Movies and Morals

I’m hoping people read through to see where this is going. Because honestly, I spent 30 minutes trying to reconcile a parent’s review of a treasured movie I love. A movie that came out when I was 16 years old. And, a movie … that is now such a treasure, to me at least …

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I’ve been trying to find an affordable copy of “Aladdin” on DVD in honor of the late Robin Williams. The movie has some fond memories for me, and it is one of Robin’s roles that I dearly love.

After seeing the varying prices on Amazon that were a bit out of my price range at this time, I decided to go back to another site I used to frequent … eBay. And, I found a copy. I ordered and paid for one. So, I’m HOPING it arrives as it should. The seller does have a 100% positive feedback and a score of 88 individual ratings. 

Anyway …

I was reading the reviews and came across one that struck me right in the face and I have to say ... WOW! I’ll get that not everyone will like it, but a ONE (1) STAR rating on a children’s movie? I’m sincerely stunned!

Here’s the “review” …

“Okay, I have to say I am a little disappointed by this one. While the animation, songs and celebrity voices are GREAT, I do not believe that the moral- TO BE YOURSELF- is presented in a way that is clearly discernable to children (especially the younger ones) without some help from a parent. Part of the reason for this is that Aladdin goes FAR BEYOND just pretending to be something he isn't- a wealthy prince, rather than a pauper- to impress princess Jasmine. He ends up LYING to her about every aspect of his life, multiple times throughout the film with virtually no consequences. In fact, there were so many lies that it made me wonder HOW Jasmine could still fall in love with him! I think I would like my own daughter to be a little more discerning! I am also somewhat bothered that Aladdin (and his monkey Abu) are portrayed as stealing food / thieves at the beginning of the movie, again without consequences. They reason that it is okay to steal the food because you "gotta eat to live, gotta steal to eat." There is even a song about it, as well as a very lively sequence in which they are running away from the "authorities" to avoid punishment. And of course, they do avoid punishment... I don't want my kids to think stealing is okay under ANY circumstances. Maybe Aladin should get a job... :)

Now I don't like overanalyzing Disney. But at the same time I try very hard to teach my children traditional, conservative values. I don't appreciate any film that undermines the basics- stealing and lying are not okay and there are consequences for these actions in the real world-- at least there are when you're 3...”

I should be offended by the grammar and tell the parent that “good grammar, spelling, and punctuation are just as essential as good manners and morals”, but I can’t be that rude.

Instead, I’m going to pull one of our parents/grandparents famous “let me tell you what I did/watched BEFORE I was three”:

Starsky & Hutch (September/October 1976- May 1979; it premiered in 1975)

Vega$ (1978-1981)

I was 5/6 months old the first time I was “exposed” to “violence”. I was about 2 years old when Dallas came on. I was “exposed” to lying, cheating, philandering, sex ... should I go on with all that was wrong with that show? 

If you don’t know about it … that’s likely a good thing.

And after I turned three (3)?

T.J. Hooker (1982-1986)

Hunter (1984-1991) (was actually a show my grandma would watch)

Spenser: For Hire (1985-1988) (another show my grandma would watch)

I've watched other things as well. I would list them all, but we’d be here (wherever that is) all day and night. Let’s just say I lived during ABC’s great run, NBC’s great run, and now? CBS’.

I think those who know me would likely be SHOCKED that I watched those shows, considering how I turned out. And, I don't think I turned out too darn bad. Yes, I cuss! I've been known to drop an “S”-bomb here; and when "IT" hits the fan, I'll drop an “F”-bomb (if you don’t know what those words are … you don’t need to).

Still ...

I think I have good morals, good values, am (for the most part) a decent human being, a kind person, and I have a good perception of reality.

You know how I turned out to be the way I am? MY MOTHER. Pure and simple. She spent time with me, she nurtured me, she talked to me, and we treated television as the mindless entertainment it should be.

Yes, I used some shows to “self-medicate” with when times got bad, but better than drugs or alcohol. But, I always knew fact from fiction; fantasy from reality. Again, my mother. She wasn’t always a stay-at-home mom. When I was four (4) she, because of a divorce, had to go full-time into the work force (40 hours a week), and sometimes she’d work: 7am-3pm; 3pm-11pm, and 11pm to 7am. So, you can see where that would cause a problem with trying to raise a child on your own.

My grandmother lived with us intermittently. But, she wasn’t the nurturing, loving, hugging type. So, I was left to my own wonderment. Still, I had enough of my mother’s good, old-fashioned common (good) sense to know the good things from the bad.

If this “person” is worried about their child (age 3) learning BAD behaviors from a movie, then she's not spending enough time with that child teaching them right from wrong.

“I do not believe that the moral- TO BE YOURSELF-  is presented in a way that is clearly discernable to children (especially the younger ones) without some help from a parent.”

WITHOUT SOME HELP FROM A PARENT?

Does anyone else have a problem with that? I know I do. And, I know my mom definitely would.

Uh, dear parent ... your child is 3, your child needs YOU to teach her that, not the movie. That is what you are there for. That is YOUR job.

Sorry for the little rant, and no, I don’t have kids – I want them, but don’t currently have them.

So, how do I have the right to say anything?

I was a child; my mom was/is a parent. I learned from her, I talked to her, I saw what she did. I know how I turned out based on her parenting style/skill. So, I use what she did as the “guiding force” behind my advice as well as saying “look how I turned out”.

WITHOUT SOME HELP FROM A PARENT?

Perhaps that is the biggest problem … some parents are using a movie (or television shows) to teach what should be taught by them (the parents). Movies and T.V. shows are entertainment; they are an escape from reality. They are not, nor should they be the sole and exclusive teaching tool for anyone … let alone a 3 year old child.

Just thought I'd put this out here (and get it off my chest). I know my mom will agree with me on this. Heck, where do you think I learned most everything? Where do you think I got part of my views from?

UPDATE: 1:05pm (PACIFIC TIME) …

During my mom’s “break” we had a discussion about the “parent” review of Aladdin, namely this part:

[“I do not believe that the moral- TO BE YOURSELF- is presented in a way that is clearly discernable to children (especially the younger ones) without some help from a parent.”].

She couldn't even believe it! Her exact words:

“Isn’t that why God gave parents to kids?”

Of course, knowing certain situations, she amended it: “oh, let’s take God out of it ... isn’t that why kids have parents?” [amended version].

Her mom wasn't always around to watch what she watched or teach her the morals. My mom grew up on westerns and some violent cartoons ... still, she learned not to do certain things. And, she knew that what was on television was fake.

She was quite dismayed at the review and even when I read it twice; it still made NO sense to her.

I told her “the only thing I learned from T.V, which was from Starsky & Hutch. That was if I did bad, they'd get me! Namely Hutch ... especially the way he was walking by the Torino with his weapon in his hand”.

[One of the opening sequences of "Starsky & Hutch"; from seasons 2-4. Episode is "Silence" from Season one (1)] 

My mother laughed (she's always laughed at that). But, I tell you ... it is true. I didn't want Hutch to come arrest me, so I made sure I was good. Starsky I didn't mind coming after me, Hutch? Yup, sure did.

This is the same man that I sat across from during that dinner in June. Although I had originally wanted to sit at Paul’s table, I was able to get a seat at David’s table (a story for another blog).

Either way, my mom and I are both on the same page ... parents need to teach kids the morals not movies and not television.