Links to articles on the 1995 Disney film, Pocahontas
But first, a video commentary by Lindsay Ellis, called "Pocahontas Was a Mistake, and Here's Why!"
I just recently (Mar. 2019) stumbled on this 2017 video commentary on Disney's Pocahontas and Moana. Lindsay Ellis (channel link) is a pleasant speaker, and she's put together a very professional video of clips and critique that is sometimes insightful. Not surprisingly, she's pretty negative about Pocahontas, because that movie, made 24 years ago, will always be fair game for its portrayal of an indigenous heroine. I don't have the perfect place to embed this video, but I'll put it here for now. Her set-up is a little lengthy, so once you get the joke, feel free to skip to about the 1:45 minute mark, where the real commentary begins.
I just recently (Mar. 2019) stumbled on this 2017 video commentary on Disney's Pocahontas and Moana. Lindsay Ellis (channel link) is a pleasant speaker, and she's put together a very professional video of clips and critique that is sometimes insightful. Not surprisingly, she's pretty negative about Pocahontas, because that movie, made 24 years ago, will always be fair game for its portrayal of an indigenous heroine. I don't have the perfect place to embed this video, but I'll put it here for now. Her set-up is a little lengthy, so once you get the joke, feel free to skip to about the 1:45 minute mark, where the real commentary begins.
Links to Articles
Pocahontas: An Exercise in Mythmaking and Marketing
by Frederic Gleach (2006)
Frederic Gleach wrote the book Powhatan's World and Colonial Virginia (1997), a history of the Powhatan Indians that is an alternative to the Helen Rountree treatments. In the article linked here, he discusses Disney's take on Pocahontas and puts the film in context with other Pocahontas myths that have appeared over the centuries.
by Frederic Gleach (2006)
Frederic Gleach wrote the book Powhatan's World and Colonial Virginia (1997), a history of the Powhatan Indians that is an alternative to the Helen Rountree treatments. In the article linked here, he discusses Disney's take on Pocahontas and puts the film in context with other Pocahontas myths that have appeared over the centuries.
Does Disney's Pocahontas Do More Harm Than Good? Your Thoughts (The Atlantic)
by Chris Bodenner (Jun 30, 2015)
by Chris Bodenner (Jun 30, 2015)
Pocahontas Legend Hides Unromantic Realities : Cultures: Disney tale reflects current values more than historical truths, experts say.
by Los Angeles Times / Religion News Service (June 24, 1995)
by Los Angeles Times / Religion News Service (June 24, 1995)
Stephen Schwartz Comments on Disney’s Pocahontas (PDF)
Stephen Schwartz, lyricist; stephenschwartz.com
Stephen Schwartz, lyricist; stephenschwartz.com
`Pocahontas' Said to Belie Oral History
by Roanoke Times, Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
by Roanoke Times, Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
A Great Spirit - Shirley Custalow-McGowan, Pocahontas Consultant, Spends Her Time, Money To Educate People About American Indians
by David Nicholson, Newport News Daily Press, June 24, 1995
by David Nicholson, Newport News Daily Press, June 24, 1995
Reservations about Films: Disney's Pocahontas
by Cindy Dunne and Jordan Kolinski, Lakota Children's Enrichment (LCE), Sept. 11, 2015
by Cindy Dunne and Jordan Kolinski, Lakota Children's Enrichment (LCE), Sept. 11, 2015
Maidens of Hollywood : 'Pocahontas' is the pure expression of filmmakers' fantasies about Indian women.
by Angela Aleiss, L.A. Times, June 24, 1995
by Angela Aleiss, L.A. Times, June 24, 1995
Disney gives Pocahontas sexiest cartoon image ever
by Deborah Bradley, Dallas Morning News, reprinted in The Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, VA. June 23, 1995
by Deborah Bradley, Dallas Morning News, reprinted in The Free Lance-Star, Fredericksburg, VA. June 23, 1995
Thoughtful `Pocahontas' A Surprisingly Mature Film - Gene Siskel Review
by Gene Siskel, articles.chicagotribune.com; June 16, 1995
by Gene Siskel, articles.chicagotribune.com; June 16, 1995
A Lukewarm Indian Summer - Desson Howe Review
by Desson Howe, Washington Post Staff Writer, June 23, 1995 .
by Desson Howe, Washington Post Staff Writer, June 23, 1995 .
Emerson Goes to the Movies: Individualism in Walt Disney Company's Post-1989 Animated Films - 'Pocahontas' Chapter 5
Quotes from and comments on the 2014 Justyna Fruzińska book
Quotes from and comments on the 2014 Justyna Fruzińska book
Interviews with Voice Actors, especially Irene Bedard & Russell Means
An Interview with Pocahontas – Actress Irene Bedard reflects on voicing Disney’s strongest female character
by Renata Joy, Interview conducted May 11, 2005, UltimateDisney.com
by Renata Joy, Interview conducted May 11, 2005, UltimateDisney.com
The Angriest Actor : Native American activist Russell Means focused his fierce will at Wounded Knee. Can a revolutionary co-exist with 'Pocahontas'?
by Elaine Dutka, L.A. Times staff writer, June 11, 1995
by Elaine Dutka, L.A. Times staff writer, June 11, 1995
Links to Journal / Academic Articles (in random order for now ...)
Disney’s modern heroine Pocahontas: revealing age-old gender stereotypes and role discontinuity under a facade of liberation (PDF)
by Lauren Dundes, The Social Science Journal 38 (2001) 353–365
Distorted Reality: The Devaluation of Pocahontas (PDF)
by Kara Nelson, English 351 Spring 2014, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, HOHONU 2014 Vol. 12
Pocahontas: Problematizing the Pro-Social (PDF)
by Amy Aidman and Debbie Reese (1996) Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Communications Association (46th, Chicago, IL, May 23-27, 1996)
Disney's "Pocahontas": Conversations with Native American and Euro-American Girls (PDF)
by Amy Aidman (1999) Paper presented at the International Communication Association Conference (San Francisco, CA, May 27-31, 1999)
National Identity (Re)Construction in Japanese and American Animated Film: Self and Other Representation in Pocahontas and Princess Mononoke (HTML)
by Kaori Yoshida electronic journal of contemporary japanese studies Article 5 in 2011 First published in ejcjs on 30 September 2011
Pocahontas reclaimed: the Powhatans' theatrical rebuttal to Disney's revisionist myth (PDF)
by Barbara E. Gardner (July 16, 2003) Rowan University, Rowan Digital Works
Redesgning Pocahontas (Word Doc)
by Gary Edgerton and Kathy Merlock Jackson (1996), Journal of Popular Film & Television, Summer 96, Vol. 24 Issue 2, p90
Gender Role Portrayal and the Disney Princesses (PDF)
by Dawn Elizabeth England, Lara Descartes, Melissa A. Collier-Meek; Sex Roles (2011) 64:555–567
Using Critical Race Theory to Analyze How Disney Constructs Diversity: A Construct for the Baccalaureate Human Behavior in the Social Environment Curriculum (HTML)
by Amy Cappiccie, Janice Chadha, Muh Bi Lin, Frank Snyder, Journal of Teaching in Social Work, Volume 32, 2012 - Issue 1
Cultural representations in Walt Disney films: Implications for social work education (PDF)
by Katherine van Wormer, Cindy Juby, Journal of Social Work 0(0) 1–17, 2015
Disney in Korea: A Socio-Cultural Context of Children’s Popular Culture
by Lena Lee, Red Feather Journal 2010
“Frozen in Time”: The Impact of Native American Media Representations on Identity and Self-Understanding (PDF)
by Peter A. Leavitt, Rebecca Covarrubias, Yvonne A. Perez, Stephanie A. Fryberg, Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 71, No. 1, 2015
Disney’s modern heroine Pocahontas: revealing age-old gender stereotypes and role discontinuity under a facade of liberation (PDF)
by Lauren Dundes, The Social Science Journal 38 (2001) 353–365
Distorted Reality: The Devaluation of Pocahontas (PDF)
by Kara Nelson, English 351 Spring 2014, University of Hawai‘i at Hilo, HOHONU 2014 Vol. 12
Pocahontas: Problematizing the Pro-Social (PDF)
by Amy Aidman and Debbie Reese (1996) Paper presented at the Annual Meeting of the International Communications Association (46th, Chicago, IL, May 23-27, 1996)
Disney's "Pocahontas": Conversations with Native American and Euro-American Girls (PDF)
by Amy Aidman (1999) Paper presented at the International Communication Association Conference (San Francisco, CA, May 27-31, 1999)
National Identity (Re)Construction in Japanese and American Animated Film: Self and Other Representation in Pocahontas and Princess Mononoke (HTML)
by Kaori Yoshida electronic journal of contemporary japanese studies Article 5 in 2011 First published in ejcjs on 30 September 2011
Pocahontas reclaimed: the Powhatans' theatrical rebuttal to Disney's revisionist myth (PDF)
by Barbara E. Gardner (July 16, 2003) Rowan University, Rowan Digital Works
Redesgning Pocahontas (Word Doc)
by Gary Edgerton and Kathy Merlock Jackson (1996), Journal of Popular Film & Television, Summer 96, Vol. 24 Issue 2, p90
Gender Role Portrayal and the Disney Princesses (PDF)
by Dawn Elizabeth England, Lara Descartes, Melissa A. Collier-Meek; Sex Roles (2011) 64:555–567
Using Critical Race Theory to Analyze How Disney Constructs Diversity: A Construct for the Baccalaureate Human Behavior in the Social Environment Curriculum (HTML)
by Amy Cappiccie, Janice Chadha, Muh Bi Lin, Frank Snyder, Journal of Teaching in Social Work, Volume 32, 2012 - Issue 1
Cultural representations in Walt Disney films: Implications for social work education (PDF)
by Katherine van Wormer, Cindy Juby, Journal of Social Work 0(0) 1–17, 2015
Disney in Korea: A Socio-Cultural Context of Children’s Popular Culture
by Lena Lee, Red Feather Journal 2010
“Frozen in Time”: The Impact of Native American Media Representations on Identity and Self-Understanding (PDF)
by Peter A. Leavitt, Rebecca Covarrubias, Yvonne A. Perez, Stephanie A. Fryberg, Journal of Social Issues, Vol. 71, No. 1, 2015
A side note on the (un)popularity of "Pocahontas" the movie ...
Does it interest anyone to know that "Pocahontas" is the least popular of all Disney "princess" feature films that is not a sequel or prequel? According to Rotten Tomatoes, "Pocahontas" (1995), with a critic rating of 56% and an audience rating of 64%, ranks a bit higher than the Disney prequel, "The Little Mermaid: Ariel's Beginning" (2008; critic rating 33% audience rating 56%). However, even the sequel "Cinderella III: A Twist in Time" (2007) is ranked higher than "Pocahontas", with a critic rating of 75% and an audience rating of 61%. The next up from that is the Disney princess feature film "Brave" (2012), with a critic rating of 78% and an audience rating of 76%, followed by "The Princess and the Frog" (2009), with a critic rating of 85% and an audience rating of 74%. The top ranked Disney princess film, for anyone who is interested, is "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" (1937), with a critic rating of 98% and an audience rating of 78%.
Data taken from Rotten Tomatoes on Aug. 6, 2019.
Here is the article that prompted me to look into this data:
"All of Disney's animated princess movies, ranked by critics", by Michelle Larkin, at Insider