2. RELATED:Disney: COVID Forces Restructure, Puts Greater Focus on Streaming Content. 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 1952 version of the story below! Jinns Lebanese director Mir-Jean Bou Chaaya has said, this is a great opportunity to portray Arab youth in a very unique way. Was the Original Aladdin Story Inspired by a Real Person? | Time Disney's policy here is also sketchy considering the sheer amount of content still edited on Disney+. Heck if the salesman is racist, The whole cartoon is. The Stories Matter page on Disney's site notes the characters' connection to racist minstrel shows. What? 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. Ian Skorodin, director of strategy and outreach for the Barcid Foundation (a Native American non-profit organization), adds that it is unfortunate thatPocahontas did not receive a disclaimer. Supporters of the movie point to the fact that Agrabah, despite being supposedly based on an actual city. Reviews have been mixed but the film has been popular, nonetheless: the. Ultimately, crap like this needs to earn a place for my time and effort based on the marketplace, but until the culture gets steered back toward truth and Capitalism, I can tolerate this silliness. Rather than remove this content, we want to acknowledge its harmful impact, learn from it and spark conversations to create a more inclusive future together., Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe. 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. It may contain outdated cultural depictions" accompany the description of each relevant film on the menu page. Original cartoon versions of movies such as Dumbo, The Jungle Book . Delivered Wednesdays. Itwould be great if Disney did it across the board for all of their older cartoons that may be a little insensitive., Guy Aoki, co-founder of the Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA), sayshe has never seen 1992sAladdinhimself, but he was friends with Don Bustany, president of the Los Angeles chapter of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee and late deejay Casey Kasem, who were a part of a successful campaign to change problematic lyrics inAladdins introductory song Arabian Nights., They had meetings to talk about their concerns about how it was stereotyping Arab culture and how they wanted to get one line of the song changed, recalls Aoki. 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. If you are a younger person and youre watching something and that youre not aware that theres potential violence or now, cultural insensitivity, I think [the disclaimer] is kind of protecting [filmmakers] the same way that it does those other catchphrases., Still, she says that Disneys decision to include a disclaimer is appreciated, noting it is the first step to correcting things that might not have been thought about 10, 20, 30 years ago when these [films] were being made., Aoki echoes that sentiment, saying he finds Disney today to be a totally different company from the one that existed even 20, 25 years ago. He adds: I spoke to a Disney executive a few years ago who told me that, I think it was every Friday, [CEO] Bob Iger has a meeting with all the company heads, including Marvel and Pixar and everybody that is under their corporate umbrella, and he says, OK, report to me what you have done to further diversity at this company. So its not lip service as far as, Oh, yes, we believe in diversity and we try to have open casting. 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. Edit: forgot to write "answer", so i copypasted my original vomment. , Aladdin sport[ed] a Manchurian queue and Chinese slippers, and the architecture feature[ed] distinctly Chinese pagodas. The emphasis on the Chinese aspects of, during this time period through the use of , (the imitation of Chinese motifs and techniques in Western art) was especially popular. Think thatll ever happen with divorce rates higher than ever? Was it possible to accurately depict cultural nuances using a fairy tale? To learn more about how stories have impacted society, please visit. 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.. Best New Journalist 2019 Australian IT Journalism Awards, experts have criticized the soft language used in its disclaimer, disclaimer acknowledging the "harmful impact" of racist stereotypes, a page titled Stories Matter on the Disney website, racist material in their back catalogs, such as Gone With the Wind, The best movies to watch on Disney Plus for Thanksgiving, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. It might be worth asking ourselves when the new film is released: what would Jack Shaheen think? has been questioned over its casting woes, theyre struggling to wrap up their months-long search, The American-Arab Anti Discrimination Committee saw. Does the Genie trick Aladdin with the third wish? Aladdin (1992) Critics have expressed concerns over the story's use of Orientalist stereotypes, while casting decisions also came under scrutiny, with Aladdin, Princess Jasmine and the genie . 2020 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. Aoki, who has worked with Disney-owned ABC in the past as a part of the Asian Pacific American Media Colation, says he has concerns that the language in the disclaimer would not be understandable to a younger audience, likely the biggest demographic for the massive Disney+ library that dates back over eight decades. Disney holds monthly meetings to determine what content in its archive needs to have a warning added. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. 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 . The one thing you probably didn't notice about Disney dudes' chests Of any of the big, more modern movies Pocahontas should be the first one with a disclaimer. 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. The line you're thinking of is "Where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face. The new content warning, appearing on screen before the movie starts. Mar 1, 2023. "As part of our ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion, we are in the process of reviewing our library and adding advisories to content that includes negative depictions or mistreatment of people or cultures," reads a page titled Stories Matter on the Disney website. Disney. Fantasy worlds are not meant to perfectly align with real-life racial boundaries. In May 2019, Disney released a live-action version of Aladdin, which tells the story of an affable street-urchin who accepts the services of a trickster genie to win over the sultans daughter, Jasmine. Guess Disney isnt that offended after all. What can you do to be more aware of cultural insensitivity and misrepresentation in pop culture? 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. CBS News has reached out to the Walt Disney Company for more information. We talked to people at Disney about that depiction I said there are probably a hundred [Native] people of that caliber that can do that and yet youre going to try and force Johnny Depp down our throat, says Skyhawk. It worked. A lot. Nobody in their right mind can state that it is impossible to find a young male South Asian or Middle-Eastern actor who can dance, sing and act, says Academy Award nominated director Lexi Alexander, who is half German, half Palestinian. Other companies and brands, likeAunt Jemimaand Uncle Ben's, have also recently taken steps to recognize and distance themselves from racist stereotypes by changing their branding in the wake of widespread protests for racial justice in the U.S. Caitlin O'Kane is a digital content producer covering trending stories for CBS News and its good news brand, The Uplift. 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. No. alternate lyrics were dubbed into the video and soundtrack releases. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Pocahontas was staight full of lies and racial slurs. Shaheen warned that these images would perpetuate negative stereotypes that literally sustain adverse portraits across generations. He argued: There is a commanding link between make-believe aberrations and the real world, and warned of the negative portrayal of Agrabah, the films fictionalised city that he called Hollywoods fabricated Ayrabland. It appears that for some, this warning wasnt unfounded: in 2015 it was revealed that 30% of Republican voters in the US would vote in support of bombing Agrabah. 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. 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. Aspects of the story also have Indian influences, including Jasmines Indian tiger Rajah, and the sultans palace in the animated film looking remarkably similar to the Taj Mahal. Sonny Skyhawk, founder of American Indians in Film and Television, tells THR thatfilms such as 1995s Pocahontas and 2013s The Lone Rangerrequire the disclaimer due to inaccuracies and insensitivity towards the Native American community. He's a young Middle Eastern man and a homeless orphan that . "These shouldn't be watched by children by themselves," Daryl Sparkes, senior lecturer of media studies and production at the University of Southern Queensland, told CNET, "because children are like little sponges and they soak up attitudes and feelings and opinions.". The company said that while it can't change he past, "we can acknowledge it, learn from it and move forward together.". It also includes specific examples from several films of scenes and charactersthat the company now deems inappropriate. So much so that Disney+ added a warning label before the film starts. , which tells the story of an affable street-urchin who accepts the services of a trickster genie to win over the sultans daughter, Jasmine. The new message plays before all of the listed films for about 10 seconds and cannot be skipped or fast-forwarded. Guiver makes points to show that Aladdin is the only character next to his Disney contemporaries who doesn't have this particular anatomy, but actually, Disney has somewhat of a reputation when . If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER. Disney also removed the "This program is presented as originally created" description from Saludos Amigos, which is funny because now the movie is actually presented as originally created. Wouldnt it be reasonable that if all the characters in this movie come from the same genetic stock, they should resemble one another? This supports the idea that Genie only changes Aladdin's appearance, which he also indirectly confirms a few lines later: He also asked the producers to respect Islam and to add a humane character, Aladdins mother, an Arab woman willing to sacrifice everything for her sons happiness.. But it's not as innocent as it seems. RELATED:Amazon Prime Video Is Catching up to Netflix While HBO Max Outpaces Disney+ Growth. The movie itself never explicitly states where in the real world the story is taking place, so all fans can do is speculate. And welcomed. The new disclaimer appears on screen before the start of movies like Aladdin, The Aristocats, Dumbo, Lady and the Tramp, Peter Pan, Swiss Family Robinson and The Three Caballeros. ", clearly implying it's cutting off the hand. Alex Murdaugh sentenced to life in prison for murders of wife and son, Biden had cancerous skin lesion removed last month, doctor says, White supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes kicked out of CPAC, Tom Sizemore, actor known for "Saving Private Ryan" and "Heat," dies at 61, Biden team readies new advisory panel ahead of expected reelection bid, At least 10 dead after winter storm slams South, Midwest, House Democrats unhappy with White House handling of D.C.'s new criminal code. It just reminds me of apu from the simpsons, where they got such a backlash that the voice actor now quit doing his voice. It was even broader than that because we talked about the history of stereotypes and the lack of roles for Asian Americans. It may contain outdated cultural depictions." 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. 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. But, he adds, with Native American actress Irene Bedard as the voice of Pocahontas in the film, some in his community might both enjoy and accept it as presented. The Middle East has a robust entertainment industry and creative voices in the region regularly share their stories through film, television, music and other media forms. The original movie contains a scene of Goofy smoking a cigarette that was previously edited on Disney+. , with $232.4 million domestic and $372.5 million international for the musical remake. Ron Clements and John Musker, the directors of the 1992 film, said in 2015 that the movie was originally intended to be set in Baghdad, Iraq. 'Aladdin and the Magic Lamp' is the most famous story from the Arabian Nights collection of stories, also known as the 1,001 Nights.However, the story's origins are surprising, and in fact for many centuries it wasn't part of the Arabian Nights at all.But before we come to the question of textual analysis or the story's complex history, let's summarise the plot of the story of Aladdin. 2. Agrabah is a made up place thats a combo of a few different cultures. It might also have to do with some version of whitewashing, as most of the voice actors are white people? That Disney talent agents are pedophiles/child molesters? The decision to attach this message to some animated films was met with both praise from people who viewed it as an accountability measure and criticism from those who thought its wording was. Walt Disney Studios. Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe. in the new adaptation. Aladdin, which came out in 1992, is a popular movie with fun songs and an interesting plot. First noticed by Twitter user @324_B21, and reported by Mashable, films like the original 1941 Dumbo, The Aristocats, Jungle Book, the 1955 animated Lady and the Tramp all feature the same outdated culturual depictions warning. The new . Jasmine can be seen wearing one of her mother's bracelets in the live-action movie. Nearly a year later, on Thursday, Disney said that after consulting with a council of organizations representing minorities, it's added a newdisclaimer acknowledging the "harmful impact" of racist stereotypes in some of its older films. And if you liked this story,sign up for the weekly bbc.com features newsletter, called If You Only Read 6 Things This Week. The controversy over Disney's new Aladdin remake, explained - Vox 2023 CNET, a Red Ventures company. 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. Archived post. 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. "Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe.". Furthermore, these advisors helped ensure that any Arabic-language text was correctly displayed and that the setting and dress were more culturally realistic. This was inevitable. 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. The names Jasmine and Aladdin are both of Middle-Eastern origin, with Aladdin being derived from Arabic while Jasmine has its roots in Persian. 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. 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. The film remains controversial to this day. "Our job is. Why or why not? Aladdin never had a content warning until now, but the edited version has always been on Disney+. ', As 10 million Disney+ subscribers browse through the new streaming platforms hefty film and TV library, a line at the end of select content summaries might catch their attention: This program is presented as originally created. Versions of Aladdin from the 19th and well into the 20th centuries depict the main character as culturally Asian, not Arab. New foreign series, such as Jinn, available now on Netflix, may also rely on fantasy or folk culture, but they provide authentic place settings and use local talent and perspectives. The original story from November 2019 detailing the original Disney+ content warning is below. Rather, the story was often presented as a hybrid tale of the exoticized Orient meeting modern English-language styles and fashions, according to one critic. 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. The level of authenticity Netflix is trying to achieve with this show is definitely what attracted me the most to be part of this project.. Gambling related content is not intended for anyone under the age of 21. In its history, Disney has produced 56 animated movies. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Most of the Arab characters have exaggerated facial characteristics hooked noses, glowering brows, thick lips but Aladdin and the princess look like white American teenagers. Disney also came under fire for allegedly darkening the skin of white actors and crew members. 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.
why does aladdin have a disclaimer