Search Results for: blog pocahontas 1995

A Study in Princesses: Pocahontas and Mulan

For the past two weeks I’ve been looking at the Disney Princesses: how they’re presented, how they change with time, and what they say about a woman’s role in society. For all of the princesses up until the mid-1990s, meeting and winning a man (or for Aladdin, a woman) was the fulfillment of their life’s journey. We start to see real change with 1995’s “Pocahontas,” a movie with which I admit I’m not as familiar. But it’s important for several reasons. Pocahontas continues with the recent trend of heroines yearning after lives of adventure, as opposed to waiting for men … Continue reading →

Pocahontas II: Journey to a New World (1998)

Several years have passed since John Smith returned to England, but Governor Ratcliffe hasn’t forgotten his grudge. Determined to blame John for all his own evil doings, the Governor then sees to it that John is killed. He presents his case to the King, who agrees to send an armada to the New World to wipe out the savages and obtain the gold for the crown. Meanwhile, Pocahontas is trying to forget John and the time she spent with him. She knows there is no gold, and John knew it too, but word has reached her that John is dead. … Continue reading →

Pocahontas (1995)

We’ve all heard the legend of Pocahontas in school, how she guided John Smith around the new world when he first arrived and worked toward smoothing relations between the Native Americans and the Colonists. Disney turned this into a major motion picture in 1995, putting their own spin on the story and incorporating some mischievous animals, a Disney trademark. Pocahontas is supposed to be preparing for her marriage to Kocoum, but she feels discontent with her life. Something keeps calling to her, telling her that destiny has another purpose for her. Very in tune with nature and the forces that … Continue reading →

A Tribute to Alan Menken

When the Academy Award nominations were announced a few weeks ago, I discovered some surprises in the “Best Original Song” category. Two songs from “Princess and the Frog” made the list. I didn’t hide my lack of enthusiasm for Randy Newman’s work on Disney’s latest animated feature. I found nothing particularly repellant about the songs in the movie, but almost more importantly, I especially didn’t find anything memorable about them. As I said before, I couldn’t recall a single song from the movie even as I walked out of the theater minutes after the credits rolled. Do I just have … Continue reading →

The Frog Princess–Disney’s First Black Princess

Some say it’s been long overdue and others say that Disney can’t pull it off. Disney who has long been criticized for their void of darker skinned heroines and heroes will release The Frog Princess (due in 2009) and in so doing unveil Maddy, their first ever African American princess. Disney, who has said publicly that they wanted to pay tribute to New Orleans who still is not rebuilt after Katrina, describes The Frog Princess as ‘an American fairy tale’. There have been no details regarding the plot, but rumor has it that it takes place in the 1920’s during … Continue reading →

Disney Introduction to the Magic of Camelot

A few days ago I read a movie review here at families.com that brought a memory back from this summer. Being a twin-culture family, we live in one country but spend our summers in the other so that our boys get to experience both of their cultural roots. We live in Sweden but every July we spend a month in the UK at my mom’s holiday trailer on the Northumbrian coastline (North East corner of England). Some friends knew we were coming last year, and left a pile of Disney videos at the trailer ready for the boys to watch … Continue reading →

Hamlet (1990)

I’ll start off this blog right off the bat by saying that “Hamlet” is not a family-friendly story, no matter which version you are watching. Shakespeare was fond of blood and gore, and his stories all have plenty of it. However, it is a fact that our teenagers are being asked to study Shakespeare in high school, and I always find it helpful to watch a well-done movie of the play to help me identify with the characters and to better understand what is happening in the plot. So, it is for that purpose that I am reviewing “Hamlet” today. … Continue reading →

Dumbo (1941)

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s a baby elephant with really big ears! Mrs. Jumbo belongs to the circus, and she is feeling lonely. All the other elephants have had children, and she hasn’t. But one night as the train is wending its way through the dark to the site of the next show, Mr. Stork flies overhead with his delivery. It’s a heavy one, that’s for sure. He pops his head into the elephant car, and sure enough, it’s for Mrs. Jumbo! She unwraps her bundle to find a sweet little guy with big blue eyes and … Continue reading →