I find great comfort in the fantastical world of Disney films. I always thought that I would grow out of the fascination for these films, that I would grow up and indulge in art house movies whilst drinking red wine and writing poetry in leather bound books. But this didn’t happen and my love for Disney films only grew stronger.
I watch these films when I’m feeling slightly off centre or nostalgic and they never cease to entertain. My obsession with these films have been tamed however as I do not watch Beauty and the Beast 5 times in a row but still, there is something different about watching a Disney film when you are all grown up, it contains a different type of magic, one that intrigues and entertains on a different, more poignant level of creativity.
So, you can imagine my surprise when I entered one of my numerous film courses at varsity a few years ago only to find out that we were going to be doing a short course on Disney films. My excitement escalated! What I did not know however, that this course would question my outlook on Disney films altogether.
My lecturer (her name escapes me) explained that Disney was full of unsavoury messages that would brain wash children and only lead them into believing that everything ends happily ever after and that these worlds that existed n Disney films were in fact part of the real world.
Yes, Disney films exacerbate stereotypes as well as fantastical situations, but isn’t this exactly what they want? Disney do not hide in the fact that their worlds are not real, and yes the villain is always of foreign origin (well, their accent is anyway) and the woman might be in an inferior position but it’s fantasy, and this influence will not change the life course of younger ones as much as some other films directed with children in mind will.
Disney is escapism, and sometimes we all need to escape a little, no matter if we are 5 or 55. So, even though my perception of Disney has changed and I continue to view these films from a different point of views, I still hold a love for these films that no other movies could replace.
What do you think, kittens? Is my film study history making me over analyse the effect of Disney film or are these movies filled with brainwashing nonsense that is unhealthy for children.
