The Gospel According to Disney

by Pinsky, Mark I.

• ISBN13: 9780664225919
• ISBN10: 0664225918
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-07-01
• Publisher: Westminster John Knox Pr

Summary

In this follow-up to his bestsellingThe Gospel According to The Simpsons: The Spiritual Life of the World's Most Animated Family, religion journalist Mark Pinsky explores the role that the animated features of Walt Disney played on the moral and spiritual development of generations of children. Pinsky explores thirty-one of the most popular Disney films, as well as recent developments such as the 1990s boycott of Disney by the Southern Baptist Convention and the role that Michael Eisner and Jeffrey Katzenberg played in the resurgance of the company since the mid-1980s.

Table of Contents

Introduction	ix
Methodology	xv
1 The Disney Gospel: Secular 'Toonism	1	(12)
Part One: The Disney Years: 1937-1984	13	(106)
2 Walt and Roy: The Christians	15	(7)
3 Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937): Sin and Salvation	22	(6)
4 Pinocchio (1940): Prove Yourself	28	(5)
5 Fantasia (1940): The Sorcerer's Mascot	33	(7)
6 Dumbo (1940): Mother Love	40	(6)
7 Bambi (1942): Man Is in the Forest	46	(6)
8 Cinderella (1950): Prince Charming II	52	(5)
9 Alice in Wonderland (1951): Take the Red Pill	57	(4)
10 Peter Pan (1953): Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust	61	(8)
11 Lady and the Tramp (1955): Mixed Marriage	69	(5)
12 Sleeping Beauty (1959): Not in Death	74	(5)
13 101 Dalmatians (1961): Black and White	79	(4)
14 The Sword and the Stone (1963): Knowledge Is King	83	(5)
15 The Jungle Book (1967): Nature and Nurture	88	(6)
16 Robin Hood (1973): Tax Rebates	94	(5)
17 The Fox and the Hound (1981): Nature and Nurture Redux	99	(5)
18 The Black Cauldron (1985): Contains Occult Material	104	(5)
19 Shorts: Pagans, Jews, and Christians	109	(10)
Part Two: The Eisner Years: 1984-2004	119	(108)
20 Michael and Jeffrey: The Jews	121	(17)
21 The Little Mermaid (1989): Upward Mobility	138	(5)
22 Beauty and the Beast (1991): Feminism, Transformation, and Redemption	143	(5)
23 Aladdin (1992): Encountering Islam	148	(6)
24 The Lion King (1994): Karma on the Savannah	154	(6)
25 Pocahontas (1995): Animating Animism	160	(7)
26 The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996): The House of the Lord	167	(8)
27 Hercules (1997): Superman, Samson, and Delilah	175	(4)
28 Mulan (1998): Woman of Valor	179	(6)
29 Tarzan (1999): Taming the Savage	185	(4)
30 The Emperor's New Groove (2000): Eminent Domain	189	(5)
31 Atlantis (2001): Adventure Capitalism	194	(9)
32 Lilo and Stitch (2002): Send in the Clone	203	(6)
33 Treasure Planet (2002): Mining the Father Lode	209	(6)
34 Return to Neverland (2002): Faith, Trust, and Pixie Dust II	215	(5)
35 Brother Bear (2003): Primitive Predestination	220	(7)
Part Three: Disney and American Culture	227	(41)
36 The Theme Parks: American Pilgrimage	229	(9)
37 The Baptist Boycott: Culture Clash	238	(24)
38 Conclusion: Questions and Answers	262	(6)
Acknowledgments	268	(3)
Bibliography	271	(3)
Index	274