It would seem that productions designed to provide entertainment and positive, inspiring values to young audiences would be devoid of obscene messages. Disney, as a renowned film studio, has had clearly defined standards from the beginning of its existence, the observance of which is crucial in content aimed primarily at children. Many viewers, however, look for ambiguous plots or frames in iconic animations from several decades ago, and they share their observations online by publishing sample fragments from well-known fairy tales.
You’ll never look at this scene from The Lion King the same again. An oversight by the creators or a deliberate action?
Before Disney started making full-length productions, it gained popularity with animations lasting several minutes. At that time, the people responsible were often omitted in the credits, including: for special effects. To mark their participation in the creation of the painting, the creators placed the so-called Easter Eggs, i.e. slogans referring to sexual themes. This situation occurred, among others, in one of the most beautiful and touching Disney animations of 1994, “The Lion King”.
The plot of the production focuses on the fate of Simba, who was unjustly expelled from the royal house. The young lion must face many obstacles to finally prove his innocence and rule the jungle as the rightful heir to the throne. It would seem that this type of fairy tale cannot contain controversial scenes, but nothing could be further from the truth. Do you remember the moment when a young lion lies on a slope, looking at the starry sky. As a child, you probably didn’t notice the inscription that a constellation forms for a few seconds.
As soon as the production hit the big screens, the scene immediately attracted the attention of representatives of the conservative community, including: Donald Wildmon. First, he accused the creators of acting intentionally, and later publicly accused Disney of promoting promiscuity among young people. This caused a worldwide scandal. The studio quickly responded to the allegations, explaining that the dust, contrary to most people’s beliefs, stands for the abbreviation “SFX”, which was supposed to be a reference to the team responsible for the special effects in this animation. Although the controversy surrounding the scene subsided over time, many still did not believe the producers’ explanations.
Tower or male penis? The poster of “The Little Mermaid” caused a loud scandal
The production was controversial many times, even before it hit the cinema screens. The poster promoting it caused the first huge stir. Astute observers noticed that one of the towers of the castle, against which the key characters were depicted, was created in the image of a male sexual organ in a moment of excitement.
The case became the subject of many legends, and one of them claimed that the graphic artist expected to be fired. To thumb his nose at his employer, he decided to “diversify” his last project. As this theory became popular, the studio decided to speak out. Disney denied that this was true, arguing that the graphic designer was still employed and working on further animations. However, the creators decided to make a correction, improving the famous turret to resemble the others. Despite this, many still couldn’t get the previous version out of their minds, so the cover was eventually replaced with a new one.
The creators of “The Little Mermaid” overlooked a small detail. The case went to court
But that’s not the end. Just after the premiere, another scandal broke out, and the reason was one of the moments from the memorable wedding scene in which the insidious Ursula impersonated the beautiful Ariel. Of course, it was about the priest who was supposed to give the couple a blessing. At the moment when the lovers were approaching the altar, the attention of the viewers was caught by his… penis.
The cadre did not go unnoticed and was criticized by many circles. Even a Christian organization from Stafford, famous for its conservative views, spoke out on the matter. Its members decided that this was not the first time that Disney creators promoted pornography and decided to take the case to court. During the proceedings, it was determined that it was actually the priest’s knee. The mistake resulted from an oversight by the animators who did not include the second leg in the image.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
