I've been putting this post off for a very long time, hopping that I would be able to come up with something meaningful to say. I'm not sure that is gonna happen anytime soon, but it's time to move forward in the project, so here goes nothing. I will try to do better next time.
Alice in Wonderland represents the first movie in this series that does not feature a princess. So why did I include it? Two reasons: I thought it would be important to look at the first female protagonist not involved in a traditional fairy tale romance, and secondly, I have never liked this movie and I'm trying to find nice things to say about it. In this second instance, I am the one who has issues with the movie even though my general impression is that Alice does not suffer nearly the same level of condescension that other Disney Heroines receive, with the exception of those people who think that Alice in Wonderland is only an advertisement for the wonders of psychotropic drugs. While I'm sure that psilocybin is a fine thing for some folks, I would like to focus on the other aspects of Alice's character that don't involve her future stint in rehab.
When we first meet Alice, she appears to be another lazy child who has no interest in learning. Alice quickly reveals that it isn't so much learning she is against as she is lack of stimulation. She is a child of immense imagination who needs a more interactive form of education that simply sitting there and being lectured at. Given her demonstrated knowledge later in the film, it seems to me that she is a girl merely in need of an afternoon well wasted on utter nonsense, which is a good thing because after about 12 viewings of this film, I've come to the conclusion that that is what this movie is about, and appreciation of nonsense.
In this latest viewing, I finally stopped trying to force grand meanings out of every single segment. I partially blame Kevin Smith and the opening airport sequence in Dogma for tricking me into thinking that the wonderland story had to have deep, multi-layered meaning. When I stopped trying to put all the pieces together, I was able to appreciate the movie on it's own terms. What I discovered was a wonderfully creative dreamscape piece, with Mary Blair's artwork being the truly magnificent focus point. This movie is less a coherent narrative, and more so an ever shifting piece of art. The movie has captured the random connections and digressions that tend to make up our own daydreams. In this instance it is the daydream of a very bright 11 year old girl.
My favorite aspect of Alice as a character is that she isn't perfect. She can be headstrong and stubborn, but she also can think for herself and get out of problems by herself as well. Her temper is that of any ordinary child, and she feels authentic from beginning to end. She is curious about the world she finds herself in, but she can only tolerate so much nonsense before she begins to long for a world that makes more sense to her, a sentiment I share with her more deeply every day. Unlike many of the other films, there aren't any male characters that have any real power. The Cheshire Cat is the only one who isn't a complete bumbling idiot in one way or another, and I think he barely makes the cut (plus, I'm not sure his gender is ever really defined). The films authority figures are Alice's tutor, and the Red Queen, both woman, albeit on opposite sides of the spectrum. The male figures are either crazy, pompous old wind bags, or a bit of both. If there are any lessons in the movie, I think you have to look at Alice's song she sings to herself, "I give myself such good advice, but I seldom follow it." Alice is caught in a world without worthy authority figures and she must look to herself for guidance, only to discover that knowing what to do, and actually doing it are two very different things.
Tuesday, November 17, 2015
Thursday, July 2, 2015
IDODP: Cinderella
Movie: Cinderella 1950
Age: 19
Common Complaints: Man saves her to make all her dreams come true. The poster child for spoiled rich brat weddings everywhere.
Cinderella is one of my very favorite Disney movies, and I get more than a little angry when I see high end Cinderella themed weddings. To me, it just shows people being focused on the happy ending and missing the trials and tribulations it took to get there.
Cinderella is the first major animated feature released after World War II and it has a more adult feel than Snow White. For one thing, Cinderella is 5 years older than Snow White and has a world weary sense of maturity. While sweet and kind, Cinderella also has a snarky side. She clearly despises her situation, but chooses to remain civil around her abusive step-family. She seems to be cut from the same cloth as Albus Dumbledore in that she understands that weakness and manners are not the same thing. But let's get into the movie go into a little more detail.
As the movie opens, we learn of Cinderella's wealthy and privileged childhood. When her father dies, her step-mother drains the bank account to spoil her own daughters and forces Cinderella to become a servant in her own home. The term "scullery Maid" is used to describe her at one point. So, for the second princess movie in a row, the villain's chosen form of vile punishment is to sentence our protagonist to a life as a domestic servant. I hardly think showing female characters aspiring to be more than a house maid is a bad lesson for young girls.
It's also interesting to note that it is the king who is baby crazy. His whole reason for trying to trick his son into marriage is so he can have grandkids. When we look at the motivations of the characters in the movie, we have a whole cast of characters with dubious life goals. The king wants a baby-factory for his son, Lady Tremaine wants to maintain her high station and her daughters want to marry the prince so they can be rich and famous (they're basically the Kardashians). So what is Cinderella's goal? We are told in the opening sequence that she has dreams of happiness, and she does want to go to the ball, but I would argue that the ball is symbolic of her greater goal, which is to escape her life of servitude and be able to live where she is treated with respect and dignity. She wants to have value as a human being again. The ball is just a chance for her to earn a few hours reprieve from the nightmare that her life has become. We actually never hear Cinderella pine away for a handsome man to rescue her. In "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" She specifically refuses to tell her animal companions what her dream is and we are left to fill in the blanks, based on the fairytale nature of the story, it is easy for us to assume that she just wants a man, but I think she deserves a lot more credit than that.
One aspect of the movie that is a little tricky is Cinderella's seeming lack of agency. To be fair, she does spend a large portion of the movie being victimized by her family and doing endless chores until a magical agent comes to help make everything better. I think that is a rather cynical way to view the film. What is often missed is the way Cinderella treats those below her, namely her animal friends. By maintaining a positive outlook and treating others with kindness, her friends are willing to risk life and limb to help make her dreams come true. I see the Fairy Godmother character as a fantastical representation of the way life can offer amazing opportunities to those who are kind to others. How many "feel good" news stories do we get to see every year about a community or generous benefactor coming to the aid of a good person in need. From Stephen Colbert funding schools in his home state to community fundraisers to aid families dealing with illness, we see real life examples all the time of this "fairy godmother" action. In all these instances, the change isn't necessarily permanent. Cinderella only has until midnight to live her dream and it's up to her to make the most of it. She is simply given an opportunity and she must make the best of it. She goes to the ball with an open heart and a positive attitude. As any relationship advisor could tell you, confidence is what draws someone to you almost more than any other factor. The dress helps, but Cinderella wins the heart of the prince by being who she is. It's also important to note that she didn't know she had met the prince. Why, you ask? By specifically pointing out that she thought she had spent a romantic evening with a regular guy, it reinforces that fact that Cinderella is not greedy or simply hoping to regain past glory. She wants her freedom and wants to be loved, but she is no gold digger.
At the end of the movie, an extended heist scene is used in order to make Cinderella and active participant in her own salvation. If the Duke drives up and just throws the slipper on her, she is just a trophy. Instead she is locked in a tower, saved by her mouse friends and has the presence of mind to have the other slipper on her. When the other slipper is destroyed, it is Cinderella who must speak up and produce the matching slipper. She has gone through a massive pile of crap throughout the whole movie and is finally able to leave her horrid life to begin a new life with a new family, and she gets to be queen someday.
As a final note, this is what Walt Disney himself had to say about Cinderella, "She believed in dreams, all right, but she also believed in doing something about them. When Prince Charming didn't come along, she went over to the palace and got him.”
Age: 19
Common Complaints: Man saves her to make all her dreams come true. The poster child for spoiled rich brat weddings everywhere.
Cinderella is one of my very favorite Disney movies, and I get more than a little angry when I see high end Cinderella themed weddings. To me, it just shows people being focused on the happy ending and missing the trials and tribulations it took to get there.
Cinderella is the first major animated feature released after World War II and it has a more adult feel than Snow White. For one thing, Cinderella is 5 years older than Snow White and has a world weary sense of maturity. While sweet and kind, Cinderella also has a snarky side. She clearly despises her situation, but chooses to remain civil around her abusive step-family. She seems to be cut from the same cloth as Albus Dumbledore in that she understands that weakness and manners are not the same thing. But let's get into the movie go into a little more detail.
As the movie opens, we learn of Cinderella's wealthy and privileged childhood. When her father dies, her step-mother drains the bank account to spoil her own daughters and forces Cinderella to become a servant in her own home. The term "scullery Maid" is used to describe her at one point. So, for the second princess movie in a row, the villain's chosen form of vile punishment is to sentence our protagonist to a life as a domestic servant. I hardly think showing female characters aspiring to be more than a house maid is a bad lesson for young girls.
It's also interesting to note that it is the king who is baby crazy. His whole reason for trying to trick his son into marriage is so he can have grandkids. When we look at the motivations of the characters in the movie, we have a whole cast of characters with dubious life goals. The king wants a baby-factory for his son, Lady Tremaine wants to maintain her high station and her daughters want to marry the prince so they can be rich and famous (they're basically the Kardashians). So what is Cinderella's goal? We are told in the opening sequence that she has dreams of happiness, and she does want to go to the ball, but I would argue that the ball is symbolic of her greater goal, which is to escape her life of servitude and be able to live where she is treated with respect and dignity. She wants to have value as a human being again. The ball is just a chance for her to earn a few hours reprieve from the nightmare that her life has become. We actually never hear Cinderella pine away for a handsome man to rescue her. In "A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes" She specifically refuses to tell her animal companions what her dream is and we are left to fill in the blanks, based on the fairytale nature of the story, it is easy for us to assume that she just wants a man, but I think she deserves a lot more credit than that.
One aspect of the movie that is a little tricky is Cinderella's seeming lack of agency. To be fair, she does spend a large portion of the movie being victimized by her family and doing endless chores until a magical agent comes to help make everything better. I think that is a rather cynical way to view the film. What is often missed is the way Cinderella treats those below her, namely her animal friends. By maintaining a positive outlook and treating others with kindness, her friends are willing to risk life and limb to help make her dreams come true. I see the Fairy Godmother character as a fantastical representation of the way life can offer amazing opportunities to those who are kind to others. How many "feel good" news stories do we get to see every year about a community or generous benefactor coming to the aid of a good person in need. From Stephen Colbert funding schools in his home state to community fundraisers to aid families dealing with illness, we see real life examples all the time of this "fairy godmother" action. In all these instances, the change isn't necessarily permanent. Cinderella only has until midnight to live her dream and it's up to her to make the most of it. She is simply given an opportunity and she must make the best of it. She goes to the ball with an open heart and a positive attitude. As any relationship advisor could tell you, confidence is what draws someone to you almost more than any other factor. The dress helps, but Cinderella wins the heart of the prince by being who she is. It's also important to note that she didn't know she had met the prince. Why, you ask? By specifically pointing out that she thought she had spent a romantic evening with a regular guy, it reinforces that fact that Cinderella is not greedy or simply hoping to regain past glory. She wants her freedom and wants to be loved, but she is no gold digger.
At the end of the movie, an extended heist scene is used in order to make Cinderella and active participant in her own salvation. If the Duke drives up and just throws the slipper on her, she is just a trophy. Instead she is locked in a tower, saved by her mouse friends and has the presence of mind to have the other slipper on her. When the other slipper is destroyed, it is Cinderella who must speak up and produce the matching slipper. She has gone through a massive pile of crap throughout the whole movie and is finally able to leave her horrid life to begin a new life with a new family, and she gets to be queen someday.
As a final note, this is what Walt Disney himself had to say about Cinderella, "She believed in dreams, all right, but she also believed in doing something about them. When Prince Charming didn't come along, she went over to the palace and got him.”
Tuesday, May 26, 2015
In Defense of Disney Princesses: Snow White & the Seven Dwarves
In the highly unlikely event that this post circulates beyond my usual almost two dozen readers, let me be clear: this is merely intended as a thought exercise and I in no way intend this to be a definitive interpretation. It's just one guys thoughts. With that said, let's begin.
Movie: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937)
Princess: Snow White, aged 15 or 16
Common complaints: Snow White is a shockingly naive girl who will eat anything a stranger gives her and her biggest talent is for housework, her life goal? Find a man to take care of her.
I will be trying to mention the ages of the princesses when I can find them as I think it is important to remember that we are talking about characters who in many cases are roughly the same age as an average high school freshman or sophomore. If you remember the sort of things you believed about love when you were in high school, I think you might be able to be a little more understanding of where these characters are coming from.
When our movie opens, we learn that the evil Queen has forced Snow White to live and work as a scullery maid. For those who might not know, a scullery maid is the maid that all the other servants get to boss around and give the really crappy chores to like cleaning the stove and oven, gutting and scaling fish, and scouring the pots and pans. Scullery maids generally had to eat in the kitchen alone so they could keep any eye on the food that was cooking. So we are starting with the premise of a Queen with so much power and ability to cause fear that she was able to subjugate the Princess and only heir to the throne and make her the lowest servant in the castle. Suddenly it makes more sense why Snow White is so friendly with the animals. Who else does she even have to talk to?! It seems to be common knowledge that the Queen is a psychopath with magical power (even the dwarves know about her) so it stands to reason that no one will be going out of their way to be nice to the girl the Queen hates most. This is not a pampered princess who is good at housekeeping because that's just how women should be, this is a young girl who was denied her birthright and forced to live as an indentured servant in her own home. Given her circumstances, it's actually quite surprising that Snow White still has enough spirit left to daydream about meeting a nice boy someday.
Speaking of the nice boy, our prince charming overhears Snow singing by the water well and climbs the wall to investigate, then sings full on from right behind her. A dumb naive princess might swoon and be swept away right there, but Snow White has the good sense to get the heck out of there and hide behind a solid wooden door and stone walls. She is then able to see that the prince, while not very subtle, does not intend to do her harm and she is flattered and a little smitten as well, but she does not go out to him.
We next see Snow White when she has been taken outside with the huntsman to pick flowers/be murdered. I like the fact that the Queen lets Snow change into nice clothes when she is outside of the castle, probably to give the impression that she isn't being abused horribly. Ok, it was mostly like a decision by Walt and the animation team to let Snow be wearing something other than ratty clothes for the whole movie, but my idea seems to fit too. Anyway, The huntsman stalks towards Snow White as she is having a nice chat with a baby bird when he has a crisis of conscience and cannot kill the nice girl who loves animals. He warns Snow White that the Queen will stop at nothing to see her dead and tells her to run away. This is significant because we can see by the huntsman's actions that Snow White has enough charisma and character that he would risk his life to save her. I don't think it is too big a leap to assume that he was horribly executed once the queen discovered his betrayal. You don't make a life altering decision like that solely because someone is pretty.
So Snow White freaks out and runs into the forest where she is attacked by all kinds of tree monsters. While it would be easy to view this as only a damsel in distress moment, I would ask that you watch the scene all the way through. Yes, Snow White had a full on panic attack, but in her defense, she just had her flower picking and bird watching trip interrupted when the guy accompanying her pulled a giant knife on her and then told her to run away or she would be murdered by her step mother. That's a lot for a 15 year old to take in the span of 30 seconds. But after she collapses from fear and has a good cry, she looks up and sees that there is nothing to be afraid of. Not only that, but she tells herself that the worst is over now and she shouldn't be scared because she will find a way to take care of herself. Snow White, on her own, clearly states that she is fully capable of taking care of herself, full stop. She then immediately begins to work out what her situation is so she can decide her next move. We are in a fantasy world, so she is able to ask the animals for information. She doesn't say, "please take care of me, for I am a helpless little girl." She instead notes that she will need to find suitable shelter for the night and asks if the animals know of a safe place that she might stay. It turns out that animals, like most people, are very willing to give assistance to someone who asks politely and shows kindness.
When Snow White arrives at the cottage, she sees the state of the place and assumes that this is a home where orphans live, with no one to take care of them. Since she is neither a victim nor a mooch, and since no one is home at the moment, she decides that the best way to make herself a welcome house guest to a bunch of strangers is to try to help tidy the place up and cook a hot meal as an offering. She doesn't cook and clean because those are the only things women are good for; she cooks and cleans because she wants to earn her keep, and those are two skills that she is very good at because that is what she's been forced to do almost everyday of her life. If the Queen had forced her to thatch roofs or build furniture, she probably would have done that instead. But she's good at cooking and cleaning, and she has a house full of woodland creatures willing to help her, and she only has one little cottage to see to instead of a whole castle. If my workload shrank by 90% AND I got an army of anthropomorphized critters to help me, I'd whistle while I worked too!
After cleaning the house, Snow White falls asleep in the dwarves' beds, which is a little rude, but she's had a rough day and it allows the story to shift to the plotting of the Queen and Dwarves' discovery that they've been visited by the nicest home invader not named Santa Claus. When Snow White wakes up, she is very quickly able to gain the trust of the dwarves and has them following her every command in almost no time flat. She does this by being tactful, kind, and confident. So on the same day she was almost murdered, she had the strength of character to dust herself off, find a place a refuge, and make herself head of the household before bedtime. This girl has serious leadership skills and would be top management material today. Snow White is a natural leader who commands respect by giving it generously. She is not false or calculating, and yet, everyone she encounters becomes enamored with her and wants to follow her. No wonder the Queen wants her dead.
Which brings me to a point about the whole reason the Queen wants to kill Snow White. Now I know this is a bit of a stretch, but go with me here for just a minute. I'm well aware that the word 'fairest' is an old fashioned word used to describe a beautiful woman, but that isn't the only meaning. In fact, most of the other definitions describe just and righteous behavior and legitimate actions. These are all definitions that fit Snow White. The Queen uses the word in reference to physical beauty, but she is talking to her slave in the magic mirror when she says it. Since the spirit in the mirror is a slave, it is safe to assume that it does not have the Queen's best interests in mind. What the spirit does have is supernatural knowledge of the world, and a likely desire to no longer be enslaved to a lunatic. I believe that it makes sense then for the spirit to be giving the Queen an answer to a questions she did not intend to ask. The spirit sets up the Queen by describing the physical beauty of Snow White, knowing full well that this information will drive the Queen mad with jealousy. In her rage, it never occurs to her that being 'the fairest in the land' could mean so much more than physical appearance. It is the other definitions of the word 'fairest' that inspire the animals, the dwarves, and even the huntsman to aid her and follow her. Even the prince first saw her at her grossest and was charmed by her singing and manner before he ever got a good look at her face. It is this inner fairness that the Queen never sees or accounts for and it becomes her downfall.
Back to the plot, after a rousing party with the Dwarves, Snow White is asked to tell them a love story. This is where she sings, "Someday My Prince Will Come." If you are looking for an empowered song about equal love and partnership, this is not it. This is a fairytale song about falling in love and living happily ever after. My only defense is that is is exactly the kind of story the dwarves asked for, it's catchy as hell, and I think every single person secretly has their own dream of what happily ever after is and it's ok to admit that once and a while, no matter how silly we know it is.
The next morning, the Dwarves all leave and warn her to be careful. Notice that they all trust her enough to leave her home alone. She's already proved that she can take care of herself and doesn't need constant protection. They acknowledge the reality of her situation, but she isn't treated like a victim or fragile flower. When the old hag arrives at the cottage window, Snow White does try to be careful. In fact, she gives no indication that she will have anything to do with the old hag until she is attacked by birds. Up until this point, Snow White reacts about how you would expect when a strange person is suddenly all up in your personal space. She is apprehensive and very cautious. Remember, this is the same girl who has been making fast friends with everyone she has come across until this point. It is only when her bird friends attack the old hag that Snow White throws caution to the wind and takes pity on the old woman. Snow White is still apprehensive when the old hag is in the house and it almost feels like she bites the apple partly as a sort of attempt to appease the crazy old woman so she can politely send her on her way. This is the kind of behavior I think you can understand from a 15 year old, alone in an unfamiliar situation with a disconcerting but harmless looking individual. Kudos to the Queen at this point, because it is a truly unexpected disguise. The Queen did not, however, anticipate the ferocious response to her crime. She is chased to a dead end on a cliff, and we are spared a grisly fight scene when a thunderbolt strikes just right to cause the Queen to fall to her death (and be crushed be the boulder that falls down after her) Sure is a shame that thunderbolt. It was a gloriously sunny day only moments before. I wonder if there was any sort of all seeing spirit, with supernatural powers, who might have had a grudge against the Queen and would know exactly where she was at that moment.....this is why you don't enslave spirits in a mirror and force them to constantly tell you how pretty you are.
And now we come to the scene in which hilarious bloggers and internet comedy writers like to make jokes about necrophilia and lack of consent. The Dwarves, unable to bring themselves to bury Snow White, create a glass coffin and place her in a beautiful spot in the woods where they can watch over her and mourn her. You don't get this sort of devotion by just being pretty. People have to really like you as a person to go through all that trouble. And before you ask, I assume that they never changed their minds and buried her because she never started to rot and stink. If you have a body sitting outside for months and nothing changes, either something magical is a foot, or you can't tell the difference between a person and a mannequin. Finally, the prince comes along, after months or trying to figure out what happened to that girl he met once, he finds her in the woods, on a coffin, surrounded by men in mourning. He sees the girl who he's been thinking about constantly, who is presumed dead now, and gives her a short, respectful kiss and kneels with a bowed head to mourn her as well. I've been to funerals and I've seen people kiss loved ones goodbye. That is what the prince was doing, paying final respects, giving a brief peck on the lips to say goodbye. Yes they only met once for a brief time, but this is a guy who burst into song 30 seconds after seeing her. He clearly has a lot of feelings and I am impressed that he was as subtle as he was. No goodbye ballad or wailing, just a light kiss and a bowed head. And the fact that she woke up by definition proves that their connection was real. That's what true loves kiss means. If it's not true love, she's still lying there until the end of time.
The fairytale ending is not great, with Snow White and the prince riding off into the sunset together, but she's earned it, and I think we learn enough to know that she won't just sit around eating bon bons. This is a girl who gets things done and knows how to lead. Perhaps the problem with "and they lived happily ever after" is the lack of specificity to what that actually means. Happily ever after doesn't mean a life without rewarding work and adventure. I think when we're kids, happily ever after means endless summer vacation and all the candy you can eat and when we grow older, we never reexamine that phrase. Personally, I think everyone's happily ever after is something different. I also think that since the kiss broke the spell, that it means that the prince also is the kind of person who can lead by example with kindness and respect and that they probably went on to have a very fulfilling and rewarding life together, growing and learning to the end of their days....or they were both instantly crushed to death when the story book was closed at the end of the movie, and happily ever after was a very short, but accurate description of their final moments.
Movie: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (1937)
Princess: Snow White, aged 15 or 16
Common complaints: Snow White is a shockingly naive girl who will eat anything a stranger gives her and her biggest talent is for housework, her life goal? Find a man to take care of her.
I will be trying to mention the ages of the princesses when I can find them as I think it is important to remember that we are talking about characters who in many cases are roughly the same age as an average high school freshman or sophomore. If you remember the sort of things you believed about love when you were in high school, I think you might be able to be a little more understanding of where these characters are coming from.
When our movie opens, we learn that the evil Queen has forced Snow White to live and work as a scullery maid. For those who might not know, a scullery maid is the maid that all the other servants get to boss around and give the really crappy chores to like cleaning the stove and oven, gutting and scaling fish, and scouring the pots and pans. Scullery maids generally had to eat in the kitchen alone so they could keep any eye on the food that was cooking. So we are starting with the premise of a Queen with so much power and ability to cause fear that she was able to subjugate the Princess and only heir to the throne and make her the lowest servant in the castle. Suddenly it makes more sense why Snow White is so friendly with the animals. Who else does she even have to talk to?! It seems to be common knowledge that the Queen is a psychopath with magical power (even the dwarves know about her) so it stands to reason that no one will be going out of their way to be nice to the girl the Queen hates most. This is not a pampered princess who is good at housekeeping because that's just how women should be, this is a young girl who was denied her birthright and forced to live as an indentured servant in her own home. Given her circumstances, it's actually quite surprising that Snow White still has enough spirit left to daydream about meeting a nice boy someday.
Speaking of the nice boy, our prince charming overhears Snow singing by the water well and climbs the wall to investigate, then sings full on from right behind her. A dumb naive princess might swoon and be swept away right there, but Snow White has the good sense to get the heck out of there and hide behind a solid wooden door and stone walls. She is then able to see that the prince, while not very subtle, does not intend to do her harm and she is flattered and a little smitten as well, but she does not go out to him.
We next see Snow White when she has been taken outside with the huntsman to pick flowers/be murdered. I like the fact that the Queen lets Snow change into nice clothes when she is outside of the castle, probably to give the impression that she isn't being abused horribly. Ok, it was mostly like a decision by Walt and the animation team to let Snow be wearing something other than ratty clothes for the whole movie, but my idea seems to fit too. Anyway, The huntsman stalks towards Snow White as she is having a nice chat with a baby bird when he has a crisis of conscience and cannot kill the nice girl who loves animals. He warns Snow White that the Queen will stop at nothing to see her dead and tells her to run away. This is significant because we can see by the huntsman's actions that Snow White has enough charisma and character that he would risk his life to save her. I don't think it is too big a leap to assume that he was horribly executed once the queen discovered his betrayal. You don't make a life altering decision like that solely because someone is pretty.
So Snow White freaks out and runs into the forest where she is attacked by all kinds of tree monsters. While it would be easy to view this as only a damsel in distress moment, I would ask that you watch the scene all the way through. Yes, Snow White had a full on panic attack, but in her defense, she just had her flower picking and bird watching trip interrupted when the guy accompanying her pulled a giant knife on her and then told her to run away or she would be murdered by her step mother. That's a lot for a 15 year old to take in the span of 30 seconds. But after she collapses from fear and has a good cry, she looks up and sees that there is nothing to be afraid of. Not only that, but she tells herself that the worst is over now and she shouldn't be scared because she will find a way to take care of herself. Snow White, on her own, clearly states that she is fully capable of taking care of herself, full stop. She then immediately begins to work out what her situation is so she can decide her next move. We are in a fantasy world, so she is able to ask the animals for information. She doesn't say, "please take care of me, for I am a helpless little girl." She instead notes that she will need to find suitable shelter for the night and asks if the animals know of a safe place that she might stay. It turns out that animals, like most people, are very willing to give assistance to someone who asks politely and shows kindness.
When Snow White arrives at the cottage, she sees the state of the place and assumes that this is a home where orphans live, with no one to take care of them. Since she is neither a victim nor a mooch, and since no one is home at the moment, she decides that the best way to make herself a welcome house guest to a bunch of strangers is to try to help tidy the place up and cook a hot meal as an offering. She doesn't cook and clean because those are the only things women are good for; she cooks and cleans because she wants to earn her keep, and those are two skills that she is very good at because that is what she's been forced to do almost everyday of her life. If the Queen had forced her to thatch roofs or build furniture, she probably would have done that instead. But she's good at cooking and cleaning, and she has a house full of woodland creatures willing to help her, and she only has one little cottage to see to instead of a whole castle. If my workload shrank by 90% AND I got an army of anthropomorphized critters to help me, I'd whistle while I worked too!
After cleaning the house, Snow White falls asleep in the dwarves' beds, which is a little rude, but she's had a rough day and it allows the story to shift to the plotting of the Queen and Dwarves' discovery that they've been visited by the nicest home invader not named Santa Claus. When Snow White wakes up, she is very quickly able to gain the trust of the dwarves and has them following her every command in almost no time flat. She does this by being tactful, kind, and confident. So on the same day she was almost murdered, she had the strength of character to dust herself off, find a place a refuge, and make herself head of the household before bedtime. This girl has serious leadership skills and would be top management material today. Snow White is a natural leader who commands respect by giving it generously. She is not false or calculating, and yet, everyone she encounters becomes enamored with her and wants to follow her. No wonder the Queen wants her dead.
Which brings me to a point about the whole reason the Queen wants to kill Snow White. Now I know this is a bit of a stretch, but go with me here for just a minute. I'm well aware that the word 'fairest' is an old fashioned word used to describe a beautiful woman, but that isn't the only meaning. In fact, most of the other definitions describe just and righteous behavior and legitimate actions. These are all definitions that fit Snow White. The Queen uses the word in reference to physical beauty, but she is talking to her slave in the magic mirror when she says it. Since the spirit in the mirror is a slave, it is safe to assume that it does not have the Queen's best interests in mind. What the spirit does have is supernatural knowledge of the world, and a likely desire to no longer be enslaved to a lunatic. I believe that it makes sense then for the spirit to be giving the Queen an answer to a questions she did not intend to ask. The spirit sets up the Queen by describing the physical beauty of Snow White, knowing full well that this information will drive the Queen mad with jealousy. In her rage, it never occurs to her that being 'the fairest in the land' could mean so much more than physical appearance. It is the other definitions of the word 'fairest' that inspire the animals, the dwarves, and even the huntsman to aid her and follow her. Even the prince first saw her at her grossest and was charmed by her singing and manner before he ever got a good look at her face. It is this inner fairness that the Queen never sees or accounts for and it becomes her downfall.
Back to the plot, after a rousing party with the Dwarves, Snow White is asked to tell them a love story. This is where she sings, "Someday My Prince Will Come." If you are looking for an empowered song about equal love and partnership, this is not it. This is a fairytale song about falling in love and living happily ever after. My only defense is that is is exactly the kind of story the dwarves asked for, it's catchy as hell, and I think every single person secretly has their own dream of what happily ever after is and it's ok to admit that once and a while, no matter how silly we know it is.
The next morning, the Dwarves all leave and warn her to be careful. Notice that they all trust her enough to leave her home alone. She's already proved that she can take care of herself and doesn't need constant protection. They acknowledge the reality of her situation, but she isn't treated like a victim or fragile flower. When the old hag arrives at the cottage window, Snow White does try to be careful. In fact, she gives no indication that she will have anything to do with the old hag until she is attacked by birds. Up until this point, Snow White reacts about how you would expect when a strange person is suddenly all up in your personal space. She is apprehensive and very cautious. Remember, this is the same girl who has been making fast friends with everyone she has come across until this point. It is only when her bird friends attack the old hag that Snow White throws caution to the wind and takes pity on the old woman. Snow White is still apprehensive when the old hag is in the house and it almost feels like she bites the apple partly as a sort of attempt to appease the crazy old woman so she can politely send her on her way. This is the kind of behavior I think you can understand from a 15 year old, alone in an unfamiliar situation with a disconcerting but harmless looking individual. Kudos to the Queen at this point, because it is a truly unexpected disguise. The Queen did not, however, anticipate the ferocious response to her crime. She is chased to a dead end on a cliff, and we are spared a grisly fight scene when a thunderbolt strikes just right to cause the Queen to fall to her death (and be crushed be the boulder that falls down after her) Sure is a shame that thunderbolt. It was a gloriously sunny day only moments before. I wonder if there was any sort of all seeing spirit, with supernatural powers, who might have had a grudge against the Queen and would know exactly where she was at that moment.....this is why you don't enslave spirits in a mirror and force them to constantly tell you how pretty you are.
And now we come to the scene in which hilarious bloggers and internet comedy writers like to make jokes about necrophilia and lack of consent. The Dwarves, unable to bring themselves to bury Snow White, create a glass coffin and place her in a beautiful spot in the woods where they can watch over her and mourn her. You don't get this sort of devotion by just being pretty. People have to really like you as a person to go through all that trouble. And before you ask, I assume that they never changed their minds and buried her because she never started to rot and stink. If you have a body sitting outside for months and nothing changes, either something magical is a foot, or you can't tell the difference between a person and a mannequin. Finally, the prince comes along, after months or trying to figure out what happened to that girl he met once, he finds her in the woods, on a coffin, surrounded by men in mourning. He sees the girl who he's been thinking about constantly, who is presumed dead now, and gives her a short, respectful kiss and kneels with a bowed head to mourn her as well. I've been to funerals and I've seen people kiss loved ones goodbye. That is what the prince was doing, paying final respects, giving a brief peck on the lips to say goodbye. Yes they only met once for a brief time, but this is a guy who burst into song 30 seconds after seeing her. He clearly has a lot of feelings and I am impressed that he was as subtle as he was. No goodbye ballad or wailing, just a light kiss and a bowed head. And the fact that she woke up by definition proves that their connection was real. That's what true loves kiss means. If it's not true love, she's still lying there until the end of time.
The fairytale ending is not great, with Snow White and the prince riding off into the sunset together, but she's earned it, and I think we learn enough to know that she won't just sit around eating bon bons. This is a girl who gets things done and knows how to lead. Perhaps the problem with "and they lived happily ever after" is the lack of specificity to what that actually means. Happily ever after doesn't mean a life without rewarding work and adventure. I think when we're kids, happily ever after means endless summer vacation and all the candy you can eat and when we grow older, we never reexamine that phrase. Personally, I think everyone's happily ever after is something different. I also think that since the kiss broke the spell, that it means that the prince also is the kind of person who can lead by example with kindness and respect and that they probably went on to have a very fulfilling and rewarding life together, growing and learning to the end of their days....or they were both instantly crushed to death when the story book was closed at the end of the movie, and happily ever after was a very short, but accurate description of their final moments.
Thursday, April 30, 2015
In Defense of Disney Princesses - Introduction
For a while now, I've been trying to come up with a new project of things to write about. Something fun, but hopefully a little more thought provoking than my usual stuff. During this time, I've also noticed that a lot of the nerdy websites I visit have been having a lot of fun pointing out what awful lessons Disney movies teach kids. There are ton of articles, videos, parody songs, even battle raps dedicated to this topic. I have even taken a shot or two at these characters back when I was writing about every theatrical animated Disney feature. It was easy and fun and certainly seemed harmless enough at first.
But lately, I've been wondering if there is a different way to view Disney characters, and specifically, the Disney Princesses. Are they all just terrible role models created by a sexist group of men who wanted to teach women that true happiness only comes from finding a man and having pretty clothes? Are they just characters without agency who are acted upon by male characters? I know this is an oversimplification, but I've read enough articles and listicles to know that this is not an uncommon opinion. (side note, I think Listicles is a ridiculous word and it makes me a little sad that my spell check accepts it as a real word.)
I wanted to try (as best as I can from my place as a straight, white male) to watch these movies again and see if there isn't something more to these women, and if they offer us anything more than a vision of outdated and sexist tropes. I will also be trying to separate the marketing of these characters from the way they are presented on film. My belief is that there is more to these character than we allow, and when viewed as a whole, Disney has created a rather incredible group of female characters who represent a very wide range of lifestyles and experiences. I will be viewing the major princess movies (along with a select few non princess movies) in chronological order, and looking at the representation of women throughout. Here are the movies I will be viewing in order:
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves - 1937
Cinderella - 1950
Alice in Wonderland - 1951
Sleeping Beauty - 1959
The Little Mermain - 1989
Beauty and the Beast - 1991
Aladdin - 1992
Pocahontas - 1995
Hunchback of Notre Dame - 1996
Mulan - 1998
Lilo & Stitch - 2002
The Incredibles - 2004
The Princess and the Frog - 2009
Tangled - 2010
Brave - 2012
Frozen - 2013
As I said earlier, I hope this will be mostly a fun thought exercise and I hope you enjoy it too.
But lately, I've been wondering if there is a different way to view Disney characters, and specifically, the Disney Princesses. Are they all just terrible role models created by a sexist group of men who wanted to teach women that true happiness only comes from finding a man and having pretty clothes? Are they just characters without agency who are acted upon by male characters? I know this is an oversimplification, but I've read enough articles and listicles to know that this is not an uncommon opinion. (side note, I think Listicles is a ridiculous word and it makes me a little sad that my spell check accepts it as a real word.)
I wanted to try (as best as I can from my place as a straight, white male) to watch these movies again and see if there isn't something more to these women, and if they offer us anything more than a vision of outdated and sexist tropes. I will also be trying to separate the marketing of these characters from the way they are presented on film. My belief is that there is more to these character than we allow, and when viewed as a whole, Disney has created a rather incredible group of female characters who represent a very wide range of lifestyles and experiences. I will be viewing the major princess movies (along with a select few non princess movies) in chronological order, and looking at the representation of women throughout. Here are the movies I will be viewing in order:
Snow White and the Seven Dwarves - 1937
Cinderella - 1950
Alice in Wonderland - 1951
Sleeping Beauty - 1959
The Little Mermain - 1989
Beauty and the Beast - 1991
Aladdin - 1992
Pocahontas - 1995
Hunchback of Notre Dame - 1996
Mulan - 1998
Lilo & Stitch - 2002
The Incredibles - 2004
The Princess and the Frog - 2009
Tangled - 2010
Brave - 2012
Frozen - 2013
As I said earlier, I hope this will be mostly a fun thought exercise and I hope you enjoy it too.
Sunday, January 25, 2015
My 2014 Mixtape
It's that time of the year, where I go through all of the music from 2014 and narrow it down to my top 20 songs of the year. First, some notes:
1. Only one song per artist
2. song had to be released in 2014, no late 2013 entries.
3. I had to discover the song in 2014.
4. 2014, for me, was an off year for music. I don't remember the last time I had to try so hard to find 20 songs worth putting on this list. Maybe I didn't look hard enough, but I found myself very underwhelmed with the quality of music last year.
With that said, let's get to the music:
Album of the Year: Aloe Blacc - Lift your Spirit. This was pretty much the only album that I was inspired to listen to on a repeat basis this year, but it's still a damn good R&B album.
Honorable mention -
Cover song of the year: "They're Coming to Take Me Away" by Butcher Babies. A heavy metal cover of one of the creepiest novelty songs of all time? Yes please!
AND NOW, IN PLAYLIST ORDER, THE 2014 MIXTAPE:
1 - Title - Meghan Trainor : Her debut album is quickly becoming one of my favorite albums of 2015, but this track of her 2014 EP is catchy as hell and is ideal for dancing around the house.
2 - Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars : Ummm, this is the best Prince song in years, too bad he didn't record it. In any case, this is an absolute gem of a song, one that is sadly destined to be played to death before the end of February. Might as well enjoy it while I can though.
3 - Bang Bang - Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj : Jessie J is my favorite pop singer right now, and she can sing her face off. Nicki Minaj is a master at the guest rap verse, and I don't understand all the hate towards Ariana Grande, she seems perfectly adequate to me. This is like a "Lady Marmalade" for 2014.
4 - Classic - MKTO : You may be noticing a throwback theme here. That's because I was raised on music from the 60s and 70s, when they played instruments. So I'm a sucker for a hook played on piano or horns, or even ukelele. If you can't enjoy the simple pleasures of this song, then you and I just don't understand each other.
5 - Stay Gold - First Aid Kit : Shifting gears a bit, I had to throw in a track from my second favorite album of the year. This Swedish duo does Americana folk rock better than anyone. A gorgeous song from a gorgeous album.
6 - No Rest for the Wicked - Lykke Li : I really like the empty space in this song, it's a nice palette cleanser, especially after listening to a lot of Top 40 style music. Also, I have no idea how to pronounce her name.
7 - When We're Fire - Lo-Fang : This was the last song to make the list, and that's mostly because I didn't like it for most of the year. This was one of those weird songs for me where I hated it, hated it, hated it, and then all of a sudden something clicked and I realised I loved it. I also need to give a shout out to my wife for introducing this song to me.
8 - Riptide - Vance Joy : It's a pretty standard indie pop song, but it's just so damn catchy, I can't stop tapping my feet.
9 - Can You do This - Aloe Blacc : I've just decided that Aloe Blacc is Bruno Mars for Grownups. This is the most fun song on a stellar album, but I had a really hard time picking which Aloe Blacc song would make this list. I went with this one because I reminds me of "Do You Love Me" by The Contours.
10 - Love Runs Out - OneRepublic : Remember when I said that this was a bad year for music? Yeah, you know it's a down year when not only do I enjoy a OneRepublic song, but nobody has the decency to write enough good songs to keep it off my end of year list....I'm so ashamed, but I'm still dancing to it.
11 - The Miracle (of Joey Ramone) - U2 : I wasn't too upset when I got a free U2 album. I didn't get what all the fuss was about. I mean, I would never intentionally spend money on a U2 song in the first place, so I appreciated the way they admitted to us all that what they do is essentially worthless. But for the second time this year, I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy a song by one of my least favorite bands of all time. To put this in perspective, I normally consider U2 and OneRepublic to be of the same quality as Creed or Nickelback. I don't know how they both overachieved so wildly this year, but I guess even a crappy band can write a good song from time to time.
12 - Birth in Reverse - St. Vincent : I need to spend more time with this album, but St. Vincent has always been one of those sleeper artists for me. I never look out for her music, but I always enjoy it when I hear it.
13 - Water Fountain - tUnE yArDs : This is the happiest song about living in poverty ever! Seriously, try to find me another song about living without potable water that makes you want to dance around in your socks.
14 - KONGOS - Come With Me Now : This album was released in the US for the first time in 2014, so it qualifies for the list. It also has the distinction of being one of the few hard rock songs that features an accordion, and was the theme song for a WWE pay-per view event months before all the hipster radio stations picked it up and decided it was cool. That's right, wrestling fans discovered something cool before the hipsters did. Stick that in your ironic pipe and smoke it!
15 - Back to the Shack - Weezer : Frankly, I've enjoyed almost every Weezer album, but I do appreciate any song where a band apologizes to its fans for being to gimmicky. It also helps when that song is a great rock song by itself.
16 - Follow Me Down - The Pretty Reckless : At a time when most of the male hard rock bands are pretty toothless and boring, it's nice to see the ladies rock with a little emotion and attitude. Try to keep up fellas.
17 - Break the Fall - Laura Welsh : I'm not even sure how I ended up with this song, but I sure do like it. It's like a better version of Boom Clap by Charli XCX.
18 - Rather Be - Clean Bandit : Somehow, they made early 90s dance music sound fresh again. I don't know how they did it, but it is delightful.
19 - Am I Wrong - Nico and Vinz : As I was finalizing this list, I opted to give the last two spots to songs that I had a personal connection two. I turned 30 this year, and it just so happened that I was at the Mall of America on my birthday and Nico and Vinz were putting on a free concert. They also get bonus points for being from Norway (one of them anyway). It was a great free show on what was a great birthday.
20 - Back Home - Andy Grammer : I get to meet a lot of cool people at my job, and I had a lot of great memories from last year. But it's always fun when a client introduces me to a new song and I get to see them shout out all the words while they celebrate with their closest friends and family. It's seeing people create those kinds of memories that helps get me through the days when my job is more stressful. Also, it's a great end song if you put this list on repeat, because it blends back into the first song on the list very well.
So that's my top 20 for this year. They're all good songs, but I wish I had more truly great songs to put on this list. If you discovered something awesome in 2014, let me know in the comments.
1. Only one song per artist
2. song had to be released in 2014, no late 2013 entries.
3. I had to discover the song in 2014.
4. 2014, for me, was an off year for music. I don't remember the last time I had to try so hard to find 20 songs worth putting on this list. Maybe I didn't look hard enough, but I found myself very underwhelmed with the quality of music last year.
With that said, let's get to the music:
Album of the Year: Aloe Blacc - Lift your Spirit. This was pretty much the only album that I was inspired to listen to on a repeat basis this year, but it's still a damn good R&B album.
Honorable mention -
Cover song of the year: "They're Coming to Take Me Away" by Butcher Babies. A heavy metal cover of one of the creepiest novelty songs of all time? Yes please!
AND NOW, IN PLAYLIST ORDER, THE 2014 MIXTAPE:
1 - Title - Meghan Trainor : Her debut album is quickly becoming one of my favorite albums of 2015, but this track of her 2014 EP is catchy as hell and is ideal for dancing around the house.
2 - Uptown Funk - Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars : Ummm, this is the best Prince song in years, too bad he didn't record it. In any case, this is an absolute gem of a song, one that is sadly destined to be played to death before the end of February. Might as well enjoy it while I can though.
3 - Bang Bang - Jessie J, Ariana Grande, and Nicki Minaj : Jessie J is my favorite pop singer right now, and she can sing her face off. Nicki Minaj is a master at the guest rap verse, and I don't understand all the hate towards Ariana Grande, she seems perfectly adequate to me. This is like a "Lady Marmalade" for 2014.
4 - Classic - MKTO : You may be noticing a throwback theme here. That's because I was raised on music from the 60s and 70s, when they played instruments. So I'm a sucker for a hook played on piano or horns, or even ukelele. If you can't enjoy the simple pleasures of this song, then you and I just don't understand each other.
5 - Stay Gold - First Aid Kit : Shifting gears a bit, I had to throw in a track from my second favorite album of the year. This Swedish duo does Americana folk rock better than anyone. A gorgeous song from a gorgeous album.
6 - No Rest for the Wicked - Lykke Li : I really like the empty space in this song, it's a nice palette cleanser, especially after listening to a lot of Top 40 style music. Also, I have no idea how to pronounce her name.
7 - When We're Fire - Lo-Fang : This was the last song to make the list, and that's mostly because I didn't like it for most of the year. This was one of those weird songs for me where I hated it, hated it, hated it, and then all of a sudden something clicked and I realised I loved it. I also need to give a shout out to my wife for introducing this song to me.
8 - Riptide - Vance Joy : It's a pretty standard indie pop song, but it's just so damn catchy, I can't stop tapping my feet.
9 - Can You do This - Aloe Blacc : I've just decided that Aloe Blacc is Bruno Mars for Grownups. This is the most fun song on a stellar album, but I had a really hard time picking which Aloe Blacc song would make this list. I went with this one because I reminds me of "Do You Love Me" by The Contours.
10 - Love Runs Out - OneRepublic : Remember when I said that this was a bad year for music? Yeah, you know it's a down year when not only do I enjoy a OneRepublic song, but nobody has the decency to write enough good songs to keep it off my end of year list....I'm so ashamed, but I'm still dancing to it.
11 - The Miracle (of Joey Ramone) - U2 : I wasn't too upset when I got a free U2 album. I didn't get what all the fuss was about. I mean, I would never intentionally spend money on a U2 song in the first place, so I appreciated the way they admitted to us all that what they do is essentially worthless. But for the second time this year, I was pleasantly surprised to enjoy a song by one of my least favorite bands of all time. To put this in perspective, I normally consider U2 and OneRepublic to be of the same quality as Creed or Nickelback. I don't know how they both overachieved so wildly this year, but I guess even a crappy band can write a good song from time to time.
12 - Birth in Reverse - St. Vincent : I need to spend more time with this album, but St. Vincent has always been one of those sleeper artists for me. I never look out for her music, but I always enjoy it when I hear it.
13 - Water Fountain - tUnE yArDs : This is the happiest song about living in poverty ever! Seriously, try to find me another song about living without potable water that makes you want to dance around in your socks.
14 - KONGOS - Come With Me Now : This album was released in the US for the first time in 2014, so it qualifies for the list. It also has the distinction of being one of the few hard rock songs that features an accordion, and was the theme song for a WWE pay-per view event months before all the hipster radio stations picked it up and decided it was cool. That's right, wrestling fans discovered something cool before the hipsters did. Stick that in your ironic pipe and smoke it!
15 - Back to the Shack - Weezer : Frankly, I've enjoyed almost every Weezer album, but I do appreciate any song where a band apologizes to its fans for being to gimmicky. It also helps when that song is a great rock song by itself.
16 - Follow Me Down - The Pretty Reckless : At a time when most of the male hard rock bands are pretty toothless and boring, it's nice to see the ladies rock with a little emotion and attitude. Try to keep up fellas.
17 - Break the Fall - Laura Welsh : I'm not even sure how I ended up with this song, but I sure do like it. It's like a better version of Boom Clap by Charli XCX.
18 - Rather Be - Clean Bandit : Somehow, they made early 90s dance music sound fresh again. I don't know how they did it, but it is delightful.
19 - Am I Wrong - Nico and Vinz : As I was finalizing this list, I opted to give the last two spots to songs that I had a personal connection two. I turned 30 this year, and it just so happened that I was at the Mall of America on my birthday and Nico and Vinz were putting on a free concert. They also get bonus points for being from Norway (one of them anyway). It was a great free show on what was a great birthday.
20 - Back Home - Andy Grammer : I get to meet a lot of cool people at my job, and I had a lot of great memories from last year. But it's always fun when a client introduces me to a new song and I get to see them shout out all the words while they celebrate with their closest friends and family. It's seeing people create those kinds of memories that helps get me through the days when my job is more stressful. Also, it's a great end song if you put this list on repeat, because it blends back into the first song on the list very well.
So that's my top 20 for this year. They're all good songs, but I wish I had more truly great songs to put on this list. If you discovered something awesome in 2014, let me know in the comments.
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