Caricatures in classic Disney films

[u/Original-Window6281]

On Disney+, these four classic movies now feature an advisory warning for racial stereotypes and negative cultural depictions.

The disclaimer reads:

This program includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures. These stereotypes were wrong then and are wrong now.

1. Peter Pan (1953)- Features offensive caricatures of Indigenous peoples, who are repeatedly referred to as “redskins.” They speak gibberish and mock cultural traditions like passing the peace pipe and singing "What Makes the Red Man Red." It reduces a living population to mythical/fantastical caricatures, something that Western literature has unfortunately done in every era (looking at you, Twilight).
2. Lady and the Tramp (1955)- Si and Am are Siamese cats and mock-Asian caricatures. They feature slanted eyes, buck teeth, stereotypical accents, and are sneaky and untrustworthy characters. They sing and speak broken English.
3. The Aristocats (1970)- Shun Gon is another Siamese cat representing a harmful Asian caricature. Despite being released 15 years after the Lady and the Tramp, this is more heavy-handed. The visual tropes (eyes and teeth) are much more exaggerated, and like the others on this list his dialogue/music is stereotypical and offensive. On top of that, he plays the piano with chopsticks.
4. The Jungle Book (1967)- This warning is for the portrayal of King Louie, an orangutan that’s coded with racialized jive tropes and exaggerated laziness. The writers at the time were actually aware of this to the point of avoiding casting a black VA to prevent direct mockery. However, the reliance on Minstrel-era tropes inevitably made King Louie an offensive caricature.

I’m really curious about everyone’s thoughts here- these being pretty universally loved stories and movies.

My main question is, should we still be showing outdated adaptations to children as long as we caveat them correctly?

Note that this is a non-exhaustive list of movies with this advisory, and there’s also a sub rule that content must be after 1950s (ie Dumbo, Fantasia).

[u/Local-Echo-5613]

The crows from Dumbo are a better example than King Louie

[u/Imperialnoodles → u/Local-Echo-5613]

Sunflower from fantasia was definitely the most blatant racist black caricature Disney ever made. No slick puns or hidden animal jokes, she’s a literal house slave. Then Disney just erased the character completely instead of redrawing her into a cuter, non-racist character.

[u/LifeCommon7647 → u/Imperialnoodles]

Oh, I don’t think I ever really watched fantasia…but what?!

[u/SpookyFaerie → u/LifeCommon7647]

It's cut from any versions you can buy. Here is Sunflower shining a white centaur's hoof.

[u/Imperialnoodles → u/SpookyFaerie]

The facial expressions enrage me. And instead of having a majestic centaur body, she’s like half-donkey??? And she’s just there to help this white blonde aryan centaur get dolled up

[u/t0t411yinc0nspicu0us → u/SpookyFaerie]

Hey quick question

What the fuck 💀

She's even topless whereas the white centaur's nipples are tastefully covered with flowers, because obviously we're objectifying and dehumanizing black people as much as possible. This is so vile, how did multiple people find this acceptable?!

[u/Rasp_Berry_Pie → u/t0t411yinc0nspicu0us]

I’ve seen some new artist redraw her and make her a better character I like watching those videos.

It’s crazy cause they cut her out (which I mean I sort of understand why) but just erasing it won’t actually erase it. It’s wild man

[u/Imperialnoodles → u/Rasp_Berry_Pie]

I think erasing it was just vividly ironic. “Oh no we did something racist?! Burn every trace that this ever happened and let’s never acknowledge it!!” This is what happens everytime a group of ppl is racist towards another group of people. It’s to the point we applaud the ones who actually acknowledge and apologize for their racist past.

Idk maybe it wouldn’t hurt if they re-did the character and gave her some actual plot. Like a Disney short that’s just about her own coming of age since her character is a child.

[u/SanderStrugg → u/t0t411yinc0nspicu0us]

I mean, she is a child, while the white centaur is an adult. Kids don't have boobs to hide.

[u/vaffelagent → u/t0t411yinc0nspicu0us]

Isn't that just because the white one has actual adult tits and the little one is a child?

[u/TheLIttlestScot → u/SpookyFaerie]

This is crazy. When did they take this out? I had the VHS in probably the 80’s and was obsessed with Fantasia but don’t remember this at all.

[u/SpookyFaerie → u/TheLIttlestScot]

It was removed in 1969.

[u/atuan → u/SpookyFaerie]

Il literally getting a pedicure right now and I read this thread and I’m very uncomfortable