Pedantic Hole Poker

~ fancypaperblog

The title of this piece would make my students sit up and listen. I teach boys, aged 12 and up (could be 20 +) so a potentially rude sounding topic is their cup of tea. They might say something like ‘sounds a bit dodge Miss’ and they would be right. So, what am I poking holes in? I had an experience the other day that made me wonder. Am I a pedant when it comes to bloopers in movies? I think not. I don’t look for blue cars turning into red cars, mirrors on a right wall appearing on the left of it etc. In fact when I do spot a blip (Hey Tony Soprano had no pizza and now he had a full one!) I get a surprise. So no. I am not a continuity error pedant. Yet something happened that I did not like. I found myself poking holes in a much loved flick from my childhood.sun-741813_640

My children love the TV. Am I allowed say that? Is it socially acceptable? Should I fib and say they don’t? They do though. It is the truth.

Recently we have had a stab at the odd movie at the weekend that isn’t Frozen. Frozen viewing is a religion in our home as many others (it has hypnotic powers that I find unbelievable) but we are beginning to branch out. I got excited! So on this rainy weekend when the girls had taken turns in being poorly, I introduced The Aristocats. Imagine my excitement! Cute Disney classic from my youth! In the bracket of such Disney movies as The Sword and the Stone, The Black Cauldron or Robin Hood, this is a movie without the desperate underlying tragedies or eerieness of (loved yet paining) classics such as Dumbo, Alice in Wonderland or Pinochio. It is cute and funny, boasting excellent lesser characters

and catchy tunes without too many moments of tear inducing emotive drama. I hadn’t seen it in years but could sing all the tunes at the drop of a hat. I was delighted to share it with my girls.tumblr_m73gypYlp21r5ticgo1_250

We watched.

As we watched, I found something strange happening. It was still cute. Adorable even. I was singing along. Nothing seemed to have changed…but what was it? What was making me uneasy?

It was me! Cynical, thirty seven year old pedantic me with my big old teacher head on. I was poking holes in a Disney Classic.

Sin! CRIME!_-s1qogv

What to do? Having read one of Suzie81speaks.com’s posts about Blogger Inspiration Ideas for Blogging, I realised this was a case for Blogging Therapy.c6654f3f7461a9f257da5520ec0435f3So to cure myself of this horrid feeling, I will talk about it. I will point out the so-called ‘holes’. I will deal with them. I will then live by The First Commandment of the religion I follow which is Frozen and LET IT GO. These are not merely continuity errors (as with all films, there are tons of these here but they don’t bother me), but just observations of a movie made in a different generation being watched in 2017. 

I can then continue to enjoy the cutest movie of all time.

Let the Hole poking commence… (definitely sounds dodgy now)afb3157c3302ca506de45985880f6a9e_400x400

  1. A Myriad of Accents.  Disney of old does this. American Accents in the midst of Sherwood Forest, Camelot or even in the jungle which usually don’t bother me but on this occasion it was all I could hear. American male kittens born to a very French (Hungarian) Duchess (Adelaide). One of her kittens (the cutest little girl, Marie, white with a dinky pink bow) is clearly English. Duchess herself is Eva Gabor. Only thing more Hungarian would have been Zsa Zsa. Hmmm. Yet all her children sound as if they come from other different countries. This didn’t bother a younger me. It also wasn’t bothering my little girls. The only true French accent came from Maurice Chevalier in the opening song. Love that song!maxresdefault.jpg
  2. The Single Mother. In 1988, I never once questioned where Duchess’ kittens came from. Who is the Daddy? As an older person, with thirty years of bad magazines, tabloids and chat shows under my belt, I now cannot help but wonder who fathered these precious and loved kittens? e44d540586667bc20a77fb82ca1ddb56Duchess is a rocking single mother in an aristocratic world. I had never realised as a child. I hadn’t even questioned it! What sort of thought process did innocent me have back then? My girls however asked me several times. Where are the kittens’ Daddy? They weren’t satisfied until Thomas O’Malley (American Irish I assume (Phil Harris voiceover) rocked up. 7e027d728f3f8c9c042cb370e0b82503--kid-movies-disney-movies.jpg
  3. Currency. Madame’s will talks in dollars.1068844_1388905888133_160 Surely francs wouldn’t have confused a nation? Why assume the American currency for a Parisian movie? Oh, the past!! You had little faith in the intelligence of humanity!  maxresdefault-1.jpg
  4. Credits. This isn’t really a hole but more an observation on the style of an older movie. As with Cinderella, my eldest girl couldn’t understand why there was so much writing before the movie began.a-wr-03.jpg It made me realise that my generation accepted credits at the start of a movie and lengthy intros just as we did with music back then (November Rain, Stairway to Heaven etc.) I found myself hurrying up the credits so my little ones wouldn’t lose interest before the pretty little film had begun. I didn’t like that feeling! We are now living in a ‘don’t want to wait’ world and this old movie was just a reminder of that. Watch the credits here for a lovely burst of Olde World Nostalgia. They are lovely to watch really, all orchestral soundtrack and different shades of colour themed to the film. See, I still love it really!

That’s it all. Not too bad really. I actually feel much better! These are not awful things but just changes to adapt to in this modern world.

The Aristocats is not where the holes should be poked. In fact, the interesting bloopers or questions lie with me. I have changed, as have the times and not the Disney classic. In some cases these are good changes, so be not afraid to rewatch those classic movies.

I will leave you with the best quote from the film and having exorcised my pedantic demons, can watch this charming (despite a villainous butler) tale again viewing the ‘holes’ as cute quirks to add to the rest of the adorable moments in this movie and take from it message to women who are happy in their independence.

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62 thoughts on “Pedantic Hole Poker”

  1. I love the old Disney movies! The innocence and simple stories are the best! Thankfully my daughter managed to skip the Frozen fever, she decided it was too girly at 7 and has never really got the whole attraction! But Despicable ME and the Minions… those films could be played on repeat, and the Diary of a Wimpy Kid ones!

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  6. Kids movies, perfect for an aunty nap on a winter’s day while looking after nieces 🙂 Not a big fan, though we did take a couple of other nieces to the movies to watch Shrek they were so embarrassed by my laughter they had left the movie theatre before the lights came on. Kids!

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  8. Aristocats was randomly on in a pub we were in a couple of weeks ago and I remember asking Mr Fletche the same question about the accents! I challenge you Orla to sit down and watch all the classic Disney movies and amuse us with your commentary 🙂

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    1. Well that is an easy challenge😁 what a random film for a pub but am sure beer makes it even better. We are watching Moana a lot right now. I need to go further back though I think! !

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  9. I haven’t thought about this movie in decades, and you’ve made me want to watch it. We have two grandsons who have only seen a tiny fraction of the Disney classics. We’ll put this one on the ‘must see’ list despite its obvious flaws. Glad you worked through your distress and can move on to see another Disney classic!

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  10. I, too, loved the Aristocats as girl! I remember wondering what happened to the kitten’s dad. But then I thought–they’re cats. But THEN I thought, but why are these cats falling in love? Basically, like you, suspending disbelief is the best way to enjoy these kinds of stories. I’m a little worried about watching my childhood favorite, Bedknobs and Broomsticks, again. I remember lots of Cookies and Cream ice cream and hours watching the mail-order witch cast her spells. I wonder what little things I’d notice now that I missed then?

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  11. Wow. Now that’s going back years! I don’t remember being an Aristocrats fan, I was more of a Scooby Doo fan. Now that isn’t Disney but it shows I had a thing for crime fiction even at a young age. LOL! I didn’t watch a lot of TV, I was more of a reader. Nancy Drew….I could talk for hours about those books! 🙂 Great post and thanks for taking me down memory lane! 🙂

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  12. Mind… BLOWN!

    (just so’s you’re not alone in the dodgy comment department 😉 )

    I have so many fond memories of the Aristocats (going back a bit more than 30 years, to be honest), and none of those questions occurred to me either! And I completely agree with Em – you need to start a series called, “Pedantic Hole Poker – The Disney Classics.”

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  13. I love so much about this post! First of all, I love Disney movies. All of them. Actually, no, that’s not true; I refuse to watch the ones that make me cry too hard (Dumbo, Bambi, The Fox and the Hound, etc.). My sister and I also adored Aristocats growing up. In fact, my sister dressed as Marie for Halloween one year! It was so cute, and she kept singing, “Everybody, everybody, everybody wants to be a cat!” Plus, Marie can be so cheeky, and your closing quote is the perfect example. Thanks for bringing me down memory lane!

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  15. Snow white, bambi and pinnochio we were always threatened that our noses would grow like his if we ever told a lie….I loved Snow White although I think if I watched it now I could probably do the same as you have with the aristocats or maybe worse…ha ha I love this post and the memories it has eveoked and I agree with everyone else you should do a series 🙂

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  18. I love Disney movies and come across Disney memes that feature how much the characters say “fool.” I didn’t realize they said it that much. Cinderella and Beauty and The Beast are my favorites.

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  21. I loved Robin Hood as a kid lol. These movies were great to watch and so much fun. Why does our mind have to spoil things for us as we get older.
    #fortheloveofBLOG

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  24. I love the Disney classics, we’re a Disney family through and through but the classics will always have a special place in my heart. Luckily my girls already love the classics along with the newer ones- fingers crossed it’ll stay that way! Thank you for sharing with #bigpinklink x

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  25. This is fantastic. Such an original post! The fact we can’t wait these days is a bad habit I feel. Bring back credits before the movie begins! Thanks for linking up to #fortheloveofblog

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  26. Pingback: How to Hygge with Ophelia and Children | fancypaper

  27. The Aristocats is one of my old favorites. I haven’t watched it recently (since I’ve become an adult, I’m sure), but I had a similar experience that you’ve described when the third Toy Story movie came out. I was in college, and was feeling extra nostalgic because Andy’s age trajectory throughout all three movies matched mine; I think I saw it in the theater with some friends. Anyway, I kept thinking about Andy’s “missing” dad – he’s never mentioned (as far as I can remember) in any of the movies, and while it doesn’t bother me, it certainly wasn’t something I remember noticing when I was a child.

    It’s so interesting that your eldest pointed out the credits at the beginning of the Cinderella movie. I enjoy old movies (Audrey Hepburn movies, apart from these old Disney movies), and I enjoy the beginning credits because of the reasons you’ve noted (music, the art and color). But it’s certainly a consequence of our time that they’re at the end (or maybe it’s another reason, I don’t know :P). Great post! 🙂

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    1. Andy’s dad has bypassed me….what?? I must look again! Ts3 is on my top horror film list. I bawl crying. Touched deep nerves xx
      The credits of old movies are the best. So you re member ones with obviously painted images; just shot again and again? And music that may not match genre but could be really beautiful.
      I loved the credits of The Magnificent Seven- just a banging tune and so ready for the movie then!
      Theold movie with the best closing credits was The Bridge on the River Kwai- again all killer soundtrack. I whistled and whistled along to that!!

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      1. Haha yep! There are so many fan theories out there about what happened to him – illness, divorce, out of the picture (pun intended). And I agree, it’s definitely a horror film. Got to me good, too.
        And yes, the mismatch! It really blended together the different types of art (still images, music, then the acting in the actual movie), which may be too deep of an analysis but I enjoy it all the same.

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