What do you think about Disney?

[MatticusMania]

Because, as you know, it's just fooling around and as such worthless, Capt. Obvious.

Fooling around has its time and its place, and as such, I would say that anytime on the off topic forum is fair game.

Don't kill our fun just because you didn't get the answer you were expecting, remember, it was you who questioned the general public.

 

[MakiSupaStar]

Copyrighting content that has not had a copyright, and that has not traditionally had a single author (i.e. folktales and oral traditions) is a brilliant idea. They've gotten very good at it over the years too. I remember taking a course on Fairy Tales in college. We studied several European traditions, and analyzed them in many ways. Many stem from times before Christian influence. Especially in the case of German Romantic Fairy Tales. Throughout the years, many tried to tailor these stories and messages into more "christian" versions. The most popular being the Brother's Grimm before Disney. One part of our class was actually studying how Disney interpreted traditional German Fairy Tales. Sleeping Beauty. Cinderella. Hansel and Gretel. Etc. Knowing people that work for Disney on the content side of things, they are all very aware of the concept of "family" as it pertains to an interpretation of a story, as well as how it interprets to bottom line in terms of marketing, merchandising, and experiences in theme parks. Family is a formula, a philosophy, and a standard. It gets weird and scary when they try to enforce and protect it's integrity.

 

[cdef]

Copyrighting content that has not had a copyright, and that has not traditionally had a single author (i.e. folktales and oral traditions) is a brilliant idea.

How is it brilliant, except for making money for a corporation out of the communal experience of humankind? I'd call that immoral if I knew anything.

EDIT: Thanks, Maki, for finally making a non-joke argument. I don't think it's a good idea for the world's dreams and hopes to be streamlined into a model of happiness copyrighted by Disney. Please, all, read the link in the first post before answering.

 

[Nyarlathotep]

However they are a pretty darn evil corporation...."The Disney Vault" is the most screwed up/evil marketing concept ever.

You're just jealous you didn't think of it before they did

On a serious note, I must say that the "Vault" thing is awesome. They aren't still around after this long cus they be stupid.

 

[MakiSupaStar]

How is it brilliant, except for making money for a corporation out of the communal experience of humankind? I'd call that immoral if I knew anything.

EDIT: Thanks, Maki, for finally making a non-joke argument. I don't think it's a good idea for the world's dreams and hopes to be streamlined into a model of happiness copyrighted by Disney. Please read the link in the first post before answering.

Well, being that he's a representative of the Catholic church, I would argue that they've done more to corrupt the human mind than Disney, simply based upon the sheer years of their existence and all the history behind the Church. However, these stories are there for children to read for themselves. If we do a good job parenting, we should read these stories to them (in non Disney) form, and let the children decide for themselves. However, being that not very many people read these days, I would say that this is a futile notion. But to argue against this dude, I would say that if he doesn't like Disney's version of Sleeping Beauty, then he should read the original one that pre-dates Grimm. It promotes adulterous incest. Replace the sleeping princess with a daughter, the prince with her father, and the evil queen with her mother. Good times.

Still, I can also see this guys point. I went to a little assembly at my son's school and each grade level had to put on a presentation. Watching a bunch of second-graders sing songs from High School Musical was pretty disturbing. Almost every performance was related to a Disney film somehow. Kind of sad. I understand that perhaps the teacher were 'over' the idea of having to put on this stupid performance every year, but to teach kids how to sing Disney songs just kind of seemed lazy.

Disney would not be in business if it didn't do what it does well. If it's going to present old stories that have traditionally been passed down through word of mouth and storytelling better than the originals, the people are going to buy it. If it doesn't then people will reject it. The only thing you can do, is make smart choices when you're a parent and raising your own kid.

 

[cdef]

Well, being that he's a representative of the Catholic church, I would argue that they've done more to corrupt the human mind than Disney ...

I agree, and am sorry to all the Catholics on here... There was a disclaimer. I am not religious.

This quote I liked:

Where once morality and meaning were available as part of our free cultural inheritance, now corporations sell them to us as products.

You might argue the point of these things ever being free in any way. I'd agree, and still think Disney should not be allowed as an educator of the young by proxy, because of its romanticizing and homogenizing policy, and also because of the underlying notion that capital is the key to a real life.

 

[Pilgrim]

As I mentioned earlier, I grew up watching Disney. Thanks to their programs two of the things I always wanted to do were to visit the Alamo (the Davy Crockett series) and to visit Disneyland. Fortunately I've gotten to do both, and I enjoyed both very much - for different reasons.

Disney has become part of the social fabric of America. I think that overall, that's a good thing. Their story lines are almost always optimistic, and people in the U.S. have a talent for maintaining a positive outlook.

And besides, I always thought Donald Duck was greatt!

 

[mike_v_s]

How is it brilliant, except for making money for a corporation out of the communal experience of humankind? I'd call that immoral if I knew anything.

EDIT: Thanks, Maki, for finally making a non-joke argument. I don't think it's a good idea for the world's dreams and hopes to be streamlined into a model of happiness copyrighted by Disney. Please, all, read the link in the first post before answering.

Who says we didn't?

Mike

 

[Thunderscreech]

The Cryogenicly frozen head of Walt Disney is going to rise up with an army of robotic turtles

 

[Nyarlathotep]

The Cryogenicly frozen head of Walt Disney is going to rise up with an army of robotic turtles

Well, THERE goes the neighborhood....

 

[ryco]

You have to be kidding me. Lumping Disney in with the crapfest that is Hanna-Barbera animation is ridiculous, and I don't see how anybody could fail to rank, say, Snow White at or near the pinnacle of hand-drawn animation as an art form.

I should have been more clear rather than popping off a flip one liner.

I have no problem at all with the brilliant artists/animators that were in the Disney stable during the golden age of animation.

My remark was directed at Disney Corp® that would squelch the animation staff's creativity and dumbed down their efforts to take animation to another level.

Ex: Uncle Walter hated Fantasia, which was really an independent project of the animation dep't. Disney wasn't going to release the film until Preston Blair and Fred Moore threatened to walk off and take the staff with them.


I lumped them in with HB to show the dumbing down of creativity in an artform, even though HB took it to a whole 'nother level for sure.

 

[Howlin' Hanson]

I'm a former Disney Store employee, and it was sort of fun. And IMO, there is some pretty good music in their catalog.
However, one thing I really resented about a great number of Disney productions was the feeling of being emotionally manipulated by death or near-death experiences in the stories. Give me a break.

 

[Mystic Michael]

I find it noteworthy that this critique is coming from a European clergyman. Too bad that similar views weren't being raised more forcefully and more widely 50 years ago...

By now, Disney has become deeply embedded in American pop culture - so much so that most Americans probably don't even see it as being distinct anymore. With its simplistic, two-dimensional, sanitized and homogenized reality filter, Disney functions as both a symptom and an enabler of the American "prefab" cultural paradigm, with its emphasis on easy accessibility, absolute moral clarity...and superficiality.

MM

 

[Thunderscreech]

Well, THERE goes the neighborhood....

It's true. He's frozen under the Pirates Of the Caribbean ride. One day he will rise and use his powers to take control of the internets.

 

[dancehallclasher]

I should have been more clear rather than popping off a flip one liner.

I have no problem at all with the brilliant artists/animators that were in the Disney stable during the golden age of animation.

My remark was directed at Disney Corp® that would squelch the animation staff's creativity and dumb down there efforts to take animation to another level.

Ex: Uncle Walter hated Fantasia, which was really an independent project of the animation dep't. Disney wasn't going to release the film until Preston Blair and Fred Moore threatened to walk off and take the staff with them.

I see, I wasn't aware of that. I'm just going by results here, and I think Disney's had very many brilliant results. Fantasia certainly being one of them!

 

[Nyarlathotep]

It's true. He's frozen under the Pirates Of the Caribbean ride. One day he will rise and use his powers to take control of the internets.

Since Disney is "kid friendly", does this mean no more hawt pron?

 

[coyoteboy]

I find it noteworthy that this critique is coming from a European clergyman. Too bad that similar views weren't being raised more forcefully and more widely 50 years ago...

By now, Disney has become deeply embedded in American pop culture - so much so that most Americans probably don't even see it as being distinct anymore. With its simplistic, two-dimensional, sanitized and homogenized reality filter, Disney functions as both a symptom and an enabler of the American "prefab" cultural paradigm, with its emphasis on easy accessibility, absolute moral clarity...and superficiality.

MM

1. In a rather 'superficial' manner, I am a fan of Disney. I enjoy the parks, and the Pixar films are noteworthy. I did not really grow up watching the films or tv programming that I am aware of, though the Muppets and Sesame Street (Jim Henson Studios now being subsids of DisneyCo) were formative for me.

2. I largely agree the with above statement. Disney should not be the sole media/entertainment provider for children.

 

[Stumbo]

A musician friend of mine that played at the Anaheim, CA Disney (I saw him there one time) told me recently that he was employed by Disney for nearly 15 years . It took 15 years to get permanent pension/health benefits. The group was let go right before they got vested.

 

[Thunderscreech]

Since Disney is "kid friendly", does this mean no more hawt pron?

Probably. But I think John Turner would put a stop to it. After all, he banned chuck norris

 

[Nyarlathotep]

JT FTW