Dan,
You might want to consider the Disney feature films
from Snow White (1937) onwards, which have made the
'ethical' dilemmas a consistent theme. Disney openly
expressed a desire to utilise the animated form to
confront ethical issues.
This in itself is not expecially interesting, but
(considering reception studies) the Disney ethical
oeuvre has garnered increasingly critical stances --
with recent films such as 'Treasure Planet' (2003)
failing at the box office. The generic ethical stance
of the Disney studio seems sluggish and unreflective
of its audience, especially when compared to the savvy
Pixar studios, whom consistently break the box office
record for animated feature film earnings.
John Lasseter was himself a Disney animator before
setting up Pixar, and his work reflects this
implicitly, yet Pixar animation doesnt not endlessly
reiterate the plight of the orphan, the absence of the
parent, and the prodigal journey -- ethical themes
which can be traced back to Disney's original
auteuristic role in the studio which are maintain
today -- to the detriment of the studio.
Hayao Miyazaki (the japanese animator/director who won
best animated feature for 'Spirited Away' at the
oscars) has received similar criticism, for his
tireless promotion of the ethical issues pertaining to
the environment, culture and globalisation.
Regarding these two examples, ethical issues in film
(albeit animated film) seem tied to auteurship.
Best,
David
Warwick Film and TV Dept.
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