Top 10 Disney subliminal messages that went over your head
Subliminal messages have long been embedded in fan favourite shows and films. Disney is particularly famous for doing this, and decoding Disney subliminal messages is a popular hobby among Disney fans.
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Filmmakers sometimes hide adult symbols in Disney movies. Their genius is that they are well crafted to evade the innocent child’s mind but become more obvious when one watches the films as an adult.
Disney subliminal messages that went over your head
These 10 subliminal messages in Disney movies probably went over your head.
1. Racy silhouette in the flames in The Hunchback of Notre Dame
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The Hunchback of Notre Dame is possibly one of Disney’s most risky films. The themes in the original story were rather mature, yet they had to be adapted for a young audience. In one scene, Esmeralda’s figure can be seen in flames. It is a rather detailed silhouette for a children’s film, but one would need to pause the movie to see the image.
Most other hidden messages in Disney movies are added for fun and do not add to the plot. However, this one is different because it highlights one of the key conflicts of the film: Judge Claude Frollo’s unholy desire for Esmeralda. Additionally, Frollo sings, ‘This fire in my skin, This burning desire, Is turning me to sin’.
2. Illuminati messaging in DuckTales?
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Fans and conspiracy theorists go a bit wild with the theories on hidden Disney messages and what they mean. In one DuckTales scene, Uncle Scrooge sits sadly on an examination bed. There is an eye chart on the wall behind him that spells out ‘ASK ABOUT ILLUMINATI’.
This started a lot of speculation on the intention of the message. Was it a jab at the Illuminati conspiracy theorists? Other fans believed that Disney was trying to communicate a deeper message. As far as hidden messages go, this one was plain to see.
3. Aladdin
In the scene where Aladdin, disguised as the Prince, goes up on his magic carpet to see Jasmine, he whispers something in the background. Fans believe he whispered, “Good teenagers, take off your clothes.” Instead, according to Disney representatives, he says, “C’mon…good kitty. Take off and go,” but Disney diehards do not buy this explanation.
In another scene, Aladdin is kicked out of a house full of beautiful women because he is poor. Viewers have dug deeper and believe he was at a brothel in the scene, which would explain why all the women are gorgeous and broke people are not allowed.
4. Donald Duck’s R-rated speech
Donald Duck is allegedly heard cursing in multiple scenes. One of the main character points about Donald Duck is his speech impediment. Since most of what he says sounds like gibberish, fans think he gets away with a lot, including heavy use of curse words in anger.
5. ‘Feel the love' in The Lion King
When Nala goes out to find help after Scar’s rule ruins their home, she runs into an adult Simba. They fight, then talk, playing and nuzzling to Elton John’s “Can You Feel The Love Tonight?” As a child, this appeared to be a sweet innocent moment between old friends.
However, watching the movie as an adult, Nala was definitely giving Simba the ‘bedroom eyes’ in that scene. Considering the song choice and the fact that shortly after, they go back to Pride Rock, overthrow Scar, and then have a cub, that scene makes perfect sense. Timon was right; in the sweet caress of twilight, Simba and Nala 'felt the love'.
6. Anti-government messaging in A Bug’s Life
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Some Disney hidden messages are in the overall storyline rather than one scene, and this film is one such example. Even for a child, A Bug’s Life is heartbreaking. The ants work hard for the grasshoppers but suffer at their hands. Lovers of the film have drawn parallels between the grasshoppers’ actions and those of many governments worldwide.
At some point, Hopper, the head grasshopper, tells the other grasshoppers, ''Yes, one ant is weak against us; but if they work together, they would be more powerful''. This is a clear message for the ants (and the people that they represent) that they can unite and defeat the bad leaders. No wonder it is a popular film among adults.
7. Stockholm syndrome in Beauty and the Beast?
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Beauty and the Beast delivers the happy ending for which Disney movies are beloved. But for an adult viewer, is it really a happy ending? Many fans think not, as Belle’s decisions seem to be driven by Stockholm syndrome.
Stockholm syndrome is described as a coping mechanism for people in captivity. People who are abused for a long time often develop positive feelings towards their abusers or captors. Because Belle is still a hostage when she falls in love with the beast, fans are convinced that the story is not as cute and romantic as it looks.
8. Child trafficking in Pinocchio
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When Pinocchio runs away to Pleasure Island with Lampwick, he finds that it is a place where delinquent boys magically turn into donkeys. They are taken to the mines, then worked to death, literally. It may have played into parents’ warnings to stay away from strangers, but no child's mind could comprehend the parallels with real-world child trafficking.
Not to mention that Pleasure Island is also a place where children are encouraged to engage in habits that children should be kept away from. They get to smoke, drink and fight at will. The premise of Pleasure Island is too dark for young minds to grasp fully.
9. ‘Size doesn’t matter’ in Frozen
Disney’s 2013 movie Frozen is a sweet story, but there is one hidden message that only adults get. While Anna and Kristoff are travelling together, he asks her about the size of Hans’ feet. To this, Anna responds that it doesn’t matter. Of course, it would require those whose minds are in the gutter to catch the popular reference “size doesn’t matter”.
10. Ratatouille’s Linguini had a tiny little ‘chef’
Although Ratatouille is a children's movie, the main characters in the film are adults. Garbage boy Alfredo Linguini pretends to be a good cook to get trained as a master chef. He enlists the help of Remy, a tiny rat who happens to be a naturally talented cook.
In the scene where Linguini tried to come clean to Colette, his teacher and crush, Disney sneaked in a joke only adults would get. As he fumbles to explain Remy to Colette, he says he has “a tiny little…” Before he can say “rat”, Colette drops her gaze quickly then looks back up at him, looking rather unimpressed. The implication in Colette's gaze was not lost on the film's adult fans.
Disney subliminal messages are very popular among die-hard Disney fans. They enjoy digging deep and exploring favourite childhood films with adult eyes. Have you noticed all of the aforementioned hidden symbols?
READ ALSO: Top 10 best Nollywood adventure movies for an exciting evening
Legit.ng recently published an article about Top 10 best Nollywood adventure movies. Adventure movies allow viewers to go on exciting quests and experience the thrill of a dangerous life, all from the comfort of their living rooms.
Although they may sometimes exaggerate things for dramatic effect, Nollywood adventure films portray the ups and downs of Nigerians in their daily lives. Nollywood has released some of the continent’s best adventure movies in the last ten years.
Source: Legit.ng
