Walt Disney interview with Sini Anderson before the premier of Maleficent.
SA: First of all I’d like to thank you, Mr. Disney for taking the time out of your busy schedule to do this interview.
WD: The schedule of life is always busy unless you’re a lazy good-for-nothing. So, what would you like to talk about, Sini?
SA: Well, as a third and fourth wave feminist I think I can speak for the whole feminist community in saying that we were very excited about this new interpretation of Maleficent.
WD: So you liked the movie? You saw an early viewing last week, am I correct? I really liked the little mushroom guy. What’d you like about it? Was the 3-D adequate?
SA: Yes, the 3-D was wonderful. But what was most rewarding was taking an iconic female villain and showing people that not all women are completely evil. And sometimes the reason they are what they are in the present, is because of trauma in the past.
WD: Well, Sini not sure what you’re really talking about. But did you know that the young lady who played Maleficent used to be married to Billy Bob Thornton? He’s a terrific actor. I’d like to someday work with him if we ever get that new Daniel Boone movie up and running. He’d make a great addition to the cast.
SA: Yes, I knew they were once married. What I was saying was I believe this is a very important movie for Disney in the way that modern day feminists view Disney at this point in time. And most importantly, I think Maleficent and Aurora are very positive role models for young girls and boys who may one day identify as girls.
WD: Well, again thanks so much for the compliments, Sini. When we set out to do a live-action origin story about one of the most beloved villainesses of all time my first thought was poppycock! But then I realized you know, there’s nothing wrong with taking a good recipe and improving upon it. Both recipes are still good but slightly different. But I will say, I like my chili simple, served from a can. Too many wild hot pepper recipes nowadays. The old stomach can’t handle it.
SA: I thought it was great how you subverted the tired trope of the passive damsel with the prince who comes in and saves her and everyone in the nick of time.
WD: Now I’m not sure what you’re talking about. We didn’t subvert anything. What I wanted to do was have a wonderful occult movie experience for the entire family. Basically, I wanted to show that good and evil really function best when they’re united. I also wanted to put forth an obvious Luciferian principle with Satan as the clear hero of the film. You see, Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent is in my mind an androgynous character. She’s like the horned king but she’s also a woman. She has wings because she symbolizes the higher realm and the subtle realm. When Stefan cuts her wings off, it’s like Satan being banished from Heaven. It also represents the slow, sluggish material realm and how it’s difficult sometimes to fly above that.
Of course when you watch the movie, you realize that Aurora and Maleficent are the same person. When Aurora finally meets Maleficent she says, “I know who you are. You’ve been watching over me, my whole life. Your shadow, it’s been following me, ever since I was small”.
This was of course the Jungian perspective about the shadow. Did you know that Jung built a tower on his Lake Zurich property? I heard he spent a lot of time by himself in that tower. Kind of like I spend a lot of time by my lonesome in my apartment overlooking Disneyland. Heck, I guess I built my own tower, too. I guess we’re both characters. I wish I had a chance to meet him. I think we would have got along splendidly. I don’t know if he liked chili or not.
SA: I didn’t think of it that way. But that makes sense.
WD: Didn’t you like how at the end of the movie Maleficent flies up to the sun, wings restored, wearing her black evil costume? The great thing about these times, Sini is as the sway of the Christian church crumbles, we can just put more and more blatant pagan, satanic mystical ideas right out there. And people will buy a ticket, sit in a seat and share a large butter popcorn. Do you like popcorn?
SA: Yes, I do. I always get a Dr. Pepper or Mr. Pibb at the theater.
WD: Ah, Mr. Pibb. That’s a good soda pop. And then of course I love the ending when you find out that Aurora is the narrator and says, “It took one who was both a hero and a villain to make things right. And her name was Maleficent.” That was another nod to Carl Jung. Are you familiar with Abraxas?
SA: Mr. Disney, I want to thank you for your time. I know you’ve got that premier to go to.
