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Disney movies: why heroes are orphans
Cut the separation scenes in the film: not necessary!
A recent Canadian study pointed out that children’s films are often harsher than those of adults. The authors take as an example the orphaned heroes of Disney Studios films. When we take a closer look, the greatest Disney films all have one thing in common: the hero of the film is an orphan. Sophie tells us that when Mina was 3 years old, she cut two or three scenes from some Disney so as not to traumatize her, especially when the dad was being killed or the mom disappeared. Today, her little girl has grown up, she shows her the entire film. Just like Sophie, many moms have done it to protect their little one. According to psychologist Dana Castro, “ Disney tales or films are an ideal way to approach the existential questions of life with your children “. Moms are often reluctant to show harsh scenes to their little ones, whereas on the contrary, for the specialist, “it makes it possible to play down the subject of death, for example”. It all depends on the age of the child and what he has experienced in his own family. “When the children are small, before 5 years old, there is no problem leaving the disappearance scenes, as long as they have not themselves been confronted with the death of a parent or a animal, ”says Dana Castro. For her, “if the parent cuts the scene, it is perhaps for him that the subject of death is difficult to broach”. If the child asks questions, it is because he needs to be reassured. Again, for the psychologist, “ it is essential to answer the questions, not to let the vagueness take hold. We must avoid leaving the child without answers, that’s how he can worry ”.
Orphan heroes: Walt Disney reenacts his childhood
This summer, Don Hahn, the producer of “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Lion King”, told in an interview given to the American version of Glamor the reasons which pushed Walt Disney to “kill” the mother or the father (or both) in his greatest film successes. ” There are two reasons for this. The first reason is practical: the films last on average between 80 and 90 minutes and talk about the problem of growing up. It is the most important day in the life of our characters, the one when they have to face their responsibilities. And it’s faster to grow characters up after they lose their parents. Bambi’s mother was killed, the fawn was forced to grow up ”. The other reason would follow from Walt Disney’s personal story. In fact, at the beginning of the 40s, he offered a house to his mother and father. Shortly after moving in, her parents passed away. Walt Disney would never have mentioned them because he felt personally responsible for their deaths. The producer therefore explains that, by a defense mechanism, he would have made his main characters replay this trauma.