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No, this isn't a "bash Balto" topic. This is a theoretical discussion topic. Where we DISCUSS things we'd fix about the first Balto movie, or any of the Balto movies. Realistically.

What I want out of people is that if you were the writer, the story board artist, the director, the animation team, character designer, music director, etc, what would you change about the movie or movies to make it better? Or even suit your liking? Would you make the colors brighter? Would you design Balto to look more like his real self? Maybe you would take music away from a scene to make it more powerful? Would you cast someone else to be Aleu's voice? Would you make Balto 3 more based on Kodi? What would you change, and WHY?

I don't want this to be a "I'd get rid of Steele, cuz I hate Steele" or "Stella was inappropriate, I'd turn her into a Saint" or "I LOVE THE BALTO MOVIES, I WOULDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING". This topic is for people who enjoyed the movies, but would've liked to have seen a different take on certain aspects of the movie or movies.

And don't make things simple like "I'd talk about Balto's parents more" or "I'd make Kodi and Dusty mates" because this is a discussion, and this is about improving the movies.

What I would do for the first movie:

1.) Make the colors more vibrant and lively. Yes the colors were realistic(ish), some scenes were just more colorful and used the lighting to their advantage, but... they didn't do that with the rest of the movie. Like the beginning scenes in Nome are really dull to look at, and it's supposed to be the happiest part of the movie, because everyone's happy and healthy and everything's normal. Then once the sickness hits, that's the cute for the mood and lighting to go dull. And on another note, the characters don't even have shading on them throughout the whole movie. If there's shadow, they're colored darker and that's it. The only character that had shading and lighting was the grizzly bear xD And Jenna for a part of it.

2) I'd nix the love interest and the villain. The story of Balto is one they exploited as much as they could, and let's face it, it was pretty exciting, all that happened. And nature is the worst villain one could ever need for a movie xD Jenna was pointless, and Steele didn't really need to get Balto lost. Nature already had everyone screwed, so why the villain? No need. Without the villain and love interest, we have more time for inspiring secondary characters, more room to fit in all the dangers of the adventure, and more time for Rosie. You all forget how short this movie is, it could do it good with a bit of kicking room.

3) I'd put Balto in Steele's role. Now why would I get rid of the villain and put Balto in his spot? Is it cuz I hate Balto? Well, no. He's just uninteresting and didn't develop as a character. None of them did, really xD But why would I put him in Steele's role? Think of Charlie Barkin from All Dogs Go To Heaven (which I use as alot of my examples, even tho the only relation these two movies share is they're both in the 1920's and they both have talking dogs with cute little girls in them).

3) (continued) In a nutshell: So what's more appealing than making a Balto a character with a massive ego, who has no interest in saving the children other than to get famous and maybe get some deserved attention from his musher, and people who think he's otherwise useless as a sled dog? He's bitter and egotistical. But through these adventures, maybe learning from Togo or other sled dogs who have lost their friends during this serum run, and learning on his own that it's about more than being famous or having people treat you good, it's about doing what's best for everyone, and doing deeds for complete strangers and expecting nothing in return. I'd probably keep him a purebred husky, but that's no reason why we still can't have wolves in the movie. No reason at all. Would starting Balto out as a jerk make him unlikable? Certainly not. Other good character examples, dogs especially because people here seem to favor dog characters, include Shrek, Dodger, Basil of Baker Street, Professor Ratigan, or ESPECIALLY Beast from Beauty and the Beast. You may be thinking "BUT CAAAAAAT THEY HAD OTHER CHARACTERS TO BALANCE OUT THEIR JERKINESS". Yes, that's where Rosie would come in.

Movies are stories told through visuals, so of course it needs to look good. As for characters, it's far better to have a character learn something about themselves that's actually worthwhile. Every fairy tale since the beginning of time has a character learn a rough lesson that helps them evolve as a person, and teaches children that it's not right to be selfish and spoiled. What could one possibly learn from our current Balto? To accept yourself? That's fine, but hardly the movie's focus, and it's not exactly subtle either. Children don't learn from movies to be confident in themselves, they should learn that from their parents and friends xD A bratty child would sooner learn from a character's mistakes and consequences of being the way they are. Plus the character is more interesting to adults as well. Children, tho they love fear, learn from fear as well. Kind of hard to be fearful for a character that does everything right.

I'd talk about the other two movies, but eh. I'll save that for another time, unless others want to know.

EDIT:

Some people were quickly curious about how I'd change the sequels, so here's my changes. I'll give two different versions for Wolf Quest xD

Wolf Quest based off my ideas for the first movie:

Well, Balto would have to end on a happy note, since not-so-happy things happened to the real Balto after the events xD So the sequel would be based on that. Balto and his newly-gained friends get caged and sold to other mushers for buttloads of cash, due to their fame. So it would be like a Call of the Wild-ish turn of events. At this point, the audience will be wondering the fate of our hero, while at the same time learning that he's just being used for marketing purposes and that anything he does gets people more money. Maybe he'd do his best to not entertain them. Just because our hero learned the value of helping others doesn't mean he won't still be stubborn or want to be used as a mascot. He'd learn something else about being a leader and keeping spirits up. But I'd let an individual or a small group of humans get involved who genuinely want to help release Balto and the others and let them live happily. We'd probably see more of Togo, so perhaps he could lead an escape plan until they all get separated again xD Nothing spectacular, but a sequel is basically to show what happens after the events of the first movie.

Wolf Quest based off the official movie:

Now this is tough. Because there's even more "for instance"s. What if they didn't have puppies, what if the whole litter looked like wolves, what if Jenna went with Balto, etc etc. So I'll only pick a couple for instances.

1) Since we only caught a glimpse of Balto accepting his wolf heritage in the first movie, I would actually make this sequel about him discovering his roots. I don't mind the dreams so much, nor to I oppose Balto meeting other animals in the wild, like foxes and wolverines. What I did mind was that we didn't see any sign of wolves till the third act xD Balto could learn that a particular wolf pack that he saw from the first movie were a few wolves from his mother's pack. Or his father's pack. Maybe even the wolf parent would still be alive and in a pack. But either way, Balto would go on a journey of self-discovery and learn more about the wolf in him, since he lived most of his life as a dog and wanting to be a dog. We could keep Nava and Niju. (Maybe Nava would be Balto's father in this movie xD) But through them both, he would learn the good and bad about being a wolf. The graces and the consequences. Jenna? What about her? This is Balto's story.

2a) And now assuming that Jenna did exist in the Balto movie and needs to be in this one. Well, I surely wouldn't start off with Jenna and Balto having babies. After all, we were left off with her cuddling him. Based off her previous reactions of him, it doesn't necessarily establish a relationship right after. Since these guys were pressed for time, I'd show a bit of them continuing a bit of their relationship DURING the opening credits, before showing the birth of the puppies. The THREE pups who resemble huskies will be sold, and poor Aleu will be the only one who looks wolfy. She could learn this early on in her life that she doesn't look like them.

2b) Okay have Aleu grow up knowing she's part wolf. There's no reason for that to be a secret. Aleu would be living with Jenna and Rosie, but when Aleu gets a bit aggressive with Rosie, Rosie's father casts her out to live with Balto. It's then that Aleu gets frustrated and angry and runs away, blaming her heritage and being a brat about it. She had a home, screwed up, and it's her fault she doesn't have a home anymore, so she finds something to blame other than herself. She had very little reason to be as frustrated as she was in the second movie considering her situation: situation being that she's lived on her father's boat for a good year and behaving like a wolf and never once thought about why her father doesn't have a human or live with her mother. My situation is better because Aleu messes up and has to suffer the consequences of being cast out.

2c) So Aleu runs away, and both Balto AND Jenna go after her. They're both equally responsible for her. No sense in just one of them going and acting like divorced parents xD It's here that we see how Balto and Jenna function as a team. Not Balto saving Jenna's butt, or Jenna saving Balto's butt. They work together, and show they're a good match. They solve riddles, and escape peril as a unit. They'll survive in the wild together for a bit, but then have to take refuge from a storm with a group of humans and their livestock, where they complain about wolf raids.

2d) Aleu would be getting into quite a bit of trouble being by herself. Angering bears or badgers or nearly dying in the winter storms or even suffering from midnight sun madness. That is until she's found by the wolf pack nearby. She doesn't like them at first, being biased that they're savage animals, and it's because of them that's why she snapped at Rosie. I wouldn't have Niju be this nobody, or worse this Jenner knock-off xD No sense in having him be an evil wolf who has a lust for power. It's overdone. Niju would already be the leader and already be stealing food from humans (wolves don't steal from other animals, those are foxes and coyotes xD They steal from humans if it's convenient) not because he's evil, but because there's no way of following the caribou who've crossed the sea, so stealing is the only way he knows to save his pack. Aleu would stand up against him, still being pro-humans and all. It'll be this challenge that Aleu learn that she can't be a stubborn little brat if she wants to survive here. What's this? Our protagonist learning from the antagonist? Who knew you could do that. What about Nava? He would have been the pack's old leader, we discover, till he has to live his days as the omega under Niju's rule. Aleu would want to help him regain his leadership so that they don't have to live from humans, and it's here that Aleu first thinks about survival and helping the pack. Nava would say that it's pointless for such an old coot so close to death to lead a pack.

2e) Back to Jenna and Balto, who find Aleu through the wolf raid, and it's then the pack finds out Aleu is part husky. When they find out that Aleu's been involved in human raids, they force her to leave, telling off the pack that they're going to get themselves killed stealing from humans. They do, but don't go far, and that's when the pack gets attacked by people. No, the whole pack doesn't get slaughtered or anything, but Aleu insists that she and her parents lead them to safety away from the humans. Once they do that, Nava takes a stand for Aleu thanking her and her parents for helping them when they didn't have to. Niju is reluctant to thank her, but doesn't get a chance to since the wolf pack chases him away for endangering them. They then choose Aleu as their leader. And Aleu says her proper goodbyes to her parents, having evolved and matured at this point. Aleu finds Niju and asks him to rejoin their pack and he does, accepting Aleu as his leader too. It's better to forgive and forget than just leave him to die. She barely survived on her own, so she empathizes a bit with him.

2f) Show a bit of Jenna and Balto's journey back home, the end!

I'll add Wings of Change later!

Maybe Aniu's and Jenna's roles could be switched to those of Balto's few "just friends." No love interests, no nothing, just a couple people who stand by him.
Come to think of it (and building on your Steele's role idea), maybe Balto could be the leader of a gang or something, and they turn against him and force him to somehow redeem himself. His sled team happens to be chosen as the one to go on this life-or-death journey (the serum run), and Balto's personality ends up changing.

Oh yes! Of course lackeys would have to be involved hahaha, can't have Balto be entirely friendless other than Rosie.

Added my changes of Wolf Quest!

Some people were quickly curious about how I'd change the sequels, so here's my changes. I'll give two different versions for Wolf Quest xD

Wolf Quest based off my ideas for the first movie:

Well, Balto would have to end on a happy note, since not-so-happy things happened to the real Balto after the events xD So the sequel would be based on that. Balto and his newly-gained friends get caged and sold to other mushers for buttloads of cash, due to their fame. So it would be like a Call of the Wild-ish turn of events. At this point, the audience will be wondering the fate of our hero, while at the same time learning that he's just being used for marketing purposes and that anything he does gets people more money. Maybe he'd do his best to not entertain them. Just because our hero learned the value of helping others doesn't mean he won't still be stubborn or want to be used as a mascot. He'd learn something else about being a leader and keeping spirits up. But I'd let an individual or a small group of humans get involved who genuinely want to help release Balto and the others and let them live happily. We'd probably see more of Togo, so perhaps he could lead an escape plan until they all get separated again xD Nothing spectacular, but a sequel is basically to show what happens after the events of the first movie.

Wolf Quest based off the official movie:

Now this is tough. Because there's even more "for instance"s. What if they didn't have puppies, what if the whole litter looked like wolves, what if Jenna went with Balto, etc etc. So I'll only pick a couple for instances.

1) Since we only caught a glimpse of Balto accepting his wolf heritage in the first movie, I would actually make this sequel about him discovering his roots. I don't mind the dreams so much, nor to I oppose Balto meeting other animals in the wild, like foxes and wolverines. What I did mind was that we didn't see any sign of wolves till the third act xD Balto could learn that a particular wolf pack that he saw from the first movie were a few wolves from his mother's pack. Or his father's pack. Maybe even the wolf parent would still be alive and in a pack. But either way, Balto would go on a journey of self-discovery and learn more about the wolf in him, since he lived most of his life as a dog and wanting to be a dog. We could keep Nava and Niju. (Maybe Nava would be Balto's father in this movie xD) But through them both, he would learn the good and bad about being a wolf. The graces and the consequences. Jenna? What about her? This is Balto's story.

2a) And now assuming that Jenna did exist in the Balto movie and needs to be in this one. Well, I surely wouldn't start off with Jenna and Balto having babies. After all, we were left off with her cuddling him. Based off her previous reactions of him, it doesn't necessarily establish a relationship right after. Since these guys were pressed for time, I'd show a bit of them continuing a bit of their relationship DURING the opening credits, before showing the birth of the puppies. The THREE pups who resemble huskies will be sold, and poor Aleu will be the only one who looks wolfy. She could learn this early on in her life that she doesn't look like them.

2b) Okay have Aleu grow up knowing she's part wolf. There's no reason for that to be a secret. Aleu would be living with Jenna and Rosie, but when Aleu gets a bit aggressive with Rosie, Rosie's father casts her out to live with Balto. It's then that Aleu gets frustrated and angry and runs away, blaming her heritage and being a brat about it. She had a home, screwed up, and it's her fault she doesn't have a home anymore, so she finds something to blame other than herself. She had very little reason to be as frustrated as she was in the second movie considering her situation: situation being that she's lived on her father's boat for a good year and behaving like a wolf and never once thought about why her father doesn't have a human or live with her mother. My situation is better because Aleu messes up and has to suffer the consequences of being cast out.

2c) So Aleu runs away, and both Balto AND Jenna go after her. They're both equally responsible for her. No sense in just one of them going and acting like divorced parents xD It's here that we see how Balto and Jenna function as a team. Not Balto saving Jenna's butt, or Jenna saving Balto's butt. They work together, and show they're a good match. They solve riddles, and escape peril as a unit. They'll survive in the wild together for a bit, but then have to take refuge from a storm with a group of humans and their livestock, where they complain about wolf raids.

2d) Aleu would be getting into quite a bit of trouble being by herself. Angering bears or badgers or nearly dying in the winter storms or even suffering from midnight sun madness. That is until she's found by the wolf pack nearby. She doesn't like them at first, being biased that they're savage animals, and it's because of them that's why she snapped at Rosie. I wouldn't have Niju be this nobody, or worse this Jenner knock-off xD No sense in having him be an evil wolf who has a lust for power. It's overdone. Niju would already be the leader and already be stealing food from humans (wolves don't steal from other animals, those are foxes and coyotes xD They steal from humans if it's convenient) not because he's evil, but because there's no way of following the caribou who've crossed the sea, so stealing is the only way he knows to save his pack. Aleu would stand up against him, still being pro-humans and all. It'll be this challenge that Aleu learn that she can't be a stubborn little brat if she wants to survive here. What's this? Our protagonist learning from the antagonist? Who knew you could do that. What about Nava? He would have been the pack's old leader, we discover, till he has to live his days as the omega under Niju's rule. Aleu would want to help him regain his leadership so that they don't have to live from humans, and it's here that Aleu first thinks about survival and helping the pack. Nava would say that it's pointless for such an old coot so close to death to lead a pack.

2e) Back to Jenna and Balto, who find Aleu through the wolf raid, and it's then the pack finds out Aleu is part husky. When they find out that Aleu's been involved in human raids, they force her to leave, telling off the pack that they're going to get themselves killed stealing from humans. They do, but don't go far, and that's when the pack gets attacked by people. No, the whole pack doesn't get slaughtered or anything, but Aleu insists that she and her parents lead them to safety away from the humans. Once they do that, Nava takes a stand for Aleu thanking her and her parents for helping them when they didn't have to. Niju is reluctant to thank her, but doesn't get a chance to since the wolf pack chases him away for endangering them. They then choose Aleu as their leader. And Aleu says her proper goodbyes to her parents, having evolved and matured at this point. Aleu finds Niju and asks him to rejoin their pack and he does, accepting Aleu as his leader too. It's better to forgive and forget than just leave him to die. She barely survived on her own, so she empathizes a bit with him.

2f) Show a bit of Jenna and Balto's journey back home, the end!

I'll add Wings of Change later!

i would have the brown wolf stay to at least make a cameo as one of the wolves that express their opinion on the debate between niju, aleu, nava, etc. not that his role in the movie was that important. just a little thing. not saying he should be a love interest, a debatable hint but all in all a friendship between them.

as for jenna joining, i wouldn't be too big on it. maybe because i respected the father daughter relationship a lot that them being alone together was enough? idk.

the native theme with the spiritualism and witchcraft attached wouldn't be so forced and preachy.

no songs. XD

no muk or luk

Yes. The songs were pointless and unnecessary, and Boris and Muk and Luk really weren't needed (Cat -> especially your way).

Though it would be funny to have Balto and Jenna stumble upon them as they're looking for Aleu. Imagine you're out in the wilderness searching for your daughter when BAM! you're ambushed by two mentally-challenged polar bears.
Depending on how it's done, that could add a bit of the comedy element to the sequel where WQ failed miserably. (Case in point: "If I tried that, I'd get splinters.") No. Just no.

Well, guys, look at it this way. No one wants to write songs for a movie that doesn't need songs xD But say your boss said "I need three songs per movie" which is similar to what they told Weinstein. How would you make the songs fit, or otherwise not be lame? xD

Now, I actually don't mind the song "Somebody Wants You". It's a good montage song. As for every other song for the rest of Wolf Quest and all of Wings of Change, well...*barf*

But I was thinking that one of the songs in Wolf Quest could consist of the puppies maybe singing a rhyme that Aleu or one of the other pups made up, or one that Boris taught them. It'd make for a good opportunity to see how Aleu interacts with her siblings, maybe even see some character traits or hear some names thrown in. Alot more of an impact than seeing a bunch of puppies run around and saying a line or two.

As for a third song in WQ? Well...difficult to say. I can't really think of one right now.

In Wings of Change, I think it'd be hilarious for Kodi to sing some nerdy dorky song about how he loves his job and then have weird looks follow after him.

I forgot about that one; it was at least fitting for the scene.

And I agree with your idea about having one of the pups sing some kind of rhyme. That would be cute and a good way to show that Balto and Jenna are good parents.

As far as a third song in WOC goes, I had something in mind where someone (Stella or Balto) sings about how Duke's life is in danger. You know, one of those darker songs that ends on a softer note.

(Though I admit we don't need another Stella song.)

The first movie I liked just fine. The second one, I'd probably look for some way to get it to reflect how wolves really behave and I'd definitely scarp the shamansim stuff. Not sure about all the music, but I'd almost certanly scrap most of it. As for the third, I can think of one major change I'd make: get rid of Stella, or at least redo her personality from the ground up. And I'd try to make room for more interesting material, like addressing the ever-popular Kodi/Dusty vs. Ralph/Dusty controversy. One thing I've heard about which sounds interesting is the idea they originally had, at least according to the rumors, to include Steele in the third movie.

You'll have to go further into detail xD I mention to not keep anything too short and to give details. This is supposed to be a discussion. Not a plain old "I didn't like this so I'd do this".

Then stop spamming up my topics if you're not going to follow it's rules.

Fair enough. I'll keep an eye on the topic, though, for interesting ideas. If you have no objections, of course.

That's not fair, now is it? You'll shamelessly look for other peoples' ideas and yet you won't share your own?

You make a reasonable case. Alright, here's a few thoughts I've had.

1) In the first one, I'd want to make some attempt at an explanation for why the people of town knew Balto by name, or even bothered to use his name. That, admittedly, was a plot hole.
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2) I'd include more about Steele's downfall, like the deleted scene where Balto was granted ownership of the golden collar.

3) Picking up from 2, in the second movie I might have something, I'm not sure what, about the events between Balto 1 and 2. Aside from the obvious, of course.

4) This isn't likely to play a part in any fanfic I write about it, but I would at least consider making the pups more of a mix, if only because every animated movie with puppies in it seems to have that plot device.

5) Increase Jenna's interaction time with Aleu. Aside from the matter of parental role modeling, there's the fact that it could have some real singificant buildup to Aleu leaving rather than just, "Yep, saw that coming."
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6) I would want to make the wolf pack function more like a real wolf pack, possibly troubled by the imminent death of their sole surviving alpha and the question of who would lead them. In other words, the fact that someone would be taking over would be a given from teh start, making the conflict more "political" in nature.

6) In Balto 3, just to fill the void left by Stella (as annoying as she was, her part was essential to Boris being on the plane), I might replace her with a visiting brother of Boris' or something like that, throwing in the possibility of embarrassing stories about Boris' younger years (imagine what Balto would think of those). Plus that would leave room to remove that inconsistent plot device of Boris being acrophobic. Or I could just remove the part about Boris being on the plane. Either/or.

7) If I could fit it in, maybe throw in some difficulties on Balto's part alluding to his own lack of a connection to his father - maybe something along the lines of him not knowing how to make it through letting his son down, since his father was never there to carry him through life's pitfalls.

8 ) I said it before, but just to expand I might have something about Kodi and Ralph being rivals over Dusty, in addition to Kodi's pursuit of the lead dog position. In essence,t his would amplify his wish to have it all, ultimately contrasted with the value of doing what's right even if it may cost you everything.

That's all I can think of without giving too much away, so I'll cut it off there.

Edit: minor edits and hid a spoiler.

All I'd do is give Balto: Wolf Quest better animation and anatomy so people stop hating it for that reason.

A rather tawdry and useless comment compared to others here, I know, but other than that I can say I like each film just the way it is.