Aladdin and How It Changed Children's Movies Essay

Submitted By amberle25
Words: 322
Pages: 2

Aladdin was known to be controversial and racist. The movie was not a typical movie about a “white” princess that needed to be saved by a “white” prince. It was an Arabian movie based in the Middle East. Disney portrayed the Arab people with certain attires and features, pretty much stereotyping them to what America sees them as. The storyline was more entertaining than the others were, at least in my opinion it was. It was also extremely different because of it’s setting and characters which caused a debate as to whether or not other races should be in Disney movies. Disney movies now portray different types of nationalities and cultures. For example, Mulan is a Chinese warrior princess, The Princess and the Frog had a black princess and a white prince. Children are innocent so as you watch the movie at a younger age, you never really notice how stereotypical it may be but if you are older and you do happen to watch the movie again, you realize that it was slightly racist because of the depictions of the characters. What I view Disney movies as now is inspiration and educational at the same time. Mulan is a Chinese girl, keep in mind that China does not respect it’s women, they have no value except to be a housewife and to follow orders. Disney did not allow Mulan to just be a regular girl, the movie empowered girls to stick up for themselves and to bring honor to their family by going to war in her father’s place. Disney movies bring a sense of other cultures into