Disney Scrapped: Deleted Scenes, Songs, and Concepts
Disney movies have been enchanting audiences for generations, and behind every magical masterpiece are hidden gems – scenes that were left on the cutting room floor. Deleted scenes are the forgotten whispers of the storytellers, the alternate paths that could have shaped our characters and narratives in different ways; or maybe an event that just adds more depth and context to the story.
Beneath the sparkle of tiaras and the echoes of heartwarming songs lie scenes that were crafted with care, yet never quite found their place in the spotlight.
Exploring the Unseen Deleted Scenes
Join us on a journey as we delve into the deleted scenes and captivating moments that were nearly part of your favorite Disney films.
Frozen: Anna and Elsa’s Duet
In the frosty world of Arendelle, a deleted duet between Anna and Elsa, titled “Life’s Too Short,” was almost a part of the “Frozen” magic. This powerful song, exploring the complexities of their relationship as sisters, was ultimately left behind.
The song seems to take place when Anna finally gets to Elsa’s Ice Castle to talk her into returning home and sees all the wonder Elsa had created with her powers. The song starts out with an upbeat and happy tone, while Anna and Elsa talk about forgetting their past and starting anew.
Shortly after, things escalate as Anna accidentally offends Elsa by trying to return her gloves back. Elsa sees this as a ploy to give up her freedom. Suddenly it’s a fight between the sisters. The song abruptly ends with an action that will quite literally cut Anna’s life short.
As we uncover this musical gem, it adds another layer to the emotional landscape of Anna and Elsa’s sisterly journey. Obviously, it’s not always bright and happy between siblings. As realistic as it gets, we too find ourselves in a fight with our other siblings.
Though this song was shelved, it was given another life when Disney came out with “Frozen Fever” as a new main song retitled “Making Today a Perfect Day”.
Beauty and the Beast: Be Our Guest’s Original Audience
“Be Our Guest” still remains as one of my favorite songs from this film. But I never knew that they had a different vision for the song, way before the final cut. Though a small change for the film, it still changes in terms of the phasing of the story.
Apparently, they first thought that the song would be first sung as Maurice, Belle’s father, found his way in Beast’s Castle. Instead of a subtle reveal of the living antique characters, it opted to a grander and more extravagant introduction to Lumiere, Cogsworth, and Mrs. Potts.
Maybe further into the development of the film, they thought the song was sung too early in the film and pushed it back. Of course, the main audience, being Maurice, had to be replaced by Belle.
Frozen: Evil Elsa Concept
Another deleted concept from the beloved film, Frozen, seemed to have gone through many phases during its story’s development. At this point, Elsa was the supposed villain of the story. Imagine how much different this story had to the film we had at the end.
In the footage, Elsa interrogates royal guards, and reveals that she has been busy making an army. She seems to be on her way to attack the kingdom of Arendelle.
Even this early concept Elsa looked so much different to the final Elsa. Aside from the long platinum blond braid she wears her hair, Evil Elsa sports a short, messy, black hair. A perfect look for an evil villain.
Assuming that at the end of the film, Evil Elsa would be defeated, bringing an end to the winter she cast Arendelle; or to true Disney fashion, give Elsa a redemption at the end.
Lilo and Stitch: Stitch’s Deleted Scene
This scene seemed to be removed due to it being too dark. It might also make Stitch, a main character of the film, look bad for the watchers, especially the children.
The scene shows Lilo introducing Stitch to her friend, Pudge the Fish. Lilo scooped Pudge gently to give it a kiss, and moved over to Stitch so he could kiss Pudge too. Stitch being disgusted, swats the fish to the ground. Then seagulls swarm around to get the fish, while Stitch laughs and watches. The fish ended up dying.
Beauty and the Beast: Human Again
In the original release, this five-minute scene and song was not included. Despite adding so much to the story, considering the perspective of the objects in the castle.
“Human Again” only makes sense to include in the film as it tells every single object’s wants and desires once the spell is broken. That sudden burst of hope gives them so much energy to actually clean up the whole castle. This also makes sense considering that the following scene would probably be the ball scene of Belle and the Beast.
Thankfully, they included the song as a special edition release. Hearing everyone singing makes it feel so theatrical.
As we unlock the Disney Vault, we glimpse the creative decisions that shaped these beloved films. These deleted scenes are more than just discarded footage; they are a testament to the dedication of the Disney artists and writers who strive to weave tales that resonate with audiences of all ages. That makes Disney movies truly magical.
