Hi, So I thought that when we were talking in class on Tuesday that we were talking about what Disney portays but I think that we are forgetting a huge part of the Disney 'image' which are the songs that the characters sing. They are a good way to get a message across without really noticing the meaning. So what I did was I googled the lyrics and pulled some small pieces so you can get what I mean and this is what I came up with....
Savages in Pocahontus: What can you expect From filthy little heathens? Their whole disgusting race is like a curse Their skin's a hellish red They're only good when dead They're vermin, as I said And worse
They're savages! Savages!
Barely even human
Savages! Savages!
Drive them from our shore! They're not like you and me Which means they must be evil We must sound the drums of war!
This song is about the 'savages' and how the two types of people (whites from England and the Aborinigal from the new world) and how they can not get along. And since they can not get along they are going to "sound the drums of war" and both types of men are calling eachother "flithy litle humans". It shows the viewers that it is okay to fight because two people do not get along.
For another example could be "Be our guest in Beauty and the Beast": Ma chere Mademoiselle, it is with deepest pride and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight. And now we invite you to relax, let us pull up a chair as the dining room proudly presents - your dinner!
Be our guest! Be our guest! Put our service to the test Tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie And we'll provide the rest Soup du jour Hot hors d'oeuvres Why, we only live to serve Try the grey stuff It's delicious
This song is not being racist but semi sexist. I see this because it tells that women can sit and people will serve her, even though this is a cartoon and the plates, cups and bowls are serving her. It gives the veiwer the idea that kitchens come alive and they are there to serve a stranger but they welcome as their guest and the women can judge the services of these cartoon characters.
I thought that this would be a differnet way to see Disney movies becuase looking at the songs is something that people forget when looking at the culture of Disney movies. - RDS
I was also thinking about Disney all day after our class discussion and think of how the themes in each of the movies are somewhat terrible when you think about them. The most disturbing movie to me is The Little Mermaid. This is because Ariel is told that the only was she is allowed into the "real world" or the world of humans, is to have her voice taken away from. She is alos told that this is the only way that she will be able to get the man of her dreams. This is extremely disturbing because it demoralized women and shows that society does not care or want to here their thought, feelings, opinions. And in the words of the octapus witch the true way taht a woman can communicate is through "body language" (presented with a sexual shack of the hips and ass) -princess consuela banana hammock
my boyfriend was in History and his professor was talking about Tarzan, and technically there were African's 'represented' in this film...they were the monkeys. The original Tarzan was to reinforce the Eurocentric view that white male Eurpoeans could 'tame' any animal or human, as white males were 'superior' to any other race or gender.
I thought this was interesting that the monkeys were used to show how white males could 'tame' Africans.
And when people are represented as animals for the benefit of other people - well, that's just good 'ole racism.
Black scholars and critics of Tarzan disagree with the argument that the Africans in Tarzan are there...they're just monkeys, because Black scholars and critics refuse to accept that African people are animals.
I understand the point History Prof. is making about representation, though; however, it is read differently by many Black cultural critics.
I have to disagree with RDS on a few points. I believe the "Savages, Savages" song was not promoting the idea that it is ok to fight because they were different. I remember getting a very different message from that song as a child. The message that they really weren't that different at all. I believe that the song was meant to be taken as ironic. The song is actually protesting ignorance (which is the root of racism and the other bad isms) and showing how being ignorant will frequently lead to unpleasantness.
As for the "sexist" beauty and the beast song, I will not deny that sexism IS rampant in B&B but that this song does not show it. The cups and everything were in fact servants (who worked in the house) and were simply doing their job.
They were also very hospitable to Belle's father when he arrived at their door as well if you will recall.
As for the culture jams, I found them quite enjoyable, although the grammar nazi in me hated the possessive s in "Native American's"... but those things bug me everywhere I see them.
Hi, So I thought that when we were talking in class on Tuesday that we were talking about what Disney portays but I think that we are forgetting a huge part of the Disney 'image' which are the songs that the characters sing. They are a good way to get a message across without really noticing the meaning. So what I did was I googled the lyrics and pulled some small pieces so you can get what I mean and this is what I came up with....
ReplyDeleteSavages in Pocahontus:
What can you expect
From filthy little heathens?
Their whole disgusting race is like a curse
Their skin's a hellish red
They're only good when dead
They're vermin, as I said
And worse
They're savages! Savages!
Barely even human
Savages! Savages!
Drive them from our shore!
They're not like you and me
Which means they must be evil
We must sound the drums of war!
This song is about the 'savages' and how the two types of people (whites from England and the Aborinigal from the new world) and how they can not get along. And since they can not get along they are going to "sound the drums of war" and both types of men are calling eachother "flithy litle humans". It shows the viewers that it is okay to fight because two people do not get along.
For another example could be "Be our guest in Beauty and the Beast":
Ma chere Mademoiselle, it is with deepest pride
and greatest pleasure that we welcome you tonight.
And now we invite you to relax, let us pull up a chair as the dining room proudly presents - your dinner!
Be our guest! Be our guest!
Put our service to the test
Tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie
And we'll provide the rest
Soup du jour
Hot hors d'oeuvres
Why, we only live to serve
Try the grey stuff
It's delicious
This song is not being racist but semi sexist. I see this because it tells that women can sit and people will serve her, even though this is a cartoon and the plates, cups and bowls are serving her. It gives the veiwer the idea that kitchens come alive and they are there to serve a stranger but they welcome as their guest and the women can judge the services of these cartoon characters.
I thought that this would be a differnet way to see Disney movies becuase looking at the songs is something that people forget when looking at the culture of Disney movies.
- RDS
I was also thinking about Disney all day after our class discussion and think of how the themes in each of the movies are somewhat terrible when you think about them. The most disturbing movie to me is The Little Mermaid. This is because Ariel is told that the only was she is allowed into the "real world" or the world of humans, is to have her voice taken away from. She is alos told that this is the only way that she will be able to get the man of her dreams. This is extremely disturbing because it demoralized women and shows that society does not care or want to here their thought, feelings, opinions. And in the words of the octapus witch the true way taht a woman can communicate is through "body language" (presented with a sexual shack of the hips and ass)
ReplyDelete-princess consuela banana hammock
my boyfriend was in History and his professor was talking about Tarzan, and technically there were African's 'represented' in this film...they were the monkeys.
ReplyDeleteThe original Tarzan was to reinforce the Eurocentric view that white male Eurpoeans could 'tame' any animal or human, as white males were 'superior' to any other race or gender.
I thought this was interesting that the monkeys were used to show how white males could 'tame' Africans.
~Beautiful Bombshell~
And when people are represented as animals for the benefit of other people - well, that's just good 'ole racism.
ReplyDeleteBlack scholars and critics of Tarzan disagree with the argument that the Africans in Tarzan are there...they're just monkeys, because Black scholars and critics refuse to accept that African people are animals.
I understand the point History Prof. is making about representation, though; however, it is read differently by many Black cultural critics.
The Doctor
Check out this video, I've been watching it all week with friends.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CWMCt35oFY
My question: Do you think that even though Gaston is the villian that he promotes negative constructions of masculinity?
^^^ Macho Muffin
ReplyDeleteI have to disagree with RDS on a few points. I believe the "Savages, Savages" song was not promoting the idea that it is ok to fight because they were different. I remember getting a very different message from that song as a child. The message that they really weren't that different at all. I believe that the song was meant to be taken as ironic. The song is actually protesting ignorance (which is the root of racism and the other bad isms) and showing how being ignorant will frequently lead to unpleasantness.
ReplyDeleteAs for the "sexist" beauty and the beast song, I will not deny that sexism IS rampant in B&B but that this song does not show it. The cups and everything were in fact servants (who worked in the house) and were simply doing their job.
They were also very hospitable to Belle's father when he arrived at their door as well if you will recall.
As for the culture jams, I found them quite enjoyable, although the grammar nazi in me hated the possessive s in "Native American's"... but those things bug me everywhere I see them.
--The N3rd
The cups and saucers = servants = classism.
ReplyDeleteThe Doctor