As an older brother of my sister (notice I have to preface this- see Maleness, Straightness), my experience with Disney is pretty vast compared to some guys. Off the top of my head, I can think of Bambi, 101 Dalmations, Pinocchio, Peter Pan, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and I'm sure there are more that I just can't recall at this moment. At the time of viewing these films, I simply thought they were fun, fast paced, good-story lined films. Honestly, I still believe they are well-written and well done.
However, the first time I remember thinking anything negative about Disney was when I went to Disney World in 1997. I was 18 years old (my sis was 14), and I had already experienced a year of college, so I think it was because of this that I was able to "analyze" Disney rather than wait, eyes wide open, in a 95-degree-laden, 45-minute-excitement-filled line to ride on Magic Mountain! When I went with my parents and sister to "Magic Kingdom" there was the 25th Anniversary Parade (Magic Kingdom opened in '71 and they were having a year-long celebration from Oct. of '96-'Oct of '97) filled with a myriad of characters from movies past and present, led by Snow White singing songs like, "When You Wish Up On A Star," "A Magical World," and "Dreams Come True" on their way to Cinderella's Castle, I remember thinking to myself, "There are regular people under those costumes" and "This is really just a park and outside of this "Magic Kingdom" are cars, stores, and possible criminals." I guess I wasn't "kid"enough to be sucked into this "Magic World" where somehow me, a 17-year-old guy from Rhode Island, who just finished his freshman year at RIC, and was in Craig Lee less than 72 hours earlier taking my final exam, had magic and wonder waiting for me at Cinderella's Castle:)
Christiansen's claims make a lot of sense. Not only Disney, but she mentions many cartoons as well-such as Duck Tales, Popeye, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I just wonder how many kids, boys or girls, truly had these messages absorbed into their respective heads to a point of defining their ideologies about all of the concepts, themes, and stereotypes from these movies and/or cartoons as adults today? I guess the same could be asked of the "Barbie Doll Generation" and the effects on baby boomers today?
Take a look at this link about the Nine Most Racist Characters in Disney!
I did not see most of these movies but am amazed that there is so much racism in them. On the surface they seem so politically correct but when you read into them, I guess they are really controversial. I wonder if Walt Disney is rolling in his grave or possibly directing it still from wherever he ended up?
ReplyDeleteHaHa. It's also strange how Walt Disney never saw any of the amusement parks. I wonder if he would have approved of what they created. It's almost like Holden Caufield in Catcher in the Rye, "If Jesus could see Christmas, he'd Puke!"
DeleteI wonder how the critical voice got into your head in that Disneyland trip. :) None of my friends will let me go with them and their kids to Disney because they know I will just ruin it for the little people. Ruin it? Or educate responsibly? (kidding, sort of!)
ReplyDeleteI just laughed aloud. Micah doesn't know what's coming his way! :)
DeleteIm not sure, but I think it is because I am a Realist by nature. I tend to not get too excited about things. From an early age I've always lived by (or was taught)the saying, "If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is" motto.
DeleteWalt Disney was no stranger to racist illustrations. Check out the Pastoral Symphony that was cut from Fantasia (1940)in the late 60s because it's ridiculously racist.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=WPKpFNm3QMM
Oh wow, I can't believe that was originally accepted!
ReplyDeleteThat's a great link!
ReplyDeleteOne thing I "like" about the racist references is they're so easy to see, I think because we have actually progressed a little bit culturally there (although we've a long way to go). They seem blatant. It's much harder for me to see some of the others. I think we've gone backwards in terms of how women are portrayed.
I am an idiot and I still feel like Disney is a magical place. I like the almost cartoonish-in-its-perfection landscaping and imaginary places, like Main Street and Liberty Square. I prefer real beautiful places, but I confess I do like Disney's cleanliness and homogeneity. I find it peaceful. I do know those are people in costumes. ;D
I know there are folks in there, but reading your post, Ron, gave me cause to think about the casting for the costumed roles at the theme parks. Are all the female characters portrayed by females? Are some people only offered auditions for characters with full heads? What's the character actor hierarchy look like? Thought on thoughts on thoughts...
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