The Wide World of Pirating, I mean Disney
Spent today watching cartoons after a discussion in my Technologies of Representations class. We talked about how the Disney empire is based off of someone else’s ideas. (Steamboat Willie was actually a rip off of Buster Keaton’s Steamboat Bill). I searched around for the two works and came across banned cartoons from both Disney and Tex Avery’s collections. Most were just because of “cartoon nudity” or particularly violent suicides (a wolf shooting himself in the head), and of course others were for racial reasons (Sambo depictions, shooting someone with black ink and them turning into a big lipped person singing mammy like songs…these were outside of the WB frog btw.)
It got me thinking of how Disney used to be in the 80’s to mid 90’s. Remember…
…when there were no commercials?
…movies like Not Quite Human , Flight of the Navigator, or The Boy Who Could Fly?
… Avonlea (Sarah, Felix, Felecity, Hetti and the gang)?
… Fraggle Rock, Donald Duck Presents, Mousersize, Under the Umbrella Tree, Dumbo’s Circus, Spot, Curious George, Tail Spin, Duck Tails, Chip and Dale Rescue Rangers, etc?
…timeless movies like Aladdin, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Beauty in the Beast?
What was the last timeless Animated movie by Disney? (The Pixar movies don’t count.)
The Lion King?! That was over 10 years ago!
Here are my favorite of the official feature length Disney animated movies:
Aladdin
Aladdin was so entertaining with Robin Williams and the fun music. I liked Jazz back then also and a lot of the music was jazzy. Also, Jasmine was the most colored princess at that time so of course everyone thought that was them.
The Little Mermaid
I remember the day I got this movie. We were in Kmart and had passed a display. I grabbed it when my mother wasn’t looking and she didn’t even see it until we’d gotten home. I think I’ve watched that movie over a hundered times….the first 50 or so times within that first week of having it, lol…
The Lion King
Also saw this 50 million times as it was one my favorites. How I discovered this was also special as it magically appeared on the family video tower when I wasn’t even expecting it.
A Goofy Movie
Saw this one for my 10th birthday. After we saw it, I wanted the soundtrack as well because the songs were so great to me. I thought my older sisters would like it too since Tevin Campbell was featured on the tape and in the movie as a rock star. (I still like those songs!)
Mulan
Another colored princess movie. I thought this was great because the female in the movie was so headstrong and independent. Plus you know times have changed when Eddie Murphy is in a Disney movie….
Tarzan
I think I liked this one because Phil Collins did a lot of the songs. I’m a moderate fan of his music. Plus there was a lot of dialog about how it was difficult to be in a society where you look different.
The Emperor New Groove
Hilarious movie. I love David Spade. I think this was the most adult Disney movie out until the Incredibles. I remember the band crew in Mississippi quoted this movie all the time…”I. snatched. you. right. out. of. the. air!” lmao…
The Fox and the Hound
I thought this movie was boring when I was little, but I saw it again recently when it was on TV. I really liked it! It seemed to also talk about a friendship between two different classes/races of people.
Regardless of all the shenanigans though, Walt Disney was still a genius and I’ll always be a Disney buff…
Well of the good stuff anyway…
