Spoiler Alert!
On class on Tuesday, Ina mentioned how later in the semester
we will begin to dissect Disney movies and how the kiddo in us loves them, yet
the feminist in us begins to question some of the content that Disney movies
have in them.
Because of this, I thought it was perfect timing to share
this link on the most recent Disney movie, Frozen, and how it is pretty
progressive compared to past Disney movies. Once again, this is a major spoiler
alert for those of you who have not seen it, but I definitely do recommend
seeing this movie because it truly shows Disney’s advancements, especially
since movies such as Snow White.
As this article explains, Frozen deters from the trail that
most Disney movies follow. As shown in a number of Disney movies, including
Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, The Little Mermaid, etc., the story
tends to go “girl is gorgeous, young, and naïve and meets a man who will save
her from her prison…or even save her life…and then they spend the rest of their
life together because they fell in love as soon as they met.” Frozen takes a
much different path. Two sisters, Anna and Elsa, inherit the kingdom from their
parents after they die at sea. Elsa is named queen of Arendelle and Anna
becomes the princess. This is one of the main progressive themes in the fact
that it is not a man becoming king or prince, but rather, a kingdom that looks
to a woman to properly lead them. Both women are also powerful characters, Elsa
with her physical ability to control ice and Anna with how cunning and
boisterous she is.
What I love about this movie is that Disney finally makes
fun of the concept of “love at first sight,” as well as teaches about the love
two family members can have for one another. I would definitely recommend
seeing this movie, as it shows how progressive Disney has come over the years.
Although it does continue to incorporate some good-looking animated men, I
think Disney is finally beginning to emphasize the strength a woman (or 2) can
have physically, mentally, and emotionally. Frozen shows that young girls no
longer have to be quiet, conservative, and well-mannered to be considered
beautiful.
I think Disney's The Princess and the Frog is also a great example of feminism. In this film the Princess was hard working and wasn't looking for a prince charming as well. Now that I am learning about feminism I can say that the character is work driven more than family driven and that's okay, just because you are a women does not mean you have to have kids and a husband to be satisfied with your life.
ReplyDeleteI loved Frozen! I completely agree that it definitely is much more progressive compared to other Disney movies.
ReplyDeleteI really really like the direction that Disney is going in with its animated movies, of course the merchandise they sell is another story for another day. When Brave came out I was impressed, and Frozen blew me out of the water with the images and themes it was presenting. It's not perfect of course, if one were to analyze the proportions of male/female characters and the message that can send across (namely that women are delicate/doe-eyed) buuuuut I think it sends the right message to kids, especially young girls about their empowerment.
ReplyDeleteI was really excited when watching this movie to see that the role of femme fatal was assigned to a man. Normally in most Disney movies, all powerful women are either still in need of saving or viewed as trapping and destroying innocent and virtuous men.
ReplyDelete