To learn more about how stories have impacted society visit Disney.com/storiesmatter, First off, when did Disney suddenly become a Civil Rights movement? Panoramic view of Agrabah from the 2019 shows real-seeming landscape featuring buildings with Islamic architecture. Original cartoon versions of movies such as Dumbo, The Jungle Book . The decision to attach this message to some animated films was met with both praise from people who viewed it as an accountability measure and criticism from those who thought its wording was. UPDATE: Disney has updated their content warning on Disney+ to an unskippable, 12-second message in front of controversial movies or shorts. The film is an adaptation of a folktale from the 18th-century, Arabic-language collection, A Thousand and One Nights. Ultimately, crap like this needs to earn a place for my time and effort based on the marketplace, but until the culture gets steered back toward truth and Capitalism, I can tolerate this silliness. The movie itself never explicitly states where in the real world the story is taking place, so all fans can do is speculate. Agrabah is a made up place thats a combo of a few different cultures. Aladdin is one of the greatest animated movies of all time and one of the main reasons behind that is the Genie character. While he has always loved superhero, sci-fi and fantasy films and TV series, it is only recently that he began reading comic books themselves. Credit: , which initially referred to Agrabah as a place where they cut off your ear if they dont like your face/its barbaric, but hey, its home, has altered lyrics. Aladdin, which came out in 1992, is a popular movie with fun songs and an interesting plot. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. KEEP READING:Disney+ Rebrands Non-MCU Marvel Films as Marvel Legacy. Background characters. At the end of the overview, you can also find resources section for further exploration in the classroom. ", Disney said the decision is part of its "ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion." Screen capture from, In May 2019, Disney released a live-action version of. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. Was it possible to accurately depict cultural nuances using a fairy tale? The movie that inspired her to want a career in film is Lost in Translation. "Our job is. , in which she sings about not allowing men to silence her. Others defended Scott, noting that the story includes Indian aspects, Agrabah is meant to be a melting pot of cultures, and Jasmines mother is said to be from another land, making it entirely plausible that Jasmine could be an Indian woman. Instead of simply being upset with her father for restricting who she can marry as in the 1992 version Jasmine aspires to be the first female sultan and is frustrated by her fathers refusal to consider her because of her gender. But its good that Disney is protecting the world from what they have deemed racist Middle Eastern tropes invented by none other than people from the Middle East. notions of Oriental interchangeability, pointing to the fact that name Jasmine has Persian roots, not Indian. Disney claimed they included white extras only in a handful of instances when it was a matter of specialty skills, safety and control, but many still criticized the company for not taking the opportunity to hire more actors and crew members of Middle Eastern and South Asian heritage. The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a press release earlier this week asking reviewers and critics to acknowledge that the "Aladdin myth is rooted by racism, Orientalism and. Nobody in their right mind can state that it is impossible to find a young male South Asian or Middle-Eastern actor who can dance, sing and act, says Academy Award nominated director Lexi Alexander, who is half German, half Palestinian. In "Sleeping Beauty," Prince Phillip kisses Aurora while she's unconscious. Most of the Arab characters have exaggerated facial characteristics hooked noses, glowering brows, thick lips but Aladdin and the princess look like white American teenagers. A content advisory notice for racism in classic Disney films, in place since last year, has been updated with a strengthened message. You can follow him at GarySheffieldJr. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. I am cynical by nature. I understand Peter Pan and Dumbo but why Aladdin? Potato Head survived by a thread and liberal white men working at Disneyland saved black women from the horrors of Splash Mountainnow Aladdin is racist. Overall, group representatives say they appreciate efforts made by Disney to recognize outdated cultural depictions while advocating for films likeAladdinor 1995sPocahontasto also receive the disclaimer. For The Lone Ranger specifically,Skyhawk explained Johnny Depp taking on the role of Tonto, described as a spirit warrior from the Comanche tribe, was offensive casting resulting in an offensive character. It reads: This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. The new-and-improved, feminist Jasmine even performs an original song. It's a bunch of small things here or there that most people wouldn't think much about, but it's a good step forward to at least acknowledge the potential for harm or offense even where none was meant. , with $232.4 million domestic and $372.5 million international for the musical remake. Heres a version of that warning, which is notably more in-depth than the one-sentence warning that Disney has implemented. There wasnt so much a backlash for Apu, Rather a shitty Asian comic realised he would get some media attention by claiming it to be racist.Now Asians are out of a character that was a representation of their culture at the start of the simpsons show. A similar decision was recently made by HBO Max for the classic, yet problematic, film Gone With the Wind. Why is there so little Middle Eastern, Arab or Muslim (or other minority group) representation in film and television? Iconic film critic, Roger Ebert, wrote in his 1992 review: One distraction during the film was its odd use of ethnic stereotypes. Its been revealed that theyre struggling to wrap up their months-long search because of a difficulty in finding a singing, dancing actor who is Middle Eastern or Indian to play the title role. To learn more about how stories have impacted society, please visitwww.disney.com/StoriesMatter. Sky has issued a disclaimer alongside a number of its films that have 'outdated values' including the 1986 hit Aliens (pictured: Sigourney Weaver) The broadcasting giants say it is reviewing. Throughout the Victorian era, Aladdin sport[ed] a Manchurian queue and Chinese slippers, and the architecture feature[ed] distinctly Chinese pagodas. The emphasis on the Chinese aspects of Aladdin during this time period through the use of chinoiserie (the imitation of Chinese motifs and techniques in Western art) was especially popular. Gary-I have to say I really look forward to your posts; you have extremely interesting, independent and logically defensible takes on a variety of subjects. The page includes a section explaining in greater detail the negative depictions in certain titles. This supports the idea that Genie only changes Aladdin's appearance, which he also indirectly confirms a few lines later: Disney claimed they included white extras only in a handful of instances when it was a matter of specialty skills, safety and control, but many still criticized the company for not taking the opportunity to hire more actors and crew members of Middle Eastern and South Asian heritage. I assume it also has to do with being more sensitive towards muslim culture nowadays, as the last twenty years there was quite the bashing for the group as a whole. The level of authenticity Netflix is trying to achieve with this show is definitely what attracted me the most to be part of this project.. Aladdin is one of them. To learn more about how stories have impacted society, please visit. Less well known is the fact that the film sparked a racial controversy, one that is still reverberating today. The disclaimers are not a signal that the films have been canceled, Ben Mankiewicz, a host on classic TV network TCM, told the Reporter. After Shaheen protested against the film alongside the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Disney agreed to alter the lyrics in Arabian Nights for Aladdin's video release in 1993, and defended it, as it was a rare film to feature an Arab hero and heroine. RELATED:Disney: COVID Forces Restructure, Puts Greater Focus on Streaming Content. She won Best New Journalist in 2019 at the Australian IT Journalism Awards. Twenty-seven years ago, Disneys animated version of Aladdin was the highest-grossing film of 1992, earning over $346 million in worldwide box office revenue. Besides from what I vaguely remember about Aladdin was he was a poor theif (or street rat for the non PC types) who befriended an enslaved genie and found a magic carpet ride in order to overcome evil Jafar, win the affection of a bra wearing princess, and became the king of Arabia or something. October 19, 2020 / 11:46 AM / CBS News Disney is adding a disclaimer to some of its old movies that include racist stereotypes, the media giant announced this month. Santa's Workshop, Three Little Pigs, Clock Cleaners, Fantasia, The Rescuers, Toy Story 2, and a lot more programs are still edited for controversial content. Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe. Privacy Policy. If the consensus from those directly harmed is that we need stronger wording you will receive no argument from me. Most of the Arab characters have exaggerated facial characteristics hooked noses, glowering brows, thick lips but Aladdin and the princess look like white American teenagers. How do you feel about Aladdin? Disney also came under fire for allegedly darkening the skin of white actors and crew members. Please disregard such warningsand better yet, dont give Disney another dime of your money. You are agreeing to OutKick's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, but don't worry we don't spam. It shows them speaking in an unintelligible language and repeatedly refers to them as "redskins," an offensive term. Now, it admits they were not just "outdated" but "wrong" even back then and that such negative portrayals had a harmful impact in real life. Disney is now issuing tougher warnings against racial stereotypes in some of its classic films on its Disney+ streaming service. Though he was skeptical that the disclaimer would have a large impact on children, Dr. Shah said that racist scenes offered learning opportunities when children watched them with their parents. But maybe thats the issue that Disney and other major corporations cant seem to understand. "This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures," the statement reads. Versions of Aladdin from the 19th and well into the 20th centuries depict the main character as culturally Asian, not Arab. Critics say the movie producers have used this melting pot description as an excuse to be lazier in casting. The only question is how to best address this. Rather, the story was often presented as a hybrid tale of the exoticized Orient meeting modern English-language styles and fashions, according to one critic. Disney is acknowledging that their past depictions of minorities/cultures in Alladin was not okay, but not take it down because removing it may as well be pretending it didn't happen. pic.twitter.com/X9aGjXv97o. Is it inaccurate? While the true origins of the tale of Aladdin cannot be completely verified, the story is often attributed to French writer Antoine Galland, who claimed a Syrian told him about a boy and a genie in China. Nobodys canceling these movies, he said. He covers basketball and baseball for OutKick.com, chats with the Purple and Gold faithful on LakersNation, and shitposts on Twitter. Aladdin now has a warning on Disney + pic.twitter.com/ZzrX6qHqct Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) March 16, 2021 The Disney drama kicked into higher gear after we saw Dr. Seuss books go from being $5 to $500. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Theyre unqualified, and its time for minorities in this country to start ignoring these major corporations that stunt double as our parents. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. But I've realized how problematic Aladdin's character is. And overdue., 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Boycott threatened over transgender inclusion in Hersheys Womans Day promo, Twitch star zaps herself with shock collar live for 1 million fans, gets banned, JK Rowling showing outstanding moral courage as she stands up to vile woke mob, Artist behind Obamas Hope poster, Shepard Fairey, slams cancel culture. The original movie contains a scene of Goofy smoking a cigarette that was previously edited on Disney+. It feels sincere, and its also good business., In November 2019, when Disney launched its Disney+ streaming service, the company added content warnings ahead of its animated classics Dumbo (1941), The Jungle Book (1967) and Aladdin (1992) to warn audiences that the movies may contain outdated cultural depictions.. Answer: Alladin has stereotypes of minorities that were considered acceptable by most people when it is made, but society has progressed and no longer view that as acceptable (for good reason). Thats basically what they did and its the arrogance of Hollywood and the arrogance of Disney to say its our idea, its our money and were going to do it, whether you like it or not.. The crows in Dumbo. Ron Clements and John Musker, the directors of the 1992 film, said in 2015 that the movie was originally intended to be set in Baghdad, Iraq. Aladdin(1992), which previously did not have a warning, has been added to the list. Get the Daily OutKick and get smarter every day. Given that is fictional, whos to say it cant include many different races and ethnic backgrounds? Agrabah is a made up place thats a combo of a few different cultures. The casting of Naomi Scott, who is of English and Indian descent, upset some fans and critics who believed the role should have been played by a Middle Eastern actress. on exploring stereotypes with American film and television, which offers guided activities for your students. Aspects of the story also have Indian influences, including Jasmines Indian tiger Rajah, and the sultans palace in the animated film looking remarkably similar to the Taj Mahal. While the 1992 film is widely perceived as problematic, many point to the fact that the worst parts (including racist lyrics and caricatures) have been removed and replaced with accurate Arabic script and culturally-appropriate dress. ', As 10 million Disney+ subscribers browse through the new streaming platforms hefty film and TV library, a line at the end of select content summaries might catch their attention: This program is presented as originally created. Gambling related content is not intended for anyone under the age of 21. The film remains controversial to this day. The warning was crafted by Disney's advisors council, which includes representatives of the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA),Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment,Define American,Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media,GLAAD Media Institute,Hollywood, Health & Society,IllumiNative,The National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP),RespectAbility,The Science & Entertainment Exchange andTanenbaum. Rather than removing the offensive content, the company said it hopes to "spark conversation and open dialogue on history that affects us all. Pocahontas was staight full of lies and racial slurs. It protects the filmmaker from feedback. by (a conflict involving Iraqs invasion of neighboring Kuwait) in the early 1990s prompted the directors to set the story in the fictional city of Agrabah, an adaptation of Baghdad. In the examples below, the, With the advent of the Hollywood film industry, the story returned to its fabled Middle Eastern origins, replete with exotic and exaggerated stereotypes note the poster for a. But just which films and shows meet the criteria for the disclaimer is not clear. It was even broader than that because we talked about the history of stereotypes and the lack of roles for Asian Americans. RELATED:Amazon Prime Video Is Catching up to Netflix While HBO Max Outpaces Disney+ Growth. Just so were clear, Disney made Aladdin. A Syrian named Hanna Diyab did apparently meet with Galland at some point, but it remains unclear how much, if any, of the story came from him. Makes me think Disney is putting warnings out there so people buy their movies before they go back to retiring movies for a year or two to create demand curves for their products. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. What can you do to be more aware of cultural insensitivity and misrepresentation in pop culture? Today, Disneys new content, as well as all its properties, now pushes a radical, left-wing agenda harmful to children and the nuclear family. As a matter of fact, it only makes us feel like we should start becoming filmmakers and replace those who have anointed themselves as our leaders. Could he overcome the perception that the story was inherently bigoted? 2023 CNET, a Red Ventures company. 17 moments in Disney movies that haven't aged well. In the 2019 film, Agrabah is a port city that rests on the cusp of Eastern and Western nations, making it a thriving trade town and bringing together a melting pot of cultures and influences. The production designer used Turkish, Persian, and Islamic influences for the set design. For more information, please see our Of any of the big, more modern movies Pocahontas should be the first one with a disclaimer. The names Jasmine and Aladdin are both of Middle-Eastern origin, with Aladdin being derived from Arabic while Jasmine has its roots in Persian. To learn more about how stories have impacted society visit: www.Disney.com/StoriesMatter.". Twenty-seven years ago, Disneys animated version of. October 19, 2020 / 11:46 AM Aladdin never had a content warning until now, but the edited version has always been on Disney+. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. For many, Disneys 1992 film Aladdin conjures up images of innocence: star-crossed lovers on a magic carpet, a benevolent pet tiger and a comedic genie who would grant every hearts desire. But it's not as innocent as it seems. For more, Xbox Game Pass Is Having its Best Stretch Ever, Attack on Titan Fans Are Desperately Searching for The Final Season Part 3's First Episode Online, The Flash: The Arrowverse's Red Death Isn't Who We Thought, $30 Million Worth of Funko Products are Being Sent to a Landfill, Atomic Heart Faces Backlash on Multiple Fronts, all the movies and shows on or coming soon to Disney Plus, The Simpsons Hit and Run Designer Wants to See a Remake - IGN Daily Fix. Our job is not to get up and say, Heres a movie that you should feel guilty about for liking. But to pretend that the racism in it is not painful and acute? Abby Monteil. Ron Clements and John Musker, the directors of the 1992 film, that the movie was originally intended to be set in Baghdad, Iraq. Ian Skorodin, director of strategy and outreach for the Barcid Foundation (a Native American non-profit organization), adds that it is unfortunate thatPocahontas did not receive a disclaimer. Mar 1, 2023. Aladdin wasn't asking for a kingdom or riches. Instead of simply being upset with her father for restricting who she can marry as in the 1992 version Jasmine aspires to be the first female sultan and is frustrated by her fathers refusal to consider her because of her gender. Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories? All rights reserved. Take a look at both sides of the argument: Watch the trailer for Aladdin, or see the movie in theaters now, and make your own conclusions. After Mr. While the 1992 movie had all the fairy-tale elements to attract viewers adventure and intrigue, an evil villain, a plucky underdog, a forlorn princess trapped by tradition, and an array of supporting characters. Proponents of the film also encourage focusing on the great strides the 2019 film made in being more diverse and inclusive. Gary Sheffield, Jr But, a completely white cast voiced the film, and the association of Arabs with violence, greed and other negative traits suggested that Hollywood was insensitive at best and xenophobic at worst. So much so that Disney+ added a warning label before the film starts. Disney have not commented on the search, and although it has been suggested that the lengthy casting process is due to the studio's commitment to finding the right actors, some are critical of. Some accused Disney of reinforcing notions of Oriental interchangeability, pointing to the fact that name Jasmine has Persian roots, not Indian. Outrage flared again when Disney announced that they had cast white actor Billy Magnussen in a newly-created role of a Scandinavian prince vying for Jasmines attention. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together. The company said that while. On Oct. 15, Disney Plus introduced a new disclaimer that appears before older films like Dumbo (1941) and Aladdin (1992), warning viewers that the films include harmful stereotypes. Nearly a year later, on Thursday, Disney said that after consulting with a council of organizations representing minorities, it's added a new disclaimer acknowledging the "harmful impact" of. Warner Bros. featured a similar warning regarding some of its older cartoons, such as Tom & Jerry, which appeared on Amazon, according to CinemaBlend. After Mr. Guess Disney isnt that offended after all. We can therefore assume that Genie only focused on making Aladdin a prince so that he could have a shot with Jasmine. This isnt the first time that Disney has been criticised in relation to Aladdin. Disney did not respond toTHRs request for comment. But, a completely white cast voiced the film, and the association of Arabs with violence, greed and other negative traits suggested that Hollywood was insensitive at best and xenophobic at worst.
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