'Strange World' Disney's 2022 Animated Film

[TP2000]

Love that movie! But seriously you should get a hard copy if it is one you watch oftenish

I had the old DVD from a decade plus ago, replaced by the lovely Blu-Ray hardbound edition I bought five years ago. I watch it about every year or so. But tonight's discussion accusing me of being a secret racist who socializes with non-white bigots who are so bigoted they marry outside their race just to spite people (???) put me over the edge of hilarity. So I decided to remind myself of what a good and loving and beautiful person I actually am by watching it again tonight and laughing a bit.

But I'm at the old family beach house for the holidays, so I don't have the Blu-Ray as it's back at home. But my Amazon Prime membership goes around the world apparently. So I just shelled out the 4 bucks tonight and watched it again, in HD via streaming.

It's truly a wonderful movie. So many good lines from that film that made me laugh, and cry, all over again tonight!

"He thinks you're going to faint because he's a Negro.".... "Thank. You. Tilly.".... "Civil Rights is one thing, but this is something completely different."... "Less than 12% of the people in this city are colored people, and I can't even have a dish of Oregon boysenberry without running into one of them!"... "Start your motor, Hilary and get.. permanently... lost."

The only thing cool about Hilary was that hardtop Barracuda she drove, and when she "started her motor" it sounds like she had the 383 V8 instead of the standard and kind of wimpy 318 V8. So even if Hilary was a boring bigot, she at least knew to upgrade her... motor.

SUCH A GREAT MOVIE! WATCH IT, KIDS AND LEARN A FEW THINGS!



FUN FACT: The actress who played Hilary St. George went on to become Mrs. Olsen of Folger's commercial fame in the 1970's!

 

[TP2000]

Strange World is mediocre IMHO and I don’t think anything would have helped the box office, even a robust and quality advertising campaign.

I imagine Burbank knew that from their test audiences, which is partly why they abandoned its marketing.

The audience scores were just too subpar to expect it to get good word of mouth. That said, the streaming numbers do suggest that people were opening to see it… for “free” and in the comfort of their own homes.

Yes, there's the real problem. Asking American families to shell out 50 or 60 bucks to see a movie in theaters is apparently hard to do, instead of asking them to pay 8 bucks a month to see a movie "for free!".

Which is the fundamental problem with streaming and the traditional movie business. I don't envy Burbank execs in 2023 trying to figure out where to go from here. But sending Strange World to streaming so quickly doesn't help them at all.

Strange World was a historically huge flop. But don't admit it! Pretend it was a big hit and wait at least 90 days before sending it off to Disney+ for free. You are cheapening your own brand to do otherwise.

So I think the bigger point is how does Disney get folks to go to theaters to see animated films vs waiting for D+? And this is where popularity actually hurts Disney since D+ is one of the higher subscribed services so more people (especially among the target audience of families and Disneyphiles that drive box office numbers) have D+ as opposed to other services/companies putting out animated films - compare that to Peacock and Rise of Gru (for example) where few folks have that streaming service so they might be more apt to spend the money in theaters.

All true. No arguments from me on that!

How will Disney approach Elemental and Wish? I’m not sure there’s a great way forward but it has to start with holding titles from D+ for a lot longer. As I’ve said before, I’d actually wait 4-6 months after theatrical release to drop onto D+. Make Elemental the “movie we put on there around Christmas” title. Start breaking people if the learned habit to just wait for it at home.

Agreed. But they seem to be addicted to Disney+. What did they gain by sending Strange World to streaming for free only a month after it opened in theaters? They only reinforced the bad habits of the marketplace that now expects to see mega-budget movies for pennies on the dollar in the comfort of their own homes on their own 70 inch HD screen.

That's not a business model that works. So why are they doubling down on it?

Like I said, I don't envy them. They seem to be digging their own grave deeper and faster right now. Why?

 

[LittleBuford]

It was inherently sexual

No, it isn’t. A child does not need to know anything about sex in order to understand sexual orientation. Growing up, I knew my parents were straight—obviously, since they were a couple—without having any idea about, or interest in, what they got up to in the bedroom.

 

[TP2000]

No, it isn’t. A child does not need to know anything about sex in order to understand sexual orientation. Growing up, I knew my parents were straight—obviously, since they were a couple—without having any idea about, or interest in, what they got up to in the bedroom.

At age 8, it's just what you live with every day if you have a mother and father. And 99% of kids do.

But if you try to explain to an 8 year old why two fathers would be together it gets... a tad weird for most adults trying to explain that to an 8 year old.

Which is why I think I personally draw that line at about age 12. Even though I personally wouldn't be comfortable talking about it until about age 14, even though the kids probably have figured it out by age 12. But it's just weird and iffy to talk about with that age.

Especially if they aren't your kids. And since I don't have kids, and was merely a free babysitter on occasion, I certainly wasn't going to bring it up as a discussion point. I would be more comfortable avoiding it like the plague, to be honest. Isn't there something else we could talk about? Model airplanes, perhaps?

 

[LittleBuford]

But, again, as I’ve mentioned before, it’s sort of already happened with the How To Train Your Dragon films and nobody batted an eye.

It’s very telling that your mention of this has been entirely ignored by those who keep insisting that any children’s film with gay characters is doomed to failure.

 

[LittleBuford]

But if you try to explain to an 8 year old why two fathers would be together it gets... a tad weird for most adults trying to explain that to an 8 year old.

That’s on the adults. It has nothing to do with the issue being “inherently sexual”. You can present the information to children in a manner that doesn’t sexualise it in the least, just as my sister did with my niece and nephew as they were growing up.

 

[TP2000]

It’s very telling that your mention of this has been entirely ignored by those who keep insisting that any children’s film with gay characters is doomed to failure.

I saw that mention. I have to be honest, I had no idea what it was about.

How To Train Your Dragon. That was a movie? From Disney? I'm unfamiliar with it.

Should I Google, or does someone want to fill me in at this late hour?

 

[TP2000]

You can present the information to children in a manner that doesn’t sexualise it in the least, just as my sister did with my niece and nephew as they were growing up.

I suppose I could, as the Official Gay Uncle. But I wasn't comfortable doing that. So I didn't.

I just tried to ply them with pizza and Root Beer Floats and mini-golf and movies with fart jokes to keep them happy during those babysitting gigs. I didn't mention that I'm a gay man who has no wife and doesn't like girls much. I left that up to their parents to deal with. Later.

 

[LittleBuford]

I saw that mention. I have to be honest, I had no idea what it was about.

How To Train Your Dragon. That was a movie? From Disney? I'm unfamiliar with it.

Should I Google, or does someone want to fill me in at this late hour?

How To Train Your Dragon: An Ad-Lib Made Gobber A Rare Gay Animated Hero

Here’s how an ad-libbed How To Train Your Dragon line made Gobber gay.

screenrant.com

 

[LittleBuford]

I suppose I could, as the Official Gay Uncle. But I wasn't comfortable doing that. So I didn't.

I just tried to ply them with pizza and Root Beer Floats and mini-golf and movies with fart jokes to keep them happy during those babysitting gigs. I didn't mention that I'm a gay man who has no wife and doesn't like girls much. I left that up to their parents to deal with. Later.

You’re shifting the topic. My point was only that the information isn’t, as you claimed, “inherently sexual”.

 

[TP2000]

How To Train Your Dragon: An Ad-Lib Made Gobber A Rare Gay Animated Hero

Here’s how an ad-libbed How To Train Your Dragon line made Gobber gay.

screenrant.com

Okay. Thank you for the background info, I honestly had no idea what this movie was or who it was aimed at.

An improvised line in a 2014 film (non-Disney, apparently?) and a Viking butt joke makes this... the first gay animated character? I thought that belonged to the Lesbian in Lightyear? Or was it Ethan in Strange World? I've lost track.

Was the 2014 release of this animated gay Viking a big deal back then? I don't remember that, but I might have just forgotten. And not only am I from Swedish stock, I even still read The Advocate on occasion! So you'd think I would know.

It's late, and I've had caramel covered popcorn and a bottle of champagne while watching Guess Who's Coming To Dinner. But I do thank you for the background info on this 2014 gay Viking supporting character.

 

[TP2000]

You’re shifting the topic. My point was only that the information isn’t, as you claimed, “inherently sexual”.

No, I'm not shifting the topic. I'm being honest and forthright with you.

When I, as a grown adult gay man, interact with young boys the last thing I would introduce into casual conversation is sex and sexuality or why two men would live together as a couple. It's just not my place to discuss such things with other people's children, even within my own family. It's just not right or appropriate, in my humble opinion.

 

[LittleBuford]

Okay. Thank you for the background info, I honestly had no idea what this movie was or who it was aimed at.

An improvised line in a 2014 film (non-Disney, apparently?) and a Viking butt joke makes this... the first gay animated character? I thought that belonged to the Lesbian in Lightyear? Or was it Ethan in Strange World? I've lost track.

Was the 2014 release of this animated gay Viking a big deal back then? I don't remember that, but I might have just forgotten. And not only am I from Swedish stock, I even still read The Advocate on occasion! So you'd think I would know.

It's late, and I've had caramel covered popcorn and a bottle of champagne while watching Guess Who's Coming To Dinner. But I do thank you for the background info on this 2014 gay Viking supporting character.

You clearly didn’t read the whole thing. There’s a 2019 sequel in which the character’s homosexuality is further explored. And that film did very well at the box office.

 

[TP2000]

You clearly didn’t read the whole thing. There’s a 2019 sequel in which the character’s homosexuality is made clearer. And that film did very well.

I did read it. But the 2019 film did well? And the world still revolves on its axis around our sun?

So the Lesbian in Lightyear and Ethan in Strange World aren't groundbreaking? Then why did they fail in the marketplace, I wonder?

If there were gay Viking butt jokes in 2019, why was Karey Burke crying on Zoom in 2021 like she'd freed the enslaved?

My opinion: Disney does a really bad job at trying to be hip and cool and cutting edge. From Disco Duck in 1978 to the X Games at DCA in 2002 to Strange World in 2022, it always just comes off as fake and forced and faux. Or cringey, as the kids say.

 

[LittleBuford]

My opinion: Disney does a really bad job at trying to be hip and cool and cutting edge. From the X Games at DCA in 2002 to Strange World in 2022, it always just comes off as fake and forced and faux. Or cringey, as the kids say.

It’s impossible to hold such an opinion about a film you’ve never seen.

 

[TP2000]

It’s impossible to hold such an opinion about a film you’ve never seen.

To be fair, I only have a hazy memory of Disco Duck from 1978, and only sat through about 20 minutes of the trashy X Games show in that dusty amphitheater where Mater's Junkyard Jamboree now sits.

But I know they were a failure in the marketplace.

 

[TP2000]

Strange World is mediocre IMHO and I don’t think anything would have helped the box office, even a robust and quality advertising campaign. The audience scores were just too subpar to expect it to get good word of mouth....

That's a review sentiment we've seen here a few times.

It also apparently didn't test well, especially with its target audience of males.

How will Disney approach Elemental and Wish? I’m not sure there’s a great way forward but it has to start with holding titles from D+ for a lot longer. As I’ve said before, I’d actually wait 4-6 months after theatrical release to drop onto D+. Make Elemental the “movie we put on there around Christmas” title. Start breaking people if the learned habit to just wait for it at home.

I couldn't agree more! You would think when Bob Iger returned in the corporate coup six weeks ago that things would change. But they seem to have doubled down on their failing Disney+ strategy instead of rethinking, pausing, stepping back to regroup.

Which makes me wonder if Bob Iger, who started the whole Disney+ messiness, isn't behind the bad decision making himself?

They'd already lost huge financially on Strange World, and thus they had nothing to lose. So don't send it to streaming after only 30 days! Hold it! Make people wait for it. Retrain your dragon audience!

But instead they made it worse by sending $180 Million films to Disney+ for free a month later? Are they trying to sabotage all their future releases? What's the mid-term strategy here? I simply don't get it. They can't be this stupid. They just can't.

 

[Rich T]

Okay. Thank you for the background info, I honestly had no idea what this movie was or who it was aimed at.

An improvised line in a 2014 film (non-Disney, apparently?) and a Viking butt joke makes this... the first gay animated character? I thought that belonged to the Lesbian in Lightyear? Or was it Ethan in Strange World? I've lost track.

Was the 2014 release of this animated gay Viking a big deal back then? I don't remember that, but I might have just forgotten. And not only am I from Swedish stock, I even still read The Advocate on occasion! So you'd think I would know.

It's late, and I've had caramel covered popcorn and a bottle of champagne while watching Guess Who's Coming To Dinner. But I do thank you for the background info on this 2014 gay Viking supporting character.

The fact that you have never heard of my favorite movie of all time (live or animated) breaks my heart.

The first HTTYD is a masterpiece, and word of mouth turned it into Dreamworks’ most successful film. Looks like it’s going to be an entire land in Epic Universe. In the first movie, there is no obvious mention that Gobber the blacksmith (one of the main characters) is gay. In the second film, he reveals it through a casual line that’s charming and perfectly in character, and in the final movie he openly voices his attraction to another single Viking. So, director Dean DeBlois (who is gay) did wait until after the first film’s success to make Gobber’s orientation an official part of an already much-loved (thanks to great writing and Craig Ferguson’s wonderful voice acting) character.

Audiences kept going, reviewers usually casually mentioned the new character factoid, and I never heard anyone, in or out of the media, object to anything.

What I love about the situation is how casual it is, in and out of the film’s world. Gobber is not defined by his orientation. And the way it’s handled, it’s clear that in this Viking village everyone knows Gobber’s gay, and it’s every bit a non-issue as it is in the universe of Strange World. What matters is that he’s an incredible blacksmith, a great teacher, a fierce warrior who’s lost two limbs defending the island, and a great friend to most of the village. He’s the mentor to the film’s young main character, and the best friend of the Chief.

The things that fans and reviewers DID occasionally object to or point out were:

1) The adult Vikings have Scottish accents and the teenage Vikings have American accents. Somehow it works.

2) The Dragon who gets trained kind of resembles Stitch from Lilo and Stitch (also a Dean DeBlois film… which also features a major gay character no one objected to).

I think the thing to be learned from Dean DeBlois movies is that it’s the quality of the movie that matters most in box office races, not whether or not a major character happens to be gay.

 

[LittleBuford]

Lilo and Stitch (also a Chris Sanders film… which also features a major gay character no one objected to).

Wait, who?!

 

[Rich T]

Wait, who?!

Pleakly— though that’s not really played up until the animated series.