You might be scratching your head trying to figure out just how 9/11 might have possibly changed the popular Disney cartoon, Lilo & Stitch, but it’s pretty easy to explain. As of 2001 Lilo & Stitch hadn’t been released to theaters yet, so there was at least some time to go back and change things. After 9/11 though it was absolutely necessary. The film originally had a scene that featured a chase scene between an alien ship and a United Airlines plane through what looked like a New York cityscape. Needless to say this would have been in very poor taste if the director hadn’t ordered these scenes to be changed before The final release.
Granted, it was probably a lot of work and extra hours that were needed in order to go back and edit what needed it as well as change the material so that it wouldn’t offend anyone. But if this hadn’t been done then legions of Disney fans would have no doubt unloaded every bit of anger they had at the corporation for being so insensitive towards the event. And in truth they would have deserved it.
Disney comes under fire a number of times per year for things that some people decide is overtly offensive and not at all acceptable. Quite honestly though much of what they do is simply a reflection of the life and how it affects those that must live in and around it on a constant basis. People get offended by strangest things these days, but when it comes to tragedies such as 9/11 there is no room to joke around. That is why the changes to the film are not regrettable but more respectable than anything. The chances are good that Disney was more willing to pay for the extra work to avoid the public backlash but at the very least you can assume that a few of those in the corporation did it because they actually have a heart.
Even if they hadn’t changed it however you can believe that Disney would have survived the hit that would have come. It would have been something extraordinary to watch as the entertainment titan took a serious nosedive in sales after releasing something that mirrored the tragedy, but somehow I get the feeling they would have survived. Disney has been a survivor for many years and as a corporation it has learned how to take a hit. The recovery time that would have been necessary if they hadn’t changed it would have been extensive, but there still would have been people willing to forgive if not forget.
This would not have been a matter of over-sexualizing a princess or allowing a subliminal message into the film, it would have been a straight up breach of good taste and an ignorant showing of a scene that allowed people that had been impacted by the tragedy to relive it once again. That would have been an unforgivable act that would have cost Disney more than just money. Thankfully they kept their wallet secure by doing the right thing.
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