I liked Disney movies as a child and I still do now. I like the sense of nostalgia it gives me watching them. But I wonder whether they teach children at a young age to believe in the fairy tale ending: The prince is strong and handsome… The maiden is always ridiculously slim…

Beauty loved the Beast… But he turned into a handsome prince at the end, which made everything okay. Quasimodo is a sweet character but it's handome, heroic Phebus that marries Esmerelda.

Yes, I remember all their names. Stop looking at me like that!

In all seriousness, I'm wondering how much the things we see as children influence our attitudes as we grow, and if so, exactly how much influence disney films have on our vision of the 'ideal body image' as we get older.

That's why I love Shrek. In a time when a lot of kids stew in front of the telly, how aware should we be of what they're watching and what sort of influence it might have?

Do disney movies disillusion children? What about cartoons in general? Do you think it influences the way children think? …What about gender roles? And why is skinny considered beautiful? I mean it's all very well to be healthy… But stomachs are not naturally flat, and very few women are supposed to look like supermodels.

In Jamaica some women put ridiculous amounts of effort into becoming fat… as there it is considered the ideal female body image. So I think that society's view of an ideal weight is to do with culture rather than health.
If the 'skinny is beautiful' message is a product of western culture, then where did this culture come from? And how much of these cultural values are formed by the images we see as children? Barbie dolls… Snow White… Is it these things which are truly to be blamed for anorexia?

-Pen (full of questions)

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In Jamaica some women put ridiculous amounts of effort into becoming fat… as there it is considered the ideal female body image.

HELL i'm moving to Jamaica!

The thing i loved about disney movies is letting my imagination free, pretending i was a lion, pretending i was a mermaid, pretending that prince charming would come.
By the time i was old enough to know differently i didn't really care. But i love how a child can watch those movies with such innocence and use their imagination to pretend life is how they want it.
When i watch those movies i'm always sad i want that damm innocence back! I mean im totally innocent.
I don't think those movies provide kids with false ideals though...

No, I don't think that Disney is promoting anorexia. They mix it up a bit, I guess. Look at Lilo & Stitch. The women in the movie look more realistic & curvy. I do blame Mattel for making Barbie the way she looks because I'm sure that certainly plays a part in how girls grow up to look at themselves.

No I don't believe that disney is raising people to become anoexic. If you really think back this whole being skinny thing started with the celebs and actors. So I blam the media. Their the ones who make us want to be skinny. They look perfect when in reality take off the make up, the nice clothes, and the money, their just the same but in todays society not many people see this.

Had to pop in for this one!

Disney actually did confirm the naked woman in The Rescuers... I've got a huge love-hate relationship with Disney! Love from growing up with them but hate current business and safety practices, and you couldn't pay me to watch Pocahontas again... Actually researched the Co for a debate tournament a few years ago and learned some startling things.
Disney: The Mouse Betrayed

But as far as promoting anorexia, there are probably larger influences running about than Disney... though I wouldn't discount that idea at all. Western media as a whole has a tendancy to strongly promote negative body image.

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Originally posted by Jookly:

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it's a lie, because the movie ended. i felt ripped off.

Well mabey you are a little naive if you thought it was even possible for the movie not to end. Also, the title refers to the book in the movie (which was neverending), not the movie itself.

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creepy dragon-dog-mammoth thing

Its called a luck dragon damnit and his name is Falkor!! And he is cute!
And yea, i know there is an actual book called "The Neverending Story" that or course also ends. Get off my back.

Great movie, hand down.

I've read that book, it was cool, but never seen the movie. How true was it to the book Jookly?

And I don't think Disney can be blamed for the anorexia, that's the fault of years of the mindset that the skinniest girls get the guys. And people like Paris Hilton and all her skinny little friends.

yes they are cartoons but as a child you believe everything, born innocent is one thing we are not taught to be...but we learn to be rather ignorant....so yes disney potrays an image of perfection....teh littel mermaid was my favorite...although she lived in teh sea...I wante dto be skinny(still do)...have red hair...and beautiful face. So yes it is true.

its just cartoons, not real

I was raised on Disney movies , but I love Shrek because it shows you don't have to be thin, but it still has the messages of prostitution and gay guys. Man no wonder kids don't watch disney iany more it's so not violent and all romantic.

it's just cartoons

I have had an eating disorder, and I can tell you that it never had anything to do with the media. I think most people who try to blame television and teen magazines for eating disorders don't have any first-hand experience with them. I'm not an expert, but I've known a lot of girls who have them, and I think they can best be described as coping mechanisms. They're not generally as superficial as they seem.

Guys, their CARTOONS! As in their fake.

I'm not sure about anerexia but all of the girls are skinny. I was really happy when i say lilo and stitch because the women had real bodies and hips and tummies. It was awesome.

I never really looked too deep into the characters as a child, I just liked the jokes.

Their cartoons

I dont think so, because the movies are fake!

oh come on, jookly. i was trying to be sarcastic. i knew the movie would end. i also understood that the title of the book in there happened to be the title of the movie. i'm not that dumb.

and when you're 4, that luck dragon thing is mighty scary.

it's just not my type of movie. but i'm glad you enjoyed it.

so, anyways, going back to the whole thing with disney movies...

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it's a lie, because the movie ended. i felt ripped off.

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Well mabey you are a little naive if you thought it was even possible for the movie not to end. Also, the title refers to the book in the movie (which was neverending), not the movie itself.

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creepy dragon-dog-mammoth thing

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Its called a luck dragon damnit and his name is Falkor!! And he is cute!
And yea, i know there is an actual book called "The Neverending Story" that or course also ends. Get off my back.

Great movie, hand down.

I don't think the Disney movies give people image problems, but I hate how the princesses are all so helpless. And the fact that they're all royalty, as if you only get a prince if you're rich.

no, "the never ending story" was terrible. it's a lie, because the movie ended. i felt ripped off. i went to the studio where they filmed it, in germany. pretty dull. although you can get your picture taken while you're pretending to ride that creepy dragon-dog-mammoth thing.