Surprised to hear Eisner in bad health. Is he on a medical leave of some sort? If so, who is in charge temporarily?
I'm glad you raised religious right issue re Disney. The only 100% questionable project IMO was the Miramax film "Kids". "Priest" probably should not have been made on economical reasons alone (did it make any money? Doubt it); unfortunately past terrible cases of child abuse by priests could be called life imitating art.
Regarding "Hunchback," I took my 3 year old to it and saw 75% of it (plot a little too hard for my little one to follow; and I made mistake of teling her in advance that we were going to Burger King after show :-) Wife & I have the book, I know cartoon's whole story line, and I, as parents who doesn't ask Donald Wildmon when I can go to the bathroom, have no problem with it. Check out a recent Boston Globe article (available online, cool!, here is the URL:
boston.com
It mentioned the religious thought police thought Esmerelda was too attractive or sexy or some such. Frankly, I think their religious radar was really set off because Demi Moore was Esmerelda's voice and she of course starred in Striptease.
Of course the story's villain, the hateful, self-righteous Judge Frollo, seeking to emblazen his own perception of morality on the citizenry, falls off the church to his death. I suppose that didn't set well with the bible thumpers either >:-)
I see boycott as being provoked by Disney extending spouse-type benefits to gays, conforming with other entertainment co's, with the flak about Hunchback, etc. as attempt to develop an imagined pattern of anti-family activity.
That Globe article mentions concerns the boycott could affect stock price. I hope so! A reader of Business Week observed months ago that a religious right boycott won't shave a minute worth of wait off Space Mountain. I agree, and would buy if stock went down only because of press coverage of boycott. But that is wishful thinking on my part. BTW, I doubt Oprah of any of the 200+ people she sent to Disney World even knew there was a boycott do you? :-)
I've gone on for too long here, but religious right censorship really ticks me off.
Regards
Mike |
