Disney- What is the Real Reason?

[Shapsters]

You know, I have heard a lot of criticism of Disney lately, namely of the recent TV shows/movies being made. But looking at Disney's fantastic list of movies, I can't help but to wonder something. Perhaps it is less that Disney is making shit, but more so playing to the current generation of customers. The new generation of young people clearly is eating up the Jonas Brothers/ Hannah Montana as much as we did movies like The Lion King and Aladdin.

So here is my question to The Escapist members, is it Disney's fault that the current generation has been dumbed down into liking the current selection of Disney products? Should they be criticized because they know who they are selling their products to?

I say the criticism should stop! Its not Disney's fault that the kids like this crap, they need to make money don't they?

Another question, now that they have started these new products, will they be able to make another classic like previous Disney movies, or are the destined to be stuck with what they have started? And will a great cartoon bring them back to their former glory or is it too late?

 

[ElephantGuts]

Because Walt Disney was an anti-semitic Nazi-loving prick.

 

[Neonbob]

I still want to blame Disney.
And I think they're stuck with the mindless drivel they pump out nowadays.

 

[Mookie_Magnus]

Because Walt Disney was an anti-semitic Nazi-loving prick.

And that's what made his movies so great.[/sarcasm] That and he had a sick sense of humor, and a penchant for hidden messages.

 

[asinann]

Because most of their movies rip off old books gutting them and dumbing them down and in some cases they just find a 20 year old foreign film, add some Elton John music and a couple of funny animals and try to pass it off as original (Aladdin was a rip off of the Tales of the Arabian Nights and Lion King ripped off a Japanese animated film from 20 years before it, Disney is still paying court ordered royalties for that one.)

 

[ElephantGuts]

Because Walt Disney was an anti-semitic Nazi-loving prick.

And that's what made his movies so great.[/sarcasm] That and he had a sick sense of humor, and a penchant for hidden messages.

Wait, your sarcasm confuses me. What are you saying? What is and isn't sarcasm?

 

[thiosk]

the problem is that the company had to cryogenically freeze walt when they could no longer import young cuban boys for him to feed upon.

its true, i saw it on robot chicken

Because Walt Disney was an anti-semitic Nazi-loving prick.

Just because he hates jews, black people, and homosexuals does not mean he wasn't a kindhearted cannibalistic monster that feeds on the organs of orphaned children. So mean to the dead.

 

[Guitar Gamer]

until stemboat willy comes out again with the hannah montanna theme I believe that disney still may r................edeem themselves......................................................

 

[Leorex]

nastaliga is the only reason why any one likes any of those movies.

wall-e was better then anything disney has ever put out, except for maby Aladdin. and thats pushing it.

 

[ExaltedK9]

You know, I have heard a lot of criticism of Disney lately, namely of the recent TV shows/movies being made. But looking at Disney's fantastic list of movies, I can't help but to wonder something. Perhaps it is less that Disney is making shit, but more so playing to the current generation of customers. The new generation of young people clearly is eating up the Jonas Brothers/ Hannah Montana as much as we did movies like The Lion King and Aladdin.

So here is my question to The Escapist members, is it Disney's fault that the current generation has been dumbed down into liking the current selection of Disney products? Should they be criticized because they know who they are selling their products to?

I say the criticism should stop! Its not Disney's fault that the kids like this crap, they need to make money don't they?

Another question, now that they have started these new products, will they be able to make another classic like previous Disney movies, or are the destined to be stuck with what they have started? And will a great cartoon bring them back to their former glory or is it too late?

No, Disney is the one thats been dumbing things down. Pixar (besides funding BY Disney) is solely responsible for the occasionally good movie that comes out under Disney's name.

Disney just needs to die. Along with Twilight fans....and pandas.

 

[scotth266]

The problem is often not the supplier of a product, but rather the consumer.

Disney's old stuff stopped selling, so they found some new stuff.

EDIT: It strikes me that this was somewhat unresponsive to the OP: I was attempting to counter the wave of hate. So to be on-topic: I don't think that Disney can go back to their old ways. They've made a fundamental shift in how they do things, so if they tried to go back to what they used to do it wouldn't be a pretty sight.

 

[Shapsters]

until stemboat willy comes out again with the hannah montanna theme I believe that disney still may r................edeem themselves......................................................

Hmmm.. so perhaps a remake of a classic? Or just resurrecting something from the very early days. That could work.

Also, I try to start a different topic and these are the replies I get? Christ, can you guys answer my question instead of just bashing Disney?

 

[Brett Alex]

Because Walt Disney was an anti-semitic Nazi-loving prick.

Unwarranted personal issues and opinions not related to the topic are meant to be checked at the door.

OT: I think it comes down to money. Disney are now branching out into things that spread across various mediums. Once it was a process of:
1) Make Lion King Movie,
2) Release some toy-related merchandise
3) Possibly produce a follow up cartoon series.

Now they're aiming to work single franchises harder.

Hannah Montanna, as you mentioned, is a perfect example. You get concerts, branded clothing and apparel, TV series and movies, all from franchise. Also, because they market her as a musician, they can keep milking the brand without it appearing so. 5 Lion King Movies and people can tell you're scraping the barrel; but release 70-bajillion Hannah Montana album/concert DVDs and its just like she's a regular artist.

So no, I don't think its kids becoming stupider or more materialistic, and I don't think its Disney trying to dumb down the market, I think they're just going for a more effective, more sustainable business model.

Thats not to say I think its a good thing.

 

[Singularly Datarific]

Because Walt Disney was an anti-semitic Nazi-loving prick.

Hey, he just has his name on everything, he didn't make all the best classics that we know and love, such as Lion King, The Emperor's New Groove, or any of the Pixar movies! He didn't develop lovable, lifelike characters, he made a bland rat who dances a jig to old music. And I didn't come up with a viable 3rd point to finish off my rant properly...
EDIT WITH HUMOR: So was Hitler, but he still managed to conquer nearly all of europe with the support of his country, even though he was a genocidal maniac.
(Analogies, anyone?)

 

[Nazulu]

I wouldn't say dumbed down generation because as a kid you are very positive and like everything then.

All these new shows and movies are mainly aimed at kiddies and not for the entire family anymore, they don't try and produce anything amazing and magical like they are famous for. So just like Nintendo they take the easy way out and produce the same garbage with loads of annoying cliched things and use rap and slang to try and make it seem cool which it obviously isn't.

I am going to continue to criticise almost every form of modern media because you can tell they are not even trying anymore or they just have no talent.

 

[ElephantGuts]

Because Walt Disney was an anti-semitic Nazi-loving prick.

Unwarranted personal issues and opinions not related to the topic are meant to be checked at the door.

Unwarranted personal issues? Opinions not related to the topic? What? The OP asked a question and I answered it. How's that not related to the topic? And there's nothing personal about a person's recorded actions and opinions.

Because Walt Disney was an anti-semitic Nazi-loving prick.

Hey, he just has his name on everything, he didn't make all the best classics that we know and love, such as Lion King, The Emperor's New Groove, or any of the Pixar movies! He didn't develop lovable, lifelike characters, he made a bland rat who dances a jig to old music. And I didn't come up with a viable 3rd point to finish off my rant properly...
EDIT WITH HUMOR: So was Hitler, but he still managed to conquer nearly all of europe with the support of his country, even though he was a genocidal maniac.
(Analogies, anyone?)

Well if they don't want me to associate their works with the guy then they should take his bloody name off of everything. I'm not sure what you meant about the Hitler thing. I never said that being anti-semitic means you can't do a lot of things.

Because Walt Disney was an anti-semitic Nazi-loving prick.

So was H.P. Lovecraft, and a LOT of people who lived in the end of 19th century or at the beginning of 20th. Anti-semitism was HARDLY something that magically appeared in Nazi Germany in first half of 20th century.

And no, I'm not saying that it's a reasonable thing to do, to hate people because of their ancestry or skin colour. But if you're going to criticize every person from the past by today's standards... it's not going to work very well.

I mean, it does piss me off that J.R.R Tolkien, one of my favorite writers, was a christian - but it doesn't make him any less of a good writer and a scholar.

And I hate all those people just as much as I hate Disney. I never implied or said anything along the lines of "anti-semitism magically appeared in Nazi Germany in first half of 20th century", so I don't know why you said that.

And why does it piss you off that J.R.R Tolkien was Christian? Aren't a lot of people? Is there something wrong with being Christian?

 

[Guitar Gamer]

until stemboat willy comes out again with the hannah montanna theme I believe that disney still may r................edeem themselves......................................................

Hmmm.. so perhaps a remake of a classic? Or just resurrecting something from the very early days. That could work.

Also, I try to start a different topic and these are the replies I get? Christ, can you guys answer my question instead of just bashing Disney?

sorry, your right I went off topic, I believe it's a bt of both, mostly Disney though as someone else said; Disney is making the market simpler are dumber, but maybe I'm a nostalgic person but I've noticed that movies (at least in theaters) are more of a social event than a outlet of entertainment (I've found that alot of people go to movies for a exuse to hang out and later hook up) maybe I"m off topic again but think it's part of the problem

 

[AkJay]

I going to refer to South Park and say "We need ot make little girls gineys tingle, because when they tingle, i make money! BWAHAHAHA!"

 

[Sanaj]

So was H.P. Lovecraft, and a LOT of people who lived in the end of 19th century or at the beginning of 20th. Anti-semitism was HARDLY something that magically appeared in Nazi Germany in first half of 20th century.

And no, I'm not saying that it's a reasonable thing to do, to hate people because of their ancestry or skin colour. But if you're going to criticize every person from the past by today's standards... it's not going to work very well.

Read Gormourn above quote, quite frankly I couldn't say it better myself.
It's a bit of an oddity, isn't it... that people feel the need to spend time criticizing famous people
of the past because they don't match up with today's values or ideals?

As for the problem with the current Disney movies or shows...

Honestly, I don't blame Disney if they are successful with selling simplified and shallow material.
Some of these newer sales are coming from the strength of the established Disney brand or from nostalgia,
not from the merit of the material itself.
However, I really don't like the trend of studios making more simplified and shallow movies in order to please a wider audience.
(Yes, I realize this last statement is snobby and elitist.)