Disney Pixar's Brave is filled with numerous historically accurate details, from the costumes and setting to the themes and ideals. Though it contains a few inaccuracies for the sake of storytelling, Brave's overall historical feel makes the viewer feel as if they are really in historical Scotland.
Chapman has stated that the story was inspired by her relationship with her daughter, and by the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm. As I explained earlier in this series, Andersen was Danish, the Brothers were German, and they both lived in the 19th century.
Though Brave is set in a fictional medieval Scotland, Pixar's animators were deeply affected by the real country's raw beauty and rich heritage, visiting Scotland both in the summer of 2006 and late 2007.
Though the film takes some creative liberties regarding Merida's coming-of-age story, Scottish culture oozed from the setting and narrative. From the clothing to the incorporation of lore and supernatural entities, this tale of breaking and mending the familial bond is one meant for the ages.
BRAVE: A Cinematic Masterpiece or a Historical Mess? Accuracies and Inaccuracies
How culturally accurate is Brave?
The research completed by the producers before creating Brave is especially evident through the amount of historically accurate detail portrayed in the film. So even though Brave is historical fantasy, you can learn a great deal about life in Medieval Scotland by watching the film.
Tia Kratter, responsible for Merida's initial character design, has admitted that Merida was based on British model and actress Lily Cole and Brenda Chapman came up with the concept of Merida's character as a combination of her daughter and one of her friends.
Trivia. Mor'du's name may come from "mor" and "dubh", the respective Gaelic words for "giant" and "black", which appropriately describes his physical appearance and fur color.
The story of Mordu was invented for the Pixar movie, but it's based on Scottish myths and legends the writers/directors discovered while researching in Scotland.
In Ralph Breaks the Internet, Princess Merida is voiced (as she was in Brave) by Kelly Macdonald, an actress from Glasgow, speaking in a slightly broader version of her own normal accent.
It wasn't until March 28, 2011, when EW confirmed Witherspoon's exit from the film (noting “scheduling issues”) and announced her replacement would be Kelly Macdonald.
For Brave, Pixar created three tartans for three clans while using the real Clan Mackintosh tartan for the Macintoshes in the movie. Pixar registered the DunBroch tartan with the official Scottish Register of Tartans. It wasn't the first time. Apparently, in the 1940s, Disney registered the tartan for…
The difficult idea underlying the film--about a man so desperate to help his family that he agrees to die in a snuff film for $50,000--touched a chord for Depp, who was deeply moved by the theme of sacrifice for family. “I felt driven to do this movie,” said Depp, 33, who directed, co-wrote and starred in the film.
This could be because they are boys of few words. Because Harris, Hubert, and Hamish are indistinguishable and never speak, it's unknown who is who. According to the creators, Merida's the only one who can tell the triplets apart with no problem.
Clan DunBroch is a Scottish clan in Brave. It is the ruling clan of the kingdom of the same name, to which belongs King Fergus and his family, including Merida. Its symbol is the sword.
Merida realizing Mor'du's true identity during her second encounter with him when she visits the ruins that was his former home with her mother. Mor'du is the main antagonist of Pixar's 13th full-length animated feature film Brave, and the titular main protagonist of its short film, The Legend of Mor'du.
The spell he received eventually transformed him into a bear, and he murdered his family, causing the fall of the kingdom. Mor'du lived on for centuries, and the bear side of him overtook his humanity, making him a monstrous beast.
"It's jist nae fair makin us ficht for the hand o the quine that disnae want any bit o it. Ken?" (trans: It's just not fair making us fight for the hand of the girl that doesn't want any part of it.
Young MacGuffin was to be the suitor that Merida chooses in the initial version of the film (hence his name), but this idea was later changed. In the final version, it's explicitly stated that Merida does not want to marry at all, and ultimately remains single by the end of the film.
Canon. Since Elsa and Merida are from different series, they have never met in canon. However, there are a few official Disney crossovers that have the two interact. Elsa and Merida are both the older sisters and first born children of their families, with a lot of pressure on them to be perfect.
