Aristocats is one of my favorite Disney animated features. I just love it. I love the dynamic between the three kittens and their mother. I also love the music. It's jazzy and swanky, it really catches your ear and sticks in your head.
I have been finding that while I have been watching Disney my whole life, I have been more critical and paid more attention this month. Normally I watch these movies while cleaning or cooking so I am not paying super close attention to them.
Some people have said that the "Everybody Wants to be a Cat" scene with all the stereotypes is racist. I don't agree. Yes, the cats are from different countries and are drawn in identifiable cultural clothing but I didn't find that racist. I found it necessary to convey the point to children. The cats all have different accents but I think the clothes were necessary for children to put a country to an accent. There is some Disney that is falt out, without a doubt racist, but I don't think Aristocats is on that list.
I have always loved the line "You're not a lady, you're nothing but a sister." It always reminds me of the relationship I have with my siblings. We are constantly building each other up and then knocking each other down a peg. There is nothing quite like a sister or brother to keep you in check.
There was another line that I heard and it felt like I was hearing it for the first time. Duchess is out on the roof with Thomas and the kittens are watching the romance unfold. Duchess tell Thomas she cares for him but she must get back to Madame and their home and therefore can not be his girl. Berlioz says "Well, we almost had a father." I had never noticed that before, I was stunned. It's a pretty big comment. I am including a video of that scene. The voice of Duchess is obviously not Eva Gabor but it's all I could find.
Disney is big on the broken family thing. I can count on one hand the number of films where the main characters have both parents. Parents that love them and are there for them. It's a sick and twisted truth, maybe at some point Disney will decide that kids/animals from not-broken homes can get into trouble too!
I have been finding that while I have been watching Disney my whole life, I have been more critical and paid more attention this month. Normally I watch these movies while cleaning or cooking so I am not paying super close attention to them.
Some people have said that the "Everybody Wants to be a Cat" scene with all the stereotypes is racist. I don't agree. Yes, the cats are from different countries and are drawn in identifiable cultural clothing but I didn't find that racist. I found it necessary to convey the point to children. The cats all have different accents but I think the clothes were necessary for children to put a country to an accent. There is some Disney that is falt out, without a doubt racist, but I don't think Aristocats is on that list.
I have always loved the line "You're not a lady, you're nothing but a sister." It always reminds me of the relationship I have with my siblings. We are constantly building each other up and then knocking each other down a peg. There is nothing quite like a sister or brother to keep you in check.
There was another line that I heard and it felt like I was hearing it for the first time. Duchess is out on the roof with Thomas and the kittens are watching the romance unfold. Duchess tell Thomas she cares for him but she must get back to Madame and their home and therefore can not be his girl. Berlioz says "Well, we almost had a father." I had never noticed that before, I was stunned. It's a pretty big comment. I am including a video of that scene. The voice of Duchess is obviously not Eva Gabor but it's all I could find.
Disney is big on the broken family thing. I can count on one hand the number of films where the main characters have both parents. Parents that love them and are there for them. It's a sick and twisted truth, maybe at some point Disney will decide that kids/animals from not-broken homes can get into trouble too!
Comments (0)
Post a Comment