By James Olive
Disney, the epitome of classic children’s cinema, dating back to the first feature length animation of ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarves’ in 1937. Even in this modern day and age we see Disney topping the children’s box office with the animation ‘Brave’ last year making $237 million, proving that Disney hasn’t yet lost its magic.
Disney, the epitome of classic children’s cinema, dating back to the first feature length animation of ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarves’ in 1937. Even in this modern day and age we see Disney topping the children’s box office with the animation ‘Brave’ last year making $237 million, proving that Disney hasn’t yet lost its magic.
Everyone has at least one ‘Disney moment’ in which a Disney film has obliterated their emotions and reduced them to a blubbing wreck or pure mush. For me this came when I watched ‘The fox and the hound’ when I was about eight or nine and the old lady had to let the fox back into the wild. This genuinely tore me apart and I remember not seeing the film until a year later and it still had the same effect, I guess it just goes to show that I obviously have abandonment issues!
When we think of Disney films we think of heroes and princesses, morals, good and bad and making the right choice, and no matter what happens good always triumphs over evil. But every now and then the story developers of Disney decide to slap you in the face and send a curve ball your way by shoving something overtly adult in your face that just makes you to want rugby tackle your children to the floor and cover their eyes to shield their innocence.
When we think of Disney films we think of heroes and princesses, morals, good and bad and making the right choice, and no matter what happens good always triumphs over evil. But every now and then the story developers of Disney decide to slap you in the face and send a curve ball your way by shoving something overtly adult in your face that just makes you to want rugby tackle your children to the floor and cover their eyes to shield their innocence.
A case in point being is with Tim Burton’s ‘Nightmare Before Christmas’, which, with all due respect, was a twisted banshee of a film in comparison to the traditions of Disney classics. Yeah it follows the traditions in the sense of a hero trying to do good and the underlying love story of Sally trying to escape her tower to get her love. But at what point does a skeleton steeling ‘Sandy Claws’ and replacing toys with creepy crawlies make a good kids film. Although I feel that, rather ironically, a childhood without a dash of Tim Burton is a bit pants to be honest.
Then we have ‘Up’, a beautiful film full of color and a sweet story, but the beginning is one harsh nugget to get over. I mean how do you explain a miscarriage to children? It’s not even 20 minutes into the film when we have to get over the loss of Carl’s wife Ellie, even though this is a strong start to the film it still manages to knock you for six. Fortunately the story levels out and a plethora of good characters and adventures ensue but the upset and strain of that beginning takes a while to get over, especially for my ‘mature’ self.
Then we have ‘Up’, a beautiful film full of color and a sweet story, but the beginning is one harsh nugget to get over. I mean how do you explain a miscarriage to children? It’s not even 20 minutes into the film when we have to get over the loss of Carl’s wife Ellie, even though this is a strong start to the film it still manages to knock you for six. Fortunately the story levels out and a plethora of good characters and adventures ensue but the upset and strain of that beginning takes a while to get over, especially for my ‘mature’ self.
Then you get on to the Disney gem that is ‘Toy Story 3’, which in itself is a most child centric film ever, given the strong subject matter of toys and the fact that a good portion of the film takes place in a nursery. But when you see a group of living toys that are best friends readily accept death, at what point do you want children thinking that it is all right to do this. Childhood should be the only time in your life when death should not be a thought. It is possible though that this is a more prominent issue for the films older audience members given that they have grown up with and seen the ‘Toy Story’ franchise over its 15 year run, but never the less it’s definitely a hard point that will need careful explaining to avoid scaring the poor little blighters.
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