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. Yes, Skorodin says. As mentioned above, the original, one of many films released as part of the, 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. Back in 1992, Shaheen cited cable television and videocassettes as making it easy for stereotypes to travel far and wide. Wouldnt it be reasonable that if all the characters in this movie come from the same genetic stock, they should resemble one another? 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 Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a press release earlier this week asking reviewers and critics to acknowledge that the "Aladdin myth is rooted by racism, Orientalism and. The film remains controversial to this day. 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. However, experts continued to criticize the soft language used in the old Disney Plus disclaimers. Jennifer Bisset is a Senior Editor for CNET. Disney is committed to creating stories with inspirational and aspirational themes that reflect the rich diversity of the human experience around the globe. 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. For more information, please see our Want CNET to notify you of price drops and the latest stories? Is it inaccurate? 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. are plenty other streamers out there. 2 men found drugged after leaving NYC gay bars were killed, medical examiner says, "Everything Everywhere All at Once" wins big at SAG Awards, HBO's "Succession" will end with season 4, creator says, Richard Belzer, comedian and "Law & Order: SVU" actor, dies at 78, "The Last of Us" creator Neil Druckmann on the series' success, Ryan Seacrest leaving "Live"; Kelly Ripa's husband, Mark Consuelos, to step in. 6. I do not want to shy away from that. 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. The Hollywood Reporter is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Pocahontas was staight full of lies and racial slurs. In the examples below, the illustration of Aladdin on the left, circa 1930 by an unknown artist, (Credit: Getty Images/Hulton Archive), and the illustration on the right from the early 20th century (Credit: Alamy), both clearly depict Asian clothing and settings. Samuel Gelman started at CBR as a news writer in August 2019 before becoming a news editor in November 2019. Aladdin now has a warning on Disney + pic.twitter.com/ZzrX6qHqct, This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. The movie that inspired her to want a career in film is Lost in Translation. Disney also came under fire for allegedly darkening the skin of white actors and crew members. If anything it highlighted overcoming a class struggle but I guess Marxism has mutated to race and gender now. The company said that while it can't change he past, "we can acknowledge it, learn from it and move forward together.". Was it possible to accurately depict cultural nuances using a fairy tale? 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. Gary Sheffield, Jr It may contain outdated cultural depictions.. The only mention of her is when the Sultan says Jasmine's mother "wasn't nearly so picky" when it came to choosing a husband. 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. Disney's policy here is also sketchy considering the sheer amount of content still edited on Disney+. (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. Yunioshi., We had several people from MANAA talking about the concerns of yellowface and what was wrong with Mickey Rooneys portrayal, he adds. You are agreeing to OutKick's Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, but don't worry we don't spam. Lets be clear, Disney did harm. You can also see. by pic.twitter.com/X9aGjXv97o. As of October 15th, Disney Plus has updated its disclaimer to include a warning that older films may contain harmful stereotypes. 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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. It might also have to do with some version of whitewashing, as most of the voice actors are white people? 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. Please disregard such warningsand better yet, dont give Disney another dime of your money. The sultan's palace in Aladdin, left, and the Taj Mahal in Agra, India. Disney is acknowledging that their past depictions of minorities/cultures in Alladin was not okay, but not take it down because removing it may as well be pretending it didn't happen. Get the Daily OutKick and get smarter every day. Providing warning labels to minorities like myself does nothing to protect or encourage us in society. 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.. It's barbaric, but hey, it's home". 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. Is it stereotypical? That, and the story is loosely rooted in One Thousand and One Arabian Nights, a collection of Middle Easter folk tales. Jasmine can be seen wearing one of her mother's bracelets in the live-action movie. 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. 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. 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 . Disney+ has a huge library of hundreds of movies and series from Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, National Geographic, and more. A handpicked selection of stories from BBC Future, Earth, Culture, Capital and Travel, delivered to your inbox every Friday. ", Disney said the decision is part of its "ongoing commitment to diversity and inclusion." 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. The film was criticised for perpetuating Orientalist stereotypes of the Middle East and Asia. It feels sincere, and its also good business., In November 2019, when Disney launched its Disney+ streaming service, the company added content warnings ahead of its animated classics Dumbo (1941), The Jungle Book (1967) and Aladdin (1992) to warn audiences that the movies may contain outdated cultural depictions.. 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. They want to make up for any offensive messaging they may have been a part of, Robertson told the publication. 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! 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. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. 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. Ditch Disney plus there. 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 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 movie itself never explicitly states where in the real world the story is taking place, so all fans can do is speculate. Answer: Alladin has stereotypes of minorities that were considered acceptable by most people when it is made, but society has progressed and no longer view that as acceptable (for good reason). Nothing else. That is even more important in an era of mass media, all-you-can-watch online streaming. Aladdin is one of the greatest animated movies of all time and one of the main reasons behind that is the Genie character. Archived post. Theyre suddenly switching lanes (without putting on their signal, I should add) and trying to educate when they should just be creating a fun environment. To learn more about how stories have impacted society visit: www.Disney.com/StoriesMatter.". Disney+ wants to say theyre focused on inspirational themes while half the children in Disney films have dead parents. 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. CBS News has reached out to the Walt Disney Company for more information. 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,. 1. Now only days after his death, the live-action Aladdin remake has been questioned over its casting woes. , 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. alternate lyrics were dubbed into the video and soundtrack releases. members. When played on the Disney+ streaming service, films such as . But out of all those movies, there are only a handful that have managed to truly capture the hearts of audiences. 8. All Rights Reserved. / CBS News, Disney is adding a disclaimer to some of its old movies that include racist stereotypes, the media giant announced this month. 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.. It may contain outdated cultural depictions." But I've realized how problematic Aladdin's character is. InPeter Pan, offensive Native Americans caricatures appear throughout the story, along with the problematic song, What Makes the Red Man Red. Lady and the Trampand another Disney animated animal film,Aristocats, both feature cats that mock Asian Americans with illustration and voice acting. Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. And yet, some scholars say the central character could be partly . But now Disney is offended by its own creation, so it slaps a warning on Aladdin. The new content warning, appearing on screen before the movie starts. The new message plays before all of the listed films for about 10 seconds and cannot be skipped or fast-forwarded. Original cartoon versions of movies such as Dumbo, The Jungle Book . Heres a version of that warning, which is notably more in-depth than the one-sentence warning that Disney has implemented. Edit: forgot to write "answer", so i copypasted my original vomment. 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. While the 1992 movie had all the fairy-tale elements to attract viewers adventure and intrigue, an evil villain, a plucky underdog, a forlorn princess trapped by tradition, and an array of supporting characters, Aladdin didnt fare well with critics. 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. 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. Mena Massoud, who plays Aladdin, was born in Cairo, Naomi Scott (Jasmine) is of Anglo-Indian descent, Numan Acar (Hakim) is Turkish, and Nasim Pedrad (Dalia) and Navid Negahban (The Sultan) are Iranian. I cant wait until Disney finally puts a warning label on their films portraying marriage like the fantasy that its never been. The full cigarette scene is now there at the 24:00 mark for anybody who is curious. Background characters. To learn more about how stories have impacted society, please visitwww.disney.com/StoriesMatter. At the end of the overview, you can also find resources section for further exploration in the classroom. 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. 2023 CNET, a Red Ventures company. 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. The highly controversial Song of the South (1946) is not available on the streaming service. How do you feel about Aladdin? In Richard Burton's telling, the "hero" is shallow, lazy, greedy, and easily. 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. 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. "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. 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. Aladdin (/ l d n / -LAD-in; Arabic: , Al ud-Dn/ Al ad-Dn, IPA: [ala addin], ATU 561, 'Aladdin') is a Middle-Eastern folk tale.It is one of the best-known tales associated with The Book of One Thousand and One Nights (The Arabian Nights), despite not being part of the original text; it was added by the Frenchman Antoine Galland, based . 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. A subreddit to help you keep up to date with what's going on with reddit and other stuff. Some accused Disney of reinforcing notions of Oriental interchangeability, pointing to the fact that name Jasmine has Persian roots, not Indian. Disney also puts silly, PC warning labels before much of its back catalog of films. This is pretty much the progressive movement in a nutshell. Copyright 2023 CBS Interactive Inc. All rights reserved. Become a home entertainment expert with our handpicked tips, reviews and deals. Was it possible to accurately depict cultural nuances using a fairy tale? DISCLAIMER: This site is 100% for entertainment purposes only and does not involve real money betting. , earning over $346 million in worldwide box office revenue. 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. How is your familys culture represented in film, television or literature? Nobodys canceling these movies, he said. 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. A content advisory notice for racism in classic Disney films, in place since last year, has been updated with a strengthened message. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns. The new . Don Owens. The problems in Alladin specifically, I believe, are that an Arabic accent was used only for the villain, songs had racist lyrics, and there were very inaccurate and stereotyped portrayals of the entire setting/region. Warner Brothers has included these on a number of older cartoons, rather than erase the cartoons or remove them from circulation or the like, and Disney now appears to be following suit with some of their older work. in the new adaptation. film within a month of its release at the box office. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. He's a young Middle Eastern man and a homeless orphan that . Don't stand until the rug has come to a complete stop. Whether the new film-makers choose to stand in the old guard or vanguard remains to be seen. ", clearly implying it's cutting off the hand. One distraction during the film was its odd use of ethnic stereotypes. You can also see our lesson plan on exploring stereotypes with American film and television, which offers guided activities for your students. Whether he is giving out comedic moments or being incredibly sincere, he is a perfect character. Heck if the salesman is racist, The whole cartoon is. The meetings are held virtually and are very raw according to one attendee. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. The 2019 film also removed several instance of the most egregious racism from the animated film. Why, on Disney plus, does aladdin have a disclaimer but not Pocahontas? To learn more about how stories have impacted society visit Disney.com/storiesmatter, First off, when did Disney suddenly become a Civil Rights movement? How do you feel about Aladdin? However, the outbreak of the first. Guess Disney isnt that offended after all. The only question is how to best address this. Probably some more stuff political invorrect stuff while they show how the people act in town, depicting the way they act in a negative way? While the voice cast of the 1992 movie was entirely white, the live-action film boasts a diverse cast. 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. Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day. Background characters wear clothing from a wide array of cultures, including Afghan payraans, Indian saris, Omani daggers, and turbans from multiple cultures. Think thatll ever happen with divorce rates higher than ever? In its history, Disney has produced 56 animated movies. It protects the filmmaker from feedback. Is it okay to watch a movie if it includes offensive parts? 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. Gambling related content is not intended for anyone under the age of 21. 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 film remains controversial to this day. "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.". Many have referenced the WB. 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. Delivered Wednesdays. Weve had some very raw conversations on those Zooms, African American Film Critics Association President Gil Robertson told the Hollywood Reporter. What? The disclaimers are not a signal that the films have been canceled, Ben Mankiewicz, a host on classic TV network TCM, told the Reporter. Versions of Aladdin from the 19th and well into the 20th centuries depict the main character as culturally Asian, not Arab. Aladdin wasn't asking for a kingdom or riches. 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. 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