'Strange World' Disney's 2022 Animated Film

[Californian Elitist]

Exactly. Bugs dresses in drag only to fool his foes. Pleakly wears women’s clothes every chance he gets, just because he loves it.

Yes. I was going to say this in my post, but I didn’t feel like it lol. Bugs is a trickster and will do whatever it takes to get what he wants/trick folks, including dressing like a woman. Pleakley actually likes dressing in women’s clothing and therefore does so to express himself.

No comparison.

 

[TP2000]

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

Don't worry, it's not you, it's me. I had never seen any Harry Potter movies at all. About a year after Potter World (or whatever it's called) opened at Universal Studios Hollywood, I went with the family. We went on their big E Ticket which was visually impressive, but I had absolutely no idea what was happening or why I should care.

The biggest head scratcher for me was that small and rather theme-killing roller coaster, where a giant chicken is flapping its wings at you as you ascend the lift hill. The kids got a big kick out of me asking what the giant chicken's name was.

The Dragon movies sound genuinely lovely and fun. It also sounds like they included the gay Viking very organically and naturally and tastefully fun, as a character should be included. Bravo to the Dragon movies for that!

 

[LittleBuford]

The Dragon movies sound genuinely lovely and fun. It also sounds like they included the gay Viking very organically and naturally and tastefully fun, as a character should be included. Bravo to the Dragon movies for that!

It’s interesting that you consider a Viking checking out another man’s behind more tasteful than an innocent teenage crush. Those Midwestern Moms you keep going on about seem to be strangely selective in what they feel they need to protect their children from.

 

[TP2000]

I don't think Disco Duck was Disney, although they included a rip-off song called "Macho Duck" on that overall ghastly Mickey Mouse Disco album from the late disco era. But that cringe-worthy album probably illustrates your overall point.

Oh, you're right! It was Macho Duck that I was thinking of. Disco Duck came before that by a couple years, when Disco was genuinely booming with young people and very hip.

Disney, as per usual, was late to the pop-culture party by several years and the results were predictably cringey.

 

[TP2000]

It’s interesting that you consider a Viking checking out another man’s behind more tasteful than an innocent teenage crush. I Those Midwestern Moms you keep going on about seem to be strangely selective in what they feel they need to protect their children from.

Maybe it was just the way he described the scene, but I thought it sounded kind of funny.

I bet a few Midwest Moms have checked out a Viking's rear before themselves, and may have giggled at the scene also.

What I have learned definitively however, is that there were gay characters in family animation a decade ago, and it was handled well enough that it went right on by without ruffled feathers. I wonder if the DreamWorks PR team made a big deal about the "First Gay Character!" or if they just let it exist organically within the storyline of characters? It sounds like they didn't do much PR about it.

I also do think a studio like DreamWorks is allowed the luxury of pushing boundaries a bit more than films branded Walt Disney Animation. Even Pixar gets more leeway than Walt Disney Animation. That may not be fair, but it's the commercial reality.

 

[LittleBuford]

Maybe it was just the way he described the scene, but I thought it sounded kind of funny.

I bet a few Midwest Moms have checked out a Viking's rear before themselves, and may have giggled at the scene also.

What I have learned definitively however, is that there were gay characters in family animation a decade ago, and it was handled well enough that it went right on by without ruffled feathers. I wonder if the DreamWorks PR team made a big deal about the "First Gay Character!" or if they just let it exist organically within the storyline of characters? It sounds like they didn't do much PR about it.

I also do think a studio like DreamWorks is allowed the luxury of pushing boundaries a bit more than films branded Walt Disney Animation. Even Pixar gets more leeway than Walt Disney Animation. That may not be fair, but it's the commercial reality.

Ah, so it’s no longer about gay content being inherently unsuitable for under-12s, which was your position yesterday in post after post. The goalposts shift once again.

 

[Disney Analyst]

It’s interesting that you consider a Viking checking out another man’s behind more tasteful than an innocent teenage crush. Those Midwestern Moms you keep going on about seem to be strangely selective in what they feel they need to protect their children from.

Oh these Midwesterner’s pick and choose what to be angry about every other day. Usually based off of what new outrage machine certain… groups are pushing.

 

[TP2000]

Ah, so it’s longer about gay content being inherently unsuitable for under-12s, which was your position yesterday in post after post. The goalposts shift once again.

The goalposts for Walt Disney Animation didn't shift with me.

But the goalposts for other studios like DreamWorks, that has a more modern and edgier brand in the marketplace, are placed at a different spot than the goalposts for product branded Walt Disney Animation.

Apparently audiences felt the same way, as I don't remember any big social commentary a decade ago about a gay Viking. Was there such a social commentary and I just missed it?

 

[LittleBuford]

The goalposts for Walt Disney Animation didn't shift with me.

But the goalposts for other studios like DreamWorks, that has a more modern and edgier brand in the marketplace, are placed at a different spot than the goalposts for product branded Walt Disney Animation.

Apparently audiences felt the same way, as I don't remember any big social commentary a decade ago about a gay Viking. Was there such a social commentary and I just missed it?

So, to be clear, you don’t consider such content inherently inappropriate for children unless the company producing the film is Disney?

 

[TP2000]

So, to be clear, you don’t consider such content inherently inappropriate for children unless the company producing the film is Disney?

I think studios like DreamWorks, even Universal, are afforded far more leeway in adding stuff like Viking butt jokes to their movies.

If Frozen had a joke about a gay Viking checking out that lumberjack's butt, it would have caused huge controversy for Disney. And because Frozen was branded Walt Disney Animation, I would find the controversy understandable.

It also sounds like the mentions of the gay Viking's sexuality were coded and nuanced. A passing line like "That's why I don't have a wife. That and another reason." likely goes right over the heads of children. Perhaps even some naive adults. I doubt it came up in discussion on the car ride home.

 

[mickEblu]

It's not unreasonable at all.

But we've somehow gotten to a place where if you don't bow down and pretend that it's entirely responsible, and even mandatory, to explain gay marriage and homosexuality to your child as soon as they reach pre-school then you are a hateful bigot living in the Dark Ages.

There is great nuance to this topic. An 8 year old is radically different than a 14 year old. And parents instinctively know that.

I feel the same way. If my son was 12/13 AND the movie had great reviews I’d probably take him to see it if he wanted to go. Do I particularly care for it in any Disney animated movie? No. Plus it’s a moot point as I don’t think Disney will ever make PG 13 animated movies. Then again maybe they should if they continue losing money?

 

[TP2000]

I feel the same way. If my son was 12/13 AND the movie had great reviews I’d probably take him to see it if he wanted to go. Do I particularly care for it in any Disney animated movie? No.

That gets us back to the branding angle to this story. Burbank seems to have forgotten what their brands were, and how they differed.

Plus it’s a moot point as I don’t think Disney will ever make PG 13 animated movies. Then again maybe they should if they continue losing money?

Never say never on PG-13 rated animation from Walt Disney Animation. They don't release G rated movies anymore. A decade ago Frozen was rated PG, for instance. I haven't figured out if that's due to the MPAA changing its standards for G ratings versus PG ratings, or if Disney changed its content in its family animation. It's probably a combination of those two things.

It ALWAYS cracks me up now when the ratings warnings show up that lump in nudity and profanity with "smoking".

 

[Vegas Disney Fan]

Thought I’d add this for reference for those who haven’t seen the film, these are all the “controversial” scenes.

Not exactly xxx.

 

[doctornick]

well, while I would argue that both look like guys, I will say that the designs for both characters are such that I think an inattentive viewer might think that Diazo is a girl. Ethan both had a male name and is frequently called “son” so it’s not ambiguous but I could see someone being confused about Diazo.

 

[BuddyThomas]

well, while I would argue that both look like guys, I will say that the designs for both characters are such that I think an inattentive viewer might think that Diazo is a girl. Ethan both had a male name and is frequently called “son” so it’s not ambiguous but I could see someone being confused about Diazo.

Diazo is a male name and this thread has become freaking ridiculous.

 

[BuddyThomas]

I feel like anyone who’s has spent enough time with gay men would probably not be surprised by Diazo’s look. He looks like plenty of gay men that I’ve run into.

He looks like my best friend from college,

 

[Prince-1]

Seriously, thank you for being such a strong ally to the community. Standing up to these people often results in deletions, warnings, and bans. I know you are straight and am very grateful for your support to the LGBTQ members of this site.

This truly means a lot to me. You know I have a son who is gay and I know that it is not a choice he made but rather how he was born. I don’t put up with ignorance and homophobic remarks from close minded individuals. Period.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

When I saw Lilo and Stitch as a kid (saw it at Michael Jackson’s Never Land Ranch, fun fact), I picked up that Pleakley was not only gay, but a cross-dresser immediately. Pretty sure the other kids in the theater did, too. That was 20+ years ago.

Based on the movie I just saw it that Pleakley is an alien and wears human clothing to fit in. He wears women's clothing because, as an alien, he wouldn't realize that humans assign certain types of clothing to different genders.

If we had to explain to an alien that boys must wear blue and wear pants while girls must wear pink and wear dresses the alien would be baffled that we would arbitrarily make such rules and adhere to them.

 

[BuddyThomas]

I would argue that to most people, they would watch a movie before posting opinions about it.

 

[Prince-1]

This truly means a lot to me. You know I have a son who is gay and I know that it is not a choice he made but rather how he was born. I don’t put up with ignorance and homophobic remarks from close minded individuals. Period.

@The Mom - Thanks for leaving this post up.