Oh gosh, growing up in an upper
middle class family (B.D. – Before Divorce) our family unit were Disney visiters. I believe we visited Disney more
than a handful of times by the time I was 13.
For me it was a time to escape into a make-believe world where time was
irrelevant and our (my) concerns/ problems didn’t exist. It was a place to get lost into, as I see it
now, a more robotic vacation. All the
vacationers did the same thing. Get on
the Disney Monorail, get off to be taken into a fantasy world, get back on the
monorail, get off at a different park.
As a child watching all of the Disney films, I was able to put myself in
the shoes of the beautiful princesses, to pretend to live in a beautiful
castle, to get mesmerized into thinking that I could possibly be taken away
into a far land where everything WILL turn out just fine.
To be honest, I never thought that
Disney movies were more than a problem and a solution. I never read into a deeper meaning. Thinking
more than what was shown on the surface and intended for me to think. As a
society, we know who the “good” person and “bad” character is, but to pick
apart the reasons why is a whole different perspective. Here is a link to messages hidden in Disney movies, (Subliminal Messages).
Take a look at this You Tube video that describes the hidden messages. (YouTube)
After reading the section, which
focuses on critiquing fairy tales and cartoons, I had a yuck feeling in my
chest. I honestly never thought of the
cartoons that I watched as a young child portrayed such negativity. I actually never thought about anything so
deep while watching cartoons. One particular cartoon that Christensen
brings up is Popeye. I can now replay
the piece she discusses in the book, where Popeye puts a dog collar around
Olive’s neck and leads her out of harms way. How do I think of it now? Definitely not in the same way. This is going to bring about thinking. When I watch a movie, when I watch a carton,
when I read a fairy tale book. New
perspective, new way of seeing hidden messages. Here is a link to another article, but this one is about hidden sexual messages, (Disney Sexual Messages).
Watching the
Disney movie Frozen through a different lens had me scrutinizing so many
elements, in a way I haven’t done before. However, I think movies like Frozen give me an
opportunity to not get deep into thinking, but instead allows me to watch in a “fluff”
type of way. I don't really know how I will be able to watch another movie without such a critical lens.
Good Evening Jamie! Thank you so much for allowing me to read your blog post :)
ReplyDeleteI was the opposite of you on the Disney Trip spectrum. I have never been to Disney but always ooooo and ahhhh when my friends post pictures of their trips even now, as an adult. I always wonder what it would be like for me to go now, I know for a fact I wouldn't be able to experience it the same way as I would have as a child but there is a sense of curiosity that is still in my mind. I loved your resources exploiting the true meanings behind some of the princesses.
Jamie, I think it's actually key that you mention how watching Frozen through this new critical lens changed things -- but that you can still watch it (or perhaps want to) in a "fluff" sort of way. I think there's purpose in our thinking these movies are "harmless" and just to be enjoyed -- like they were created to be that way, to fly under the radar of our scrutiny. Which is an interesting way to think about it... and kind of unsettling.
ReplyDeleteEven while watching Frozen, which was a relatively progressive Disney movie, there were moments where I was somewhat taken aback in the ways it messages its lessons.
ReplyDeleteJamie,
ReplyDeleteI also found the reference to Popeye to be quite shocking. Our new lens is going to quite the interesting tool for us!