The bookworm-living-in-a-provincial-town thing is a bit of a peeve for me. I like old fairy tales in all their sexist and classist ("sexy and classy!", says the Apostropher) splendor. Interesting updates I appreciate -- Cocteau's B & B is pretty awesome -- but the Disney take on B & B just doesn't do it for me. It's not an anti-Disney thing, I like their "Snow White" a lot. But the bookworm-living-in-a-provincial-town thing just doesn't seem to have any connection to the source.
Beauty and the Beast always felt a little forced. "Her name is Beauty, but she reads books! Now we can get on with having little girls want to princesses, we fulfilled our duty! On to Ice Princess"
Not sure I agree with The Little Mermaid analysis, though. She is giving up her voice for a man; she doesn't know she can get it back, so it's fairly classic sacrifice-your-unique-talent-for-some-dumb-prince.
I really prefer Snow White. Snow White doesn't do anything besides be sweet, kind, and fall in love, but at least she isn't pretending to be a smart university bookworm first. I like my old sexist stories old and sexist, not pretending to be updated.
7: But *she* never really valued the thing she's giving up, and she wanted to go on land long before she ever met Eric. She wants to know "what is a fire, and why does it--what's the word?--burn?" I think memory of the HCA story prevents people from seeing the movie as its own narrative.
My favorite was always Sleeping Beauty. (I really dislike Disney's Cinderella even though it's one of my favorite fairy tales.) I loved her dress, and I love the three fairy godmothers. My favorite bit was when they broke out the magic for her birthday celebration,and Meriweather is making cake, and she says "Eggs, flour....oh,just do it like it says in the book."
I once saw a wonderful version of Cinderella that was set in 18th century France. (It's not quite as gruesome as the version where the sisters cut their heels to fit in the shoes and the birds tell the prince to look for the blood.) After she's found and brought to the palace, the ministers tell her that she really shouldn't marry the prince. He's supposed to marry a princess from some other country, and this is important because it will cement an important political alliance and keep the country safe. Cinderella, because she is a dignified gentlewoman and not a gold-digger, puts country before her personal happiness and leaves. Of course, ultimately they get married anyway. But the implication is that she's not being rescued.
Tia, maybe. She does seem pretty reluctant to hand over her voice to Ursula; I think it's a mistake to think only her father values it.
She doesn't pop out of the water with her reprisal until after she's met the prince, either. Knowing what fire is? Leads to an underwater collection. Meeting the boy? Now I need to get me some legs.
Plus, there's the whole anorexic with huge boobs and seashell bikini thing. Snow White had a plump little face.
I was just making fun of myself quoting Little Mermaid lyrics is all. Apo, you're right, as Weiner so aptly pointed out, no one could be prissier than Ogged.
I think I was seven when Beauty and the Beast came out. I don't remember seeing it at the theatre, though. Lion King is the first Disney movie I can remember seeing in first release.
Hey y'know what I'd like to see around here, is a thread where everyone gives some explanation of how they happened on their pseudonyms. Misleading explanations would of course be welcome, and shaggy dog stories doubly so.
Aside: for everyone who's been desperate to get in touch with me, including those mongers of the web's finest penis cream, I'm entering a slightly modified version of my e-mail address (I'm sure you'll all be able to decipher it).
Because even if you're a penis cream-monger, you should at least be personal, and not rely on robots to do your dirty work.
My sister was obsessed with Disney's Sleeping Beauty such that 'make it pink! make it blue!' really could have been the only thing she said when she was four.
I had a soft spot for Robin Hood. Odilally, odillally, golly, what a day.
What, exactly, is wrong with Ursula's body? It's beautiful, it's powerful, it's got tentacles. Are you suggesting that your vertebrate-centric standards of beauty ought to be imposed on it?
The bookish girl with the soaring, transcendent desires has another classic form: Emma Bovary. I just saw an ambitious, overlong but worthwhile student production at Northwestern.
Now that is a Disney Animation I'd love to see. Could be good, too.
Intriguing take on the Little Mermaid... however, the problem remains that the girl is 16 when she marries the prince.
She may not have had a voice to say no (how symbolic!) and there probably weren't any statutory laws in... well, wherever Eric's kingdom was supposed to be... but still.
That was the crux of my Disney disillusionment, anyway.
Damn. Your co-blogger posting while you were trying to put something up is the new being Weiner-pwned when you didn't hit preview.
Posted by Tia | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 8:50 AM
Ursula actually bore a surprising resemblance to my favorite high school history teacher.
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 8:55 AM
But there was a big penis on the cover of the movie!
Posted by SP | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 8:56 AM
The bookworm-living-in-a-provincial-town thing is a bit of a peeve for me. I like old fairy tales in all their sexist and classist ("sexy and classy!", says the Apostropher) splendor. Interesting updates I appreciate -- Cocteau's B & B is pretty awesome -- but the Disney take on B & B just doesn't do it for me. It's not an anti-Disney thing, I like their "Snow White" a lot. But the bookworm-living-in-a-provincial-town thing just doesn't seem to have any connection to the source.
Posted by Jeremy Osner | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 8:56 AM
The Fluke is the Duke of Soul
YEAH
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 8:57 AM
They're bringing The Little Mermaid to Broadway.
Posted by Joe Drymala | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 8:59 AM
Beauty and the Beast always felt a little forced. "Her name is Beauty, but she reads books! Now we can get on with having little girls want to princesses, we fulfilled our duty! On to Ice Princess"
Not sure I agree with The Little Mermaid analysis, though. She is giving up her voice for a man; she doesn't know she can get it back, so it's fairly classic sacrifice-your-unique-talent-for-some-dumb-prince.
I really prefer Snow White. Snow White doesn't do anything besides be sweet, kind, and fall in love, but at least she isn't pretending to be a smart university bookworm first. I like my old sexist stories old and sexist, not pretending to be updated.
Posted by Cala | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 9:04 AM
What about the heroine in Aladdin? She's pretty good. Doesn't want to marry anyone who she doesn't love, &c.
Posted by Joe Drymala | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 9:07 AM
I like my old sexist stories old and sexist, not pretending to be updated.
I love you. Please forgive my bitchiness over on the other thread. Here you get it exactly right.
t's not an anti-Disney thing, I like their "Snow White" a lot.
Come to think of it maybe it is an anti-(contemporary Disney) thing.
Posted by Jeremy Osner | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 9:10 AM
7: But *she* never really valued the thing she's giving up, and she wanted to go on land long before she ever met Eric. She wants to know "what is a fire, and why does it--what's the word?--burn?" I think memory of the HCA story prevents people from seeing the movie as its own narrative.
Posted by Tia | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 9:12 AM
It has now taken exactly three days for the unmanning of Ogged's blog to be complete.
Posted by Tia | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 9:13 AM
My favorite was always Sleeping Beauty. (I really dislike Disney's Cinderella even though it's one of my favorite fairy tales.) I loved her dress, and I love the three fairy godmothers. My favorite bit was when they broke out the magic for her birthday celebration,and Meriweather is making cake, and she says "Eggs, flour....oh,just do it like it says in the book."
I once saw a wonderful version of Cinderella that was set in 18th century France. (It's not quite as gruesome as the version where the sisters cut their heels to fit in the shoes and the birds tell the prince to look for the blood.) After she's found and brought to the palace, the ministers tell her that she really shouldn't marry the prince. He's supposed to marry a princess from some other country, and this is important because it will cement an important political alliance and keep the country safe. Cinderella, because she is a dignified gentlewoman and not a gold-digger, puts country before her personal happiness and leaves. Of course, ultimately they get married anyway. But the implication is that she's not being rescued.
Posted by bostoniangirl | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 9:14 AM
Hey why not a link to Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont? "The youngest, as she was handsomer, was also better than her sisters."
Posted by Jeremy Osner | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 9:19 AM
Tia, maybe. She does seem pretty reluctant to hand over her voice to Ursula; I think it's a mistake to think only her father values it.
She doesn't pop out of the water with her reprisal until after she's met the prince, either. Knowing what fire is? Leads to an underwater collection. Meeting the boy? Now I need to get me some legs.
Plus, there's the whole anorexic with huge boobs and seashell bikini thing. Snow White had a plump little face.
Posted by Cala | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 9:27 AM
Whoa, you were TEN when the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast came out? Wow.
I like the movie, btw.
Posted by bitchphd | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 10:30 AM
the unmanning of Ogged's blog
Ummm, excuse me?
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 10:34 AM
She's saying you're a priss, Apos.
Posted by bitchphd | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 10:38 AM
As opposed to Ogged? WTF?
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 10:45 AM
Whoa, there are a few new "abouts".
You know what I'd like? The opportunity to comment on the "About" pages.
Posted by Joe Drymala | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 10:59 AM
I was just making fun of myself quoting Little Mermaid lyrics is all. Apo, you're right, as Weiner so aptly pointed out, no one could be prissier than Ogged.
Posted by Tia | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:01 AM
You want a post soliciting comments on the new Abouts (or, I suppose, on the new bloggers generally)?
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:02 AM
Joe, I give you permission to do it in this thread.
Posted by Tia | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:02 AM
No, no, the pages themselves should have comment boxes, in case I want to leave one saying "lizardbreath u r so smokin hott", or whatever.
What, this blog wasn't set up for my personal benefit?
Posted by Joe Drymala | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:05 AM
I think I was seven when Beauty and the Beast came out. I don't remember seeing it at the theatre, though. Lion King is the first Disney movie I can remember seeing in first release.
Posted by Matt F | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:10 AM
Did Becks opt out of "About"?
Posted by Jeremy Osner | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:13 AM
Why do you hate Ben Wolfson, JO?
Posted by Joe Drymala | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:14 AM
Nobody needs to hear any more about fuckin Wolfson.
Posted by Jeremy Osner | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:18 AM
Hey y'know what I'd like to see around here, is a thread where everyone gives some explanation of how they happened on their pseudonyms. Misleading explanations would of course be welcome, and shaggy dog stories doubly so.
Posted by Jeremy Osner | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:20 AM
25: Nah, she's been out of the loop for a day or two because her email was down. I figure she'll have a page up soon.
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:21 AM
I didn't opt out of About. My email has been down so I didn't get the memo about it until this morning. Now I feel woefully behind.
Posted by Becks | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:24 AM
See, I'm so behind I even got scooped by LB on being behind.
Posted by Becks | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:25 AM
28: Wanna hear my story?
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:32 AM
Fire away, Weiner.
Posted by Joe Drymala | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:34 AM
28 -- sure. I had not even fully grokked that Matt Weiner was a pseud.
Posted by Jeremy Osner | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:35 AM
I want to hear more about LB scooping Becks' behind.
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:35 AM
34 -- it might be, it might not be.
Posted by Joe Drymala | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:35 AM
28 s/b 32 in 34.
Posted by Jeremy Osner | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:36 AM
Aside: for everyone who's been desperate to get in touch with me, including those mongers of the web's finest penis cream, I'm entering a slightly modified version of my e-mail address (I'm sure you'll all be able to decipher it).
Because even if you're a penis cream-monger, you should at least be personal, and not rely on robots to do your dirty work.
Posted by Joe Drymala | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:40 AM
My sister was obsessed with Disney's Sleeping Beauty such that 'make it pink! make it blue!' really could have been the only thing she said when she was four.
I had a soft spot for Robin Hood. Odilally, odillally, golly, what a day.
Posted by Cala | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:40 AM
Sometimes the ups outnumber the downs.
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:42 AM
But not in Nottingham.
Posted by Cala | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:44 AM
Damn straight.
Posted by Standpipe Bridgeplate | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:45 AM
34, yeah, my real name is "Jeremy Osner." What's yours?
(IOW, You've Been Trolled!)
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:51 AM
What, exactly, is wrong with Ursula's body? It's beautiful, it's powerful, it's got tentacles. Are you suggesting that your vertebrate-centric standards of beauty ought to be imposed on it?
Posted by PZ Myers | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:57 AM
I'll admit that it took me a pathetically long time to figure out who Ttam R. was.
Posted by Becks | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:59 AM
No, not at all. My last boyfriend was a banana slug.
Posted by Tia | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:59 AM
I still whistle the theme from Disney's Robin Hood on a pretty regular basis. I loved that movie.
Posted by Matt #3 | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 11:59 AM
My last boyfriend was a banana slug.
Ah, the banana slug -- most phallic of the gastropoda by far.
Posted by Jeremy Osner | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 12:02 PM
I just wish they hadn't named her Ursula. It's a great name tied to an octopus for all eternity. She had one of the best songs in the movie though.
Posted by Cala | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 12:04 PM
44: See 2.
Posted by LizardBreath | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 12:04 PM
I'll admit that it took me a pathetically long time to figure out who Ttam R. was.
Wait, is it someone famous?
Posted by Matt Weiner | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 12:05 PM
(46 was for you Emerson. I hope you're visualizing.)
Posted by Tia | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 12:05 PM
Ah, the banana slug
UC Santa Cruz! Woot!
Posted by Matt F | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 12:06 PM
My first girlfriend's older sister was named Ursula, but she was hot, so I have that to counteract the Sea Witch.
Posted by Matt #3 | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 12:08 PM
most phallic of the gastropoda by far
Of the gastropods, maybe. But it's still no geoduck.
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 12:09 PM
I once offered to answer the question posed in 28, but ogged hurt my feelings.
Posted by washerdreyer | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 12:09 PM
JM -- we talking musical comedies here or RL? I lost track.
Posted by Jeremy Osner | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 12:10 PM
Rats! 57 should be 23 on a different thread.
Posted by Jeremy Osner | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 12:13 PM
The bookish girl with the soaring, transcendent desires has another classic form: Emma Bovary. I just saw an ambitious, overlong but worthwhile student production at Northwestern.
Now that is a Disney Animation I'd love to see. Could be good, too.
Posted by John Tingley | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 1:20 PM
Slugs look phallic, but their sex play is pretty oral.
Posted by John Emerson | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 4:37 PM
My first girlfriend's older sister was named Ursula, but she was hot, so I have that to counteract the Sea Witch.
You're probably too young to be familiar with the very hot Ursula Andress.
Posted by Frederick | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 4:51 PM
Apostropher, your geoduck cannot make up for the inherent prissiness of co-blogging with a bunch of girls.
Posted by bitchphd | Link to this comment | 02- 2-06 4:53 PM
the inherent prissiness of co-blogging with a bunch of girls
That's not prissy; that's hott. We all post completely naked, you know.
Posted by apostropher | Link to this comment | 02- 3-06 7:51 AM
Intriguing take on the Little Mermaid... however, the problem remains that the girl is 16 when she marries the prince.
She may not have had a voice to say no (how symbolic!) and there probably weren't any statutory laws in... well, wherever Eric's kingdom was supposed to be... but still.
That was the crux of my Disney disillusionment, anyway.
Posted by Shae | Link to this comment | 02- 7-06 9:04 AM