Posted on 09/26/2014 11:33:44 AM PDT by BenLurkin
At this point, we've seen just about every iteration of Disney princesses recontextualized by creative fans. The well may have run dry, but this exhaustion speaks to how eager a global audience is for animated females who break the traditional Disney mold. In the meantime, one writer has started conjuring some new princesses who break that mold so comprehensively they've become more likely characters for violent indie thrillers than family-oriented studio fare. Which is kind of a shame.
Former DreamWorks effects animator and fledgling artist Jason Porath recently created Rejected Princesses, a website that features detailed, often hilarious stories and illustrations about some historical and mythical women who were just too darn interesting to end up with their own big budget four-quadrant vehicles. It's a counter example to the litany of animated heroines who seem to lack much agency; the ones who have some semblance of power within reach, but too often end up relying on a romantic interest or other helpful tropes, to save the day. (Porath cites Hayao Miyazaki's--especially Princess Mononoke and Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind--as popular counter-examples.)
Rejected Princesses developed out of a lunchtime conversation at Porath's old workplace back in February, during which he and some colleagues tried to determine who'd make the least suitable candidate for an animated princess. After eventually soliciting some suggestions on Facebook, the gears began to grind in Porath's imagination and he was very much compelled to see what some of these characters might look like, even if he had to draw them himself.
(Excerpt) Read more at fastcocreate.com ...
I really want to see this movie!
Mai Bhago!
A Sikh Warior Princess! Just full of awesome, I wonder how well it would play in Saudi Arabia...
You must not have seen Brave or The Princess and the Frog. Since I have kids, I've seen them over and over and over... The Disney princesses in recent movies are anything but helpless.
Unfortunately, most animated films today do not simply see a need to portray women and girls as self-reliant. Almost every single one must also portray all men and boys as cowardly, stupid, disgusting, or outright evil. I don't take my kids to movies like How to Train Your Dragon because of the constant misandry. Girls are almost universally portrayed as strong, brave, and self-sacrificing, qualities that used to be attributed to men and boys.
You're right. I haven't seen the recent ones, so my comment was inaccurate. Still, with your second comment, I'd consider it more of an oversimplification than an unfair criticism. I'd like to see men and women, boys and girls portrayed as having the potential to do good or not, according to their choice. I'd like to see them shown capable of being brave or not, again according to their own choices. That's what I teach my kids - that choice is everything and that they can to a surprising extent make any choice they can imagine.
Oooh. Alex Kinston (River Song from Doctor Who) as Boudica. Cooool.
We are amused! :-)
LOL
You are 100% correct.
Oh, puhleeease! After what they did to Pocahontas, do you REALLY want to give Disney a shot at distorting the story of Boudicca?
I hear ya!
FTR, the Historical Interpreters(Guides) at Jamestown spend a hearty chunk of their lectures on-site debunking Disney! LOL!
Sounds like the "Harry Potter" movies.
I loved how the Princess of Frozen, Anna, falls in love with the handsome prince, but he is evil. Then she spends a lot of her adventure with the sweet hunky poor guy, and in the end could probably have him, but doesn’t really want to settle down with him. They are in the scene together at the end but apparently just as friends. Love it!
I have enough trouble dealing with 2 and 4 years old princesses decked in Disney dresses and my jewelry and scarves.
I hate to see anyone try to mess with their minds. They are just so cute and simple right now.
There’s enough filth and nastiness in the world that they have to face soon enough without the curmudgeons stacking more filth onto the girls’ already stacked deck.
Exhibit A: Ariel, the Little Mermaid, who sold her soul to the devil, yet won the guy and lived happily ever after anyway. My girls hate it when anybody mentions that show around me...
see Bennie Adkins @ http://www.badassoftheweek.com
Read #11. I think there’s something to the “weak father relationship thing...”
Agreed. That is one of the things I like most about Harry Potter - good and evil are explicitly presented as choices that the characters make. It's not different but equally valid cultural perspectives, or shades of gray. Right and wrong are absolutes that we choose between, just like in the real world.
She’s Not Only Bad, she’s Beautiful! :-)
I'd like to know what all the symbolism in the video means. I find it disturbing and fascinating simultaneously.
She might be beautiful but Bennie Adkins served our country well. Bennie Adkins is a hero and you know what? It never REALLY made the news under this regime.
Obola hates putting medals on American who served their country and laid down their lives for every single citizen of the USA.
Take a little trip to badassoftheweekdotcom-Adkins pics are there and it’s all documented.
Beautiful?
Then again this is your opinion - I’m just throwing mine out here because I love my country .
I agree with you.
:-)
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