Beauty and the beast

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Some cool Beauty images:

Beauty and the beast
Beauty

Image by Blind Hen ⁑ Blind Höna
Beauty and the beast. Life and death. The Good Fairy and The Grim Reaper.

All just by chance. In NY, 42nd Street, April 2010.

Beauty, according to Disney
Beauty

Image by kevindooley
Geez, how would we know what ideal to have for women if it weren’t for Walt Disney? First, we have the waist. This waist isn’t even achievable on the model circuit, and the combination of that waist and brust would lead our poor beauty to chronic back problems. The hair? Gotta be extensions. Never seen hair like that on a real person. Finally, what’s with Disney’s woman always talking to birds on their hands? If a bird came up to any woman (or man) I know, they probably flip out and swat it.

This figurine is not some old relic from the antique shop, it’s Disney’s Modern Woman. It’s a laugh, because they go to all of this trouble to pretend that they’re "feminist" by making movies with female leads, but that’s just an appeal to 50% of the market. They still treat women like crap in their narratives.

In Disney, aren’t the mothers of most of these women/girls either gone or evil?

In Disney, doesn’t the heroine always get supplemented by the male hero… or have to ACT like a male in order to succeed?

I’d love to hear your thoughts what you think the "message" is behind most of these Disney tales…

81 thoughts on “Beauty and the beast”

  7. WoW! So much to think about, Kevin…Yes, indeed…with Disney and many other cartoon creations…the gal does have this unattainable female body…double the portions of curves…and that enviable hair!!! So much hair! If I could have at least half of that…and the birds…hmmmmm…because they are such cute little creatures…and since I have birds…it would be hard for me to say that I would flip out on that one…although, I do know of some that "freak" out at just the flapping of the wings…perhaps, it is just the crossing over of the "make believe"…the fairytale of sorts that we must have talking and chirping birds attached to women’s fingers. Indeed, there are many overtones of the Male role and the Female role in these animated features. A carry over perhaps from when it was a "Man’s world" per say. Mothers…aaaah yes…the absence of the parent in some way…I have noticed that in many a story…the evil step-mother always seems to come into play…it seems to be that these evil women are always in this "jealous" phase for some reason…almost like sibling rivalry in a way…the favored one…who is getting more attention…the supplementation of the male hero…overshadowing the "weaker" one…the one that needs to be rescued…from some twisted fate…again, the fairytale…which…I have always thought that fairytales…especially the ones that many of these stories are based off of are pretty twisted…when you dig deep into the storyline. And for some of these tales…you have to ask…what were they on? Because they are so "out there" in the first place. Okay…I could ramble for some time now…lol…don’t we all want to be rescued from the drudgery of our everyday world??? In some way…perhaps it is the eternal optimistic ideal that there will be a "happily ever after" P.S. great capture!!! =)

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  9. Hi, I’m an admin for a group called Old School Digital, and we’d love to have this added to the group!

    Well, Kevin.. This is a wonderful observation of yours…
    Beauty is such a stereotype that is only relevant to the time we live in. I think relevance of the beauty is reflected in any of cinematic work unless it is documentary. So skinny, with the long hair gorgeous young ladies (also with at least a C cup) are in my friend, are in…
    Talking to the birds and animals? Well, you are not going to be talking to the rocks or chairs… and talking to men – same thing :) :)
    Now, perhaps, women with there PMS syndromes and constant moodiness have created a witch, step mother and mother-in law-images and it is greatly reflected in any mean character through the centuries. Also not well kept women are not attractive to anyone – so here you go. As for a man being not well kept or not well shaped – women are funny creatures but here they took a lead and showed their flexibility and humanity unlike most common men. Meaning – I love you just the way you are and no, you don’t need to borrow my a bra when you go running to get those extra pounds off. In fact, if you love me and care for me – you don’t need to go running, lets shape it of together elsewhere and in much more intimate way… By the way dirty or sweaty man from working are found to be super hot. Stereotypes- we will be dealing with them always. It’s human nature.
    There is so much more examples but my spelling sucks and my left hand types slower then right so I gonna go…
    Love the image and thank you for the food for the thought!

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  13. Disney definitely didn’t market to me.
    The last Disney movie I saw was 101 Dalmatians (1961)!
    But your silhouette figure looks like a Disney icon if I’d imagine it.

    –
    Seen in my contacts’ photos. (?)

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  16. Great Shot , Kevin …. as for the rest , I don’t have the time or
    inclination at this moment to rage against the Machine …
    Believe me the list is long…

    " If you’re not outraged ,you’re not paying attention " – Unknown

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  18. Great silhouette – great in the technical term of having produced it from pixels – not in the sense that it is something to be strived for, or admired.
    I always think of Disney as souped up fairy tales, which traditionally featured the wicked stepmother. The Disney visual effects are another story and I haven’t time to write a book! Sufficient to say I have never been a great fan and agree with your line of thought. Can’t say isney is the only offender – the media industry is riddled with false conceptions of what is good and beautiful.

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  19. Sounds like you described Disney’s movie ‘formula’…………you have Walt spinning right now Kevin.

    And nice picture too…..seriously.

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  23. It’s an idea that sells, and I think it goes deeper than physical proportions. Evil is depicted as ugly as a form of allegory that has been so long accepted that we think little of it, just as goodness is depicted as the ideal in beauty (although sometimes we rant at never being able to achieve that ideal).

    You have to keep in mind that movies are a largely visual medium, and it is much easier (and quiker) to give a sense of the character by assigning visual attributes. The stereotypes help the scenes move along at a pace that is acceptable to us.

    Being friendly with animals being a sign of ‘goodness’ dates back at least as far as Saint Frances Assisi (the early 1200s) in Western culture, and much farther back in Eastern cultures.

    Also the Disney tales that are based on old fairy tales would (naturally and invariably) have a ‘sexist’ air to them, no matter how apparent or toned down it is. That was just the way things were, and it is only recently that this has started to change.

    Disney doesn’t offend me, although I understand what you are saying here.

    Nicely presented image and thoughts (even if my thoughts are not the same)

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  24. Did you think my translations were not intellectual enough Kevin – bet you aimed this quite carefully didn’t you? Well first of all let me say that there is a wonderful essay here which deals with Disney and Feminism and in particular Beauty and the Beast and it makes very many valid points and quotes all the right theorists.
    ejw.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/9/2/123
    Then let me remind you of Baudrillard and his ‘loss of the real’, which to his mind is due to the pervasive influence of images from film, tv and advertising and which has led to a ‘loss of the distinction between real and imagine, reality and illusion, surface and depth". Therefore we have a ‘hyperreality’ in which distinctions are simply eroded. The 3 stages of his theory are: First the sign represented a basic reality, then the sign distorted the reality behind the sign and lastly the sign disguises the fact that there is no corresponding reality underneath. So there we are still stuck in the myth of the sign as reality when all it represents has really been lost altogether. Have you noticed the movement toward recovering reality, what its really like to be a man or a woman? As opposed to a fictional character. Perhaps it is comfortable in our hyperreality, it is predictable and feels safe.

    and just to comment on your character above: a small waist – small in proportion to hip and bust size – has been said to be the factor that attracts men to mate with a particular woman. Therefore this woman pictured above is inherently a mating call and, in addition, she’s so sweet that not even birds can resist her. The hair of course is to yank her into his cave. If this is Disney’s modern woman I am surprised they are still in business. Or perhaps not.

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  26. I was wondering how I could concisely add my two cents worth, and then I read swimmingintheether’s comment (above), and found she matched my thoughts very closely. Very thought provoking subject.

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  30. I never really thought much about it but have always thought it funny how they made the figures on these characters… little waists etc… too much!

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  36. I should buy one…Im not really into Disney, I never liked it… Very interesting to hear. Have to translate it later.
    You never had woman heros wherever I guess…
    Caring about the beauty, that they dont have time to think about important things…

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  37. your reflections are very precious.
    don’t forget another "female beauty model" —> barbie!
    but things aren’t very easy for you boys also. you have to be strong, tough, to like math, to be the prince charming to all those barbie-disney princesses…
    i guess that’s why sometimes it seems that everyone now is a little bit crazy!

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  42. woah, that is rather twisted… interesting to take note of how entrenched our exaggerated ideals of "perfection" permeate all aspects of our society… cool image btw!

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  45. Love this series of pics, and your commentary and the comments to this particular shot. My own addition to the debate is…we need more characters like Shrek to be our heroes ;-)

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  46. hehehe…it seems that your comment to this shot opened an interesting debate……..I didn’t realized that before, I mean about the chauvinist position of Disney….but now that I think it’s realy as you described in your comment…….

    –
    Seen on your photo stream. (?)

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  47. I really have to disagree… this "princess" stereotype is a fairytale thing, before disney creation, when woman were raised just to get a husband. nowadays, we have shrek, pandas, ets and dinos as animations characters, cause people don’t buy this "princess talk" anymore – not even kids buy it. Mulan was one of the last disney’s female heroine – and yes, she had to act like a guy, but wasn’t it the best way to prove how good she was? ;)

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  50. O, and of secondly WD is about money, so giving dad an incentive to buy a dvd while pretending to please the kids seems like a good ploy :)

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  51. is that jasmine? :) i love the interpretation and feel the same way- i’d swat that bird out of sheer instinct, despite how much i’d probably enjoy singing to it

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  53. Your Photo Wins a Heart
    From Heart Awards Group

    Your view point is very pertinent but I have to say that the Disney formula is very much about the fantasies of happiness and greatness we were taught as kids from our parents as well as fairy tales etc. Thankfully in more modern times, people are more realistic and slowly learning about the real values of life and people generally.

    What about the phrase " happily ever after " . Certainly just because a person looks attractive , does not make them a nice person. Real beauty certainly comes from within.

    Best wishes Rod

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  57. I like the eye-shaped frame around the idealized silouette and toning of the image … these stylisitc elements create a film-noir-type air and almost seem suggestive of a more dark and voyeuristic mood … even Jasmine may have a stalker. :-o


    This is an Amazing Shot!    !

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  60. Thanks for this one…I read everyone’s comment above, good stuff.

    I am not about to start assuming what Disney or others have been inserting into our minds/the minds of our children for "CENTURIES"…The answers it seems are far too convoluted to be expressed simply.

    However, I do know that a WHOLE LOT of research goes into the appeal of Disney films, plots, character dynamics/appearance…much of the end results are not necesarrily what "Disney" has chosen for "US"…but rather what "WE" have chosen for ourselves/our children.(Polls/elaborate studies of children’s likings/fears, etc….ticket sales of past productions/blah blah)

    Many of the icons/mental landscapes are tried and true…centuries old…they just adorn the production with different clothing.(and/or current useful "trojan horses"?)

    So anyway, it’s hard for me to imagine that Disney does NOT take the time to "intentionally" tweak and twist or hammer messages into our minds…but anymore, I have stopped scrutinizing/probing for answers…

    Disney has creeped me out more and more as I have gotten older, especially in recent years…

    Nowaday I just steer clear! Harder to do when with children…but I pulled it off for the most part.

    Can’t speak for anyone else here of course, but as far as the "message" for me goes?

    "WRONG WAY, DO NOT ENTER"

    Thanks.

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  62. Btw…my "WRONG WAY, DO NOT ENTER" approach is not something based in fear or paranoia…but rather direct observation of my own child and other children. I did give Disney and other "high potency" children’s productions a chance…but I observed that the effects were pretty darned intense on the psyche! I won’t go into it too much, but I saw it as pretty much scrubbing out other actual "real" activities, and retarding creativity to an extreme.

    Like playing with a lazer pointer too much with a cat…after a while…nothing else will work. :(

    So here’s the other message I gather from such productions:

    "We got some real good stuff here at Disney…and if you give us a chance…your kids will like us even more than they like themselves!"

    Sorry for these long and crazy comments…but you asked for it! :)

    Thanks again Kevin.

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  79. I know a few girls that when combined could make a nice jasmine lol.

    Seriously, there are some drop dead gorgeous women outdoor.

    She’s a princess after all.

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  80. Well, Disney was a Nazi. But the one thing that I did notice on that silhouette is that she’s got a little junk in her trunk!

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  81. well, first off, i agree w/ u on the describing of the pic, w/ the parts, its so un-real DX
    i hate it how the girl always hasta be saved, n how the hero is ALWAYS the guy DX its pisses me off so much ;P

    n for the "mesasge" i think its was meant ta say, tht, we may give females the good part, but we’re still gonna treat ya like crap, n if ya notice, out side of the movies, its happening all around us, n noone will do anything, (i know i wont do as much, cause i don wanna get shot or anything) but jus look at jobs like sports reporters, or nurses, i don really c a whole lot of male nurses, (unless there gay, no offense, i luv gay people ^_^) but femalies r forced to work back in those positions cause the males ridicule n r jerks ta anyone tht goes to a mans job.
    i know, cause last semester, i was taking intermedeiate woods, n i was literally the ONLY girl, n one day, theres this guy tht was in the class, n he thought i didnt here i guess, or did it on purpose to piss me off, but anyways, hes like "the only thing girls r good for is sex!" i wanted to (if i had a gun) ta shoot him right in the head, or throw a brick at his head, hes such a fucking dooch-bag DX

    (sry for swearing, jus hadta get it off my chest ^_^)

    well, thts wat i think bout tht ^_^ hopefully it all made sense, cause i lost myself a couple times lolz ^_^

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