History Main / Disneyfication

-->-- ''Discworld/{{Hogfather}}''

* Creator/TheBBC adaptation of ''Discworld/TheAmazingMauriceAndHisEducatedRodents'' is pretty true to the book right up to the end, then suddenly says that Keith and Malicia got together and lived happily ever after with Maurice as their pet. The book ends with Maurice going on the lookout for [[AndTheAdventureContinues another stupid-looking kid he can work with]], and while there's ''hints'' there might one day be a Malicia/Keith relationship, that's all they are.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheMightyKong'' is a version of ''Film/KingKong'' with musical numbers (done by [[Disney/TheSwordInTheStone Th]][[Film/MaryPoppins e]] [[Disney/TheJungleBook Sher]][[WesternAnimation/CharlottesWeb man]] [[Disney/TheManyAdventuresOfWinnieThePooh Bro]][[Film/BedknobsAndBroomsticks thers]] no less), a boy and his monkey, the voice of [[Disney/TheLittleMermaid Ariel]], and dancing animals. Also [[SparedByTheAdaptation Kong lives at the end]].

* In the ''HBO Storybook Musicals'' adaptation of ''Literature/TheLittleMatchGirl'' the story is set in more modern times, the girl doesn't die, and she receives a HappilyEverAfter. Oddly, their adaptation of ''The Marzipan Pig'' kept its depressing nature.

[[TropesAreTools This isn't always a bad thing, though.]] Done properly (i.e. not [[TastesLikeDiabetes too cute]] or dumbed-down), the Disneyfied property can be just as entertaining as the original or even better (for example, if you're not a fan of {{Downer Ending}}s, or if they've improved boring parts and given the characters personality, or fixed a PlotHole). The actual tales themselves are often too short to adapt properly, and the expanded versions can be hit and misses. The reworked Disney versions lead to AdaptationDisplacement and SadlyMythtaken, with most people being unaware that the original fairy tales might have even contained [[IncrediblyLamePun grimmer]] aspects. Visual representations of the fairy tales are often strongly influenced by Disney --Literature/{{Snow White|AndTheSevenDwarfs}} is seen [[Disney/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs wearing a dress with primary colors and a red bow in her hair]], Literature/TheLittleMermaid with [[Disney/TheLittleMermaid red hair, a green tail, and a purple seashell bra]], and so on.

* ''Manga/JoJosBizarreAdventure Part III: Stardust Crusader'' disneyfies horror fictions. Many of the stand users are based on the slasher films (Ebony Devil: ''Film/ChildsPlay'', Yellow Temperance: ''Film/TheBlob'', Alessi: ''Film/TheShining'', etc), which, [[{{Gorn}} while still gory]], are a lot less scary thanks to the protagonists having NervesOfSteel, the frequently emerging comical moments, and [[EvilIsHammy the villains being downright hammy]], making the show suitable as a shonen manga along the standards of ''Manga/FistOfTheNorthStar''.

[[caption-width-right:300:Also, there is [[IWantSong singing]], per the norm.[[note]]This is still one of the ''darker'' Disney films.[[/note]]]]

* The Creator/WarnerBros animated feature ''WesternAnimation/QuestForCamelot'', supposedly based on Vera Chapman's novella ''The King's Damosel'', itself a feminist retelling of the [[Myth/KingArthur Arthurian]] tale of Linette and Gareth. Similarities between the book and the film are, in total, that the lead character is an ActionGirl with a falcon, she's accompanied by a blind man, and it's set in Arthurian England. It was decided to [[AnimatedMusical add songs]] [[FollowTheLeader to compete with]] Creator/{{Disney}}, [[AdaptationNameChange change all the lead characters' names]], add ''three'' {{Non Human Sidekick}}s, [[ClicheStorm add more Disney cliches]] to make the film more of a Disney-esqe musical, and to top it all off, dump the BittersweetEnding in favor of "Kayley" living HappilyEverAfter with "Garrett" (an amalgamation of Lucius [the blind man] and Gareth).

* The animated adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/AnimalFarm'' is Disneyfied in a similar manner to the later live action version. Although a notable difference is that while the animals in the live action adaptation express their displeasure of Napoleon's policies after a cumulation of him sending Boxer to the butcher shop and altering the entirety of the animal seven commandments, especially the seventh, by simply leaving the farm, the animals actually rebel outright against Napoleon and his pigs and successfully depose his regime. Though, given that the original novel was an allegory about Stalinism, and the animated adaptation was in large part bankrolled by the, [[ExecutiveMeddling Central Intelligence Agency, this is understandable.]] Maybe not ideal, but understandable.

[[caption-width-right:300:Also, there is [[IWantSong singing]].[[note]]This is still one of the ''darker'' Disney films.[[/note]]]]

* ''WesternAnimation/RobotChicken'' ruthlessly parodies this with their sketch on ''Literature/TheDiaryOfAnneFrank'', which is reimagined into a ''Film/HomeAlone''-esque RomCom starring Creator/HillaryDuff.

** The original text reveals Moses as actively deciding to kill the Egyptian taskmaster for beating a Hebrew slave instead of a moment's impulse causing an accident. Then he (unsuccessfully) tried to cover it up to avoid blame

* The Creator/WarnerBros animated feature ''WesternAnimation/QuestForCamelot'', supposedly based on Vera Chapman's novella ''The King's Damosel'', itself a feminist retelling of the [[Myth/KingArthur Arthurian]] tale of Linette and Gareth. Similarities between the book and the film are, in total, that the lead character is an ActionGirl with a falcon, she's accompanied by a blind man, and it's set in Arthurian England. It was decided to [[AnimatedMusical add songs]] [[FollowTheLeader to compete with]] Creator/{{Disney}}, [[AdaptationNameChange change all the lead characters' names]], add ''three'' {{Non Human Sidekick}}s, [[ClicheStorm add more Disney cliches]] to make the film more of a Disney-esqe musical, and to top it all off, dump the BittersweetEnding in favour of "Kayley" living HappilyEverAfter with "Garrett" (an amalgamation of Lucius [the blind man] and Gareth).

* ''The Mighty Kong'' is a version of ''Film/KingKong'' with musical numbers (done by [[Disney/TheSwordInTheStone Th]][[Film/MaryPoppins e]] [[Disney/TheJungleBook Sher]][[WesternAnimation/CharlottesWeb man]] [[Disney/TheManyAdventuresOfWinnieThePooh Bro]][[Film/BedknobsAndBroomsticks thers]] no less), a boy and his monkey, the voice of [[Disney/TheLittleMermaid Ariel]], and dancing animals. Also [[SparedByTheAdaptation Kong lives at the end]].

** ''WesernAnimation/{{Camelot}}'' removed the sexual undertones of [[Myth/KingArthur the original myths]] to make the story kid-friendly. It still shows the [[YourCheatingHeart adulterous affair]] between Guinivere and Lancelot, but anything explicit is not shown, not even a kiss.

* In almost every film or television adaptation of ''Literature/AdventuresOfHuckleberryFinn'', the N-word is taken out. In one particularly tacky example, a Creator/CBS MadeForTVMovie made Jim ''white'' and removed any mention of slavery. Also, at least one removes all trace of barefootedness for some reason.

* The ''WesternAnimation/{{Darkstalkers}}'' cartoon. While originally there was a lot of moral ambiguity, with the monster hunter wanting to kill nice monsters and even the main heroine not giving a rat's ass about being queen, the cartoon had BlackAndWhiteMorality and was way less violent. For example, Demitri's teeth are just two fangs instead of a clusterfuck of sharp teeth.

* Stagings of the Theatre/SwanLake ballet are divided on the happy ending vs the traditional: some have the lovers die (or parted forever as Odette is condemned to remain a swan), while others have them live happily ever after. Research suggests that the happy ever after one might be the originally intended ending of the ballet... which would push it in the [[{{Grimmification}} opposite trope]].''Literature/TheBlackSwan'' splits the difference: [[spoiler: Odette and Siegfried throw themselves in the lake but are restored to life by a turned-good Odile]]. Research suggests that the happy ever after one might be the originally intended ending of the ballet... which would push it in the [[{{Grimmification}} opposite trope]].

* Stagings of the Theatre/SwanLake ballet are divided on the happy ending vs the traditional: some have the lovers die (or parted forever as Odette is condemned to remain a swan), while others have them live happily ever after. Research suggests that the happy ever after one might be the originally intended ending of the ballet... which would push it in the [[{{Grimmification}} opposite trope]].''Literature/TheBlackSwan'' splits the difference: [[spoiler: Odette and Siegfried throw themselves in the lake but are restored to life by a turned-good Odile]]. Research suggests that the happy ever after one might be the originally intended ending of the ballet... which would push it in the [[{{Grimmification}} opposite trope]].

** Mordred does get considerably less adorable as the series goes on. He was a CreepyChild when he was first introduced, and he just keeps getting creepier.
*** At one point he magically picks two spears and stabs one soldier with each of them. Then he smiles. All this before the watershed.

*** The closest interpretation was the 1996 TV movie featuring Ted Danson, and even that one told the story differently, with Gulliver being treated as a mental patient raving about his adventures, while [[{{Grimmification}} Grimmifying]] many elements of the tale and toning down the various elements involved in the story's ending, whether they contributed to its DownerEnding or not. [[spoiler: At the end, he's proved sane when his son finally manages to live-trap a Lilliputian sheep (which he'd brought back from that journey) and present it to the judge.]]

* In addition to changing its heroine from a quiet, thoughtful girl into Creator/ShirleyTemple's usual brassy, vivacious smart-aleck, the 1939 film of Frances Hodgson Burnett's book ''Literature/ALittlePrincess'' softens the hardships Sara undergoes, changes the villain's weak and complicit sister into a heroic brother, and imposes a DisneyDeath on Sara's father, while ladling generous quantities of TastesLikeDiabetes over the entire story. There have been more faithful adaptations since, but even the 1995 Creator/AlfonsoCuaron version has her father survive.

* ''Film/TheWizardOfOz'': The original Creator/LFrankBaum books contain a surprising amount of casual and sometimes decidedly un-PC violence: in the first one alone — besides the wholesale witchicide — the Scarecrow twists the necks of crows sent to attack them, the Tin Woodsman chops the heads off vicious wolves, and the Cowardly Lion swats the head off a giant spider with his paw. And, of course, the Tin Woodsman became tin by gradually having all his bits cut off and replaced — up to and including his head. Additionally in the book Dorothy intentionally throws the bucket of water on the Wicked Witch after she's mean to the Cowardly Lion (she doesn't know it'll make her melt of course). The film changes this to Dorothy trying to put out a fire on the Scarecrow's arms and the water accidentally splashing on the Witch.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNIMH'' is based on a book called ''Literature/MrsFrisbyAndTheRatsOfNIMH''. There were a number of small changes between the books: notably, Mrs. Frisby of the novel became Mrs. Brisby in the film (mainly to avoid trademark issues with the Wham-O! company) and a shift of focus from the rats' time at NIMH to Mrs. Brisby's looming crisis. Some of the characterizations are obviously much more whimsical and goofy than in the novel (particularly [[TheKlutz Jeremy]]). However, the biggest and most Disneyfied change is the random inclusion of magic and mysticism, which plays an important role in the movie, but was not present in the book whatsoever. Many fans prefer the movie to the books -- enough that a [[BrokenBase large schism]] is present in the ''NIMH'' fandom.

** And then, in came [[WesternAnimation/TheSecretOfNIMH2TimmyToTheRescue the sequel]]. ''Timmy To The Rescue'', despite being an example of LighterAndSofter of the highest order, actually uses some elements from the book the novel neglected (e.g. Brutus turning out to be a GentleGiant, the NIMH survivors being six rather than two). That said, these mostly do play more into softening the tone of the film, and naturally also cause some contradictions with the first film.

* The Creator/RankinBassProductions movie adaptation of ''WesternAnimation/TheHobbit'' makes a few questionable changes (all death is represented by the screen spinning) but is actually less destructive than you would expect. But for a sequel, Rankin-Bass got to make a mawkish version of ''WesternAnimation/TheReturnOfTheKing''.
** However, it also manages to avert this trope at the end, [[spoiler: as not only does the mortally wounded Thorin die on screen, but a total of seven of the thirteen dwarves are killed in the Battle of Five Armies, as opposed to the three who are killed in the original book]].

** Stagings of the ballet are divided on this: some have the lovers die (or parted forever as Odette is condemned to remain a swan), while others have them live happily ever after. Creator/MercedesLackey's retelling ''Literature/TheBlackSwan'' splits the difference: [[spoiler: Odette and Siegfried throw themselves in the lake but are restored to life by a turned-good Odile]].
** Research suggests that the happy ever after one might be the originally intended ending of the ballet... which would push it in the [[{{Grimmification}} opposite trope]].

** Nowadays, they are back to their usual characterization, but they were also portrayed in a more pleasant light in the 1970s TV show too, thanks to MoralGuardians trying to crack down on slapstick.

** Most of Creator/GoNagai's classics were originally aimed for teens and adults. TV adaptions for kids during 1970s-1980s softened the materials significantly. A notable example is ''Manga/{{Devilman}}''. Even though the show is still a horror genre, it's nowhere as brutal as the original.

* ''Anime/BattleOfThePlanets'' was the Disneyfied version of ''Anime/ScienceNinjaTeamGatchaman'' by dint of some "interesting" (for a given value of "interesting") editing and the addition of the egregrious 7-Zark-7 and his cute not-quite-talking robot dog sidekick. Thank whatever powers-that-be, there were no musical numbers.

** Some [[FanNickname fan nicknames]] for these non-canon events are "Failgun," "Nagaispace," and "Cloverfield" (the third one being a reference to the overarching theme of clovers Nagai added throughout the series).

* Most of the dubbings of Creator/FourKidsEntertainment tend to do this, removing all the religious[=/=]pagan[=/=]demonic imagery, removing violence and firearms, removing almost all the references to death and murder, removing all the fanservice... You get the idea.
** Nelvana is guilty of this too. ''Manga/CardcaptorSakura'' for example was torn in half to get rid of context unsuitable for Western demographic (e.g. implied incest and underage romance). This is more in terms of context rather than narrative however, given the dialogue and characterizations are actually somewhat less [[TastesLikeDiabetes cutesy and whimsical]] than the original Japanese original.
*** Also due to omitting almost all romantic elements, a large amount of the show's finale had to be edited, making it more {{bittersweet|Ending}} (especially since Nelvana lost the rights to dubbing the show before ''[[HappilyEverAfter The Sealed Card]]'' was released).

* Subverted in the Danish comic book series ''ComicBook/{{Valhalla}}''. Most of the stories from the Nordic Mythology are both severely simplified and kidified. For example, two kids, who have little to do with the original mythology, are made into protagonists for most of the earlier books. Also, in one myth Freyja sold her body to receive the Brisinga-necklace, but in the comics she just gave up a small part of her blood. On the other hand, the comic series also features [[WhatDoYouMeanItsNotForKids gore]], [[NippleAndDimed boobs]] and [[FanService full frontal nudity]]!
** The comic pays a lot of homage to the original myths even when changing them. In the case of Freyja, Odin (and the reader) are led to believe for most of the story that she did, indeed, sleep her way to getting the necklace. Odin (who, true to the myths, is often a {{Jerkass}}) gets Loki to steal it for him, intent on asking the same price for it as she originally paid if she wants it back. He wasn't expecting her to cut her finger and give him a few drops of her blood.
** The book dealing with Baldur's death takes this trope even further. Loki kills Baldur purely by accident (not on purpose, like in the original myth), and he spends much of the story trying to ''avoid'' committing the prophesized murder, thereby setting up the very circumstances that lead to it. Granted, Baldur still dies, but when he comes to Helheim (the realm of the dead), his cheerful disposition makes the goddess Hel so happy that the dark and miserable Helheim spontaneously turns into a lush, green pasture!
*** The myths are not entirely clear on Loki's involvement in the incident. Several sources blame Hod, claiming Loki's only involvement was refusing to shed the tear needed to secure his release from Helheim; only a few relatively modern sources (mainly Snorlsson's ''Prose Edda'') blame Loki.

*** There was also a nick at the laws on [[BlackComedy free speech]] at the time, but it's very subtle.

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Anastasia}}'' manages to show the Russian Revolution [[HammerAndSickleRemovedForYourProtection without mentioning Communism]]. Instead, Rasputin is plucked out his historical context for use as a pure EvilSorcerer (ignoring his ''complex'' relationship with the Romanovs), and given an annoying talking bat as a NonHumanSidekick. They didn't even mention Lenin, the Soviets and the Bolsheviks when they attacked the Czar's palace!
** Which is closer to being [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_Revolution historically correct.]] Bolsheviks were not a major power until November in 1917 (it's mostly forgotten these days that there were ''two'' Russian Revolutions in 1917, [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/February_Revolution the first]] overthrowing the monarchy and [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/October_Revolution the second]] being the Bolshevik takeover). Well, except for [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_(council) Soviets,]] given you [[AdaptationDisplacement recall what that word originally meant]].