Things I've Never Understood About Disney

[Spottedfeather]

I hope I'm not alone in this, as I'm weird enough as it is, but for as long as I can remember, there are a few things about Disney that get me thinking.

1. Mickey wears pants and no shirts, but Donald wears a shirt and no pants. Is this because Donald, as a duck, has no "area" to cover up ?

2. Pluto is a dog. Goofy is a dog. But why is it that Goofy stands on two feet and speaks, while Pluto doesn't ?

3. In Beauty And The Beast, it is said that the old lady/young fairy visited the castle 10 years ago (as it says in Be Our Guest) The magical Rose will bloom until the Beast's 21st birthday. This would make the beast 11 years old when he was turned into a beast. This is kind of mean for the fairy to do, isn't it ? I mean, the kid was only eleven. 11 year olds are dumb for the most part. I can understand if the kid was, say, 18 years old and knew better. But he was only 11. Also, if the fairy was turned away by the kid/Beast, why did the fairy curse the castle's helpers, turning them into clocks, brooms, etc. ?

[Disneyfreak1990]

the first two i can't answer but the third you heard wrong. it wasn't until his 21st birthday, it was until his 21st year as a beast.

[Lars Vermundsberget]

1. Yes, the Duck is already quite well-dressed in feathers.

2. While Goofy may be a dog, he's also a man - just like Mickey and Donald. Pluto, on the other hand, is just a dog... Makes sense, doesn't it?

[Escapay]

1. Mickey wears pants and no shirts

He's actually wearing a black shirt with black suspenders (hence, the big white buttons on the pants!)

but Donald wears a shirt and no pants. Is this because Donald, as a duck, has no "area" to cover up ?

The feathers cover enough (yet when he loses his shirt, he always has that cover-up pose with his arms covering himself).

2. Pluto is a dog. Goofy is a dog. But why is it that Goofy stands on two feet and speaks, while Pluto doesn't ?

Why does Minnie Mouse have Figaro as a pet cat?

I always felt that in the Disney "world", animals are either anthropomorphic like Mickey and Donald, or normal like Pluto and Figaro. Like how there are humans and monkeys. If humans evolved from monkeys, why are there still monkeys? Some evolve, some don't.

3. In Beauty And The Beast, it is said that the old lady/young fairy visited the castle 10 years ago (as it says in Be Our Guest)

To get technical, the line was "ten years we've been rusting", so there could have been an unspecified number of years (likely eleven, to go with the "21 years as a beast") when they were still in good condition, before they began to wear down (or rust).

Also, I always figured the Beast was 21 when he met the old lady/enchantress, and that she chose to have him live 21 years as a beast because of that. Cause as a human he pretty much was a "beast" inside for 21 years, so as a Beast, it could take him 21 years to find the "human" inside.

Also, if the fairy was turned away by the kid/Beast, why did the fairy curse the castle's helpers, turning them into clocks, brooms, etc. ?

Collateral damage, I guess. They were unfortunately still in the castle and got caught in the spell.

Either that or they were purposely cursed too for not doing anything to discipline the Beast when he was in his human form. After all, they were servants to him, no one really said, "You know, even though you're a prince, you're a rotton human being and should be nice to people." So in the enchantress's eyes, they're partly to blame for the Beast being...beastly. They did nothing to stop it.

Plus, this way they wouldn't leave him. What would you do if a candlestick came up and started talking to you?

Escapay

[SpringHeelJack]

For "Beauty and the Beast", I kind of assumed time froze for the last ten years. In other words, ten years passed, but the castle inhabitants stayed the same age for those ten years. The Beast was 21 when the spell was cast, and is sort of stuck at that age until the spell is broken (or maybe "for all time"!). I mean, otherwise Chip would have to have been somehow conceived and born as a tea cup to a tea pot...which would be a feat of magic unto itself.

[Chernabog_Rocks]

I've never really understood why Donald doesn't wear pants either, I guess it's one of the many Loopholes in Disney.

As for the question about Goofy and Pluto, I rather enjoyed Escapays idea and comparison, but I also found another example of Goofy and Pluto, in Talespin you'll notice the Anthromorphic characters like Baloo, Shere Khan, Trader Moe etc. and than there's actual Animal characters like Lions and Crocodiles. Here's a link that should give you an idea of why Pluto is just a dog, and Goofy a character but it uses the Talespin world as an example.

http://talespinsourcepage.i8.com/creaturechar.htm

[Disneykid]

For "Beauty and the Beast", I kind of assumed time froze for the last ten years. In other words, ten years passed, but the castle inhabitants stayed the same age for those ten years. The Beast was 21 when the spell was cast, and is sort of stuck at that age until the spell is broken (or maybe "for all time"!). I mean, otherwise Chip would have to have been somehow conceived and born as a tea cup to a tea pot...which would be a feat of magic unto itself.

That's the way I always looked at it, too. The Beast still seems fairly young despite the spell being cast about a decade previous. We can't go with the "he was just 11 when the spell was cast" theory, either because the stained glass windows of him in the prologue show him as an adult. I think everyone in the castle would've started to age had the last petal fallen without the Beast getting into a relationship. You have to wonder, though, how a village can forget its prince and not investigate the disappearance of him or his servants (unless it was a "Ding Dong, the Wicked Witch is Dead" thing for them).

And I have no idea whatsoever in how to explain the logic behind the classic characters.

One thing I've wondered is how when Jasmine finds out Ali is the boy from the marketplace, she doesn't even ponder the fact that Jafar lied to her. He told her Aladdin had been beheaded, yet when she finds out he's alive, she's either ticked off at Al for not fessing up, or lovey dovey at the fact that he's not dead, afterall. She should've figured something was afoot. I have the same concerns for Nala and Simba. Nala is too busy steaming off at Simba to realize that Scar lied to her and everyone else.

Okay, another thing just came to my mind after glancing through the Pinocchio villains thread: how exactly does Pinocchio die? My first thought would be because he was battered against the rocks, but he doesn't feel pain (as evidenced in the candle scene from the beginning). He was even still in one piece, and if you go by the book, Pinocchio can still survive even if he's just a head. It seems the only way to truly kill him would be to burn him to ash, so how does being thrown against some rocks take his life away?

[Disney Duster]

Also, I always figured the Beast was 21 when he met the old lady/enchantress, and that she chose to have him live 21 years as a beast because of that. Cause as a human he pretty much was a "beast" inside for 21 years, so as a Beast, it could take him 21 years to find the "human" inside.

If he was 21, then turned into a beast for 21 more years...he'd be 42. He really looks good for his age when he's a prince again. Or time froze, as SpringHeelJack said. The weird thing is...I swear that I remember it saying "21'st birthday" in the movie. I don't own it so I can't know for sure!

*checks*

Okay, it said "his 21'st year." I guess it does mean his 21st year as a beast. Ew. Time must have stopped, or the magic spell was like "since you learned your lesson...we'll let ya look young and hot, too."

The Broadway musical just says the rose would bloom "for many years" and doesn't specify.

[The Little Merboy]

For "Beauty and the Beast", I kind of assumed time froze for the last ten years. In other words, ten years passed, but the castle inhabitants stayed the same age for those ten years. The Beast was 21 when the spell was cast, and is sort of stuck at that age until the spell is broken (or maybe "for all time"!). I mean, otherwise Chip would have to have been somehow conceived and born as a tea cup to a tea pot...which would be a feat of magic unto itself.

Whoa, you're a genius, I never thought of it that way. The Chip thing is hilarious!

Also, were all those other kid cups Mrs. Pots childen too? If so, she needs to slow her roll.

[SpringHeelJack]

The Broadway musical just says the ros would bloom "for many years" and doesn't specify.

Ah, I knew the musical tweaked with that a bit, but I forgot how. That does sort of leave things a bit clearer, I guess.

And it is interesting to think no one was ever that concerned about the Prince and co. I assumed when I was little that he wasn't the prince of wherever exactly Belle was from, but that does beg the question a bit. Is it possible to be, like, a local prince or something? Was he the Prince of all France? If so, I would think this would be something the public at large should have been aware of...

And that Aladdin thing is funny...poor Aladdin, he doesn't get any slack just because he was supposed to be dead...

[Escapay]

Okay, another thing just came to my mind after glancing through the Pinocchio villains thread: how exactly does Pinocchio die? My first thought would be because he was battered against the rocks, but he doesn't feel pain (as evidenced in the candle scene from the beginning). He was even still in one piece, and if you go by the book, Pinocchio can still survive even if he's just a head. It seems the only way to truly kill him would be to burn him to ash, so how does being thrown against some rocks take his life away?

It's also quite amazing that he can survive for who knows how long underwater without his joints swelling up...yet when he's dead, he's face down...almost as if he drowned in the water!

If he was 21, then turned into a beast for 21 more years...he'd be 42. He really looks good for his age when he's a prince again.

Yeah, I didn't think of that, though it would make sense that everything froze at their current age when they were enchanted (though the objects they turn into would still be vulnerable to the elements, which is how they can rust and break.). After all, Snow White's quasi-enchanted death left her looking fresh and pretty for several seasons before the Prince came and kissed her.

Now this is getting me thinking of "enchanted" characters in Disney films who never age. Obviously there's the residents of Never Land, and of course the Enchanted Objects and the Beast. But are there any more?

Besides, there are lots of people in their forties who still look young. Vanessa Marcil, Rob Lowe, Johnny Depp with the right make-up...

EDIT: Okay, Vanessa Marcil is only 38 but still, it's not like once 40 comes around people are expected to suddenly get beer guts and mom jeans...

I don't own it so I can't know for sure!

That's it. I'm gonna make it my life's mission (until I find something else to do) to scour every GameStop in New Jersey for a BATB Platinum in good condition to send to Disney Duster!

And WITHOUT the slipcover!

or the magic spell was like "since you learned your lesson...we'll let ya look young and hot, too."

Classic!

Escapay

[The Little Merboy]

or the magic spell was like "since you learned your lesson...we'll let ya look young and hot, too."

LMAO! thanks for the good laugh Disney Duster

[MK Sharp]

I always felt that in the Disney "world", animals are either anthropomorphic like Mickey and Donald, or normal like Pluto and Figaro. Like how there are humans and monkeys. If humans evolved from monkeys, why are there still monkeys? Some evolve, some don't.

An excellent theory.

Of course, it doesn't help explain some of the more extraordinary behaviour of Horace Horsecollar in some of the 1929/30 shorts, where he's sometimes acting like a real horse, but still has anthropomorphic qualities. In The Jazz Fool, for instance, he's seen at the start pulling Mickey's wagon, but later he's playing the drums. To confuse the issue, his hands are hooves when he's pulling the cart, but gloved hands when he's drumming. Maybe we're seeing evolution in action before our eyes...

[UmbrellaFish]

And it is interesting to think no one was ever that concerned about the Prince and co. I assumed when I was little that he wasn't the prince of wherever exactly Belle was from, but that does beg the question a bit. Is it possible to be, like, a local prince or something? Was he the Prince of all France? If so, I would think this would be something the public at large should have been aware of...

I thought of this so many times my heads spins. Well, I don't have a terrific explanation, but here you go. Belle states in the opening song, "ever since we came to this provincial town" which could mean that Belle's mother and father/grandmother and father and all the villiagers moved to the town after they learned their prince (The Beast), was well, a beast. And so they all moved away since he was a tyrant. He could have been forgotten because he was a tyrant, or just that they figured his castle was now haunted, which would have been an easy thought back then. Anyway, that's why I've always thought/guessed.

[Disney Duster]

Thanks Escapay and The Little Merboy. Yay, I'm glad you guys liked my joke. But I do wonder if the magic spell really did make him young again as part of his reward.

Oh, and Ecapay, I'm really sorry I wasn't clear. I have Beauty and the Beast's original VHS! But I couldn't watch it at the time because my folks were using the T.V., and I had no DVD to pop the movie in. I kind of don't want the DVD just because of the messed-up colors and transfer. I did rent it for all the cool features and to see "Human Again", but I remember thinking it looked noticably pixelated. I'm waiting for a better presentation. Maybe Blu-ray?

And WITHOUT the slipcover!

[UrsushH.Bear]

Escapay wrote:
Why does Minnie Mouse have Figaro as a pet cat?

Mickey thought her new cat (that she purchased with the Disney earnings from Snow White) was so cute, he should be in the next film, and had Figaro cast as the toymaker's feline friend. Pluto was taken to Minnie's house as a favor when Mickey went with Walt to Europe to spend all that locked up money in England-(and made the movie Treasure Island)-thus explaining Pluto living at Minnie's house. It helps to know the inside lives of the stars at that time.

[Escapay]

Oh, and Ecapay

Quoting this before it gets edited and fixed! Just as good as JiminyCrick's "BUMO!" or yamiiguy's constant misspelling of my name as "Escapy".

I kind of don't want the DVD just because of the messed-up colors and transfer. I did rent it for all the cool features and to see "Human Again", but I remember thinking it looked noticably pixelated. I'm waiting for a better presentation. Maybe Blu-ray?

Ahh, makes sense now.

I guess I'll make it my life's mission, then, to...um...hmm...

Now see what you've done? You've taken away my life's mission. I'm off to go cry in the corner with no purpose in life.

Escapay

[PatrickvD]

I thought Goofy was a dingo... or something. I remember reading that somewhere.

[Escapay]

Maybe the dingo ate your baby...

Escapay

[Timon/Pumbaa fan]

I guess I'll make it my life's mission, then, to...um...hmm...

Now see what you've done? You've taken away my life's mission. I'm off to go cry in the corner with no purpose in life.

Escapay

*overhears convsersation and says hmmmm*

*5 minutes later*

*sigh* I'm so very depressed. Not only do I not have Beauty and the Beast Platinum Edition, I don't have Snow White Platinum Edition, Fantasia Anthology, Waves 1 and 2 of the WDTs, Peter Pan Platinum Edition, Alice in Wonderland Masterpiece Edition, Mary Poppins 40th Anniversary Edition, any of the Collector's Editions, but more specifically Tarzan and TENG, 20000 Leagues Under the Sea, The Chronicles of Narnia: 4-Disc Collector's Edition, Pirates of the Caribbean The Curse of the Black Pearl 3 "Lost Disc", Tron, the Package films <strike>and The Little Mermaid: Platinum Edition</strike>(on second thought, who'd want something crappy like that).

I don't know what I'll do.