How is Film a tool of Cultural Imperialism?
Research Analysis by Sehrish Khan
Abstract
This research will concentrate on discussing
and analyzing how film has been used as an implicit tool to communicate
modern, 'Western Imperialistic' ideology. It will take into account Disney's
approach to cartoons in particular, as Disney cartoons and movies
are watched by children and adults of all ages, castes, religions and
cultures from all over the world, and cartoon characters such as Mickey
Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy have become household names and commodities,
known by children of most cultures and countries. The specific animation film which I shall take as an example, throughout this research
will be Disney's version of 'Pocahontas'. I will
also touch upon the topic of imagery, transference of emotions,
subliminal meanings or messages and exoticism as well as discussing the
wide ranging criticisms of Disney cartoon.
How Does Film Become a Tool for Cultural Imperialism?
In order to understand cultural imperialism, it is
best to shed light on its connection with media imperialism, since media is
used as an underlying tool in aspects of culture portrayal and cultural
domination. Cultural imperialism signifies a cultural level of
domination which results in a cultural change or effect. Imperialism
refers to the "policy or practice of extending a country's influence
over other territories by conquest, colonization, or economic domination
for instance, an imperial system, authority, or government".*
Some might say, this is a non-favourable cultural
exchange as media is a powerful tool, a medium that
communicates wide ranging messages and might have a negative effect on
one's local culture, traditions, beliefs and/or practices. It can also
become a negative tool, especially when one's culture is depicted
falsely by the hands of the media imperialists, who some might even
call, the mainstream media monopolists.
Mediums such as film, television, radio, newspapers, magazines, comics or even advertisements are more often than
not, used as mechanisms to bring about a cultural change. Globalization,
which is still an on-going process in today's world means there is
faster communication, result of which distance less and border-less
qualities emerge. Western culture seeps through our television
sets, programmes like FRIENDS, soap operas like Bold and the Beautiful,
multinational corporations and fast food chains like McDonalds, Pizza
Hut, KFC, Star Bucks and designer clothing like Forever 21 or Guess
have developed strong taste buds in countries, where these names,
products, shows - had never been introduced or heard of before, until
globalism took the world by storm.
Disney is a prime example of being a medium for
cultural imperialism. Disney animated films, cartoons and products have become an
integral part of raising children and family life greatly surrounds
watching Disney's channel on TV when you have children at home.
As mentioned in the abstract given above, Disney cartoons and movies are
watched by children and adults of all age groups from all over the
world and cartoon characters such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy
have become house hold commodities - toys or products of which are
desired, by children of most cultures and countries. As a small example,
when Shrek - the joyful ogre animation which is in two parts - was
released, all the Mcdonald's chains in Lahore sold 'Shrek' and 'Princess
Fiona' toys with the Happy Meals. Perhaps this connection to cultural
imperialism is a bit broad based, however the argument one can debate on
is that these toys or commodities bring with them Western imperialistic
thought and perception, by subliminal brainwashing of children from a
very young age to be hooked on to Disney cartoons and cartoon
characters. To further elaborate this point, it is a fact that a child
in his/her early years is highly malleable and easily conditioned. What
one should question ones self is that, do we really want our children,
who might be from a background of beliefs and value systems that may be
excruciatingly different than what Disney cartoons stand for - believe,
trust and adhere to those imperialistic meanings, which Disney is known
widely to stand for? Do we really want our children watching cartoons
that might have hidden/subliminal meanings or that are treatments and by
products of a corporation's cultural imperialistic goals? Are we
brainwashing our children from the very beginning to believe in
something that's flawed to begin with? These questions are the very
basis of what this research analysis stands for. Cartoons such as Pocahontas,
The Lion King, The Little Mermaid - all may seem very innocent to the
ignorant eye, but there is a wide ranging critical debate over the
content Disney shows in its cartoons. Let's discuss this aspect further
by taking the example of the Pocahontas cartoon film, and analyzing it in detail with regards to American cultural imperialism.
Analysis of Disney Cartoon 'Pocahontas'
'Pocahontas' from the get go
starts with fighting the Indians, connotations of that in the film being
referred to as a "fun" thing. That in itself is American stereotypical
perspective of the native populous Ratcliff, the greedy English refers
to where they're going as the 'free world' where freedom and prosperity
awaits them all. How exactly did they plan on getting that prosperity -
by robbing the Indians of their land as well as their gold? Historically
speaking, the world was a slave to western colonialism, and natives
have always been treated as barbarians of the land. The label on the
Indians or the names given to them in Pocahontas
are "blood thirsty savages" - this is the implicit message being spoken
through General Ratcliff's speech on deck to his fellow ship mates,
preparing them all, for the unknown, the natives, the savages. Or
perhaps scaring them of the unknown; fear of the unknown is something
even Josef Conrad touched upon in detail, in his novel the 'Heart of
Darkness.' The native Indians of America are being referred to as
savages throughout the cartoon film, a film designed and catered to
Disney audiences, which largely includes children.
The colonists desire an adventure in the new world
and want to dig up all the gold for themselves. Perhaps one can infer an
element of greed seeping through this frame of thought. What is really
strange is that the most basic form of imperialistic ideology is
transferred through the dialogues of this cartoon, e.g. "If any Indian
tries to stop me, I'll blast him" perhaps the creators of this cartoon
might have not had the intentions to make children think like this,
perhaps they were just recounting facts as facts, as racism exits so did
the hate or the loathing for the natives of each land the Western
colonists have subsequently conquered, maybe that was the essential
basis for such terminology being used. However, perception varies and Pocahontas
is a prime example of when a film becomes a basis for cultural
imperialism, this is factually speaking, a children's cartoon about a
love story between a native of the new world and a conqueror.
One can arguably say that the first scene of how Pocahontas
is depicted standing on a cliff, shows exoticism - the native princess
or woman is shown as exotic, beautiful, dark, bare foot and friends with
animals. Pocahontas gives off an animalistic sexiness, that defines the exoticism that's communicated.
Perhaps children might consider it 'cool' for an
Indian native princess, to be able to communicate with animals but if we
analyze the thematic outlook in relation to cultural imperialism, one
can infer it's stereotypical imagery that's portrayed of the native
Indians in general as a description of "savages" who associate with
animals and communicate with them.
The other name referred to Indians was "filthy
heathens." As soon as the men landed in the free world, reached the
river and stopped the ship, one of them said, "Its all ours!" - that's
the general way western invaders in history have usually done it one may
argue, they are only recounting history and facts. Romanticism is also
an element that's been played about in this Disney cartoon film; for
instance when John Smith climbs the tree to get a better look of the new
world, Pocahontas's furry friend introduces
himself to Smith, Smith offers the little guy a biscuit, that being an
obvious example of the civilized world. The Governor's dog is spoilt,
with cherries to eat and baths by his own servant, whereas in the land
of the new world, animals all live like they do in the wild, fending for
themselves and looking after themselves, the luxury that's being
depicted of which the dog is used to can in a way give us an outlook on
what the orient's definition of being civilized really means. Media is
an effective tool when it comes to communicating a message, either
consciously or subliminally, just like this, the portrayal of animals in
the film one being spoilt and having no knowledge or likes of being in
the wild and the other not being able to understand where he comes from,
also explain the similar relationship of the natives with the invaders.
Just like in this film, the natives after finding out
about new people coming into the land, still the Indians refer to the
Whites as "visitors" the terminology differs in comparison to how the
Indians are referred to. The Indians are not shown as having hostile
intentions towards the visitors and thus that's why they call them as
such, had they had hostile attitude towards the white conquerors they
could have referred to them as invaders, intruders, aliens or
barbarians. Basic values for the elders, is depicted when the Chief of
the tribe asks the elders of what they think the visitor's motives are
or whether they are dangerous. Over here, one can say Disney plays
it safe in this particular scene, Indian values are depicted for respect
of elders.
In the cartoon, Governor Ratcliff sings a song to his
men telling them to keep digging until they find gold, to cut down
trees, start working. The imagery shows them ripping apart the land
which was previously filled with trees. Greed and going after gold and
money is shown as something of a pivotal goal and its greed which has
brought the white man to the new land, greed for riches and gold. The
natives refer to whites now as the "beasts who invade our shores" and
then shoot our people, is the exact replication of the age old concept
of colonialism. The basic fundamentals of imperialistic behaviour and
thought are translated by the first exchange of communication between Pocahontas
and John Smith where he tells her his people will make roads and cities
in the new world and when she disagrees that her people's houses are
fine the way they are, he replies back in a very arrogant, superior
fashion that her people don't know any better and don't know how to use
the space fruitfully. Pocahontas gets mad when
Smith calls her people savages, when he tries to explain why he said
that, he explains further, "Savages are people who are uncivilized."
The question that ponders one's mind is this: what exact message is this
cartoon sending kids who barely even know anything about their own
culture? Later on, the visitors are referred to as 'White demons,' which
depicts the building hatred of the native for the white man who invades
their land.
Pocahontas is believed to
have existed but there are conflicting historical accounts of her story.
But, according to the actual Powhatan tribe to which Pocahontas belonged to, the Pocahontas
myth "love" story and the bravery of how she saved John Smith is full
of distortions, especially about how Disney depicts and tells the story;
According to Chief Crazy Horse of the Powhatan Renape Nation; he says
on the Powhatan Organization's website that his people offered help to
Disney in an effort to represent factual historical accounts of Pocahontas
myth being accurately depicted to audiences, but Disney rejected their
help and Roy Disney released a statement to a complaint launched by the
Powhatan tribes people that the Disney film is "responsible, accurate
and respectful."*
The Powhatan people strongly disagree with Disney's bias. Pocahontas
has been romanticized, portrayed in the movie as a young, fully
developed woman, whereas historical accounts as well as the tribe's head
(Chief Crazy Horse of Powhatan tribe) claims Pocahontas
was no more than 11 years of age, when she met John Smith. According to
the Powhatans, the history as recorded by the English themselves, is
badly falsified in the name of "entertainment".*
The supposedly wise grandmother-spirit willow tree agrees with Pocahontas
that 'Coku,' the young man from her own people and tribe, who is in
love with her and who her father wishes her to marry, is too serious and
boring, but agrees with Pocahontas that the
dashing Englishman is the one she should rightly be in love with. This
depiction is also a violation of indigenous knowledge and wisdom, and also
undermines indigenous cultural custom. Is it something exciting for
dark-skinned native girls to do? Go against family, tribe, tradition,
and culture and fall in love with a white Englishman, who is supposedly
handsome. It is highly unlikely that a wise grandmother-spirit would
advise her grandchild to do such a thing, thus this film violates
historical authenticity implicitly, for its consumer-audience and
against the customs or traditions of these pre-American peoples who are
seen as old fashioned and in-appropriate in the cartoon film.
What is astonishing is the fact that Pocahontas
was really a little girl in recorded history, but in this cartoon the
audiences are oblivious to that idea and pretty much all audiences
accept the way Pocahontas has been shown in the
film, as a mature, voluptuous young woman, which is a distortion of the
truth. Not only is this a negative portrayal of her, but one can link
this whole distortion of facts as a deliberate move on Disney's part to
erase the aspect of paedophilia on the part of John Smith, perhaps for
the sake of better entertainment? This is because some evidence also
suggests that since Pocahontas was underage,
John Smith might have been a child rapist. One can only ponder why
Disney follows such a unique formula, no wonder the Powhatan tribe
disagrees with Disney's portrayal of Pocahontas, certainly it is an abusive fabrication. Not only that, but throughout
the cartoon, one can see the hints and the indications of the native
woman (Pocahontas) being portrayed to have a desiring body, and that is exoticism at its best! Disney gives sexual imagery to the love story of Pocahontas,
it is a formula that has been used before on 'The Little Mermaid' where
Ariel is made to look sexual from the way she dances under water to the
transference of emotions. Similarly, in Pocahontas,
one can say Disney produced something that translates the
cultural superiority felt by Europeans at that time, in conquering and
invading new lands. To them, indigenous people were understood to be
"uncivilized savages." There is a famous saying - history always repeats
itself in a cycle. Perhaps, animation films like Pocahontas,
are in fact a double edged sword which border around several hidden
messages, and children are the main targets of these hidden messages
which are of culturally imperialistic nature. Culturally imperialist and
neo-colonist thought and perception will not die anytime soon, not in
people's minds, not in movies and certainly not in animation films.
References:
#Collins Essential English Dictionary 2nd Edition 2006 HarperCollins Publishers 2004, 2006.
# Powhatan Renape Nation; 'The Pocahontas Myth' Website: http://www.powhatan.org/pocc.
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