Pixar: A rebuttal

A short time ago during a discussion of Pixar movies I admitted that I did not see the allure, and several of the films they have produced elicited no more than a so-so expression. I was then immediately attacked with the accusation "You just don't like them because they don't have princesses in them!"

I honestly at the time could not respond to this, I was stunned at the statement and I couldn't recall most of the Pixar movies right off the top of my head.

This is not the first time something like this has happened. It bothers me more than I care to admit that several different people that I call my friends (or have in the past) don't know me at all. They see one part or side and fill in the rest with assumptions. It comes across as a lack of interest in me as a person, a general neglect, and lack of respect.

I looked up the list of Pixar movies, and other animated films that do not include princesses to dispel this preconceived notion of a princess exclusivity.

Pixar movies I could watch over and over again, Exhibit A:

A Bug's Life

Sorry, that is all I have.

Finding Nemo made me sleepy, and Monsters Inc. took a fantastic premise and let me down. I did laugh a few times, however this was more the effect of the comedian voicing the character than the movie itself. I haven't seen WALL-E and I have heard great things, still I am not motivated to spend money on it. I did love the first short film Pixar produced with the lamp, so I can guess that it will not be horrible. The short animation of the old man playing chess against himself for his own teeth made me smile, and and For the Birds, made me laugh until I cried. I did mildly enjoy Cars, however it was simply a re-hashing of Doc Hollywood which I enjoyed as a teenager. I absolutely hated Toy Story, just as I would start to care about the plot or character, they would shove in a song with the most obnoxious sounding voice I could imagine and I would loose interest, well except for the little three eyed aliens I loved those things.


In further evidence, Disney movies without princesses I loved, Exhibit B:

The Nightmare Before Christmas (I know every damn word)
Lilo and Stitch
The Emperor's New Groove
The Sword in the Stone
101 Dalmatians
Lady and the Tramp
Robin Hood (maid Marian was not a princess)
The Rescuers Down Under
Hercules (even though it completely ignored the mythology. Megara was an anti-princess and her song is the one I sing the most!)
Mulan
Tarzan
The Lion King
DuckTales: The Movie
Bedknobs and Broomsticks (half of it was animated and that was the part I liked)
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (even if it was inaccurate)
Winnie the Pooh
The Aristocats

I don't remember if Fantasia has a princess in it... I remember liking The adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, however I haven't seen it in over 15 years so I am not sure if it counts.


Compare these to the Animated movies I like that have Princesses:

Sleeping Beauty
The Little Mermaid
Beauty and the Beast (Belle was not a princess, but she is always included in the list of them)
Aladdin
Cinderella III: A Twist in time (simply for the line "Ooooh, a stick! Let's beat her with it!" by a wicked step sister)


The argument could be made that I simply like specific animation styles or certain composers and lyricists. The music makes up a significant part of the film. I found out that my favorite song (One night in Bangkok) was written by Tim Rice, guess what? So were lyrics to songs in Aladdin and The Lion King. Alan Menken wrote lyrics for The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pocahontas (I don't watch the move but listened to the soundtrack) and Hercules. See a pattern here? (he also wrote for Enchanted, but I am not counting that as animated)


The fact remains that movies without princesses far outnumber movies with them and there is much more to me than my tiara(s). Every time people (you know who you are!) pigeonhole me into one category it hurts and it is an entirely unfair assumption to make. So the next time you feel like making generalizations about my character and personality without paying attention to who I really am, I suggest your time is better spent banging your head against the wall, you shit munching cock face.