Very Imp. Public's Perception of Disney. Totally Mad.

[Jules]

I've been longing to post this for ages. See what you make of it.
For some reason not everyone respects the fact that I'm a Disney lover. Here I'm going to show you some conversations I've had with different people.

Conversation 1

I had this hot argument with two friends of mine at school, Nathaniel and Marco. This is a reconstruction and may not be entirely accurate.
"J" means Julian, in other words, me.
"N" means Nathaniel.
"M" means Marco.


Somehow the conversation shifted on to movies and then I mentioned my favourite topic: "Disney".


N: (scoffs) Come look at this guy...he likes Disney movies!
M: What was that!?
N: He's a Disney fanatic!!
J: And what's wrong with that? Disney features are works of art. I intend to complete a collection the Disney Classics Collection on DVD.
N: (Looking like he's going to have a fit, bends down, laughs helplessly...)
M: (Joins him...)
N: (Still mocking me...) Do you by any chance know that those movies are for children?
J: Of course they're not JUST for children!! How can kids appreciate the artistic values in them? We're talking about movie masterpieces here! (Getting red in the face).
N: Masterpieces!? I'll tell you what the masterpieces are! Movies with special effects: "The Day After Tomorrow", "Independance Day", or "Spider-Man"!
J: OH! So "Bambi" isn't a masterpiece!?
N: "Bambi"!? That's for flipping three-year-olds! Are you nuts!? And it's not like there are any special effects in "Bambi"...(I interrupted him)
J: For your information, "Bambi" was groundbreaking in its day!
N: Exactly...in it's day!
M: Haaa! But nowadays we don't just want to see a piece of cardboard splattered with paint, and a few dabs of yellow to represent a flower...if you watch "Spirit", you'll see a tree, where a every leaf is visible...
J: (I opened my mouth and nothing came out. I was speechless at what I was hearing. Even though I was right, I couldn't win the argument, despite the fact that these people were misinformed...saying that "Bambi" has backgrounds made of just a splatter of paint and thinking that only movies with special effects are good movies. I was also itching to point out why they had suddenly turned in favour of animation through "Spirit")
N: And why does it have to be Disney? Can't it be Dreamworks or Warner Brothers? Do you like rock music?
J: Not really, but I can still appreciate...(interrupted...)
N: HOW ON EARTH CAN YOU NOT LIKE ROCK MUSIC? IT'S THE ONLY REAL MUSIC!!! You like Norway's song this year didn't you? (This conversation happened last year, shortly after the "Eurovision Song Contest 2005" in Kiev, Ukraine. In the contest, there was a rock song from Norway if I'm not mistaken. It went something like "Come on! Come on! Come on!". It was good rock, even though I don't like rock, but...)
J: I...
N: What do you like then!? Soppy stuff!!? Like Celine Dion?
J: For your information, YES, I do like Celine Dion, and she's not soppy...


I forgot how it continued, but I remember getting hoarse from shouting.


Conversation 2

This short conversation occured with a teacher at school.
"J" means me.
"T" means teacher.


Start of conversation is foggy in my mind, this is what I remember.


T: So you're the one who likes Disney and cartoons. I'm surprised.
M: Why is that, sir?
T: They're too goody-goody! The last decent film Disney released was "The Lion King". Last time I was watching "Mulan", I was vomiting on the side of the sofa! Look at "Shrek". It's for everyone! Everybody likes "Shrek"!



Once I was viewing ultimatedisney.com from a school lab PC, and an IT teacher passed by. He glanced at the screen and muttered "Hmmm...Disney. How old are you lad?"


Converation 3


This happened with another friend of mine, who thinks I'm round the bend for liking Disney films.
"J" means me.
"F" means friend.


Again I don't remember the start of the conversation.


J: But what's wrong if I'm a Disney fanatic!?
F: They're for five-year-olds!
J: How many times will I tell you? They are made for adults aswell!
F: Whatever...Disney sucks.


Conclusion


I joined ultimatedisney forums for a very special reason. To be able to discuss Disney. Because I don't have anyone to discuss it with over here!
I'M SO SICK! WHY DOES EVERYONE AROUND ME THINK I'M NUTS, OR SILLY, OR IMMATURE, OR CHILDISH, JUST BECAUSE I LIKE DISNEY MOVIES!?
DOES THIS HAPPEN IN OTHER COUNTRIES, OR JUST IN MALTA, IN THIS SMALLER THAN A SPECK ISLAND, WHERE I FEEL PERSECUTED IF I EVEN GIVE THE TEENIEST HINT THAT I CHERISH SOME LOVE FOR A MOVIE THAT SPORTS A DISNEY LOGO!!!???






It's maddening.


Sorry for getting upset with all the upper case letters up there, but I just want to make my point. OK?

[Kenai]

Yeah, that's totally screwed up shit right there. That's utter bull.

Reading these conversations got me a little more peeved. A couple of my friends think the same way. I don't care, though.

And if not, you can always tell these ignorant fools that celebrities love Disney,too. Heck, from what I read, Teri Hatcher (of Desperate Housewives fame) loves Disney and has a huge collection of Disney stuffed animals like Eeyore. Tyra Banks and Christina Aguilera are also among the many celebrities.

[Lars Vermundsberget]

There are "people like that" everywhere. I simply don't bother to go in-depth about Disney with "those people", so I've hardly ever had to "defend" myself...

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

And if not, you can always tell these ignorant fools that celebrities love Disney,too. Heck, from what I read, Teri Hatcher (of Desperate Housewives fame) loves Disney and has a huge collection of Disney stuffed animals like Eeyore. Tyra Banks and Christina Aguilera are also among the many celebrities.

Or better yet, tell em about this guy!

[Jules]

Or better yet, tell em about this guy!

Wow! I've never seen so many tattoos in my life! Yeah...maybe I should tell them (Nat and Marco) about this guy.

[RyougaLolakie]

All these conversations from people who thinks Disney sucks really pissed me off! You know, juliencarter, many students and teachers at your school didn't have the knowledge about the fine art of animation. I know you really like Disney (and so am I) but when it comes to your friends's opinions about Disney, telling you that it's for 5-year olds, you have to argue with them until they realized that these films weren't meant for children. Disney films are made for everyone and I think you should defend yourself of not telling others about it. I know its harsh, but its they only way to keep in touch.

Ugh.....I hate these ignorant fools like Neville and Michael, juliencarter. You know, I just do.

[Lars Vermundsberget]

This notion that animation could only be for children started with "Saturday morning" television in the 50s and 60s, that both included new "television animation" and recycled older theatrical shorts. By that time most of Disney's true classics (IMO) had already been made. The animators who made the best cartoons of the 30s and 40s didn't do it for children in particular - they rather did what they themselves thought was good. And, of course, at Disney they were for years constantly developing the art of animation through the shorts.

In short - apparently there are people who think they know it all when they say that Disney is for kids and that's it. That perception isn't totally untrue, of course, but it's also way off. Their loss, not mine. Usually I leave it at that.

[Leonia]

Hey, their loss. I've noticed some things in my (tiny) collection of Disney films as an adult I missed the first time because I was a kid upon rewatching them.

Hey, I bet you if Disney hadn't made Snow White and legitimized animation as an art form, we wouldn't even have anime.

[Lars Vermundsberget]

Hey, their loss. I've noticed some things in my (tiny) collection of Disney films as an adult I missed the first time because I was a kid upon rewatching them.

Hey, I bet you if Disney hadn't made Snow White and legitimized animation as an art form, we wouldn't even have anime.

Although it's hard to tell, since this could have changed the course of history more than we can know, I guess you may be right.

[brotherbear]

wow...that sounds like my parents. My dad in particular dosen't understand AT ALL why i like disney movies...considering i'm an upperclassmen in high school. I remember when i bought Bambi on DVD, (and my dad found out about it), we had a LONG discussion on the phone (since he wasn't at home), and he kept asking me something to the degree of: "why in the hell do you want Bambi?! That movie is MEANT for little kids. do you need a shrink?" That was tough explaining it to him. Then he started saying that he was going to make me take it back to the store; but that never happened. Its the same with my mom; on the 1st of March, i had to PAY her $7 to buy LatT FOR me, at Circuit City...

I've never been to Malta, but in my school in the US, kids dont laugh at me so much about me likeing disney movies. Here, some disney movies are actually rather popular, such as Aladdin, TLK, and TENG (for most people in my high school.) It was actually a friend that graduated last year and also a band trip to Disney World that rejuvinated my interest in Disney movies.

I will admit that some people do look at me funny and laugh when i talk about disney movies. For example, when i bought Sleeping Beauty last year, i told one of my friends about it, and he was like, "Why the hell did you buy Sleeping Beauty?". I just simply told him that i really liked the movie, and that it was amazing. (oh, and btw, i'm a girl, despite my username... so being a girl probably helped with SB)

Personally, i think that its A LOT harder for guys in high school to like disney movies than it is for girls (and be open about it). I personally know more girls that are open about their love for certain disney movies than guys. A LOT more..

SO...that is my story. I'm sure that each school, and each area is different. but i really do hate ignorant people such as Michael and Neville. But, as i tell my parents, i dont really care whether or not they think its OK for some one over the age of 5 to like disney movies. All i want is RESPECT for what i do like and enjoy watching. Also, I told them that I dont necessarily watch Disney movies for the plot anymore (like when i was little), but now because I appreciate of the animation, not to mention that there's no sex, violence, drugs, bad language, etc., and EVERYONE can enjoy them.

But hey, thats just my two cents.

-BB

[TheSequelOfDisney]

I've told some of my friends, not many, but some about how I just absolutely love Disney. They didn't seem to mind. If someone asked a Disney question, I could probably answer it. But my friends really don't care if I love Disney or not.

[Miss Jo]

As peeved as I am at the ignorance and narrowness of your schoolmates, julian, it's the teachers' behaviour that really gets my goat. That IT teacher had absolutely no business making such a wanton comment on something as innocent as viewing a Disney site. It is unfathomable to me that teachers would deliberately try to quell the passion of a student like that. Too "goody-goody"? Vomit-inducing? That Computer Studies teacher is vicious. He should be made to watch Mulan 20 times in a row with his mouth taped shut so that he chokes on his vomit. But that probably would not heighten his appreciation for Disney.

[TheSequelOfDisney]

Its the same with my mom; on the 1st of March, i had to PAY her $7 to buy LatT FOR me, at Circuit City...

This is how I am. I had to give my mom $20 to go and buy Cinderella, while I sat in the car. I guess I'm kind of enbarassed about getting a "girly" movie. I don't actually think that it is girly at all. I just call it one of Disney's best animated movies. It's not girly, even though the protagonist is a girl, and the movie is centered around her. I think that I will probably have to give my mom $20 again when The Little Mermaid comes out October 3rd. I'll probably just sit in the car, or wait for her to go and get it. With Bambi, and Lady and the Tramp, I felt comfortable with buying them at the store in front of guy register people, who think that I am probably still 5, even though I'm going to be a freshmen next year in high school. Oh well, that's my 5 cents.

[Lars Vermundsberget]

This is how I am. I had to give my mom $20 to go and buy Cinderella, while I sat in the car.

I get most of my DVDs in the mailbox, though - "discretely packaged". Not that I'd have a problem buying it in a store - if the store had exactly what I wanted...

[Lars Vermundsberget]

I remember when i bought Bambi on DVD, (and my dad found out about it), we had a LONG discussion on the phone (since he wasn't at home), and he kept asking me something to the degree of: "why in the hell do you want Bambi?! That movie is MEANT for little kids. do you need a shrink?" That was tough explaining it to him. Then he started saying that he was going to make me take it back to the store; but that never happened.

People may not know and people may not care. But THAT is terrible.

[TheSequelOfDisney]

This is how I am. I had to give my mom $20 to go and buy Cinderella, while I sat in the car.

I get most of my DVDs in the mailbox, though - "discretely packaged". Not that I'd have a problem buying it in a store - if the store had exactly what I wanted...

Thanks for laughing Lars, thanks a lot! "Discretely packaged" Like in what, tin foil? Or in a cookie box? Or a bag of marshmallows?

[Lars Vermundsberget]

There IS a serious problem there, is there...?

As for packaging - the DVDs usually come in brown-ish cordboard boxes. Nothing special, and quite discreet.

By the way, "SequelofDisney", where did you get the following "quote" from?

"Squeakedy squeaker squeakin' squeak"

[brotherbear]

Oh well, that's my 5 cents.

darn it! you have 3 more cents than me!

By the way, "SequelofDisney", where did you get the following "quote" from?

"Squeakedy squeaker squeakin' squeak"

ooh! i know! i know! pick me!

I felt comfortable with buying them at the store in front of guy register people, who think that I am probably still 5,

that actually just reminded me of another incident i had. Once, in a used movie shop, i decided to my the VHS of pocahontas (a little over a year ago, since i hadn't seen it in a while, and the vhs was only $3), and so when i went up to the counter, the girl (who was about college age) asked me: " so are you buying this for your little sister or something?" I decided not to get into explaining it with her, so i just said yes. but that sort of shocked me there.


TheSequelofDisney, what bothers me at the moment, is that this friday, i'm going to (hopefully, after a long, hard search) finally get Snow White (PE), and i'm probably going to have to pay my mom $7-$8 to let my buy it at Gamestop for $17. Oh well, i hope it will be worth it.

[Lars Vermundsberget]

Oh well, that's my 5 cents.

darn it! you have 3 more cents than me! "

We've had those "two cents" for so long now that, corrected for inflation, I'm sure five cents isn't too much nowadays.

By the way, "SequelofDisney", where did you get the following "quote" from?

"Squeakedy squeaker squeakin' squeak"

ooh! i know! i know! pick me! "

You can tell? Please do! I'm sure it is from somewhere, I've heard (read) it before.

[TheSequelOfDisney]

You know what? I can't really remember where I got that quote from, but I think it is from some Disney movie that came out in theaters in 2000, and was a comedy. I think someone, it could be David Spade, who said this "squeaker" line, but I'm not very sure. Hey, brotherbear, you have a good time buying Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I have the DVD and it's awesome, yo!!!!! I should, even though 101 Dalmatains doesn't come out until next year, be able to easily buy it without fear of other people. I should also be good with The Jungle Book, Pinocchio, and Fantasia. Now Sleeping Beauty could be a bit of an issue. I hope my mom will be ready to go and buy it for me. Is there a phobia about fear of people when you buy a disney movie? There should be. It should be called When-I-Buy-A-Disney-Movie-In-Front-Of-Other-People-That-I-Don't-Know-And-Would-Most-Probably-Think-That-I-Am-Five-Years-Old-phobia.