Insults in Disney animated movies

[cheyita]

Another mom and I were discussing movies the other night. She told me that she read that every Disney movie uses an insult like "stupid" or "idiot" somewhere in it. I know some do, but I certainly can't imagine it is in every single animated Disney movie. I tried to Google proof of this, but couldn't find any. Do you think she's correct? Granted, my DDs will watch the movies regardless of using stupid and idiot, but I'm just curious...

 

[Pop Daddy]

thats stupid

 

[Nancy]

I personally couldn't be bothered to watch every single movie and listen that closely that I would know whether they used idiot or stupid in everyone.

 

[holycow]

I know Lilo and Stitch says those kinds of things(I won't let my DD watch it) ...and the only movie that comes to mind is Mary Poppins...(the mom singing about men) Though we adore men individually we agree that as a group their rather stupid....lol!

I haven't noticed it in most of the other movies though...

 

[minkydog]

Scar, in "The Lion King", reproves the hyenas when they are dancing around singing,"no king,no king,la la la la la la"--"Idiots! there will BE a king--I will be king!

The use of the words idiot or stupid don't bother me too much, although when they are prominent(like in Lilo & stitch) I would'nt let my kids watch it very often. It seems like they always pick up the bad stuff, somehow.

 

[ugadog99]

Good grief...who cares?

 

[elgerber]

Cruella also uses idiots and imbeciles when talking to Jasper and Horace.

 

[minkydog]

And what about the chef in "Little Mermaid" who shouts "Zuit alor! I have meesed one!" when he spies Sebastian luking in the kitchen? I don't speak much French but I know enough to understand that he's saying something along the lines of "Holy Hepatitis A, Batman!"

 

[cheyita]

Good grief...who cares?

Well, this mom doesn't want her children watching Disney movies because of this. Like I said, I was just curious because I can't imagine insulting language in Bambi or Snow White. And this mom said she read it in a magazine - that "every animated Disney movie" uses expressions like this and are therefore bad for teaching young children inappropriate ways to speak to each other.

 

[ugadog99]

I think that sometimes people make way too much of nothing. And this is from a mom and a teacher.

 

[Madi100]

I think that you are going to find that in any movie, not just Disney ones. Unless you are watching Nick Jr. or Stanley or something like that.

 

[Melrosgirl]

What an idiot!

 

[DisDuck]

So now instead of being just entertainment, Disney movies are 'teaching' tools. Gee, I messed up by children's education 'big-time' as we just watched them for entertainment.

 

[DisneyAddict_M]

Bambi doesn't use language like that. I should know, since I'm forced to watch it constantly. I don't know about Snow White, since I don't think I've ever seen it the whole way through.

FWIW, dd learned about the word "stupid" from Aladdin. I just told her we don't talk like that and she hasn't said it since.

 

[Keli]

Hey, I'd like to know the answer to this strictly to add to my disney trivia knowledge, lol. Anybody know?

 

[Lisa F]

As usual, people look at things without thinking about the context. In MOST disney movies, it's the villain who uses this kind of language. I think Lilo and Stitch is the big exception to that. IMO if your kid is wanting to emulate the behavior of the VILLAIN in a Disney movie than you have way bigger problems than your child using the word "idiot." These characters are there as a lesson in how NOT to behave.

 

[jgmklmhem]

If people are wooried about words like idiot or stupid in Disney films I would say stay away from some of the older movies because the drinking and smoking is very prominant in some of those (Pinnochio...although there are the donkey consequneces for those bad deeds, Great Mouse Detective there is a whole scene where one mouse just keeps trying to get drunk...Dumbo, a few others I can't think of right now). To me I see more of a problem with that then I do with words......but my kids watch them anyways and we as parents explain we just don't do that and because we don't drink or smoke or use such language (and when I have slipped say while driving I punish myself) they have us to use as role models. Even though Disney movies are not "for teaching" kids still learn a great deal from them. It is just up to parents to explain what is or is not appropriate for your set of values.

 

[Parkhopper]

My son learned the word "stupid" from Toy Story. The toys ring the doorbell and the dog barks and Sid's sister answers the door saying "stupid dog". (He told me exactly where it was when I asked him." Also, upon first watching Pinocchio, the only line he picked up was "what do I look like - a *******?" So I KNOW that the lines are in there.

Suzi

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

My 3 year old said, "Woody, not nice" when he heard him say, "idiot." He also heard them say stupid in Toy Story. He knows these are bad words in our home.

 

[coliebird]

101 Dalmations is one of my daughter's favorite movies. She has never called anyone an idiot after watching it, even though Cruella must say it at least 5x, and if she did say it, I would correct her on it. It is my job to teach her what is appropriate, not a movie that she watches purely for entertainment value.

I have to laugh at all of the PC stuff in the world today. I grew up watching Wile E. Coyote get his butt kicked constantly, it didn't make me want to smash people with anvils.