Hi Everyone, First, I just want to thank everyone who suggested works for Ad-Program Criticism. I hope I can return the favor someday! Second, about the Lion King. At my campus, Virginia Tech, racism and the Lion King was somewhat controversial for awhile. A former colleague of mine wrote a newspaper column about her take on the problematic messages about race in the Disney film. She experienced some fairly severe backlash, including veiled personal threats! I know for awhile she was working on a edited book about the issue, but my guess is that the project is on hold. For me, one of the most disturbing elements of the film is its celebration of segregation. Here's my reading of this: at the beginning of the film, the "dark" forces (literally coded as black and grey: the hyenas) live in a run-down, dark (poverty striken?) area of the jungle (the ghetto?). When they invade the land of the "Golden" forces (the Lion Kindom), the Golden Kingdom goes to hell: the place becomes "dark," run down, impoverished. In other words, "there goes the neighborhood." Only when Simba evicts the dark forces (physically, natch), does the place prosper again. Of course, this is what was triggered in my head, and still very much begs David Desser's question of, "But are kids affected by this possible meaning?" I don't know. Take care, everyone. Matt McAllister Department of Communication Studies, Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA 24061-0311 ph: 540-231-9830 fax: 540-231-9817 e-mail: [log in to unmask] Department of Communication Studies at Virginia Tech Home Page: http://www.comm.vt.edu/ ---- To signoff SCREEN-L, e-mail [log in to unmask] and put SIGNOFF SCREEN-L in the message. Problems? Contact [log in to unmask]