The Great Dress's Canine Origins

Lol, leave it to Buzzfeed to somehow relate the most random things to Disney movies. Don't know whether to be grateful for this clever and amusing connection or concerned that someone actually thought of this :)

http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewziegler/the-lion-king-eerily-predicted-the-great-dress-debate#.slDYpzvzz

Disney's The Little Mermaid vs. Anderson's Fairy Tale

Erm so I completely understand now why my Disney teacher told me to watch The Little Mermaid before reading the fairy tale written by Hans Christian Anderson. How can the girl that we know and love that get's her happily ever after with the handsome Prince Eric actually become sea foam! While the fairy tale I admit is certainly more realistic, as it is arguably difficult to produce true love within three days time, it definitely put a damper on my mood and was much darker than I expected.

One thing that I thought was really interesting was the motive Ariel had for wanting to become a creature of the land in the fairy tale. While meeting a handsome prince was certainly a factor, Ariel is portrayed as wanting to obtain an immortal soul, something that only humans have, so that she can live on forever and not one day turn to foam. However in the movie, Ariel's motives seem a lot more shallow, as she is depicted as wanting to give up everything she has just for a man that she has only glanced at.

Honestly not gonna lie I feel like Ursula doesn't even seem to be that villainous in the Anderson fairy tale. While she does seem to possess the ability to practice dark magic and while it may have dire consequences, she didn't hide these dire consequences from Ariel. She blatantly tells Ariel that her wish will bring her sorrow and even details to Ariel that she will never return to the water again, see her family again, and may end up turning into sea foam. Ursula sells it straight to Ariel, yet Ariel refuses to listen to Ursula's caution and pursues her wish to trade in her tail for human legs. If anything, I think Ariel should be viewed as her own villain, not Ursula, seeing that Ariel's naiveness and ignorance are what ultimately get her in the end.

Another thing that is cool is to trace the maintenance of historical perspectives. Hans Christian Anderson wrote this fairy tale in 1837, and in this fairy tale we see prevalent gender constructions. For instance, when Ariel asks Ursula what she will have left if her voice is taken from her, Ursula replies with: her beautiful form, graceful walk, and expressive eyes. This is similarly reinforced in Disney's The Little Mermaid, as Prince Eric falls in love with Ariel solely based on her looks and appearance (they literally haven't even had one conversation) and their love is still seen as valid.

One thing that I found annoying with Ariel's persona in the Anderson fairy tale is that she was willing to hurt herself to please Eric. For instance, every time Ariel danced for Prince Eric or even walked with him, she felt sharp knives cutting under her feet. This idea that woman should be willing to sacrifice themselves and endure pain in order to please men they barely know was somewhat disturbing and contributed to the dark mood of the tale.

Okay, Ariel literally is given and out when she sees she is failing to make the prince fall in love with her (to kill him, drastic I know but still an out) and she refuses to do so! Like it may seem noble of her, but when you think about it, this is no childhood friend of hers or family member, it's a man who literally sends her mixed signals and then because of his dumb decision not to pick her decides her fate, death. Like Ariel, you literally sacrificed your life for a man WHO DOESN'T LOVE YOU! WHY WHY WHY!!!

And then she turns to sea foam. The end. How lovely an ending. It's funny because Anderson foreshadows this throughout the tale, for instance depicting Ariel amidst the sea foam while watching Prince Eric (hint hint). All in all, I felt that the fairy tale was well written, a bit too dark for my liking, and depressing as hell. I think I'll stick to Disney's happily ever after endings, sorry Anderson.


Peace Love Disney :)

BuzzFeed Calls Out Disney

Gotta love Buzzfeed. They truly tell it like it is. Shoutout to #s 2 and 5 after having to analyze Little Mermaid for my Decoding Disney class; while they make Ariel and Eric look stupid (and I LOVE them both), you gotta admit it's pretty finny! LOL

http://www.buzzfeed.com/danielkibblesmith/the-human-world-is-a-mess?utm_term=.tfYa028X#.sj4bXeaee

Live Blog on The Little Mermaid!

Okay so I know I should hate Ursula, but I gotta admit she's kind of badass, and her laugh thooo (MWAHAHAHHHAHAHA)

Was reading that Sebastian was almost going to have a British accent, laughing so hard right now rethinking all of his lines in a British accent. Would literally change the dynamic of the movie.

LOL okay does anyone wonder how Ariel's red lipstick stays intact while underwater??

Part of Your World! :))))))

Straight up just gonna say now, even though there's so much to criticize in terms of stereotypes and historical generalizations prevalent in Disney films, I just can't criticize The Little Mermaid. Everything about it is literally perfect, the characters are hilarious, the music is on point!, and it's full of light-hearted adventure and the innocence/naivety of youth that most of us can relate to! Me gustaaa

Eric is bae <3333 Dreamiest Disney prince by far!

While this may sound stupid cause The Little Mermaid is animated as we know, Under the Sea is such a well choreographed number!

WHY is Sebastian so adorable; lol legit his toothy smile, shivering scared crab legs, and Jamaican accent together makes my heart melt :)))

Okay, Ariel I love you, however I'm disappointed in your lack of judgment in going off with suspicious af eels with different colored eyes and shady voices, c'mon girl!

Poor Unfortunate Souls= one of best, most intense songs sung by a Disney villain

Ariel: But if I become human, I'll never see my father or my family again; Ursula: But you'll have your man! = :(((( whyyy Disney whyyy

Dude, you can't even blame Ursula because she straight up told Arielle what would come to her if she failed to receive true love's kiss. Ahahah at least she's an honest villain!

Of course the French guy cooks and has a long curly mustache and heavy French accent #typicaldisney #lumieretoo

Disney is so explicit! Having voluptuous women that say words like tramp! Damn!

Lol gotta love Skuttle. He's got his dumb moments but he definitely gets his shit together when need be.

Am I the only one that thinks Ursula getting stabbed by Prince Eric is a tad bit violent for a Disney movie??

And then they live happily ever after! :))) Gotta love The Little Mermaid, even the sequel is pretty great too!


Peace Love Disney :)

Disney Princesses: Drunk Edition

PLEASE look at this link. This is literally the hardest I've laughed in such a long time. Each picture is so on point and I give total props to whoever snapshotted pictures of these princesses that make them look so wasted! Ahaha so perfect, especially #9-13. Promise it won't fail to make you laugh.


http://www.buzzfeed.com/christianzamora/times-disney-princesses-perfectly-summed-up-out-your-nigh#.stwqR3X33

Sexy Simba?

This article is amusing but slightly uncomfortable? I understand Simba's attractiveness but please don't put Simba and sex in the same sentence please.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/laraparker/for-everyone-who-is-sexually-attracted-to-simba#.hjjroxJxx

Random Disney Facts!

Who doesn't love random facts about Disney???

http://www.eonline.com/news/589460/53-fascinating-facts-you-probably-didn-t-know-about-disney-films

#4: Timon and Pumbaa singing Can You Feel the Love Tonight?!? HA I would literally die, as funny as that would be I love the sappy Elton John version, makes the movie :)

#11: Disney being sued by hyena biologists for their portrayal of hyenas! LOL people are literally so desperate for money. What's wrong with the hyenas? Their high pitched laughs or the fact that its ANIMATED FILM AND THEY'RE NOT REAL

#24: If "Part of Your World" was cut from The Little Mermaid, I would have no childhood. Period.

#29: Wait, is it obvious that Aladdin is based of off Tom Cruise or am I blind?

#40: So glad Spice Girls didn't voice the muses in Hercules. Would have ruined the movie, I would have been insulted.

#41: Ariel and Alyssa Milano? ehhh

#50: AHAHA SEBASTIAN BRITISH!!!!! Imagining Under the Sea in a British accent?!?! Ahaha buff said

The Highs and Lows of Shortsleeve

So far, Shortsleeve's "The Wonderful World of the Depression: Disney, Despotism, and the 1930s. Or Why Disney Scares Us" has been my favorite article thus far. He has a very unique and strong opinion, yet he sympathizes with the audience for being skeptical as to what he has to say about the beloved Disney. He acknowledges that criticizing Disney may be discomforting to some, and the mere acknowledgment of this reluctance made him appear to be relatable. 

Here are a few of my points!

• One thing I thought was super cool was when Shortsleeve asks a Disney employee why the 1930s were important to Disney and the employee explains that the Depression was "the Golden Age of America." It's interesting that the Depression was a horrible time for Americans across the country, yet for Disney, the Depression was a time where he peaked in his business and produced his first full animated film. In someways, despite the financial strain, Disney revolutionized vision and imagination within America, continuing to influence us today.

• Also in relation to the Depression, I never even thought that there were connections between Magic Kingdom and the Depression until Shortsleeve illustrates that Magic Kingdom is a complete reversal of the Depression. Unlike the food shortages and failed crops in the 1930s, Magic Kingdom is filled with an abundance of turkey legs, a statue with an overflowing basket of corn, and plenty of shopping opportunities. In a world like Disney where imagination is everything, Disney can recreate a world where people no longer have to want anything and can at least feel for a moment in time that you can have all you ever need.

• I LOVED Shortsleeve's point about Disney being "ideologically stalled" after a violent incident with strikers. Shortsleeve comments that Disney lost his confidence after the physically/emotionally damaging run in with a striker, saying that the spirit of cartoon medium has been destroyed. As a result of this, Disney became stalled in an unfortunate phase of "totalitarian and dictatorial practices." While the point may be stretching, I thought this was a super cool and original view of why certain stereotypes still persist despite the change in times.

• One aspect of the paper that annoyed me was the persistent view that Disney was a dictator and the workplace and wouldn't even allow for workers to socialize. It seems that an array of generalizations are made about Disney's managerial tactics based on the accounts of very few people. Similarly, Shortsleeve's credibility was undermined in my eyes in a segment of the essay when he describes an unrealistic event of a manager handing out dollar bills to employees to set up barriers for a parade. While this may seem plausible hadn't taking place earlier in the 1900s, this took place in July 2001, where a salary system is in place and it is HIGHLY unlikely that people get paid dollar bills for doing individual tasks. While I understand his point that Disney may be corrupt, he used a poor piece of evidence to support this claim. 

• One thing I REALLY REALLY REALLY DISLIKED was the comparison of Walt Disney to Adolf Hitler. Shortsleeve literally backs this up with euphemizing terms, comparing Hitler's replace of "genocide" with "Final Solution" to Disney calling his employees cast members?!?! WTF! This is not nearly enough to say that Disney had some ulterior motive so drastic and immoral that it is comparable to Hitler! Referencing Hitler/comparing someone to Hitler is a big deal and if you're going to make that case, you can't use a half-assed argument. 

• Something I did agree was that Disney portrays servants as more than willing to serve, such as Lumiere in Beauty and the Beast and contented African American slaves in Song of the South. Very unrealistic and insulting classist claims are made here, implying that we should ignore activism and attempts for change by justifying a reduction of sympathy for people who don't mind doing the grunt work of society.

• Another insightful point made by Shortsleeve is the contract that Americans enter with Disney that seems contradictory: "...in order to participate in and enjoy much of Disney's 'magic' consumers must be willing to suspend and/or give up some basic American freedoms. He states in a unique way that while inspiring vision and a form of "magic" that captures our hearts, we must also accept the bias and the constructions made by Disney that for instance standardize societal roles and hinder what one can do based upon gender/race.

• Lastly, I appreciated Shortsleeve's recognition of the overemphasis Disney places on democracy in attempts to mask it's very undemocratic nature. He states "...{Disney} consistently fails with democracy. This failure might indicate a lack of conviction. Such insincerity might explain the maudlin over performance of many patriotic attractions." It's amusing to thing that a company that many think to epitomize America fail to embody it's most important values. It does make you rethink visits at Disney parks; you assume that the glorification of it all is related to fantasy and imagination, however, people like me tend not to see the politics and essentially, the "trying way too hard" part of Disney that comes off as fake.

Essentially, Shortsleeve had really great moments and some that did not impress me. I will say that out of all of the articles I have read thus far in Decoding Disney, Shortsleeve is the only one that made me understand why people dislike Walt Disney.

Anyways, Stay tune for more!

Peace Love Disney! :)))

Live Blog on Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs: 

• Excuse me but has she just ingested helium? Literally gasped when I heard her voice and then thought God I have to watch 80 more minutes of that voice?!? Good thing she falls asleep at some point :)

• Love how she sings a whole song about wishing to find the man she loves, and when a man appears seconds after she legit runs away.

• Interesting to compare Snow white's eyes to the Queen's, white Snow White's being so round and small, while the Queen's eyes are so wide and her iris is literally a dot.

• Love how's she's having conversations with mute animals--at least in Cinderella they make the animals more interesting and assign them voices/personalities! It's interesting to wonder who had the idea to animate/personify the animals in a film and not just the people.

• Lol she just ran through the woods, trees, river, git hit by flying animals, and collapses on dirt in the forest, yet she wakes up with her clothes, hair, and makeup still in tact. Typical.

• Of course she needs to be so concerned with cleaning dishes and sweeping floors when she walks into dwarves' house--complete reinforcement of cult of domesticity. But don't know why I'm surprised, that's the 30s for ya!

• Dwarves sing "digging is what we like to do" and are portrayed as happy finding tons of jewels in mines, yet history tells us the converse of this: miners had terrible working conditions/wages and we know that finding bucket loads of diamonds and jewels on daily basis was not the case...

• Urghhh just have to interject and say WHY MUST SNOW WHITE BE SO JOLLY ALL THE DAMN TIME

• Snow White literally is there to instruct a lesson on morals

• Haven't seen this movie in years and never made the connect that Dopey is called Dopey because he is mute and is portrayed as dumb because of it, not cool.

• Okay, so why must Snow White be so stupid, don't we know not to accept things from strangers (especially crazy looking old women in black) ! I mean c'mon, even the birds know something's going on!

Movie's over. Okay that was rough not gonna lie, will admit I fell asleep a couple of times, definitely remember why I haven't seen that one in years :)

Thank you to the person that created this. Words need not be said, the pictures explain themselves :)

http://www.buzzfeed.com/lorynbrantz/if-disney-princesses-had-realistic-hair#.twYPO4844