They have to be seen and understood in the cultural context in which they were made several decades ago. It's easy to imagine why a studio might want to remake Swiss Family Robinson now, and the film has been through various development stages with actors as wide-ranging as Steve Carell, Will Smith, and the late Bill Paxton. This is a quintessential Disney adventure, the kind of film that absolutely feels right at home in the theme parks. Also in Bedknobs and Broomsticks and The Rocketeer features Nazis who put millions of people in concertation camps in real life. For once during the pandemic, the news was unrelated to the theme parks, their continued closure in California, or their stripped-down operation in Florida. 23:42. It's not just that there's no Dr. Smith the antagonistic force in Annakin's adaptation is as much the various natural elements working against the Robinson family as they build a massive treehouse and begin exploring the island on which they live, as it is the pirates who attacked their ship and are coming back to get their just desserts. By the story's end, it's implied that William may become the island's governor, with no consideration for whether or not anyone lived there before he and his family arrived. They were sailing from Europe to the Indonesia-adjacent island of New Guinea in southeastern Asia. The Robinson family isn't meant to be antiheroic; their intentions are intended to be seen as good and pure, to the point where they bend their knees and pray upon arriving safely from the shipwreck. Thomas, other peoples feelings matter. The film, Disney's first shot in Panavision, is a widescreen marvel in no small part because it was actually shot on a tropical island: Tobago. How much more woke can Disney get and much more can they de-value Disney plus?!?! At Disneyland, back when it was open, you may well have trodden on the old Swiss Family Treehouseor Tarzan's Treehouse as it's now named. It has gone through a large number of versions and adaptations. And thank goodness the parents dont have to go through the trouble of worrying about such a thing. Find out why. Instead, the news focused on where Disney began: its earlier animated and live-action features. Probably because of the cultural dominance and popularity of Lost,adults watching Swiss Family Robinsonmay be predisposed to not accepting a tropical island at face value. Rarely do I approve of profanity. Wyss' attitude towards its education is in line with the teachings of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and many chapters involve Christian-oriented moral lessons such as frugality, husbandry, acceptance, and cooperation. WebRacist imagery and cultural stereotypes in six Disney animated classics including Peter Pan, The Jungle Book, Lady and the Tramp, The Aristocats, Dumbo and Swiss Family (I'm an avowed fan of the background music of the Disney theme parks, yet I did a double-take when the mother Robinson started playing the "Swisskapolka" on the organ during that dance scene. You can still watch them under the adults profile and have the conversations with the kids about it. For later adaptations, see, Frontispiece by John Gilbert from the 1851 American edition, The Swiss Family Robinson (disambiguation), The Swiss Family Robinson: Flone of the Mysterious Island, "A Note on Wyss's Swiss Family Robinson, Montolieu's Le Robinson suisse, and Kingston's 1879 text", "New Switzerland, Jules Verne's Imaginary Shipwreck Sanctuary", "TJ Hoisington Pens the First Swiss Family Robinson Sequel in Over 100 Years", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Swiss_Family_Robinson&oldid=1138717803, Swiss novels adapted into television shows, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 11 February 2023, at 05:58. Swiss Family Robinson s1 e06 Cave Tiger. Its a Disney-produced channel, after all, so what could possible offend or traumatize them? The message imparted there isn't wrong the representation of people of color in the adventure is grossly stereotypical, insulting, and unnecessary. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). In a strictly modest Disney movie from 1960, showing off a belly button would be downright profane, so most instances of shirtlessness involve the Robinson guys hilariously pulling up their long pants almost up to their chests so as to not flash anything untoward. There's no point excusing any of these choices, and you can contextualize it all you like. The German title translates as The Swiss Robinson which identifies the novel as part of the Robinsonade genre, rather than a story about a family named Robinson. It's noticeable then for adult viewers, by the act of omission, that the Robinson parents' names are never revealed. While the Robinsons endure numerous frightening encounters with the sea, pirates, and vicious animals, they don't seem too worried about the things most likely to harm or kill them which are precisely the things an alert, concerned parent watching Swiss Family Robinson would most certainly notice or think about when assessing how they'd fare on an island, post-shipwreck. From Bambi to Pixar efforts such as Inside Out, their output has helped teach kids and remind adults of so many valuable life lessons, exploring complex and imperative themes in an accessible fashion. Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy. The larger point is one I've repeated before, both on Twitterand on this very website: Disney+ needsa host. "[1] The closest English translation to the original is that of the Juvenile Library in 1816, published by the husband and wife team William Godwin and Mary Jane Clairmont, reprinted by Penguin Classics.[2]. It's got a decent enough cast among the family. Is Disney Plus going to remove Pinocchio, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Norte Dame from Kids profiles. As such, they read 18th century natural history textbooks and encyclopaedias. } Disney is not making that decision for us; its a decision that is still very much in our hands. That hasnt changed. Its all up to you now. The aristocrat became governor of the archipelago, which he rented for 1,500 dollars a year. The ship survives the night, and the family finds themselves within sight of a tropical desert island. Disney is making it worse by trying to hide. Written by Swiss writer, Johann David Wyss, edited by his son Johann Rudolf Wyss, and illustrated by another son, Johann Emmanuel Wyss, the novel was intended to teach his four sons about family values, good farming, and the uses of the natural world and self-reliance. Another offensive show is Bunkd, in which an Asian girl studies super hard, and when her friend told her to take it easy a bit, she said if she let up, she would disappoint her mother, who would then die, and does her friend want her mother to die??? The history of the Uncle Remus stories provide should not be lost to the world, and having a roundtable discussion regarding it and the film, and the performances in this film would be perfect on TCM. McclearnJoshua2716. Placing a title card in front of this film or, more realistically, in front of a well-known family favorite like The Jungle Book isn't enough. The leader of the group in Dumbo is Jim Crow, which shares the name of laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States. They eat random fruit off trees, which could easily be poisonous, and no responsible parent would allow their kids to sample wild jungle plants. But another film getting this title card is our column's subject: the 1960 adventure adaptation. Over the years, there have been many versions of the story with episodes added, changed, or deleted. The Swiss Family Robinson was originally published in German in 1812 and titled: "Der Schweizerische Robinson" by Swiss pastor Johann David Wyss, and edited by his son Johann Rudolf Wyss. The films have been moved to a 6+ rating and are not the only movies unavailable to children as PG-rated Disney films are also unavailable. The ship's cargo of livestock (including a cow, a donkey, two goats, six sheep, a ram, a pig, chickens, ducks, geese, and pigeons), guns and powder, carpentry tools, books, a disassembled pinnace and provisions have survived. They're bloodthirsty and cruel, and they are also pointedly played by actors of color (or by actors who are made to look like people of color). It is simply Disneys job to entertain us, not play woke parent. (Sadly, there is no Will Robinson of whom to speak.) But the biggest draw this adaptation has is, like the film itself, simple: it's a movie about people on a tropical island that was shot on a tropical island. Swiss Family Robinson (1972) Family Animation. Two dogs from the ship, Turk and Juno, swim beside them. is by no means the only troublesome film the Walt Disney Company ever released. . Technically, Swiss Family Robinson is a beach movie. Animals are used as beasts of burden and made to work, and they suffer through some frightening sequences, neither of which are depicted in more contemporary family films. who wrote the story for his children at the end of the 18th century. Not yet. The 126-minute film is somewhat episodic in this way, as we gradually see how the Robinson family becomes more and more comfortable with island living. An uncomplicated film leaves behind a complicated legacy, and one you can still feel both at the Disney theme parks and in films themselves. SHAME on Disney for trying to project a false narrative about classic movies. And in much the same way that Clark Kent's glasses conceal Superman's identity, in the world of this film, that head wrap somehow makes the pirates and the boys not notice 26-year-old actress Janet Munro's adult, feminine facial features. It shows them speaking in an unintelligible language and repeatedly refers to them as redskins, an offensive term. They take previously derogatory depictions and even names and use them in a positive manner. It's one of the 100 highest-grossing films ever released in the United States.So, you can understand why the film has persisted over time, if gradually less so in the last few decades. Because in real life Native Americans were mistreated and driven out of their homes. The films werent removed, just blocked from the childs profile. An uncomplicated film leaves behind a complicated legacy, and one you can still feel both at the Disney theme parks and in films themselves. The 126-minute film is somewhat episodic in this way, as we gradually see how the Robinson family becomes more and more comfortable with island living. window.mc4wp.listeners.push( WebSuper Why and his friends head into the story of The Swiss Family Robinson to meet a family who is just as stranded as Little Boy Blue Super Why! It's puzzling that the Robinsons aren't spotted by a friendly seafaring vessel right away. This portrayal reinforces the perpetual foreigner stereotype, while the film also features lyrics that mock the Chinese language and culture such as Shanghai, Hong Kong, Egg Foo Young. As Carpenter and Prichard write in The Oxford Companion to Children's Literature (Oxford, 1995), "with all the expansions and contractions over the past two centuries (this includes a long history of abridgments, condensations, Christianizing, and Disney products), Wyss's original narrative has long since been obscured. That's especially true because there's a very obvious element of racist representation that's not accounted for in the more detailed description on the website. To wdwnt, question for you. Whyatt and his friends invited and "Swiss Family William knows that they must prepare for a long time on the island and his thoughts are as much on provisions for the future as on their immediate wants. However, even a cursory bit of wildlife knowledge makes it clear to viewers that filmmakers went for less of an accurate take on what sorts of animals and plants would be found on a tiny island in that vicinity and instead embraced a more generalized life-rich island where nearly any cool, exciting, exotic, or photogenic creature could make an appearance. I find this sort of behavior easily lending to peoples fears of thought police and other abuses of power. Ive noticed most people cant seem to read here! Sound familiar? "The Heidi model is the opposite of The Swiss Family Robinson. Other parents will do their own thing. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Swiss-Family-Robinson, Internet Archive - "The Swiss family Robinson", The Swiss Family Robinson - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). } (There are no doubt some viewers who may genuinely wonder, for good or ill, why there's a warning in front of, at all, in spite of its own colonizer background.). So, you can understand why the film has persisted over time, if gradually less so in the last few decades. If you don't visit the Stories Matter website (and I wonder how many of you reading this are visiting that site now for the first time), you won't even know what it is about Swiss Family Robinson that Disney is implying is offensive.That's especially true because there's a very obvious element of racist representation that's not accounted for in the more detailed description on the website. There seem to be a lot of people commenting who dont understand that these movies are still available on Disney+, they just cant be watched by little kids without permission from their parents. As if Song of the South is THAT bad?! For children < 7 it is rather difficult to explain adult concepts. Though other adaptations may complicate the matter somewhat Lost in Space obviously sets its action far away from a tropical island, and also features the nefarious Dr. Smith the Disney version of Swiss Family Robinson is exceedingly uncomplicated. Thomas children dont need his permission to watch movies. WebSwiss Family Robinson: Pirate scene There has recently been discussion about the pirates in Swiss Family Robinson, with some audiences arguing that their inclusion Parents may have been offended for children. In my opinion these films, along with Song of the South, should be released with a host intro ala TCM discussing what is problematic with the films. As for why the characters may be considered offensive, Common Sense Media explains: The pirates are portrayed as a mass of scary foreign marauders a familiar racist trope of vaguely ethnic enemies attacking White people. So, if youre eager to revisit Swiss Family Robinson on Disney+, you may want to reflect on the pirate scene. Wake the fudge up, Disney. Revisiting 'Swiss Family Robinson,' Disney's Problematic Box Office Smash From 1960, As they're sometimes wont to do, Disney made news a couple weeks ago. "The protagonists are characterised primarily by the Protestant ethics espoused by the father and pastor: the family, which venerates its homeland, is pious and believes in the virtues of hard work and religious obedience.". (2009) Animacion, Familjar | Shtetet e Bashkuara t Ameriks, Kin, Kanada. They build a shelter, then set about exploring their new home. Swiss Family Robinson (1974) E04 - Animal Kingdom. Swiss Family Robinson s1 e16 return paradise. The films are still available on standard Disney+ profiles with a content advisory warning directing viewers to www.disney.com/StoriesMatter. Again, the word for this movie, in good and bad ways, is "simple." Agree 100 percent complete. Bob, my point is that it is not up to Disney to decide what my children should see or not see that is MY job as the parent. Free delivery for many products. Is that the purpose of a Disney movie? It's all very dated at best and problematic at worst. I wouldnt be surprised! 23:42. We dont need YOU to decide what our children watch or dont watch, based on your political views and attitudes. "When, How Robinson Crusoe's island became a Swiss fiefdom, Daniel Defoe's story of Robinson Crusoe has inspired many Swiss figures. This is just absolutely stupid and ridiculous. The family also befriends a large turtle and walks by some flamingos and ostriches at one point. })(); VIDEO: Take A Look at the Magic Behind the Making of Disneys Encanto and More Special Features on Say It With Pride: Disney+ Celebrates Pride 365 Comes Out on Disney+ YouTube and Facebook This Jun Tokyo Disney Resort Will Remove Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah From Music Loops, Disney Wins Lawsuit Over Duke Parents are still able to continue deciding what their children should and shouldnt see, even with the new changes being implemented. The book is the most successful of a large number of "Robinsonade" novels that were written in response to the success of Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (1719). But the title card doesn't do the work for you. This means that those under the age of seven cannot access it and the title will not display when searched on a childs profile. No problem me and my white privileged family will watch it together.the point is most people have morals, know right from wrong, do the right thing, treat people how they would want to be treated and most likely nothing from an amusement park ride or classic kids movie is forming those beliefs you cant change the past or history..implement change going foward no problem but lets not try to fix every little thing that someone takes offense too..especially when it was never meant to be dipicted in that fashion. He sings in poorly accented English voiced by a white actor and plays the piano with chopsticks. Disney is overcorrecting. Since I dont have Disney stock, I rather dont care. Robinson Crusoe Island was devastated and Switzerland financed the reconstruction of the tomb of the Bernese baron, in addition to an explanatory plaque. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. What a joke, Disney are crazy, Ill never pay Disney for anything as long as they keep this crazy radical mentality. Adults will catch the occasional reference to "Bern," that being the capital city of Switzerland from which the Robinson family presumably hails. However, there is a growing awareness regarding potentially problematic elements of a number of Disney productions too. General Secretariat GS-FDFA They're relentlessly cheerful, even. WebS01E47 - The Swiss Family Robinson. Eager to revisit Swiss Family Robinson on Disney+, you agree to our use of cookies a! People of color in the theme parks sort of behavior easily lending to peoples fears of thought police and abuses... Have to go through the trouble of worrying about such a thing are n't spotted by a white actor plays. And much more woke can Disney get and much more woke can Disney get and much woke... This title card does n't do the work for you whom to speak. kind of film that feels... 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