Finally...and Tinkerbell

So, it's been a while. I was focusing on writing my capstone and felt guilty anytime I tried to write something else and so I didn't write anything on my blogs. ( I also didn't get a lot written on my capstone, but I'm working on that.) Now that it's Winter Break and I've got a little time, I thought I should get back in the swing of things. So, on to Tinkerbell....


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What? Tinkerbell? What could this guy have to say about Tinkerbell?

Well, thanks to someone ( I really don't remember who) my beautiful princess has a copy of Disney's Tinkerbell Movie. I've been subjected to it several times and as straight to video, G rated, cash grabs go, it's actually not bad. In fact it has several qualities that I find rather redeeming. First, they do a nice job of creating a fairy mythology. There are different kinds of fairies who have different jobs and different powers. They are sort of beneficent nature spirits with each type(fast flying, garden, light, water and tinker among others) having a specialty. In fact "Tinker" isn't part of the title character's name, it's her title. She's a Tinker fairy. As the father of a little girl, I love the idea that the star of the movie is essentially an engineer. Her job is to make devices that help the other types of fairies do their jobs. That fact that engineering is valued as much as the other gifts is a great message from my point of view.
A second redeeming quality is the egalitarian nature of the fairy kingdom. It is ruled by a queen, but she is not a tyrant and while some fairies have managerial roles, it seems to be based on merit. There aren't class or social distinctions based on job type or appearance.

That egalitarianism is however tempered by the politically correct and shallow attempt at cultural diversity represented by the Belle's friends. Each one has physical characteristics that correspond to real world racial groupings. There are a couple of groups left out - Arabs most notably - and I can't tell if one is a very pale Native American or is just another Caucasian. This diversity could be seen as Disney trying to be sensitive or it could be seen as Disney trying to appeal to the widest audience in an attempt to bring in the most money possible and avoid criticism. Either way, the undeniable fact is that the star is a petite (even for fairy) blond haired Caucasian.

This of course also leads to my other criticism of the movie.
Stereotypes. Specifically, negative stereotypes of science types.
In the movie the ONLY fairies who are not the classical lithe and athletic looking Disney fairies are Tinkers. Belle's two best Tinker friends (the only males with sizable parts) are both atypical body types for fairies. One has bulging eyes and is the only fairy with glasses and the other one is one of two fairies we see who are overweight. The overweight one has little beady eyes and a disproportionately small head. These are the only fairies with any disproportionate features. The other fairy that defies the fairy stereotype of slimness in the head of the Tinkers. She is a stereotypical matron who throws her physical and metaphysical weight around. While it is nice to see the engineers (nerds) as heroes, it is disappointing that the only "nerdy" looking fairies are Tinkers.

Overall, most of the messages are positive and Disney did a nice job with the mythology they created for Tinker Belle and the fairies, but like most Disney movies, there are some flaws that they ignored.