I know that a lot of people today are considering Disney to be a Big-Fat-Money-Making business. And while I agree that most recent movies that came out of there, animated or other were less then spectacular (and that's nicely put)....Disney did came up with little jewels in the past. Hmmm.....maybe I am biased, because it was back in the days when I would be excited to go see one of them at the theater, maybe today's kids will argue that recent ones are great too, anyway.
My point is, some of those movies can define who we grow up to be.
Take the Hunchback of Notre-Dame. I heard all sorts of critics about how it was poorly done. How different from the book it was and how it messed children's culture up.
I'm sorry, but this masterpiece of a movie happened when I was at the age of reading only teeny-boopy magazines, yet it made me hunt down Notre-Dame de Paris, and read that complicated french brick multiple times. It made me watch repertoire movies made years ago.
Hunchback single-handedly developed my passion for drawing, for observation, the details in the decor are phenomenal.
My fascination with medieval music and life, Gothic architecture, Gypsy culture all started there in 1996.
My sense of compassion and acceptance for those who are different...while making me discover the thrills of a true villain who's evilness has nothing to do with sorcery or scary monsters, but real human feelings of jealousy, forbidden desires and religious bigotry.
I mean this movie was really dark in places, for the teen that I was. Murders, dark cathedral walls, witches burnt at the stake, a hero being publicly humiliated, a priest that wants a woman so bad that he's ready to kill, all presented right there in front of me. Opening my mind to the adult world.
It made me who I am today, or it woke it up in me.....
Pocahontas made me research Native Americans, and Hercules had me fascinated with antique Greece for a while. All of those childish movies opened the doors to never ending discoveries.
And I have Disney to thank for that.
*Confession, I DO own the Hunchback of Notre-Dame DVD, it is still my favorite animation and I watch it disturbingly regularly. I'm just ignoring those gargoyles....*
2 comments:
I was a lover of Sleeping Beauty, growing up. I didn't get much sociological education, or thirst for decades old literature after reading it... but I did go around singing in the woods, hoping the birds would talk to me.
Never quite panned out like I had hoped.
I LOVE Sleeping beauty still!:)
It`s a really pretty movie, but this one didn`t turn me to litterature...I guess they don`t all do.lol
Altough you might find it interesting to read about the hidden messages and meanings behind the original story....or maybe not, it might mess with precious and innocent childhood memories....
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