What happened to Dark Disney?
Looking at much of Disney's products lately has gotten me thinking about the various differences between Modern Disney and the Disney Renaissance. And looking back on it I find myself feeling drawn towards the older films much more than the newer ones. Their memorability simply seems to outshine the majority of the films Disney is making nowadays.
Perhaps it's my nostalgia goggles but I feel that Disney's darker films are the most remembered and most revered among all their other films. I suppose their mindset in this day and age is that we shouldn't be scaring the crap out of kids, but to that I say; why not? Why shouldn't we be scaring kids? I would even argue that kids, while they probably wouldn't admit it, like being scared. In fact, people in general seem to like to get scared from time to time. If that wasn't the case I doubt horror films would be very popular. But when I look back on the Disney films from my childhood that I think about the most, I lean towards the more terrifying pictures. I'll give two films that I saw many times during my younger years as examples, The Aristocats and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
The latter is the one that I have much fonder memories of and still go back and watch from time to time. Arguably the darkest Disney has ever gone, it covers some topics that Disney would not dare touch today. Lust, being one example, is a theme frequently explored throughout the film through the character of Frollo. The primary antagonist of the film, his actions and desires reflect the most sinister and despicable of human nature, which is something that I've always admired Disney for having the guts to explore. The Aristocats on the other hand, is a picture that, while I've seen more times than I can count, I really cannot point out any stand-out features of. It's extremely lighthearted tone is far too consistent throughout and there is never any real sense of danger.
The closest Modern Disney has really gotten to dark is Zootopia, but even then it would be stretching, because while the film does cover serious topics, I couldn't call it a "dark" movie. My point is, I don't necessarily think Disney is bad when they make lighthearted films. What I do think is that they are usually at their best when they explore the darker aspects of the worlds they create.
Perhaps it's my nostalgia goggles but I feel that Disney's darker films are the most remembered and most revered among all their other films. I suppose their mindset in this day and age is that we shouldn't be scaring the crap out of kids, but to that I say; why not? Why shouldn't we be scaring kids? I would even argue that kids, while they probably wouldn't admit it, like being scared. In fact, people in general seem to like to get scared from time to time. If that wasn't the case I doubt horror films would be very popular. But when I look back on the Disney films from my childhood that I think about the most, I lean towards the more terrifying pictures. I'll give two films that I saw many times during my younger years as examples, The Aristocats and The Hunchback of Notre Dame.
The latter is the one that I have much fonder memories of and still go back and watch from time to time. Arguably the darkest Disney has ever gone, it covers some topics that Disney would not dare touch today. Lust, being one example, is a theme frequently explored throughout the film through the character of Frollo. The primary antagonist of the film, his actions and desires reflect the most sinister and despicable of human nature, which is something that I've always admired Disney for having the guts to explore. The Aristocats on the other hand, is a picture that, while I've seen more times than I can count, I really cannot point out any stand-out features of. It's extremely lighthearted tone is far too consistent throughout and there is never any real sense of danger.
The closest Modern Disney has really gotten to dark is Zootopia, but even then it would be stretching, because while the film does cover serious topics, I couldn't call it a "dark" movie. My point is, I don't necessarily think Disney is bad when they make lighthearted films. What I do think is that they are usually at their best when they explore the darker aspects of the worlds they create.
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