The Pirates of the Caribean Ride.....CENSORED!?

[Batmex]

From Wikipedia:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirates...nd_controversy

In its original form, the Disneyland attraction had a subdued, yet interpretively racy scene in which pirates were shown chasing attractive females in circles (achieved by static figures on turntables hidden below guests' view), along with a comical reversal in which an overweight woman was seen chasing a pirate. In 1997, this sequence was changed so that the pirates now are pursuing women with food, and the large woman is chasing a pirate with a stolen ham.

Originally, one pirate was shown exhausted from his pursuit of an unwilling female, brandishing a petticoat as guests floated past, with dialogue including "...to hoist me colors upon the likes of that shy little wench," and "I be willing to share I be." Behind him, the woman would pop her head out from her hiding place inside a barrel.

The "Pooped Pirate", as he was called, was dubbed the Gluttonous Pirate and was recast in the 1997 refurbishment as a rogue in search of food. His dialogue included lines such as "Me belly be feeling like galleon with a load of treasure," and "I be looking for a fine pork loin I be." The woman hiding in the barrel was replaced by a cat.

In 2006, the scene was modified again so that the pirate is now brandishing a map and treasure-vault key, while Captain Jack Sparrow stealthily observes from inside the barrel.
Prior to the changes, six out of the seven deadly sins could be found throughout the ride. The pirate that chases the woman carrying a plate of food depicts gluttony, the seventh deadly sin.
The "politically correct" modifications have garnered resentment from many Disney theme park aficionados. They argue that while the attraction now has less glorification of a criminal lifestyle, the changes sacrifice historical accuracy and Walt Disney's original vision.
Some have criticized the perceived glorification of the pirate lifestyle. However, the ride is filled with depictions of the unpleasant lives and violent deaths of pirates, which suggests that its message is not one of glorification but of condemnation.

I mean....THIS WAS WALT DISNEY'S VISION!! why did they tampered with it!?

[MonkeyFunk]

Because the new version's cooler than Walt Disney's vision. It's got a woman chasing a pirate with a HAM, for cryin' out loud! How is that not awesome!?

[Daredevil_2003]

I always thought the ride sucked soooo...yeah, this isn't really bugging to much other than the ridiculousness of censorship in general.

[SirLemming]

It doesn't surprise me at all. I thought that even the new version (the only version I've experienced) was surprisingly "mature" for a Disney theme park.

[superpants]

I mean....THIS WAS WALT DISNEY'S VISION!! why did they tampered with it!?

Because gang rape isn't as funny as it used to be.

[Daredevil_2003]

Because gang rape isn't as funny as it used to be.

Blasphemy.

[Sharklady]

There's a direct reference to this matter in a 'Pinky And The Brain' episode- pirate Brain and serving-wench Pinky are revolving on a clearly-visable turntable, and Pinky declares, "He's only chasing me for my food!"

So, this ride now features Jack Sparrow? That's one change I'd enjoy!

[Michael24]

I remember the controversy about the first change, and I still think it was pretty stupid for Disney to bend to the complaints of a few and alter features of the ride. (Just like how they took away the cap guns from the Jungle Cruise captains after protests from frikkin' PETA! )

I was worried that the new revamp would change too much, but it sounds like Jack Sparrow, Captain Barbossa, and Davy Jones are simply being added to the existing ride without many other drastic changes, so it shouldn't be too bad.

[halinar]

Welcome to disney. Where we bleach everything to it's not going to offend a single person on the planet...

That is one of the reasons I will never step foot in disney world again and I live just 2 hours from it.

[Conekiller]

Because not wanting to offend people is SOOOOO evil

[EinBebop]

Because not wanting to offend people is SOOOOO evil

Can you really say that political correctness is about not wanting to offend people? Because it seems like it leaves far more offended people behind than you started with.

[Discloner]

I mean....THIS WAS WALT DISNEY'S VISION!! why did they tampered with it!?

Disney's vision was of a constantly changing and evolving place, updating a ride isn't defying his will...because many rides were updated even under his direction.

[William C. Maune]

Can you really say that political correctness is about not wanting to offend people? Because it seems like it leaves far more offended people behind than you started with.

I think the individual decisions being made have to be looked at rather than just labeling things "political correctness" and tossing them aside. In this situation, I don't think possibly implied gang rape, as some have viewed it can simply be tossed aside as "political correctness."

Sometimes it is ok to make changes so as to not offend people (i.e. is the offense really necessary), sometimes it's not. It just depends on the individual situation.

[Noukon]

I think the individual decisions being made have to be looked at rather than just labeling things "political correctness" and tossing them aside. In this situation, I don't think possibly implied gang rape, as some have viewed it can simply be tossed aside as "political correctness."

Sometimes it is ok to make changes so as to not offend people (i.e. is the offense really necessary), sometimes it's not. It just depends on the individual situation.

Yeah, it really seems more like censorship for the sake of removing depraved imagery from something meant largely for children.

[SirLemming]

I have to wonder, does anybody really need a realistic representation of pirates on a theme park ride? It's just there for people to have a good time. It's not really all that important.

[Batmex]

So it took them more than 20 years to realize that the ride had "scenes unfit for children"?

My guess is that some over-protective mother of high stats didn't like those parts and used her influence to make the changes

At least the first movie's Extras DVD has a complete "behind the scenes" in the creation of the ride and an actual walktrough before they tampered with it.

[Sharklady]

> Sometimes it is ok to make changes so as to not offend people (i.e. is the offense really necessary), sometimes it's not. It just depends on the individual situation. <

I *am* glad somebody said that.
While there's a lot of PC examples I have problems with (insistance on taking offence even when it's not intended, deliberately cultivating hypersensitive & unforgiving attitudes, expending disproportionate energy on relatively trivial matters), I've no objection to anyone advocating basic civility.

In this case, I'd say the change is probably appropriate. And certainly won't ruin the ride.

[Chris Wood]

The thing is that pirates by nature are loathsome and offensive, and to their credit Disney originally portrayed them that way on this ride. To try to make pirates family friendly is rather ridiculous. Some things just aren't wholesome.

[SirLemming]

The thing is that pirates by nature are loathsome and offensive, and to their credit Disney originally portrayed them that way on this ride. To try to make pirates family friendly is rather ridiculous. Some things just aren't wholesome.

For a movie, I might agree with you. For an amusement park ride, I think all we really need is the general "Uh-oh, pirates!" idea. The change is probably symptomatic of a bigger issue, but it's one of the symptoms I couldn't care less about.

[William C. Maune]

The thing is that pirates by nature are loathsome and offensive, and to their credit Disney originally portrayed them that way on this ride. To try to make pirates family friendly is rather ridiculous. Some things just aren't wholesome.

There are two types of pirates though: real life pirates and "entertainment pirates. If they were going for real life pirates then they should definitely go for loathsome and offensive. However, the entertainment industry in general has rarely portrayed pirates as only loathsome and offensive, instead there are quite a few goofy pirates. Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Carribean movie is a good example. He is mildly loathsome and offensive, but he is comedy more than anything else. One Piece is another example. There are definitely loathsome and offensive pirates in the show, but the star pirate of the show, Monkey D. Luffy, definitely isn't one of them. Considering this is a theme park ride in the Disney tradition, they are and were more likely going for the entertainment industry conception of pirates as opposed to real life pirates.