Controversial Kids Movies: 'The Lion King,' 'Snow White,' 'Toy Story,' And Other Films With 'Hidden Messages'

Walle

First Posted: 02/29/2012 11:56 am Updated: 03/ 1/2012 8:59 am

R-rated movies are stuffed with sex and violence; the kind of things parents don't want their children to see on the big screen. However, not all
complaints are grounded in reality. Sometimes, individuals will make mildly absurd claims that a film contains a "hidden message" that could potentially pollute the minds of young children.

One such film, "The Lorax," opens this week. Recently, Fox Business Channel's Lou Dobbs called out the animated movie for pushing a liberal agenda and "eco-friendly products" onto children. Of course, "The Lorax" isn't alone: "The Muppets" (another Fox News target) to even "Snow White," kids' films have often come under fire for possibly attempting to corrupt today's youth.

In honor of "The Lorax," let's take a look at some other controversial kids movies.

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"The Little Mermaid"
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The first of many Disney films that have been accused of putting subliminal sex messages into their projects. In "Mermaid," the moment in question happens during a wedding scene, when the priest appears to get a little too excited. However, according to the animators, what viewers were seeing were actually the man's stubby knees bending. The alleged sexual reference prompted a lawsuit against Disney that was eventually dropped.

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R-rated movies are stuffed with sex and violence; the kind of things parents don't want their children to see on the big screen. However, not all complaints are grounded in reality. Sometimes, indivi...
R-rated movies are stuffed with sex and violence; the kind of things parents don't want their children to see on the big screen. However, not all complaints are grounded in reality. Sometimes, indivi...
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09:34 PM on 05/27/2012
lol I love how all these sexist groups are against so much. 1 toy story was about ANDYs toys not his lil sister, 2 eco friendly is a great thing to teach kids about 3 wall-e its the freaking truth..have you not see the garbage we toss out in a week? its sick! If I never seen the "sex" or the "erection" in those movies..which I have watched over and over again and have let my kids watch it..WITH PRIDE then they will be just as blind to it as myself! Now I dont see anyone downing on Phocohantas..oh was that because it was Native americans and not WHITE PEOPLE??? The Song savages really bothers me, as much I loved the movie that song has thrown me off that movie and my children will never watch it! Now for all you people trying to ruin movies and take a quick buck..why dont you go after the TELEVISION SHOWS that promot teen sex and teen pregnancy/ when I was growing up the only sex was in higher rated movies not on the television!
04:23 PM on 03/31/2012
Stop over examining movies... You want issues to go after... there are plenty - just turn on your television to any channel that portrays "reality tv"- go after the obvious crap - You wanna complain about bad messages??? Start there get that crap off the tv...
12:13 AM on 03/19/2012
Lion King - yes it says sex - if you guys are so good at special effects - then why deny that - it's like my cousin who made a sign for school shirt contest - won with an image of a caution diamond saying kids at play - the shirt had a kid holding a beer and a joint - when asked from the NJ school board he claimed it was ketchup and a sparkler - they fell for it - or accepted the explanation - it is New Jersey after all.
12:05 AM on 03/19/2012
On snow white - in my 20s I was a huge player - different girl every other day - and returned visits - every one of them came in and cleaned up even after me and my room mate cleaned to impress them - come on guys - you know its true - they clean up our mess - they like it at first and really complain about it later. LAME CALL
12:01 AM on 03/19/2012
Muppets - LAME CALL - I agree push the anti oil!!! You can not tell me that the companies who are killing the worlds economics yet profiting the highest percent (TRILLIONS), destroying the environment, and causing wars are worthy of KIDS of all sake to have respect for them? Funny how they yell LIBERAL for making the kids aware that oil is a tool for greed and destruction - who can argue that? IT IS!!! OH I get it - so these kids will find the child genius for the oil similar to the internet spawning Mark Z, then oil will no longer be needed or better yet - kids will disagree on it so much they refuse to drive - OK whats wrong with it? (FYI I am not liberal - total independent)
11:53 PM on 03/18/2012
Ok in regards to the little mermaid - I have the original VHS cover - it is much different - no doubt a penis is erected there in the back tower - and yes either the priest or the little cook got wood - plain as day. There are other hidden things there too - Later/recent copies are different - I did notice they were edited on the DVD - That show came out YEARS AGO! I am 39 and remember watching it around 17-18 years old - maybe younger - because it reminds me of our first ocean trip to NC from the mid west. I was 17. OLD NEWS...
02:07 AM on 03/16/2012
RIGHT ON WALT !!! EVEN AFTER ALL THESE YEARS !!! ...my beloved feminist sisters, please remember that Snow White's speciality WAS cooking and cleaning from her tasks back home. She needed a place to stay, and was delighted to cook and clean for the motherless 'children' hoping that they would allow her to stay. When she realized that they were actually dwarfs, she gracefully adapted her plans, because she still needed a place to stay. That's alright isn't it?
07:59 PM on 03/12/2012
Republicans wouldn't be bitching if the story was about an inbred southerner with a penchant for shooting defenseless animals and taking away birth control for women
12:06 AM on 03/19/2012
lol
04:25 PM on 03/31/2012
Roflmao
photo
HUFFPOST SUPER USER
ladyangelnyc
Living on a prayer...
01:07 PM on 03/06/2012
If movies with environment friendly messages like Wall-E and The Lorax pissed off conservatives, Captain Planet must have given them an aneurysm.
05:22 AM on 03/06/2012
All that, and I can't believe they missed 'Song of the South'. That owns the #1 place for sure.
05:47 PM on 03/13/2012
They didn't miss it, it wasn't on their list because they didn't find it controversial or part of a conspiracy. They agree with the portrayal of the characters & their places in life. Just shows what hypocrites these groups and their members are.
(Deepak-I agree with you about "Song of the South")
07:40 PM on 03/05/2012
Did any opposers actually READ "The Lorax"? The whole message of the book is to protect the environment. That is Seuss' message, not Obama's.
07:39 PM on 03/05/2012
Are the Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education at the University of California-San Francisco that bewildered, or better yet, re******??... o_0
07:35 PM on 03/05/2012
Two words to the false criticism on WALL-E: B*** S***
nschomer
Scientifically Progressive Libertarian Socialist
12:25 PM on 03/05/2012
What are republicans so mad about. Their recruitment movie "The Empire Strikes Back" did pretty well at the box office, from what I can recall.
11:31 PM on 03/04/2012
RANGO was not a kids movie - it was an animated film. The kids in the theater were complaining, they didn't get it.