Women's Studies 2161A/B Chapter Notes - Chapter 10: Heterosexism, Corporate Capitalism, White Privilege
30 Apr 2018
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Disney’s Enchanted- Patriarchal Backlash and Nostalgia in a Fairy Tale Film:
• Walt Disney Studios promoted Enchanted as celeb self-parody of classic films- extensive
adv touted as musical comedy pokes fun conv damsels in distress, villains seeking
destroy them and manly rescuers, all presented context contemp story line
• Film reinforces previous Disney fairy tale ideologies, including attitudes critiqued more
than 50 years ago- appropriates and reworks fairy tale motives support conv Euro-North
American worldview both obfuscates and reinforces patriarchal ideologies (not updated
persp)
• Typifies Disney fairy tale films by rep women and sociocult perspective- F protagonist
seeks personal fulfillment through romance, outcome- happy ending in marriage- follows
heroine being subj threat/ danger, rendered vul and finally rescued
• No means self-actualized fem, Giselle finds one true love and becomes heteronorm role
model for future stepdaughter
• Nancy retreats film’s end from real world to make-believe realm Andalasia, giving up
prof career become fairy tale princess and bride
• Narissa prospective mother-in-law, evil witch lusting for power
• Offers worldview based patriarchal, capitalistic, heterosexist and racist assumptions
Dis-enchanting Disney’s corporate capitalism:
• Enchanted quickly became box office success
• Princesses been fastest-growing product brand for Disney in recent years, w marketing
strats to attract F-infants to adults- as consumers of its merchandise
• Disney undisputed leader in princess merchandising, made major move market in 2000,
when decided package ‘princesses’ Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Ariel, Belle,
Cinderella, Jasmine, Mulan and Pocahontas under same marketing umbrella- Disney and
300 licenses sell 25,000 princess-themed products, 2007 brought in $4.6 billion
• One goal dev Enchanted create new franchise by adding Giselle to inventory Disney
princesses and reinvigorating sales earlier counterparts- abandoned plan realized cost
securing lifelong rights image Amy Adams (not officially marketed Disney princesses,
merchandise avail variety venues, w Giselle’s animated likeness on products)
• Ball, wedding and other make-believe scenarios naturalize appeal fantasy and display
power of magic for sale in contemp word- “fairy tale weddings” through media and
merchandising and later prod actual weddings theme parks and properties
• Wedding-industrial complex- social and economic systems through which massive
wedding industry reasserts heterosexual dom and promotes women’s oppression in
capitalist societies
• Prevailing standard rep bride as princess- white, thin, rich, privileged and heterosexual-
who uses cult consumption dem marital status
Parody, fantasy and reality:
• Initial scenes Enchanted humorously exagg fam tropes in Disney fairy tale films: maiden
sings joyfully chorus forest animals about one true love, young man tries win heart
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brawny and brainless, wicked witch/hag/queen intercepts young maiden before can marry
prince
• Giselle intentionally over top- always giddy, naieve, ever so sweet
• Playful homage and giant love letter to Disney classics, highly self-ref, incorp hundreds
allusions earlier Disney movies as well motifs from literally fairy tales on which based-
embedding refs through visual imagery, plot, actors, voices, camerawork, costumes,
music dialogue and sets ex: poison apples (snow white) and true love’s kiss (snow white
and sleeping beauty)
• Parody sugg in initial scenes- seemingly good-natured spoof outdated gender relations
rep earlier Disney fairy tale films- dissipates soon after Giselle finds herself in NYC
• Deteriorates retelling fam narrative: beautiful (motherless) maiden seeks true love
encounters trials and tribulations, handsome young man appears and marry and live
happily ever after
• Uses iconic and self-ref humor and imagery reinforce Disney products and values- rather
providing alt male-ident and single-minded Disney princess whose mantra is “one day
my prince will come”, Enchanted proves her right
• Relationship b/w fantasy and reality prom motif- real world and fantasy world collide- in
NY, fairy tale characters fail disting b/w what is real and what is fantasy (hand drawn,
CGI and live-action)
• Giselle’s changing appearance reveals transition b/w 2 realms- hairstyle progresses loads
curls and bows to contemp long and straight, costume shifts fairy tale wedding dress to
sleek, modern gown
• Robert pragmatic and disillusioned, decrying people engage fantasy, until Giselle turns
world upside down and teaches him believe in fairy tale version “true love”
• Disney fairytale no longer confined sphere imaginary, but enjoys alt world, cont spilling
from fantastic fairytale realm into real one (fairytale romance can survive real world)
Reinscribing Disney ideology- Enchantment or antifeminist backlash?
• Masking ideological constructions w claims “innocence”, rendering unaccountable for
diverse ways shapes sense reality provides for kids (and adults) as take up part and often
sanitized notions ident, cult and hist in seemingly apolitical cult universe ‘Magic
Kingdom’
• As one most influential corps in world Disney does more than provide entertainment, also
shapes in v powerful ways how young people understand themselves, relate to others and
exp larger soc
• Various stages dev 10 years, most concurrent regressive admin George Bush- rising
anxiety came push by gov, corporate and religious leaders reinvigorate conservativism
and return “trad fam values” of male dom, F domesticity and heternormativity
• Offers conv, patriarchal worldview as remedy alienation modern life- filmatic fantasies
about peaceful and virtuous soc and w them, poss restoration male-dom, nuclear fam and
resurgence repressive gender roles
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