Christian filmmakers praise Walt, fault Disney Co

[brisem]

Christian filmmakers praise Walt, fault Disney Co
Mon Oct 22, 2007 6:42pm ET


LOS ANGELES, Oct 22 (Reuters) - Hundreds of Christian filmmakers gathered on Monday in Texas to study entertainment pioneer Walt Disney and how they believe his corporate heirs at the Walt Disney Co (DIS.N: Quote, Profile , Research) went astray from his family-friendly legacy.

The Christian Filmmakers Academy, which trains aspiring filmmakers and promotes the making of films with "biblical values," contends that the Walt Disney Co has became "an engine of cultural decline after Walt's death" that exercises an alarmingly vast global influence.

The two-day analysis of Disney, the man and the corporation, is part of the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival and Third Annual Christian Filmmakers Academy.


Despite their admiration of Walt Disney, the focus on Disney the company reflects growing discomfort among some evangelical Christians with the content and reach of the company's entertainment products.

Disney's relationship with the U.S. Christian community has been strained over the past decade over issues such as Disney policies considered friendly to gays, although Christian groups in 2005 halted a nine-year boycott of the company.

The Texas event gives a rare glimpse into the world of Christian entertainment and filmmakers who are trying to create alternatives to mass-market fare using as a model the founder of a company they have widely criticized.

"What we really see is a decline in the ethics and standards of where (Walt) Disney was coming from," Academy founder Doug Phillips said. "We are making the case that there is a departure toward politically correct filmmaking that has a negative effect on family."
Disney did not respond to requests for comment.

Over the years, evangelicals have been angered by what they described as Disney's gay friendly policies that included airing a "coming out" episode on the ABC television show "Ellen" and allowing gay and lesbian days at Disney parks.

The groups also objected to some films with graphic or anti-religious themes released by Disney's art-house film unit Miramax, including "Priest," "Dogma," and "Pulp Fiction."

The company has made big marketing pushes aimed at Christian consumers in recent years with the films "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and Mel Gibson's "Apocalypto."


"I have no illusions that the Walt Disney Company is motivated out of love or even deference to Christians in America in their filmmaking decisions," Phillips said. "They follow the dollar and they play different sides against each other."

Budding filmmakers will study Walt's mastery of cutting-edge technology and classic storytelling and the "19th century values" -- monogamy, faithfulness, patriotism and virtue -- that infused his stories, Geoffrey Botkin, an Academy faculty member, said.

"Walt really was inventive in ways that were really valuable to the filmmakers we are training," Botkin said. "Walt was not tied into the dominating filmmaking center in New York. Our filmmakers want to be outside of Hollywood."

Botkin said early Pixar films created by Walt devotee John Lasseter have "an understanding of classic storytelling" but he described Disney blockbusters like "Pirates of the Caribbean" as "incoherent" and "not made for families."

© Reuters 2007. All Rights Reserved.

 

[ImaYoyo]

Wow. They obviously did not see a lot of Walt's works, or just covered their eyes. But now that he's gone, they open their eyes wide, don't they! Walt didn't do things for any particular religious community, he did many things to provide family entertainment (many, not all that he did was 100% family-friendly), which is still a core value of TWDC. They've eliminated smoking from future pictures and show elements of acceptance, forgiviness and tolerance. Sounds like this group could take a page out of TWDC's book.

It's so sad. I'm so ashamed of groups like this Preach tolerance and acceptance but don't live it or let other people make their own choices.

 

[sbkline]

It's so sad. I'm so ashamed of groups like this Preach tolerance and acceptance but don't live it or let other people make their own choices.

No one is stopping others from making their own choices. People are free to make their own choices and other people are free to form opinions about said choices based on their values system.

I agree with most of what these Christian groups are saying. I disapprove of homosexuality. And I don't like it that the Disney Company is increasingly putting their stamp of approval on what I consider immoral behavior.

But "not letting other people make their own choices"? Come on! Who's stopping them. Sure, there are those who go out and beat the crap out of gays, and that's wrong. But the Christians in question aren't exactly calling for an inquisition or a lynch mob to round up gays and force them to become straight or die. They are simply expressing their opinion, just like we are all entitled to do. No one is keeping others from making their own lifestyle choices. They are just stating what they believe on the subject.

 

[ImaYoyo]

I see what you are saying, and that's great to have those moral values. But Disney is providing equality to it's Cast Members, which apparently (per this group) is wrong. I completely agree this group is entitled to their opinion, and I'm glad they're expressing their opinion. However, what I'm saying is that I disagree with that opinion; the opinion that we all shouldn't have equal rights and equal access to healthcare and other company benefits. If this group disapproves of Disney's decision to give healthcare to certain groups of people, they're saying we're not all equal, and that we're not all entitled to the same things.

 

[The Mom]

I can't see this going anywhere but downhill. A particular group expressed an opinion about the WDW company and their policies at different points in history based upon their religious convictions; depending upon your individual morality you either agree or disagree with them.

Nothing to see here; move along.