Hello,
My name is bwings and I loved the suntots when I was a child.
In recent years the United Nations actually went as far as naming Tinker Bell an Honorary Ambassador of Green. But Disney, Dr. Seuss and many others were way ahead of them on this. Subliminally or outright teaching us about the environment we live in and how we should treat it with respect. Some of my childhood favorites as well as later loves and friendly suggestions from friends are below. Maybe some that will strike a chord with you.
Charlotte's Web - As a child I loved the music, the animals and the story. I can't think of anything I didn't like in this movie was a child. I was always said when the spider passes (if that's a spoiler for you I am quite sad for you). I adore this movie as an adult for teaching valuable life lessons to children. You learn about choices, what meat comes from, death, friends drifting apart. As Asmerus said, it doesn't sugarcoat it for you like some modern movies and shows would. Main characters die, pork is a dead animal and life isn't easy. Of course this could be in part due to it's having been based on a novel.
Stop the Smoggies - A tv show that I loved as a child. I don't really know why, I just really loved these characters. The suntots were just so loveable and the smoggies so dense about their foolish ways. I loved that there was always karmic punishment for Emma's abuse of her surrounding nature. As an adult I appreciate this show for getting the eco-friendly messages across without making it preachy. I haved watched some now and it seems so obvious I mean just listen to their theme song! As a child I just sang along and took in the message without being distracted. Poor graphics or not this was a fun show.
Bambi - I always hated when the mother met her end. I would wince and look away from the tv. Even though they never showed the final shot it troubled me that people would do this to animals. Movies like Bambi certainly made me more aware as a child of the injustice bestowed on animals. Combine that with growing up on a farm and you have who I am today. As an adult I still am saddened when poor Bambi turns and says, "we made it mother!" only to find a cold and frozen world of snow (subliminal message perhaps) I don't cry anymore but it's not my favorite part of the movie. My favorite part is easily the owl teaching the hormone ridden animals about the birds and the bees. ;p
Brave Little Toaster - A group of toys and trinkets are tossed out. I can't tell you how boring I found this movie. It dragged on and on and on. I still can barely handle this movie. But there were parts of it that got my attention and were funny or thrilling. When they are lost in the woods, when they are met with those crazy modified electronics or the escape from the evil magnet of doom. Sure it had it's moments and made me feel guilty about throwing things out. I still get a little sad when I see all those singing cars getting crushed. Made me a bit of a hoarder maybe, but it also encouraged my passing things down or giving them away. As an adult I still think they could have made it a little more entertaining for the kids. The best parts were the musical bits and the rest are just so dry and lost on them. What kid knows what "carcinogenic" means?
Free Willy - Another message that wasn't as effective on me, certainly showed some of the hidden truth behind these beautiful caged majestic creatures. Also served as a reminder that they are still animals and as unpredictable as animals can get. Oh, and I can certainly still play the theme song on the keyboard, was never a big fan of Michael Jackson but this song will always make me think of that whale.
Fern Gully - I didn't own this movie as a child and so I don't remember it as much. But I don't think I really need to go into too much detail about the storyline. It deals with the problems in the rainforest today in a way that children can understand. Anti-deforestation message with pixies.
Pocahontas - I loved the music as a child. I wanted to be pocahontas some days and be able to communicate with the earth and trees. Other days I wanted to be a firefighter, I was a kid, of course I wanted to be different things daily. But Pocahontas certainly got a few messages across to me. I opened my eyes to the ignorance some have towards both the earth as well as different cultures. As a child it made me think a little more about the differences between us and animals as well as other races. I began to question the more racist things I heard on a daily basis in the news. People questioning how Eastern culture lives, feminism, language barriors and of course I questioned why we felt we had the right to kill animals. Yes, Pocahontas molded me just as much as the rest in my childhood. As an adult I still absolutely adore the music and if Color of the wind comes on I belt it out with my out of tune untrained voice with all the energy I can muster.
101 Dalmations - The lady turned helpless animals into fur. Was there any question that this would be on my list of influential movies? As a child I loved the music, the story, the animals. As an adult I love that they convey the anti-fur message without traumatizing the children.
The Rescuers Down Under - This movie was filled with animal love, I never owned it but we had a recorded copy that would go purple and splotchy and I watched it until it dragged. In fact when my baby brother was born and I was told of his name I was so sad. My mother asked me why and I said because I had wanted to name the baby Bianca! I later would name my rescue cat Bianca after the little mouse.
The Jungle Book - Who didn't love that bear teaching us about how we only need the bare necessites.
Brother Bear - Such a touching story about putting yourself in someone else's shoes. In this case it also uses animals and as a result shows how humans change the lives of animals as well. I definitely teared up when I first watched this movie. I still find it very touching and influential while having a lot of funny moments and not destroying childhood innocence any more than Bambi did. "Let's get a backseat or something, I look like you hunted me!"
Finding Nemo - Didn't really change me too much, but I'm also an adult so subliminal kid things shouldn't change me now right? But I thought they captured the persona's of certain animals (Sea Gulls) very well.
Shark Tales - A shark that wants to be a vegetarian. Sure it's mocking the mofia but come on... a shark that doesn't want to kill anything.
Little Mermaid - As a kid the fish death DEFINITELY made me not want to eat fish. As an adult I don't think this was subliminal implanting at all. Just one of those things intended to be funny that reads the truth to children. Mind you I already didn't want to eat fish long before watching this. My father once took me fishing. This started by capturing worms which was fun. Then he stuck a hook through the worm. I remember being so upset by this! I wouldn't do it! Then my father caught a big trout and it was tossed in a bucket. I was so excited, "look at the beautiful - ahh what are you doing?!" I had visions of this fish in a tank swimming around for me to feed. As my grandfather picked it up and smashed it's head down hard on a rock my stomach turned. Then to watch him pull out his switchblade and slit it's fishy throat. :( I never went fishing again!
Wall-E - Off the vegetarian train, focus more on pollution. Wall-E obviously wasn't from my childhood but I still loved it. I know not what effect it might have on a subliminal level with children until this generation is older. But I can speak as an adult that it speaks volumes about the way we are treating the earth as a disposable utensil. The earth will be around long after we're gone, we're not saving the earth, we're saving ourselves.
Animals are Beautiful People - Again, a movie I watched as an adult, but to see how the other side lives was very educational. Presented in an amusing fashion with delightful sound effects and fabricated story lines of romances and drama. The drunken animals from the ripe fruit remains by far my favorite part!
Over the Hedge - Another lovable animal story. There seem to be a lot of them. This one is of course focused on how animals struggle to survive in a city. I was speaking of this topic not that long ago. In our 10 tree big woods there are deer, coyotes, raccoons and potheads. The later certainly isn't endangered in the city but the rest of them are finding their homes shrunk.
Happy Feet - To be honest I was let down by this movie. But yet again it's a movie that takes you on a path as the animals to show you what we are doing to their environment. First they make us love those little happy feet and then they show how we are destroying them. Clever and common in these movies. I just really didn't understand why Robin Williams needed to be the voice of two main characters and a third random character. I love him as a voice actor, of course, but there are more than he!
Captain Planet and the Planeteers - I have never watched this but from what I see in the intro I can see how environmental it must be. I couldn't find a good copy of the song with the video but Check out this fanboy response!
The Lorax - I can't remember reading this but Dr. Seuss had a lot of great hits for teaching kids valuable lessons about loving all people "Horton Hears a Who" The important line in this would be "Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to happen it's not." I do wonder if "the word of the Lorax" seems a little close to "The word of the Lord" ?
The Greenzys - The greenzys is newer introduction of characters. A book, a website and 12" all green plushies, oh and a theme song but nothing to connect the theme song too. They might do more with it but for now, unless that story is phenomenal it's just another green idea. What's special about them is that their dolls are made from Soy Fibers and non-toxic dyes, packaged in recycled paperboard and with any purchase from the greenzys a portion of the money is donated to a green charity.
March of the Penguin - I haven't watched this yet, I do have it on my ever growing list of movies to watch and I imagine my animal loving daughter will adore the flapping, flightless birds. I might want to watch it first though to see if there are any bloody seal parts that might scare a 1 year old. I don't intend to hide death from her, I just don't see the point in subjecting her to terrifying moments at such a young age.
Arctic Tale - Another I have yet to watch, I hear there are some sad moments of animal death but that is the point of movies like this they are real. Again, will watch before I let the beast watch it. That is, however, my job as a mom.
What movies, tv shows or books influenced your inner flower child?
I've had far too much subliminal green talk for today, I'm going to go dance play outside with my daughter and enjoy nature at it's finest!
Your friendly neighborhood hippie mom.
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