In society today, we are conditioned to believe certain sets of ideals. We use these ideals to interact and get along with the other people we surround ourselves with. These ideals are often the societal norms that form common ground amongst individuals. However, living life based off these basic and unchanging beliefs is not beneficial to humanity, nor does it make life any easier to live. In fact, holding on to the most accepted beliefs holds back society as a whole. Judith Halberstam, in her essay “Animating Revolt and Revolting Animation” challenges these societal norms through the analysis of animated movies and, in doing so, carves a path for a new way of thinking. The foundation for our belief systems often begin at the elementary …show more content…
It is within those years that they discover the different ways that imagination and humanity can alter the way you think. Halberstam brings up this point within a lengthy analysis of the movie March of the Penguins. At first view this film is simply documentary of a group of penguins as the mothers leave to find food and the fathers stayed to protect the eggs. At first glance, this is true. But Halberstam presents a second interpretation. She states that “Most often we project human worlds onto the supposedly blank slate of animality, and then we create the animals we need in order to locate our own human behaviors in ‘nature’ or ‘the wild’ or ‘civilization’” (275). This idea changes the way we think about most man-made documentaries, showing how we don’t just document the animals, but we add our own human narrative to them. Enforcing ideas such as authority, gender roles, and even heterosexuality. That may seem like a stretch to some. But Halberstam states that we use these animals to study these ideas. To directly quote “Animated animals allow us to explore ideas about humanness” (276). What exactly does she mean by this statement? She uses the term animated to describe these penguins. But to any movie-goer who has seen this film know that it follows a group of real live penguins. Her use of the word animated in this case describes what it is like to be …show more content…
She states that most, if not all, of the movies that make up this new genre of movie “works not to emphasize the difference between humans and nonhumans, as it does in so many other Pixar features, but instead makes the characters into virtual puppets…” (284). Once puppetized, these characters can be made to do whatever they, the directors, please. Such as re-write and re enforce gender roles, as it is shown in March of the Penguins, with how the directors showed how the males were in charge of watching and protecting the eggs while the females left to find food (whereas in human society it is the opposite). Or they can solidify heterosexuality, by stating that all of the penguin relationships are strictly male/ female. Then by taking this bourgeois concept of heterosexuality and advertising it as full of variety and elasticity. In the end, what Halberstam is doing in her essay “Animating Revolt and Revolting Animation”, is providing a new way of thinking. Not just about the animated films she discusses, but also about humanity as a whole. Films such as Toy Story, Over the Hedge, and even Finding Nemo are used to represent a new utopia for children where they can escape the troubles of reality that are created by those that they are surrounded with. And other films such as March of the Penguins , that are used to rework humanity. Altogether,
The Stories Behind Lotte Reiniger’s The Adventures of Prince Achmed The word “animation” defines as the technique of photographic successive drawings to create an illusion of movement, bringing a sense of life and vigor. Animation is usually associated with a sequence of drawings, bringing fluidity and character to a sketch. The same is said to miniature models, by the use of stop-motion; but what about cutouts?
For several years now, Disney seems to be determined not to offend anyone in order to keep its audience; indeed we are confronted with animation films full of compromises; they are not as degrading for women as Snow-White and the Seven Dwarves (1937), but they are nonetheless still filled with clichés. Films such as The Princess and The Frog (2009), Tangled (2010), Wreck-it Ralph (2012), have in common the sense of being progressive and however we can notice the resurgence of harmful gendered stereotypes on the subjects of the social scale, women’s role in society, or the status quo. Frozen comes in and turns out to be no exception. Though it includes several encouraging and gratifying elements, it contributes insidiously to spread numerous
Adorno and Horkheimer criticized entertainment because in their views it offeres an escape from thought, as a way to shut ones brain off while consuming it. Disney films dispel this because they excel at promoting the thought of prosocial behavior in a manner that is consistent with real life. In a study published by the academic peer-reviewed Journal of Communication, a research concludes that, “our findings suggest that Disney movies contain at least three times more prosocial behavior than regular children’s programming.” (Pandilla-Walker et al.). In that same study, the researchers found that not only did Disney films have prosocial cues at about one every minute, but that they were almost always not followed by any sort of aggressive behavior. This clear evidence of thought provoking, positive prosocial behavior contradicts Adorno and Horkheimer’s claim of the pop culture offering refuge from thought. Not only do Disney films challenge their audience to think, they push forward an agenda of social acceptance and friendship. This study goes through the entire Disney film catalogue and shows that this trend holds true throughout
“Visions are worth fighting for. Why spend your life making someone else’s dreams?” These are the words of Tim Burton, a renowned director who plays by his own rules when creating a story for the big screen. Growing up different from most kids, Burton was influenced by many unique people and movies such as Edgar Allen Poe, Dr. Seuss, and German Expressionist films. He used their styles to create many memorable films himself, such as Edward Scissorhands and Alice in Wonderland. In these recognizable blockbusters, like most of Burton’s movies, the use of satire and visual features are present to support the thematic concept of conformity vs. individuality.
After watching March of the Penguins I was browsing the internet while I was trying to figure out which direction to take the essay in, because there were too many possibilities for the topic. Soon I found myself watching Monty Python, when the perfect sketch to start this paper on comes on. A newspaper reporter comes on saying "Penguins, yes penguins what relevance do penguins have with the furtherance of medical science? Well strangely enough quite a lot" He moves into a joke about research not being accidental. Then he picks up of the penguins "Nevertheless scientists believe that these penguins, these comic flightless web-footed little b@$#ards are un-wittingly helping man to fathom the uncharted depths of the human mind." The news cast flips to the scientist who introduces himself then states "...having been working on the theory postulated by the late Dr. Kramer that the penguin in intrinsically more intelligent than the human being." From there a multitude of science spoofs lead to the confirmation of this theory of penguins being smarter, even though it is clearly pointed out that the penguin's brain is smaller than of a human being. This causes the penguins to rise up and take over the roles of humans. After careful consideration I decided to discuss this clip as there really is no better way to introduce how animals are used in film as entertainment. Whether it is a crazy Monty Python sketch or the heartwarming love story that is March of the Penguins both were created for many reasons, but the most influential was the desire to earn money. For now just keep Monty Python on the back burner it will have significance later, lets shift to dealing with the questions being posed about March of the Penguins. How did March o...
I chose to analyze Despicable Me, an animated film geared towards a younger audience, because I was interested in examining underlying theories and messages that this film would be relaying to its viewers. Often times, when watching animated films, children are not aware of these messages, as they are absorbed by the characters, special effects, and humor. But as we have learned throughout this semester, our brains are subconsciously primed by the various surroundings we are exposed to. Since we also studied the impacts of entertainment, such as television and video games, on children, I wanted to see how a popular children’s film might also affect them.
Presently, Disney known for its mass media entertainment and amusement parks technically bring warm feelings to many children and some adults. Personally, Disney elicits magical fantasies that children enjoy and further encourages imagination and creativity. For decades Disney has exist as an unavoidable entity with its famous global sensation and reach. Furthermore, Disney is a multibillion dollar empire with an unlimited grasp on individuals and territories. An empire per se, since they own many media outlets, markets, shops, etc., you name it they got it. However, the film Mickey Mouse Monopoly presents an entirely new perspective on the presumed innocence projected in Disney films. This film exposes certain traits Disney employs and exclusively portrays through its media productions, specifically cartoons for directing and nurturing influence beginning with children. Mickey Mouse Monopoly points out camouflaged messages of class, race, and gender issues in Disney films that occur behind the scenes intended to sway viewers towards adopting Disney values.
Storytelling throughout the existence of mankind has evolved to take many forms. At first storytelling was a series of black smothered lines and shapes on the limestone walls of a cave that told of a hunt. It then became intricately carved reliefs on the walls of a temple that boasted the divine power of a pharaoh. In more modern times, animation has taken the place of those ancient mediums and it has captivated the audience’s attention ever than before, through the advent of moving, lifelike pictures. Unfortunately, not all animations are well in depth and tell a unique story. So many have been produced for the sake of money, that the story itself has been watered down just like the soda from a machine. So many animators think they can get
I feel “The March of the Penguins” conveys a subjective view that focuses singulary on the struggles of the penguin to survive while creating new life. The documentary shows a subjective view point in several ways.
The debate over the good and bad aspects of Disney movies has been going on for years. It has become a part of pop culture in a way never expected through things such as YouTube videos and meme’s. While looking at multiple Disney movies may give a wider range of example of both the good and the bad in Disney movies, to help depict the effects the movies actually have on kids it is most beneficial to study just one movie. Zia’s essay argues that Disney movies have a good influence on children by teaching them good life morals. However, one of her examples, Mulan, is not an example of achievement through hard work like Zia explains, but rather a change made through magic, and example of the horrible historical inaccuracies made in Disney movies and the lack of parental respect that they teach children.
By the late 1900s, approximately five billion human beings occupied planet Earth. Whether they crawled on top of comfortable carpets or scurried across dark alleys, five billion people carried the ability to not only walk on the earth, but also to shape it, to mold it with their footsteps. Among this era's sculptors that molded the ground below them with their various talents was Walt Disney, a man who grew up to become a film producer, a screenwriter, a director, an animator, an entrepreneur, an international icon and a philanthropist. With his imagination, ambition, and a little help from a special mouse, Disney transformed both the entertainment industry and international culture itself. He pioneered full-color animated cartoons, created "the happiest place on Earth", and introduced the world to inspiring family movies that to this day encourage both children and adults alike to pursue their dreams and chase happiness. However, while Disney's movies all end with a "happily ever after", the actual tales the movies are based on are far from happy; they are rather morbid, realistic and poignant. The Little Mermaid, Disney's movie about a young princess lusting after a prince, serves as an example of a story in which Disney strayed far from the actual tale. The basis of Disney's feel-good, family movie is Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid, which shocks readers with the death of the mermaid's beloved prince, the mermaid's awareness of her physical pain, and the loss of her innocence. Analyzed through a psychoanalytical lens, both Walt Disney's and Hans Christian Andersen's A Little Mermaid displays female subjectivity in favor of a dominant patriarchal world.
Critics have warned the public audience about Disney programming’s affect on the “invasion and control of children’s imagination” (Ross 5). These movies express the typical gender roles “such as males being physically strong, assertive, and athletic, and females being prone to overt emotion, inc...
Towbin. M. A. et al. (2008). Images of gender, race, age, and sexual orientation in Disney
In order for one to understand the danger possessed by penguins, a background of the species and evolution is necessary. The impact people have on penguins is mostly destructive, and the future possibilities are gloomy if things don’t change. The endangerment of penguins is being perpetuated by human actions and these actions must cease for penguins to stay alive.
“Entertainment has to come hand in hand with a little bit of medicine, some people go to the movies to be reminded that everything’s okay. I don’t make those kinds of movies. That, to me, is a lie. Everything’s not okay.” - David Fincher. David Fincher is the director that I am choosing to homage for a number of reasons. I personally find his movies to be some of the deepest, most well made, and beautiful films in recent memory. However it is Fincher’s take on story telling and filmmaking in general that causes me to admire his films so much. This quote exemplifies that, and is something that I whole-heartedly agree with. I am and have always been extremely opinionated and open about my views on the world and I believe that artists have a responsibility to do what they can with their art to help improve the culture that they are helping to create. In this paper I will try to outline exactly how Fincher creates the masterpieces that he does and what I can take from that and apply to my films.