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environmental issues
October 2009 
Heigh-ho, heigh-ho, its off to ...
Posted on Mar 27th, 2008
by 
Michael
Michael
SAVE the world we go
In his book - The Idea Of Nature In Disney Animation - David Whitley has very succinctly established a child-like perspective of the fact that Disney's films have helped generations of children to develop "a critical awareness of contested environmental issues" since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released in 1937.
David Whitley goes on to say of ...
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937)
"The forest gives young viewers a sense of the integrity and separateness of nature from the world of humans, which is shown as oppressively unbalanced. Snow White enlists the help of a small army of creatures, evincing our interdependent relationship with the natural world and showcasing, with comic brio, the variety and vitality of animal life."
Bambi (1942)
"The idyllic realm of nature rendered vulnerable by human incursions. Disarmingly cute animals and a sense that we are receiving a 'privileged' view of nature at work build empathy between the viewer and the archetypal image of nature. We come away feeling we owe the natural world some sort of allegiance."
Cinderella (1950)
"Cinderella's relationship with an extensive subculture of friendly animals demonstrates that she is wholesome and good. The animals help to subvert the authority of a repressive, self-regarding human culture cut off from nature and represented by the ugly sisters. Cinderella is a 'lovelorn shepherdess', managing and protecting the animals."
The Jungle Book (1967)
"Mowgli demonstrates not just a desire to protect the animal kingdom, but to become part of it."
Finding Nemo (2003)
"The theme of letting go of one's protective anxieties accepts the dangerous aspect of nature, but we are encouraged to tolerate freedom with all the precariousness that entails. The film does not attempt to unite the human and natural environments, but conveys a natural state of interaction which has both positive and negative results, rendering it a fable for our time."
Remember WHEN ...
... which ALL adds grist to the mill to Walt Disney BEING an eco-warrior & integral artist as exemplified by the KOSMIC DANCE of HIS MIND, in support of the children's own perspective of the concept that YOUR PLANET NEEDS YOU.
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In his book - The Idea Of Nature In Disney Animation - David Whitley has very succinctly established a child-like perspective of the fact that Disney's films have helped generations of children to develop "a critical awareness of contested environmental issues" since Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was released in 1937.
David Whitley goes on to say of ...
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937)
"The forest gives young viewers a sense of the integrity and separateness of nature from the world of humans, which is shown as oppressively unbalanced. Snow White enlists the help of a small army of creatures, evincing our interdependent relationship with the natural world and showcasing, with comic brio, the variety and vitality of animal life."
Bambi (1942)
"The idyllic realm of nature rendered vulnerable by human incursions. Disarmingly cute animals and a sense that we are receiving a 'privileged' view of nature at work build empathy between the viewer and the archetypal image of nature. We come away feeling we owe the natural world some sort of allegiance."
Cinderella (1950)
"Cinderella's relationship with an extensive subculture of friendly animals demonstrates that she is wholesome and good. The animals help to subvert the authority of a repressive, self-regarding human culture cut off from nature and represented by the ugly sisters. Cinderella is a 'lovelorn shepherdess', managing and protecting the animals."
The Jungle Book (1967)
"Mowgli demonstrates not just a desire to protect the animal kingdom, but to become part of it."
Finding Nemo (2003)
"The theme of letting go of one's protective anxieties accepts the dangerous aspect of nature, but we are encouraged to tolerate freedom with all the precariousness that entails. The film does not attempt to unite the human and natural environments, but conveys a natural state of interaction which has both positive and negative results, rendering it a fable for our time."
Remember WHEN ...
Remember When - A Tribute to Disney Animation
... which ALL adds grist to the mill to Walt Disney BEING an eco-warrior & integral artist as exemplified by the KOSMIC DANCE of HIS MIND, in support of the children's own perspective of the concept that YOUR PLANET NEEDS YOU.
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Access: Public
So that’s why i love the Disney animations…..
Thankyou for clealifying it to me… i thougth i was the odd one loving the disney ones istead of action packed firing fury movies of grown man….
Hat’s off to the odd ones:
http://crudebliss.gaia.com/photos/view/351887
For sure the Disney imagination has long been a kaleidoscopic bellweather of the American psyche. And, as such, an important context for children's meaning-making. Like anything else, it's important to understand how it works so that it cna be used in positive ways and not used in negative ways, generally speaking.
… such that the Disney imagination can take IT IS rightful place in John David Ebert's very intelligent, impressive and interesting list of Celluloid Heroes
Happy birthday to plucky Mickey Mouse. You may have missed it, but one of the great inspirational figures of the last century celebrated his 80th birthday today, the 18th November 2008.
ALL hail to Mickey Mouse, his legion of friends, their creator and “angelfire”
SIMPLE IS, as SIMPLE DOES
Yes heigh-ho Michael, and thanks for the reminder about apple selection :)