Fashion
I was absolutely GIDDY that the vast majority of my party guests showed up in Disney-inspired outfits as requested. Yes, I indicated that it was not optional, but I kind of expected that some people wouldn't take me seriously. But to my delight, most of my friends participated... or maybe I should say...humored me.
First, my fabulous outfit. :) As you might have guessed, I was Flynn Rider! It's not so much Flynn as it is the actor Zachary Levi that I love. But it seemed appropriate to wear this for my birthday! The teal blouse (Old Navy) and skinny jeans (ModCloth) are both new. So, not quite an outfit on a budget, but I decided they were my birthday gift to myself. Everyone's allowed an exception when they're having an epic birthday.
And here are some of the other fabulous outfits! Click on the pictures to view bigger and read captions.
Thanks to Abi for these photos!
Thanks to Allison for these photos!
Not pictured: Carolyn as Cruella deVil & Amy as Goofy.
After the votes came in, Tiana (Rapunzel), Stephanie (Snow White), Elizabeth (Eeyore) and Kylene (Maleficent) went home as reigning Disnerd Fashionistas! Seriously though, I was super impressed by everyone's outfits. From Cassie's snake skin shoes (Jafar) to Laura's fishscale nails (Ariel), everyone did a great job! I hope you had fun because I sure did!
We also had other fun Disney-themed activities to complete the epic awesomeness. A huge shout-out to Kylene and Mimi for organizing!
Matching Game
Mimi led an icebreaker type game where each of us had a sticker on our back, with either a Disney hero/heroine, villain or a sidekick on it. We had to figure out who we were and then find our partner by asking each other yes or no questions. This was a great way for all my guests to meet each other, since I had friends from different areas of my life. Let it be noted that I was the first person to figure out my sticker (Pinocchio) and my partner (Abi - Jiminy Cricket)! I knew exactly who I was when I asked, "Am I human?" and someone answered, "Um...well it depends." :)
I have no idea what face I am making in the picture on the right.
Karaoke!
Later on in the evening I broke out the Disney karaoke. This may have been my favorite part of the night. I found a whole bunch of karaoke videos on YouTube that I compiled into a playlist. I hooked up my laptop to my TV and we had a whole hour of Disney karaoke songs! It was both heartwarming and slightly disturbing that everyone knew all the words to every song. (I knew I wasn't the only one!) Disney songs work well for karaoke because you are allowed to be both dramatic and silly. Plus, most of the songs are within my vocal range.
why do i look so earnest? and yes, that is a Disney Princess microphone (that someone gave me a while back)
I took a couple videos but this is by far my favorite. Drew totally embraced his Gaston-ness in this clip:
Who What Where
Kylene organized our last game, and by then we were down to about a dozen people. This is when things really got crazy (aren't you all wishing you had stayed longer? haha). We played a Disney version of "Who What Where". It's sort of like Pictionary but a little more involved. In each round we had to pick out pieces of paper with a "Who" - all Disney characters, a "What" and a "Where." Then we had to draw that scene. As you might imagine, hilarity ensued. See if you can guess some of these masterpieces (answers at the end of this post):
my drawing
Laura S's drawing
Amy's drawing
Christopher's drawing
All in all, this was probably the best birthday party I have ever had. I throw a good party, if I say so myself. ;) But it wouldn't have been possible without the help of so many friends, and for everyone who came to celebrate with me. I felt incredibly blessed and cared for that night. It was the perfect way to ring in my 30th year and cap off this crazy Disnerd Adventure! Thanks for being a party of my epic day!
I've got at least 2 more posts coming before I say goodbye, so stay tuned!
------------- Who What Where answers: (1) Aladdin break dancing in a tent (2) Cheshire Cat bowling in Madison (3) Ursula segue-ing on a mountain (4) Cogsworth pole vaulting in a cave
As much as it is tempting to write this as an ode to my current celebrity crush and the voice of this film's hero Flynn Rider, I've decided maybe that's not the best way to use my second to last (I know, right?) review. Plus, I can always do that in another post later this week. hehe. ;)
After several years of wandering, Disney animation has finally arrived back at their sweet spot. Though Princess and the Frog was successful in its own right, it's Rapunzel and her flowing locks of hair that has won our hearts over. Flynn Rider too, of course. And his flowing locks of hair. And his smoulder... And... oh! Ahem. Excuse me.
Moving on.
It's a similar story to the last one, actually: a girl with a dream who meets a guy with a perhaps less admirable dream. They take a journey and in the process not only fall in love but discover that they have a new dream. Been there, done that.
But this film features another element missing from the past several films: a captivating villain. Rapunzel's relationship with Mother Gothel is deliciously complex and fascinating. Never have we seen this kind of villain, undoubtedly evil but with the capacity to feign kindness and care in a disturbingly manipulative manner. Though the audience is aware of her schemes, Rapunzel remains in the dark until the last few scenes. It's heartbreaking to see our heroine repeatedly fall prey to Gothel's deception.
And yet, this relationship strikes a familiar chord. The villain in our Story does not wear black robes and saunter around casting spells in broad daylight. (coughJafarcough!) Instead, like Mother Gothel, he pretends to be our friend, our confidant, the only one who truly knows what's best for us. He makes us value comfort and safety, as if that's how we were meant to live. When things don't go the way we think they will, he drives us back to him, promising he has answers. He hides us from the reality of a world where we bear the image of our
Parent, where we are not only loved but given a place of honor. But all along, these are complete lies.
Even when Rapunzel at last sees Mother Gothel for who she is, she cannot break free from her grasp alone. That's where the hero comes in. His sacrifice enables her to finally be released from Gothel's bondage. He destroys the enemy even in his own death.
Like Rapunzel we live entangled in deception, in a tower of falsehood. But we also yearn for truth. Deep inside stirs a longing for more. Just as Rapunzel knew that the light of floating lanterns would somehow show her the truth, we also need to be exposed to the light. When we see that light--in the one who gave his life for us--the villain's power over us is lost. We're finally free.
I guess this still ended up being an ode to the hero. The Hero.
My goal was to get this done before the summer ended...(according to my job, that means end of August.) So here is my super nerdy Disnographic about my Renaissance fashion adventures! Yup, it's probably more than you ever wanted to know. But I figure that's like my whole blog. So really I'm just being consistent.
I am super proud of myself for putting together a whopping 47 outfits (46 Disney, 1 Avengers) and spending only 80 bucks on 10 new items! I've realized that I'm pretty passionate about being creative on a budget. There are few things that thrill me more.
I also find it quite interesting that I created outfits for twice as many male characters than female characters. I think there are actually a lot more male characters in Disney movies. Weird, huh?
Now for my faves!
1. Favorite Hero Outfit: Hercules
I love this color combination! It's something I definitely would not have done before... in fact, I think this is the only orange-rust colored thing I've ever owned.
Honorable mention: Beast
2. Favorite Heroine Outfit: Belle
Here's an outfit that required no new purchases. Most people remember Belle's yellow evening gown but her "daytime" look is much more my style.
3. Favorite Villain Outfit: Gaston
I love that this outfit is both accurate and still totally wearable. I've never worn a belt around this shirt before but now I know I can!
4. Favorite Sidekick Outfit: Magic Carpet
This was definitely one of my most creative outfits, straying far from the original character's look. I loved creating a new outfit from old clothes that I could wear again in the future.
How do you think I did? Which was your favorite outfit from the entire project? Leave your thoughts in the comments. I need more verbal affirmation, people! haha.
"Is that even a real movie?" Yup, it is. You may recognize the novel from which it was adapted: Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson. Turns out we get most of our pirate stereotypes from Mr. Stevenson
(e.g.: wooden legs, parrot on the shoulder, X marks the spot, etc.). Treasure Planet takes the pirate theme in Island and puts it in outer space. Think steam punk meets Star Trek. Brilliant, eh? Well, sorta.
As a troubled teen who has never quite recovered from his dad's abandonment, Jim Hawkins longs for adventure in outer space. And so, we follow him on his journey to find meaning in life. In addition to this feeling really familiar, I am bewildered at how a ship travels through space where there is no atmosphere. It's worse than Pocahontas' language "miracle."Almost.
Jim develops a friendship with the ship's cook, John Silver, a cyborg to whom he has been assigned to work as a cabin boy. Over time, Jim begins to see him as something of a father figure. However, complications arise when the audience discovers Silver is planning a mutiny with the rest of the crew, who are actually pirates.
In Disney films, we like to draw a solid line between the good guys and bad guys. It helps us order our emotions about the characters. We like to root for heroes and root against the villains. You're a misunderstood teenager whose dad left you? I'm on your side, buddy.Oh, you're a one-legged cyborg? You must be bad.
But Silver, the so-called villain, experiences the most significant transformation of any character in this story--something that usually happens to the hero. As he grows more fond of Jim, he realizes that his pursuit of Captain Flint's lost treasure is no longer his sole priority. When faced with the choice of saving Jim's life or collecting the treasure, Silver acts in a way that surprises even himself. Not your typical villain's story arc.
In real life, we, too, have people pegged (no pun intended) as one thing or another. What? You're gay? You're straight? You're an atheist? You're a Christian? That must mean you're _____. We have all sorts of ideas about what people should be like based on some category, the way they look, who they associate with.
It's significant that the audience remains undecided about Silver throughout the film, even up until the last moment. I found myself wanting to just put him in a category. Are you a villain? Are you a father figure? Should I care about you or not?
Animated characters are portrayed by simple, defined strokes, just like the lines we draw around each other. But in reality, the edges are much blurrier. People are designed for good but have potential for evil as well. Like Silver, no one fits into just one category.
Perhaps instead of drawing lines between people, what we should do is see them for their capacity for change. When we do that, we see them the way that Jesus did, enabling us to love and care indiscriminately. The results are always quite surprising, no matter what side of the line you're on.
It's time to talk about villains! There are actually a lot of similarities between them.
A good (and by good I mean bad) villain is a key component to a quality Disney movie. The Renaissance has some great ones, but also some ehhh ones (namely Governor Ratcliffe from Pocahontas. Man, does he annoy me).
Observations:
No Shan-Yu (Mulan)! I suppose he could be considered a 'jealous of the king' villain, sort of. Not quite. He's definitely pretty different from all the others. One of the scariest, that's for sure.
There's only one appearance by the first Renaissance villain, Ursula, who, not insignificantly, is the only female villain of the series.
Most frequent appearance: Judge Frollo from Hunchback.
I'm not actually sure if Hades is the brother of Zeus. I'm forgetting my Greek mythology at the moment. Anyone want to correct/confirm?
My favorite parallel is the hilariously similar way that Frollo and Scar confront the main character (Quasimodo, Simba), atop a high place that's on fire (Notre Dame, Pride Rock) and confess the truth that they killed his parent. Villains always seem to want to confess the truth at the climax of the film as they think they are about to triumph. But it never turns out well because shortly after the confession, the hero has a resurgence of energy and defeats them, and they fall to their demise.
I also love how villains can never seem to do anything by themselves. They always have their henchmen do the work, only to get frustrated when they inevitably screw it up. If you were a villain, why would you entrust the most important task (killing your arch nemesis) to your stupid sidekicks? This is highlighted in the satirical Emperor's New Groove, but it actually happens in both The Lion King and Hercules. Seriously. Scar and Hades were smart villains. That was their biggest mistake.
Leadership is on my mind these days because I recently attended the Asian Pacific Islander Women's Leadership Conference (aka Conference with the World's Longest Title EVER) in California. I began a post but it turned out to be kind of serious and personal.
And we can't have any of that here! So I moved it over to my other blog. I'll finish that one later.
So I'm going to write about Disney villains instead. Cuz, you know, that's the next place my mind goes when I think about leadership. Naturally.
The majority of Disney villains are motivated by power. They long to call the shots, to rule over other people and things. They want their preferences to take priority over everyone else's.
In other words, they want to lead.
I have a feeling Ursula, Jafar or Scar would never say it that way.
I just noticed that they're all smiling. haha.
These villains are not unlike us. The motivation to lead is rooted in how people were made. We were created to rule over every living creature and to have dominion over the seas, skies and land. Inherent in who we are is the desire as well as ability to influence the world we live in. Our propensity for leadership is good.
But it's also our greatest downfall. The fall of humankind came as a result of desiring to "be like God"--to have a knowledge and power that only God can or should possess. Throughout history, the worst kind of evil happens when leaders abuse their power.
And so, Disney villains are really just human. (Even the ones that are lion and octopus.) They embody the extreme of what exists in all of us: the ambition to gain power, and the sinful tendency to abuse it.
While Ursula and Jafar both cause much destruction in their brief rise to power, perhaps the most evident example of corrupt leadership is Scar's reign as king of Pride Rock. His partnership with the hyenas leads to starving animals and a ravaged land. Even when all the herds move on, he refuses to admit there's nothing left. His pride and stubbornness leave him sitting in a cave, hungry and miserable. I highly doubt that's what he had in mind when he killed his brother and sent his nephew away.
Most of us will never go to such extremes to attain a position of influence. But we're not exempt from the damage that can occur when we think only of ourselves or what we can get out of being a leader. Maybe we long to prove our worth, either to ourselves or to parents, friends, or colleagues. Perhaps we like receiving the attention or praise that comes with our role. In some situations our ambition is motivated by financial reward.
I take these Disney villains as a warning to check my motivation for leadership. As I've had time and space to explore my desire to lead, I find that the longing for glory can easily outweigh my desire to do good and help others. It's in these moments when I'm thankful that God, in his grace, can still use me. Otherwise, I wouldn't be too far off from having a starved Pride Rock on my hands.
I'm a little disappointed I missed the opportunity to blog during most of Disney Princess Week. But
there are still two days left, so I thought I'd share some of the more interesting or funny princess-related things I've found or that I've been sent since this whole Disnerd project began.
If you aren't familiar with Sailor Moon and pals, then you may not get why this is pretty much the coolest thing ever. Especially because I was a huge Sailor Moon fan in 8th grade, and because my favorite scout, Sailor Mercury, is depicted as Mulan!
"Real" Disney Princesses (& other female characters)
I find these illustrations very intriguing because they make you realize how caricatured these female characters are. Which, to be fair, makes sense, considering they are drawings. Still though, just because the original characters are drawn doesn't mean they have nothing to say about body image. I find it particularly interesting that the faces which look most different from the cartoon versions are Mulan, the only Asian/Chinese girl, and Tiana, the only Black girl.
Thank you to Veronica for sending me this! These really cool illustrations depicting the princesses in more intricately styled clothing (and more cleavage, in some cases) make me a little jealous. Not because of the cleavage, but because I lack illustration skills!
Princesses as villains
I apologize to whoever created this; I cannot remember where I found it.
This was a great idea. I think Pocahontas as Governor Ratcliffe looks the most ridiculous. And Aurora as Malificent looks rather fabulous, actually. We're just missing Tiana as Dr. Facilier and Rapunzel as Mother Gothel. I'll bet that means this is a few years old.
Hipster princesses
thanks to Liz, Stacey and a few others I can't remember who sent me this. I don't know its origin.
Apparently there's this whole hipster princesses movement that I was
unaware of! I guess I could say I was a Disnerd, before it was even a
term. So does that make me a Disney hipster? For more Disney princess
hipster memes, check out the original Little Mermaid ones, and another collection of even more.
Here's one more hipster princess illustration. I'm kind of loving Snow White and Tiana's outfits. Also, did you spot the one non-Disney princess? Thanks to the friends (sorry I can't remember who) who sent me this.
Disney Housewives
Lastly, a Saturday Night Live video sketch. It's hilarious. Enough said. Thanks to Pete for sending it!
Awards season ended a few weeks ago and I thought now would be an appropriate time to give out some of my own awards. I'm calling them the Disnerdies. What else would they be called?
Most Evil Villain: Lady Tremaine, Cinderella
While many villains are
comical or outrageous, her calm, cold demeanor chills me to the bone.
Sometimes the quiet ones are the scariest.
- honorable mentions: Cruella de Vil (101 Dalmatians), Medusa (The Rescuers)
Most Loyal Sidekick: Timothy Q. Mouse, Dumbo
I've already said it, but he wins major points for his
loyalty and courage! He sticks up for his hero through thick and thin!
- honorable mentions: Baloo, Jac & Gus, Gurgi
Most Courageous Hero/Heroine: Bernard & Bianca, The Rescuers
Surprisingly, many main characters are either passive, naive or both;
these two mice are anything but. Facing great obstacles, they show
immense courage and admirable determination.
- honorable mentions: Robin Hood, Pongo & Perdy
Achievement in art:Sleeping Beauty.
While quite different from the cute-sie roundness that has become best associated with
Disney animation, Sleeping Beauty's departure was a great success.
- honorable mentions: Alice in Wonderland, Bambi, Fantasia
Best Soundtrack: Cinderella
All the songs in Cinderella are the kindyou find yourself humming days after watching the movie, the definition of a successful Disney soundtrack, in my opinion.
- honorable mentions: Fantasia, Sleeping Beauty, Jungle Book
And now for some fun categories:
Hottest Prince: Phillip,Sleeping Beauty
HELLO. Haha, I had to make this a category. There aren't too many princes in the first half (only 3) so it was an easy choice. Don't worry, ladies, I will do a full rundown of the prince lineup when we've gotten further along. :)
Lamest villain: Edgar, The Aristocats
I've already said my peace about this dude. I didn't want to have to give him an award for being lame, but, I needed to emphasize how utterly ridiculous he is.
honorable mention: Madam Mim (The Sword in the Stone)
Most annoying sidekick: Tinkerbell, Peter Pan
Did you even have to ask?
honorable mentions: Jiminy Cricket, Cyril Proudbottom
Most faithful Disnerd: Vicki
I've been keeping track of who has been coming to my Sunday movie nights and Vicki has attended the most weeks, 21 out of 26! She wins a... hmm, something. I'll think of a prize later. Congrats, Vicki!
honorable mentions: Kylene & Mimi tied at 17.
That's all for now! Congrats to all the winners of these prestigious awards. :)
The Great Mouse Detective, 1986
watched February 25, 2012
The story is a familiar one, based on a children's book called Basil of Baker Street, by Eve Titus, which intentionally draws its characters from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous detective. With all the recent Holmes adaptations, I think this movie stands up with the rest of them. Granted, the plot is significantly simpler than that of BBC's modern day series, or Guy Ritchie's effects-laden films. But the mouse detective has his own charm. (I wonder if Disney creatives sit around thinking, how can we make this into a mouse movie?)
Just like Holmes, Basil of Baker Street has that same quirky brilliance that makes his character lovable. It cracks me up that he can figure out the location of the villain's lair by the kind of paper used in a lost note, but cannot for the life of him get Olivia's last name right. It's Flaversham, if you were curious.
However, it is sometimes hard to distinguish if the detective's motive is to do justice, or if he simply can't resist a good mystery. For example, just before the climax, Basil nearly gives up as he lays tied to the mouse trap set for his demise, feeling completely humiliated and outwitted. This seems to be the action of someone who's more about appearing clever, and less about doing what's right.
Ratigan, on the other hand, has all the airs of your classic pompous villain whose sole purpose in life is to take over the world (or in this case, all "Mouse-dom"). At first, I was struck by the contrast of his over-the-top persona to the subtleties of Holmes' iconic villain, Professor Moriarty. I can hardly imagine Moriarty singing at the top of his lungs while swinging from chandeliers and drinking champagne.
But Ratigan does share with Moriarty the same denial of his real identity: a base, vulgar, completely corrupt bad guy. This is seen clearly in his adversity towards being called a rat, even though that's exactly what he is. (Apparently in Disney films, rats are bad and mice are good. Thank God for Pixar.) Additionally, Ratigan, wearing an elaborate tuxedo and cape, carries himself as someone very classy and sophisticated. This whole act is quite literally shed during the final scene, however, as Ratigan devolves into his true self, ugly and violent
And so, interestingly, we see both the protagonist and antagonist dishonest with themselves about who they are. Basil strives to be the smartest and cleverest, but along the way he saves not only a kidnapped child and her father, but also Queen Mouse-toria (yup, they went there) and all of Mousedom from an evil takeover. He becomes the accidental hero. Ratigan claims to be worthy of the power he tries to possess, but in reality, he's a rat - both literally and figuratively.
As much as we like to present ourselves as clever, moral, pretty, successful, rich, powerful, popular, or whatever adjective you prefer, ultimately our actions speak much more loudly. It's not what we say we are but what we do that defines us. How we act, the choices we make, these are a natural outflow of our true character. If you met the brilliant observer Basil, what conclusions might be drawn about you?
The Rescuers has all the right ingredients for a classic Disney animated film. Indeed, these elements make up for the premise of a compelling story. As we've seen in the past, underdogs often lie at the heart of these movies. And this one is teeming with them.
First, there's the sad but adorable gap-toothed orphan Penny, whose only friend is a mute teddy bear (that bears a striking resemblance to last week's Winnie the Pooh, come to think of it). Seriously, how could any adoptive parents pass this girl up for some redhead? (I seem to recall someone yelling, "I'll adopt you, Penny!" while we watched this two Sundays ago.) When she's kidnapped and forced into child slave labor, I was practically ready to jump into the screen myself to go find her. Needless to say, we're dealing again with a story about injustice, victims and villains.
But Penny's advocates don't include a big brave superhero, like Robin Hood, whose precision and wit make it seem almost easy for him to overcome the bad guys. There's no large community of "orphan helpers" either, like the network of dogs in 101 Dalmatians. Instead, there are two small mice, part of the Rescue Aid Society, who mean well but are in fact, well, mice. Miss Bianca, a seemingly delicate yet determined and compassionate mouse, makes a surprising choice for her case partner, Bernard, the janitor-turned-rescue agent. Not surprisingly, he's quite nervous about the whole situation (not to mention being paired with a lovely and slightly intimidating female mouse). Their only help is found in a clumsy albatross, a frazzled dragonfly and some swamp muskrats. It's easy to see why one might doubt their likelihood of success.
And let's not forget Medusa, the villain, who is as scary and threatening as they come. Anyone willing to enslave an innocent orphan must really be ruthless. She actually makes Cruella de Vil look like a bit of a pansy (they do share the same reckless driving, however). Also, she really needs a bra. Hmm...I seem to really have a thing about missing clothing.
So the odds are against our small heroes. And that is exactly why this movie is so moving (I'll even forgive the uber-70's music accompanied by pastel watercolor backgrounds). When the obstacles seem insurmountable, these brave rodents teach us that there's no room for passive sympathy. They show us that anyone can, and must, take action to protect the vulnerable. If it's something worth fighting for, then by golly, don't let anything stop you.
But what motivates such brave resolve to fight injustice? While the film's Disney-esque "just have a little faith" ideology is vague at best, fortunately, I know of a real kind of faith. It's not actually the faith itself that achieves us victory; it's the object of faith that matters. And mine is a Person, more powerful than any villain, Disney or otherwise. When I feel small and the world overwhelms, I remember this Person and I know I really can beat the odds.
It's hard to deny: Robin Hood is pretty awesome. He made thievery cool way before Aladdin and Flynn Rider came along (not that thievery is necessarily supposed to be cool. That's another issue entirely). So what is it about this (in)famous outlaw that has motivated the perpetuation of his folklore for hundreds of years?
It should be noted that Disney's version of the legend portrays certain important characters as comedic relief, giving the movie a more lighthearted tone compared to other adaptations. Prince John, a whiny, childish and greedy brat, has something of an inferiority complex, as most second-in-line-to-the-throne types do. The Sheriff of Nottingham, an overweight wolf (at least I think that's what he is--it was hard to tell), speaks with a drawl reminiscent of those slow-on-the-uptake sheriffs in Westerns (I can't get American Tale: Fievel Goes West out of my head). Did Disney actually dumb these villains down to offset the seriousness of their crimes?
I'm not fooled.
Maybe it's because Robin Hood is such a familiar story, or maybe it's because I'm bent to think this way after some twenty weeks of blogging. But what I see is much bigger than a bratty prince or a silly sheriff bullying cute little forest animals. It's justice that's at stake here. And if there's anything that is a truly ubiquitous ideal, it's that.
Deep down in all of us, there's an innate sense of right and wrong. When the powerful take advantage of the powerless to satisfy their own desires, we're undeniably incensed. And we should be. We've all come into contact with injustice's grip, and we know that this is not the way it was meant to be.
And that is why Robin Hood is so appealing: he's a symbol of justice, fighting for the poor and oppressed. He won't stand idly by while corruption and greed take over his community; he's courageous and action-oriented. It probably doesn't hurt either that he's clever and quick, and an expert marksman. In most adaptations I've seen, he also happens to be a bit of a flirt. He's the guy that all the guys want to be like, and the guy that all the girls have a secret crush on. No wonder Disney decided to portray him as a fox.
While Robin Hood was known as an outlaw, there's another, more significant symbol of justice who fulfilled the law. We're drawn to Robin Hood because in him we see the ultimate Hero of the True Story, the one who stood up to evil and vanquished it forever. And even a watered-down Disney version of Robin Hood can remind us of the hope we have in Him, the one who fully satisfies the whole world's need for justice.
So...I had kind of a crappy week. I'll spare you the details, but let's just say it was the perfect time to cheer myself up by spending $12 to watch a movie I already own on DVD. I was excited because this was my first time seeing Beauty and the Beast in a theater!
When I thought about why I love Beauty and the Beast, it struck me that I actually know the music better than the movie itself. As kids, my siblings and I had the soundtrack, but we never owned the VHS tape. And so I have many great memories of belting out the tunes with my sister and brother. They would have been proud, hearing me sing as loudly as Celine Dion and Peabo Bryson while the end credits rolled. I think I sounded pretty good, too, if i say so myself. ;)
Beauty and the Beast contains the perfect formula of song categories, emulated by the best Disney movies to date. Here they are, complete with videos and my favorite lines:
1. The opening song | "Belle"
A great opening song tells us so much about the story in just a few minutes. And this one also seems to be designed for a large chorus in a Broadway show (which it eventually did become!) Since my first time watching this movie I've always dreamt of gliding across a bookshelf ladder; it looked not only fun but romantic. My favorite line from this song is actually spoken, not sung, but it's hilarious! And it reminds me of my brother, who does the best Gaston impression: "Gee, you didn't miss a shot, Gaston! You're the greatest hunter in the whole world!" "I know."
2. The reprise | "Belle (reprise)"
The best Disney movies contain a reprise of the opening song. At the slower, more dramatic tempo, the reprise embodies
the deepest longings of the main character, and sets up the rest of the
movie for how she will discover what she was made for."I want adventure in the great wide somewhere / I want it more than I can tell. And for once it might be grand / to have someone understand. I want so much more than they've got planned..."
3. The villain song | "Gaston"
Only a few Disney films give the villain his own song, because only the most charismatic villain can pull off a song without losing "villain street cred." Gaston has probably the most singing for any villain in a Disney film (featured in 3 songs plus a reprise). It makes sense with his character; he's completely self-involved. He loves hearing people tell him how wonderful he is, as well as hearing himself tell everyone how wonderful he is. "Not a bit of him's scraggly or scrawny..." "That's right! And every last inch of me's covered with hair!" I mean, who says that and gets away with it?
Note: "The Mob Song" could probably also fit into the villain song category. However, it is much more serious and dramatic, and comes at the climax of the film. Villain songs tend to come earlier to set up their character and motive.
4. The sidekick song | "Be Our Guest"
Man, Lumière is so COOL, especially considering he's a candlestick. There are two kinds of sidekick songs: they either sing about how awesome they are, or about how awesome the main character is. (In some cases, as in Aladdin, you've got one of each--"Friend Like Me" and "Prince Ali"). Here, Lumière pulls out all the stops to show hospitality to their new guest. It's a visual and musical treat--Disney animation at its best. I love the part in the bridge when Lumière and Cogsworth are under the spotlight and it looks like it's snowing, and you realize there are enchanted saltshakers are above them. Ingenious! "Flabby, fat and lazy, you walked in an oopsie-daisy!"
5. The love song | "Something There"
Sometimes the love song and theme song are one and the same. But in Beauty and the Beast, we get a bonus love song that's lighthearted and cute. And only in a Disney movie will you see characters singing inside their heads! This song has one of my favorite lyrics of all time: "She glanced this way, I thought I saw / And when we touched she didn't shudder at my paw!" I also love when Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts and Lumière sing three-part harmony about how excited they are that "there may be something there that wasn't there before." Hands down adorable.
6. The theme song | "Beauty & the Beast"
Who figured that a teapot could pull off one of the greatest Disney theme songs? The first glimpse of the computer-animated ballroom (which needs no 3D effects to be impressive) never fails to give me goosebumps. My sister always quotes "Off to the cupboard with you now, Chip. It's past your bedtime. Good night, love." after every Disney song with similar resolving notes (which is a lot of them, thanks to Alan Menken). This song is also perfectly within my singing range (hence the belting during the rolling credits.) It's probably my second favorite Disney song of all time. (Can you guess what my #1 might be?)
In all my research, there really wasn't exactly 11 of anything. So I had to cheat a little. I would like to note the interesting observation that most villains are depicted with the colors purple or red, and varying shades thereof. Why is that?
Only one more day to go! Wouldn't it be nice if we actually did celebrate Christmas for 12 days?
I'm full of puns when it comes to the topic of race, apparently.
So... anyway.
Since Aunt Sarah's Siamese cats, Si and Am, are the first (and only, for several decades) Asian characters in the Disney animated canon, I thought it important to write a post about how they are portrayed.
It seems like Disney held nothing back in bringing every negative Asian racial stereotype to life in this pair. Their extremely slanted eyes and buck teeth seem to underline their overall suspicious demeanor. They speak a very heavy "pidgin" dialect which accentuates their foreignness. That there are two of them could even imply that all Siamese [cats] are the same.
Si and Am's song "We are Siamese" is unfortunately quite catchy,
probably the most memorable in the film. I know that as a kid that's the
one that stuck with me. But its tune and harmonies mimic a certain oriental musical style, and here it is used to give a chilling, uncomfortable feeling.
Most of all, Si and Am are undoubtedly villains. Even while Aunt Sarah seems to have a change of heart at the end of the film, there is nothing redeeming about Si and Am. We have seen racial stereotypes in previous movies (such as Dumbo and Peter Pan, which I never got to talk about), but this is the first time the stereotyped characters have been pegged as outright villains.
So what do we do when a good film like Lady & the Tramp features such offensive racial stereotypes as Si and Am's characters?
I should mention that most of the other animals in Lady & the Tramp also have distinct ethnic accents, which are associated with their personalities. Jock is a feisty Scottish terrier. Trusty is a slow-speaking, old-fashioned Southern hound. There's also an English bulldog, a Mexican chihuahua and a Russian borzoi (I had to look that one up, definitely never heard of that one before.) The filmmakers made a deliberate choice to give each animal character certain traits that would make them stand out and give them more of a personality to act and animate to. This seems to make sense when you're dealing with a lot of animal characters that could be hard to differentiate from one another.
But I think the offense here lies in how Disney allows viewers to make assumptions about the people groups that are associated with their characters. Having interacted with not a few ignorant people, the broken "Engrish" that the Siamese cats use brings back bad memories of people making fun of Asian immigrants and Asian Americans alike. It perpetuates the idea that because someone sounds Asian or even just looks Asian, they are somehow less civilized, educated, and decidedly "other." Similarly, the mischievous nature of Si and Am harken back the idea of "yellow peril" which was definitely fresh in the minds of Americans at that time, less than a decade after World War II ended. I find it unfortunate that Disney did not use their influence to reverse the impact that World War II had on attitudes towards Asians, but rather enforce negative stereotypes.
Although this movie was made nearly 60 years ago, the stereotypes of Asians portrayed in Lady and the Tramp still linger. This has led to events as terrible and violent as the murder of Vincent Chin in 1982, and as embarrassing and ignorant as the YouTube "Asian rant" by a UCLA student just this year. And because of that, we must recognize the ways timeless films like this shape our ideas about race and ethnicity.
Well, I wasn't able to create a Disnographic in October, but I'm back on schedule now! I created this Disnographic because I was curious to see what the breakdown of gender was among Disney villains. I was quite surprised that male villains outnumber female villains, more than 2:1. Also interesting is how prominent female villains are in the first 20-30 years of Disney movies compared to the later years. What does this mean?! I don't know, but it's fascinating isn't it? :)
*Note: There were some villains I did not include in here because their characters were either too ambiguous or too minor to really count as a full-fledged "villain". If there was more than one villain in a film I only counted the 'main' villain. Some films also didn't really have any villains at all. Therefore, only 36 of the 51 films are represented here.
Cinderella has some well-developed lovable (and love-to-hateable) characters! If you watch closely, Cinderella herself has a fairly small role in her own movie. It is all the surrounding characters which move the story forward. Here's my analysis.
The sidekicks
There is a large amount of screen time devoted to the mice, led by Jac, the capable one, and Gus, the round
cute one (there is always a round cute one, in case you didn't
know.) In fact it almost seems like the story is more about them than
it is about Cinderella. Most of these scenes involve the mice trying to get past the evil Lucifer (great name for a cat huh?), which provides both humor and tension. While Cinderella attends to endless chores, they are busy making her a dress that she can wear to the ball. How adorable is The Work Song? I love that they call her "Cinderelly".
Their shining moment, however, comes when they risk everything to retrieve the key in Stepmother's pocket so they can get Cinderella out of the attic. Even though I know how it ends, I can't help but nervously bite my nails during this scene. At the end of the day, it's clear why Gus and Jac are on Entertainment Weekly's list of "Most Valuable Pets."
The villain
Lady Tremaine (did anyone else know this was her name? For a long time I thought her name was just Stepmother) is one of the best worst villains. She is quiet and controlled, but just one glare is enough to know exactly how she feels. It's her subtlety that makes her so cruel. Though her motive may be to advance her own daughters' status, she also seems to use her daughters as pawns in abusing Cinderella. Notice that when the two stepsisters destroy Cinderella's dress, Anastasia and Drizella appear to be the vicious ones. But in reality the Stepmother provokes them, thereby continuing to oppress Cinderella without lifting a finger.
The most chilling moment of animation in the film is when the Stepmother realizes that Cinderella was the mysterious girl that the Prince danced with last night. The camera zooms in on her face as the whole scene darkens to a shade nearly black. Somehow we can feel her wrath just from the shadow that comes across her face. It's a genius moment in the film.
The magical/wise character
And what about the Fairy Godmother? There is no explanation of
where she came from or why she up until now has been absent from
Cinderella's life (or why after that night she is nowhere to be found). However, there is something connected with Cinderella's ability to believe and the appearance of the Fairy Godmother. Note that she says to Cinderella, "If you'd lost all your faith, I couldn't be here. And here I am." Hmmmm. In any event, the Fairy Godmother is a stark contrast from the Stepmother as far as mother figures go. While the latter is cold and distant, the Fairy Godmother is warm and kind. She's just the kind of person you would want to give you a big hug when you're feeling like crap.
I think it's interesting that her magic has limitations:
She uses existing items to conjure up the things that would take Cinderella to the ball. (I notice that the Genie in Aladdin also does this to a certain degree when he uses Abu as Aladdin's 'mode of transportation'. I guess it makes for a humorous/charming scene to have the sidekick turn into something different?)
The magic only lasts until midnight. It seems like this plot device is used just so there is some tension in the story. Otherwise there would be no threat. Still though, there's no explanation and we just take it at face value that no magic could be completely all powerful. I suppose this is where the parallels end when calling the Fairy Godmother a type of savior figure.
It's a breath of fresh air to have so many great supporting characters in Cinderella. I'm impressed that in an 80-minute film they're able to develop such rich and complex characters. I'm still waiting for a better developed love story though. We'll have to wait for the next princess story to find out (Sleeping Beauty, if I'm not mistaken. Though I suppose Lady & the Tramp has a love story as well.).
Since beginning this blog I've received a lot of Disney-related articles and random tidbits from friends. I wish I could comment and respond to all of them here but I simply don't have enough time. I will try to post the things I find funny, entertaining or thought-provoking. Let's start with a video essay on the portrayal of masculinity in Disney films, sent to me by Glenn. It isn't a new video but resurfaced on a blog that he reads.
I thought this essay was particularly interesting because we see plenty of critique on the messages Disney communicates to young girls. The 'princess thing' has become a both popular as well as controversial (seems like those words are basically synonyms these days). But it's fairly rare that anyone talks about what messages are being sent to boys. The essayist raises some legitimate issues, but I have to say I don't quite agree with everything he says.
Watch it here first before reading my analysis:
The essay begins with this quote:
"Images [in media] shape what we know & understand about the world."
I believe this has truth to it - but as a follower of Jesus, I know that what ultimately shapes my knowledge of the world is what God reveals through His Word. Images in film or other media may influence us, but as Christians we need to figure out when we're being lied to (it's pretty often). We need to hold these images against what we know is true in Scripture.
Mr. Newton has 3 main points in his essay, regarding sexism, strength and dominance. I'd like to look at each one briefly. I'll comment on the examples he gives as well as give some of my own. He seems to use mainly Renaissance films as examples, so I will too.
Sexism - Women as objects
"Often, the message to boys,
both implicitly and explicitly, is that men should view women as objects
of pleasure, or as servants to please them."
Gaston
Gaston's attitude toward women is definitely seen as barbaric. While he appears to be physically ideal and manly, his arrogance and selfishness makes him unattractive. I doubt that Gaston would be seen by boys as someone to look up to - he is clearly the villain. It is his very barbaric way of thinking that drives him to madness, jealousy and rage.
"A Girl Worth Fighting For", Mulan
It's true that some of the lyrics in this song can come across as quite chauvinistic: "I couldn't care less what she wears or what she looks like / it all depends on what she cooks like: beef, pork, chicken, mmmm."
On the other hand,when Mulan suggests, "How 'bout a girl who's got a brain / who always speaks her mind?" their unison response, "Nahhh!" is clearly ironic. Including this line in the song communicates that this old-fashioned view of women (which, I must point out, has existed in Chinese culture for many centuries, way before Mulan was released) is just that - old-fashioned. A smart audience will catch onto that and not take the song too seriously.
Aladdin
In Aladdin, there is another example where Disney men are talking about women as objects. The Sultan, Jafar and Aladdin are found discussing Jasmine's future without her (known) presence. She storms in and angrily exclaims, "I am not a prize to be won!" In this moment we see all of them respond sheepishly. Aladdin is especially ashamed, and learns that he must pursue Jasmine not as a prize but as a person.
So, I'd like to argue that while there are male characters who may view women in this way, they are the very characters that are seen negatively or need to undergo a change of heart. Therefore, the message here is not that men should view women as objects or servants, but that men who do are either villains, or need to change how they think.
Strength - Physical prowess
Body image is definitely a topic which I hope to cover in future posts. After all, cartoon drawings provide an opportunity to say a lot with shape and size, to stretch beyond physical reality and create images that could not exist in real life. How they depict human figures provide a strong message about ideal body image.
Gaston
Again, I don't really think Gaston is the best example that Mr. Newton could have used. Although he is unquestionably physically built, his character is never seen as exemplary and therefore even his outer physique is unattractive.
Hercules
Hercules' muscular physique and good looks does garner definite praise in that film ("Honey, you mean HUNK-ules!" "When he smiled the girls went wild with oohs and aahs!"). As the story progresses, though, he realizes that all of the hard work he puts in to becoming physically strong doesn't qualify him to become a "real hero." He only achieves that goal when he learns the meaning of self sacrifice, giving up his own immortality for the woman that he loves. I think that the message here is: physical strength may be nice, but true courage comes when you've learned to be selfless. This has much more to do with inner character than outer beauty.
Quasimodo
One of my favorite heroes of Disney movies is a male character who is
not physically attractive - Quasimodo from The Hunchback of
Notre Dame. What we see in his character is that even someone cast out from society due to his physical deformities has worth. Through his courage, he brings justice to a corrupt city. It's true, he doesn't get the girl at the end (the more good-looking Phoebus does). But what he does get is restoration to the community, which I think is a far more powerful end to the story.
Dominance & Violence
Mr. Newton argues that Disney films support the masculinity of dominance and violence, both in being "man enough" to fight, and in the climactic scenes featuring male characters fighting each other.
Gaston vs. Beast
I really wish Mr. Newton didn't keep using Gaston as an example. I'm beginning to sound repetitive here. Yes, Gaston ridicules the Beast for not wanting to fight back. But during this scene, the audience is sympathetic towards Beast. He has just lost Belle (or he thinks he has) and therefore he doesn't engage in a fight because he doesn't think he has anything left to live for. No one is going to be thinking, "Yeah that Beast, what a wimp." Instead I'm thinking, "Stupid Gaston. Why are you trying to prove yourself? Belle is never going to love you!"
Simba vs. Scar
The battle between Simba and his uncle is not merely about dominance. Simba had run away from his past for years. He had been afraid to step into his role as king. Returning to Pride Rock to challenge Scar meant that he was choosing to own up to his responsibilities, and that although he feels guilty about his past, he knows that something is more important. It should also be noted that Simba does not actually initiate a physical fight. When given the chance to kill Scar, he actually tells Scar to leave Pride Rock. He tries to end the conflict without violence. Scar, the villain, is the one who attacks. Engaging in violence is seen as something only a villain would do.
Tarzan vs. Clayton
I don't actually think most Disney films end with a battle between two men. There are many films that feature a female villain, for example. And in Mulan, well, we all know she totally kicks butt all on her own. But, using an example along the lines of this argument, let's talk about the battle scene in Tarzan. Tarzan returns to his gorilla family when he realizes that Clayton means to capture and kill them. I think the message here is much more about protecting and caring for your family than it is about engaging in violence. What this says to us about manliness is that a man protects the vulnerable.
Jafar
Another example is Jafar. He is one of the most power-hungry characters in these films. But it is that very thirst for power than becomes his downfall. Aladdin uses Jafar's ambition against him when he tricks him into becoming a genie. The lesson learned? Power isn't the answer.
Concluding thoughts
Maybe these messages are less overt than the ones this guy is talking about, but they're still there. There is definitely stuff on the surface that could lead one to make conclusions like Mr. Newton. But on a deeper level, Disney films have more to say. At least when it comes to the newer films (the one he uses in his video), I don't think the message to boys is about treating women poorly, having physical strength, or dominating power over others at all costs. In these examples, valuing women is encouraged, strength beyond just the physical is praised, and power can be used to protect, love and care for others. Moreover, characters who treat women as objects, pride themselves in their physique, or hunger for too much power, are the same ones who are unquestionably villainous or foolish.
I expect that how male characters are portrayed in older films such as The Jungle Book, Robin Hood or Peter Pan, will provide some interesting insights into how Disney has evolved. The question is, was Disney merely responding to cultural shifts or are they the ones setting the standard?
As always, your thoughts are welcome! I'd especially like to hear from the men out there - how have Disney movies influenced you and your view of masculinity?
Aside from the main character, there are types of characters that seem universal in most Disney movies: the love interest, the villain, the parent figure/wise mentor, and the sidekick(s). In these character blog posts, I will set out to examine these other characters and how they impact the story. I welcome your responses and thoughts!
The Huntsman
I’m not familiar enough with the actual Grimm fairy tale to know the hunstman’s role in the original story. Although he plays a small part here, he is crucial. He is the first person in the story to show compassion, and he saves Snow White’s life while risking his own (I’m actually surprised they didn’t show the Queen punishing him for his disobedience). In fact, he is such a unique character that he does not fit into any of my Disney character types! Apparently, in one of the (three!) upcoming Snow White adaptations, the one starring Kristen Stewart (of Twilight, blech), the Huntsman (played by Chris Hemsworth, aka Thor) will have a more significant role. Should be interesting. I may have to see the movie just so I can comment on its comparison to the Disney version!
The Love Interest
The prince actually has a very small role in this film. I didn’t mind so much - although it was kind of hilarious (or annoying) how he prances in at the very end (after the dwarfs proved themselves the real heroes of the story) and gets to be the one to kiss the girl and live happily ever after with her. I think the story could have been fine without the prince altogether, but I suppose adding the romantic element is what makes Disney movies what they are. After watching some of the DVD’s features special I learned that the animators were having a difficult time with visualizing him, and therefore minimized his role quite a bit. I could definitely tell, because in most of his scenes you could only see the back of his head and they hardly used his likeness in any of the publicity materials. No wonder - he kind of looks like a girl. (I am so glad Disney improved over the years... think of Aladdin, Prince Eric, and, ahem, Flynn Rider! swoon. just kidding. but not really.)
The Villain
The evil Queen in Snow White definitely sets the stage for all Disney villains - she is charismatic and beautiful, and possesses dark power that is truly frightening, even to my 28 year old self. Although I don’t doubt the Queen’s evilness, I wish I knew more about her, and why she was so paranoid! It seems strange to me that a queen, who should be busy ruling the kingdom, spends all her time in front of a mirror, making sure she is the most beautiful one in the land. Her extreme vanity without any other character development makes it hard for me to understand her. I can’t imagine seeing her transformation into the old hag as a child; it would have definitely given me nightmares! But seeing it now, there was something comforting about it - like all along she should have been that ugly because it shows her true nature. I am curious to see how this theme of evil = ugly & good = beautiful will play out in future movies.
