\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

Page 1 of 16 1 2 16
\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

Page 1 of 16 1 2 16
\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

Page 1 of 16 1 2 16
\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

Page 1 of 16 1 2 16
\n
\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n
\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW] 'The Wild Thornberrys'","post_excerpt":"A childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-wild-thornberrys","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-27 12:41:21","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:41:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":56611,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-05-15 19:51:47","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:47","post_content":"\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW] 'The Wild Thornberrys'","post_excerpt":"A childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-wild-thornberrys","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-27 12:41:21","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:41:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":56611,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-05-15 19:51:47","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:47","post_content":"\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

Did you watch The Wild Thornberrys <\/em>growing up? Tell us in the comments!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW] 'The Wild Thornberrys'","post_excerpt":"A childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-wild-thornberrys","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-27 12:41:21","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:41:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":56611,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-05-15 19:51:47","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:47","post_content":"\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

In summation, The Wild Thornberrys <\/i>is easily one of the greatest environmentally-conscious TV series of all time, standing alongside such classics as Nature<\/i>, Planet Earth<\/i>, Wild Kingdom<\/i> and Our Planet<\/i>. With its colorful and compelling cast of characters, it inspires children to do their part in preserving the world we share and reminds us of just how vibrant, dynamic, and awe-inspiring nature is. I am forever grateful to the Klasky Csupo studio for making this show, and I will be sure to introduce it to my children in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you watch The Wild Thornberrys <\/em>growing up? Tell us in the comments!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW] 'The Wild Thornberrys'","post_excerpt":"A childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-wild-thornberrys","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-27 12:41:21","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:41:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":56611,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-05-15 19:51:47","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:47","post_content":"\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

All of us can have a happy, healthy place to be\/ If we can float and swim and climb in Earthling harmony.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In summation, The Wild Thornberrys <\/i>is easily one of the greatest environmentally-conscious TV series of all time, standing alongside such classics as Nature<\/i>, Planet Earth<\/i>, Wild Kingdom<\/i> and Our Planet<\/i>. With its colorful and compelling cast of characters, it inspires children to do their part in preserving the world we share and reminds us of just how vibrant, dynamic, and awe-inspiring nature is. I am forever grateful to the Klasky Csupo studio for making this show, and I will be sure to introduce it to my children in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you watch The Wild Thornberrys <\/em>growing up? Tell us in the comments!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW] 'The Wild Thornberrys'","post_excerpt":"A childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-wild-thornberrys","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-27 12:41:21","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:41:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":56611,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-05-15 19:51:47","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:47","post_content":"\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

As I said at the opening of this review, the current state of our global environment demands that we immediately take action to preserve what remains of Earth's biodiversity. While some TV shows and movies might address this in an overly simplified way, The Wild Thornberrys<\/i> intelligently conveys to its core demographic the finer nuances of conservation and explains how all species play a vital role in keeping the planet healthy. It also helps that it simultaneously provides a respectful, well-informed overview of the diversity of human culture around the world, which further demonstrates just how unique our planet is and how we can only ensure that both man and nature can prosper equally if we work together, reaching out across cultural and national boundaries; as one of my favorite songs from Sesame Street<\/i> states,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of us can have a happy, healthy place to be\/ If we can float and swim and climb in Earthling harmony.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In summation, The Wild Thornberrys <\/i>is easily one of the greatest environmentally-conscious TV series of all time, standing alongside such classics as Nature<\/i>, Planet Earth<\/i>, Wild Kingdom<\/i> and Our Planet<\/i>. With its colorful and compelling cast of characters, it inspires children to do their part in preserving the world we share and reminds us of just how vibrant, dynamic, and awe-inspiring nature is. I am forever grateful to the Klasky Csupo studio for making this show, and I will be sure to introduce it to my children in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you watch The Wild Thornberrys <\/em>growing up? Tell us in the comments!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW] 'The Wild Thornberrys'","post_excerpt":"A childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-wild-thornberrys","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-27 12:41:21","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:41:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":56611,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-05-15 19:51:47","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:47","post_content":"\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n
\"Eliza,<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As I said at the opening of this review, the current state of our global environment demands that we immediately take action to preserve what remains of Earth's biodiversity. While some TV shows and movies might address this in an overly simplified way, The Wild Thornberrys<\/i> intelligently conveys to its core demographic the finer nuances of conservation and explains how all species play a vital role in keeping the planet healthy. It also helps that it simultaneously provides a respectful, well-informed overview of the diversity of human culture around the world, which further demonstrates just how unique our planet is and how we can only ensure that both man and nature can prosper equally if we work together, reaching out across cultural and national boundaries; as one of my favorite songs from Sesame Street<\/i> states,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of us can have a happy, healthy place to be\/ If we can float and swim and climb in Earthling harmony.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In summation, The Wild Thornberrys <\/i>is easily one of the greatest environmentally-conscious TV series of all time, standing alongside such classics as Nature<\/i>, Planet Earth<\/i>, Wild Kingdom<\/i> and Our Planet<\/i>. With its colorful and compelling cast of characters, it inspires children to do their part in preserving the world we share and reminds us of just how vibrant, dynamic, and awe-inspiring nature is. I am forever grateful to the Klasky Csupo studio for making this show, and I will be sure to introduce it to my children in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you watch The Wild Thornberrys <\/em>growing up? Tell us in the comments!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW] 'The Wild Thornberrys'","post_excerpt":"A childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-wild-thornberrys","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-27 12:41:21","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:41:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":56611,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-05-15 19:51:47","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:47","post_content":"\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

Of course, that's not to say that the rest of the core cast aren't compelling in their own right. Nigel and Marianne, for example, are both shown to be capable filmmakers, as well as being highly invested in their family. Darwin, though rightfully exasperated with Eliza's tendency to ignore his advice and goad him into uncomfortable situations, remains fiercely loyal to her and will come to her aid with no questions asked. However, I would argue that Debbie is the most complex of the lot--she doesn't hide that she dislikes constantly moving around from place to place, but she clearly understands the importance of her parents' work, and though Eliza, Darwin and Donnie may drive her meshuge<\/i>, she cares for them all deeply, nevertheless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Eliza,<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As I said at the opening of this review, the current state of our global environment demands that we immediately take action to preserve what remains of Earth's biodiversity. While some TV shows and movies might address this in an overly simplified way, The Wild Thornberrys<\/i> intelligently conveys to its core demographic the finer nuances of conservation and explains how all species play a vital role in keeping the planet healthy. It also helps that it simultaneously provides a respectful, well-informed overview of the diversity of human culture around the world, which further demonstrates just how unique our planet is and how we can only ensure that both man and nature can prosper equally if we work together, reaching out across cultural and national boundaries; as one of my favorite songs from Sesame Street<\/i> states,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of us can have a happy, healthy place to be\/ If we can float and swim and climb in Earthling harmony.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In summation, The Wild Thornberrys <\/i>is easily one of the greatest environmentally-conscious TV series of all time, standing alongside such classics as Nature<\/i>, Planet Earth<\/i>, Wild Kingdom<\/i> and Our Planet<\/i>. With its colorful and compelling cast of characters, it inspires children to do their part in preserving the world we share and reminds us of just how vibrant, dynamic, and awe-inspiring nature is. I am forever grateful to the Klasky Csupo studio for making this show, and I will be sure to introduce it to my children in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you watch The Wild Thornberrys <\/em>growing up? Tell us in the comments!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW] 'The Wild Thornberrys'","post_excerpt":"A childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-wild-thornberrys","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-27 12:41:21","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:41:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":56611,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-05-15 19:51:47","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:47","post_content":"\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

I need to state right up front, when I was a kid, I envied Eliza for her way of life and her powers. Getting to travel the world and see wild animals in their natural environment for a living has always sounded like a dream come true; not to mention, who hasn't wanted to understand what animals say and think and be able to converse with them? Mind you, watching the show as an adult, I am obliged to chide Eliza for her reckless bravado and her tendency to jump to conclusions without first getting all the facts, both traits being on full display in the early seasons. But, at the end of the day, her heart was always in the right place, and for that reason, I think she makes for a great lead. (It also helps that she goes through some significant development over the course of the first movie<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, that's not to say that the rest of the core cast aren't compelling in their own right. Nigel and Marianne, for example, are both shown to be capable filmmakers, as well as being highly invested in their family. Darwin, though rightfully exasperated with Eliza's tendency to ignore his advice and goad him into uncomfortable situations, remains fiercely loyal to her and will come to her aid with no questions asked. However, I would argue that Debbie is the most complex of the lot--she doesn't hide that she dislikes constantly moving around from place to place, but she clearly understands the importance of her parents' work, and though Eliza, Darwin and Donnie may drive her meshuge<\/i>, she cares for them all deeply, nevertheless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Eliza,<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As I said at the opening of this review, the current state of our global environment demands that we immediately take action to preserve what remains of Earth's biodiversity. While some TV shows and movies might address this in an overly simplified way, The Wild Thornberrys<\/i> intelligently conveys to its core demographic the finer nuances of conservation and explains how all species play a vital role in keeping the planet healthy. It also helps that it simultaneously provides a respectful, well-informed overview of the diversity of human culture around the world, which further demonstrates just how unique our planet is and how we can only ensure that both man and nature can prosper equally if we work together, reaching out across cultural and national boundaries; as one of my favorite songs from Sesame Street<\/i> states,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of us can have a happy, healthy place to be\/ If we can float and swim and climb in Earthling harmony.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In summation, The Wild Thornberrys <\/i>is easily one of the greatest environmentally-conscious TV series of all time, standing alongside such classics as Nature<\/i>, Planet Earth<\/i>, Wild Kingdom<\/i> and Our Planet<\/i>. With its colorful and compelling cast of characters, it inspires children to do their part in preserving the world we share and reminds us of just how vibrant, dynamic, and awe-inspiring nature is. I am forever grateful to the Klasky Csupo studio for making this show, and I will be sure to introduce it to my children in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you watch The Wild Thornberrys <\/em>growing up? Tell us in the comments!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW] 'The Wild Thornberrys'","post_excerpt":"A childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-wild-thornberrys","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-27 12:41:21","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:41:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":56611,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-05-15 19:51:47","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:47","post_content":"\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

Developed by Arlene Klasky and G\u00e1bor Csup\u00f3 (and several others), this program follows the adventures of 12-year-old Eliza Thornberry, who travels the world with her family--naturalist\/documentarian parents Nigel and Marianne; 16-year-old sister Debbie (a city-slicker if ever there was one); 5-year-old adopted brother Donnie (who was raised by orangutans after his own parents--naturalists themselves--were murdered by poachers); and best friend Darwin, a chimpanzee who travels with the family. At every stop on the family's never-ending safari, Eliza interacts with and befriends the local wildlife, aided by her ability to talk to non-human animals (a power bestowed on her by an African shaman, which she must keep a secret). She and her family also interact with the local people and their respective cultures, as well as dealing with the usual ups and downs of family life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I need to state right up front, when I was a kid, I envied Eliza for her way of life and her powers. Getting to travel the world and see wild animals in their natural environment for a living has always sounded like a dream come true; not to mention, who hasn't wanted to understand what animals say and think and be able to converse with them? Mind you, watching the show as an adult, I am obliged to chide Eliza for her reckless bravado and her tendency to jump to conclusions without first getting all the facts, both traits being on full display in the early seasons. But, at the end of the day, her heart was always in the right place, and for that reason, I think she makes for a great lead. (It also helps that she goes through some significant development over the course of the first movie<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, that's not to say that the rest of the core cast aren't compelling in their own right. Nigel and Marianne, for example, are both shown to be capable filmmakers, as well as being highly invested in their family. Darwin, though rightfully exasperated with Eliza's tendency to ignore his advice and goad him into uncomfortable situations, remains fiercely loyal to her and will come to her aid with no questions asked. However, I would argue that Debbie is the most complex of the lot--she doesn't hide that she dislikes constantly moving around from place to place, but she clearly understands the importance of her parents' work, and though Eliza, Darwin and Donnie may drive her meshuge<\/i>, she cares for them all deeply, nevertheless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Eliza,<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As I said at the opening of this review, the current state of our global environment demands that we immediately take action to preserve what remains of Earth's biodiversity. While some TV shows and movies might address this in an overly simplified way, The Wild Thornberrys<\/i> intelligently conveys to its core demographic the finer nuances of conservation and explains how all species play a vital role in keeping the planet healthy. It also helps that it simultaneously provides a respectful, well-informed overview of the diversity of human culture around the world, which further demonstrates just how unique our planet is and how we can only ensure that both man and nature can prosper equally if we work together, reaching out across cultural and national boundaries; as one of my favorite songs from Sesame Street<\/i> states,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of us can have a happy, healthy place to be\/ If we can float and swim and climb in Earthling harmony.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In summation, The Wild Thornberrys <\/i>is easily one of the greatest environmentally-conscious TV series of all time, standing alongside such classics as Nature<\/i>, Planet Earth<\/i>, Wild Kingdom<\/i> and Our Planet<\/i>. With its colorful and compelling cast of characters, it inspires children to do their part in preserving the world we share and reminds us of just how vibrant, dynamic, and awe-inspiring nature is. I am forever grateful to the Klasky Csupo studio for making this show, and I will be sure to introduce it to my children in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you watch The Wild Thornberrys <\/em>growing up? Tell us in the comments!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW] 'The Wild Thornberrys'","post_excerpt":"A childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-wild-thornberrys","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-27 12:41:21","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:41:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":56611,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-05-15 19:51:47","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:47","post_content":"\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

In addition to animation, I've always had a special predilection for nature documentaries. The natural world is simply brimming with beauty and wonder, and such programs allow us a glimpse of species, places, and events that we might otherwise never see. Consequently, it's important that we preserve our planet's ecosystems and our fellow creatures, especially since we are on a fast track to environmental catastrophe if we do not immediately take drastic action. Therefore, I cannot overstate how grateful I am for the existence of a TV show that was, undoubtedly, a childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast--The Wild Thornberrys<\/i><\/strong> (1998 - 2004).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/Rtw98M5A7t8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Developed by Arlene Klasky and G\u00e1bor Csup\u00f3 (and several others), this program follows the adventures of 12-year-old Eliza Thornberry, who travels the world with her family--naturalist\/documentarian parents Nigel and Marianne; 16-year-old sister Debbie (a city-slicker if ever there was one); 5-year-old adopted brother Donnie (who was raised by orangutans after his own parents--naturalists themselves--were murdered by poachers); and best friend Darwin, a chimpanzee who travels with the family. At every stop on the family's never-ending safari, Eliza interacts with and befriends the local wildlife, aided by her ability to talk to non-human animals (a power bestowed on her by an African shaman, which she must keep a secret). She and her family also interact with the local people and their respective cultures, as well as dealing with the usual ups and downs of family life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I need to state right up front, when I was a kid, I envied Eliza for her way of life and her powers. Getting to travel the world and see wild animals in their natural environment for a living has always sounded like a dream come true; not to mention, who hasn't wanted to understand what animals say and think and be able to converse with them? Mind you, watching the show as an adult, I am obliged to chide Eliza for her reckless bravado and her tendency to jump to conclusions without first getting all the facts, both traits being on full display in the early seasons. But, at the end of the day, her heart was always in the right place, and for that reason, I think she makes for a great lead. (It also helps that she goes through some significant development over the course of the first movie<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, that's not to say that the rest of the core cast aren't compelling in their own right. Nigel and Marianne, for example, are both shown to be capable filmmakers, as well as being highly invested in their family. Darwin, though rightfully exasperated with Eliza's tendency to ignore his advice and goad him into uncomfortable situations, remains fiercely loyal to her and will come to her aid with no questions asked. However, I would argue that Debbie is the most complex of the lot--she doesn't hide that she dislikes constantly moving around from place to place, but she clearly understands the importance of her parents' work, and though Eliza, Darwin and Donnie may drive her meshuge<\/i>, she cares for them all deeply, nevertheless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Eliza,<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As I said at the opening of this review, the current state of our global environment demands that we immediately take action to preserve what remains of Earth's biodiversity. While some TV shows and movies might address this in an overly simplified way, The Wild Thornberrys<\/i> intelligently conveys to its core demographic the finer nuances of conservation and explains how all species play a vital role in keeping the planet healthy. It also helps that it simultaneously provides a respectful, well-informed overview of the diversity of human culture around the world, which further demonstrates just how unique our planet is and how we can only ensure that both man and nature can prosper equally if we work together, reaching out across cultural and national boundaries; as one of my favorite songs from Sesame Street<\/i> states,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of us can have a happy, healthy place to be\/ If we can float and swim and climb in Earthling harmony.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In summation, The Wild Thornberrys <\/i>is easily one of the greatest environmentally-conscious TV series of all time, standing alongside such classics as Nature<\/i>, Planet Earth<\/i>, Wild Kingdom<\/i> and Our Planet<\/i>. With its colorful and compelling cast of characters, it inspires children to do their part in preserving the world we share and reminds us of just how vibrant, dynamic, and awe-inspiring nature is. I am forever grateful to the Klasky Csupo studio for making this show, and I will be sure to introduce it to my children in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you watch The Wild Thornberrys <\/em>growing up? Tell us in the comments!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW] 'The Wild Thornberrys'","post_excerpt":"A childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-wild-thornberrys","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-27 12:41:21","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:41:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":56611,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-05-15 19:51:47","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:47","post_content":"\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW]: 'The Magic School Bus'","post_excerpt":"Fasten your seat belts, everyone, as we look at the blast from the past that is The Magic School Bus!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-magic-school-bus","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-07-29 13:17:52","post_modified_gmt":"2020-07-29 20:17:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57444","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":57213,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-06-27 12:37:22","post_date_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:37:22","post_content":"\n

In addition to animation, I've always had a special predilection for nature documentaries. The natural world is simply brimming with beauty and wonder, and such programs allow us a glimpse of species, places, and events that we might otherwise never see. Consequently, it's important that we preserve our planet's ecosystems and our fellow creatures, especially since we are on a fast track to environmental catastrophe if we do not immediately take drastic action. Therefore, I cannot overstate how grateful I am for the existence of a TV show that was, undoubtedly, a childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast--The Wild Thornberrys<\/i><\/strong> (1998 - 2004).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/Rtw98M5A7t8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Developed by Arlene Klasky and G\u00e1bor Csup\u00f3 (and several others), this program follows the adventures of 12-year-old Eliza Thornberry, who travels the world with her family--naturalist\/documentarian parents Nigel and Marianne; 16-year-old sister Debbie (a city-slicker if ever there was one); 5-year-old adopted brother Donnie (who was raised by orangutans after his own parents--naturalists themselves--were murdered by poachers); and best friend Darwin, a chimpanzee who travels with the family. At every stop on the family's never-ending safari, Eliza interacts with and befriends the local wildlife, aided by her ability to talk to non-human animals (a power bestowed on her by an African shaman, which she must keep a secret). She and her family also interact with the local people and their respective cultures, as well as dealing with the usual ups and downs of family life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I need to state right up front, when I was a kid, I envied Eliza for her way of life and her powers. Getting to travel the world and see wild animals in their natural environment for a living has always sounded like a dream come true; not to mention, who hasn't wanted to understand what animals say and think and be able to converse with them? Mind you, watching the show as an adult, I am obliged to chide Eliza for her reckless bravado and her tendency to jump to conclusions without first getting all the facts, both traits being on full display in the early seasons. But, at the end of the day, her heart was always in the right place, and for that reason, I think she makes for a great lead. (It also helps that she goes through some significant development over the course of the first movie<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, that's not to say that the rest of the core cast aren't compelling in their own right. Nigel and Marianne, for example, are both shown to be capable filmmakers, as well as being highly invested in their family. Darwin, though rightfully exasperated with Eliza's tendency to ignore his advice and goad him into uncomfortable situations, remains fiercely loyal to her and will come to her aid with no questions asked. However, I would argue that Debbie is the most complex of the lot--she doesn't hide that she dislikes constantly moving around from place to place, but she clearly understands the importance of her parents' work, and though Eliza, Darwin and Donnie may drive her meshuge<\/i>, she cares for them all deeply, nevertheless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Eliza,<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As I said at the opening of this review, the current state of our global environment demands that we immediately take action to preserve what remains of Earth's biodiversity. While some TV shows and movies might address this in an overly simplified way, The Wild Thornberrys<\/i> intelligently conveys to its core demographic the finer nuances of conservation and explains how all species play a vital role in keeping the planet healthy. It also helps that it simultaneously provides a respectful, well-informed overview of the diversity of human culture around the world, which further demonstrates just how unique our planet is and how we can only ensure that both man and nature can prosper equally if we work together, reaching out across cultural and national boundaries; as one of my favorite songs from Sesame Street<\/i> states,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of us can have a happy, healthy place to be\/ If we can float and swim and climb in Earthling harmony.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In summation, The Wild Thornberrys <\/i>is easily one of the greatest environmentally-conscious TV series of all time, standing alongside such classics as Nature<\/i>, Planet Earth<\/i>, Wild Kingdom<\/i> and Our Planet<\/i>. With its colorful and compelling cast of characters, it inspires children to do their part in preserving the world we share and reminds us of just how vibrant, dynamic, and awe-inspiring nature is. I am forever grateful to the Klasky Csupo studio for making this show, and I will be sure to introduce it to my children in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you watch The Wild Thornberrys <\/em>growing up? Tell us in the comments!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW] 'The Wild Thornberrys'","post_excerpt":"A childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-wild-thornberrys","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-27 12:41:21","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:41:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":56611,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-05-15 19:51:47","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:47","post_content":"\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW]: 'The Magic School Bus'","post_excerpt":"Fasten your seat belts, everyone, as we look at the blast from the past that is The Magic School Bus!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-magic-school-bus","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-07-29 13:17:52","post_modified_gmt":"2020-07-29 20:17:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57444","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":57213,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-06-27 12:37:22","post_date_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:37:22","post_content":"\n

In addition to animation, I've always had a special predilection for nature documentaries. The natural world is simply brimming with beauty and wonder, and such programs allow us a glimpse of species, places, and events that we might otherwise never see. Consequently, it's important that we preserve our planet's ecosystems and our fellow creatures, especially since we are on a fast track to environmental catastrophe if we do not immediately take drastic action. Therefore, I cannot overstate how grateful I am for the existence of a TV show that was, undoubtedly, a childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast--The Wild Thornberrys<\/i><\/strong> (1998 - 2004).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/Rtw98M5A7t8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Developed by Arlene Klasky and G\u00e1bor Csup\u00f3 (and several others), this program follows the adventures of 12-year-old Eliza Thornberry, who travels the world with her family--naturalist\/documentarian parents Nigel and Marianne; 16-year-old sister Debbie (a city-slicker if ever there was one); 5-year-old adopted brother Donnie (who was raised by orangutans after his own parents--naturalists themselves--were murdered by poachers); and best friend Darwin, a chimpanzee who travels with the family. At every stop on the family's never-ending safari, Eliza interacts with and befriends the local wildlife, aided by her ability to talk to non-human animals (a power bestowed on her by an African shaman, which she must keep a secret). She and her family also interact with the local people and their respective cultures, as well as dealing with the usual ups and downs of family life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I need to state right up front, when I was a kid, I envied Eliza for her way of life and her powers. Getting to travel the world and see wild animals in their natural environment for a living has always sounded like a dream come true; not to mention, who hasn't wanted to understand what animals say and think and be able to converse with them? Mind you, watching the show as an adult, I am obliged to chide Eliza for her reckless bravado and her tendency to jump to conclusions without first getting all the facts, both traits being on full display in the early seasons. But, at the end of the day, her heart was always in the right place, and for that reason, I think she makes for a great lead. (It also helps that she goes through some significant development over the course of the first movie<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, that's not to say that the rest of the core cast aren't compelling in their own right. Nigel and Marianne, for example, are both shown to be capable filmmakers, as well as being highly invested in their family. Darwin, though rightfully exasperated with Eliza's tendency to ignore his advice and goad him into uncomfortable situations, remains fiercely loyal to her and will come to her aid with no questions asked. However, I would argue that Debbie is the most complex of the lot--she doesn't hide that she dislikes constantly moving around from place to place, but she clearly understands the importance of her parents' work, and though Eliza, Darwin and Donnie may drive her meshuge<\/i>, she cares for them all deeply, nevertheless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Eliza,<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As I said at the opening of this review, the current state of our global environment demands that we immediately take action to preserve what remains of Earth's biodiversity. While some TV shows and movies might address this in an overly simplified way, The Wild Thornberrys<\/i> intelligently conveys to its core demographic the finer nuances of conservation and explains how all species play a vital role in keeping the planet healthy. It also helps that it simultaneously provides a respectful, well-informed overview of the diversity of human culture around the world, which further demonstrates just how unique our planet is and how we can only ensure that both man and nature can prosper equally if we work together, reaching out across cultural and national boundaries; as one of my favorite songs from Sesame Street<\/i> states,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of us can have a happy, healthy place to be\/ If we can float and swim and climb in Earthling harmony.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In summation, The Wild Thornberrys <\/i>is easily one of the greatest environmentally-conscious TV series of all time, standing alongside such classics as Nature<\/i>, Planet Earth<\/i>, Wild Kingdom<\/i> and Our Planet<\/i>. With its colorful and compelling cast of characters, it inspires children to do their part in preserving the world we share and reminds us of just how vibrant, dynamic, and awe-inspiring nature is. I am forever grateful to the Klasky Csupo studio for making this show, and I will be sure to introduce it to my children in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you watch The Wild Thornberrys <\/em>growing up? Tell us in the comments!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW] 'The Wild Thornberrys'","post_excerpt":"A childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-wild-thornberrys","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-27 12:41:21","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:41:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":56611,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-05-15 19:51:47","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:47","post_content":"\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

What's your favorite adventure with the Frizz? Comment below!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW]: 'The Magic School Bus'","post_excerpt":"Fasten your seat belts, everyone, as we look at the blast from the past that is The Magic School Bus!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-magic-school-bus","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-07-29 13:17:52","post_modified_gmt":"2020-07-29 20:17:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57444","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":57213,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-06-27 12:37:22","post_date_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:37:22","post_content":"\n

In addition to animation, I've always had a special predilection for nature documentaries. The natural world is simply brimming with beauty and wonder, and such programs allow us a glimpse of species, places, and events that we might otherwise never see. Consequently, it's important that we preserve our planet's ecosystems and our fellow creatures, especially since we are on a fast track to environmental catastrophe if we do not immediately take drastic action. Therefore, I cannot overstate how grateful I am for the existence of a TV show that was, undoubtedly, a childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast--The Wild Thornberrys<\/i><\/strong> (1998 - 2004).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/Rtw98M5A7t8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Developed by Arlene Klasky and G\u00e1bor Csup\u00f3 (and several others), this program follows the adventures of 12-year-old Eliza Thornberry, who travels the world with her family--naturalist\/documentarian parents Nigel and Marianne; 16-year-old sister Debbie (a city-slicker if ever there was one); 5-year-old adopted brother Donnie (who was raised by orangutans after his own parents--naturalists themselves--were murdered by poachers); and best friend Darwin, a chimpanzee who travels with the family. At every stop on the family's never-ending safari, Eliza interacts with and befriends the local wildlife, aided by her ability to talk to non-human animals (a power bestowed on her by an African shaman, which she must keep a secret). She and her family also interact with the local people and their respective cultures, as well as dealing with the usual ups and downs of family life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I need to state right up front, when I was a kid, I envied Eliza for her way of life and her powers. Getting to travel the world and see wild animals in their natural environment for a living has always sounded like a dream come true; not to mention, who hasn't wanted to understand what animals say and think and be able to converse with them? Mind you, watching the show as an adult, I am obliged to chide Eliza for her reckless bravado and her tendency to jump to conclusions without first getting all the facts, both traits being on full display in the early seasons. But, at the end of the day, her heart was always in the right place, and for that reason, I think she makes for a great lead. (It also helps that she goes through some significant development over the course of the first movie<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, that's not to say that the rest of the core cast aren't compelling in their own right. Nigel and Marianne, for example, are both shown to be capable filmmakers, as well as being highly invested in their family. Darwin, though rightfully exasperated with Eliza's tendency to ignore his advice and goad him into uncomfortable situations, remains fiercely loyal to her and will come to her aid with no questions asked. However, I would argue that Debbie is the most complex of the lot--she doesn't hide that she dislikes constantly moving around from place to place, but she clearly understands the importance of her parents' work, and though Eliza, Darwin and Donnie may drive her meshuge<\/i>, she cares for them all deeply, nevertheless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Eliza,<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As I said at the opening of this review, the current state of our global environment demands that we immediately take action to preserve what remains of Earth's biodiversity. While some TV shows and movies might address this in an overly simplified way, The Wild Thornberrys<\/i> intelligently conveys to its core demographic the finer nuances of conservation and explains how all species play a vital role in keeping the planet healthy. It also helps that it simultaneously provides a respectful, well-informed overview of the diversity of human culture around the world, which further demonstrates just how unique our planet is and how we can only ensure that both man and nature can prosper equally if we work together, reaching out across cultural and national boundaries; as one of my favorite songs from Sesame Street<\/i> states,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of us can have a happy, healthy place to be\/ If we can float and swim and climb in Earthling harmony.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In summation, The Wild Thornberrys <\/i>is easily one of the greatest environmentally-conscious TV series of all time, standing alongside such classics as Nature<\/i>, Planet Earth<\/i>, Wild Kingdom<\/i> and Our Planet<\/i>. With its colorful and compelling cast of characters, it inspires children to do their part in preserving the world we share and reminds us of just how vibrant, dynamic, and awe-inspiring nature is. I am forever grateful to the Klasky Csupo studio for making this show, and I will be sure to introduce it to my children in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you watch The Wild Thornberrys <\/em>growing up? Tell us in the comments!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW] 'The Wild Thornberrys'","post_excerpt":"A childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-wild-thornberrys","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-27 12:41:21","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:41:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":56611,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-05-15 19:51:47","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:47","post_content":"\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

In summary, The Magic School Bus <\/i>is arguably the best example of a grade-school educational TV show that teaches and engages its target audience in equal measure. With a colorful cast of characters, well-researched curricular topics, and imaginative storylines, it's truly a classic for the ages.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What's your favorite adventure with the Frizz? Comment below!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW]: 'The Magic School Bus'","post_excerpt":"Fasten your seat belts, everyone, as we look at the blast from the past that is The Magic School Bus!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-magic-school-bus","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-07-29 13:17:52","post_modified_gmt":"2020-07-29 20:17:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57444","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":57213,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-06-27 12:37:22","post_date_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:37:22","post_content":"\n

In addition to animation, I've always had a special predilection for nature documentaries. The natural world is simply brimming with beauty and wonder, and such programs allow us a glimpse of species, places, and events that we might otherwise never see. Consequently, it's important that we preserve our planet's ecosystems and our fellow creatures, especially since we are on a fast track to environmental catastrophe if we do not immediately take drastic action. Therefore, I cannot overstate how grateful I am for the existence of a TV show that was, undoubtedly, a childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast--The Wild Thornberrys<\/i><\/strong> (1998 - 2004).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/Rtw98M5A7t8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Developed by Arlene Klasky and G\u00e1bor Csup\u00f3 (and several others), this program follows the adventures of 12-year-old Eliza Thornberry, who travels the world with her family--naturalist\/documentarian parents Nigel and Marianne; 16-year-old sister Debbie (a city-slicker if ever there was one); 5-year-old adopted brother Donnie (who was raised by orangutans after his own parents--naturalists themselves--were murdered by poachers); and best friend Darwin, a chimpanzee who travels with the family. At every stop on the family's never-ending safari, Eliza interacts with and befriends the local wildlife, aided by her ability to talk to non-human animals (a power bestowed on her by an African shaman, which she must keep a secret). She and her family also interact with the local people and their respective cultures, as well as dealing with the usual ups and downs of family life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I need to state right up front, when I was a kid, I envied Eliza for her way of life and her powers. Getting to travel the world and see wild animals in their natural environment for a living has always sounded like a dream come true; not to mention, who hasn't wanted to understand what animals say and think and be able to converse with them? Mind you, watching the show as an adult, I am obliged to chide Eliza for her reckless bravado and her tendency to jump to conclusions without first getting all the facts, both traits being on full display in the early seasons. But, at the end of the day, her heart was always in the right place, and for that reason, I think she makes for a great lead. (It also helps that she goes through some significant development over the course of the first movie<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, that's not to say that the rest of the core cast aren't compelling in their own right. Nigel and Marianne, for example, are both shown to be capable filmmakers, as well as being highly invested in their family. Darwin, though rightfully exasperated with Eliza's tendency to ignore his advice and goad him into uncomfortable situations, remains fiercely loyal to her and will come to her aid with no questions asked. However, I would argue that Debbie is the most complex of the lot--she doesn't hide that she dislikes constantly moving around from place to place, but she clearly understands the importance of her parents' work, and though Eliza, Darwin and Donnie may drive her meshuge<\/i>, she cares for them all deeply, nevertheless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Eliza,<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As I said at the opening of this review, the current state of our global environment demands that we immediately take action to preserve what remains of Earth's biodiversity. While some TV shows and movies might address this in an overly simplified way, The Wild Thornberrys<\/i> intelligently conveys to its core demographic the finer nuances of conservation and explains how all species play a vital role in keeping the planet healthy. It also helps that it simultaneously provides a respectful, well-informed overview of the diversity of human culture around the world, which further demonstrates just how unique our planet is and how we can only ensure that both man and nature can prosper equally if we work together, reaching out across cultural and national boundaries; as one of my favorite songs from Sesame Street<\/i> states,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of us can have a happy, healthy place to be\/ If we can float and swim and climb in Earthling harmony.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In summation, The Wild Thornberrys <\/i>is easily one of the greatest environmentally-conscious TV series of all time, standing alongside such classics as Nature<\/i>, Planet Earth<\/i>, Wild Kingdom<\/i> and Our Planet<\/i>. With its colorful and compelling cast of characters, it inspires children to do their part in preserving the world we share and reminds us of just how vibrant, dynamic, and awe-inspiring nature is. I am forever grateful to the Klasky Csupo studio for making this show, and I will be sure to introduce it to my children in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you watch The Wild Thornberrys <\/em>growing up? Tell us in the comments!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW] 'The Wild Thornberrys'","post_excerpt":"A childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-wild-thornberrys","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-27 12:41:21","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:41:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":56611,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-05-15 19:51:47","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:47","post_content":"\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n

The basic premise behind The Magic School Bus<\/i> is a highly creative one--taking a field trip on a school bus that can shrink down, travel back in time, and transform into various other vehicles (and even different types of animals), with the students exploring the miracles of nature and science up close and personal--makes it one of the downright coolest elementary-school programs ever created; the same applies to the original book series, as well. (Incidentally, I think that whoever designed the school bus in-universe deserves an award.) Admittedly, it does take some narrative license with the material that it teaches (as evidenced in the \"Ask the Producer\" segment at the end of each episode), and some of the information it presents--namely, in the episodes concerning dinosaurs, computers, the food web, and the solar system--is now outdated<\/a>, but generally speaking, it still holds up very well after the past 25 years. Small wonder, then, that home video editions are still quite commonly found in elementary school classrooms today. And, as far as I can tell, the recent reboot follows faithfully in the original's footsteps (even with the changes made to it).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In summary, The Magic School Bus <\/i>is arguably the best example of a grade-school educational TV show that teaches and engages its target audience in equal measure. With a colorful cast of characters, well-researched curricular topics, and imaginative storylines, it's truly a classic for the ages.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

What's your favorite adventure with the Frizz? Comment below!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW]: 'The Magic School Bus'","post_excerpt":"Fasten your seat belts, everyone, as we look at the blast from the past that is The Magic School Bus!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-magic-school-bus","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-07-29 13:17:52","post_modified_gmt":"2020-07-29 20:17:52","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57444","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":57213,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-06-27 12:37:22","post_date_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:37:22","post_content":"\n

In addition to animation, I've always had a special predilection for nature documentaries. The natural world is simply brimming with beauty and wonder, and such programs allow us a glimpse of species, places, and events that we might otherwise never see. Consequently, it's important that we preserve our planet's ecosystems and our fellow creatures, especially since we are on a fast track to environmental catastrophe if we do not immediately take drastic action. Therefore, I cannot overstate how grateful I am for the existence of a TV show that was, undoubtedly, a childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast--The Wild Thornberrys<\/i><\/strong> (1998 - 2004).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\nhttps:\/\/youtu.be\/Rtw98M5A7t8\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Developed by Arlene Klasky and G\u00e1bor Csup\u00f3 (and several others), this program follows the adventures of 12-year-old Eliza Thornberry, who travels the world with her family--naturalist\/documentarian parents Nigel and Marianne; 16-year-old sister Debbie (a city-slicker if ever there was one); 5-year-old adopted brother Donnie (who was raised by orangutans after his own parents--naturalists themselves--were murdered by poachers); and best friend Darwin, a chimpanzee who travels with the family. At every stop on the family's never-ending safari, Eliza interacts with and befriends the local wildlife, aided by her ability to talk to non-human animals (a power bestowed on her by an African shaman, which she must keep a secret). She and her family also interact with the local people and their respective cultures, as well as dealing with the usual ups and downs of family life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I need to state right up front, when I was a kid, I envied Eliza for her way of life and her powers. Getting to travel the world and see wild animals in their natural environment for a living has always sounded like a dream come true; not to mention, who hasn't wanted to understand what animals say and think and be able to converse with them? Mind you, watching the show as an adult, I am obliged to chide Eliza for her reckless bravado and her tendency to jump to conclusions without first getting all the facts, both traits being on full display in the early seasons. But, at the end of the day, her heart was always in the right place, and for that reason, I think she makes for a great lead. (It also helps that she goes through some significant development over the course of the first movie<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, that's not to say that the rest of the core cast aren't compelling in their own right. Nigel and Marianne, for example, are both shown to be capable filmmakers, as well as being highly invested in their family. Darwin, though rightfully exasperated with Eliza's tendency to ignore his advice and goad him into uncomfortable situations, remains fiercely loyal to her and will come to her aid with no questions asked. However, I would argue that Debbie is the most complex of the lot--she doesn't hide that she dislikes constantly moving around from place to place, but she clearly understands the importance of her parents' work, and though Eliza, Darwin and Donnie may drive her meshuge<\/i>, she cares for them all deeply, nevertheless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Eliza,<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As I said at the opening of this review, the current state of our global environment demands that we immediately take action to preserve what remains of Earth's biodiversity. While some TV shows and movies might address this in an overly simplified way, The Wild Thornberrys<\/i> intelligently conveys to its core demographic the finer nuances of conservation and explains how all species play a vital role in keeping the planet healthy. It also helps that it simultaneously provides a respectful, well-informed overview of the diversity of human culture around the world, which further demonstrates just how unique our planet is and how we can only ensure that both man and nature can prosper equally if we work together, reaching out across cultural and national boundaries; as one of my favorite songs from Sesame Street<\/i> states,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of us can have a happy, healthy place to be\/ If we can float and swim and climb in Earthling harmony.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

In summation, The Wild Thornberrys <\/i>is easily one of the greatest environmentally-conscious TV series of all time, standing alongside such classics as Nature<\/i>, Planet Earth<\/i>, Wild Kingdom<\/i> and Our Planet<\/i>. With its colorful and compelling cast of characters, it inspires children to do their part in preserving the world we share and reminds us of just how vibrant, dynamic, and awe-inspiring nature is. I am forever grateful to the Klasky Csupo studio for making this show, and I will be sure to introduce it to my children in the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Did you watch The Wild Thornberrys <\/em>growing up? Tell us in the comments!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[SERIES REVIEW] 'The Wild Thornberrys'","post_excerpt":"A childhood staple for many an animation and nature enthusiast!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"series-review-the-wild-thornberrys","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-06-27 12:41:21","post_modified_gmt":"2020-06-27 19:41:21","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=57213","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":56611,"post_author":"26","post_date":"2020-05-15 19:51:47","post_date_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:47","post_content":"\n

As we Disney Canon aficionados are all aware,\u00a0Pocahontas<\/strong>\u00a0<\/i>is a highly divisive movie, in more ways than one. On one hand, it has been criticized for its rather inconsistent pacing, its comparative dearth of entertainment value in relation to its Disney Renaissance predecessors, and the lack of chemistry between its leads. On the another hand, it has frequently been picked apart and derided for the liberties that it takes with the real-life events that inspired it (and, admittedly, for good reason). However, there is another aspect of\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0that I feel hasn't been discussed frequently enough: the film's portrayal of the First Nations of North America. And considering the progress that Western animation studios have made in portraying non-Western peoples and their cultures (as well as the current political climate), I find such a lack of discussion on this matter unconscionable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I've stated before that\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0was the first Western animated feature to make a conscious effort to accurately portray a non-Western culture, and it was also my first exposure to any story concerning Indigenous people. (It was released only a month after I was born.) Not to mention, it was also one of several movies released in the early 1990s - some of the best-known including\u00a0Geronimo: An American Legend<\/i>,\u00a0Squanto: A Warrior's Tale<\/i>, and, of course, Dances with Wolves\u00a0<\/i>-\u00a0that attempted to provide a more sensitive portrayal of the First Nations, and to tell some (if not all) of the truth about their tumultuous history with the white establishment. And, to be perfectly fair, it's far better than the deliberately offensive Hollywood images of the 1950s and earlier. However, as I've learned more about Indigenous people and issues pertaining to them, Disney's portrayal of them in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>\u00a0hasn't aged too well over the past 25 years (especially not in comparison to media that centers on contemporary life, such as\u00a0Smoke Signals\u00a0<\/i>or\u00a0Molly of Denali<\/i>). Therefore, I would like to point out the most glaring issues in the film's approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Still<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

One problem is that the Indigenous characters in\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> seem to superficially embody the \"innocents in Eden.\" This concept, which bears some resemblance to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's notion of the so-called \"noble savage,\" implies that Indigenous people, living so close to nature, were free from the burdens of \"civilized\" (i.e., Western) society, and baffled by the mere concept of there being people unlike them. The former element is averted for the most part, as evidenced by the fact that the Pamunkey people - the specific Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged - are shown to interact with other Indigenous communities of the region and possesses their own complex society; it's the latter part that is the most troubling. Based on what I've read, it is possible that the allied tribes of the Powhatan Confederacy may have interacted with the Roanoke Colony<\/a>\u00a0(or, at the very least, heard about them). In the movie, though, the arrival of the Virginia Company is implied to be the first contact that they had with outsiders. (Note: This particular aspect may or may not coincide with the liberties that the filmmakers took with historical events.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another serious issue - probably the thorniest, in fact - is the presence of the \"Magical Native\" stereotype. Kekata, the tribe's shaman, shows shades of this when conjuring images in smoke (whether for children's entertainment or when \"divining\" the motivations of the British), but the most glaring example is Pocahontas breaching the language barrier with John Smith by \"listening with her heart.\" As Paul Astell - author of the blog Feeling Animated<\/em> - states in\u00a0his review of the film<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

[U]nless you\u2019re dealing specifically in myths and legends, Native Americans themselves are not<\/em> \u201cmagical.\u201d While harmony with nature and the seasons is a big part of most Native American cultures, the filmmakers take this concept to ludicrous lengths by presenting them almost as deities, able to do any number of foolhardy things (like jumping off hundred-foot cliffs and stealing bear cubs from their mothers) with no consequences whatsoever. Pocahontas suddenly developing the skills of Google Translate by \u201clistening with her heart\u201d is just the icing on the cake \u2013 it\u2019s lazy and mildly insulting, both to Native Americans and to the audience.<\/p>Feeling Animated<\/a><\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
[Art by Willemijn1991<\/a>]<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Yet another problem with\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i>' portrayal of Indigenous people - comparatively minor to those I mentioned above, but worth mentioning nonetheless - lies in the design of the characters. While the character designers and animators do mostly succeed in giving the characters a somewhat accurate Northeastern Woodlands aesthetic (as opposed to the Plains cultures that most laypeople are familiar with), their designs still feel too \"generically Native,\" rather than specific to the Powhatan Nation. (They also sometimes incorporate elements indicative of other Native peoples; Nakoma, for example, sports a hairdo that is apparently of\u00a0Din\u00e9 origin.) This is especially true of the design of Pocahontas herself. In recent years, I've come across various pieces of fan art that give her a more culturally - and historically - appropriate look (the most notable of which is shown below), and now I'm wishing that the artists who worked on the film could have done the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of the day, while\u00a0Pocahontas<\/i> certainly meant well, its portrayal of Indigenous people still leaves a lot to be desired. If the film was made nowadays, perhaps they might take better care in avoiding potentially offensive clich\u00e9s. At any rate, it appears that Disney has since learned its lesson when it comes to portraying non-Western cultures; this one's not quite as bad as Aladdin\u00a0<\/i>in this respect, but nowhere near as good as\u00a0Moana<\/i>\u00a0or\u00a0Mulan<\/i>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are your thoughts about Pocahontas<\/em>?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a user-submitted post by Jordan Hashemi-Briskin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edited by: Kelly Conley<\/p>\n","post_title":"[OPINION] 3 Major Problems with the Portrayal of Indigenous Americans in 'Pocahontas'","post_excerpt":"We take a look at where Disney's Pocahontas stumbles.","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"opinion-3-major-problems-with-the-portrayal-of-indigenous-americans-in-pocahontas","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2020-05-15 19:51:50","post_modified_gmt":"2020-05-16 02:51:50","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.rotoscopers.com\/?p=56611","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":false,"total_page":1},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_3o3","class":"jnews_block_5"};

\n