Why I’m still watching Disney’s kid’s films at 21
By: The Isthmus
Tags: Disney, Childrens Films, Dual Audience

A few weeks ago my older brother and I, a couple of 20-something’s, ventured to the movies to see the new Disney Pixar film Inside Out (2015). Contrary to what you may think we weren’t dragged there by a kid sibling or a younger cousin, rather we had been anticipating the movies release for months and had booked tickets to see it the first chance we got.

But why? What interest was there in a children’s film for two adults?

At the time I couldn’t tell you, but upon reflection it’s quite evident that Disney has found a way to bring us back to their magical kingdom, long after our days of princesses and fairy tales have left us.

Inside Out follows the story of an 11-year girl protagonist named Riley who is experiencing the big life change of moving across the country and starting at a new school. What makes the film interesting is the parallel story line of her emotions Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust and Fear who try to maintain Riley’s happiness during the emotionally volatile time. It sounds like the usual Disney Pixar formula where inanimate objects or intangible items are animated and personified to teach children moral lessons on growing up. However I found that was just the surface for this film. Inside Out contained a complexity in story that required contextual life knowledge, gained only through experience, to fully appreciate the narrative being told. Walking out I couldn’t help shake the forced feeling of childhood nostalgia and an empathy for the young protagonist, that seemed to only be understood by us fully formed human beings in the audience.

Whilst thinking on the bus ride home I came to the conclusion that children’s movies in the present time are becoming progressively geared towards an adult audience and are leaving kids somewhat in the dark. It seemed unlikely to think that kids watching Inside Out could comprehend the sophisticated topics of abstract thought and the subconscious that were delicately woven into the heartfelt narrative. Rather it appeared that the only entertaining aspects presented for them were an age relatable protagonist, fun colours and a handful of slapstick comedy. It seems to me that in the last few years Disney Pixar has realized the power of a dual primary audience for children’s movies, a previously untapped potential and box office goldmine. And even more so that their latest installment Inside Out has been the first to push beyond these boundaries and made what was thought to be a children’s movie into mainstream adult Hollywood film.

Disney’s kids films haven’t always pandered towards an adult audience though, in fact adults (generally identified as parents) have previously been an afterthought for writers and were classified as a minor secondary audience. Disney and Pixar’s films back in the 90’s, classics such as Hercules (1997), Aladdin (1992) and Toy Story (1995), didn’t necessarily recognize adults as a target for plot lines, however a slew of sexual innuendo showed recognition of their existence and the role they played in facilitating children’s viewership. But that was about all people over the age of 18 got, the value of entertaining older generations though a children’s story hadn’t yet been recognized.

Closer to the early/mid 2000’s and the merging of Disney and Pixar, the potential of adult audience members began to be realized with subplots and complexity of narrative being introduced into their films to satisfy parents. Roberta Trites refers to this adult integration as the Pixar maturity formula. Basically this principle shows the introduction of a parallel plot line or subplot featuring an adult protagonist dealing with an internal struggle only understood by older audience members, further developing into a story of growth. Mature themes such as single parenting, loss (Finding Nemo, 2003), body image, self-loathing (Shrek, 2001) and mortality (Up, 2009) frequented this new generation of films, coded as subtext to go over the heads of children and form meaning for parents beside them. I mean Up is an absolutely tragic story about a widowed elderly man desperately trying to hold onto every thread of his wife that’s left. I’m still over here crying about the first 3 minutes of the movie contemplating life and death, while kids have moved on to the joys of a talking dog. Yet this is still not what I felt in Inside Out, being an adult watching Up I felt the writers were still winking at us, not introducing us as a fully-fledged audience member.

Now in the present time the school of thought has changed, it’s clear that “kids” movies are no longer for children and their parents, but for humankind alike. The reality of a dual primary audience and its recognition is exemplified in the phenomenon that is Frozen (2013). People became obsessed with this film because of its alternative view of true love and the perpetuated theme of an internal struggle with identity, not often found in Disney’s classic princess movies. Frozen’s all ages attraction is not only demonstrated in the very public out pour of love for the movies but it’s reflected in the billion dollar worldwide revenue figures, $1.219 billion to be exact. This new set of Disney Pixar films brought forth the adult audience through unlikely plots, darkness and complexity. Making us feel something, relate to something and become nostalgic over something. Notions of empathy not accessible to children sealed the successful fate of Disney Pixar, providing perspective for adults and reflections on their own childhood. Alas Disney found a way to make even more money off us.

Inside Out can be seen as Disney Pixar’s last step into full engagement of the adult audience. While researching dual audiences and the impact of Inside Out I came across a statement that brilliantly sums up the movie and how it has taken the last step into the mainstream adult Hollywood world. Xan Brooks states purely that:

“Inside Out simply takes what used to be sub-text and makes it text”.

This statement rings 100% true to me after watching the film and is the main reasoning why Inside Out shouldn’t particularly be viewed as a children’s movie. Everything that has come before, regardless of dual audience recognition has included the ‘adult’ themes and stories in the subtext of the film, hidden away in Easter eggs for adults to find. Whereas Inside Out brings it forth like any other movie for adults would and presents it directly to them. There is no sub-plot or underlying themes, just one succinct story for viewers to follow.

Who knows if this was just Disney testing the waters and if their 2016 planned productions will follow suit, but for now I’m glad they have put out a movie that I can resonate with on an emotional level and that allows reflection on my own childhood, whilst throwing in a few laughs and some awesome animation.

I don’t view Inside Out as a children’s movie anymore, to me it’s a story about growing up and transitioning from childhood to your teen years rather than an animated story for children.