The new message plays before all of the listed films for about 10 seconds and cannot be skipped or fast-forwarded. Fantasy worlds are not meant to perfectly align with real-life racial boundaries. 2023 CNET, a Red Ventures company. 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. 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. Critics say the movie producers have used this melting pot description as an excuse to be lazier in casting. 5. Save America from this foolishness before its too late. If you buy something through this post, IGN may get a share of the sale. Jasmine's mother is barely a thought in the 1992 animated movie. After the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee complained about song lyrics describing the setting in the film, Where they cut off your ear if they dont like your face,. Aladdin, which came out in 1992, is a popular movie with fun songs and an interesting plot. While Agrabah is apparently described as this melting pot of ethnicities, that concept comes from the deeply-problematic 1992 animated film. The disclaimer appears with some animated Disney classics such as 1967's The Jungle Book and 1953's Peter Pan , offering caution to viewers of racist and culturally insensitive depictions and. But out of all those movies, there are only a handful that have managed to truly capture the hearts of audiences. Did watching it ever make you uncomfortable? The film and its creators refused to do the work of normalizing and humanizing people of color for American audiences. I think of Aladdin as the Robin Williams show. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. How is your familys culture represented in film, television or literature? But now Disney is offended by its own creation, so it slaps a warning on Aladdin. Is it okay to watch a movie if it includes offensive parts? in the new adaptation. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Authenticity was not a major consideration. Twenty-seven years ago, Disneys animated version of Aladdin was the highest-grossing film of 1992, earning over $346 million in worldwide box office revenue. 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. by By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Others defended Scott, noting that the story includes Indian aspects, Agrabah is meant to be a melting pot of cultures, and Jasmines mother is said to be from another land, making it entirely plausible that Jasmine could be an Indian woman. Several representatives of minority advocacy groups spoke withThe Hollywood Reporterabout their reactions to the Disney+ disclaimer and what, if any, extra measures can be enacted by Disney to caution viewers of culturally insensitive material. We just let them know that it is a piece of media from another time, Skorodin says. 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. 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. The iconic films Aristocats (1970), Peter Pan (1953) and Swiss Family Robinson (1960) also feature the warning ahead of the film. Although Disney posted this message in front of the original Aladdin, the version on Disney+ has still removed the "cut off your ear" line from the opening song and Aladdin's mumbling on the. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER. It might also have to do with some version of whitewashing, as most of the voice actors are white people? 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. 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. film within a month of its release at the box office. So much so that Disney+ added a warning label before the film starts. Mar 1, 2023. Versions of Aladdin from the 19th and well into the 20th centuries depict the main character as culturally Asian, not Arab. Now only days after his death, the live-action Aladdin remake has been questioned over its casting woes. Why, on Disney plus, does aladdin have a disclaimer but not Pocahontas? "Nobody's canceling these movies," he said. Prior to all their films, and outside all their theme parks, Disney should display this disclaimer: Disney once made programming for children which, while entertaining millions of viewers of all ages, also brought diverse cultures and races together. 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's racism feels lazy. 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. Aladdin earned $604.9 million worldwide after a little over two weeks in release, with $232.4 million domestic and $372.5 million international for the musical remake. A lot of it is, honestly, hard to tell or point out when you're not part of the group involved. Disney holds monthly meetings to determine what content in its archive needs to have a warning added. She won Best New Journalist in 2019 at the Australian IT Journalism Awards. Hang tough Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together. . 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. 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? The film remains controversial to this day. Whether he is giving out comedic moments or being incredibly sincere, he is a perfect character. One distraction during the film was its odd use of ethnic stereotypes. The page includes a section explaining in greater detail the negative depictions in certain titles. Something like this is surely the reason they put it afront of the video, just to be safe. UPDATE: Disney has updated their content warning on Disney+ to an unskippable, 12-second message in front of controversial movies or shorts. 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. We talked to people at Disney about that depiction I said there are probably a hundred [Native] people of that caliber that can do that and yet youre going to try and force Johnny Depp down our throat, says Skyhawk. "Rather than removing this content, we see an opportunity to spark conversation and open dialogue on history that affects us all." Creating a diverse and primarily non-white cast for the film was a huge step in accurately portraying a land set in the Middle East and moving towards greater diversity in Hollywood. The film-makers including director Guy Ritchie are on the hunt for leads who can live up to the animated films loveable street urchin Aladdin and Princess Jasmine. While the movie is set in a city based on Baghdad, Iraq, Aladdin contains aspects of multiple Middle Eastern and Asian cultures. Shaheen warned that these images would perpetuate negative stereotypes that literally sustain adverse portraits across generations. He argued: There is a commanding link between make-believe aberrations and the real world, and warned of the negative portrayal of Agrabah, the films fictionalised city that he called Hollywoods fabricated Ayrabland. It appears that for some, this warning wasnt unfounded: in 2015 it was revealed that 30% of Republican voters in the US would vote in support of bombing Agrabah. But they will not stop playing Aladdin. 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. 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 . Probably some more stuff political invorrect stuff while they show how the people act in town, depicting the way they act in a negative way? TheStories Matter website that is referenced in the disclaimer features more information about Disney's efforts to increase "cultural competency." 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. Today, Disneys new content, as well as all its properties, now pushes a radical, left-wing agenda harmful to children and the nuclear family. A cemetery posted a personal ad for a goose whose mate died. 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. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Ian Skorodin, director of strategy and outreach for the Barcid Foundation (a Native American non-profit organization), adds that it is unfortunate thatPocahontas did not receive a disclaimer. 2. Become a home entertainment expert with our handpicked tips, reviews and deals. The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a press release earlier this week asking reviewers and critics to acknowledge that the "Aladdin myth is rooted by racism, Orientalism and. The film is an adaptation of a folktale from the 18th-century, Arabic-language collection, A Thousand and One Nights. He says that while working with young filmmakers, he has never insisted they dont watch it or they dont appreciate it or that its wrong. This is pretty much the progressive movement in a nutshell. After the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee complained about song lyrics describing the setting in the film, Where they cut off your ear if they dont like your face, alternate lyrics were dubbed into the video and soundtrack releases. 3. has been questioned over its casting woes, theyre struggling to wrap up their months-long search, The American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee saw. The disclaimers are not a signal that the films have been canceled, Ben Mankiewicz, a host on classic TV network TCM, told the Reporter. Disney also removed the "This program is presented as originally created" description from Saludos Amigos, which is funny because now the movie is actually presented as originally created. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. 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. 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These animated films teach us so much, and especially young kids, Ghanizada says. 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. The line you're thinking of is "Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face. Archived post. Walt Disney Studios. Background characters. Nothing else. Answer: A lot of older movies (god I hate calling movies from the 90's "older") include often passive stereotypes or themes about minority groups that while may not have been intentionally harmful, still perpetuate potentially harmful or offensive ideas about a culture or location. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says, "Everything Everywhere All at Once" wins big at SAG Awards, HBO's "Succession" will end with season 4, creator says, Richard Belzer, comedian and "Law & Order: SVU" actor, dies at 78, "The Last of Us" creator Neil Druckmann on the series' success, Ryan Seacrest leaving "Live"; Kelly Ripa's husband, Mark Consuelos, to step in. 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Here is that wording. 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. Proponents of the film also encourage focusing on the great strides the 2019 film made in being more diverse and inclusive. In Disney's telling of the story, Aladdin is clever, resourceful, and loyal, but underestimated because he is poor. All I can say is, like lightning, beware of the cancel culture mob-you are sharp with a mind of your own and as you become better known I am afraid you will become a target. However, when Aladdin points this out, the Genie insists Aladdin cannot have any more free wishes: GENIE: (Still as stewardess) Thank you for choosing Magic Carpet for all your travel needs. After Mr. October 19, 2020 / 11:46 AM We've received your submission. For many, Disneys 1992 film Aladdin conjures up images of innocence: star-crossed lovers on a magic carpet, a benevolent pet tiger and a comedic genie who would grant every hearts desire. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Its a complete waste of time for our children who will eventually become whining Disney adults. Nearly a year later, on Thursday, Disney said that after consulting with a council of organizations representing minorities, it's added a new disclaimer acknowledging the "harmful impact" of. She covers film and TV news and reviews. 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. For instance, there are racist caricatures in "Dumbo" and . Otherwise they wouldnt seek to continue to make money off of their offensive, racist creation. 'Aladdin and the Magic Lamp' is the most famous story from the Arabian Nights collection of stories, also known as the 1,001 Nights.However, the story's origins are surprising, and in fact for many centuries it wasn't part of the Arabian Nights at all.But before we come to the question of textual analysis or the story's complex history, let's summarise the plot of the story of Aladdin. 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. I do not want to shy away from that. 13 Comments. Providing warning labels to minorities like myself does nothing to protect or encourage us in society. The films with the updated disclaimer includePeter Pan, Dumbo, Lady andthe Tramp, Fantasia,The Jungle BookandSwiss Family Robinson, among others. 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. How do you feel about Aladdin? Agrabah is a made up place thats a combo of a few different cultures. 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. Background characters wear clothing from a wide array of cultures, including Afghan payraans, Indian saris, Omani daggers, and turbans from multiple cultures. Theyre unqualified, and its time for minorities in this country to start ignoring these major corporations that stunt double as our parents. 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? In May 2019, Disney released a live-action version of Aladdin, which tells the story of an affable street-urchin who accepts the services of a trickster genie to win over the sultans daughter, Jasmine. An adamant defender of The Last Jedi and the series finale of Lost, he can be reached at sam.g@cbr.com or through his Twitter, @SamMgelman. In Richard Burton's telling, the "hero" is shallow, lazy, greedy, and easily. Disney+ updated its offensive content disclaimer for films such as Aladdin, Peter Pan and Dumbo. Some accused Disney of reinforcing notions of Oriental interchangeability, pointing to the fact that name Jasmine has Persian roots, not Indian. Now, it admits they were not just "outdated" but "wrong" even back then and that such negative portrayals had a harmful impact in real life. Which iirc got changed to "With winds in the east and the sun from the west, where the sand and the glass is bright". When played on the Disney+ streaming service, films such as . Outrage flared again when Disney announced that they had cast white actor Billy Magnussen in a newly-created role of a Scandinavian prince vying for Jasmines attention. So much so that Disney+ added a warning label before the film starts. Instead of simply being upset with her father for restricting who she can marry as in the 1992 version Jasmine aspires to be the first female sultan and is frustrated by her fathers refusal to consider her because of her gender. The crows in Dumbo. This supports the idea that Genie only changes Aladdin's appearance, which he also indirectly confirms a few lines later: Why is there so little Middle Eastern, Arab or Muslim (or other minority group) representation in film and television? It worked. ", clearly implying it's cutting off the hand. Delivered Wednesdays. , with $232.4 million domestic and $372.5 million international for the musical remake. Disney+ updated its policy toward its films containing offensive material, postinga new disclaimer and adding new movies to its list of programs that feature"negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures.". The warning was crafted by Disney's advisors council, which includes representatives of the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA),Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment,Define American,Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media,GLAAD Media Institute,Hollywood, Health & Society,IllumiNative,The National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP),RespectAbility,The Science & Entertainment Exchange andTanenbaum. 4. Who should tell stories of other places? It's barbaric, but hey, it's home". All Rights Reserved. Aladdin never had a content warning until now, but the edited version has always been on Disney+. The 2019 film also removed several instance of the most egregious racism from the animated film. did apparently meet with Galland at some point, but it remains unclear how much, if any, of the story came from him. For The Lone Ranger specifically,Skyhawk explained Johnny Depp taking on the role of Tonto, described as a spirit warrior from the Comanche tribe, was offensive casting resulting in an offensive character. It just reminds me of apu from the simpsons, where they got such a backlash that the voice actor now quit doing his voice. Bollywood is an entire industry made up of talents like this and the Middle East has equally as much talent. Aladdin(1992), which previously did not have a warning, has been added to the list. Don Owens. It can also be argued that outrage about Naomi Scott is invalid, given the. Ghanizada notes a2015 Public Policy Pollin which one-third of Republican primary voters supported bombing the fictional kingdom of Agrabah, the setting ofAladdin. 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 . It is also important to think about all the improvements the 2019 movie made over the 1992 adaptation (see #3 on this list above!). Growing up, I loved watching Aladdin, just like any other child that enjoyed Disney movies. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. , including Afghan payraans, Indian saris, Omani daggers, and turbans from multiple cultures. 2. Besides from what I vaguely remember about Aladdin was he was a poor theif (or street rat for the non PC types) who befriended an enslaved genie and found a magic carpet ride in order to overcome evil Jafar, win the affection of a bra wearing princess, and became the king of Arabia or something. On a different note, Disney has actually restored Saludos Amigos on Disney+. Yeah, probably not because that message doesnt help them pander. In the scene where Jasmine gives the beggar an apple from a cart, the merchant grabs her wrist, draws a sword saying, "Don't you know what the penalty is for stealing? Alan Menken, famed Disney composer, discusses enduring appeal of "Aladdin." The musical visits San Jose this month, with live-action film due in May. And overdue., 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Boycott threatened over transgender inclusion in Hersheys Womans Day promo, Twitch star zaps herself with shock collar live for 1 million fans, gets banned, JK Rowling showing outstanding moral courage as she stands up to vile woke mob, Artist behind Obamas Hope poster, Shepard Fairey, slams cancel culture. 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. What? Jungle Bookreceived a disclaimer, yet its 2003 animated sequel did not. So going forward, several such films on the Disney+ streaming service will include the following advisory: "This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. Disney. A content advisory notice for racism in classic Disney films, in place since last year, has been updated with a strengthened message. I assume it also has to do with being more sensitive towards muslim culture nowadays, as the last twenty years there was quite the bashing for the group as a whole. The new statement is more strongly worded than one Disneytacked onto some films when Disney+ first rolled out last year. 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. Makes me think Disney is putting warnings out there so people buy their movies before they go back to retiring movies for a year or two to create demand curves for their products. You can also see. Aladdin is one of them. While the majority of films and series that are added to Disney+ continue to be available, some titles, unfortunately, have been removed from Disney+. The film was criticised for perpetuating Orientalist stereotypes of the Middle East and Asia. It protects the filmmaker from feedback. Aladdin wasn't asking for a kingdom or riches. Warner Brothers has included these on a number of older cartoons, rather than erase the cartoons or remove them from circulation or the like, and Disney now appears to be following suit with some of their older work. Disney is acknowledging that their past depictions of minorities/cultures in Alladin was not okay, but not take it down because removing it may as well be pretending it didn't happen. Sky has issued a disclaimer alongside a number of its films that have 'outdated values' including the 1986 hit Aliens (pictured: Sigourney Weaver) The broadcasting giants say it is reviewing. 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. Pocahontas was staight full of lies and racial slurs. But I've realized how problematic Aladdin's character is. Aladdin (1992) Critics have expressed concerns over the story's use of Orientalist stereotypes, while casting decisions also came under scrutiny, with Aladdin, Princess Jasmine and the genie . What can you do to be more aware of cultural insensitivity and misrepresentation in pop culture? Rather, the story was often presented as a hybrid tale of the exoticized Orient meeting modern English-language styles and fashions, according to one critic. Aladdin was criticised for perpetuating Orientalist stereotypes of the Middle East and Asia (Credit: Alamy), Daniel Newman, professor of Arabic at Durham University, acknowledges that Western portrayals have come a long way from the lotus-eating, Orientalist fantasies of yesteryear, but barring a few exceptions, what has happened is that one clich has been replaced by another; from the scimitar-wielding lascivious Arab, we have gone to the bomb-wielding terrorist Arab. While some moderate characters have been introduced in shows such as Homeland, he says, the pervading feeling is one of threat, based primarily if not exclusively on religion., Id ask the animators to add benevolent market-vendors and heroic guards who befriend Aladdin, Shaheen said of the 1992 Aladdin, conscious of the image of Middle-Eastern people that might be made on the films young viewers. Was it possible to accurately depict cultural nuances using a fairy tale? This thread is archived Reimagining the Middle East: Grassroots Movements, Arab American Heritage Month Resource Guide, wear clothing from a wide array of cultures, allegedly darkening the skin of white actors and crew, Middle Eastern critic Maha Albadrawi says. Jennifer Bisset is a Senior Editor for CNET. It feels sincere, and its also good business., In November 2019, when Disney launched its Disney+ streaming service, the company added content warnings ahead of its animated classics Dumbo (1941), The Jungle Book (1967) and Aladdin (1992) to warn audiences that the movies may contain outdated cultural depictions..