Disney branding itself as a healthful, magical firm the place desires come true, the place glad endings are inside everybody’s grasp, has all the time been treacly sufficient to irk me. However now, after watching “The American Dream and Different Fairy Tales,” I really feel assured in calling that narrative an outright lie. Directed by Disney scion Abigail E. Disney and Kathleen Hughes, the documentary makes use of the company, particularly its theme parks, as a case examine on the malignancy of American capitalism. Spoiler alert: This movie is not going to encourage that heat, fuzzy feeling you affiliate with “Magnificence and the Beast” or Disney World.
After we spoke to Abigail Disney about “The American Dream” throughout its Sundance run, she revealed that her largest problem whereas making the movie was “[her] personal worry.” She defined, “[the] worry of betraying my household, of being hesitant to talk the entire reality, of constructing myself so susceptible to criticism and assault.” Happily, that worry didn’t stop her from taking a protracted, arduous take a look at what her household’s firm has turn out to be, and the bigger tradition it upholds and advantages from.
In 2018, then-Disney CEO Bob Iger made $65.5 million. On the similar time, many Disney parks workers had to decide on between shopping for meals or medicine as a result of they couldn’t afford each on their wage. Needing meals stamps, sleeping in vehicles, and insufficient medical protection are additionally widespread issues spotlighted within the doc. All the major topics, at one level or one other, confess they thought they’d be additional alongside, have extra monetary safety, by this time of their lives — they vary in age from mid-20s to mid-50s.
After all, Disney isn’t the one firm doing morally reprehensible shit — it’s only one gear in an enormous, grasping machine. In its 87 minutes “The American Dream” effectively breaks down how staff rights have systematically been dismantled up to now 50 years or so, whereas reminding us that the American financial system was born out of stolen Indigenous land and slave labor. It’s biased by design. But, by some means, our nationwide consciousness is managed by magical considering: should you do what you’re alleged to do, work arduous and observe the principles, something your coronary heart needs will come to you. We maintain shopping for into that very Disneyfied ethos, even because the disgustingly wealthy get disgustingly richer, and the working poor work tougher simply to get poorer.
Within the time since Abigail Disney and Hughes made this movie — and because the pandemic-era financial state of affairs has turn out to be extra untenable within the U.S. — the Disney legacy has solely gotten thornier. The bottom minimal wage for park workers was raised however present Disney CEO Bob Chapek made $32.5 million final yr, greater than double his 2020 earnings. He additionally appears nice with jacking up park ticket costs simply because, and, initially, he basically shrugged on the notion of Florida’s asinine Don’t Say Homosexual invoice.
Once more, within the spirit of equity, Disney is only one evil company in a tradition stuffed with them. They aren’t involved in being on the best aspect of historical past, at the least not on this time limit — simply take a look at how studios have dragged their toes in response to the showrunner coalition’s very affordable abortion entry calls for. As a lot as “The American Dream and Different Fairy Tales” bursts the beautiful little bubble Disney has constructed round itself, it additionally emphasizes one thing that has turn out to be more and more clear up to now decade: we are able to’t rely on companies to do the best factor on their very own. Their toes need to be held to the hearth, by us. As a result of, let’s bear in mind, there are much more of us than them.
“The American Dream and Different Fairy Tales” is now in theaters and might be accessible on VOD September 23.
Supply: Women And Hollywood
