Disneyfication of Local Cultures’ Representations in Animated Movies. Analysis of the Phenomenon in Selected Movies: Mulan and Lilo & Stitch

Abstract

This paper examines the purpose of disneyfication of local cultures’ representations in movies based on the analysis of selected examples in animated movies by Walt Disney Studios. The main research problem is the phenomenon of disneyfication of local cultures’ representations in the field of animated movies based on analysis of two examples: Mulan (1998) and Lilo & Stitch (2002), which are, according to the author, representative examples of the described process. Disneyfication is analyzed in this paper as a tool to help universalize the message of animated movies, as a result of which the process can be interpreted as a strategy to reach local markets and achieve commercial success in the sphere of mainstream culture. The author also draws attention to the process of disneyfication as a potential threat to audiences, due to the combination of false media images about selected cultural minorities and attempts to answer the question of whether there has been a change in the studio's approach to the representation of cultural minorities in recent years.