TOP 5 FEMINIST FRIENDLY DISNEY FILMS:

Put your hands in the air and shake it like you just don’t care if you are super excited about Beauty and the Beast being released soon? Emma Watson is a freaking babe, and most of you may fan girl over her in the Harry Potter Franchise. I fan girl over her, mostly to do with her gender equality side. Due to Watson feminist side, critics have of course criticised her for playing a role which isn’t very female empowering?

As most of you are probably are aware, most Disney princess aren’t very feminist friendly. However, what I have read is that Watson has given Belle more of a back story – she even builds a wash machine so Belle has more time to read!

Nevertheless, reading criticising articles about Disney princess inspired me to write a Top 5 Disney Feminist Friendly films! If you’ve been on my blog page before you would be aware that I am no stranger in ranking Disney films in weird ways, check out my previous posts if you have time (5Eerie Origins from Disney Renaissance Era and 5 Dark Disney Animal Origin Stories). So here is my Top 5 Feminist Friendly Disney Films:

N U M B E R  O N E:  M U L A N

Well she was as swift as the coursing river and had the force of a great typhoon with all the strength of a raging fire. But seriously, this woman who was brought up in a culture where it was her ‘duty’ to be silent and get married and have a shit load of kids. Decides to be like ‘fuck that shit’ and takes her father’s place in to the army and in the end saves all of freaking china! I’m pretty sure she is the only Disney female character to challenge gender stereotypes so openly but If that doesn’t empower females, then what the hell will?

N U M B E R  T W O: P O C A H O N T A S

Does anyone remember the scene where good old Pocahontas rejects a guy by saying ‘it’s not you, it’s my path’ speech? I mean way to swap traditional gender roles! Not only does Pocahontas stay single; she doesn’t need to be saved by anyone or anything. She is the one to save the guy that she loves. She doesn’t end up with him because she has another calling in life, that she chooses to do. She isn’t afraid to be exposed or alone. She’s happy with who she is and that’s fantastic!

N U M B E R  T H R E E: 1 0 1  D A L M A T I A N S

‘Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat?’ You might think. A film about dogs as feminist friendly? Yes, yes it is. Perdy was Pongo’s equal throughout the film. Unlike the book, Perdy was a dumb dog and a ‘lesser’ character throughout. But portrayed in the film, Perdy was just as important as Pongo. In their relationships there was a constant balance of power and love and I think that is an important message to give to both sexes’ from a young age.

N U M B E R  F O U R: T A N G L E D

If you didn’t laugh when Rapunzel hit Flynn Rider over the head with a frying pan when she first met him, then can we even be friends? I mean, instead of just letting a guy up in the tower and instantly falls in love with him. She fights and is reluctant at first. Which lets be honest is a more realistic approach. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to hit a guy over the head with a frying pan when I next go on a date. But let’s be real, this ‘love at first sight’ is bullshitty and I think seeing Flynn and Rapunzel relationship progress is a much healthier way to teach children about relationships

N U M B E R  F I V E: T H E  P R I N C E S S  A N D  T H E  F R O G

I’m pretty sure, Tiana is the only Disney princess to actually wake up in the morning and decided to start her own business? Her dream wasn’t getting married in a castle or wanting to be saved by some rich prince but to own a restaurant which in the end, she eventually does and names it after herself. That’s pretty sweet.

I hope you enjoyed that, which is your favourite Disney film? Xo 

5 Dark Disney Animal Origin Stories

If you are new to my page, then you wouldn’t be aware that a month ago I wrote a post about the 5 Creepy Origins from ‘Disney Renaissance Era’. I asked my Twitter followers which theme I should focus on next and which one people would be interested in reading…

As You Can See, Animals Won... YAY!

I was so excited when this won because I absolutely adored The Animal Themed films when I was growing up, but at the same time I was terrified about finding out about my favourite childhood films (It was bad enough when I found out Sleeping Beauty was raped). So, let’s all get prepared to rip of this bandage and get this party started!

 (P.S, I haven't included the Lion King on it because I already wrote about it before, otherwise it would have been!)

N U M B E R  F I V E:  T A R Z A N

If you never wanted to be able to Swing of trees like he did when you were younger, then I will never understand you as a person or what your childhood was like. I hope that you have seen the Disney version but here is a recap of what happens: We see Tarzan with his parents out in the wild, but then his parents get murdered. By the same Animal, Kala’s son gets murdered and Kala adopts Tarzan (saving his life) to fill her missing void, Tarzan is then raised as a Gorilla – unaware of his human heritage until one day he discovers this truth when he meets Jane and Clayton. Jane falls in love with Tarzan whilst teaching him to be human and they live happily ever after together. (And Clayton dies... Yikes)

In the original story, not much is different apart from the fact Jane and Tarzan don’t have their happily ever after. In the original. Jane goes back to America – unaware how Tarzan feels about her and marries Clayton to be able to pay off her father’s debt. The more twisted thing is, Tarzan is actually Claytons cousin and his riches belongs to him... but Tarzan believes that Jane loves Clayton and when he sees them get married, he stays silent. None of them knowing how they really feel about each other and Jane stuck married to a guy she doesn’t even love...(esssh).

N U M B E R  F O U R: T H E  J U N G L E  B O O K

If you do not know the song ‘bear necessities’ I urge to listen to it and actually have some happiness in your life (however it does stay in your head for ages). But Disney recap: Similar to Tarzan, Mowgli was an orphaned baby who was abandoned in the Jungle and befriends Baloo the bear and Bagheeezra the Panther and they raise him as their own. When a man-eating tiger comes to the Jungle, Mowgli seeks shelter in a human village and instantly falls in love with a human girl and in the end decides to stay in the village.

However, in the original story when Mowgli returns to the human well let’s just say they don’t open him with open arms. Instead, they re-banish him back in to the jungle and the family which was kind to him was tortured. Mowgli, feeling extreme anger asks Hathi the elephant for help who in the book is a bloodthirsty old elephant gleefully seeking revenge on humans – so in the end They destroy the entire village with the help of the wolves…. (uh oh, they didn’t even leave the bare necessities)

N U M B E R  T H R E E: O L I V E R  & C O M P A N Y

Why should you worry? Why Should You care right? I’m 99% Oliver and Company was the reason why I want an orange kitty (Screw Garfield) but for those who need a Disney Recap: Oliver is an unwanted ginger kitten who isn’t even called Oliver until two thirds of the film. He follow’s Dodger home where he becomes a part of Fagin’s gang which is made up of all stray dogs plus a poor human who just wants to pay back a loan shark. Oliver, in the end gets adopted by Jenny, a 7-year-old girl who finds him on the street. However, Fagin's evil boss, Sykes, steps in and kidnaps the pair. However, when the ransomed kitty's "Bow-wow"-ery buddies decide to use their street savoir faire in order to rescue their kitty, they save the day and they all live happily ever after.

The original story is very loosely based on Oliver Twist, which is about an orphan boy who was mistreated and abused for most of his childhood.  After representing his fellow sufferers in an attempt to get more food, Oliver is punished and is apprenticed to Sowerberry, an undertaker. he Artful Dodger, a questionable character who brings the boy to Fagin, the ringleader of a gang of criminals. Instructed in the "art" of picking pockets. In a robbery that went wrong, Oliver gets shot but he survives and actually gets his inheritance in the end. But it’s still sad that to find out Fagan is actually a nasty man who doesn’t care about Oliver!

N U M B E R  T W O:  B A M B I

If you didn’t cry in the first five minutes of the film in Bambi, did you even have a soul? Or were you just unaware that Bambi’s mum was shot?! I do not think you would be able to call yourself a Disney fan if you have never seen this classic film. However, those who need a recap (and to seriously put it on and watch it right now) the story goes: we see Bambi’s birth and he becomes named ‘The Prince of the Forest’ as he grows, he loses his mum (geez Walt and his orphans... he loves it!) he becomes friends with other animals of the forest (aww, thumper) and learns the skills needed to survive and in the end, he finds love and leads the other deer’s to safety from hunters.

In the novel, we follow a life of a Roe Deer and we do read about the tragic loss of his mother (but that’s more near the end than it is beginning) and a lot of the story describes the harshness of nature and the cruelty of man. We read that Bambi has his first encounter with "He" (the animals' term for humans) The man raises a firearm and aims at him; Bambi flees at top speed, after he is scolded by a stag for crying for his mother, Bambi gets used to being alone at times. In mid-winter, the Hunters kill most of his deer friends, including a doe that he loved and he is left alone.

N U M B E R  O N E: T H E  F O X  A N D  T H E  H O U N D

What else would have been number one? Destined to be enemies Copper and Tod (a hound and a fox) are raised together. As babies, they are more than happy to play with each other and be best buddies. However, due to social cues and peer pressure the questionable pair start to struggle to preserve their friendships. However, in the end they remain best friends forever. And everyone lives.

In the original, there are no survivors! Tod, causes the death of one of the Hunters favourite dog, he then trains Copper to ignore other Fox’s and only to kill Tod for revenge for Tod killing his favourite dog. Tod, kept surviving. Frustrated, the hunter makes Copper pressure Tod without mercy until one-day Tod collapses and then dies from exhaustion. Even though Copper was loyal to the Hunter, when he had to move to a nursing home, he kills Copper with a shotgun. (Ouch, looks like no-one had a happy ending then).

I hope you enjoyed it xo