Re: Faith-based Fail

Thanks for defending Mary Poppins.  ; - )  

Mike F. 



----- Original Message ----
From: Peter T. Chattaway <[email protected]>
To: DADL (off topic) <[email protected]>
Sent: Wed, November 3, 2010 12:12:56 PM
Subject: Re: [DADL-OT] 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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