Disneyfication

I was looking forward to last Friday's lecture for the simple reason that it was about Disneyfication. Although I'm almost 21 I still love watching Disney films and going to the Disney store as I love anything Disney. I think it's because I've grown up watching Disney films and it just takes me back to my childhood. Disneyfication refers to a specific approach to place, history and literature characterized by simplification and a cleansing of unpleasantness. Disneyization refers to a structural change in society as exemplified by principles associated with the Disney theme parks.(Alan Bryman 2004).

The Disney Castle in Orlando Florida is a magical place and is very exciting when you see it in real life!

We watched a video of Beauty and the Beast and we were also shown pictures of how the characters physical appearances have changed over the years and they are now more attractive. The video showed clips of the classic Disney film and also people's opinions about how Beauty and the Beast is ultimately about the Beast who is the male being violent and abusive towards Belle the female and these people think that this might rub off on the children watching it. My opinion is that these people are reading into this far too much because when I was a child I didn't pick up on it and I'm confident that none of my friends did either. Another point that the critics picked up on was the fact that in if not every then the majority of Disney films the female character always has to rely on being saved or looked after by the heroic male implying that females cannot be independent. I think that this is a fair point but in Disney's defence I really don't think that children are going to pick up on this, especially when now a days there are so many young single mum's who have to be independent.

Over the years Disney films have been altered so that they have happy endings as opposed to horrible and horrific ones which would leave children not loving Disney as much as they do. In all Disney films the female characters have been portrayed as almost barbie doll like which is unrealistic and this might be one thing that young girls pick up on. This is the wrong image to be projecting but if the females in Disney weren't as perfect would it have the same effect on children loving Disney so much.

To conclude I think that although there is alot of criticism of Disney, it is a hugely successful business which lightens up children's lives, and also perhaps some adults too.