Friday, October 9, 2009

'oo's the kid then?

the Minneapolis Public Library is hosting a series called Childish Films.
I'm glad they're showing stuff like this, and I know "childish" is not necessary pejorative, though I think "childlike" has a more positive connotation.
My objection is in the October 17 program, titled Toons for Tots. While I think it's great that kids are being exposed to good animation ( four vintage 30s Disneys, no less!), the constant refrain of "kids" and "tots" in relation to cartoons chafes just a bit.  I thought we'd passed the myopic notion that cartoons are inherently kid stuff.
To make my point as to the merits of this work, here's a classic from a few years later.