Conflict and Conformity: Deconstructing Dynamic Disney

Duos

Courtesy of THE SITUATION(CJ Wachter, Tyler Nelson, Ethan Graff,

Andrea Maassen, Jay Wright, and Challiss Alexander)

Background of Walt Disney Raised on a farm near

Marceline, Missouri, Walt Disney became interested in drawing at an early age, selling his first sketches to neighbors when he was only seven years old.

At McKinley High School in Chicago, Disney divided his attention between drawing and photography, contributing both to the school paper. At night, he attended the Academy of Fine Arts.

He eventually won a scholarship to the Kansas City Institute, where he met a fellow animator, Ub Iwerks. The two then went to Hollywood in 1923.Together, they produced many films, such as Steamboat Willie (1928), Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937), Pinocchio (1940), Cinderella (1950), Alice in Wonderland (1951), Peter Pan (1953), and many more.

Andrew Stanton, director of Finding Nemo

Born in Rockport,

Mass.

Studied character

animation at

CalArts (graduated

in 1987)

Joined Pixar in

January of 1990

Related works:

Toy Story (1995)A Bug’s Life (1998)Monsters, Inc.

(2001)The Incredibles

(2004)Cars (2006)Ratatouille (2007)WALL-E (2008)Up (2009)Future works:

Toy Story 3 (2010) John Carter of Mars

(2012)

Chris Buck and Kevin Lima, directors of Tarzan

Chris Buck

Born in Wichita, KansasStudied character animation at

CalArts before his career at Disney as an animator (The Fox and the Hound [1981], The Little Mermaid [1989], and Oliver & Company [1989])

Kevin LimaBorn and raised in Pawtucket,

Rhode IslandDirected A Goofy Movie (1995),

102 Dalmatians (2000), and also helped to create Lumiere (Beauty and the Beast) and Ursula/Flounder (The Little Mermaid)

MOVIE CLIP!Notice the similarities between the Tarzan and Pocahontas scenes

(Kerchak = Radcliffe, Tarzan = John Smith) They are almost EXACTLY the same, each faced with conflict

against a different race/species. *Reaction shot* - Kerchak’s reaction when Tarzan defies him in

front of the gorilla tribe Notice the backgrounds/colors in both scenes. The red symbolizes

upcoming danger, anger, fear, suffering. Notice the *denouement (DAY-NOOM-WAH)* after the brief

dispute between Tarzan/Kerchak and John Smith/Radcliffe. The *progression* of Tarzan/Pocahontas continues/grows worse

at these two points. These two scenes make an aesthetic association for the viewer.

Surface Scholarly

Fish, the ocean, aquatic life,

friendship, action, adventure,

pelicans, humans, etc.

Conformity, peer pressure, family

issues, maturity (growing up),

loss (of life), fear, regret,

acceptance, desperation, a

negative portrayal of dentists,

hope, perseverance,

determination, love, sacrifice,

sexism, phallic symbols, etc.

Finding Nemo

TarzanSurface Scholarly

Apes, poachers, friendship, romance,

elephants, action, adventure,

leopards, baboons, other jungle

animals, etc.

Deception, conformity, peer

pressure, maturity, betrayal,

acceptance, nature (and the

respect/love we ought to have for it),

instincts, danger, conflict, tension,

evolution, Darwinism, destiny, fate,

racism, sexism, change, technology,

the harsh realities/choices of life,

cruelty, denial, man-made

disturbances, etc.

Roger Ebert’s ThoughtsFinding Nemo “‘Finding Nemo’ has all of the

usual pleasures of the Pixar animation style—the comedy and wackiness of ‘Toy Story’ or ‘Monsters, Inc.”’or ‘A Bug’s Life.’ And it adds an unexpected beauty, a use of color and form that makes it one of those rare movies where I wanted to sit in the front row and let the images wash out to the edges of my field of vision. The movie takes place almost entirely under the sea, in the world of colorful tropical fish—the flora and fauna of a shallow warm-water shelf not far from Australia. The use of color, form and movement make the film a delight even apart from its story.”

Tarzan“Something deep within the Tarzan myth speaks to us, and Disney’s new animated ‘Tarzan’ captures it. Maybe it’s the notion that we can all inhibit this planet together, man and beast, and get along…The movie doesn’t insist on this thread of meaning, but it gives the movie weight. Like all the best Disney animated films, this one is about something other than cute characters and cheerful songs. It speaks even to the youngest members of the audience, who, like Tarzan, must have days when they feel surrounded by tall, rumbling autocratic bipeds.”

Possible Themes…OutcastTarzan/Nemo both outcasts; don’t belong

(Tarzan – neither ape nor human, Nemo – awkward defective fin, daddy’s boy)

The plot follows their quest to conform/belong/fit in/be accepted

Are both judged at an early age by their conforming friends. Can be frequently seen in other Disney movies. Does Disney use

this as part of their “movie formula”?

MOVIE CLIP!

Finding Nemo- Marlin and Dory finally arrive in Sydney, Australia to find Nemo. After a brief battle with

pelicans/birds, they find Nemo in a dentist’s office. Nemo eventually, with the help of Nigel the pelican and Gil the

fish, makes his escape to the ocean.

*Motif* (MOW-TEEF)- Dory’s recurring short-term memory loss reminds the viewer that she isn’t the brightest bulb

and that Marlin is more on top of his game.*Reaction shot* – Marlin’s face when he sees Nemo’s

“dead” body*Leitmotif (LAY-MOW-TEEF)* – Psycho music playing on

Darla’s arrival

All of these expert movie-making techniques make subliminal connections for the audience

Possible Themes, Pt. 2

Pollution (Exploit, Conquer, Abuse—Imperialist)

Both films displays humans are wasteful, ignorant, and, for the most part, the villains (without conscience).

Tarzan/Finding Nemo display how humans are “disturbing Mother Nature’s course” with their carefree habits/addictions.

(Ex.: Tarzan – Humans cut down trees to build camp, capture wildlife, shoot guns into anything that moves, etc.)

(Ex: Finding Nemo – Sydney Water Treatment Pipeline, innocent fish are corralled into a net by the humans, others [like Nemo] are kidnapped, even taken hostage, if you will.)

Possible Themes, Pt. 3

Family ProblemsTarzan/Nemo both struggle with family affairs throughout

the films. Nemo has never met his mother or siblings, while Tarzan has almost no connection/nothing in common with his guardians.

Tarzan/Nemo must continually prove themselves throughout the films to gain respect/trust/support from their friends/family members.

Dentist in Finding Nemo = powerful, wealthy, influential, intelligent (white collar, upper class)

Crush (the turtle dad) in Finding Nemo has rejected the system and thrived—it is possible to be an individual

Marlin has “moved up” to a perfect neighborhood = The American Dream!

Humans kidnap gorillas for monetary gain; destroy the rain forest and exploit nature. Capitalism without a conscience. (Mines in Nemo)

Marxist Lens

Darla (niece of the dentist in Finding Nemo)—greedy, selfish, destructive, spoiled, bratty

Feminist Lens

Dory (Marlin’s friend/sidekick)—stupid, needy, dependent, banished, abandoned

Jane (Tarzan’s mate)—smart, level-headed, proper (according to society’s expectations); physically dependent

Kala (Tarzan’s ape mother)—smart, selfless, and resourceful

MOVIE CLIP!

Watch the weather in this scene, notice how it changes, and how it reflects the current mood/vibe of the plot.

Examine how Clayton kills himself. Coincidence? (He got what was coming to him – karma- self hanging?)

Notice how Jane takes out two men and rescues Kala (Feminist Lens)

*Reaction shot* - Gorillas reacting to the flares in

the beginningObserve how nature fights back (elephants,

rhinos, hippos, etc. reclaim their turf)CLIMAX is when Tarzan and Clayton throw

it down in the trees

Jane is unique, spontaneous, adventurous, and yearns for a different type of man (not the average Joe). She has an “appetite for knowledge” and craves to learn all about Tarzan’s culture.

Freudian Lens

Jane, eventually, chooses Tarzan. What does this tell us about her character (She chooses a wild ape man that lacks the ability to interact/communicate/relate to the outside world)?

Tarzan will do whatever it takes, including the betrayal of his family and family, to satisfy Jane and keep her with him. Jane, in return, sacrifices everything she has ever known (civilization, interaction with the outside world) to grow old and swing through the vines with Tarzan.

Marlin is obsessed, even risks his life, about saving Nemo. Nemo has Marlin’s genes; Marlin, like us all, is hard-wired to want to be immortal and to profligate the species.

(they desperately want to make it/survive in the jungle)

The ending fighting scene in Tarzan (Tarzan vs. Clayton) can be portrayed as being against guns or anti-violence.

Symbols

The tree house in Tarzan (that Tarzan’s original parents build in the beginning of the movie) represents the dedication, determination, perseverance, and hard work put in by both of Tarzan’s parents.

We should coexist with nature better, less exploitivelyThe bond between father and son is an important one

Fathers should not be ultra-protective; adventure and travel and challenges and obstacles are good for us

We all need to do our part to cut back on pollution (Recycle, Recycle, Recycle!)

Hollywood’s Solutions

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