Your dream 2011 Muppet Promotions

[beaker]

It spoke mounds about how anal retentively PC these groups want us to be. There's a difference between actual stereotyping and name calling to hurt someone and not pleasing a small fraction of a group. When I think of all the fussing and constant revisions they had to go through (that could have spared them some time and released it at a more reasonable month), all I can say is... you complained how lily white the other Princesses were (since most of the stories came from Europe anyway) and once they actually try to add diversity, it's either too diverse or not diverse enough... and you STILL took your kids to see Chipmunks 2 instead anyway!

Yeah the whole hyper PC brigade thing is just too much. They accused Disney of racism? My goodness, since 1993 a great deal of their tentpole animated theatrical films featured a non white protagonist. Aladdin, Pochahontas, Mulan, New Groove, Lilo and Stitch, Little Bear.

 

[RedPiggy]

Yeah the whole hyper PC brigade thing is just too much. They accused Disney of racism? My goodness, since 1993 a great deal of their tentpole animated theatrical films featured a non white protagonist. Aladdin, Pochahontas, Mulan, New Groove, Lilo and Stitch, Little Bear.

Yeah, but it's not just the presence of one, or you get accusations of "token"-itis.

Aladdin: Seems pretty good on its face. Music tried to stay true to the region (until after the genie's presence, when the genres opened up a bit). Other than that whispering rumor, the only thing I remember people griping about was a line in one of the lyrics at the beginning. "Where they cut off your nose if they don't like your face". Muslims got irritated at that one. (One wonders if they gripe to the countries that would actually do that, though.) Other than it ripped off at least two movies rather blatantly, I thought it was a good movie.

Pocahontas: Where to begin. If it's not the Noble Savage/Greedy European dynamic, it's playing up John Smith's interpretation of events (he thought she was in love with him, and I remember reading somewhere that she was actually a kid or something at that time, ick).

Mulan: Not too sure if there was a griping session about this one. It just irritates me she's included in the Princess Line when there is no way in all creation she can be a princess. She is neither royal nor married into royalty.

New Groove: Again, not aware of anything, though with lots of American movies starring non-white characters, ten bucks says you can find griping about using white stars to play non-white characters.

Lilo and Stitch: Really, I thought it was perfect. If Lilo's in the Princess line, then again it's profoundly stupid.

Princess and the Frog: The idea people griped about her name just amuses me to death. Still, I think I like this one better than just about any other one besides Sleeping Beauty. I like how royalty doesn't magically give you anything. I like the balance they tried to do with dreaming/working. It's pretty dead-on regarding the French Quarter. The songs will never get out of your head. Though, I did like Chester A. Bum's review, where he wonders if the fairytale was written by lawyers (in the sense that it seems like Tiana gets her dreams only due to fine print).

The only real racism I see after the movies are out is the merchandising. You see Jasmine once in a blue moon, though I swear she was featured more pre-9/11. A lot of the Princess line likes to segregate the princesses by color (oh, look, Tiana has her very own shirt while 80% of the other princesses share one!). Considering that Jasmine and Tiana are my favorite princesses, I find their treatment rather irritating. Even in Kingdom Hearts 2, Jasmine becomes little more than an introduction to the Agrabah plot, when I swear she had a bigger role in Return of Jafar and a lot of the series. I resent making her a damsel in distress when she could kick the butt of any other Princess around, though Mulan (NOT A PRINCESS! UGH) could probably take her.

edit: Oh, and Nala. Dang it, she's a Princess, she's played by a non-white actress ... and she doesn't count 'cause she's not human, yet a fish girl can be one. Yeah, that's fair. Not racist at all,

 

[Drtooth]

Aladdin: Seems pretty good on its face. Music tried to stay true to the region (until after the genie's presence, when the genres opened up a bit). Other than that whispering rumor, the only thing I remember people griping about was a line in one of the lyrics at the beginning. "Where they cut off your nose if they don't like your face". Muslims got irritated at that one. (One wonders if they gripe to the countries that would actually do that, though.) Other than it ripped off at least two movies rather blatantly, I thought it was a good movie.

Well, I once read this long and winding article in a book I still have about the film. Suffice to say, there is a huge culture gap behind that one, and the film was based off the European romanticized versions of Middle Eastern stories. Any Middle Eastern flavor to the film was apparently wrong too. To be nitpicky it's "Cut off your ear" but you get the point. Plus, if anyone actually did their research, Aladdin is CHINESE in the original story.

Pocahontas: Where to begin. If it's not the Noble Savage/Greedy European dynamic, it's playing up John Smith's interpretation of events (he thought she was in love with him, and I remember reading somewhere that she was actually a kid or something at that time, ick).

I could go AGES about that one. It's one thing to monkey around with an old story for a more interesting or kid friendly angle... but when you rewrite history to make it more interesting, well, that's a tight rope. Though, frankly I WISH an enraged theater owner single-handedly killed the Nazi party and Hitler.

Lilo and Stitch: Really, I thought it was perfect. If Lilo's in the Princess line, then again it's profoundly stupid.

She isn't. Stitch, however, is a breakout character in his own right, and he's so popular in Japan, they actually have their own Stitch anime series. But Lilo is no Princess. Among other things, she's way too short and young.

edit: Oh, and Nala. Dang it, she's a Princess, she's played by a non-white actress ... and she doesn't count 'cause she's not human, yet a fish girl can be one. Yeah, that's fair. Not racist at all,

Answer: You can't sell little dolls with interchangeable clothes if the character never wore on in the first place.

Other than that, why the heck aren't the totally unfunny Metro PCS commercials dealt with the scrutiny that Princess and the Frog had?

 

[minor muppetz]

Oh, and Nala. Dang it, she's a Princess, she's played by a non-white actress ... and she doesn't count 'cause she's not human, yet a fish girl can be one. Yeah, that's fair. Not racist at all,

Did they ever actually refer to her as being a princess before marrying Simba? Being married to a king makes you a queen, but I don't recall them calling her a princess, nor do I recall them ever saying in the context of the movie that a prince can only marry a princess (or vice versa). Of course I haven't seen The Lion King 1 1/2.

I wonder if Disney will announce all of it's 2011 Muppet promotions at a special event (whether it be a Disney convention like the D23 event or at Toy Fare or elsewhere) and when they'll all be announced.

 

[RedPiggy]

Did they ever actually refer to her as being a princess before marrying Simba? Being married to a king makes you a queen, but I don't recall them calling her a princess, nor do I recall them ever saying in the context of the movie that a prince can only marry a princess (or vice versa). Of course I haven't seen The Lion King 1 1/2.

Well, besides the "she's not a human thus can't wear profitable clothes like the other dolls" issue, I'm pretty sure Nala's status is glossed over as much as possible, given that any child in a pride would have been the King's. While it's fun to have a wildlife version of Hamlet, the problem with the analogy is that Nala would be Simba's sister, because the "lion king" kills any children in the pride who aren't his. Male children also would have been thrown out with the expectation they found their own pride, not go after Mommy and Daddy's.

 

[Drtooth]

But you gotta admit, the doll issue is why they have a princess line in the first place. Nala would look nice on T-Shirts and plush dolls and stuff like that, but the Princess line was an excuse to jump on the Barbie train.

That said, Mira Nova from Buzz Lightyear of Star Command was a Princess, but since that was considered a "Boy" show, they only made action figures of the guys (Mattel's fault mostly). And they never count Disney Afternoon or One Saturday Morning characters like that.

I do wish their Hero line actually became something, though.

 

[minor muppetz]

I was just thinking, it would be cool if Disney promoted the new movie with a special, maybe a sequel to The Muppets Go to the Movies, only titled "The Muppets Go Back to the Movies" (a very appropriate title considering this is the first Muppet film in theaters in 12 years). But then again, I'd be surprised if Disney did such a thing. The Muppets Go to the Movies isn't that popular of a special (sure, it's popular to us, and possibly the fans who saw it on Nickelodeon back in the early 1990s, but it's never been commercially available in the US), and if we get any new Muppet specials this year I'd expect either the postponed halloween special or a behind-the-scenes special for the new movie (or both).

 

[MadForPepe]

PLush toys - that actually look like the characters! plz

Yes! Tip the Ugly/Not Ugly Muppet toy scale towards the Not Ugly side!

+1

 

[dwmckim]

I also have to chime in with the wish for GOOD plush/puppets. Not just for Disney's Muppets but also SW's Sesame Street.

Now granted, since the Muppet fandom community got spoiled with the poser replicas most plushes that aren't meant to be high-dollar limited edition replicas will pale in comparison but really, it's been way too long (1970's!) since there's been a good line of toy Muppet puppets and Fisher Price as well as the various SST puppet lines demonstrated that yes, it is possible to make mass produced reasonably priced toys that were good (if not awesome) representations of The Muppets without crossing that line of being confused with the real puppets.

Speaking of merchandise, you know what i want SO BADLY? Rizzo wristwatches that are homages to the classic Mickey Mouse watches. The Rat vs. The Mouse is one of my favorite distinctions between The Muppets and the other classic Disney brands - Disney is Mickey Mouse, this cute feel-good symbol beloved by all where the Muppets while still a family brand is has that edge - it has Rats...not cute ones, but ones that relish in their Ratdom and i love the dynamic between Mickey vs. Rizzo as symbols of each! I totally want to see Rizzo watches/merchandise that parody the classic MM merch.

 

[MJTaylor]

I have just been through all nine pages and all the suggestions sound good to me.
I myself would like to see Seasons 4 and 5 of The Muppet Show come out on DVD, same with the uncut Muppet Family Christmas. Also some of the specials like Muppets Go To The Movies would be good. I would also like it if they put out the entire run of the Sesame Street and Muppets comic strips in book form.