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Analysis of Monster's Inc - A World of Freaks

One of the most successful animated films of the 21st century, Monster's Inc. made the concept of the "freak," and abnormality more accessible and relatable to modern audiences and viewers. Like Dreamworks, Disney/Pixar took an unorthodox approach and developed a film that focused on creatures traditionally perceived as scary or villainous. Ironically, the "freak" portrayed in this film are not the monsters, but a human, a little girl nicknamed "Boo" who had mistakenly found her way into the Monster world. Though their primary source of energy and resources come from the human world,they were taught to fear every aspect of the human world, to keep them at a distance because they are dangerous and different. This movie inherently works to dispel the stereotypes that arise due to ignorance and lack of knowledge of other social groups (in this case, monsters versus humans).

Viewers are given a whole new perspective of disability, in which our role is reversed and humans are feared for their "abnormality." This film, albeit in a humorous manner, shows that disability is essentially in the eye of the beholder, one that is not necessarily defined by physical and mental limitations. It is mainly based on societal perception and acceptance, of people looking past physical deformities and abnormalities and learning to interact with one another in one integrated society. Fear of disability (and in this case, the freak)  is only heightened by ignorance and lack of knowledge. If main characters, Mike, Sully, and the rest of the Monster world had known more about the human world, Boo would not have seemed like a threat or hazard. "Freaks" are essentially what you make of the person, a title or category that you place on someone that happens to be different from the rest of society. There is no right or wrong to the concept of normalcy, and I think this movie does a wonderful job at viewing disabilities and difference in a positive light.

Conclusion: 

This film made me think about two articles we had read in class, one entitled  "The Horror of Becoming One of Us, Todd Browning's Freaks and Disability", by Sally Chivers, and one by Nicole Markotic, entitled "Disturbing the Viewer: Perceptions of Disability in Todd Browning's Freaks." They break down the stereotypes of the disabled that are portrayed within the film "Freaks." In particular, they also discuss how Hollywood perceives and values perfection of the human body, and how "Freaks" threatened that idealized image.

The film was revolutionary in the sense that it portrayed people who were disabled as "normal" beings, the protagonists rather than villains. It encouraged viewers to sympathize with the plight of the disabled, a community that was traditionally shunned and ignored by modern society.

Like "Freaks," viewers of Monster's Inc. are not typically accustomed to the image of the disabled. Mike, Sully, and the rest of the Monster world are "humanized" and seen in a more humorous light, challenging Hollywood's perception of deformity as villainous and somber. By focusing instead on Boo's influence, we become more sympathetic to the protagonists, even if they look unusual or abnormal to us initially. Markotic and Chivers thus argue that normalcy isn't necessarily determined by one's physical characteristics, but by societal ideals. The film was succeeds in the sense that it featured characters that completely defied Hollywood's traditional ideal of physicality and beauty. 

Sources:

Sally Chivers, "The Horror of Becoming ‘One of Us’: Tod Browning’s Freaks and Disability,"Screening Disability, Ed, Christopher Smit and Anthony Enns (57-64)

Nicole Markotic, "Disabling the Viewer: Perceptions of Disability in Tod Browning’s Freaks,"Screening Disability, Ed, Christopher Smit and Anthony Enns (65-72)

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The Mad, Mad world of Alice in Wonderland

A classic childhood fairytale, Disney's 1951 interpretation of Alice in Wonderland weaves a tale of fantasy and adventure, which features a world full of curious and anthropomorphic creatures. The story prominently follows the journey of a girl named Alice who falls  into an alternate universe or reality. Alice is literally transported into another dimension, in which she encounters  "freaks," or characters that extend beyond society's perception of normalcy. From talking doorknobs to rabbits telling time and eccentric creatures having tea parties, and smoking hookah,  it is a world that encompasses  and even embraces the concept of abnormality as one of wonderment and curiosity (making it more accessible, relatable and ultimately entertaining to children and audiences).  

Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee:  Generally portrayed as mischievous twins with short attention spans, limited intelligence and tendency to cause trouble. Both are abnormally built, with short stout bodies emphasized by their constantly curious movements and facial expressions that is constantly in unison. It is as if they're not able to control their actions, and rely on each other to interact with the other characters in the film (feeding off one another's energy). They appear harmless and normal in the beginning, but throughout the film they go out of their way to confuse Alice in her journey and explorations.

Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee  (aside from the Mad Hatter and Queen) are two of the few creatures in Wonderland who embody human like factors. Ironically, the more human the creatures seem in Wonderland, the more bizarre and surreal they turn out to be (case in point, the White Rabbit). The concept of a freak is not solely based on the persons's outer appearance, but also their behavior and relative perception of normalcy within their environment. 

Cheshire Cat: The Cheshire Cat appears at several points in the film, standing in for the state of Alice's mind. This is emphasized by him fading in and out of existence and confusing her with meaningless instructions. The Cat almost seems unreal, like a figment of Alice's imagination as opposed to an actual creature. His abstract existence makes Alice question her own sanity, indicating that she is the "freak"or insane one because she cannot understand their world. In this case, Alice is portrayed as the one who is an outcast, sticking out from society because of her decision to be "normal.

Caterpillar : Though only three inches high, the Caterpillar exudes confidence and sophistication that disarms Alice. Despite his small size, he wholly embraces his physical appearance and seems to look down on Alice for her lack of unusual characteristics, a common theme throughout the movie. 

Mad Hatter: One of the most charismatic and well known characters of the film, the Hatter is essentially known, for being - well, mad. He is humorous, cheerful, scatterbrained, and slightly off-kilter, traits that seem to hint at a form of social and mental disability. From his skittering conversations to defying the laws of nature by eating plates, cups, and other indelible items, it is apparent that he is considered one of the most unusual inhabitants of Wonderland. His naivety and curiosity of Alice's whereabouts and origins seem more to be out of genuine interest rather than judgment of her "abnormalities" within Wonderland. Other film portrayals, such as Tim Burton's 2010 film adaptation, portray the Hatter in a more somber tone, his eccentricities and unusual behavior explained due to unfortunate events and circumstances. His social (and some suggest) mental disabilities, however, only make him more endearing to Alice as well as audiences. Hatter's persona establishes yet defies stereotypes of disability. Though he is undoubtedly unusual, he wholeheartedly accepts it and thrives in his "madness." 

Conclusion:

The film, inspired by Lewis Carroll's classic novel, essentially questions the idea of whether disability is a physical or mental limitation or an aspect that has evolved out of societal expectations and standards. According to reports, Carroll himself suffered from the disorders micropsia and macropsia, a neurological condition that altered his perception of certain objects (e.g. large objects looked small and vice versa). In fact, the author's disability inspired the overall creative direction of the film, with the disorder being colloquially known as the "Alice in Wonderland" syndrome in homage to the author. Alice's perception is radically altered as she explores a world where normalcy is reversed and "freaks" are considered  the status quo. It's as if disability inspired him to create a world in which perception is distorted, and disability is merely a social classification as opposed to concrete fact. Carroll seems to connect his own experiences of disability through the novel, a concept that the film successfully encompasses. It embraces the idea of abnormality as a positive, more whimsical alternative to the negative connotations of the disabled portrayed in modern media. As such, the film challenges audiences to reconsider their views pertaining to differences and disability, and of viewing these differences in a non-judgmental way. 

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The Little Mermaid : Silence is Golden. Or is it?

As one of the most iconic and loved "Disney Princesses," the Little Mermaid epitomizes what Disney films are all about. Released in 1989, the classic re-telling of Hans Christian Andersen's film romanticizes the idea of sacrificing one's most treasured possession (in this case, Ariel's beautiful voice and musical abilities) for the sake of true love. Throughout the film, Ariel is portrayed as a lively, curious, and charming daughter of King Triton, ruler of the oceans and merpeople. She is well loved by her peers yet seen as an outcast because of her burning curiosity and interest in the human world. 

Understandably, Ariel feels restricted by the confines of the palace and monotony of ocean life. As a result, she rebels against her overprotective father by swimming up to the surface and observing the humans. In the process, Ariel encounters and ends up rescuing Erik, a handsome human prince that she falls in love with instantly. Desperate to be human and win his affection, Ariel agrees to sell her voice to sea witch and villain Ursula. The  particular scene below captures Disney's interpretation of disability as a curse or tragedy, another misconception heightened by the media industry.

Little does Ariel know how difficult it is to communicate with Erik without her voice, a theme throughout the film that emphasizes how difficult and frustrating it is to be "silenced" because of her disability. Despite her initial strength, confidence and effervescence in the beginning of the film, it's as if her strength and determination slowly fade as she is unable to speak or express her emotions to Erik. Though he gradually falls in love with her, he is hesitant to commit because he is in love with the "girl who rescued him and sang to him" during his recovery. He is not aware that it was Ariel this entire time, and as a result still pines for someone he believes is still out there. 

This movie highlights key aspects of society and how we perceive disability as a burden, or an obstacle that stands in the way of fulfilling goals or achievements. Ariel had only lost her voice temporarily, but it's as if she automatically lost some of the spirt or personality we had seen earlier in the film.  She is portrayed as a victim, one that deserves our pity and sympathy because she is unable to speak. In true Disney fashion, however, Erik realizes that it was Ariel that saved his life,  falling in love with her and reversing Ursula's curse. Though the film culminates with a happy ending (e.g., Ariel's permanent transformation into human form and subsequent marriage to Erik), it still does not dispel the stereotypes prevalent among mass society pertaining to the disabled today. 

The "Disney Princess"  franchise is known to perpetuate a certain image for its audience:  themes of romance, fantasy and imagination, with beautiful  and seemingly perfect women as its heroines. Tom Shakespeare, in his article "Art and Lies: Representations of Disability on Film," concedes that the media industry thrives on these stereotypes and as artists have the right to creative license. But when does it cross the line? Though Disney has undoubtedly provided some of the most influential and emblematic heroines of our generation, one can't help but argue how their formula only serves to preserve negative stereotypes of disability in our society. After all, Ariel did not have to get her voice back in order to win over Erik, but they still felt that it was necessary to provide a "true" happy ending that didn't include physical limitations. As Nelson pointed out, American film and media is extremely influential in how people perceive the disabled community (Nelson . By continually portraying the disabled as pitiful and sympathetic individuals, American media  continues to reinforce the idea that the disabled don't typically have happy endings and are at most tolerated as opposed to seen as a heroine. I think it's important to consider these parallels, as well as the issues behind constantly portraying women (in this case, a disabled female) as helpless individuals. Though not intentional, it definitely sends the wrong message from a young age, further establishing stereotypes that should be eradicated rather than romanticized. 

Sources:

Jack Nelson, "Broken Images: Portrayals of Those with Disabilities in American Media"

Tom Shakespeare, "Art and Lies? Representations of Disability on Film"

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Ad Campaign Explained + Social Media Integration

With our 6 ads, we tried to capture the essence of Disney magic while bringing into the picture (literally) how we feel disabilities could be better represented in Disney and media. Interpretation of the ads are definitely up for discussion and we have put in place a variety of avenues to do so.

First, we distributed the ads via tumblr. The ads have already been reblogged a few times and we hope to see it continue to be reblogged. In addition, we have tweeted links to the ads on the blog via Twitter and we hope to see people retweet the ads as well. Finally, we created a Facebook page for our blog under the category of Education/Community and titled it "Disnability" like our blog title. We hope to foster discussion about our ads as well as our blog as a whole on the Facebook page. Our hope is that through "wall sharing" and word-of-mouth sharing, we will be able to gain exposure for our blog and our ads.

Most importantly, we hope that the ads will challenge the mainstream perception of disabilities in media and that people will share their input with us.

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Advertisement Campaign - Target Demographic and Implementation

Target Demographic

As mainstream animated films are generally geared toward children, our target audience will be parents with children fitting the age range of 5-18 years old. This is the most prominent and influential stages among children, so our advertising campaign would be directed towards parents who wish to educate their children on important issues such as disability in the media. 

Implementation

Print, Television, and digital media campaigns in various media outlets all across the country. We propose a print/advertisement campaign in prominent parenting magazines, billboard campaign, and info booths in playgrounds or other places where families might be present (e.g. stores, theaters, amusement parks, etc.). We would also like to integrate social media into bringing awareness for this campaign, such as Facebook and Twiiter that will monitor interest levels of consumers. 

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Analysis of Finding Nemo

Characters - Nemo, Dory, and Gil : Victims turned into Symbols of Empowement

Disney's 2003 smash hit "Finding Nemo" introduced audiences to a new whole new perspective of disability not previously covered by animated films before. This film is mainly about a young clownfish named Nemo, whose mother and siblings were killed from birth due to an eel attack. His father, Merlin has been protective,  overbearing, and critical ever since, preventing him from exploring the outside world due to his disability (in this case, a 'gimp' or tiny fin). Despite his physical limitations, Nemo is determined to explore the reef and meet new people, all to his father's dismay. His defiance and willingness to step out of his father's comfort zone results in Nemo's abduction from the reef, leading to an entertaining and heart-warming adventure of his journey home. 

In the beginning, viewers are drawn into the film because of Nemo's tragic story, in which he is a victim that should be pitied. As the movie progresses, however, the focus is less about his disability and more about his ability to interact and thrive in a community despite the physical limitations he faces. 

Several instances in the film indicate highlight Nemo's disability in more subtle and accessible manner. For one thing, the fact that Nemo is a kid makes him more relatable to the film's target audience His gusto and bravery gives audiences a multi-faceted perspective of the character that extends beyond his disability. For example, Nemo and his father view his defect as his "lucky fin," a unique characteristic as opposed to a shameful impairment. The fact that he is eager to interact with others and explore his surroundings somewhat nullifies stereotypes we traditionally associate with the disabled. Though he starts out as the victim, Nemo becomes a symbol of empowerment for viewers. Other characters with disabilities in the film, such as Dory and Gil, are also portrayed in a positive light rather than victimized. For example, Dory's pleasing and cheerful countenance (despite her memory loss) enables her to make friends throughout the film,  and allow Merlin to find their way towards Nemo. Gil's scar and pragmatic personality also gives us another perspective of a disabled character, one who is strengthened by their disability instead of infantilized or treated as objects of pity. 

Conclusion: This film takes a modern approach and perspective to disability, in which it is prominently displayed (particularly in the film's choice of a main character) but in a positive, more empowering manner. Audiences are drawn in by the fact that Nemo becomes a hero in his own right, succeeding against all odds and essentially escaping the victimized stereotype. Nemo is endearing to audiences not merely for his disability but because he made it a part of who he was. He did not ignore it or expect pity - in fact, he was determined to be treated like everyone else. As such, Nemo serves as a positive example of disability in film, particularly in the sense that he is not portrayed as a victimized subject but one who is determined to succeed. 

Examples of "Finding Nemo"  products in mainstream society: 

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Analysis of Shrek

Since its release in 2001, Shrek has and continues to be one of the most commercially successful franchises in popular film today. From endorsements with  Burger King to partnerships with clothing and accessories lines (e.g. Wal-Mart, Sephora, nail line OPI, etc.), the unlikely heroes and protagonists of Shrek have become cultural icons in their own right. But how is it that these characters, who revolve around the embodiment of the "freak" and disabled, have become so popular in mainstream society? What makes something so traditionally unappealing so popular? Let's break down and analyze some popular characters within Shrek, and how (in relation to this week's theme) it connects to the concept of viewing people with disabilities the sometimes interchangeable classification of the disabled as villains or victims.

Character #1 - Shrek : Villain transformed into hero

Mainstream society is accustomed to viewing disability and abnormality in a negative light. Those with physical and mental limitations are viewed with fear and little context, focusing more on the normal protagonist fighting agains the pitiful and evil disabled villain. Rather than focusing on the traditional "cookie cutter" hero (strong, clean-cut, handsome, etc.), the film instead revolves around the life of Shrek, a cantankerous, misunderstood ogre who is feared by his community. Though abhorred and disregarded by mass society, Shrek is portrayed as a normal being who has resigned himself to his isolated fate because of his physical appearance. As such, the movie seems to revolve around the concept of dispelling traditional stereotypes of disability, where the protagonist embraced his appearance and was able to thrive and be convincing as a hero. He was content and confident in his own skin, a concept that seems foreign for characters with Shrek's appearance and initial demeanor. In essence, the film portrayed him as a fleshed out individual, aware of his disability and and resigned to living alone to avoid rejection from his peers. The gradual progression of his character throughout the film (and through all four films, in general), show that despite his reservations and initial disdain for societal interaction, he is capable of being an accepted member of his community. The film addressed how people view others such as Shrek, the fear and initial apprehension of interacting with those who are disabled and unwelcome in society. It was a more realistic yet comedic approach to viewing abnormality thriving amongst the norm, of learning to accept and respect a person's differences as opposed to ignoring them. The film succeeds in the sense that it defies stereotypes previously set by society and the media, creating an unlikely hero out of the "freak." 

Character # 2 - Princess Fiona : Helpless Victim turned Empowered Heroine

Most Disney/ fairy tale princesses are portrayed as fragile, timid, and delicate, rescued from evil, deformed villains (e.g. Evil stepmother, Rumpelstiltskin, etc.) by the their Prince Charming. These princesses almost always fall within the same pattern: beautiful, kind, patient, gentle and unassuming, characteristics engrained into society as traditional values and ideals. Like Shrek, Princess Fiona does not fit the traditional stereotypes of women in modern society. Yes, she is physically beautiful, patient, and kind, but also opinionated and capable of fighting her own battles (I highly suggest watching the fight scene between Princess Fiona, Robin Hood and his Merry Men). More importantly, the film discusses her struggles with her own disability - the "curse" of transforming into an "odious, repulsive" ogre at sundown. During the day, she is a strong, confident woman,  accepted, admired, and emulated by her peers. At night, however, she is transformed, crippled by her shame at becoming an image (in her eyes and opinion) of grotesque deformity. In fact, her primary goal throughout the movie was to reverse this curse, just so that she would no longer have to seclude herself from the rest of mass society. In this instance, Fiona's apprehension and anxiety over her disability establishes societal perceptions of abnormality, in which physical deformities are seen as evil and monstrous. 

Conclusion:

According to scholar Jack Nelson in "Broken Images: Portrayals of Those with Disabilities in American Media," mainstream society fuels these perceptions and ideals, portraying the disabled as victims that are to be feared, pitied and excluded from society. These two characters are classic examples of how media has the power to dispel or perpetuate stereotypes of disabilities. The commercial appeal and popularity of the Shrek franchise is a clear indication of media's significant influence on societal perception and consumption. Despite the fact that Shrek's hero and heroine are ogres, the film was able to market them in way that made them an appealing and refreshing alternative to traditional Disney-esque movies. In this case, the Shrek franchise was able to capitalize on disability in a more accessible and relatable manner, appealing to mass consumers who now view these characters as the norm.  As such, Shrek is a prominent example of how films (and the media in general) play an influential role in the perspectives and ideals of mass society.