Rating: 
Summary: What are they afraid of?
Review: Just recently, the only living relative of Walt Disney remaining in the Disney company exited in a rather loud and public way, after finally having had enough of the crooked ways of CEO Michael Eisner. The problem, of course, is that Michael Eisner was doing just what `Uncle Walt' wanted --- picking money out of the pockets of the middle and lower classes, making people feel that they are somehow secure in a dangerous world, and promoting racism and sexism. Henry A. Giroux, the Waterbury Chair Professor of Education at Pennsylvania State University, a world renowned writer on education and cultural issues, has written a very readable book about one of the most abusive companies in North American history. Giroux's The Mouse That Roared convinces us that Disney has become a force that must be criticized and feared. He also explains why the Disney Empire feels they must have absolute control over their employees, their town and their movies. Giroux tackles Disney's legacy of eroding democracy and endangering the nation's youth. Disney whitewashes history and shows, in its theme parks, the history of slaves in a nauseatingly nostalgic light. While Disney conjures up ideas, and promotes ideals, of innocence, and creates childish fantasies, it also encourages, and maybe even coerces, massive spending, especially by those that can least afford it. Disney even has its own private town, Celebration, and its handling of its employees borders on the criminal. In addition, Giroux argues, Disney movies promote sexism and racism. Having read the book, I am convinced that we, as teachers, parents, and concerned citizens, ought to become more aware of what Disney is doing. Giroux's book effectively shows that prevailing conceptions of this company do not reflect the truth behind this not so `Mickey Mouse' company. Sometimes the truth isn't pretty, but it must be spoken. It appears that Giroux has spoken truth.
Rating: 
Summary: A Disappointed Reader
Review: THE MOUSE THAT ROARED was a disappointment to me in many ways--the tortuous academic prose style, the ever-present word "pedagogy" in all of its various forms, the rather sinister view of the Disney Company's motivations in their influence on education and popular culture. I was especially disappointed in Giroux's treatmemt of Walt Disney, who he refers to occasionally as "Old Walt Disney" (Old?) In his discussion, he presents as facts some myths about Walt Disney that have been refuted by a host of scholars and historians. I feel that this is a disservice to the memory of Walt Disney, and further, it makes me question the entire content of the book.
Rating:
Summary: A Disappointed Reader
Review: THE MOUSE THAT ROARED was a disappointment to me in many ways--the tortuous academic prose style, the ever-present word "pedagogy" in all of its various forms, the rather sinister view of the Disney Company's motivations in their influence on education and popular culture. I was especially disappointed in Giroux's treatmemt of Walt Disney, who he refers to occasionally as "Old Walt Disney" (Old?) In his discussion, he presents as facts some myths about Walt Disney that have been refuted by a host of scholars and historians. I feel that this is a disservice to the memory of Walt Disney, and further, it makes me question the entire content of the book.
Rating:
Summary: Academic, but spectacular in that regard.
Review: The negative reviews of this book here have been fairly typical: It's apparently enough to call Giroux "leftist" and to point out his concern with class, race, and gender inequality. That alone completely impugns his work for many people. If you are one of those people, don't pick up this book. But if you're not, you've got to read this. The book is academic, and is written that way: Giroux packs the ideas in, especially in the beginning. But it is also the best piece of cultural criticism I've yet read.
Contrary to what people have been saying here, Giroux does not simply scream "race class gender inequality" over and over again. In fact I was impressed by how seldom he did make direct appeal to those issues. Instead, he focuses largely on the "public pedagogy" (I love that phrase) at work behind a company like Disney (if in fact there is any other company like Disney). Giroux's central idea is that we need an intelligent, critical populace in order to have a true democracy, and his central claim is that Disney actively works against both intelligence and critical thinking in the populace at large. His claim is well argued, and well substantiated. The consistent move towards "security" in our society is a troubling symptom of the kind of worldview that Giroux ascribes to Disney. And if he's right, it is imperative that we all start to think a lot more critically about Disney and other, similar societal influences.
Rating: 
Summary: An important message obscured by academic cant.
Review: You don't have to read this book to know how Disney capitalizes on it's image to sell, sell, sell to children and their parents. But if you think Disney's animated films are innocent fantasies, and Disney's non-animated features display what is "best" about America, you had better read this, and think again. Giroux reveals how Disney hides behind it's image of innocent family oriented fun, while fighting to shape the minds of our children with a sexist, racist and anti-democratic ideology that is far from innocent. Micky Mouse meets 1984 as the Disney propaganda machine teaches us that women are less than men, the white shall inherit the earth, and history can be effectively re-written, packaged and sold, not just to children, but to adults as well. Giroux shows how a politically reactionary message escapes critical notice under the guise of children's entertainment because, "everyone knows" that Disney is "wholesome." Unfortunately, Giroux's message will never escape the white tower and reach the people who most need to hear it -the parents of the world- because of it's tortured, academic prose. If you use the word "pedagogy" in your daily conversation you may find this book readable. If you're like me you'll wish he would write it over in english.
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