Top 10 Historically Inaccurate Details in Disney Movies
#10: No Lemurs in the Dinosaurs’ Timeline “Dinosaur” (2000)
Top 10 Historically Accurate Details in Disney Movies
In 2000, Disney released a cute animated film about an orphaned dinosaur raised by lemurs. The story is touching, and the animation is breathtaking — too bad that its timeline is all over the place. According to the British Geological Society, the dinosaurs we see would’ve been extinct by the late Cretaceous era, when the movie apparently takes place. Also, it’s unlikely that our protagonist would even know what a lemur was, let alone live among them, since they hadn’t yet evolved into the creatures we know today. Plus, wouldn’t a carnivorous dinosaur just see the mammal as dinner? Still, what the movie lacks in accuracy, it more than makes up for with a stunning and heartfelt tale.
#9: Some Very Modern Hobbies “Robin Hood” (1973)
Top 10 Historically Inaccurate Details in Pocahontas
It’s no secret that “Robin Hood” took some creative liberties when depicting this ol’ British tale. Last time we checked, the real Robin Hood wasn’t a fox, and Prince John’s right-hand man wasn’t a snake, well, at least not literally. Given that this English folklore takes place during King Richard I’s decade-long reign, which ended in 1199, it’s easier to spot other historical anomalies. For instance, Maid Marian seems like a pretty proficient badminton player for a sport that wouldn’t be invented for a few hundred years. Also, yes, the Britons did use farthing coins, but those didn’t come into circulation until the 1200s. We guess they robbed from the facts to give to the storytelling.
#8: A Skewered Greek Myth “Hercules” (1997)
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Unlike the other entries on our list, this one delves into mythology. “Hercules” is an epic adventure flick, but it deviates heavily from its source material. In all fairness, the real story would probably horrify Disney’s younger audiences. As any mythology buff knows, Zeus liked to get busy, and Hercules’s mom was actually a mortal called Alcmene. So, no, Hercules didn’t become a half-mortal by Hades’s evil scheme. In actuality, Hades wasn’t even a villain; he was just a god trying to do his job maintaining order in the underworld. The Disney-fied version also leaves out the part of the story where Hercules kills Megara and their kids. What was that they were saying about “The Gospel Truth?”
#7: Snow White’s Dress Is Off-Color “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” (1937)
While we can’t be 100 percent sure where or when this tale is set, little nuances throughout the movie indicate 16th-century Germany. However, Snow White’s iconic dress isn’t one of them. According to fashion historian Raissa Bretaña, Snow is very much a 20th-century girl living in the 1500s. Firstly, a 16th-century lady wouldn’t be caught without stockings, and her dress length would probably cover her shoes. Also, her frock would feature darker colors, and she’d likely be so weighed down by the seemingly infinite layers that her dress wouldn’t flow quite as freely. It’s also unlikely that her neckline would be so open or her hair would be uncovered and styled like Hedy Lamarr.
#6: A Wild Timeline “Tarzan” (1999)
Top 10 Historically Inaccurate Movies
You might think it’s monkey business to point out plot holes in a story about a man who lives with gorillas, but hear us out. The story’s based on Edgar Rice Burroughs’s book series, which released its first title, “Tarzan of the Apes,” in 1912, but its events take place roughly around the turn of the 20th century. This means that some of Porter’s namedrops don’t fit the timeline. For example, she talks about introducing Tarzan to Charles Darwin, a key figure in our understanding of evolution, who died in 1882. So unless they’re planning a séance, that would be pretty impossible. We get why Darwin gets a shoutout, but given the timeline, this was a swing and a miss.
#5: Aurora & Prince Philip’s “Dirty Dancing” Moment “Sleeping Beauty” (1959)
Like many dewy-eyed teens, Aurora fantasizes about her dream guy. The Prince she met, “Once Upon a Dream,” appears right on schedule, and they share a romantic dance. This is one of the most iconic Disney princess moments, however, had the pair been spotted by their contemporaries, it would’ve caused quite a scandal. “Sleeping Beauty” dates back to the 14th century when dancing was done in lines with no more than hands touching. Firstly, they seem to be dancing the Viennese Waltz, which reportedly originated in the mid–to-late 18th century. But a man putting his arm around a young lady’s waist like that? 14th-century viewers would be clutching their pearls at the very thought.
#4: Belle’s Little Town Wouldn’t Have Been So Quiet “Beauty and the Beast” (1991)
Belle’s provincial little town looks pretty idyllic, with its residents going about their daily business. However, based on the architecture, outfits, modern inventions, and the fact that the Beast is a prince, the film is guestimated to take place around the late 18th century. If you know your French history, you’ll know that scraping together the cash for six eggs would’ve only been the start of the problems civilians faced at the time. In fact, living conditions were so poor that it led to the Revolution, which ended the French monarchy. Additionally, life expectancy was about 40, so Belle’s dad probably wouldn’t have been around. Also, how did the dishware know about the Eiffel Tower when construction only began in 1887?
#3: A Confusing Timeline “Mulan” (1998)
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We’re not here to tell you that crickets might not be lucky or that dragon statues can’t make sassy little sidekicks. However, since “Mulan” is based on Chinese folklore set during the Northern Wei dynasty sometime between 386–535 CE, there are several anachronisms to note. For instance, China was still some time away from its imperial era, and the Great Wall of China we know today didn’t exist until the 15th century. Also, remember Mulan’s inky cheat sheet for her meeting with the matchmaker? Well, those are simplified Chinese letters that weren’t introduced until the 1950s. And while fireworks supposedly existed, they would’ve been far more monotone than the colorful display we see in the movie.
#2: Ignoring Racism “The Princess and the Frog” (2009)
This film, taking place in 1920s New Orleans, marked a much-needed shift in representation. However, it largely fails to depict an authentic picture of the era, especially for African-Americans living under Jim Crow laws which supported segregation. Tiana dreams of opening her own restaurant, but in reality, as a black woman, the odds would be stacked against her. Even with enough dough for a down payment, she could still be turned down due to prejudice. Also, interracial marriages were illegal in the U.S. until 1967, so her nuptials to Prince Naveen would’ve been a major no-no. Disney turned a blind eye to give Tiana her happily ever after rather than teaching impressionable audiences about the realities of racism. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. “Frozen Fractals,” “Frozen” (2013) The Word “Fractal” Was Supposedly Conceived in 1975, but Since the Song’s So Catchy, We Can “Let It Go” 8-Ball Has No Place on Pleasure Island, “Pinocchio” (1940) This Is Our Cue to Inform You That 8-Ball Was Invented in the 1900s, Roughly a Century after the Movie’s Events Matches Strike a Historical Gaff, “Tangled” (2010) Matches Were Invented in 1826, Whereas This Tale Is Estimated to Take Place Around the 1780s
#1: Pretty Much the Whole Story “Pocahontas” (1995)
This film deviates so far from reality that even the protagonist’s name is only kinda correct. Her birth name was Amonute, but typically, she went by “Matoaka.” “Pocahontas” was allegedly a nickname meaning “playful one.” When she met John Smith, she was about eleven years old, and there was no romantic entanglement between them. Supposedly, Matoaka played a significant role in building ties between the Powhatans and colonists. But in 1613, she was held for ransom and taken to England, and later married a settler called John Rolfe (rawlf). A twenty- or twenty-one-year-old Pocahontas suddenly took ill during a voyage to Virginia and died. As for that bridge, she helped build? You don’t need to be a history buff to know what happened next.
