So in virtually every thread about whether or not something new fits the theme, somebody brings up that "the castle doesn't fit at the end of Main Street" as an example of a Walt-era thematic violation.
No matter how many times I have seen this argument, it never ceases to surprise me.
First of all, the castle is not technically on Main Street. It's on the Central Plaza, the crossroads of all the original lands.
But of course it's visible from Main Street...which I find to be the most beautiful visual metaphor in the entire park. It's not jarring, it's a purposeful juxtaposition between the safe, cozy Main Street and the fantasy and adventure that await you in the rest of the park. It's the idea of wandering down the main street in your hometown and daydreaming of castles in the sky...and one appears in front of you, right there on the ground!
So to see that used as an example of a "violation of theme" is fascinating to me, because to me it's one of the best examples of visual storytelling and theme in the theme park medium.
Then there's the argument that says that there's only a castle to begin with because Walt wanted to promote Sleeping Beauty. I think there would have been a castle anyway, because that's one of the major images associated with fantasy. Snow White ended with an image of a castle. Given his three choices of princess at the time (Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora), he probably chose the one that made the most promotional sense, but a fairy tale princess living in castle in a land of fairy tales is not a thematic stretch.
I'm not saying that Walt never violated theme. I just don't get this example.
No matter how many times I have seen this argument, it never ceases to surprise me.
First of all, the castle is not technically on Main Street. It's on the Central Plaza, the crossroads of all the original lands.
But of course it's visible from Main Street...which I find to be the most beautiful visual metaphor in the entire park. It's not jarring, it's a purposeful juxtaposition between the safe, cozy Main Street and the fantasy and adventure that await you in the rest of the park. It's the idea of wandering down the main street in your hometown and daydreaming of castles in the sky...and one appears in front of you, right there on the ground!
So to see that used as an example of a "violation of theme" is fascinating to me, because to me it's one of the best examples of visual storytelling and theme in the theme park medium.
Then there's the argument that says that there's only a castle to begin with because Walt wanted to promote Sleeping Beauty. I think there would have been a castle anyway, because that's one of the major images associated with fantasy. Snow White ended with an image of a castle. Given his three choices of princess at the time (Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora), he probably chose the one that made the most promotional sense, but a fairy tale princess living in castle in a land of fairy tales is not a thematic stretch.
I'm not saying that Walt never violated theme. I just don't get this example.
Comment