Disney’s upcoming live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid” has sparked controversy after the company announced it has made changes to the original songs. Find out how Disney’s latest move adds to the growing culture of hypersensitivity and censorship.
It seems that corporate virtue-signaling has reached a new peak with the live-action remake of the old classic “The Little Mermaid” set to release on May 26.
Disney, the company behind the breathtaking animation aesthetic of the 1989 classic, announced that it would change the lyrics of two famous songs in the remake.
Let’s see what Disney is planning to release
The ostensible reason behind these changes is that the lyrics feature aspects of the story that are no longer palatable in our “more socially acceptable” culture. However, as we delve deeper into the motivations, one must question whether cultural sensitivity has gone too far.
“The Little Mermaid” explores the story of a young mermaid princess who yearns to explore the world beyond the sea, where she falls in love with a human prince. One of the changes in the remake is in the song “Kiss the Girl.” The lyrics have been modified so that the audience understands better that Prince Eric would not “force himself” on the titular character.
In the original, the lyrics read: “Yes, you want her. Look at her, you know you do. Possibly she wants you, too. There is one way to ask her. It doesn’t take a word. Not a single word. Go on and kiss the girl.”
While the original lyrics come off as playful and endearing, Disney has decided to water them down by changing a few words that might be considered inappropriate in the common era. The notion that Disney would change lyrics to one of the most iconic songs in the original movie to cater to today’s overly sensitive audiences is even more concerning.
Another change in the lyrics is in the song “Poor Unfortunate Souls.” Ursula, the sea witch, sings about wanting to manipulate Ariel and indicates that women should not speak out of turn. However, Disney has revised these lyrics to avoid making young girls feel that they should not speak out of turn. While the changes in “Kiss the Girl” are harmless, one wonders whether this revision is an attempt to enforce political correctness on the next generation.
Another major reveal for the new movie is that the character of Ursula has been molded to fit the image of a burlesque performer.
Hollywood star Melissa McCarthy has proudly revealed her character in Disney’s live-action version of The Little Mermaid has burlesque roots.
Mccarthy stated that the live action version of the character Ursula “100 per cent” drew inspiration from burlesque performers for her turn as the voice-stealing villain, before revealing her characterisation of Ursula goes even deeper than that because of what lives inside her.
Mccarthy stated “There’s a drag queen who lives in me. I’m always right on the verge of going full-time with her,”
Disney’s decision to censor the lyrics of “The Little Mermaid” is not surprising, given that the entertainment industry is becoming increasingly obsessed with virtue-signaling. The changes to the lyrics of the film’s most famous songs will undoubtedly disappoint many viewers who wanted to see the original story depicted in the live-action version. Ultimately, Disney’s eagerness to hop aboard the political correctness bandwagon appears to be a capitulation to a culture that is becoming increasingly hypersensitive to every perceived offense, no matter how innocuous. The question becomes, where does one draw the line? When we attempt to shield our children from the reality of the world we live in, we may be doing them more harm than good.
As the premiere date for “The Little Mermaid” approaches, it is uncertain how audiences will react to these changes. However, one thing is clear: Disney’s attempts to censor language to make its productions more politically correct are not winning it any new fans. Rather than compromising its creative works to cater to the whims of ever-changing politically correct concerns, Disney should focus on creating engaging stories that instill values and entertain us all.
Let’s continue this conversation, in the comments below.
