It might also have to do with some version of whitewashing, as most of the voice actors are white people? But I've realized how problematic Aladdin's character is. The original lyric in the first verse of the song Arabian Nights described Arabia as Where they cut off your ear if they dont like your face. in the new adaptation. Pocahontas was staight full of lies and racial slurs. The new disclaimer appears on screen before the start of movies like Aladdin, The Aristocats, Dumbo, Lady and the Tramp, Peter Pan, Swiss Family Robinson and The Three Caballeros. Less well known is the fact that the film sparked a racial controversy, one that is still reverberating today. A Syrian named Hanna Diyab did apparently meet with Galland at some point, but it remains unclear how much, if any, of the story came from him. One distraction during the film was its odd use of ethnic stereotypes. Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe. film within a month of its release at the box office. Now only days after his death, the live-action Aladdin remake has been questioned over its casting woes. How do you feel about Aladdin? Most of the Arab characters have exaggerated facial characteristics hooked noses, glowering brows, thick lips but Aladdin and the princess look like white American teenagers. We just let them know that it is a piece of media from another time, Skorodin says. I think you might be right. Similarly, The Jungle Book has been criticized for employing some African/African-American racial stereotypes to depict a group of monkeys, even going so far as to have another character call them mangy and flea-picking, among other problematic elements. The problems in Alladin specifically, I believe, are that an Arabic accent was used only for the villain, songs had racist lyrics, and there were very inaccurate and stereotyped portrayals of the entire setting/region. First noticed by Twitter user @324_B21, and reported by Mashable, films like the original 1941 Dumbo, The Aristocats, Jungle Book, the 1955 animated Lady and the Tramp all feature the same outdated culturual depictions warning. As mentioned above, the original, one of many films released as part of the, Here, TeachMideast provides you with in-depth background and context so you can decide for yourself whether society is succeeding in its demand that Hollywood do a better job portraying minorities. . Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe. The decision to introduce the disclaimer came after a consultation with a group of independent experts, who review how media portrays underrepresented groups and advocate for more thoughtful solutions. You can also see our lesson plan on exploring stereotypes with American film and television, which offers guided activities for your students. Potato Head survived by a thread and liberal white men working at Disneyland saved black women from the horrors of Splash Mountain-now Aladdin is racist. In the examples below, the illustration of Aladdin on the left, circa 1930 by an unknown artist, (Credit: Getty Images/Hulton Archive), and the illustration on the right from the early 20th century (Credit: Alamy), both clearly depict Asian clothing and settings. The 1992 Disney animated film placed the story in the Middle East but the change in scenery was not necessarily based on historic or contemporary accuracy. BBC did an article discussing it a few years ago when the remake was being talked about that might point to some examples where it's coming from. Itwould be great if Disney did it across the board for all of their older cartoons that may be a little insensitive., Guy Aoki, co-founder of the Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA), sayshe has never seen 1992sAladdinhimself, but he was friends with Don Bustany, president of the Los Angeles chapter of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and late deejay Casey Kasem, who were a part of a successful campaign to change problematic lyrics inAladdins introductory song Arabian Nights., They had meetings to talk about their concerns about how it was stereotyping Arab culture and how they wanted to get one line of the song changed, recalls Aoki. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversations to create a more inclusive future together., Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe. For more, Xbox Game Pass Is Having its Best Stretch Ever, Attack on Titan Fans Are Desperately Searching for The Final Season Part 3's First Episode Online, The Flash: The Arrowverse's Red Death Isn't Who We Thought, $30 Million Worth of Funko Products are Being Sent to a Landfill, Atomic Heart Faces Backlash on Multiple Fronts, all the movies and shows on or coming soon to Disney Plus, The Simpsons Hit and Run Designer Wants to See a Remake - IGN Daily Fix. Peter and the Lost Boys engage in dancing, wearing headdresses and other exaggerated tropes, a form of mockery and appropriation of Native peoples' culture and imagery. For instance, there are racist caricatures in "Dumbo" and . I would hope that Disney would do it for all the films that might include some things that are a little outdated, says Azita Ghanizada, founder of MENA (Middle Eastern North African) Arts Advocacy Coalition. The 2019 film also removed several instance of the most egregious racism from the animated film. ', Skyhawk notes that even with disclaimers, the damage created by outdated depictions will be difficult to erase: That having been said, Im just glad that were now entering a new phase of sensitivity towards minorities and including the native people of America that is long overdue.. The new content warning, appearing on screen before the movie starts. Most of the Arab characters have exaggerated facial characteristics hooked noses, glowering brows, thick lips but Aladdin and the princess look like white American teenagers. Yet, they and their media family, (like ESPN) are always the first in line seeking to cancel anything that remotely upsets them. It also includes specific examples from several films of scenes and charactersthat the company now deems inappropriate. Other companies and brands, likeAunt Jemimaand Uncle Ben's, have also recently taken steps to recognize and distance themselves from racist stereotypes by changing their branding in the wake of widespread protests for racial justice in the U.S. Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift. After Shaheen protested against the film alongside the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, Disney agreed to alter the lyrics in Arabian Nights for Aladdin's video release in 1993, and defended it, as it was a rare film to feature an Arab hero and heroine. InPeter Pan, offensive Native Americans caricatures appear throughout the story, along with the problematic song, What Makes the Red Man Red. Lady and the Trampand another Disney animated animal film,Aristocats, both feature cats that mock Asian Americans with illustration and voice acting. (a conflict involving Iraqs invasion of neighboring Kuwait) in the early 1990s prompted the directors to set the story in the fictional city of Agrabah, an adaptation of Baghdad. Jennifer Bisset is a Senior Editor for CNET. Disney is now issuing tougher warnings against racial stereotypes in some of its classic films on its Disney+ streaming service. What? While the true origins of the tale of Aladdin cannot be completely verified, the story is often attributed to French writer Antoine Galland, who claimed a Syrian told him about a boy and a genie in China. It shows them speaking in an unintelligible language and repeatedly refers to them as "redskins," an offensive term. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. There wasnt so much a backlash for Apu, Rather a shitty Asian comic realised he would get some media attention by claiming it to be racist.Now Asians are out of a character that was a representation of their culture at the start of the simpsons show. I understand Peter Pan and Dumbo but why Aladdin? Most people consider Aladdin to be set somewhere in the Middle East. 7. But out of all those movies, there are only a handful that have managed to truly capture the hearts of audiences. Disney have not commented on the search, and although it has been suggested that the lengthy casting process is due to the studio's commitment to finding the right actors, some are critical of the studios struggle. Friendly reminder that all top level comments must: start with "answer:" (or "question:" if you have an on-topic follow up question to ask). At the end of the overview, you can also find resources section for further exploration in the classroom. The song Arabian Nights, which initially referred to Agrabah as a place where they cut off your ear if they dont like your face/its barbaric, but hey, its home, has altered lyrics. Proponents of the film also encourage focusing on the great strides the 2019 film made in being more diverse and inclusive. The new-and-improved, feminist Jasmine even performs an original song. This week saw the death of Dr Jack Shaheen, one of the most respected and loudest critics of the vilification of Arabs in Hollywood, who successfully campaigned for offensive lyrics to be changed in the original Aladdin soundtrack. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. But maybe thats the issue that Disney and other major corporations cant seem to understand. Wouldnt it be reasonable that if all the characters in this movie come from the same genetic stock, they should resemble one another? Providing warning labels to minorities like myself does nothing to protect or encourage us in society. Something like this is surely the reason they put it afront of the video, just to be safe. However, the outbreak of the first. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Aladdin film poster comparison. In updating the film and its content, Disney sought advice from the Muslim Public Affairs Council, an LA advocacy group, as well as groups comprised of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Muslim scholars, activists, and creatives. Due to the advisory groups input, the film avoided the crude portrayals found in the 1992 movie. But, he adds, with Native American actress Irene Bedard as the voice of Pocahontas in the film, some in his community might both enjoy and accept it as presented. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Here are 5: Dumbo (1941): Contains a scene of a group of cigar-smoking crows, with their leader named Jim Crow, referring to the racist segregation laws of the South, and voiced by a white actor . Pocahontas was staight full of lies and racial slurs. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Cookie Notice Please disregard such warningsand better yet, dont give Disney another dime of your money. So much so that Disney+ added a warning label before the film starts. Nobodys canceling these movies, he said. But they will not stop playing Aladdin. By casting actors of different nationalities and ethnic groups, the movie was able to showcase a wide range of cultures, giving a platform to voices traditionally omitted in Hollywood. EspeciallywithAladdin, with those orientalized tropes that were kind of pushing back against.. I do not want to shy away from that. A lot of it is, honestly, hard to tell or point out when you're not part of the group involved. The full cigarette scene is now there at the 24:00 mark for anybody who is curious. But now Disney is offended by its own creation, so it slaps a warning on Aladdin.
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