Fashion Update #8: Hercules

Hercules fashion week was super fun! Check out my looks:

Hercules: I think this may be my favorite outfit to date. I found this orange rust dress for $12 and I knew it would work perfectly. I really love this color combo and would totally wear this outfit again!

Pegasus: It's a little scary wearing an all white outfit. But for Hercules, when there are white flying horses, Muses and togas abound, it's kind of necessary to do it at least once.

Meg: Got this purple tank at Plato's Closet for $3! The gold leaves necklace doesn't directly correlate with Meg, but I think it adds a sort of "Greek-ness" to the otherwise simple look.

Hades: This is the drapiest dress I own and it happens to be the right shade of gray. As interpreted by my friend Abi, the chain necklace and earrings could represent Hades' underworld connection. haha.

Mt. Olympus: Someone dared me to wear a toga that week, and this was the closest I was willing to go. So I told people this silvery-sparkly outfit was a Mt. Olympus/Greek god-inspired look. :)

#35: Heroes & Pastries

Hercules, 1997
watched May 20, 2012

After two consecutive more serious Renaissance films, Hercules returns us to a more lighthearted, fun movie experience. Stylistically, the film intentionally mimics the sculpture and pottery of ancient Greece, giving it a very different look from its predecessors. The resulting boxy, two-dimensional style isn't my favorite, but I will forgive Disney, if only for the fact that teenager Hercules' ears look exactly like cinnamon buns. Yum.

Greek sculpture & pottery depicting "Herakles" - on display at the Detroit Institute of Arts. I took this picture back in December for the very purpose of posting it on my blog. :)

Seriously. Cinnamon buns!

If I ever had the ambition to pursue a completely useless degree for the sake of pure interest in the subject, I would have studied Greek mythology. Ever since middle school, when we first read stories about Zeus, Hera, Athena, and all the other gods of ancient Greece, I've always been fascinated by them. It's no wonder that Disney chose to draw from this world of dynamic, flawed characters and their intriguing stories.

And Hercules is a wonderful fit for the Renaissance era. He's born a god, but after being orphaned and zapped of most of his immortal power, he lives on earth, struggling to find out where he belongs. This self-discovery journey is quite familiar, as Hercules joins all our other Renaissance heroes and heroines who long to figure out what their purpose is, who they truly were made to be.

In this particular adaptation of the myth, Hercules sets out to prove himself a true hero so that he can return to Mt. Olympus and achieve his god-status. So Hercules does everything he thinks heroism means. He gets buff. He trains hard. He fights the bad guys. He loses the cinnamon bun ears. (They still look a little weird though. Maybe kind of like scones. I could really use a breakfast pastry right now...) On top of it all, he remains humble. No wonder Meg, the ultimate cynic, falls in love with him.

And yet, none of that really matters.

It's easy to be brave when there isn't that much at stake. The stuff we're made of is revealed at our weakest, darkest moments. When we've lost everything, when life is hard. Hercules becomes a hero not through physical strength or even bravery. It happens when he sacrificially loves the one who has hurt him.

It's spelled out pretty clearly for us this time. A true hero is one who loves his betrayer, who gives his life for theirs, who dies to see them saved. Hercules is one of the most obvious, but also compelling Savior figures in any Disney movie, cinnamon bun ears and all.

(Thanks for that low-hanging fruit, Disney!)

Fashion Update #7: The Hunchback of Notre Dame

The Hunchback of Notre Dame was a fun week. I enjoyed the chance to wear more color. And for the first time including nail polish into the look. Yay for summer and sandals!

Clopin: Definitely my most colorful outfit yet! I came to work late because I had to paint my toenails yellow, blue & magenta. I never do more than one color on my toes and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to do it.

Quasimodo: A casual outfit, but still fun. In the film his shoes are more of a turquoise/green, so I wore my blue Toms. The orange earrings make an appearance to mimic his hair color.

Esmeralda: A gypsy girl outfit is all about accessories. The colors may not be totally spot on, but I think I got the spirit of her look.

Frollo: Okay, he's one creepy dude. But I love this outfit! It's very dramatic. And...it's great that maxi skirts are back in style! Be honest now... do I look intimidating or ridiculous in these pictures?

Blessing the Outcasts

I'm excited to host another guest blogger, Christopher Maslanka. The first time we met, I discovered that he and his wife were Disnerds and, naturally, we became instant friends. He shares his thoughts here on his favorite Renaissance film.
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(c)Disney

When I watch a Disney film, I am particularly drawn in by the animation artistry, something The Hunchback of Notre Dame has in spades: the quality of light throughout, enough beautiful fire animation to fill three movies, the background work, detailed shadow movement, etc. Heck, the entire pre-title sequence is a perfect short film in its own right. And, of course, the movie has a gorgeous centerpiece: the Notre Dame Cathedral of Paris. But that beauty is set against one of the most intense and adult dramas Disney has done. And I say that despite the presence of dancing gargoyles.

Hunchback features a stock figure that occasionally bothers me: the Evil Christian. You’ve probably seen an example somewhere in pop-culture: a hypocritical villain spouting off Bible verses fighting the more enlightened, virtuous heroes. Disney mitigates the situation by making Frollo a judge instead of a priest. (Frollo is the Archdeacon of Notre Dame in Victor Hugo’s book. For the record, I have no problem with adaptation. If Disney hadn’t adapted Pinocchio, children would have been traumatized.) Despite the change, Frollo is clearly a believer, seeking what he sees as God’s will. Of course he is terribly, tragically wrong about what exactly God wills. His Christianity is an excuse to hide from his own desires and fears. Those desires and fears creep out along with an intense sense of guilt, making him a complex and very frightening villain. We can recognize that he espouses is not what Christ teaches. However, there are many outside the faith who look at Frollo and think they are seeing an example of Christianity.

And, to tell the truth, the stock Christian villain occasionally reflects real life. I was once a bit like Frollo. I had a taste of the truth of Christ, but I used that truth to support and defend attitudes and a sense of self-righteousness that were not Christian. In high school, I felt so confident in my faith that I put myself above those who did not share it. Thankfully, I moved out and went to college. I saw the world as far more complex, beautiful and frightening than I had ever realized. When I looked more deeply at the truth of Christ I learned that I was not in a position to look down on anyone but was called to love.

Which brings us back to Hunchback. Esmeralda sings “God Bless the Outcasts” in Notre Dame after the Archdeacon tells her someone in the Cathedral can help her (He ain’t talkin’ about the Hunchback, kid!) She sings about being alone, about being abandoned, but also recognizes that God’s love is universal. It is the most overtly Christian song in the Disney canon that I can think of off the top of my head. Further, its message rings true.



In a world torn apart by selfishness, self-righteousness, and self-hatred, we are called, like Quasimodo, to step beyond our safe homes, our self-imposed limits, and actively love those around us, especially those condemned and abandoned. Like Quasimodo, we have a unique perspective on the world, one that renders everyone beautiful and worthy of love: we can see everyone as a child of God. Quasimodo looks down on Paris from his bell tower and sees everyone bathed in heaven’s light and wishes to be a part of that. Frollo, in his own palace of justice, looks down and sees a reflection of his own twisted corruption. Now, I think it’s fairly clear which perspective we are supposed to buy into by the end of the movie, and I think it’s a perspective our King would approve.

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Currently completing his PhD in Medieval English Literature, Christopher has long considered himself a Disney Apologist in that he attempts to defend the artistry of Disney animation against those who would dismiss the work as juvenile or overly commercial. He was very excited to hear of Laura’s project and feels it an honor to be writing a guest blog.  He also likes the term Disnerd much better than Apologist and is sticking with it instead. 

Earth's Mightiest Fashion: Avengers

In honor of the premiere of Marvel's Avengers, Grete and I dressed up as Hulk and Thor. I figure this counts as Disnerd fashion, since Disney owns Marvel.

Hulk: Katie was upside down Hulk (which looks kind of like Ariel, actually), so I had her take a picture with me. The movie version of Hulk doesn't have purple pants. But this is iconic Hulk, so it works. :)

Thor: Okay, so I know Grete is the fashion maven, but I am not sure about this interpretation... she looks a bit more like Iron Man with the gold shirt. Also, I think she may be confusing Thor with a monkey with this pose. haha.

By the way, the movie was EPIC. Go see it. Now.

#34: Sanctuary

(c) Disney

The Hunchback of Notre Dame, 1996
watched May 13, 2012

The Hunchback of Notre Dame addresses a theme we haven't seen in a Disney film since Robin Hood. And this time, it is treated with a much more serious tone. Let's face it: human characters bring the subject of injustice much closer to home than a couple of anthropomorphic foxes and bears ever could. Additionally, a religious figure portraying the villain adds a weighty, complex layer of tension in the story. With the grand, yet intimidating Notre Dame in the backdrop, the film narrows in on deep, personal crises experienced by our main characters.

One of the only females in the story, Esmeralda is the least conflicted, acting boldly against Frollo and his corrupt justice system. She is unafraid of consequences because she has nothing to lose. This determined constancy is perhaps the reason why Disney chose her to sing the deeply meaningful theme song, "God Help the Outcasts." Whereas other characters experience more doubt, she clearly feels the chasm between the message of hope the Church supposedly proclaims and the oppression that is actually demonstrated towards her people.

Phoebus' ability to follow orders earns him respect and influence in the community. But when he is asked to do something he knows to be wrong, he must decide if he will take the easy route, or bear the disgrace of rebelling against a corrupt power.

Conversely, despite his good heart, Quasimodo, our main character, has never experienced acceptance. Fear and naiveté are what drive him to remain within Frollo's control. As the wall of lies he has been told crumbles along with Notre Dame herself, Quasimodo struggles to defy the one he called Master, even when others' lives are threatened. 

Finally, Frollo's crisis is a very different kind. The thick mask of righteousness and piety he wears prevents him from admitting to the darkness of lust and pride that dwell in him. In effort to keep his secrets hidden, he uses fake religious fervor as a means of getting what he wants. The result is not only the destruction of the entire city, but also the destruction of his own tormented soul.

Justice is not just a theoretical, ambiguous idea. It pierces the hearts of individual lives. In a world where life is plagued by things that shouldn't be, we encounter these same crises of conscience. We can choose to cling to a false reality, or to believe that something beyond ourselves is worth the risk of taking a stand. While Frollo is incapable of  moving past his own selfish pride, Esmeralda, Phoebus, and Quasimodo count it worthy to give themselves up for something much greater.

In the final scene, Quasimodo cries "Sanctuary!" -- claiming Notre Dame's promise of safety and solace. Our sanctuary, true justice, lies not in an ancient cathedral, or in a pious appearance. It lies in a Person, who was once an outcast, too, and who indeed gave up everything to become our Sanctuary.

Fashion Update #6: Pocahontas

Flit: I have learned that the best way to cheaply add a certain color to an outfit is to wear a headband, preferably purchased from the dollar store. This pink one was one from a set of 3, and worked perfectly for this colorful hummingbird outfit.

Pocahontas: I struggled to find something the exact color of Pocahontas' dress. This shirt is nearly 10 years old and I never wear it anymore. This may be the last time I wear it. My necklace worked pretty well though, I think.

 

John Smith: If there's any outfit I can do easily, it's one that consists of all blue. :) Since skinny jeans are in, it's super easy to assemble "men in boots" outfits (see Prince Eric & Gaston).

  

Meeko: Please excuse my reddish nose. It was cold that day and I take all my pictures with the window open.This is definitely the most shades of gray I've worn in one outfit before.

Thomas: I happened to have this green beret that I bought at St. Vinny's for $1 for an Oscars-themed party at which I wrote a Hugo-inspired outfit. It's really the only thing about my outfit that was accurate for Thomas' look. I'm proud of myself for keeping the hat on all day.