Tag: Disney

Guest blog: A Disney Journey

Today Rowena Preston analyses some classic Disney cartoon characters from a personal perspective.

1937: “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves”

Grumpy: Now, I’m warnin’ ya. Don’t let nobody or nothin’ in the house.

Snow White: Why, Grumpy, you do care.

[Kisses the reluctant Grumpy on the head]

I love Grumpy best of all the dwarves! He is initially suspicious of the stranger in the house, but gradually warms up to her. She offends him by laughing at him occasionally, but she mainly shows him kindness. She even makes him a special pie with his name on. When Snow White is threatened, Grumpy leaps into action.

1940: “Pinocchio”

Jiminy Cricket: Now, you see, the world is full of temptations.

Pinocchio: Temptations?

Jiminy Cricket: Yep, temptations. They’re the wrong things that seem right at the time… but… uh… even though the right things may seem wrong sometimes, or sometimes the wrong things…

[chuckles]

Jiminy Cricket: may be right at the wrong time, or visa versa.

Jiminy Cricket: [clears throat] Understand?

Pinocchio: [Shakes his head] Uh-uh. But I’m gonna do right.

Jiminy Cricket: Atta boy, Pinoke! And I’m gonna help ya.

The world could be a better place if we all listened to that small voice inside us. Jiminy finds that his best efforts aren’t always appreciated and sometimes thinks that Pinocchio is not worth the trouble, but his loyalty always wins out. He saves Pinocchio from being turned into a donkey. (Assume makes an ass of you and me.) “Pinocchio” is one of my favourite animated films, although it carries the dreadful message that justice is not always done. That is true of life though and everybody has to learn that lesson. Life is not always fair or kind, but that does not mean that we shouldn’t try to change that.

1941: Dumbo

[the elephants think that Dumbo with his big ears is the reason Mrs. Jumbo has been locked up]

Timothy Q. Mouse: What’s the matter with his ears? I don’t see nothin’ wrong with ’em. I think they’re cute.

“Dumbo” is a difficult film to watch, especially in modern times, but the character is adorable! While most of the cast jeer, Timothy and Mrs. Jumbo are his stout defenders. After Timothy shames them, the crows also become useful allies, supplying the magic feather. Timothy aids Dumbo to realise that he can fly on his own. It is a worrying sign of the times that some people would censor this film and while I can empathise with their reasons, I, personally, am not offended. The past remains the past and we should learn from it; not keep apologising. If we’re not careful, book burning will come back and that will be terrible. (Don’t get me started on electronic books!)

1942: Bambi

Thumper: He doesn’t walk very good, does he?

Mrs. Rabbit: Thumper!

Thumper: Yes, mama?

Mrs. Rabbit: What did your father tell you this morning?

Thumper: If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.

Out of the mouths of young rabbits, children and autistics! I often remember this lesson. Honesty is a minefield. Autistics value it and I am certain it ought to be one of our strengths. However, we learn the hard way that honesty is not always valued by the rest of humanity. Non-autistics have a complex code of conduct, so sometimes it is wiser just to keep one’s thoughts to oneself. I am uncertain why I find it so difficult to speak. The fact that I can speak, but not necessarily all the time, if a source of vexation to everybody, including me. Anxiety is the root cause, but could I have “selective mutism” or is it a “shield” to protect myself? I seem to get into trouble for speaking and also for not speaking. I really don’t understand why the proof of someone’s intelligence or worth seems to rest on them speaking. I can express myself well by writing. I can identify writing as a strength. People compliment me on my writing. If you have the good fortune (or misfortune) to meet me in person though, you will be baffled by the extreme “awkwardness” that will soon arise. It can be like trying to “squeeze blood from a stone”; although my mum can confirm that I do have the ability to “talk the hindleg off a donkey”, but only to her. I have not mastered the skills of two-way conversation, which is why you need to display patience. Being on the autistic spectrum means that I have a “communication disability”, so expecting me to communicate at your level is surely too big an ask? Autistics need allies. You can be an ally by listening to me and to other autistics. I am convinced that bridges can be built, but it requires both sides to be responsible. Communication requires a minimum of TWO participants. It is not MY problem; it is OUR solution. Accept that we are both going to be uncomfortable and we shall go from there. I’ll BELIEVE in you; you’ll BELIEVE in me. Let’s solve this together.

The Star Wars movie saga ranked from Best to Worst

I’ve just finished a Star Wars movie marathon, courtesy of Disney+ It’s been the first time I’ve done that since the Disney movies started appearing and that seems as good as reason as any to rate the movies from 1 to 12. Note I am not including the television series or the Ewok movies. (Assume they’d be between 11 and 12.)

1. The Empire Strikes Back
Remains Star Wars’ finest two hours. Armed with a new box of techniques learnt from the first film, the team produce a film that dares to take the story into disturbing and surprising directions, whilst keeping its sense of heroism and fun. The Imperial Walkers are still intimidating, the asteroid chase remains a SFX gem to rank alongside Ray Harryhausen’s skeleton sword fight, and Darth Vader’s declaration is one the best moments in Hollywood movies.

2. Star Wars
Even though its roots in Errol Flynn, Flash Gordon, The Searchers and WWII movies are clearly on show, this film still feels fresh and exciting. It was amazing to see the science fiction pulp world created by books, comics and magazines come alive on the screen back in 1978, as staggering as seeing dinosaurs walk by in 1993. George Lucas cleverly aids the realism of his fantastic universe with his occasional newsreel style framing and giving everything a lived-in look. And underneath all this spectacle, there’s humanity, humour and the pleasure of know much of it was made in Britain, with familiar British TV and film faces turning up all over the place.

3. Rogue One
I was hard pushed whether this or the film below should come next. Rogue One edges it for it completeness, the sense of satisfaction in seeing a film so perfectly executed, including its reshoots. Maybe it stands on Star Wars’ shoulders, but this movie has stood up to repeated viewings.

4. The Last Jedi
Suddenly the Star Wars universe feels exciting again, in the film that bravely deconstructs many tropes of the series, yet still emerges as hopeful and uplifting. The opening bombing sequence is masterly and Rey and Ben’s battle in the throne room just might be my favourite light sabre sequence. Only loses points for recreating the Hoth battle imagery at the end, instead of finding a fresh alternative.

5. Return of the Jedi
For years a very satisfying conclusion to the saga. The first act is filled with pleasures and makes the characters’ adventures feel dangerous and that something is really at stake. Great creature effects too. The gigantic space battle cutting in parallel with the Jedi showdown is marvellously paced. The central core of characters are all in charismatic form, and it’s very quotable too.

6. The Force Awakens
Very enjoyable revival, even if it ultimately plays it too safe with so many call-backs to the original trilogy. But the new quartet of young heroes and anti-heroes are excellently cast and work hard to make their characters engaging. The humour generally works and BB-8 is an ingenious creation.

7. Revenge of the Sith
We entering the more problematic section of the list, where the films are still diverting but the flaws are progressively hard to ignore. This film handles the fall of the Jedi and the failure of the republic pretty well. The battle between Obi-Wan and Anakin is spectacular stuff, though suffers from CGI overkill. In fact as with all the prequel films, the fussy CGI often works against the atmosphere and the choreography. Aside from Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine, pale, calm and sonorous, once people open their mouths the hideous wooden dialogue ruins all the good work elsewhere. That goes double whenever it’s supposed to humorous.

8. The Clone Wars
As a piece of escapist family friendly action adventure, this works jolly well. The art design is ingenious. Ahsoka turns out to one of the series’ most engaging young characters.

9. Solo
Star Wars goes fully space western and it’s a fun ride, but the largely predictable box-ticking plot shows the weakness of the idea with these kind of prologue films. We know this story already and where it’s going. Alden Ehrenreich does a decent job with the unenviable task of filling Harrison Ford’s boots, but the real star of the film is Phoebe Waller-Bridge as L3, a droid straight out of Douglas Adams’ universe.

10. Rise of Skywalker
The saga sadly ends with this Frankenstein’s monster of a film, patched together by a studio over-reacting to criticism and fearful of losing money. Sadly, most of the interesting ideas brought in by The Last Jedi are thrown out, along with a lot of story logic. It’s a hollow film with moments of brightness such as the colourful festival on Pasaana, but mostly it’s one long chase after another, spliced with lazy borrowing from Return of the Jedi.

11. The Phantom Menace
Undoubtedly impressive alien worlds, the final acrobatic light sabre battle enjoyable, and Jar Jar Binks is a technical innovation. However, the plot is moribund, most of the cast looks uncomfortable, the racial stereotyping is problematic to say to least, and the dialogue is embarrassingly flat and corny.

12. Attack of the Clones
All the problems of the previous film, except the CGI looks extra cartoonish and the romance scenes are toe-curlingly bad. Every line Anakin utters to Padme seems deeply creepy, and Hayden Christensen brings nothing except a shaggy haircut. It’s a clunky, juvenile film even by the series’ standards. Only Temuera Morrison emerges with any credit for the presence he brings to his short appearance as Jango Fett.