At a family movie night, the top choice is Ratatouille; while one is watching, they pick up a line from Linguini that was never noticed before as a kid, “You can get too familiar with vegetables you know.” Some would assume it is shocking that the joke has slipped its way into a children’s movie and that it’s underlying meaning once went unnoticed.
According to webmd.com, when an adolescent enters the formal operational stage of psychological development, their brain can better process abstract concepts. These abstract concepts include adult jokes that they did not have prior knowledge to hearing. While it is unlikely a young child below the age of 11 will understand these jokes, they tend to surprise viewers as they get older.
“I think that everyone knows that when kids are watching, chances are adults are watching as well, whether it’s true or not,” English teacher Iwona Awlasewicz said. “It makes those films entertaining to older audiences.”
While there is no definite reason as to why writers decide to add in the these adult jokes and no extensive evidence of the jokes benefiting film sales, Awlasewicz’s extensive film knowledge, having multiple film degrees, leads her to believe it can make the long process of writing scripts more entertaining.
“[The writers] know they have a line that cannot be crossed and we still have a film rating system that has its standards,” Awlasewicz said. “I believe they are really trying to fly under the radar and that’s really like a game for the writer.”
Depending on the age bracket of the children watching, there is a possibility they will pick up on the humor in the film. Knowing that is highly unlikely due to psychological brain development, it is easier for creators to get away with these inappropriate lines.
“I think it makes it more fun for the older people in a way, but it’s very eye opening,” sophomore Kayleigh Wieska said. “It shows how innocent you are when you’re younger.”
Buzzfeed.com often publishes articles, videos and quizzes on the jokes made in Disney films and children’s shows that teens will also see. Oftentimes, teens will find it humorous to reflect on their innocence.
“Last night, I was just looking up [the lines] and I was just thinking it was crazy; I never noticed them as a kid,” Wieska said. “I don’t really think it’s a problem and I think it helps with the adults, making the movie more enjoyable for them.”
While the humor in Disney films has sparked some controversy, it has not been a serious issue for the company. Some of the jokes have dated back as far as 30 years and are still popular to laugh at today. In today’s society it is more common for inappropriate jokes to be made on television, but the boundaries have changed and are constantly evolving. What adults think is acceptable varies with popular belief at the time the film is produced. As long as the humor does not necessarily harm anyone, it is admissible to sneak something funny into a project once in awhile.
