http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Cinema/3117/sociosmurf2.htm
I adored this show growing up. And to think it may have been a socialist conspiracy. Gasp.
I actually arose before dawn on Saturday mornings just to watch it. Back in the day, that's what you had to do to catch a good cartoon -- there was no cable cartoon channel.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Something all thinking people should read
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
Of course, all cartoons have an underlying political theme to them. They are written by adults, and adults have political opinions which subtly influence the way that they lead their lives and every possible artistic expression they give of themselves. Even when thinking about what children might enjoy, their material is subtly shaded by the way that their brains are.
So is it possible for an adult to create a cartoon that is utterly devoid of any political shadowing, that still manages to appeal to children?
And if so,is it desirable?
I'll qualify my statement a little, and say 'possibly', but for an exceptionally small subset of cartoons, usually for the very young only.
You think of something which might be relatively unpolitical, cheap laughs eg Tom and Jerry. A little analysing though and you see plenty which could shade a child's growing political awareness. It probably influences children's ideas about power, diplomacy, sadism and aggression, conscience justice, and survival needs.
Occasionally, Tom and Jerry unite to defeat a common enemy. Tom more often wins if
--Jerry does something excessive in response to Tom's actions
--If Jerry spends the whole time irritating Tom instead of Tom attacking Jerry
--If Tom is relatively passive.
Tom and Jerry often both win "if Tom is enjoying a non-malicious activity such as nature".
It's possible the child won't draw elements of his future political ideology from this, but I'd still call that cartoon politically non-neutral.
I'll cite more examples, although a million wouldn't prove my point. And it could be an MGM phenomenon. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Bugs Bunny, Inspector Gadget, Darkwing Duck.
Almost anything, I think, which will be appealing to all but the smallest of children is going to involve something political. It could be the presence of archetypal characters and how they contrast to 'normal' characters, losers and winners in the cartoon or who gets embarrassed, 'evil' characters, implict concepts of unfairness, sabotage, wastefulness.
Most humour, too, is politically charged. Consider types of funny:
Understatement, Hyperbole, Sick jokes, Humour in inequality, Adages, Stereotypes. Even less obvious ones like character-driven humour - you can see why that falls within a political framework.
lol, i'd never looked in to teletubbies before. It looks interesting though.
says it has
"it has been a substantial cult hit with older generations, particularly university students"
Have i been living under a rock?
Ah, so here it is! Who knew those darned smurfs had such an agenda! Yes, they must be squashed!
They attempt to hide their evil intentions but the strain causes their skin to turn blue.
Noted, these smurfs don't stand a chance.
Ah, the shrieks! Ah, the screams! Ah,the bulging eyes and trembling tonsils as smurfs flee hither and yon like cockroaches in a motel bathroom, desperately trying to escape the deadly slam-slam-slam of Empress' pitiless tread!
Then, in a moment, all is deathly still. The ruined mushroom dwellings almost seem to steam in the hot summer sunshine, their broken fragments giving off the faint but foul aroma of dying fungus. The smurf legions lie scattered where they fell, in a blur of blue goo.
Then from the forest rises a cheer,as the once smurfly-oppressed denizens of the woods realize that their days of servitude have suddenly ended.
And they begin to filter out of the shadows, scarcely daring to believe their devious blue masters are no more.
And at the feet of the Empress the emancipated now scatter flowers -- daisies and other beauties of the meadow -- in gratitude to the pretty peds that freed them.
Oh you are just TOO much...
I really don't know what to say to that, my lips are too busy smiling right now
Post a Comment