Lots of Chihuahuas and Disney Movie Making: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Mon21Jul2008

Lots of Chihuahuas and Disney Movie Making: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

Went to the movies this weekend and saw the preview for Beverly Hills Chihuahua. Can you say extreme unease? What could possibly go wrong with a movie about dancing, Spanish-accented Chihuahuas (watch the clip and see how the dogs lose their accent once they start singing hip/hop sounding song)? Should we ask Taco Bell? The confusing part for me is if you look at the list of Latin@ stars they recruited for the film, pretty much all the big guns are there, even my Salmita.

Could there be something redeeming in a Chihuahua movie? Why is the lead Chihuahua character voiced by a non-Latin@? I guess we'll have to wait until October 3rd to get our answers!

La Macha

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1. maegan la mala ~ Monday, Jul 21 2008 | 13:20H:

What disturbs me and reminds me of another online conversation I was reading, is how Disney seems to have issues (surprise surprise) when it comes to how it portrays people of color, specifically women. I mean we still don't have a Latina princess and so the best we get is dancing, accented Chihuahua? I'm really frightened to see all the tie in marketing that will go along with the film as well.

2. La Macha ~ Monday, Jul 21 2008 | 15:32H:

Absolutely! I mean, I was considering your comment and then thinking about how black princehood was represented through Lion King--Latinas get a Chihuahua that isn't even played by a Latin@, there's one very problematic black princess that took decades to create and no Latina princess--we're either animals or completely absent from the imagination of Disney movie makers.

I mean, even *Barbie* (with all her problems) and *Bratz* (yuck) have Latina and black representation.

And I *totally* agree with you, I'm not looking forward to fake accent talking plastic Chihuahuas that you know we're going to get flummoxed with...

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