Well, team Disney you have done it again. It is now possible to charge your phone wirelessly, by simply stepping into a room. Sounds safe.
What more could we ask for?
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Gender Transgression and Villainy in Animated Film Response
Gender Transgression and Villainy in Animated Film, written by Merdeith Li-Vollmer and Mark E. LaPointe, explores the topics of "queer coding" and gender transgression in animation. Queer coding is a hot topic in Disney Films, and is loosely defined as the making of a character to seem queer without outwardly expressing their sexual orientation. This is usually done through the makeup of the characters physical characteristics, for example in The Lion King, Scar's flamboyant mannerisms and voice may lead viewers to believe he is gay.
Gender transgression refers to characters not acting in a way that lives up to the social expectations that surround certain sexes. Vollmer writes, "...movies and other mass media can and do present images of how gender has been performed, is performed, and should be performed". This habit of using gender transgression to help demonize villains in Disney films is wrong, in my opinion, because it condemns certain character traits that are perfectly human, and demonizes those who don't necessarily act "correctly" according to society's standards. Having these
Vollmer goes on to discuss how gender is a social construct, and we teach ourselves how to behave "appropriately", meaning in a way that doesn't call into question our gender. This was interesting to read, and it was something I had never considered before. Vollmer says that every activity carries along with it an opportunity to assert your "womanliness" or "manliness". This made me think back to 5th grade on the playground, where the boys would play football in the field, and the girls would sit under the gazebo and gossip. There was this social expectation, though never mentioned out loud, that I belonged in the gazebo. Nevertheless, I always found myself playing with the boys in the field, and growing up I struggled to fit in with the girls. Thinking back, my decision making very much affected my relationship with the girls in my grade, because the playground called into question my gender. Thinking back I wouldn't have it any other way, but it frustrates me to think that these social constructs are so innately present in us that it so clearly affects our ability to form relationships, especially if you act against the set standards. Also, I kicked ass in football.
Vollmer and LePoint examined 10 Disney films made before 1989, and analyzed the gender transgression present in them. First, they discuss the contrast in bone structures between heroes and villains. The villains, like scar, tend to have more point features than compared to heroes, like Mufasa.
This pointed bone structure can also be found in other villains, such as
yzma
Jafar
and hades.
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Beauty and the Beast
If you couldn't already tell from my previous blog posts, I love beauty and the best. It is easily one of my favorite Disney films, and I am so excited to watch the new film featuring Emma Watson. The original 1991 film will always have my heart for a few reasons.
1. Belle is a smart, independent young women who doesn't fall for the hyper masculine Gatson, and instead is more interested in her books than his numerous advances.
2. Belle offers up her life in return for her father's release, which in my opinion is the ultimate sacrifice.
3. The beast is flawed physically and emotionally, and Belle sees through his imperfections and loves him anyways.
4. The movie teaches young girls and boys to fall in love with the person, and not the appearance. It emphasizes patience, and shows that sometimes the best things are hidden behind doors we'd never thought we'd open.
I could go on and on, but I love the shift that takes place in this movie. I feel as if Disney turned the norm on its head, and instead of preaching to young girls "find your Prince Charming", the message focuses more on looking past physical imperfections and finding the good in everyone.
The song "Tale as old as time" is such a classic, it gives me goosebumps whenever it comes on. Honestly all Disney classic's must be accompanied by a memorable soundtrack, and Beauty and the Beast doesn't disappoint.
The ending is also great. Although I get very curious as to what happens with Belle's Dad, Maurice, and Mrs. Pots. I know i'm not the only one who saw that little end of the movie, flirty action going on.... mhm I see you Maurice. Discrete is not your middle name. And I see "Mrs. Pot" but I don't see a "Mr. Pot" so for the sake of fun I'm going to assume that they get together and live happily ever after, Just like Belle and the Beast. BOOM. Story tied up in a beautiful little knot just the way Disney likes to do it. Or HUGE MAJOR TWIST, Disney decides to really put a spin on things, and go the more progressive route with a character plot twist... are you ready for it????
Mrs. Pots isn't into "mr.'s" at all. *winky face emoji
That's right LGBTQ+ community. Welcome to the Disney World. We've been waiting for you.
:)
The Little Mermaid (1989)
The Little Mermaid was never a big part of my childhood. I remember the first time I had ever watched it. It was in 3rd grade on a day my teacher was out, and I remember how excited I was walking into the classroom to find the TV wheeled in and placed in the middle of the room. I fell in love.
Music has always been a big part of my life, and when I was younger I wanted to be a singer when I grew up. For that reason, I loved the Little Mermaid simply for its musical numbers. I learned all the words to "under the sea" within the next few days, and watched it again at home just to show off my singing ability. My mom was not all that impressed. I sang anyways.
Along with singing, I loved being in and around water, especially the ocean. You can imagine my disappointment then when Ariel decided to trade her beautiful voice and mermaid abilities for legs... Disappointment is an understatement. I was heartbroken. If I had the ability to breathe underwater and sing musical numbers with my fish friends all my dreams would have come true.
I understand better than anyone the rebellious stage Ariel found herself in, and I still find myself doing dumb, teenage things that my parents would disapprove of, but I was extremely disappointed in her decision making in this movie. Making a deal with Ursula was just so obviously not the move, and I found myself yelling at the screen as she gave up her powers for true love. bleh. I'd also say i'm in my independent "i'm gonna do whatever the hell I want with whoever the hell I want to" phase so maybe i'm a bit biased, but seriously, I would never give up such a vital part of who I am for a guy. From what i've seen, they're not worth it.
After watching the movie as a somewhat adultish person, with my own somewhat adultish views and opinions, i've found a few things I don't necessarily enjoy in the movie. For one, the song that Ursula sings before taking Ariel's voice is quite disheartening. it's verses include things like, "yes on land it's much preferred for ladies not to say a word" and "they're (men) not all that impressed with conversation". These are not the only controversial lyrics sang in the ballad, but you get the point. A lot of the movie objectifies women, and It's upsetting to see. It scares me as well, because I don't want little girls hearing this and subconsciously, or consciously thinking that women are only good for something as trivial as their looks. I think a better message could have been sent, but similar to Cinderella, times were very different when The Little Mermaid first debuted. The role women play in society has changed so much over the past 60 years, and for that reason I will excuse Disney for the sexist undertones present in The Little Mermaid.
Cinderella (1950)
Cinderella is the 12th animated movie made
by Disney, making its appearance in 1950, and while it's crazy to think my
grandparents were toddlers at the time of its debut, I do not share the
majority's adoration of this OG Disney classic.
I suppose the fact that I haven't seen the
movie in nearly 12 years could be an attributing factor to my lack of
admiration, but after reading up on all the Disney critique's regarding Disney
Princesses, and their dependence on true love/lack of any real independence, my
indifference became disfavor. However, when I was assigned to watch this movie
for class I decided to put aside all other premonitions and watch again with an
open mind.
After watching Cinderella I found a new
respect for the Disney Princess. She really wasn't out searching for the love
of her life, and she worked hard under her stepmothers oppression. She seemed
to make the most out of her situation, as hellish as it was, and something
about her patience and kindness was inspiring.
I think it's possible to view Cinderella
in two very different lights depending on how you approach the plot. For
example, you could say Cinderella's grace and respect towards her family was
admireable despite the mistreatment, but you could also twist this scenario and
say it is disheartening to see a girl so willing to bend over backwards to
please someone who treats her so poorly. Perhaps you could go as far to say you
wouldn't want your children to see this sort of behavior, and fall under the
impression that this sort of passive behavior could lead to anything positive.
Maybe if I were born in the 1950s, a less
progressive time than now, I would have a better appreciation for Cinderella,
but sadly (or not so sadly), I wasn't. Times have changed, and so have
relationships. Now, Cinderella was already a bit unrealistic... ok a lot
unrealistic, so no, I don't think people back in the 50s were dropping slippers
left and right in hopes of finding their Prince Charming, but I do think
there's a lot to be said of the importance we place on finding true love now
compared to 70 years ago. Women today are starting their own businesses,
signing professional athletic contracts, and running countries. Things that 70
years ago were unheard of. This shift in our culture has lead to a shift in our
ideals. For some, finding your Prince Charming takes priority over everything
else in life, while for others it's merely a side note. While I respect both, I
think I fall more on the side of Independence, with a "go with the
flow" type of attitude. If I happen to find someone along the way that's
brilliant, if not I know i'm gonna live one helluva life regardless.
I will say that after watching the film I
have gained more respect for the character. While Cinderella is not my
favorite, I have learned to appreciate it for what it is. I understand the 50s
were a different time, and the storyline very much fit the time period it was
produced in. If I ever find my Prince Charming maybe I'll start a family, and
maybe just maybe I'll have Cinderella be apart of my kids life, like it was
once apart of mine.
Sunday, February 12, 2017
Diving Deep into Disney Ponds (but acutally, don't)
Disney World is known for being the happiest place on Earth. A place where you can enjoy time with your family, relax, and have all your dreams come true. For many, this is the experience Disney World consistently provides, but last June one family left this magical kingdom shattered and heartbroken. The death of the little boy at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa was tragic, and likely avoidable. If you're unaware of what happened (which is possible, as Disney did an exceptional job keeping it out of the news), a child was standing by the edge of a lagoon inside a Disney Resort and was attacked and killed by an alligator. The boy's body was soon after recovered by authorities. The question that was raised is, how did the alligators come to be there? And was Disney aware of their presence?
Steve Brown wrote an article arguing that Disney must have been aware of the animal's presence in the lagoon, and exploits how tackily the case was handled (in his opinion). He says that while Disney promises a "wildlife free" vacation, they were fully aware of the animal's habitation, and failed at providing a safe environment for their guests. He thought they should be to blame for the incident, and scolds the shady settlement plan.
Here is an excerpt from Brown's article exposing the Disney Corporation, and its attempts to cover up any sort of media leak regarding an alligator infestation that happened months before the tragic accident involving the boy last June.
He also expels any sort of claim that aims to paint Disney in the clear. 
It is obvious that Brown detests Disney, and it's exceptional ability to avoid any and all negative media backlash, and while I'm not sure how I feel about the corporation's ability to pay their way out of problems, I must say it is remarkably impressive.
Rapunzella
I am the queen of class schedules. It's a fact.
Considering I'm a student athlete, and have limited time as it is, my scheduling has been quite impressive these first two semesters. This spring I have somehow managed to avoid any and all maths/sciences, and do not have class on fridays. woohoo, yep I know, let's celebrate, right? Well no. With my personality I should've known better, because I am the biggest procrastinator you will ever meet. Me being my lazy self, I put off the entirety of my homework until the weekend rolls around. Now you're probably wondering what this all has to do with "Rapunzella"... well with all my homework piled up, and fast approaching deadlines I decided to relieve some of that stress by taking a Buzzfeed "Which Disney Princess Are You?" quiz.
Because what else would I be doing with my time?
Anyways, I was a bit skeptical at first... I'm not the biggest Disney Princess fan, and I didn't really think I fit the mold of any of these women. I swore to myself if I got sleeping beauty or snow white I was gonna lose my shit, so you can imagine I was happily surprised when I got Rapunzel.
"witty and outgoing, you have a sense of humor that always keeps people smiling. You are constantly on the look for adventure, and don't settle down easily."
Girl, tell me something I don't know.
I suppose I'll endorse the quiz just this once, and if you're interested in taking it yourself i'll leave the link below.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/mccarricksean/which-disney-princes-are-you?utm_term=.viM3ZG7BW#.qfLkZzg6G
Friday, February 3, 2017
Iconic Disney Moment
So i'm going to start a compilation of my favorite Disney moments.....
We'll start here
Corporate Disney and Youth Manipulation
In 1994 Henry A. Giroux wrote an article titled "Animating Youth, the Disneyfication of Children's Culture" touching on his candid, yet somewhat obscure opinions on corporate Disney. The later, written in 2011, was titled "How Disney Magic and the Corporate Media Shape Youth Identity in the Digital Age. A lot can change 17 years, so it's not unusual for there to be a contextual shift in the foundation of Giroux's argument. Since his views were published in 1994 Disney released more than 20 new films, including The Lion King, Pocahontas, The Emperor's New Groove and many other renowned Disney classics. A lot went down, including the invention of...
The DVD
Google
The Playstation
And many more. The late 90s and early 2000's were accompanied by the internet craze. Not only were new inventions being brought to the surface, but there were many advances in technology, along with a shift in how we share information. Watching Disney movies no longer required a VCR, and was now available through a variety of mediums. Children begin to watch cartoons on their family television, and advertisements soon became a part of their life. Giroux explains how influential these advertisements can be in his 2011 article, and emphasises just how much spending power these children have (spoiler, it's a lot).
Giroux believes that Disney uses its image of innocence to obscure their efforts to brainwash the American youth. He believes that this billion dollar industry uses its money and influence to shape the views and desires of unsuspecting children. Children are a huge money market, and they influence a large portion of their parents spending power. For this reason, Disney has put a lot of money in understanding the psyche of children...
According to Giroux's article in 2011, it was estimated that by 2013 the amount of time an average American spent in front of the tv would equal the amount of time sleeping.
That. Is. Crazy.
Disney knows this, and personally, I think it's genius.
Giroux doesn't share my admiration.
Is this necessarily wrong? Or just good business?
You tell me.
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