why does aladdin have a disclaimer
-why does aladdin have a disclaimer
However, when Aladdin points this out, the Genie insists Aladdin cannot have any more free wishes: GENIE: (Still as stewardess) Thank you for choosing Magic Carpet for all your travel needs. The sultans palace in Aladdin, left, and the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. The new . If you would like to comment on this story or anything else you have seen on BBC Culture, head over to ourFacebookpage or message us onTwitter. It reads: This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. 2023 CNET, a Red Ventures company. Why, on Disney plus, does aladdin have a disclaimer but not Pocahontas? New Movie News, Movie Trailers & upcoming Movie Reviews, Disney+ Updates Offensive Content Disclaimer for Aladdin, Peter Pan and More, Amazon Prime Video Is Catching up to Netflix While HBO Max Outpaces Disney+ Growth, Disney: COVID Forces Restructure, Puts Greater Focus on Streaming Content, Disney+ Rebrands Non-MCU Marvel Films as Marvel Legacy, REVIEW: Frank Miller Presents Ancient Enemies: The Djinni #1 Crafts a Compelling Origin Story, REVIEW: DC's Shazam! If you buy something through this post, IGN may get a share of the sale. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Press J to jump to the feed. The casting of Naomi Scott, who is of English and Indian descent, upset some fans and critics who believed the role should have been played by a Middle Eastern actress. Whether the new film-makers choose to stand in the old guard or vanguard remains to be seen. 13 Comments. Disney also puts silly, PC warning labels before much of its back catalog of films. In Richard Burton's telling, the "hero" is shallow, lazy, greedy, and easily. Thedisclaimerappears with some animated Disney classics such as 1967sThe Jungle Bookand 1953sPeter Pan,offering caution to viewers of racist and culturally insensitive depictions and references in the plots and characters of those movies. The American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee saw light-skinned, Anglicised features in the heroes Aladdin and Jasmine that contrasted sharply with the swarthy, greedy street merchants who had Arabic accents and grotesque facial features. The films with the updated disclaimer includePeter Pan, Dumbo, Lady andthe Tramp, Fantasia,The Jungle BookandSwiss Family Robinson, among others. Others defended Scott, noting that the story includes Indian aspects, Agrabah is meant to be a melting pot of cultures, and Jasmines mother is said to be from another land, making it entirely plausible that Jasmine could be an Indian woman. Some other Disney films, like Fantasia, Aladdin, and Peter Pan, have been criticized as well, but notably, Disneys Song of the South remains absent from the service. The well-loved soundtrack for the 1992 animation - A Whole New World notably won Disney an Academy Award, along with another Oscar for the entire score - is actually an edited version of the one that was heard in cinemas. Aladdin does trick the Genie into freeing him from the Cave of Wonders without using a wish. The film is an adaptation of a folktale from the 18th-century, Arabic-language collection, A Thousand and One Nights. Furthermore, these advisors helped ensure that any Arabic-language text was correctly displayed and that the setting and dress were more culturally realistic. It may contain outdated cultural depictions" accompany the description of each relevant film on the menu page. What can you do to be more aware of cultural insensitivity and misrepresentation in pop culture? Is it inaccurate? The company said that while it can't change he past, "we can acknowledge it, learn from it and move forward together.". Please disregard such warningsand better yet, dont give Disney another dime of your money. Original cartoon versions of movies such as Dumbo, The Jungle Book . Archived post. 6. You can also see our lesson plan on exploring stereotypes with American film and television, which offers guided activities for your students. On a different note, Disney has actually restored Saludos Amigos on Disney+. Bias/Anecdote: While I can't remember too much about Aladdin specifically that might call for this (the changed line about cutting off your hand during the opening theme comes to mind, but that's already been removed), the overall tone plays on a great deal of stereotype tropes for Middle-Eastern cultures that aren't really that accurate or true, or are at least heavily exaggerated. Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe. No one thats who. It would be helpful if they were more specific as to whats the problem because I think people can learn from this, he says. The decision to introduce the disclaimer came after a consultation with a group of independent experts, who review how media portrays underrepresented groups and advocate for more thoughtful solutions. Aladdin, which came out in 1992, is a popular movie with fun songs and an interesting plot. Disney is now issuing tougher warnings against racial stereotypes in some of its classic films on its Disney+ streaming service. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. The original movie contains a scene of Goofy smoking a cigarette that was previously edited on Disney+. Non-Christian religions, the countries and . Looking further back, 1940sFantasiahas been criticized for the depiction of a black centaurette called Sunflower polishing the hooves of a white centaurette, as well as another named Otika who briefly appears in the Pastoral Symphonysegment. Overall, group representatives say they appreciate efforts made by Disney to recognize outdated cultural depictions while advocating for films likeAladdinor 1995sPocahontasto also receive the disclaimer. alternate lyrics were dubbed into the video and soundtrack releases. While the 1992 film is widely perceived as problematic, many point to the fact that the worst parts (including racist lyrics and caricatures) have been removed and replaced with accurate Arabic script and culturally-appropriate dress. 8. by "These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Become a home entertainment expert with our handpicked tips, reviews and deals. But, a completely white cast voiced the film, and the association of Arabs with violence, greed and other negative traits suggested that Hollywood was insensitive at best and xenophobic at worst. She covers film and TV news and reviews. As mentioned above, the original, one of many films released as part of the Disney Renaissance, made $504 million worldwide over its entire box office lifetime. Creating a diverse and primarily non-white cast for the film was a huge step in accurately portraying a land set in the Middle East and moving towards greater diversity in Hollywood. This supports the idea that Genie only changes Aladdin's appearance, which he also indirectly confirms a few lines later: We take a look at the origins of the folktale, the previous dramatic portrayals of the story, the 1992 animated film, and how the filmmakers tried to overcome past controversy in the latest rendition of Aladdin. Answer: A lot of older movies (god I hate calling movies from the 90's "older") include often passive stereotypes or themes about minority groups that while may not have been intentionally harmful, still perpetuate potentially harmful or offensive ideas about a culture or location. Don't stand until the rug has come to a complete stop. Thats basically what they did and its the arrogance of Hollywood and the arrogance of Disney to say its our idea, its our money and were going to do it, whether you like it or not.. In the 2019 film, Agrabah is a port city that rests on the cusp of Eastern and Western nations, making it a thriving trade town and bringing together a melting pot of cultures and influences. The production designer used Turkish, Persian, and Islamic influences for the set design. So much so that Disney+ added a warning label before the film starts. Disney have not commented on the search, and although it has been suggested that the lengthy casting process is due to the studio's commitment to finding the right actors, some are critical of the studios struggle. Answer: A lot of older movies (god I hate calling movies from the 90's "older") include often passive stereotypes or themes about minority groups that while may not have been intentionally harmful, still perpetuate potentially harmful or offensive ideas about a culture or location. Extra commentary could be added to films requiring a disclaimer, he explains, such as the 2009 DVD rerelease ofBreakfast at Tiffanys that includes a featurette Aoki participated in, discussing Mickey Rooneys problematic character Mr. Covering the hottest movie and TV topics that fans want. Pray tell who is offended by Aladdin? Please review Rule 4 and this post before making a top level comment: I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. That is even more important in an era of mass media, all-you-can-watch online streaming. While Agrabah is apparently described as this melting pot of ethnicities, that concept comes from the deeply-problematic 1992 animated film. Abby Monteil. / CBS News, Disney is adding a disclaimer to some of its old movies that include racist stereotypes, the media giant announced this month. Answer: Well I don't know which version they are showing, but in the origubal the salesman in the beginning sings that in the east they cut off your tongue and ears or something in that fashion when they catch you stealing, which is considered stereotyping. Most recently, The Muppet Show had warning disclaimers placed prior to 18 of its episodes, warning viewers that the show features stereotypes and mistreatment of people or cultures., Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together, the disclaimer says, adding Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe.. Its a convenient system that insists actors-of-colour need to be household names to be cast, while nobody wants to give them a break. Alexander posted a list of potential actors on Twitter, asking Guy to give me a call., The well-loved soundtrack for the 1992 animation is actually an edited version of the one that was heard in cinemas (Credit: Alamy). They want to make up for any offensive messaging they may have been a part of, Robertson told the publication. Disney said it created an advisory council made up of outside experts who helped the company "assess our content and ensure it accurately represents our global audiences." that Disney should stop trying to improve stories that are problematic and should leave them in the past, instead focusing on new stories that wont be tainted by previously offensive versions. The line you're thinking of is "Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face. Top row shows the 1992 animated cast while below are the actors used in the 2019 live-action version of Aladdin. The 1992 Disney animated film placed the story in the Middle East but the change in scenery was not necessarily based on historic or contemporary accuracy. Did watching it ever make you uncomfortable? It can also be argued that outrage about Naomi Scott is invalid, given the. 7. But maybe thats the issue that Disney and other major corporations cant seem to understand. Following the Maypolice killing of George Floyd, a Black man, media companies like Sky and HBO Max have pulled content or attached warnings to prejudiced or racist material in their back catalogs, such as Gone With the Wind. The new content warning, appearing on screen before the movie starts. Back in 1992, Shaheen cited cable television and videocassettes as making it easy for stereotypes to travel far and wide. Authenticity was not a major consideration. for Aladdin, or see the movie in theaters now, and make your own conclusions. Disney also came under fire for allegedly darkening the skin of white actors and crew members. For The Lone Ranger specifically,Skyhawk explained Johnny Depp taking on the role of Tonto, described as a spirit warrior from the Comanche tribe, was offensive casting resulting in an offensive character. The new message plays before all of the listed films for about 10 seconds and cannot be skipped or fast-forwarded. In the examples below, the, With the advent of the Hollywood film industry, the story returned to its fabled Middle Eastern origins, replete with exotic and exaggerated stereotypes note the poster for a. Disney+ should be a dying brandjust like the Grammys. The movie itself never explicitly states where in the real world the story is taking place, so all fans can do is speculate. The meetings are held virtually and are very raw according to one attendee. ThePeter Panentry reads: The film portrays Native people in a stereotypical manner that reflects neither the diversity of Native peoples nor their authentic cultural traditions. Potato Head survived by a thread and liberal white men working at Disneyland saved black women from the horrors of Splash Mountain-now Aladdin is racist. However, experts continued to criticize the soft language used in the old Disney Plus disclaimers. , in which she sings about not allowing men to silence her. Yes, Skorodin says. Alan Menken, famed Disney composer, discusses enduring appeal of "Aladdin." The musical visits San Jose this month, with live-action film due in May. RELATED:Amazon Prime Video Is Catching up to Netflix While HBO Max Outpaces Disney+ Growth. The original story from November 2019 detailing the original Disney+ content warning is below. It is also important to think about all the improvements the 2019 movie made over the 1992 adaptation (see #3 on this list above!). Thus, when Disney reported in 2016 that a live-action adaptation was in the works, director Guy Ritchie had to contend with the original films controversial legacy. Jennifer Bisset is a Senior Editor for CNET. Makes me think Disney is putting warnings out there so people buy their movies before they go back to retiring movies for a year or two to create demand curves for their products. Why is there so little Middle Eastern, Arab or Muslim (or other minority group) representation in film and television? TheStories Matter website that is referenced in the disclaimer features more information about Disney's efforts to increase "cultural competency." Cookie Notice This isnt the first time that Disney has been criticised in relation to Aladdin. Credit: Outnow/Alamy. However, the outbreak of the first Gulf War (a conflict involving Iraqs invasion of neighboring Kuwait) in the early 1990s prompted the directors to set the story in the fictional city of Agrabah, an adaptation of Baghdad. The original lyric in the first verse of the song Arabian Nights described Arabia as Where they cut off your ear if they dont like your face. An adamant defender of The Last Jedi and the series finale of Lost, he can be reached at sam.g@cbr.com or through his Twitter, @SamMgelman. Aladdin is not an entertaining Arabian Nights fantasy as film critics would have us believe, wrote Jack Shaheen in 1992, then a professor of mass communications at Southern Illinois University, but rather a painful reminder to 3 million Americans of Arab heritage, as well as 300 million Arabs and others, that the abhorrent Arab stereotype is as ubiquitous as Aladdins lamp.. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. RELATED:Disney: COVID Forces Restructure, Puts Greater Focus on Streaming Content. Potato Head survived by a thread and liberal white men working at Disneyland saved black women from the horrors of Splash Mountainnow Aladdin is racist. Some accused Disney of reinforcing notions of Oriental interchangeability, pointing to the fact that name Jasmine has Persian roots, not Indian. Throughout the Victorian era, Aladdin sport[ed] a Manchurian queue and Chinese slippers, and the architecture feature[ed] distinctly Chinese pagodas. The emphasis on the Chinese aspects of Aladdin during this time period through the use of chinoiserie (the imitation of Chinese motifs and techniques in Western art) was especially popular. Yunioshi., We had several people from MANAA talking about the concerns of yellowface and what was wrong with Mickey Rooneys portrayal, he adds. I am cynical by nature. Disney+ updated its policy toward its films containing offensive material, posting a new disclaimer and adding new movies to its list of programs that feature "negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures." Screen capture from, In May 2019, Disney released a live-action version of. Several representatives of minority advocacy groups spoke withThe Hollywood Reporterabout their reactions to the Disney+ disclaimer and what, if any, extra measures can be enacted by Disney to caution viewers of culturally insensitive material. Twenty-seven years ago, Disneys animated version of Aladdin was the highest-grossing film of 1992, earning over $346 million in worldwide box office revenue. Agrabah is a made up place thats a combo of a few different cultures. To learn more about how stories have impacted society, please visitwww.disney.com/StoriesMatter. Aladdin's racism feels lazy. The names Jasmine and Aladdin are both of Middle-Eastern origin, with Aladdin being derived from Arabic while Jasmine has its roots in Persian. And if you liked this story,sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter, called If You Only Read 6 Things This Week. Walt Disney Studios. It was even broader than that because we talked about the history of stereotypes and the lack of roles for Asian Americans. and the story itself argue that the tale of Aladdin is inherently racist and Orientalist, and, regardless of the setting, is simply a colonial European view of the exotic East. Panoramic view of Agrabah from the 2019 shows real-seeming landscape featuring buildings with Islamic architecture. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. While the true origins of the tale of Aladdin cannot be completely verified, the story is often attributed to French writer Antoine Galland, who claimed a Syrian told him about a boy and a genie in China. For instance, there are racist caricatures in "Dumbo" and . Is it stereotypical? The rest of us can FF through that crap, chuckle at it and enjoy the show. Here, TeachMideast provides you with in-depth background and context so you can decide for yourself whether society is succeeding in its demand that Hollywood do a better job portraying minorities. The sultan's palace in Aladdin, left, and the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. Most people consider Aladdin to be set somewhere in the Middle East. The full cigarette scene is now there at the 24:00 mark for anybody who is curious. Friendly reminder that all top level comments must: start with "answer:" (or "question:" if you have an on-topic follow up question to ask). Take a look at both sides of the argument: Watch the trailer for Aladdin, or see the movie in theaters now, and make your own conclusions. Disney claimed they included white extras only in a handful of instances when it was a matter of specialty skills, safety and control, but many still criticized the company for not taking the opportunity to hire more actors and crew members of Middle Eastern and South Asian heritage. a port city that rests on the cusp of Eastern and Western nations, making it a thriving trade town and bringing together a melting pot of cultures and influences. The production designer used Turkish, Persian, and Islamic influences for the set design. This week saw the death of Dr Jack Shaheen, one of the most respected and loudest critics of the vilification of Arabs in Hollywood, who successfully campaigned for offensive lyrics to be changed in the original Aladdin soundtrack. Heres a version of that warning, which is notably more in-depth than the one-sentence warning that Disney has implemented. This applies to classics such as Dumbo and Aladdin, which may not be suitable for younger audiences. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. While the movie is set in a city based on Baghdad, Iraq, Aladdin contains aspects of multiple Middle Eastern and Asian cultures. The warning was crafted by Disney's advisors council, which includes representatives of the African American Film Critics Association (AAFCA),Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment,Define American,Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media,GLAAD Media Institute,Hollywood, Health & Society,IllumiNative,The National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP),RespectAbility,The Science & Entertainment Exchange andTanenbaum. We coulda sworn we went to Disneyland and waited in line for two hours to be entertainednot for an education.. The live-action reveal is a bit of a surprise. As a matter of fact, it only makes us feel like we should start becoming filmmakers and replace those who have anointed themselves as our leaders. Besides from what I vaguely remember about Aladdin was he was a poor theif (or street rat for the non PC types) who befriended an enslaved genie and found a magic carpet ride in order to overcome evil Jafar, win the affection of a bra wearing princess, and became the king of Arabia or something. There are now more opportunities for people in the United States, and elsewhere, to access regionally-produced entertainment from the Middle East. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversation to create a more inclusive future together. There are a number of reasons why these titles are removed. Did watching it ever make you uncomfortable? After Mr. It shows them speaking in an unintelligible language and repeatedly refers to them as "redskins," an offensive term. The crows in Dumbo. Aladdin film poster comparison. The names Jasmine and Aladdin are both of Middle-Eastern origin, with Aladdin being derived from Arabic while Jasmine has its roots in Persian. Was it possible to accurately depict cultural nuances using a fairy tale? "Disney could have used stronger language, which would more proactively invite a conversation around the context of these caricatures," Swinburne University of Technology film and TV lecturer Jessica Balanzategui told CNET in June. Im pretty sure during the 60s all the way up to the 90s cutting off the hands of thieves was an actual punishment in sharia law.So its not racist to point out a system of law - dictated by a book - in the part of the world it directly influenced and thus gave inspiration for a fictional versionagrabah. Additionally, 1992s animatedAladdin, criticized for its racist depictions of West Asian culture, does not feature the warning in its synopsis. Gary Sheffield, Jr It protects the filmmaker from feedback. That was really fantastic of [Paramount] to do that., Ghanizada says the language feels similar to the warning that this program contains nudity or violence, adding that it is a broad catchall. Potato Head survived by a thread and liberal white men working at Disneyland saved black women from the horrors of Splash Mountain-now Aladdin is racist. These animated films teach us so much, and especially young kids, Ghanizada says. After the American Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee complained about song lyrics describing the setting in the film, Where they cut off your ear if they dont like your face,. No. A lot of it is, honestly, hard to tell or point out when you're not part of the group involved. The film remains controversial to this day. We've received your submission. Subscribe for full access to The Hollywood Reporter, Several representatives of minority advocacy groups spoke with The Hollywood Reporter about their reactions to the Disney+ disclaimer for films such as 1967's 'The Jungle Book' and 1953's 'Peter Pan. "Our job is. Its been revealed that theyre struggling to wrap up their months-long search because of a difficulty in finding a singing, dancing actor who is Middle Eastern or Indian to play the title role. While he is technically only a sidekick character, he has a huge part to play in the film. 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UPDATE: Disney has updated their content warning on Disney+ to an unskippable, 12-second message in front of controversial movies or shorts. On " Fixer to Fabulous ," Dave and Jenny Marrs have been doing many remarkable remodels around Bentonville, AR but that's not to say we agree with all of their design . When played on the Disney+ streaming service, films such as . Hang tough in the new adaptation. Pocahontas was staight full of lies and racial slurs. He's a young Middle Eastern man and a homeless orphan that . Yes. , earning over $346 million in worldwide box office revenue. Jungle Bookreceived a disclaimer, yet its 2003 animated sequel did not. Santa's Workshop, Three Little Pigs, Clock Cleaners, Fantasia, The Rescuers, Toy Story 2, and a lot more programs are still edited for controversial content. This thread is archived Aladdin was criticised for perpetuating Orientalist stereotypes of the Middle East and Asia (Credit: Alamy), Daniel Newman, professor of Arabic at Durham University, acknowledges that Western portrayals have come a long way from the lotus-eating, Orientalist fantasies of yesteryear, but barring a few exceptions, what has happened is that one clich has been replaced by another; from the scimitar-wielding lascivious Arab, we have gone to the bomb-wielding terrorist Arab. While some moderate characters have been introduced in shows such as Homeland, he says, the pervading feeling is one of threat, based primarily if not exclusively on religion., Id ask the animators to add benevolent market-vendors and heroic guards who befriend Aladdin, Shaheen said of the 1992 Aladdin, conscious of the image of Middle-Eastern people that might be made on the films young viewers. Nobodys canceling these movies, he said. While he has always loved superhero, sci-fi and fantasy films and TV series, it is only recently that he began reading comic books themselves. Wouldnt it be reasonable that if all the characters in this movie come from the same genetic stock, they should resemble one another? Background characters wear clothing from a wide array of cultures, including Afghan payraans, Indian saris, Omani daggers, and turbans from multiple cultures. Its a complete waste of time for our children who will eventually become whining Disney adults. It's barbaric, but hey, it's home". The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Although Disney posted this message in front of the original Aladdin, the version on Disney+ has still removed the "cut off your ear" line from the opening song and Aladdin's mumbling on the balcony. So going forward, several such films on the Disney+ streaming service will include the following advisory: "This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. Though he was skeptical that the disclaimer would have a large impact on children, Dr. Shah said that racist scenes offered learning opportunities when children watched them with their parents. ", Disney said the decision is part of its "ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion." Ron Clements and John Musker, the directors of the 1992 film, that the movie was originally intended to be set in Baghdad, Iraq. And overdue., 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, Boycott threatened over transgender inclusion in Hersheys Womans Day promo, Twitch star zaps herself with shock collar live for 1 million fans, gets banned, JK Rowling showing outstanding moral courage as she stands up to vile woke mob, Artist behind Obamas Hope poster, Shepard Fairey, slams cancel culture. In updating the film and its content, Disney sought advice from the Muslim Public Affairs Council, an LA advocacy group, as well as groups comprised of Middle Eastern, South Asian, and Muslim scholars, activists, and creatives. Due to the advisory groups input, the film avoided the crude portrayals found in the 1992 movie.