Nobodys canceling these movies, he said. Original cartoon versions of movies such as Dumbo, The Jungle Book . He also asked the producers to respect Islam and to add a humane character, Aladdins mother, an Arab woman willing to sacrifice everything for her sons happiness.. Bias/Anecdote: While I can't remember too much about Aladdin specifically that might call for this (the changed line about cutting off your hand during the opening theme comes to mind, but that's already been removed), the overall tone plays on a great deal of stereotype tropes for Middle-Eastern cultures that aren't really that accurate or true, or are at least heavily exaggerated. Screen capture from, In May 2019, Disney released a live-action version of. Santa's Workshop, Three Little Pigs, Clock Cleaners, Fantasia, The Rescuers, Toy Story 2, and a lot more programs are still edited for controversial content. Today, Disneys new content, as well as all its properties, now pushes a radical, left-wing agenda harmful to children and the nuclear family. Theyre unqualified, and its time for minorities in this country to start ignoring these major corporations that stunt double as our parents. The Stories Matter page on Disney's site notes the characters' connection to racist minstrel shows. Why does Aladdin have a warning before it? Nearly a year later, on Thursday, Disney said that after consulting with a council of organizations representing minorities, it's added a newdisclaimer acknowledging the "harmful impact" of racist stereotypes in some of its older films. Proponents of the film also encourage focusing on the great strides the 2019 film made in being more diverse and inclusive. We take a look at the origins of the folktale, the previous dramatic portrayals of the story, the 1992 animated film, and how the filmmakers tried to overcome past controversy in the latest rendition of, At the end of the overview, you can also find. 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. However, the outbreak of the first Gulf War (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. This applies to classics such as Dumbo and Aladdin, which may not be suitable for younger audiences. Was it possible to accurately depict cultural nuances using a fairy tale? The disclaimer reads: This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. The rags-to-riches story of a street urchin named Aladdin who asks a genie in a lamp to make him a prince is a work of fantasy. The casting of Naomi Scott, who is of English and Indian descent, upset some fans and critics who believed the role should have been played by a Middle Eastern actress. In addition to those older films, it's also included at the start of "Aladdin," the animated blockbuster from 1992. Why is it important to have culturally-accurate depictions in film and television? Gambling related content is not intended for anyone under the age of 21. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. "This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures," the statement reads. The original story from November 2019 detailing the original Disney+ content warning is below. 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. 13 Comments. Guiver makes points to show that Aladdin is the only character next to his Disney contemporaries who doesn't have this particular anatomy, but actually, Disney has somewhat of a reputation when . As the film-makers of the new live-action remake of Aladdin struggle to cast their hero, Sophia Smith Galer looks at the troubled history of the Disney classic. Less well known is the fact that the film sparked a racial controversy, one that is still reverberating today. are plenty other streamers out there. Answer: Alladin has stereotypes of minorities that were considered acceptable by most people when it is made, but society has progressed and no longer view that as acceptable (for good reason). She won Best New Journalist in 2019 at the Australian IT Journalism Awards. Its been revealed that theyre struggling to wrap up their months-long search because of a difficulty in finding a singing, dancing actor who is Middle Eastern or Indian to play the title role. Get the Daily OutKick and get smarter every day. 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. How do you feel about Aladdin? In its history, Disney has produced 56 animated movies. UPDATE: Disney has updated their content warning on Disney+ to an unskippable, 12-second message in front of controversial movies or shorts. Wouldnt it be reasonable that if all the characters in this movie come from the same genetic stock, they should resemble one another? Aladdin is not an entertaining Arabian Nights fantasy as film critics would have us believe, wrote Jack Shaheen in 1992, then a professor of mass communications at Southern Illinois University, but rather a painful reminder to 3 million Americans of Arab heritage, as well as 300 million Arabs and others, that the abhorrent Arab stereotype is as ubiquitous as Aladdins lamp.. Abby Monteil. If you would like to comment on this story or anything else you have seen on BBC Culture, head over to ourFacebookpage or message us onTwitter. Disney claimed they included white extras only in a handful of instances when it was a matter of specialty skills, safety and control, but many still criticized the company for not taking the opportunity to hire more actors and crew members of Middle Eastern and South Asian heritage. Did watching it ever make you uncomfortable? Panoramic view of Agrabah from the 2019 shows real-seeming landscape featuring buildings with Islamic architecture. While the 1992 film is widely perceived as problematic, many point to the fact that the worst parts (including racist lyrics and caricatures) have been removed and replaced with accurate Arabic script and culturally-appropriate dress. Pocahontas was staight full of lies and racial slurs. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. However, experts continued to criticize the soft language used in the old Disney Plus disclaimers. There are a number of reasons why these titles are removed. So much so that Disney+ added a warning label before the film starts. Something like this is surely the reason they put it afront of the video, just to be safe. Our job is not to get up and say, Heres a movie that you should feel guilty about for liking. But to pretend that the racism in it is not painful and acute? notions of Oriental interchangeability, pointing to the fact that name Jasmine has Persian roots, not Indian. pic.twitter.com/X9aGjXv97o. Some were alarmed by the films stereotypes and generalizations about Arabs and the Middle East. Answer: Well I don't know which version they are showing, but in the origubal the salesman in the beginning sings that in the east they cut off your tongue and ears or something in that fashion when they catch you stealing, which is considered stereotyping. 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. It worked. I understand Peter Pan and Dumbo but why Aladdin? ORIGINAL STORY: Disney Plus is officially out in the wild now, and while it features a ton of new movies and shows like The Mandalorian, a Lady and the Tramp remake, and Jeff Goldblum, users are noticing that some older content is coming with an outdated cultural depictions warning. Disney+ updated its policy toward its films containing offensive material, posting a new disclaimer and adding new movies to its list of programs that feature "negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures." This isnt the first time that Disney has been criticised in relation to Aladdin. Is it stereotypical? These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. 5. 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. and our ", clearly implying it's cutting off the hand. Most people consider Aladdin to be set somewhere in the Middle East. Heres a version of that warning, which is notably more in-depth than the one-sentence warning that Disney has implemented. First published on October 19, 2020 / 11:46 AM. Gary-I have to say I really look forward to your posts; you have extremely interesting, independent and logically defensible takes on a variety of subjects. Growing up, I loved watching Aladdin, just like any other child that enjoyed Disney movies. It also includes specific examples from several films of scenes and charactersthat the company now deems inappropriate. So much so that Disney+ added a warning label before the film starts. Reviews have been mixed but the film has been popular, nonetheless: the 2019 film surpassed the original film within a month of its release at the box office. Aladdin Now Has A Warning Screen On Disney+, Mike Brey Ready For Something New As He Steps Away From Notre Dame After 23 Years, Rick Carlisles Character On Display As Pacers Honor Late Indiana Media Legend David Benner With Cool Gesture, Keith Olbermann Calls For The Burning Of Disney World In Front Of DeSantis, Scientists Suggest Brilliant Strategy Of Blocking Out The Sun To Stop Climate Change. "These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Thats basically what they did and its the arrogance of Hollywood and the arrogance of Disney to say its our idea, its our money and were going to do it, whether you like it or not.. Whether the new film-makers choose to stand in the old guard or vanguard remains to be seen. In the 2019 film, Agrabah is a port city that rests on the cusp of Eastern and Western nations, making it a thriving trade town and bringing together a melting pot of cultures and influences. The production designer used Turkish, Persian, and Islamic influences for the set design. alternate lyrics were dubbed into the video and soundtrack releases. If you are a younger person and youre watching something and that youre not aware that theres potential violence or now, cultural insensitivity, I think [the disclaimer] is kind of protecting [filmmakers] the same way that it does those other catchphrases., Still, she says that Disneys decision to include a disclaimer is appreciated, noting it is the first step to correcting things that might not have been thought about 10, 20, 30 years ago when these [films] were being made., Aoki echoes that sentiment, saying he finds Disney today to be a totally different company from the one that existed even 20, 25 years ago. He adds: I spoke to a Disney executive a few years ago who told me that, I think it was every Friday, [CEO] Bob Iger has a meeting with all the company heads, including Marvel and Pixar and everybody that is under their corporate umbrella, and he says, OK, report to me what you have done to further diversity at this company. So its not lip service as far as, Oh, yes, we believe in diversity and we try to have open casting. Is it inaccurate? The new-and-improved, feminist Jasmine even performs an original song, Speechless, in which she sings about not allowing men to silence her. The iconic films Aristocats (1970), Peter Pan (1953) and Swiss Family Robinson (1960) also feature the warning ahead of the film. 2. Fans questioned the need to include this new character whose appearance was ultimately inconsequential and wondered why a white character had to be added to a refreshingly-multicultural film. KEEP READING:Disney+ Rebrands Non-MCU Marvel Films as Marvel Legacy. Ron Clements and John Musker, the directors of the 1992 film, said in 2015 that the movie was originally intended to be set in Baghdad, Iraq. Ditch Disney plus there. For instance, there are racist caricatures in "Dumbo" and . Please review Rule 4 and this post before making a top level comment: I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Aspects of the story also have Indian influences, including Jasmines Indian tiger Rajah, and the sultans palace in the animated film looking remarkably similar to the Taj Mahal. Thus, when Disney reported in 2016 that a live-action adaptation was in the works, director Guy Ritchie had to contend with the original films controversial legacy. Walt Disney Studios. A similar decision was recently made by HBO Max for the classic, yet problematic, film Gone With the Wind. In the examples below, the, With the advent of the Hollywood film industry, the story returned to its fabled Middle Eastern origins, replete with exotic and exaggerated stereotypes note the poster for a. In June, Disney said it would retheme Disneyland's Splash Mountain, basing it on the 2009 film The Princess and the Frog, instead of the 1946 southern plantation movie Song of the South.