THE EMPEROR'S NEW GROOVE

US, 2000, 78 minutes, Colour.
Voices of David Spade, John Goodman, Eartha Kitt, Patrick Warburton.
Directed by Mark Dimall.

This Disney animated feature shows that you can't judge a film by its title. The title sounds a bit stupidly groovy. But the film is not. In fact, it is highly entertaining.

A teenage Emperor, Kuzco, in a remote South American kingdom is a 'groovy' absolutely selfish and despotic ruler. As voiced by David Spade, he is callous but genial so that you hope that somebody will teach him a lesson, and quickly. He has an evil advisor, Yzma (voiced in a typically menacing way by Eartha Kitt) tries to destroy him but only turns him into a llama. It takes quite an effort to persuade Kuzco that he needs to become a decent llama and a decent human being. The agent for change is a kindly village chief (whose home Kuzco is about to destroy for a new summer palace), Pacha. Pacha is a good man (and is nicely voiced by a Goodman, John) and, by continually saving the emperor, is able to make him realise that he has been too selfish.

The screenplay is very witty and will entertain parents (especially the interplay between Yzma and her musclebound, brain deficient assistant Kronk) while the children enjoy the drawing and the action. There are no songs, except at the end, which is something of a relief. Sting had written half a dozen songs for the film. Judging by the finale, the dropping of the songs was a good decision. Very enjoyable.

1. A different style of Disney film? For the 21st century? The groove, slang, flip patter, songs?

2. The title and expectations, a moral fable?

3. The Central American settings? Visuals, the jungle, the temple, the mountains? Statuary? The llama and his voice‑over, his telling the story, the song about himself, a tyrant, the cabaret style of the opening song, his cavalier attitude ‑ tossing his adviser out the window etc?

4. Patcha and his appearance, arrival, caring for others, the village leader, his mission, the immediate impact of the emperor, hearing of his plan for his holiday house, the discussions with the emperor, the rudeness, Patcha being
despairing and leaving?

5. Ysma and Kronk: Ysma running the country, her physical appearance, her comments on her ugliness, her harshness in her judgments? Kronk and his being a toy‑boy muscleman? No brains? Pleasant personality but dumb? Obsequious? The arrival of the emperor, her sitting on his throne, his firing her? Her smashing his statue, plotting against him? The laboratory and all her potions, the plans to kill him, turning him into a llama?

6. The village, the problem, the villa, the emperor's attitude: don't know, don't care?

7. The dinner for the emperor's birthday, preparing the drink, his metamorphosis into a llama? His being carried away? Kronk throwing him into the pool, the angel and the devil arguing on his shoulder? Saving the emperor?

8. Patcha and his cart, the llama in the bag landing on it? The journey home? Patcha and his pregnant wife and her tough attitudes, especially towards the emperor? The kids and their playing? The parents kissing ‑ and driving their children to bed? The wife having to wash something with her anger?

9. The discovery of the llama, his being lost and scared, Patcha's pity? The rope and the swinging and saving him, over the waterfall? Their arguments, the llama being sensitive about the fire, the blanket, demanding that he go back to the palace? Patcha giving him the blanket when his teeth were chattering? The bargain about the villa?

10. Ysma's memorial service for the emperor and the transition? Her taking over? Discovering from Kronk that he was still alive? The talking to the squirrel? Going to the diner, Kronk wanting to cook, the comedy with the changes
of orders? Kronk at home in the kitchen?

11. The bridge falling, Patcha falling through, the emperor wanting to leave him, his own falling? The double‑cross? The fighting, the crocodiles, edging up the rock, the bats and the scorpions, the cliff falling and the emperor saving Patcha? Their going to the diner, the meal, the disguise of the emperor, his refusal to face the truth, going off on his own, overhearing Ysma, alone in the field with the llamas, Patcha taking him again?

12. The visit of Ysma to the family, her pretence, Kronk and his playing games with the children, skipping? The return, beating Patcha and the emperor to the laboratory? The map and their following it? In the laboratory, the various potions, the struggle of wits, falling over the side, Ysma becoming a cat, Kronk and his awkwardness, the devil and the angel on his shoulder? The emperor restored? His saving face and his explanation about an alternate hill for the villa?

13. The happy ending, the emperor having to learn a new groove and being caring for others rather than self‑focused?