As a child, I watched all the classics: 101 Dalmatians, Pocahontas, Lion King (I & II), Cinderella, and so on. Some of them were made before I was born… a year or two, but still, I grew up with them, they were the base of my imagination, the solid foundation on which I built the rest of my life. Well, maybe not quite, but still, they were quite an influence on me in my early years. Nowadays, however, what are the kids growing up with? Finding Nemo? Good movie, but it’s got nothing on the Lion King. Cars, Shrek, all these kids movies are funny, and totally acceptable for a child to fall in love with, and yet… they are soul-less. None of the recent children’s movies have the magic of Disney, or even the heart of them. They don’t possess the same air, the same reason behind them… they used to be charming and intriguing, and now they have been stripped down to the core humour, destroying any messages engraved in the deepest levels of the movie. When is the last time you saw a real ‘Pocahontas’? Think about it. Pocahontas wasn’t a funny movie, I mean, it had its moments, but the movie was not based on the humour. You never see that now. But we will have to wait to discover what this development truly means… I would have assumed that growing up with Disney would be preferable compared to growing up with something like Pixar, that it would have a better effect on you in the course of your life, but think about it. I grew up with Disney, but the majority of my generation is a mindless mass of ‘LOL’-ers. While I’m sure that it would not be traced back to the movies you watch as a child, you still have to wonder whether it will have any effect on the next generation… we shall see. I guess the moral of this story is that I wish we could bring back the masterpieces, and maybe cut down on the other stuff.
Just something to think about the next time you see an ad for a new animated film for children.
Teagan