Some accused Disney of reinforcing notions of Oriental interchangeability, pointing to the fact that name Jasmine has Persian roots, not Indian. Jungle Bookreceived a disclaimer, yet its 2003 animated sequel did not. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. You can also see our lesson plan on exploring stereotypes with American film and television, which offers guided activities for your students. Is it inaccurate? 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. Bollywood is an entire industry made up of talents like this and the Middle East has equally as much talent. 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? 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. Screen capture from, In May 2019, Disney released a live-action version of. 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. The new-and-improved, feminist Jasmine even performs an original song. Potato Head survived by a thread and liberal white men working at Disneyland saved black women from the horrors of Splash Mountainnow Aladdin is racist. Today, Disneys new content, as well as all its properties, now pushes a radical, left-wing agenda harmful to children and the nuclear family. Weve had some very raw conversations on those Zooms, African American Film Critics Association President Gil Robertson told the Hollywood Reporter. All rights reserved. Jennifer Bisset is a Senior Editor for CNET. If the consensus from those directly harmed is that we need stronger wording you will receive no argument from me. As part of Disneys Stories Matter initiatives advisory council, Robertson and his colleagues watch films believed to possibly be problematic and then tell Disney their reaction. After Mr. I think you might be right. by 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. Most of the Arab characters have exaggerated facial characteristics hooked noses, glowering brows, thick lips but Aladdin and the princess look like white American teenagers. 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. Aladdin(1992), which previously did not have a warning, has been added to the list. The new statement is more strongly worded than one Disneytacked onto some films when Disney+ first rolled out last year. 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. Aladdin wasn't asking for a kingdom or riches. 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. and our 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. Most recently, The Muppet Show had warning disclaimers placed prior to 18 of its episodes, warning viewers that the show features stereotypes and mistreatment of people or cultures., 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, the disclaimer says, adding Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe.. Otherwise they wouldnt seek to continue to make money off of their offensive, racist creation. In updating the film and its content, 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. 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. The company said that while. It shows them speaking in an unintelligible language and repeatedly refers to them as "redskins," an offensive term. 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 . 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 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. The only question is how to best address this. The American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee saw light-skinned, Anglicised features in the heroes Aladdin and Jasmine that contrasted sharply with the swarthy, greedy street merchants who had Arabic accents and grotesque facial features. Many have referenced the WB. The new content warning, appearing on screen before the movie starts. ", Disney said the decision is part of its "ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion." We coulda sworn we went to Disneyland and waited in line for two hours to be entertainednot for an education.. Here is that wording. 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. 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,. A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Earth, Culture, Capital and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday. Yeah, probably not because that message doesnt help them pander. Agrabah is a made up place thats a combo of a few different cultures. 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. Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories? Gary Sheffield, Jr It might be worth asking ourselves when the new film is released: what would Jack Shaheen think? 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. Which iirc got changed to "With winds in the east and the sun from the west, where the sand and the glass is bright". It reads: This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. The original movie contains a scene of Goofy smoking a cigarette that was previously edited on Disney+. Disney+ updated its offensive content disclaimer for films such as Aladdin, Peter Pan and Dumbo. It worked. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. Most of the Arab characters have exaggerated facial characteristics hooked noses, glowering brows, thick lips but Aladdin and the princess look like white American teenagers. Rather than removing the offensive content, the company said it hopes to "spark conversation and open dialogue on history that affects us all. It just reminds me of apu from the simpsons, where they got such a backlash that the voice actor now quit doing his voice. Of any of the big, more modern movies Pocahontas should be the first one with a disclaimer. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. To learn more about how stories have impacted society visit Disney.com/storiesmatter, First off, when did Disney suddenly become a Civil Rights movement? "These shouldn't be watched by children by themselves," Daryl Sparkes, senior lecturer of media studies and production at the University of Southern Queensland, told CNET, "because children are like little sponges and they soak up attitudes and feelings and opinions.". On " Fixer to Fabulous ," Dave and Jenny Marrs have been doing many remarkable remodels around Bentonville, AR but that's not to say we agree with all of their design . The Disney drama kicked into higher gear after we saw Dr. Seuss books go from being $5 to $500. 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. 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. Now only days after his death, the live-action Aladdin remake has been questioned over its casting woes. Non-Christian religions, the countries and . They want to make up for any offensive messaging they may have been a part of, Robertson told the publication. 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. Pocahontas was staight full of lies and racial slurs. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Theyre unqualified, and its time for minorities in this country to start ignoring these major corporations that stunt double as our parents. RELATED:Amazon Prime Video Is Catching up to Netflix While HBO Max Outpaces Disney+ Growth. In addition to those older films, it's also included at the start of "Aladdin," the animated blockbuster from 1992. The film remains controversial to this day. Furthermore, these advisors helped ensure that any Arabic-language text was correctly displayed and that the setting and dress were more culturally realistic. In Disney's telling of the story, Aladdin is clever, resourceful, and loyal, but underestimated because he is poor. , which tells the story of an affable street-urchin who accepts the services of a trickster genie to win over the sultans daughter, Jasmine. However, experts continued to criticize the soft language used in the old Disney Plus disclaimers. 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. The film and its creators refused to do the work of normalizing and humanizing people of color for American audiences. Lets be clear, Disney did harm. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Credit: , 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. 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. You can also see. Archived post. Nobodys canceling these movies, he said. The meetings are held virtually and are very raw according to one attendee. Alan Menken, famed Disney composer, discusses enduring appeal of "Aladdin." The musical visits San Jose this month, with live-action film due in May. 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." in the 1992 movie. Disney+ updated its offensive content disclaimer for films such as Aladdin, Peter Pan and Dumbo. That is even more important in an era of mass media, all-you-can-watch online streaming. A similar decision was recently made by HBO Max for the classic, yet problematic, film Gone With the Wind. Abby Monteil. Aladdin does trick the Genie into freeing him from the Cave of Wonders without using a wish. There are now more opportunities for people in the United States, and elsewhere, to access regionally-produced entertainment from the Middle East. "These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Please review Rule 4 and this post before making a top level comment: I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. And if you liked this story,sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter, called If You Only Read 6 Things This Week. are plenty other streamers out there. It is also important to think about all the improvements the 2019 movie made over the 1992 adaptation (see #3 on this list above!). 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. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. 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. 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. ALADDIN: Genie, I wish for you to make me a prince! Pray tell who is offended by Aladdin? But maybe thats the issue that Disney and other major corporations cant seem to understand. 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. Furthermore, these advisors helped ensure that any Arabic-language text was correctly displayed and that the setting and dress were more culturally realistic. , Aladdin sport[ed] a Manchurian queue and Chinese slippers, and the architecture feature[ed] distinctly Chinese pagodas. The emphasis on the Chinese aspects of, during this time period through the use of , (the imitation of Chinese motifs and techniques in Western art) was especially popular. We can therefore assume that Genie only focused on making Aladdin a prince so that he could have a shot with Jasmine. Aladdin, which came out in 1992, is a popular movie with fun songs and an interesting plot. 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. Is it okay to watch a movie if it includes offensive parts? Was it possible to accurately depict cultural nuances using a fairy tale? On Oct. 15, Disney Plus introduced a new disclaimer that appears before older films like Dumbo (1941) and Aladdin (1992), warning viewers that the films include harmful stereotypes. Jasmine was also given a more complex plot line in the new adaptation. 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. 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.". Its a complete waste of time for our children who will eventually become whining Disney adults. 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. 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 1952 version of the story below! 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. ", clearly implying it's cutting off the hand. It might also have to do with some version of whitewashing, as most of the voice actors are white people? Yet, they and their media family, (like ESPN) are always the first in line seeking to cancel anything that remotely upsets them. It may contain outdated cultural depictions.. ", 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.".