Disney!

Disney. 1

The very word brings to mind magic, fairy tales, princesses, witches, wizards, princes, good and evil. When you think of Disney you think of all the possibilities and your imagination runs wild. 2

I grew up on Disney. From the Lion King to Aladdin. From The Little Mermaid to Beauty and the Beast. Ask me just about any question about Disney movies and I will be able to give you the answer. Any obscure question that you come up with about a film and chances are I can tell you what you want to know. 3

To me, Disney is about imagination, following your heart and--eventually--being yourself. I remember one time my friend and I were having a sleepover and my mom for some reason rented us Jane Eyre. We were maybe eight years old at the time so maybe Jane Eyre was not the best choice. We watched about five or ten minutes of the show before being frightened by the scary wandering lady. Immediately, we turned it off and instead watched The Little Mermaid. Disney was always my sanctuary. When I was feeling like an antisocial little kid, I pretended that the Disney characters were real and I could talk to them. A bit crazy, I'll admit, but that was Disney for me.4

I don't know if I really can honestly choose a favorite Disney movie. I loved all of them. When I was about three or four apparently I was in love with Toy Story though. There is a family video of when we were in Toronto, visiting my aunt and at several points during the video--sometimes on different days--the family always mentioned me and Toy Story. Most of the time it was because I was mysteriously absent from the family gatherings. When that happened, it was usually because someone had put the movie in for me...again. After that I think I became fascinated with talking toys which extended my childhood games with dolls and action figures. 5

Another movie I loved as a child was The Little Mermaid. Part of Your World was one of my favorite songs and to this day I can still sing it word for word. I don't know what made me fall in love with it--perhaps it was the living underwater bit--or the characters, but whenever I scared, as mentioned above, that was my fall back movie. The sequel as well--Return to the Sea--was a good movie. I found it kind of funny how it had been Ariel's dream to get out of the sea but it was her daughter's greatest wish to be a part of it. Melody's song For a Moment is one of my favorites and is one that I sing when I audition for plays. I also liked how their princess was a child this time. Although she was probably about the same age that Ariel had been in The Little Mermaid, something about Melody made her seem younger. As well, although there was a little bit of a hint of romantic interest for the young princess, the movie was not based around two lovers.6

Nowadays Beauty and the Beast is also a beloved classic. Probably because I am so often compared with Belle from that movie it is one of my favorites as well. A keen reader, sometimes I too am oblivious to the world around me when stuck in a good book. I also always admired her courage in trading places with her father and becoming Beast's prisoner. She brought out the softer side in the Beast and allowed us to see in reality what a gentle and loving character he was. Another thing I like about Beauty and the Beast is how they did not make the male protagonist a gorgeous, handsome guy--until later in the movie Gaston instead was the handsome and well off guy and we all know how Belle responded to him. 7

Pocahontas is another one of the greats. Even though the true story says that Pocahontas was just a child when she met John Smith, I like the Disney version better. Love can triumph over anything. It can bridge gaps and bring people together which is what Pocahontas showed. The movie was portraying a brave young woman who wants peace for her people, not war. The original is just so beautiful, the animation flawless that who could help but fall in love with it? The music as well was great and I of course especially enjoy Colours of the Wind I didn't like the sequel movie where Pocahontas journies to England. Or rather, I did, but I did not like the romance with John Ralf. First of all, couldn't they find another name for the guy? This way, it seemed that our Indian Princess had a thing for John's! And second of all, I didn't like how they portrayed John Smith. He was not an ass and he only had Pocahontas' best interests at heart! If they were going to make a sequel I would rather have had Pocahontas and John Smith be reunited. They loved each other. How could she have fallen for John Ralf? 8

Peter Pan is another movie that I still love to this day. The idea of a magical world that we can actually get to...Neverland. I guess I also like the idea of "The Boy Who Never Grew Up". He wanted his independence and, although he may have a child's form, he always had a hero and a leader's spirit. It always made me sad when Peter let Wendy go and grow up. If I had my way, somehow they would be together but I suppose that can't be since that might end Peter's adventuring. I just think the idea of Peter Pan is romantic and it gives us something to dream about. I mean even my youngest sister had a Peter Pan streak. When she was little she would often tell us that we were just her adopted family and her real parents were fairies who were going to come back soon and take her away to Neverland. Needless to say that never happened. But can I honestly say that I never dreamed of Peter Pan coming to fly me away to Neverland? No. I of course did dream of finding that elusive "second star to the right" and somehow managing to follow it to my paradise.9

Well I think that this has definitely gone on long enough although I could most certainly keep going. Let me just end with saying how much I love Disney. Oh and I still have a Pocahontas pillow that I got when I was three, a Mulan small plushie doll and an Aurora one.