CoP Continuity Problems

[Hakunamatata]

I think we also should remember the possibility that we are seeing the same family in different space time continuems. Each scene is a snapshot of the same family, but in different strands of time and space. It just so happens that the snapshots catch them in different moments in time in the four different "universes" and they happen to be the same age.
:lookaroun

 

[CaptainJackNO]

Aren't we nit-picking a bit here? :animwink:
It's a classic, and when it's all said and done, the message is effectively delivered. I couldn't care less what the hair color is, the names, and the number of kids. Maybe one of the kids ran away during the depression? Maybe they joined the foreign legion during WWII? Maybe the same kid actually changed rooms?
Thanks, now I have a headache. Does it matter?:lol:

 

[wolf359]

Does it matter?:lol:

Not one bit! It's still a favorite, and a true classic.

Perhaps with all of the other pre-95 elements coming back to Tomorrowland the next Carousel rehab will bring back "Now Is The Time" to continue the retro-TL theme.

 

[trr1]

Wikipedia is a lovely thing and all but anyone can write whatever they want. I could go in there and write that CoP is about eight families and publish it, wouldn't make it accurate.

This is directly from the original 1975-1985 Peoplemover script.

[FONT=Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif]Jack Wagner: We're now moving past the Carousel Of Progress. Where four warm and humorous families welcome you into their homes of yesterday and today, starting way back at the turn of the century. First presented at the New York World's Fair, this famous theater-in-the-round celebrates how progress through electricity has contributed to better living. [/FONT]

So, who do we believe. Disney, who has mentioned not once but twice that it's four families. Or a Wikipedia article written by Joe Anyman.

Once again, going with Disney.

way back in 2000 now :ROFLOL:

 

[UberPlannerMom]

Whenever I have questioned whether or not it is one family, one thing makes me believe it IS one family. "Can't git no privcy round herre...nun a 'tall!" If isn't supposed to be one family then we should believe that each generation is cursed with that annoying uncle? Seriously?

 

[wolf359]

Ah, but if it's one family all through the years, shouldn't Patrica also remember a time before "car phones" or house phones without Grandpa reminding her?

 

[David S.]

I agree with Miss M. I believe the characters are supposed to be the same in each scene. There is continuity such as Uncle Orville, the dog Rover, etc, as well as the names and appearance of the main characters. That doesn't mean that they LITERALLY have lived for over 100 years; it's more like "How would these same characters react IF they could have experienced all these eras". And that's why IMO Patricia doesn't remember the "old days without a car phone". The Patricia in the finale scene wasn't supposed to be old enough to remember the older eras, but the version of herself in the older scenes did experience those times.

It's like what hakunamatata said about the family in each scene being an alternate universe version of themselves, living in different times.

As far as the TTA naration being the "official" description, the opening scene in the actual show implies it's one family, as Miss M said.

I agree that the logic here is something you're supposed to just accept with a grain of pixie dust!

 

[rsoxguy]

I also agree with MissM's assessment, although unkadug may have a point. :lookaroun

 

[powlessfamily4]

Here's a novel idea, why don't we just enjoy it and not over analyze it? ROFL

I think we are all right. It is exactly what each of us want to make it in our own minds. That is the magic of Disney.

 

[WDWmazprty]

Here's a novel idea, why don't we just enjoy it and not over analyze it? ROFL

I think we are all right. It is exactly what each of us want to make it in our own minds. That is the magic of Disney.

Amen

 

[NORMNB8S]

Here's a novel idea, why don't we just enjoy it and not over analyze it? ROFL

I think we are all right. It is exactly what each of us want to make it in our own minds. That is the magic of Disney.

SHENANIGANS!

It wouldn't be a message board without at least one person over-analyzing something that Disney does.

On a side note, I totally agree that we should just enjoy it for what it is and not harp over hair color or telephones or whatever.

 

[Thrill Seeker]

I enjoy it for what it is too, but it's interesting to notice things like that...

 

[djdan]

I miss when the Father used to call the dog "Weenie" instead of "Rover"

 

[Oddysey]

No, the TTA narration is wrong. It's never supposed to be four different families, but the same family experiencing the changes of the years.

This has always bothered and baffled me since the new TTA narration was released. Not sure how imagineering could screw that up so badly.

 

[oxodizer]

As far as the phone is concerned, when this was presented at the World's Fair is was presented by GE. The purpose was to show the wonders of technology specifically through electricity. If you notice almost every technology they reference was changed drastically by electricity:washing machine, lights, oven, refrigerator, etc. The telephone wasn't really drastically different in the home over those years, at least not through electricity. G.E. simply wasn't promoting a technology that electricity had a heavy hand in updating. More specifically G.E. had almost nothing to do with telephones at that time.

 

[Phonedave]

"You know, Walt loved the idea of progress and he loved the American family. He himself was probably as American as anyone could possibly be. He thought it would be fun to watch the American family go through the twentieth century experiencing all new wonders as they came. And he put them together in a show called Carousel of Progress, which we are about to see."


This is just perfectly vague.

It does not say FOUR familes, nor does it say ONE family. It says THE AMERICAN FAMILY.

Notice the first sentence "Walt loved the idea of progress and he loved the American family."

This does not mean Walt loved ONE American family and the rest of them can go off. It means he loved the IDEA of the American family and what it represents.

The family in the CoP represent THE AMERICAN FAMILY. Some aspects from era to era are the same, so you can see how innovations effect similar people, in simplar situations, in different times. However they are also small changes, because it is not one family, but a representation of ALL American Families.

-dave

 

[gerryu21220]

I miss when the Father used to call the dog "Weenie" instead of "Rover"

Um, when did that happen??? I don't ever recall hearing that version.

Rover, Sport, and Buster are the only names I recall for the dog/dogs.

 

[djdan]

Um, when did that happen??? I don't ever recall hearing that version.

Rover, Sport, and Buster are the only names I recall for the dog/dogs.

I'm telling ya, I'm almost positive that I remember he called the dog Weenie in one of the scenes. I couldn't stop laughing! Maybe it was short lived? Had to be sometime in the 90's...

Am I wrong here?

 

[hpyhnt 1000]

"You know, Walt loved the idea of progress and he loved the American family. He himself was probably as American as anyone could possibly be. He thought it would be fun to watch the American family go through the twentieth century experiencing all new wonders as they came. And he put them together in a show called Carousel of Progress, which we are about to see."


This is just perfectly vague.

It does not say FOUR familes, nor does it say ONE family. It says THE AMERICAN FAMILY.

Notice the first sentence "Walt loved the idea of progress and he loved the American family."

This does not mean Walt loved ONE American family and the rest of them can go off. It means he loved the IDEA of the American family and what it represents.

The family in the CoP represent THE AMERICAN FAMILY. Some aspects from era to era are the same, so you can see how innovations effect similar people, in simplar situations, in different times. However they are also small changes, because it is not one family, but a representation of ALL American Families.

-dave

Thats probably true to some degree.

Just as another point, at the end of the opening speech of the CoP, the announcer points out that, "Although out carousel family has experienced a few changes over the years, our show still revolves around the same theme, and that's Progress. May the century begin!" Note the singular family, not families. Doesn't mean its the same family, but its definitely not mulitple families.

 

[Tigger1988]

This has always bothered and baffled me since the new TTA narration was released. Not sure how imagineering could screw that up so badly.

Except it's not "new". It was mentioned in the original 1970's Peoplemover script.

And yes as someone else mentioned "the" American family does not mean a single American family. It's a general term.