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Live-Action ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’
- Thread starter NateD1226
- Start date
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
Disney is being positioned in the culture war by those looking for an easy, identifiable target for their grievances. It’s why only Disney’s lacklustre box-office performances are framed as ideological failures while equivalent, or worse, performances from other studios are shrugged off. It’s why Barbie’s strong feminist message is downplayed by the same people who insist that today’s Disney hates men. It didn’t used to be this way, even a few short years ago. What’s changed isn’t so much the tenor of Disney’s output as it is the way that Disney is being spoken of and characterised.
AdventureHasAName
Well-Known Member
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
The word “leak” should tell you something. Disney’s public messaging generally avoids controversy at all costs.
GimpYancIent
Well-Known Member
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
Could you elaborate?
AdventureHasAName
Well-Known Member
I'll answer for him. The leaked video is why we know that Disney has placed itself firmly and intentionally in the center of the culture wars. Before the leak we knew it was firm, but we didn't know it was intentional ... now we do. And that is why your assertion in a previous post that Disney had been placed in the culture wars unwillingly by others is kind of ridiculous.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
There are other behind-the-scenes conversations that take place—the one that initially decided to suppress the gay kiss in Lightyear, for example—that run the other way. A big company like Disney has bedfellows across the political spectrum (as its donations show).
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CJR
Well-Known Member
Correct. Sorry, I was less than clear. I was talking about all of Disney's releases, not just the animated remakes. The Haunted Mansion, being the latest.
People are rewatching old Disney movies in general instead of seeing anything new, in mass.
That could buck the trend with Wish, and I'd love to see it, they worked hard on it and know the stakes, I think. Elemental also showed some life, although it's profitability status is not there. Moreover, total up Disney's overall loses over the last year and it's not a good number.
I'd also wager that Pinocchio, Disenchanted (not a remake, but a sequel), and others haven't had much feet in streaming. I'd place a bet that in July 2023, less than a year later, Walt Disney's Pinocchio is streamed more and Enchanted is streamed more. Neither were real hits. Those also weren't cheap, despite feeling cheap when I watched them (I mean Pinocchio had Tom Hanks).
Tha Realest
Well-Known Member
The D+ Pinocchio kind of came and went, and other than ridicule at its pacing, story decisions, gags and uncanny valley, didn’t really seem to move he needle for anyone. Del Toro’s film was widely acclaimed and I believe won awards.
The inherent problem is the former cost $150M, and the latter $35M.
CJR
Well-Known Member
That's it exactly. I feel the same has been true for a lot of Disney's projects too.
They're too expensive from the start and they try to play creative things too safely, to appease branding requirements, so that all that's there is a bland boring story.
Del Toro was attached to The Haunted Mansion at one point, but he was "too scary". It makes you wonder how Disney would be if they let creative people be creative and didn't give them corporate boxes to check off when working with the company.
doctornick
Well-Known Member
Opposing the Florida bill on school content was a very public position that thrust them in a controversial situation that was going to bother a sizeable portion of their customer base. Avoiding controversy would have not been getting involved at all in the situation.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
They got involved only after they were criticised for not doing so initially. Which backs up the point I made earlier: Disney takes decisions and engages in actions that rub people of all political persuasions the wrong way. The idea that the company is in thrall to “SJW” types is especially funny to me as someone who inhabits a very left-wing professional environment in which there is little affection or respect for Disney (I’m largely “closeted” in my fandom).
Tha Realest
Well-Known Member
Several companies pledged to oppose it. Disney initially took a noncommittal position, then over-compensated (to make up for their perceived inactivity) by saying stuff like how they were going to actively lobby against the bill (and I seem to recall those who voted to pass it?). That, coupled with the leaks, made them more of a target than others which took a more public position in opposition to the bill early on. I also believe Disney’s outsized position in entertainment (and family entertainment in general) made their actions more noticeable.
GimpYancIent
Well-Known Member
Really? Disney does not like it when anything not massaged, pre-screened and approved becomes public knowledge. The actual discussions, planning and coordinating are not intended for public viewing. Heaven forbid the public becomes aware of the real thought process.
LittleBuford
Well-Known Member
Yes, I wanted to make sure I understood you correctly. I wouldn’t have asked otherwise. At any rate, thank you for your explanation.
Tony the Tigger
Well-Known Member
Nor should they be.
Because they might blow something up that blows back on the business?
GimpYancIent
Well-Known Member
Might? The Disney management team and cronies have set off plenty of accidental detonations with negative collateral damage to the business, its actually refreshing to get a glimpse as to why. Poor judgement and not knowing the audience = not entertaining ( TWDC is supposed to deliver entertainment).Nor should they be.
Because they might blow something up that blows back on the business?
Tony the Tigger
Well-Known Member
One person’s “poor judgment” is a better person’s moral imperative.