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. 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. Yes. 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. As a matter of fact, it only makes us feel like we should start becoming filmmakers and replace those who have anointed themselves as our leaders. 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.. Background characters wear clothing from a wide array of cultures, including Afghan payraans, Indian saris, Omani daggers, and turbans from multiple cultures. On a different note, Disney has actually restored Saludos Amigos on Disney+. UPDATE: Disney has updated their content warning on Disney+ to an unskippable, 12-second message in front of controversial movies or shorts. 2. "These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Whether he is giving out comedic moments or being incredibly sincere, he is a perfect character. 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. , with $232.4 million domestic and $372.5 million international for the musical remake. While he has always loved superhero, sci-fi and fantasy films and TV series, it is only recently that he began reading comic books themselves. 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. Become a home entertainment expert with our handpicked tips, reviews and deals. Rather than removing the offensive content, the company said it hopes to "spark conversation and open dialogue on history that affects us all. 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 . 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. 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. Why does Aladdin have a warning before it? Proponents of the film also encourage focusing on the great strides the 2019 film made in being more diverse and inclusive. The sultans palace in Aladdin, left, and the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. All rights reserved. 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. Critics say the movie producers have used this melting pot description as an excuse to be lazier in casting. by Source. Since Disney Plus launched last November, experts have criticized the soft language used in its disclaimer on older titles like 1941's Dumbo, that warned films "may contain outdated cultural depictions.". How do you see this issue changing in the future? 7. 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. Alan Menken, famed Disney composer, discusses enduring appeal of "Aladdin." The musical visits San Jose this month, with live-action film due in May. Thedisclaimerappears with some animated Disney classics such as 1967sThe Jungle Bookand 1953sPeter Pan,offering caution to viewers of racist and culturally insensitive depictions and references in the plots and characters of those movies. Did watching it ever make you uncomfortable? CBS News has reached out to the Walt Disney Company for more information. March 16, 2021, 12:54 pmupdated March 16, 2021, 1:46 pm It's a bunch of small things here or there that most people wouldn't think much about, but it's a good step forward to at least acknowledge the potential for harm or offense even where none was meant. 5. Here is that wording. The highly controversial Song of the South (1946) is not available on the streaming service. After Mr. It may contain outdated cultural depictions." Rather, the story was often presented as a hybrid tale of the exoticized Orient meeting modern English-language styles and fashions,. , which tells the story of an affable street-urchin who accepts the services of a trickster genie to win over the sultans daughter, Jasmine. 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. The line you're thinking of is "Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face. Hang tough The original movie contains a scene of Goofy smoking a cigarette that was previously edited on Disney+. Iconic film critic, Roger Ebert, wrote in his 1992 review: One distraction during the film was its odd use of ethnic stereotypes. Aladdin never had a content warning until now, but the edited version has always been on Disney+. No one thats who. However, experts continued to criticize the soft language used in the old Disney Plus disclaimers. The names Jasmine and Aladdin are both of Middle-Eastern origin, with Aladdin being derived from Arabic while Jasmine has its roots in Persian. Fantasy worlds are not meant to perfectly align with real-life racial boundaries. The new-and-improved, feminist Jasmine even performs an original song, Speechless, in which she sings about not allowing men to silence her. October 19, 2020 / 11:46 AM / CBS News Disney is adding a disclaimer to some of its old movies that include racist stereotypes, the media giant announced this month. The new content warning, appearing on screen before the movie starts. 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 now has a warning on Disney + pic.twitter.com/ZzrX6qHqct Katie Pavlich (@KatiePavlich) March 16, 2021 Heck if the salesman is racist, The whole cartoon is. While the 1992 movie had all the fairy-tale elements to attract viewers adventure and intrigue, an evil villain, a plucky underdog, a forlorn princess trapped by tradition, and an array of supporting characters. Additionally, 1992s animatedAladdin, criticized for its racist depictions of West Asian culture, does not feature the warning in its synopsis. Even real-life cities are melting pots of different languages, racial and ethnic groups, and religions, just as Agrabah is. 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. 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. are plenty other streamers out there. The iconic films Aristocats (1970), Peter Pan (1953) and Swiss Family Robinson (1960) also feature the warning ahead of the film. Aladdin, which came out in 1992, is a popular movie with fun songs and an interesting plot. Why, on Disney plus, does aladdin have a disclaimer but not Pocahontas? Mena Massoud, who plays Aladdin, was born in Cairo, Naomi Scott (Jasmine) is of Anglo-Indian descent, Numan Acar (Hakim) is Turkish, and Nasim Pedrad (Dalia) and Navid Negahban (The Sultan) are Iranian. She covers film and TV news and reviews. 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. Heres a version of that warning, which is notably more in-depth than the one-sentence warning that Disney has implemented. 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. It can also be argued that outrage about Naomi Scott is invalid, given the. 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. Aoki believes it should specifically note what the issue of each film is, rather than offering up an ambiguous line. Jasmine can be seen wearing one of her mother's bracelets in the live-action movie. 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. But out of all those movies, there are only a handful that have managed to truly capture the hearts of audiences. Disney+ updated its offensive content disclaimer for films such as Aladdin, Peter Pan and Dumbo. 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). RELATED:Amazon Prime Video Is Catching up to Netflix While HBO Max Outpaces Disney+ Growth. 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 balcony. 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. 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Authenticity was not a major consideration. Some were alarmed by the films stereotypes and generalizations about Arabs and the Middle East. In "Sleeping Beauty," Prince Phillip kisses Aurora while she's unconscious. 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. ALADDIN: Genie, I wish for you to make me a prince! and the story itself argue that the tale of Aladdin is inherently racist and Orientalist, and, regardless of the setting, is simply a colonial European view of the exotic East. Its a complete waste of time for our children who will eventually become whining Disney adults. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. It's barbaric, but hey, it's home". Which iirc got changed to "With winds in the east and the sun from the west, where the sand and the glass is bright". 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. This was inevitable. Did watching it ever make you uncomfortable? Disney also puts silly, PC warning labels before much of its back catalog of films. 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.". 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. 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. The new-and-improved, feminist Jasmine even performs an original song. 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.. 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. No. Original cartoon versions of movies such as Dumbo, The Jungle Book . Sonny Skyhawk, founder of American Indians in Film and Television, tells THR thatfilms such as 1995s Pocahontas and 2013s The Lone Rangerrequire the disclaimer due to inaccuracies and insensitivity towards the Native American community. Of any of the big, more modern movies Pocahontas should be the first one with a disclaimer. 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. Don Owens. in the 1992 movie. New foreign series, such as Jinn, available now on Netflix, may also rely on fantasy or folk culture, but they provide authentic place settings and use local talent and perspectives. This supports the idea that Genie only changes Aladdin's appearance, which he also indirectly confirms a few lines later: 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. Aladdin is one of them. Versions of Aladdin from the 19th and well into the 20th centuries depict the main character as culturally Asian, not Arab. The decision to attach this message to some animated films was met with both praise from people who viewed it as an accountability measure and criticism from those who thought its wording was. We've received your submission. The only mention of her is when the Sultan says Jasmine's mother "wasn't nearly so picky" when it came to choosing a husband. 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? 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. Many have referenced the WB. Mar 1, 2023. ", The movies that will now start with the disclaimer include "Aristocats," which features racist caricatures of East Asian peoples; "Dumbo," in which the crow characters perform a musical number in the style of racist minstrel shows; "Peter Pan," for its stereotypical portrayal of Native peoples; and "Swiss Family Robinson," in which pirates are portrayed as a stereotypical foreign menace, many in "yellow face" or "brown face.". 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. Theyre suddenly switching lanes (without putting on their signal, I should add) and trying to educate when they should just be creating a fun environment. 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. This thread is archived pic.twitter.com/X9aGjXv97o. Please disregard such warningsand better yet, dont give Disney another dime of your money. Edit: forgot to write "answer", so i copypasted my original vomment. It shows them speaking in an unintelligible language and repeatedly refers to them as "redskins," an offensive term. But maybe thats the issue that Disney and other major corporations cant seem to understand. 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.

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