If you're like me, you love all the Disney Princess movies. From Cinderella to Mulan to Frozen. I love them! However, I often wonder what would happen if the princess didn't end up with a man at the end of the movie. Do you think it would still sell? I know Frozen kind of pushed that boundary a bit when they re-defined true love as being between two sisters and not with a man, but Princess Ana still ends up with Kristof. What if instead of Cinderella marrying the prince, she escapes her step-family's house and goes off to have an adventure living independently and having the time of her life? Because really, these days I think it's important for young girls to experience life before settling down. A lesson I wish I had learned as a little girl. What are your thoughts?
Er, did you see Pocahontas? She was a princess for her father, the Indian Chief for the tribe near Jamestown, and she did not end up getting married to John Smith. But the movie still was a hit at theaters and after store product sales. Plus, there are a lot of movies that Disney made which the main male and female characters never had a relationship by the end of the movie.
Pocahontas is history so they can't screw that up. Girls like fairytales. And I can't think of a movie where the boy and girl don't end up together. Could you name another one?
The whole princess formula for Disney is washed out and boring. It's the same old thing more often than not mixed in with a different setting and background. If they took the princesses in another direction and actually empowered the princesses rather than making their end goal a prince, then it'd be such a better message for girls. Let the princesses seek out something other than love. Not everyone is looking for Prince Charming after all.
I know I wish Mulan were out when I was a kid. I mean I know she kind of ends up with the Commander at the end, but we don't exactly know if they end up together. I love that she's ambitious and relatable. Instead up I grew up with the idea that being with a man can be so romantic, when in reality it is anything but romantic. It's like having another child. Though I think secretly I always admired the female characters who were strong and kick ass. Like Catwoman in Batman Returns and Lara Croft. I wanted to be like those women, but I still had the romance stuck in my head about men.
I agree, the whole princess thing with Disney is starting to get old. Happy ever afters, a princess getting married to a prince and they did not even went through a courtship process. I actually find "Frozen" quite okay and interesting because it did not patronize the "princess-getting-married-to-a-prince" theme. Also, I love the lesson that Elsa gave Anna when she said that you can't marry a guy that you just met. That was something fresh, in my own opinion.
Ah well, Disney tales were patterned after prevalent sentiments, which during that time, I presume, were inclined towards romantic love, weddings and happy endings. So now that times have changed, there's more focus on fiesty, independent women like Merida and Elsa (who single-handedly sits as queen). Who knows, maybe the theme will change again over the next few years.
It wouldn't probably be a plot that sells movies/books, that is the main reason we are not seeing too much of this. I remember a soap opera from my country, something like "Tears of Love" and in the end, one of the main story didn't end up good. The couple split a part, the guy inherited a lot of money, I remember that it was very sad and left me with a bitter sweet taste. I would rather not see this, I prefer the happy ending, life has already too much of sadness.
I don't want happy endings either, but I think the idea of being with someone will make you happy is sometimes a bit far fetched because sometimes you end up with someone who makes you miserable. Maybe I'm being too logical about this, but I just think girls need an influence that doesn't always lead to marriage and having babies. If they can show male characters having adventures, why can't female lead characters have adventures?
I agree with the fact that life already dishes us enough sadness from what goes on from one point to another and many of us need hope to inspire us positively. I don't mind that fairy tales stick to the same old cliche acts at all. Pocahontas had a heavily disappointing ending where the male love interest just had to leave, especially since Pocahontas and John Smith nurtured such a nice relationship. I felt a bit ripped off for investing my interest and I don't like feeling that way after movies. I elect in favor of happy endings to fairy tales.
Pocahontas was more of a reference to history and not necessarily a Fairytale, that's why the more poignant ending. It would do history an injustice if she ended up with John Smith and not John Rolfe who she does end up marrying (and eventually has a grand daughter who marries my great great grandfather). And I don't want endings to be sad. I just think that instead of ending up with someone, maybe Princess Ana could tell Kristof, you know I think the whole marriage idea can wait a couple more years. I'd like to see the world first. Or something. I don't know. I mean they just kiss at the end, but still. Anyway, that's my fem-rant.
I don't think that is a majoritarily good life lesson to teach young children, teaching them to be so rebellious at a subconscious level will not have a good bidding on their outcome in life, in general. These types of movies are aimed at younger audiences that, regardless if people are willing to admit this or not, it is factual that young people, and people in general but especially the young demographic pic up on things on a deep level, on a subconscious level and having certain questionable morals instilled in them is not a safe way to not cause controversy, or a good way to sell a movie due to controversy or a good way to raise children. Just my opinion.
I think Frozen was great in this regard, very forward thinking. Even if Anna did end up with Kristoff -- and why should she not, it is a good thing to find love and to be happy -- the lesson was that she did not need a man. She saved herself by loving. Family love and all; but then Elsa also got it and loved back and fixed her mistakes. So Anna loves and Elsa is a Queen, unmarried but magnificent. The point should not be about whether they end up with a prince or not, really. I mean, in Tangled, we could say she doesn't end up with a prince, since Flynn Rider ain't one. But yeah. I also liked Mulan, and that movie Penelope that is not a Disney movie but has to do with curses and love too!
