Category: Movies

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Baby Children Drew Movies

Disney Project 2014: Saludos Amigos

Movie: Saludos Amigos

Release year: 1942

My reaction: This is the first in a line of more obscure Disney movies which I have never seen. The next month or so is going to be interesting. Saludos Amigos is only about 45 minutes long. It’s a mix of live action and animation, but no matter the medium, the vague racism is sprinkled throughout. I’m not sure that I was captivated by this one the way I have been by the other, more conventional, Disney films.

B’s reaction: He did watch a little bit, or at least, he sat where he could see the TV and practiced stacking blocks. Good enough for me!

photo (12)You know what this means, right? We’re caught up!

Categories
Awesome Children Drew Movies

Disney Project 2014: Bambi

Movie: Bambi

Release year: 1942

My reaction: First of all, when was the last time you watched Bambi? I had forgotten how much I like it. It’s such a pretty movie. The animation is really beautiful. All the animals are just so freaking cute. And it’s fully orchestrated – all the rain drops and steps and falls and leaves blowing – all set to music.

Possibly when Bambi’s mother named him, and then called him “My little Bambi,” and licked his head as he fell asleep…possibly I teared up a little bit.

There were a lot of parenting jokes to be made. Like when all the animals come to see Bambi, and then the owl says “Looks like someone’s getting sleepy,” I was imagining that perhaps Bambi’s mom finds that annoying. Or when they’re out for a walk, and the quail mother says, “And where’s the young prince this morning?” Maybe Bambi’s mom wishes she could say, “He’s right behind me, and you know what? If I did need some time alone, that’s fine too. Why don’t you just parent your own brood of quailings?” Just…you know, haha.

Also, I think our DVD was restored or something, because the disappearing raccoon that I remember from the island (after the fire) was no longer disappearing…

B’s reaction: Oh, I think he really enjoyed it.

photo (11)
It’s getting harder and harder to get a nice calm picture where the DVD, the child, and the parent are all in focus.

Inversely, I have more and more belly pics on my phone.

Categories
Baby Children Drew Movies Nonfiction

Disney Project 2014: Dumbo

Movie: Dumbo

Release year: 1941

My reaction: The longest Disney movie (Fantasia) is followed by the shortest Disney movie. Dumbo weighs in at 64 minutes. Love it. I haven’t seen this movie in ages, but Drew and I both remember it like it was yesterday. I love the beginning, where the baby animals are all being “delivered.” (Ha! see what I did there?) Dumbo is from early enough in the Disney years that there’s still un-PC stuff (like the faceless roustabouts putting up the big top; or the crows, led by Jim Crow). “Baby Mine” is still a tear-jerker, although honestly at that point in the movie my baby mine was freaking out about something so I missed most of the song.

B’s reaction: Eventually I’m sure I’ll have some comment besides “He didn’t really watch this one.” But for now…he still didn’t really watch this one.

photo 2 (1)

Categories
Baby Children Drew Movies Nonfiction

Disney Project 2014: Fantasia

Movie: Fantasia

Release year: 1940 (just like Pinocchio – weird)

My reaction: So much nudity. A drunk donkey. So many things that wouldn’t be in a movie made today. It’s really a bummer that the need to be politically correct has made it impossible that Disney would ever make another movie like this. And that’s all I’m going to say about that.

I remember seeing this in the theatre – according to the internet it must have been the rerelease in 1990. That is a long movie for a 6-year-old (and her 4-year-old brother) to sit through. I remember the live-action parts being really long…but actually they aren’t.

There are a lot of segments in Fantasia. I’m not crazy about the abstract stuff at the beginning. But other than that, I like pretty much everything. I would say, the Nutcracker Suite stuff is near the top. So is Night on Bald Mountain. And Beethoven’s Pastoral.

Although, rewatching Fantasia with fresh eyes made me realize that it was significant inspiration for what I used to draw when I was a kid. The abstract stuff in particular. But also ponies and fish.

B’s reaction: Dang, this is a long one. Did you know Fantasia is 2-plus hours? And there’s a lot of downtime with the live-action segments.

As per usual, B didn’t watch much of it. But we’ve gotten smart enough to watch them on weekend mornings, rather than trying to do it at night, so at least he’s happy while he’s running around not watching the movies.

Fantasia
Covering up the Fantasia 2000 half of the DVD cover
Categories
Children Drew Memoir Movies Nonfiction

Disney Project 2014: Pinocchio

Movie: Pinocchio

Release year: 1940

My reaction: How could I have forgotten that this is, hands down, the scariest Disney movie? Kidnapping (multiple instances); slavery (multiple instances); boys turning into donkeys and being sold to the salt mines; Monstro…this movie would never be made in 2014.

This guy might be the scariest thing I’ve ever seen:

Pinocchio-disneyscreencaps_com-5906

Please note: I deliberately resized this picture so it’d be smaller (less scary), and I didn’t use the screen grab of the really terrible face (“They never come back…as BOYS!”) because I didn’t want myself to have to see that whenever I scroll down. This was practically the only part of the movie where B plopped down in my lap, and I totally covered his eyes for this scene.

Aside from being scary, some other things we found jarring were:

  • Geppetto is a weird guy. Like, he is so co-dependent on Figaro, and when he goes to find his “son,” he takes his goldfish with him. Strange.
  • PS. He’s only known that son for about 12 hours.
  • Pleasure Island all around. Like, they’re all drinking beer and there are giant Indian statues hurling handfuls of cigars out to all the “stupid little boys.”
  • You could never use the phrase “stupid little boys” like that in a move anymore.

B’s reaction: We watched in the morning this time, instead of the evening, so he was way more playful and active. He paid less attention to this one than to Snow White. Of course, given how scary Pinocchio is, that’s probably best. I’m ready to get into some harmless, fluffy, song-and-dance Disney movies. So, what’s next?…oh. Dumbo? Okay.

pinocchio

Categories
Beginnings Children Drew Memoir Movies Nonfiction

Disney Project 2014: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Frozen is Disney’s 53rd animated feature. We think this is a (slightly mathematically incorrect) sign that we should spend 2014 watching all the Disney movies, in chronological order, one per week (ish). We actually own most of them, and this will be a good excuse to take the shrink wrap off of some of those that are still in mint condition.

So we started tonight.

Movie: Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
Release year: 1937
My reaction: One time in college, Drew and I were watching this movie, and in the last like 20 minutes of it, we both fell asleep. It felt like we slept for hours, but when we woke up, it was still the part where the Queen is at the top of the mountain right before she falls off (spoiler alert). I don’t know how that happened.
B’s reaction: He spent most of the time wandering around, and only sat down to watch with us a couple times. I’m okay with that. It’ll come in time.

Snow White