They were sailing from Europe to the Indonesia-adjacent island of New Guinea in southeastern Asia. We want to hear from you! In this sequel, of the family's final years on the original island, the family is called Zermatt.[3]. Is Disney Plus going to remove Pinocchio, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Norte Dame from Kids profile pages? And it's kind of remarkable that Disney wouldn't make nearly But another film getting this title card is our column's subject: the 1960 adventure adaptation. Yes, retrospectively it is a big deal. William and the older boys explore various environments and develop homes and gardens at various sites about the island. Not yet. In this sense I can appreciate the desire to have children raised in an environment where biases are not learned at an early age. But good intentions or not, the Robinsons are colonizing a strange land for themselves with no regard for its original denizens. Also in Bedknobs and Broomsticks and The Rocketeer features Nazis who put millions of people in concertation camps in real life. In truth, what Disney+ really needs is context. It is simply Disneys job to entertain us, not play woke parent. Adapted from the 1812 novel of the same name, Swiss Family Robinson has the perfect kind of high-concept hook that's inspired everything from multiple direct adaptations to the 1960s TV series Lost in Space: a family is stranded at sea after an attack by pirates, and must fend for itself on a deserted-island paradise. Um, yeah Youre the one who wrote that Disney is planning to take away classics like these. I didnt imagine that or read it incorrectly. And Frollo stalking and harassing Esmeralda made me uncomfortable to watch. If they really cared about our childrens welfare and our society, then the left liberal would be censoring that But I guess that isnt politically correct! Updates? Keep venting on sites like this if you must. The world has gone mad. However, twenty years before then, Disney released its original. On the island, the family must also constantly adapt to survive, which is a source of new adventures. Having thought about this a bit more, I have a recommendation. Tell you what. Or rather like the Monty Python skit with the Blamanche that rigged Wimbelton because as we all know Scots cant play tennis; this should give me great offense. Are these Disney films Ive mentioned going to be removed from kids profiles and will they have warning labels about these films like Pocahontas which admits that it was wrong what was shown in these films. Audiences are curious about the Swiss Family Robinson pirate scene in the wake of recent discussion. But it's impossible to ignore, and correct to acknowledge. Her granddad had her wrap her head in a scarf to make the pirates think she's a man, which viewers presume is so they wouldn't kidnap her and do horrible things to her. By using our Services, you agree to our use of cookies. The reason I ask you is because in Pinocchio 1940 film it features child abuse and slavery which is too disturbing for kids to watch in todays society as theres actually child slavery at the borders of Mexico with kids in cages which I was shocked to learn about. This resembles other educational books for young ones published about the same time. The leader of the group in Dumbo is Jim Crow, which shares the name of laws that enforced racial segregation in the Southern United States. Nodding towards the existence of the bad isn't quite enough. WebThe Robinson family is shipwrecked on a remote island. The message imparted there isn't wrong the representation of people of color in the adventure is grossly stereotypical, insulting, and unnecessary. WebSuper Why and his friends head into the story of The Swiss Family Robinson to meet a family who is just as stranded as Little Boy Blue Super Why! They obviously have such a deep knowledge of plant life that they know what to eat and what to avoid, their raft-making skills are on point, the older boys can spear fish, and the family somehow manages to build the fanciest and most complicated treehouse in world history. You can still watch them under the adults profile and have the conversations with the kids about it. Maybe that mostly enforced dress code placed on the Robinson family is just an attempt to kill any and all throbbing biological urges indicative of teenage boys. Disney is no stranger to the concept of pirate characters in its films and its theme parks, but the pirates depicted in, might as well be faceless stereotypes. By: Johann David Wyss (1743-1818) A beautiful story about survival, the Robinson family shows that one does not have to have the usual comforts of life in order to be comfortable and happy. Two dogs from the ship, Turk and Juno, swim beside them. He married a woman from the island, started a family and reigned over his 'small kingdom' until his death in 1905. Super Why. There seem to be a lot of people commenting who dont understand that these movies are still available on Disney+, they just cant be watched by little kids without permission from their parents. But being a quintessential Disney adventure means you have to take the good with the bad. Jeesh, some ppl eh?! The Robinson family's epic journey was born of the imagination of the Bernese pastor Johann David Wyss, who wrote the story for his children at the end of the 18th century. {{#media.media_details}} {{#media.focal_point}}. And then Fritz gives a baffling, hormonal, and almost predatory reply with, "By the time we get to New Guinea, we won't care what age they are!". Please explain how Disney is deciding what your children watch or dont watch. The German title translates as The Swiss Robinson which identifies the novel as part of the Robinsonade genre, rather than a story about a family named Robinson. It has gone through a large number of versions and adaptations. During a trip in 1877, he landed on the Chilean island that inspired the story of Robinson Crusoe. Why is Andi the only unattractive one with stereotypical Asian short hair? The pirates who antagonize the Robinson family are portrayed as a stereotypical foreign menace. Humans are complex biologic machines and our cognition though a wonder is still not well understood. "They were able to construct a fascinating tale and build up its potential. The aristocrat became governor of the archipelago, which he rented for 1,500 dollars a year. I know it feels good to use melodramatic language when venting, but lets keep things grounded in reality and not mired in alternative facts. Those of us who are parents with uncanceled Disney Plus subscriptions will continue to enjoy uncensored Disney classics like Dumbo, and some of us will have discussions with our kids about certain characters so we avoid the possibility of a future call from schoolteachers asking why our child was adopting a Stepin Fetchit voice and referring to himself as Jim Crow in class. The original manuscript of the novel had been written by Wysss father, Johann David, a clergyman, for and with the aid of his four sons. Robinson Crusoe Island was devastated and Switzerland financed the reconstruction of the tomb of the Bernese baron, in addition to an explanatory plaque. The story was first adapted in French in 1814 by the Lausanne novelist and translator Isabelle de Montolieu. Over the years, there have been many versions of the story with episodes added, changed, or deleted. Youngest son Francis (Kevin Corcoran) shouts that he wants to follow his mom up there, only for his knowing brothers to gently hold him back from doing so, to give the married people their space. } Like Robinson Crusoe, the survivors are resourceful and have the skills to survive on a desert island, but they retain character traits specific to their national identity. Viewers both young and old understand early and frequently that the Robinsons initially got on a boat bound for New Guinea, departing from their home in Bern, Switzerland, to escape the European conquest of Napoleon Bonaparte, placing the story somewhere around the year 1800. It then takes him a moment to figure out exactly what she's saying, but Mother laments how if they were to never get rescued and if they stayed on this island paradise forever, their boys would "never get married" or find themselves wives by which she means "succumb to their natural physical needs as men." Rarely do I approve of profanity. Nodding towards the existence of the bad isn't quite enough. Liberals will be the death of everything. Instead, the news focused on where Disney began: its earlier animated and live-action features. Generally speaking, kids love and are fascinated with animals, so they'll notice the many fantastic beasts that roam the Robinsons' island home and the ocean around it, but it's the adults who will realize that these animals seemingly didn't have a great time shooting Swiss Family Robinson. Not even in one of the handful of scenes when Mother and Father are alone with each other do they slip up and do something so informal as to refer to their spouse by their name instead of their title of parentage. now, and the film has been through various development stages with actors as wide-ranging as Steve Carell, Will Smith, and the late Bill Paxton. It's an attractive premise which appeals to readers. Today, the island bears the name 'Robinson Crusoe' and about forty descendants of the von Rodt family still live there, observes Stphane Gol, Swiss director and author of Insular, a film dedicated to the story of Alfred von Rodt and his descendants. Father even gives the guys a look that definitely says, "Hey, back off, I'm going to see where this goes," as he follows Mother into the treehouse, where they reminisce about their honeymoon, and everyone but the most little of little kids knows what happens on a honeymoon. } Father Robinson (John Mills) playfully spits out the water after falling in, and that water is most definitely full of all kinds of germs, bacteria, and the diseases spread by virulent microscopic life. WebSwiss Family Robinson is by no means the only troublesome film the Walt Disney Company ever released. "When The Swiss Family Robinson had the potential to gain a wider readership, that is after the Second World War and also in the 1960s, the Swiss were more interested in promoting their sense of belonging to the homeland," says Daniel Maggetti. (Even though I strongly dislike, , I feel slightly bad for the 1970 animated feature because no one at Disney realizes they have excluded the word "The" from the title.) Again, the word for this movie, in good and bad ways, is "simple." They are. The book is the most successful of a large number of "Robinsonade" novels that were written in response to the success of Defoe's Robinson Crusoe (1719). s02e18 The Swiss Family Robinson. Thehighest-grossing film of 1960, this adaptation of the classic 19th-century novel by Johann David Wyss is one of the most enduring non-animated Disney films, thanks to home video, reruns on cable TV, and the Disney+ streaming service. ", The exoticism of The Swiss Family Robinson was inspired by the novel Robinson Crusoe by the English author Daniel Defoe. Parents may have been offended for children. WebSwiss Family Robinson The pirates who antagonize the Robinson family are portrayed as a stereotypical foreign menace. Complete act of misdirection. Directed by Ken Annakin and based on Johann David Wyss 1812 novel of the same name, VHS copies of the film were worn out by many in their youth. I vent occasionally myself and often feel better afterward, but I dont waste my time on non-issues like this. In my opinion these films, along with Song of the South, should be released with a host intro ala TCM discussing what is problematic with the films. And it's kind of remarkable that Disney wouldn't make nearly so many expansive, epic adventures moving forward considering the vast success this title found at the box office. The principal characters of the book (including Isabelle de Montolieu's adaptations and continuation) are: In the novel, the family is not called "Robinson" as their surname is not mentioned. Has nothing to do with systemic racism at all. It's got a decent enough cast among the family. WebA Swiss Family Robinson remake is currently in the works for Disney+, as well as a live-action Peter Pan & Wendy, both of which we can expect to handle race much better Answer: The like people of color). An uncomplicated film leaves behind a complicated legacy, and one you can still feel both at the Disney theme parks and in films themselves. })(); VIDEO: Take A Look at the Magic Behind the Making of Disneys Encanto and More Special Features on Say It With Pride: Disney+ Celebrates Pride 365 Comes Out on Disney+ YouTube and Facebook This Jun Tokyo Disney Resort Will Remove Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah From Music Loops, Disney Wins Lawsuit Over Duke Parents are still able to continue deciding what their children should and shouldnt see, even with the new changes being implemented. Stacy also has parents who pressure her into becoming a doctor, which is stereotypical of Asian parents to do. The movie Robinsons, however, aren't real people, and they just roll with the scary and don't seem much worse for the wear. Perhaps the best-known English version is by William H. G. Kingston, first published in 1879. A baby elephant named Rocky makes a memorable appearance and becomes as much of a pet to the Robinsons as Duke and Turk, the big dogs they save from their ship. The first two of the four volumes were published in 1812 and 1813, and the second two in 1826 and 1827. is by no means the only troublesome film the Walt Disney Company ever released. Is deciding what your children watch or dont watch take away classics like these environment where biases are not at. Disneys job to entertain us, not play woke parent beside them unattractive one with stereotypical Asian short?! One with stereotypical Asian short hair intentions or not, the word for this movie, in good bad! # media.focal_point } } { { # media.media_details } } your children watch or dont watch or.... There have been many versions of the story was first adapted in French in 1814 the! Is called Zermatt. 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