Of course, the image doesn't get maintained once you take the kids on that week-end trip to the Jamestown historic site and they discover that the Tidewater stomping grounds of the Powhatan Confederacy consists of flat alluvial plains with no cliffs or picturesque waterfalls off which to make impressive dives, that Pocahontas was only the young lady's nickname (meaning "playful" or "little wanton" in Algonquinian), and that no matter what's just around the river bend, you wind up in the Chesapeake Bay.

You'll find that it grits in your wife's craw as you explain to your grandkids that when John Smith and Pocahontas met in 1607, he was about 27 and she was perhaps 10 or 12 years old, that they were friends but never fell in love with one another, and that her role in "saving" John Smith's life was part of a ritual of mock execution-and-rescue traditional among Algonquin tribes at the time. Big romance, right? Yeah.

"All this stuff in the movie is made-up Disney mush," you explain. "The English came here expecting to set up farms and develop a self-sustaining colony after an earlier attempt at Roanoke had failed because of a horrible drought. They were after land, not gold, and if you think everything ended up peaceful and happy with everybody getting along together, you've got another think coming."

Yeah, but it's *Disney*. Yeesh.

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Pocahontas is a True Classic   October 12, 2000
 12 out of 15 found this review helpful

Meeko, Flit and Percy, these the are names of the animal friends who get in and out of mischief, befriend each other and accompany Pocahontas in the vast panorama of pristine North America that is the setting for "POCAHONTAS." No Disney animated film would be complete without these familiar looking creatures and rightly so. These are films for the whole family, but "POCAHONTAS" was a notch above many of the animated films from Disney over the past two decades.

"POCAHONTAS" was a change-of-pace from the recent trend of animated films from Disney in 1995. This is one of my favorite Disney films and one of the best since the 1960s. It has substance and deals with real issues. We see the Native American Indians at peace and harmony with the land and nature. This is beautifully captured with the exceptional animation of vibrant green forests and flowing blue rivers. These scenes have a breath of fresh air about them that you can almost feel. When the European settlers arrive we know that it is only a matter of time before they begin to erode this paradise. The Europeans with closed minds did not realize how much they had to learn from the Indians and tried to impose their brand of civilization on them. Their brand of civilization is to subjugate or annihilate the "savages" and ravage the land.

We see the two cultures meet in one of the finest animated scenes ever presented by Disney. Captain John Smith and Pocahontas come face to face by a waterfall. Smith lowers his rifle, as Pocahontas stands erect and unafraid. Their eyes meet and he no longer sees a "savage" but a human being. Their eyes tell us that they immediately fall in love. As Pocahontas "listens with her heart" as Grandmother Willow has taught her they both communicate with each other. Soon their differences become apparent, but it is John Smith's ignorance revealed by inadvertently referring to Pocahontas as a "savage" that is the focus of the rift. He states that there is so much the "savages" can learn from the English. Pocahontas asks, "If the savage one is me, how can there be so much that you don't know?" During the "Colors of the Wind" sequence John Smith learns first hand the value and reverence of nature and that it should not be exploited out of mere human greed.

The message of "POCAHONTAS" is that European settlers leveled forests and imposed their own vision of a "civilized" society, whether or not it was welcome by the Native Americans. The corrupt Governor Ratcliffe is shown gleefully using cannons to level forests while his other men wield picks and axes in a mocking musical number. The brown piles of shoveled up earth stand in contrast to the majesty of the green untouched forest. When the settlers open fire on the Indians, they retaliate by capturing John Smith and prepare an execution for him. Only Pocahontas, who can empathize with both sides, can bring them to see their transgressions and teach them that violence only breeds violence.

The dramatic structure over which the film's message is delivered deals with her father's disapproval of the man she loves, because he belongs to a different race. The film thus takes on more significance as it deals with ethnic discriminations as well. Her father wants her to marry a member of the tribe, who she dislikes because "he's so serious." A similar theme is taken up in "THE LITTLE MERMAID."

"POCAHONTAS" is based on legend, rooted in murky historical events. In real life, Pocahontas was about 13 when she first met John Smith. Smith claimed in his journals that Pocahontas saved his life. John Rolfe was the Englishman that she eventually married. She did indeed get to go to England (See "POCAHONTAS II"), where she was treated as a princess. She died in Europe, near 21 years of age.

What is particularly good about "POCAHONTAS" is the artistry of the animation. The virgin land of towering green forests, sparkling blue steams and rugged cliffs are drawn with a freedom and energy that posses real power and reverence. Very effective is the jutting rock that overlooks the landscape giving the entire film a feeling of sweep and grandeur. Anyone viewing the finale of this film can not help feel an emotional outburst as the "colors of the wind" blow past this precipice toward the horizon. I know I did. The image is unforgettable.

The songs by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz include one unrestrained emotionally charged standout, "Colors of the Wind." This is an unforgettable song that can be appreciated on so many levels. It is a consummate example of melody and lyrics that make you "Listen With Your Heart."


Unbearable   November 24, 2003
 12 out of 18 found this review helpful

My wife used to rent this video for our son, until I made her promise never to bring it into the house again.

Where to start with this movie? The history, or lack thereof? One could spend hours discussing Disney's shredding of history in this movie, and certainly, many previous reviewers have levelled ample criticism at Disney for the copious inaccuracies. Suffice it to say, I do not approve of the idea that we should somehow whitewash history to make it more appealing to modern-day sensibilities. What kind of message does that send to our children? I agree that little kids probably aren't ready for the reality of European conquest of the New World; in that case, tell them the historical truth when they are ready to handle it. Don't lie to them, and don't package those lies in some cutsey cartoon.

Was the historical inaccuracy of this movie my real problem? Not particularly; I have come to expect such willful distortions from Disney in most of its "adaptations" of literature (Hunchback of Notre Dame), history & mythology (Hercules). It really is par for the course with The Mouse. My real problem comes from the fact that the movie is truly unbearable to listen to, thanks to the high-pitched caterwauling of Judy Kuhn (Irene Bedard having provided the speaking voice for the indian princess). Sorry dear, but screeching high & loud with a wobbly vibrato does not good singing make. It does make my head throb with pain, though. It didn't matter where I was in the house, I could hear Judy screaming at me, as though she were stalking me. This made for a particularly bad Disney soundtrack, which is indeed saying something.

Now, we have 3-month-old daughter, and I am terrified at the prospect that Pocahontas will somehow sneak into our house again in the not too distant future. I am determined to make her life Pocahontas-free if at all possible.