"Mickey Mouse Monopoly"

     This week, we watched Mickey Mouse Monopoly: Disney, Childhood, and Corporate Power.  It made some very interesting points.  I grew up watching Disney movies, and as I got older, I noticed certain stereotypes, sexism, and racism in the films.  This is especially true for the older films, like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Dumbo, and Peter Pan.  In the Snow White movie, she is portrayed as a delicate female who enjoys cooking and cleaning for men.  There are definitely racist undertones in Dumbo, with the voices of the crows speaking Ebonics.  I have always had a problem with how Native Americans were portrayed in Peter Pan.  From the way they are drawn, to the color of their skin, and even the way they talk and dance.  It is extremely stereotypical and offensive. However, I did not agree with some of the "problems" the film pointed out about some of the Disney movies.  One example was when they talked about The Little Mermaid being sexist because Prince Eric saves Ariel in the end.  I think that they forgot that at the beginning of the movie, Ariel saves Prince Eric from drowning.  I do not think that it is a bad thing for men to save women, especially in this case because they also showed a woman saving a man.  The film did point out some things that I had never really thought about before, such has the elimination of Africans from the Tarzan story.  They also pointed out the offensive and controversial lyrics from the beginning of the Aladdin film, which went right over my head as a child.  This film gave me a lot to think about even though I still enjoy Disney movies.