In just a few days Disney will release its latest movie, Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2, which features a reformed bad guy and a princess archetype as central characters. This animated extravaganza is Disney’s latest effort to restructure the fairy tale princess into an empowered 21st Century woman of substance. If you don’t like the culture police in Hollywood messing with your kid’s head, you might want to sit this one out or at the very least use it as a teachable moment for children old enough to understand the messaging. [perfectpullquote align=”right” bordertop=”false” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=”24″]…should Disney attempt a remake of Cinderella the glass slipper would give way to a pair of Sketchers.[/perfectpullquote]
This is not to say the film isn’t funny – it has plenty of laugh lines – especially for the adult who has to accompany the kiddies; but make no mistake, Disney has heard progressives railing against its princess role models, and in this film, they do something about it.
What are the leftists complaining about now? First off, the Prince kisses Sleeping Beauty while she is snoozing: unwanted sexual advances! Call the police. Second, we have a woman who needs a man to rescue her: for shame! Third, there is the actual visual depiction of the princess – more often than not she’s thin, she’s pretty, and, horror of horrors: she’s white! In fact, there is quite a lot of internet ink spilled on the despicable princess role model that Disney has advanced.
Up until recently the family entertainment empire has integrated ancient stories and classic fairy tales, cleaned them up (a lot), and developed movies designed to entertain and enchant children and parents alike. But now it seems the powers that be at Disney HQ are on a mission to reform their erroneous ways, and in doing so the style and substance of the princess have taken a hit.
The new princess role model in Ralph Breaks the Internet is Vanellope, who is bored to tears being a princess, so she and buddy Ralph venture into the strange and bizarre world of the internet. It is a wild ride through this confusing and complicated cyberspace. One scene has our heroine stopping by to visit former Disney princesses who seem rather lost and insipid in the presence of a “woke” Vanellope:
“Do you have magic hair?” Rapunzel wonders.
“Magic hands?” Elsa asks.
“Do animals talk to you?” Cinderella asks.
“Were you poisoned?” Snow White asks.
“No!” Vanellope tells the four princesses.
“Cursed?” Aurora and Tiana wonder before Belle and Rapunzel ask, “Kidnapped or enslaved?”
“No! Are you guys OK?” Vanellope asks the group. “Should I call the police?”
“Do people assume all your problems got solved because a big strong man showed up?” Rapunzel asks. Finally, Vanellope replies, “Yes!” Annoyed, she wonders, “What is up with that?”
Let’s Just Skip the Glass Slipper
The zeitgeist of the progressive movement isn’t just evident in the dialogue. As you can well imagine, Disney pains over the style, color, and form of the princess wardrobe. Will she wear fuchsia like Aurora in Sleeping Beauty or the powder blue of Cinderella? Forget the long dreamy satin, organza, sequins, and lace. Vanellope eschews all traditional princess clothing for a much “more comfortable” outfit that consists of a brown skirt and a pale green hoodie. One surmises that should Disney attempt a remake of Cinderella the glass slipper would give way to a pair of Sketchers.
Why deal with petticoats and form-fitting gowns when you can just roll out of bed and – poof – you’re a princess in fleece? Maybe Vanellope – the Sequel will add in a tramp stamp or nose ring, who knows? Yes, Disney is slicing through old stereotypes with about as much subtlety as your Granddaddy’s hacksaw.
As you can well imagine, Disney characters spawn mountains of merchandise worth gazillions. Licenses for dolls, clothing, games, toys of every shape, size, and model are just the tip of the after-sales market. But before you can say, “Rapunzel, let down your hair,” these products are manufactured and shipped from China and ready to load into an Amazon basket for all of America’s children to adore this Christmas.
So, there’s money to be made and messaging to impart from Disney’s point of view. But what the Tinseltown progressives seem to have forgotten is that little Olivia has a parent. She doesn’t need Hollywood to give her self-confidence and empower her inner woman – especially if she has a Mommy, who in times past was a little girl’s role model. But classic progressive collectivism disdains parents and regards them as unnecessary, and this film adheres to that maxim.
‘Tis a sad state of affairs when we are too afraid to allow a little girl to dress up like a princess, who has little to no need for a Prince Charming and certainly doesn’t believe in “happily ever after.” These have become dangerous and unsafe messages to Hollywood elitists who believe it’s their responsibility to indoctrinate your children with a progressive worldview.
One thing is for sure – gone are the days when the safe bet is to take the kids to a Disney flick. The progressive gremlins are everywhere these days, so in those sage words of Santa Claus: You better watch out.
Santa Claus? Oh, that’s another leftist pet peeve, but perhaps we shall leave that one for another day.
