Re: Faith-based Fail

> http://buzzdixon.com/religion/faith-based-fail/

> On the other hand, there’s plenty to find offensive in *Song Of the 
> South*as well.  “Patronizing” is the nicest criticism one can level 
> against it, and the implication that African-Americans were happy with 
> their lot as slaves on the Old South is repugnant.

Huh?  It took place in the slave era?  It's been years since I saw the 
film, but I vaguely remember Uncle Remus had the freedom to leave the 
plantation if he wanted to.  I always thought it took place *after* the 
Civil War -- which, granted, was hardly an ideal time for race relations 
either, but still, there's a significant difference there, I'd say.

> *Mary Poppins* (1964) was the last live action film Walt Disney was 
> personally involved in that stands on its own.  Again, it played things 
> safe instead exploring the more challenging aspects of the source 
> material (self-involved parents, the women’s suffragette movement), 
> relying of the charm of its cast, the appeal of its music, and a 
> technical tour de force combination of animation and live action.

Oh, I dunno.  When the suffragette mother sings "Our daughters' daughters 
will adore us / As they sing in grateful chorus...", you have to wonder 
how many of those "daughters' daughters" actually became *aware* of the 
suffragette movement and its legacy *because* of this film.  (The film 
came out in 1964, only 36 years after all women over 21 were given the 
vote in the UK, and only 46 years after women over 30 were given the vote 
if they had university degrees or were married to householders.)

https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Women%27s_suffrage_in_the_United_Kingdom

I also credit Mary Poppins with introducing to me the concept of there 
being "a run on the bank".  It's rather educational that way.

> In fact, if it wasn’t for Jerry Bruckheimer, Disney live action features 
> would be in a pretty sorry mess (likewise, if it wasn’t for Pixar, their 
> digital animation would be underwhelming as well).

Well, the jury's still out on what effect the Disney-Pixar merger is 
having on *both* studios.  Pixar, these days, is in the sequel business 
(which Disney, incidentally, has almost *never* been, with the exceptions 
of The Rescuers Down Under and Fantasia 2000), while Disney's animated 
films continue to underperform even though John "quality is the best 
business plan" Lasseter is running Disney Animation now.

> *** When Disney offered Richard the job of directing 20,000 Leagues, 
> Richard asked him if he knew he was the son of Max Fleischer, producer 
> of the Popeye & Betty Boop cartoons, and a bitter rival of Disney’s. 
> Disney said, “I knew” then explained whatever conflict he had with the 
> elder Fleischer, it did not extend to his family.  When Max Fleischer 
> heard this, he was so touched by Disney’s lack of bias that he called 
> Walt personally.  The two buried the hatchet and became friends after 
> decades of animosity.*

This is a lovely story.

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