Disney Nostalgia

I've been thinking about Disney for a while. The glory days of my childhood went along with the end and climax of Disney's glory days. Beauty and the Beast was the best. Of course there were the classics: Cinderella, Peter Pan, Sleeping Beauty. And there were the contemporaries of Beauty and the Beast: Aladdin, Little Mermaid, even Tarzan and Mulan.

Then, when I was a little too old for animated movies, came Toy Story. Or maybe at this point the animated movies changed, and I didn't like the change. The CG revolution came over Disney. Since then there have been a lot of Disney movies, including Toy Story 2, many made with computer animation.

In Toy Story 2, Woody is looking for immortality in a museum, having realized that Andy is growing up, and that the boy's toys will soon be obsolete. Jessie has already been there, and sings a wonderful song about the good old days when she was loved. Then she was forgotten, and she wonders about the purpose of life after love. It's a nostalgic movie. Cars and The Incredibles are similarly backwards-looking.

Contrast this with the themes of the classics: Someday my Prince will Come. A Dream is a Wish your Heart Makes. Wish upon a Star. Peter Pan's lost boys are content; they don't want to grow up. Wendy finally decides to grow up, but that's because she's ready. In both cases, the characters are looking forward, eager to keep living each day as it comes. Belle wants adventure.
Even Disney has become cynical, has desired the days of old to return. What happened?

Ecclesiastes 7:10, "Say not thou, What is the cause that the former days were better than these? for thou dost not enquire wisely concerning this."

Incidentally, my favorite modern Disney movie is Monsters, INC, about a cute little girl and a renaissance of energy production in Monster land. It is the most hopeful of the newer movies.

To God be all glory.