Wonderland Burlesque's The Most Magical Place on Earth Quiz

Wonderland Burlesque's 

The Most Magical Place on Earth Quiz

There have been 58 full-length animated features from Disney since 1937. There may have been another since... I don't know. To be honest? I don't pay much attention. But I think the last major one was the oh-so cleverly titled... Frozen 2. In any event, Disney full-length, animated movies can be divided into two parts - Classic Disney (Bambi, Pinocchio, Snow White) and Renaissance Disney, which begins with the Michael Eisner reorg around 1989 (Little Mermaid, Pocahontas, Frozen).  

I explain this because it figures into our quiz today, which is about all things Disney. 

As a brand, as a corporation, as a cultural mover and shaker, Disney has been as omnipresent as a Leni Riefenstahl film - large and looming, it has done all it can to touch everyone's life. Their methods are as revolutionary and sweeping as they are questionable. Universities teach courses about the company's cultural significance and impact on the various generations - and I am sure that the findings written in those student papers are quite eye-opening. 

In light of all that, I thought we would take a moment to take a look at how 'The Most Magical Place On Earth', in its many incarnations (movies, television, animations, characters, merchandise, etc.) has touched each of our lives. 

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1/ What was the first Disney movie you recall seeing? If old enough, did you watch the Sunday Night program on NBC or CBS?

The first, I believe was the original The Love Bug (1968). We sat in the balcony and I thought it was the greatest motion picture of all-time. We got to go on Thanksgiving Day. It was a special matinee in downtown Albert Lea, MN and my parents saw it as a means of getting rid of us for a few hours.

YES. In those days, parents would frequently drop off their kids at a movie theatre and go do other things (play cards, drink). Early on in my childhood it didn't happen often, but by the time I was in fourth and fifth grade, my mother did it every Saturday, in Austin, MN. It was a weekly Saturday Matinee featuring odd films... like Phase IV. My mother would go off, unencumbered, and shop for two hours and then pick us up. 

Now...? I think that's called child abandonment. Although, I believe parents continue to do it a those big cineplexes. Only, instead of for a single movie, the parents drop them for the whole day and let the kids wander from movie theatre to movie theatre. 

Anyway... back to Disney. (Though I do love a good tangent!)

My first animated film? I think it was The Jungle Book (1967), although I may have seen Bambi on television. So, I guess that was my first Disney movie, given the date (it was another of those Thanksgiving get rid of the kids things). Did I mention that we were well-behaved and actually watched the movie and didn't talk through the whole thing? That's just the way we were threatened ummm.. 'raised'. 

And, yes, we watched The Wonderful World of Disney in living color (on a black and white television) on NBC faithfully, every Sunday, while we ate dinner - which was usually either a Banquet pot pie (4 for a Dollar!) or popcorn. I remember always being disappointed when it was a nature show, because we got all the nature we needed watching Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom - also on Sunday nights. Yes, back then, you could see back to back safaris - all the lions and elephants you could want. I adored anytime it was Donald Duck or Goofy. And the times they would dust off a classic like Bambi? Well... I was in heaven. Talk about your sophisticated evenings!

2/ What is your favorite animated Classic Disney of all time? Favorite animated Renaissance Disney? Favorite live-action? Worst Disney movie ever?

Classic: It's hard to pick just one, but I am going with The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977). My sister, who is a year younger than me, also saw the movie and from that day forward began buying me Eeyore toys. I actually had a little, heavy plastic one that I adored. I love those stories and the whole movie is about empathy, so it spoke volumes to me. I think Alice in Wonderland is visually stunning, as is Fantasia.

Renaissance: Lilo & Stitch. I also enjoyed Frozen. Go figure.

Live Action: From the classic era, of course. That Darn Cat!, The Million Dollar Duck, Freaky Friday, The Parent Trap and Swiss Family Robinson. (Sorry, couldn't chose just one.)

Worst: Hands down: Maleficent. What a disappointment. Also. Tron and/or The Black Hole. Snooze fests. 

A story about The Black Hole. My boyfriend grew up very poor and very neglected.  As a child, on Sundays, he would hang out at this gas station because they had a The Black Hole lunch box with thermos on a shelf behind the counter for sale. He would go and just stare at it, until the owner would yell at him and tell him to get out. He wanted it so. He went every Sunday because he hoped that one day they would recognize how much he wanted it and simply give it to him. 

Well, the story touched me. So, I tracked one down on eBay for him. It's not in the greatest of shape, so I may need to go find another one. I think it was the first gift I gave him. It's strange... when you think of your very adult life partner and still see the child in him... those needs? You just want to be the one to meet them.

Oh, he's a big fan of the movie, the soundtrack and also likes Tron. Must be generational.

3/ The music in Disney films is as culturally significant as it is omnipresent. Which is your favorite song from a Classic Disney film? Favorite song from Renaissance Disney (1989-Present)? 

Classic: Baby Mine (from Dumbo) and A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes (from Cinderella)

Renaissance: A Whole New World (from Aladdin) and Let It Go (from Frozen)

4/ When the movies first came out on VHS, did you or your parents rush out to buy them? Do you own any of the animated features on VHS or DVD? Which ones?

I did not. Couldn't afford them, but also didn't care. My sister who is a year younger than me? Nuts. Like every single one. And then my Mom got into it. They bought those VHS copies in the big plastic boxes. 

Me? I don't own a single one. To this day!

5/ Who is your favorite Mickey Mouse-related character, other than Mickey Mouse? And why? What is your favorite Disney animated character over-all? Favorite Villain? What Disney character represents you best?

Mouse-related: I liked Donald Duck and Goofy. Donald Duck reminded me of my dad. Goofy was just sweet and well-intentioned. 

Overall: Stitch is a cutie. And so is Olaf, the snowman in Frozen. Eeyore and Piglet. 

Villain: It used to be Maleficent, until they green-screened Angelina Jolie to death and saddled her with a boring backstory. Now my hopes are on Emma Stone doing a Tim Burton number on Cruella de Vil.

Most Like Me: Hmmm... I dunno. Maybe Olaf? Stupidly trusting? Going forth in the world with no clue how it works? Melting down on occasion (constantly)? Stymied by the simplest of circumstances? Coasting through life on a combination of bad luck and dumb luck? Having no discernable skills or purpose?

6/ Have you been to Disneyland? If so, how many times and what did you think? Any of the other parks?

I visited Disneyland in 1979. My older brother got married in L.A., so we made a day of it while there. It was our final vacation as a family. We kids were all blonde as can be and all wore white pants and a solid primary color top. We seriously looked like some weird Swedish pop group. I should find those pictures. I remember a space ride and that cool haunted house. Loved that haunted house. 

I also think I went one day with 'the artist' when I was living in L.A. in 1995 or 1996. But I have zero memories of it, other than I wanted to buy this weird stuffed animal, but couldn't believe how much they wanted for it. It wasn't large, either. I remember feeling stymied.

Also, my ex-best-friend took me to the one in Orlando while I was visiting him in Miami in 1998 (?) It was souvenir shop after souvenir shop and I bought nothing. I enjoyed the parade. And I remember a boat and some kind of jungle train ride. But, ultimately? It soured me on the whole theme park thing. 

7/ Have you ever owned a Disney stuffed creation? Mouse ear cap? A tee-shirt? A play-set or toy?

I had that plastic Eeyore. I had a similar Stitch key chain. And that... is it? Really? I can't think of anything. My youngest sister had a stuffed Benji. 

And I think we had a miniature set for Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs because I remember Dopey. 

I liked putting him in my mouth.

Wow. That's all I can think of. 

8/ Disney now offers it's own subscription service featuring a ton of exclusive content. Do you subscribe? Will you? Why or why not?

Nope. Don't care. Already have too much to see as it is. And not enough time. So... no interest.

9/ Disney is often seen as a mega-corporation, one that has been accused of: treating workers at their parks poorly, generally shady business practices, a history of sexism, ethnic and racial stereotyping, plagiarism, and the alteration of foreign films. What's your opinion of Disney?

Gee, when you put it like that (and I did) it's hard to like them. I have fond memories of the Sunday night television show. I liked the occasional film. I really wanted to believe that the world operated like Classic Disney live action films. 

I mean, I really wanted to live in a world where I could have a fun meet story and live happily every after with Dean Jones. It would be wacky and sweet and lots of hijinks but in the end... there would be love.  And everything we wore would be perfectly pressed and coordinated as we stood in front of muted monotone walls with picture frame molding. 

The villains would always be obvious and lose in the end.

So? Turns out the world Disney sold me didn't exist. 

You have no idea how long it took me to catch on!

I will give them this... I love how they keep slipping gay-themed or gay-tinged/friendly stuff into their films simply to trigger the far right. So, kudos on that. 

10/ What do you think of the whole 'Disney Princess' movement? Is it a healthy way for children to think? Does it perpetuate gender-based and other kinds of stereotypes?

I dislike it. Again. That world doesn't exist. So why are we perpetuating these weird gender stereotypes? It's not harmless. It's child abuse... in a way. 

I know, I know... too radical. (Tone it down, dear.)

I'm not a parent. But I am an observer.

I really do dislike the whole package a great deal. It appears to be all about money and parents wanting their kids to have everything. But for me? It feels icky. 

And I get that many of the modern Disney Princesses have grit and a strong sense of self... but for the little ones it's all about tiaras and sparkly gowns. It's creepy. Daddy's little princess? ...gag. 

Is it the Walmart crowd only? Or the Target crowd, too? 

I bet there are a ton of student papers written on it. 

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Well, that's my two-cents. 

Your turn. You know what to do. Leave your thoughts in the comments section or post on your blog and leave a link here. 

That's all for this time. Thanks for reading!

Mickey Minaj - Todrick Hall

Baby Mine - Bette Midler