Will Snow White's Enchanted Wish suffer same fate as Splash Mountain following Peter Dinklage's comments?

[WDWJoeG]

Actually dwarfism is very much recognized as a disability. Dwarfism is extremely expensive disorder, both because of the treatments and of the complications. Children with dwarfism, in addition to having problems with their skeletal system, may also suffer from hearing loss, vision loss, heart defects, intense pain, arthritis, and breathing problems, which can follow them into adulthood and drive up healthcare costs substantially throughout their lifetime.

There are different types of treatments for dwarfism will ultimately depend on the underlying condition, but at a high price. Surgeries can change directions bones are growing, correct the spine, and more, but many patients must undergo many to deal with the symptoms. The operations, hospital stays, physical therapy, and recuperation can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

For example, some patients decide to have limb lengthening surgeries, which make them the taller than their condition allows. Height Lengthening reported their operations usually costs between $50,000 and $75,000. Traditional, more invasive leg lengthening surgeries, according to NBC News, often go as high as $200,000 and require three to four months of constant attention as the patient's legs are stretched after being broken.

However, those that are born with complications associated with dwarfism, mainly orthopedic, could be considered disabled. There are also access issues and problems even with healthy dwarfs/little people that could also classify them as disabled. For example, most dwarfs/little people cannot reach an automated teller machine (ATM) or the ones at supermarket checkouts. Gas/petrol pumps and even pay phones are sometimes impossible to use. It’s the little things (pun intended) that people often don’t think about when engaging a dwarf/little person. Dwarfs become accustomed to the way we do things because most of the time, they don’t have a choice and just have to soldier on. But in many cases, there are times where they need help/assistance because access just isn’t available to them. Dwarfism is a recognized condition under the Americans with Disability Act.

Man, that dancing scene with Snow White is going to be a lot less fun to watch.

 

[mickEblu]

I'm reminded that Disney already took a cinematic classic and ruined it by going Woke like this. Audiences stayed away in droves, and it ended up costing the studio machine that made it at least one hundred million dollars. One hundred to one hundred and fifty Millions of dollars went up in smoke. Gone.

The 2022 remake of West Side Story is that example. As if West Side Story needed to be remade anyway?! It was perfect the first time, and beloved. But they went Woke, made a big deal about using a Trans actress (which got it banned by government censors in some overseas markets), and gave it all a modern take that left audiences staying home in droves. Critics and the HR Department officially raved about it, but the actual paying audiences voted with their wallet and stayed away in droves. And then waited in line to see Spiderman again instead.

From December 26th, when the film had been in theaters for weeks...

With just $36.6 million in ticket sales, âWest Side Storyâ is officially a box-office bomb

"West Side Story" is a box-office bomb, having only generated around $36 million in ticket sales on a $100 million production budget.

www.cnbc.com

And on the exact same day, CNBC released this info about Spiderman's box office...

'Spider-Man: No Way Home' becomes first pandemic-era film to break $1 billion at global box office

"Spider-Man: No Way Home" reached $1.05 billion at the global box office over the Christmas weekend.

www.cnbc.com

Wow I didn’t even know this came out. How about this guy as the fairy God(Mother?) in the recent Cinderella remake. So endearing.

Obviously these choices aren’t being made with box office returns or steams in mind right?

 

[TP2000]

Dwarfism is a recognized condition under the Americans with Disability Act.

All of that was quite interesting! And I am not so naive to think that a dwarf does not have medical problems that a taller person wouldn't have.

But, I guess my thought is that when I see a dwarf I don't think "Oh, that poor soul! God bless him for still getting out into society and trying to live his life!" I may see that when I see a profoundly disabled person in an automatic wheelchair, or a fellow veteran who lost both legs and an arm in Afghanistan or Iraq.

But a dwarf? I just see them as another fellow human who is shorter than me. I guess I never elevated (pardon the pun) their status to "disability", nor would I take pity on them for being "disabled". That Paralympian quoted above probably doesn't want my pity either, because he's out there kicking butt in his life and doing great things.

The Seven Dwarves just don't register to me as "disabled" when I see them at Disneyland or on a movie screen. And they never will. They are a beloved group of supporting actors who are icons in American pop culture. And they are short and Dopey needs a better tailor. But disabled? Nope!

 

[Phroobar]

Wow I didn’t even know this came out. How about this guy as the fairy God(Mother?) in the recent Cinderella remake. So endearing.
Obviously these choices aren’t being made with box office returns or steams in mind right?

Hard to tell with that one since it never received a domestic or international release. It went straight to Amazon streaming. I'm not sure how that translates to dollars for Sony though. I'm sure it's really complicated.

 

[DrAlice]

Ok, maybe I'm totally obtuse (probably), or I read too many fantasy stories, or whatever, but there isn't a single day of my life that I have considered the 7 dwarfs to be 7 humans with dwarfism. I've never made that connection. Like ever. It's a fairy tale. There are creatures of all kinds in fairy tales. To me, the dwarfs were just another creature. I never even thought of people with dwarfism, so even if they were portrayed poorly, I wouldn't consider that to be a commentary on humans with dwarfism. Again, maybe I'm just obtuse.

 

[Phroobar]

All of that was quite interesting! And I am not so naive to think that a dwarf does not have medical problems that a taller person wouldn't have.

But, I guess my thought is that when I see a dwarf I don't think "Oh, that poor soul! God bless him for still getting out into society and trying to live his life!" I may see that when I see a profoundly disabled person in an automatic wheelchair, or a fellow veteran who lost both legs and an arm in Afghanistan or Iraq.

But a dwarf? I just see them as another fellow human who is shorter than me. I guess I never elevated (pardon the pun) their status to "disability", nor would I take pity on them for being "disabled". That Paralympian quoted above probably doesn't want my pity either, because he's out there kicking butt in his life and doing great things.

The Seven Dwarves just don't register to me as "disabled" when I see them at Disneyland or on a movie screen. And they never will. They are a beloved group of supporting actors who are icons in American pop culture. And they are short and Dopey needs a better tailor. But disabled? Nope!

However, Dinklage is right. If your going to make a live action version of Snow White, you can't make dwarfs the comic relief that they are in cartoon or make them live in a cave. There needs to be some dignity presenting someone that is "born different" with a disability. I bet you could understand that.

 

[mickEblu]

Ok, maybe I'm totally obtuse (probably), or I read too many fantasy stories, or whatever, but there isn't a single day of my life that I have considered the 7 dwarfs to be 7 humans with dwarfism. I've never made that connection. Like ever. It's a fairy tale. There are creatures of all kinds in fairy tales. To me, the dwarfs were just another creature. I never even thought of people with dwarfism, so even if they were portrayed poorly, I wouldn't consider that to be a commentary on humans with dwarfism. Again, maybe I'm just obtuse.

Creatures? Are you trying to get cancelled?

 

[DrAlice]

Creatures? Are you trying to get cancelled?

Like I said... obtuse.

And no... ffs, before someone accuses me of it: I did NOT SAY humans with dwarfism are creatures. Good lawd.

 

[TP2000]

However, Dinklage is right. If your going to make a live action version of Snow White, you can't make dwarfs the comic relief that they are in cartoon. There needs to be some dignity presenting someone that is "born different" with a disability. I bet you could understand that.

Sure. But I never saw the dwarves as undignified in the original movie, or any of their appearances at Disneyland in parades and stage shows.

Is there a comedy aspect to them? Of course. Their different personalities are exaggerated to achieve that comic relief. They were included in the movie to provide the comic relief an audience needs, and the box office results and their continued popularity 90 years later speaks for itself.

But the way Mr. Dinklage and others are talking, you'd think the Seven Dwarves were sideshow freaks who were forced to dance by sending electric jolts to their cages.

If you make them non-human by turning them into "magical creatures", that seems to be highly offensive. If you pretend they aren't short... okay. So it's just going to be a collection of seven grown men who are normal height and have unique personalities? Sounds kind of dull.

Am I the only one who never thought of the Seven Dwarves as undignified? They have dignity, and humanity, and silly names with wacky personalities, and they sing a fun song together. That's called entertainment.

 

[Mac Tonight]

Wow I didn’t even know this came out. How about this guy as the fairy God(Mother?) in the recent Cinderella remake. So endearing.

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Obviously these choices aren’t being made with box office returns or steams in mind right?

I don’t know what I found more annoying: the Hairy Godfather… or James Corden.

And for the record, no. I didn’t actually watch it.

 

[mickEblu]

I don’t know what I found more annoying: the Hairy Godfather… or James Corden.

And for the record, no. I didn’t actually watch it.

LMAO the Hairy Godfather! Who does Corden play?

 

[DrAlice]

If you make them non-human by turning them into "magical creatures", that seems to be highly offensive.

Ok, but then does that mean we can't write, read, or enjoy fantasy stories that have different species of beings* in them? Not everything is a slight to somebody. Sometimes, it just IS.

*Is that better than "creature", @mickEblu ? That's what I meant anyway. haha..

 

[TP2000]

Ok, maybe I'm totally obtuse (probably), or I read too many fantasy stories, or whatever, but there isn't a single day of my life that I have considered the 7 dwarfs to be 7 humans with dwarfism. I've never made that connection. Like ever.

It's not just you, and you are not obtuse.

I'm right there with you, as I suspect most of the Disneyland and film audiences are.

In decades of interacting with these characters in Disney media and parks, I never once considered the Seven Dwarves to have any sort of disability, or to be inferior humans in any way.

They are simply beloved characters from a beloved movie. Hi-Ho!

 

[mickEblu]

Ok, but then does that mean we can't write, read, or enjoy fantasy stories that have different species of beings* in them? Not everything is a slight to somebody. Sometimes, it just IS.

*Is that better than "creature", @mickEblu ? That's what I meant anyway. haha..

Hahah that’s probably better but I was just playing around. I always saw the dwarfs as human dwarfs as I Imagine the vast majority of people do?

 

[DrAlice]

It's not just you, and you are not obtuse.

I'm right there with you, as I suspect most of the Disneyland and film audiences are.

Hahah that’s probably better but I was just playing around. I always saw the dwarfs as human dwarfs as I Imagine the vast majority of people do?

Oh Snap! Now someone needs to make a survey. Clearly there are two groups of us here.

 

[WDWJoeG]

It's not just you, and you are not obtuse.

I'm right there with you, as I suspect most of the Disneyland and film audiences are.

In decades of interacting with these characters in Disney media and parks, I never once considered the Seven Dwarves to have any sort of disability, or to be inferior humans in any way.

They are simply beloved characters from a beloved movie. Hi-Ho!

And they run a (apparently quite lucrative by the size of the gems) mining operation, are her loyal companions who are willing to die at the hands of the witch to save her, and mourn for her at her casket.

How dare you, Disney! Disgusting!

 

[Phroobar]

But the way Mr. Dinklage and others are talking, you'd think the Seven Dwarves were sideshow freaks who were forced to dance by sending electric jolts to their cages.

From what I gather from what Mr. Dinklage is talk about they were being presented that way in the production. That is why Disney decided to make them "magical creatures" instead of reworking and reshooting the movie. I'm sure they weren't being portrayed like the townsfolk in Willow but more like dimwitted Munchkins from the Wizard of Oz.

 

[TP2000]

Ok, but then does that mean we can't write, read, or enjoy fantasy stories that have different species of beings* in them? Not everything is a slight to somebody. Sometimes, it just IS.

*Is that better than "creature", @mickEblu ? That's what I meant anyway. haha..

Oh, not not at all.

I merely meant that we all know the Seven Dwarves are humans. That fact is already baked in to this story. If you somehow think it's now "offensive" to be dwarves, then you aren't going to make it better by stripping them of their humanity and making them non-human.

That would seem to me to be wildly offensive; you aren't medically normal and the ADA law says you have a disability so we're not going to allow you to be human any longer. Poof! You're a magical creature now, so dance and sing for us at key plotline points!

Any other existing story, or any new story yet to be written, can certainly create characters that are non-human. But the Seven Dwarves are humans. They aren't "magical creatures", and turning them into that seems more offensive than just letting them be the Seven Dwarves.

 

[mickEblu]

From what I gather from what Mr. Dinklage is talk about they were being presented that way in the production. That is why Disney decided to make them "magical creatures" instead of reworking and reshooting the movie. I'm sure they weren't being portrayed like the townsfolk that Willow but more like Munchkins from the Wizard of Oz.

View attachment 616804

You know you re an 80s kid when you see the Willow picture you posted and start whistling the music they play during the village festival.

 

[Phroobar]

You know you re an 80s kid when you see the Willow picture you posted and start whistling the music they play during the village festival.

I love that movie and can't wait for the show.