Grease

[Vort]

Although, from what I remember, the woman did not realize that he was a boy in a man's body. So it wasn't like she was a predator intentionally, or at all, really. I do agree that if you think long enough about it, it'll likely rub you the wrong way but a lot of stories will. A lot of children's stories are about young girls (teenaged and probably not even 18 which is considered a legal adult in America) that are rescued by a handsome prince and who is clearly quite a bit older than she is.

Oh, yes, I realize that she didn't know. When she found out, she immediately broke off sexual relations. But the movie is a fantasy told from his point of view. Teenage boy fantasy: Sex with an older woman. (Guess I was an atypical teen boy, since I never thought sex with an older woman was particularly desirable. I never understood all the Farrah Fawcett posters; I told my friends, "Uh, you know she's like fifteen years older than us, right?" Ewww.)

As for the fairy tales: First, they contain no explicit sex (at least the Bowdlerized versions we have today don't). Second, they are from a fairly distant past, in cultural terms, whereas Big is a thoroughly modern-day fairy tale -- one in which boy gets girl, experiments with lots of fun fornicative sex, then goes back to his boyhood.

[Bini]

As for the fairy tales: First, they contain no explicit sex (at least the Bowdlerized versions we have today don't). Second, they are from a fairly distant past, in cultural terms, whereas Big is a thoroughly modern-day fairy tale -- one in which boy gets girl, experiments with lots of fun fornicative sex, then goes back to his boyhood.

I agree with this. As I further think about it, children's fairytales tend to stick with traditional values, making clear that the young princess and prince are wed before they "live happily ever after" together. I have also noticed that (and perhaps because of how sensitive society is these days) that Disney aged Tangled's Rapunzel at 18 instead of 16 like past princesses from, Little Mermaid, for example.

[Irishcolleen]

Maybe I'm a fuddy-duddy, but I'm not a fan of Grease. I never have been. The moral of the story is, sell yourself out, dump your morals, and change to get the guy. Sex and acceptance are more valuable than principles.

So why do high schools keep doing it? Why do LDS kids keep participating, with their parents' blessing? I'm admittedly going tomorrow. One of my best friends' son is in it, and he was in our primary class when he was a little guy. My friend asked me to go with her, and I just can't tell her "no". But I'm all annoyed and judgy about the whole thing under the surface.

Amen!!!!!!! I am in complete agreement with you. It is horrible, especially for girls.

BTW, Chasing Mavericks just came out on DVD this week. It is clean, good message, and amazing scenery. It didn't do well at the box office, but we thought it was wonderful. Go out and get it.

Edited March 1, 2013 by Irishcolleen

[Dravin]

I'm taking it that no one here watches the Walking Dead, eh?.......

"Warm Bodies" anyone? Really, how many times can you watch Suits on the loose?

Your kids are seeing worse than "Grease" watching the Disney Channel these days. I thought a

few of you were "Twilight" fans......................

For those of us who don't watch those shows can you please articulate in what ways your examples are on par with or worse than Grease?

[EarlJibbs]

For those of us who don't watch those shows can you please articulate in what ways your examples are on par with or worse than Grease?

Originally Posted by idahommie

I'm taking it that no one here watches the Walking Dead, eh?.......

"Warm Bodies" anyone? Really, how many times can you watch Suits on the loose?

Your kids are seeing worse than "Grease" watching the Disney Channel these days. I thought a

few of you were "Twilight" fans......................

Also what shows on Disney are considered worse than Grease?

[Anddenex]

Also what shows on Disney are considered worse than Grease?

Well, in fairness, if we are talking about the moral of the story, let's look at Little Mermaid:

1. Dishonors father, disobeys father, for a boy

2. Speaks with a witch to change her, introducing witchcraft

3. Introduces being someone other than yourself to get the guy (topic of Grease)

4. The rest of the film is her trying to get a young man to kiss her

5. Animal brutality (those poor fish) -- just kidding, this was just for kicks

Beauty and the Beast according to some scholars is about fornication. The woman, and the beast (sexual intimacy), at first she is afraid, then experiences the beast (sexual intimacy), and then wants the beast. Some scholars say such, because Beauty and the Beast was written during the time of Freud, if I am remembering correctly my BYU class.

Hannah Montana. The rock star by night, the school girl by day.

That's so Raven.

Mary-Kate and Ashley.

The list could go on if we talk about purely moral of the story.

Edit: Jonas Brother: Living the Dream (yes because this is who I want my sons to be like)

Edited March 1, 2013 by Anddenex

[EarlJibbs]

Well, in fairness, if we are talking about the moral of the story, let's look at Little Mermaid:

1. Dishonors father, disobeys father, for a boy

2. Speaks with a witch to change her, introducing witchcraft

3. Introduces being someone other than yourself to get the guy (topic of Grease)

4. The rest of the film is her trying to get a young man to kiss her

5. Animal brutality (those poor fish) -- just kidding, this was just for kicks

Beauty and the Beast according to some scholars is about fornication. The woman, and the beast (sexual intimacy), at first she is afraid, then experiences the beast (sexual intimacy), and then wants the beast. Some scholars say such, because Beauty and the Beast was written during the time of Freud, if I am remembering correctly my BYU class.

Hannah Montana. The rock star by night, the school girl by day.

That's so Raven.

Mary-Kate and Ashley.

The list could go on if we talk about purely moral of the story.

I dont disagree with what you have written, but Little Murmaid worse than Grease though? We dont need scholars to tell us what Grease is about.

[Anddenex]

I dont disagree with what you have written, but Little Murmaid worse than Grease though? We dont need scholars to tell us what Grease is about.

We don't need scholars to tell us what Little Mermaid is about, we just need to watch the story. If we take moral of the story, Grease and Little Mermaid are par.

Scholars maybe for Beauty and the Beast, but not Little Mermaid :)

[Guest]

Ariel faced some consequences for her foolishness and learned some lessons. Sandy gets a bad perm, sews on some pleather pants, sticks a cigarette in her mouth, and lives happily ever after.

[Anddenex]

Ariel faced some consequences for her foolishness and learned some lessons. Sandy gets a bad perm, sews on some pleather pants, sticks a cigarette in her mouth, and lives happily ever after.

Nah, they made a sequel to this show, it was called "Married with Children." Just sayin

[EarlJibbs]

Ariel faced some consequences for her foolishness and learned some lessons. Sandy gets a bad perm, sews on some pleather pants, sticks a cigarette in her mouth, and lives happily ever after.

Her father suffered from her decision also, as well as her family. Showing even more consequences. The morals of the story of Little Mermaid are definitely different than Grease. I see no apples to apples comparisons in anything shown on the Disney Channel VS grease.... not to say that the Disney Channel is any good.

[Anddenex]

Ariel faced some consequences for her foolishness and learned some lessons. Sandy gets a bad perm, sews on some pleather pants, sticks a cigarette in her mouth, and lives happily ever after.

True, but Ariel spoke with a witch instead of God to change her into something the boy would like.

She turned away from her father, disobedience to a God, for a boy her father said "No" to.

In the end, she ended up with the boy, despite her disobedience. :)

[Bini]

But in the original story of Little Mermaid, she chooses to sacrifice herself (giving up her dreams and even the chance of returning home back to the sea), allowing the prince that she loved to be happy. She became foam and floated away atop of waves.

I still enjoy Disney and my daughter is already watching some of their films. I have no plans of banning them from our household.

[Guest]

Ariel decides to get what she wants by going into business with evil at first, learns that evil only serves itself, then has to fight and conquer the evil in the end to save her father and the boy.

[Bini]

I am excited to see Warm Bodies now. I will keep in mind that Earl and Backroads have given it the stamp or approval! So I expect it to be GOOD.

[Vort]

Regarding Ariel:

• She spoke to the devil (the sea witch) instead of to the angel (her father), and suffered for it.
• She did not achieve her goal in her deal with the devil.
• She put herself in great peril by dealing with the devil, and with no profitable outcome.
• The angel had to sacrifice himself to save her from her own foolish actions.
• In the end, she lay helpless before the devil and had to be saved by the actions of a third party.
• She was granted her desire in the end by the angel, not by the devil, and only by the gratitude-inspired grace of the angel.

I love Disney's The Little Mermaid; I remember watching it with my wife at the Scera in Orem and thinking, "Is this really the first good Disney animated movie of my lifetime, since Sleeping Beauty? Or will this movie not stand the test of time?" I thought it would, and told my wife as much. I think my opinion was justified. The soundtrack alone is probably the best Disney soundtrack ever.

Having said that, I see plenty of less-than-admirable things about the movie's plot. But to compare it with drek such as Grease is, in my opinion, nonsense.

[Guest]

I have a sweet and feisty strawberry-haired Kindergartner who loves Ariel. She will only wear her hair "long" (no ponytails or braids), because that's how Ariel does it. I think it's cute.

[Anddenex]

Ariel decides to get what she wants by going into business with evil at first, learns that evil only serves itself, then has to fight and conquer the evil in the end to save her father and the boy.

Hmmm... so it is OK to make a deal with the devil, as long as things work out in the end?

[Bini]

BUT is Ariel's attire LDS appropriate..

Just kidding.

My personal favourite Disney movies are Beauty and The Beast and Tangled. Love love love those two.

[Bini]

I have a sweet and feisty strawberry-haired Kindergartner who loves Ariel. She will only wear her hair "long" (no ponytails or braids), because that's how Ariel does it. I think it's cute.

My daughter resembles Snow White. She's got fair skin but hair as black as coal.

[EarlJibbs]

I am excited to see Warm Bodies now. I will keep in mind that Earl and Backroads have given it the stamp or approval! So I expect it to be GOOD.

You should know however the types of movies I enjoy before you take my stamp... I would simply go off of Backroads suggestion.

[Bini]

You should know however the types of movies I enjoy before you take my stamp... I would simply go off of Backroads suggestion.

That it's "adorable"? Ha ha. Okay, will do.

[Guest]

Hmmm... so it is OK to make a deal with the devil, as long as things work out in the end?

Well now you're just being cheeky.

[Anddenex]

Well now you're just being cheeky.

No, I am playing the devil's advocate. By the way, I love The Little Mermaid I also love Grease.

However, if we go by moral of the story, then we have to look objectively at every story line, and unfortunately Ariel made a deal with the devil, but things worked out OK in the end.

:)

[Bini]

No, I am playing the devil's advocate. By the way, I love The Little Mermaid I also love Grease.

However, if we go by moral of the story, then we have to look objectively at every story line, and unfortunately Ariel made a deal with the devil, but things worked out OK in the end.

:)

Another way you could look at Little Mermaid is that she made a mistake and in the end had learned her lesson. I don't believe Ariel would repeat striking a deal with a witch again. So you could see this tale as a lesson about falling down and picking yourself back up again.

I think the Prodigal Son is a story to consider. Wasn't he prideful, reckless and lustful in his doings? He approached life in the exact opposite way that the Lord (and his father) had instructed. But when he began to lose it all, he realised the error of his ways, and came crawling back to his father for forgiveness. And his father forgave him, and all that he had done. So in the end, it all worked out for him, too. But I believe that his heart had changed, and I think that is what makes the difference. If you were to live unrighteously, fall on your face, then have things pan out, and then laugh about it all haughtily - that's a problem.