market it differently than Atlantis. Unfortunately, history didn`t just repeat itself with Planet, which not only turned out to be a bigger flop than Atlantis, but turned out to be the biggest flop in Disney history at the time (which history has repeated itself recently, with last 2022`s Strange World, which saw the same genre as both Atlantis and Planet). Since Planet eventually came at the end of the Hand Drawn Animation Boom at the time where the CGI Boom was taking over, it was partially blamed for being the reason for why Walt Disney Feature Animation eventually gave up Hand Drawn Animation. But while Planet wasn`t the lone reason for it (since Disney had already decided to move away from Hand Drawn Animation before Planet), it was easy to blame it for it. Despite how five months earlier, Lilo & Stitch proved a brief hit for the Hand Drawn Medium, but unfortunately couldn`t save the artform completely (Eisner told Martin Short that there would never be a movie like Planet again. For the blending of the two mediums).

The Staple of Treasure Planet

Yes, the planet is hidden in the
chest :) Believe it or not :)

So yeah, the reputation of Treasure Planet is unfortunately linked to it`s financial perfomance: For being a flop (in fact, Disney wrote the film off soon after it`s premiere). And just as with Atlantis, it was a highly ambitious project the studio had high hopes for and marketed the heck of (which fate could be a synergy). However, the consensus of Planet seems to be better than Atlantis, as it was better critically received at the time and has a bigger fanbase. But Planet just happened to be a flop among ít`s counterparts of it`s era, since the post-Renaissance era was frankly another dark age for Disney.

At least it`s not Jack
Sparrow`s ship :)

But frankly the staple is underseverdly so. Cause Treasure Planet is a quite damn good movie (pardon my swearing). With splendid visuals, a savvy screenplay, a stellar score, good voice acting and involving action sequences. True that it`s gained a bigger following through the years, and has a staple of being a cult movie. It`s funny how Planet cemented the reputation of how Pirate-movies were Box Office Poison eight months before the release of another Disney movie who would eventually turn that trend, Pirates of the Caribbean (who of course became an iconic franchise of it`s own right). Despite how it was followed by another Pirate-movie who was also a flop, DreamWorks` Sinbad The Legend of the Seven Seas.

How Treasure Planet Differentiates From John Musker and Ron Clements` Other Movies

Don`t be fooled, my back is
killing me :)

To call Treasure Planet a complete departure from what Musker and Clements have done earlier may be somewhat wrong. During the Renaissance they were pretty much known for incorprating various elements to their films. Their movies were known as fun and breeze, despite that Aladdin made them synonymous with Pop Culture References. However, Treasure Planet still stands out as their pure adventure film (which was a deliberate choice). Despite being an action movie, it came also across as more subdued than their previous films (which is a personal opinion of mine).

Yes, this is a proof of how a
feline can tame a canine :)

However, Planet also happened to be one of the few Musker/Clements pictures that was absent of any romance for the lead character whatsoever (which was something that Musker and Clements were deliberately against). Despite how it creates a peculiar, but traditional romance between Doppler and Amelia (who`s the best character in the film, which many people agreed with. And one of two major females in this male-centric picture). Which is essentially an interspecies romance. While their sparring and development may be predictable, their romance never overshadows the film (and ends up with a cue that is strikingly reminiscent of Lady and the Tramp: Starting their family with four children, three girls and a boy). The directors suggested that the Captain could be a woman. And she was suggested to be a blend of Emma Peel and Mary Poppins.

The Disneyfication of the Source Material

The Island is hidden
behind me :)

While Robert Louis Stevenson`s Treasure Island is a well known story in litterature, it would`ve been easy to scream blasphemy for even setting that story in space (which was a reason for why Treasure Planet was a controversial title, but still a title the directors wanted from the get-go). Despite how Planet wasn`t the only retelling of that story in space, following The Treasure Planet (1982) and the miniseries Treasure Island in Outer Space (1987). And yes, it may be a reason for why the executives at Disney were hesitant about it (especially Katzenberg).

At least it`s not Zack
Attack :)

But let`s remember that Disney were once stuck for their Disneyfication and other source material were even more radically changed (*cough, Hunchback, cough*). But as for the changes besides the setting, except for a few details, there`s not particularly many big changes to Planet. Many of the key scenes from the novel were intact, with a few tweakings. And despite the setting, the movie was made from creators who clearly had a deep love for the book. So it wasn`t such a radical departure and a blasphemy as it could`ve been.

The 70/30 Rule & Species of Characters

Yes, this ship was added some
pixie dust :) It`s not actually
floating :)

What makes Treasure Planet notable is (of course) how it was set in space, which was truly something new for a Disney feature at the time. While Lilo & Stitch also dealt with Aliens and Space, at least Planet took it a step further and was centered around the Galactical Universe. Yet what it truly unique, is how it`s a blend of both old and new. It was executed by a 70/30 rule: To have the environment be steeped in 1700th Century Architecture and have the rest of it be 30% Futuristic (suggested by Clements, actually). The creators wanted to have an unique blend for it (a principle in Planet was that it should feel that Stevenson had written the novel in science fiction). It may be an odd and notable choice (no offense), but still it works in Planet (despite how to have an Irish score in a semi-alien World could`ve also been perceived as jarring, but hey. Let`s not nitpick about it).

Yes, I find your outfit to be
haughty :) Don`t ask me why :)

Still, what makes Treasure Planet awfully remarkable is how it plays with some logics and lets Jim and his family being the few humans in this overall Alien-Populated Universe. It`s a nitpick, of course, but it`s quite remarkable (and yes, another nitpick is how Jim`s mother, Sarah, looking like she could`ve easily been his older sister rather than his mother. But hey, let`s not nitpick too much, shall we?). However, Planet doesn`t come across as visually distinctive as Atlantis. As it harks back to the traditional and classical Disney look. And while comparisons to Atlantis are of course inevitable, at least Planet allowed to have more diversity with it`s creatures and having more distinctive aliens (which made the character designs challenging, since they needed to be hybrids).

Jim Hawkins

I know that I`m not Justin
Bieber, but girls will swoon
for me anyway :)

But as for changes from the novel, at least one pivotal change has been with it`s lead character, Jim Hawkins (who was based on James Dean). Who`s age has been risen up to an angst-ridden and troubled adolescent from the kid he originally was (and yes, sorry to say this, folks, but Jim has been perceived as a frankly dull character by many reviewers. Which I unfortunately agree with). It wasn`t a change suggested from the directors (Pixar`s Joe Ranft suggested it), but it was a change they supported (despite how some at the studio thought it was a mistake). However with Jim, Disney did essentially try something new for a Disney character: To have one dealing with the issue of an absent parental/father figure who abandoned him.

This sword will be the
new trend for now on
:)

It certainly was something new for Disney to do at the time (unless you`ll count Zira from The Lion King II Simba`s Pride, who was a villain anyway). But it was certainly something that made Jim more current and relatable. But it`s quite remarkable that the reason for why Jim`s father even made that decision is never stated in the movie (but for those who wants to know the reason, it`s explained on the Treasure Planet A Voyage of Discovery Book). Even the face of Jim`s father is never shown. But despite being semi-rebellious, Jim comes mostly across as a good character with a good heart and values.

Silver

My apple ain`t Snow
White`s apple :)

But the heart of the film lies in the dysfunctional, but heartfelt Father/Son dynamic between Jim and John Silver (who`s now is a cyborg and his first name, John, is never referred to in the film). While a fatherly dynamic between Jim and Silver existed in the original story, the film takes it a step further and makes Silver a real surrogate father for Jim. Silver is essentially a memorable and charismatic character and is an archetype who`s bigger than life. But it would`ve be a stretch to call him the true villain of this piece (as it would`ve been more fair to call Scroop the villain, as he comes across a pure evil).

I love my right arm :)
It makes me badass :)

But despite how Silver has a antagonistic side, he`s not completely villainous either (as the movie does a good job of portraying his ambiguity). In fact, Silver comes across as being well rounded and very dimensional: Struggling with his lust for the treasure and the affectionate bond between him and Jim (which in fact Aladdin`s father, Cassim from Aladdin & The King of Thieves, also struggled with). But the scenes between them pretty much serves as the biggest emotional scenes. As they work without becoming too mawkish or sappy. And yes, there is some genuine chemistry between them. While Silver does turn on the good side at the end, he also does embodies the main theme of the film: To give up treasure for the greater good. It may be a typical message in such stories, but it`s still a message that works.

The Comedy

While Treasure Planet was praised by critics and fans, perhaps the least successful part of it has been the comedy. And frankly it`s easy to see why. While Musker and Clements became synonymous with their comedy on their pictures, it`s true that the comedy in Planet isn`t as front and center as their previous works. But on that case, the comedy ranks from being subdued to juvenile. Most of the wisecracks never steals the film as it have done with Musker and Clements`s previous films. And the other comedy (the aliens) ends up being weird or juvenile.

But the most grating element is B.E.N. (based on Ben Gunn, but cleverly named as a nick for Bio Electronic Nagivator), voiced by Martin Short. Who`s essentially one of the most grating and obnoxious comic reliefs ever created for a Disney Animated Feature. And frankly, various reviewers agreed on that (even a neighbour kid which my family used to babysit found him annoying). While B.E.N. doesn`t completely sullies the picture, he`s still one of the nitpicks and the minor flaws of Planet. But it still makes Planet remarkable, as comedy has usually been one of Musker and Clements strongest points and that it never succeeds in Planet.

The Reasons For Treasure Planet`s Underperformance

But the big question about Treasure Planet is the reason for why it underperformed? Well, first and foremost there are two crucial reasons for it, but both of them happens to be simple. It was released at the same month as Harry Potter and The Chambers of Secrets and James Bond Die Another Day (and even Disney`s own Santa Clause 2 did better than Planet). But Disney had no choice to release it another date, thanks to a promotional deal with McDonald’s the year prior. Secondly, it was made for the wrong audience. It was made towards the male demographic, who`s rarely the main demographic to animated movies (despite how teenage boys liked the film best at preview screenings, ironically).

Funny enough, most of the preview audience were little girls (and the movie was received well by test audiences). However, there have been other theories: How the studio didn`t supported it. That it was a summer movie mistakenly released in November. And that they should`ve had bigger names. Studio Chairman Richard Cook blames how the marketing wasn`t good enough. But another theory was that people wanted to see it when it came out on DVD (where it found a bigger audience). But Clements said that Planet wasn`t the right movie at the right time. And yes, it was the hardest thing for Clements to experience at Disney.

Epilogue

I look good in blue, don`t I? :)

So yeah, Treasure Planet is a movie who`s unfortunately hampered by a bad fate. And it`s a pity to say that it`s undeservedly so. While it has a fanbase who`s discovered it, it still belongs to Disney`s underrated catalog. So yeah, Planet is stuck with the stamp of being a pet project that ended up of being Disney`s biggest flop. But still for all it`s bad staple, it still has it`s fanbase and deservedly so. Cause as aforementioned, it`s a very good movie. While it may have it`s weaknesses (the comedy, Jim, some weak dialogue and characters who fails to stand out), it`s does shine with it`s strengths. While Musker and Clements had to wait 17 years before Planet would ever grace the screen, perhaps it was an advantage that it took that long. For getting the technology to develop correctly.

This will be the latest picture
to the Awkward Posing
Collection :)

As for my own personal experience with it, I saw it theatrically when it was released in my native Norway. And while I did like it, I found it to be somewhat forgettable. But later viewings on DVD made me love the movie more. And since then it`s become one of my favorites, regardless of it`s staple. Since this entry is synergized with it being 20 years since it was released on DVD (yes, for me who was a late teenager at the time, it`s hard to believe that it`s been over 20 years already), there`s nothing left to wish Treasure Planet Happy Past 20th Anniversary and may you continue to have many more.