casrin wrote:...when addressing the "common audience," you had to write and speak for the assumption you're addressing a 6th grade audience.
Sure, but not
moronic sixth graders. My beef is that Ellen is portraying a stupid person and they are asking you to relate to the stupid person, and then later reward her for being stupid.
Probably no one in history has a better track record of entertaining both children and adults simultaneously, from
Snow White all the way up to the Pixar movies, but while those movies can be enjoyed by children (even stupid children!), they don't insult the intelligence of everyone else at the same time.
In other words, not too technical, not too intelligent.
I don't agree with that at all. You can never be
too intelligent. I agree that it is necessary to keep the children (and the stupid) engaged or it's a failure, but that doesn't mean you can't fill it with brilliant details that most people won't notice but non-stupids will.
Attractions often work on different levels, and you don't need to get all of them to be entertained. Disney does (or at least did) this all the time, which is why elitist artists and scholars loved Disney as much has little kids and simpletons.
I can see where the Ellen version of UoE would be a fishing hook in a lake.
I don't see it as inspiring interest in energy at all. It wraps everything up in a nice little bundle at the end, refuses to challenge the audience in any way, and implies that the on-screen idiot and the audience now know all they need to know about energy after just a few minutes of talking to Bill Nye the Science Guy.
Esmerelda wrote:They'll go once, but they often won't be interested in the real heavy technological stuff unless it's presented with a little humor.
I don't have any objection to humor, but I think Ellen's brand of humor (pretending to be confused) doesn't lend itself to repeat viewings. No one is going to say "Here comes the great part where Ellen pretends to be dumb again!"...at least I hope not! It's a one-time gag, unlike situational humor which can be funny countless times. It's just like that overused "oh no, something has suddenly gone wrong!" gimmick so many thrill rides use. It works once, and then it's just lame.
...the general idea of using multiple sources for energy, especially brainpower, is still relevant today.
My point is that it was just as relevant 25 years ago (there are very few issues that are moreso both then and now), and it's never been a serious part of the attraction, because ultimately both shows left you with the idea that oil companies have got it covered, and you shouldn't spend any time worrying about it.
I'm not saying that a Disney attraction should bum you out, but it also shouldn't put dangerous ideas in the heads of the guests, particularly when it's alleging to educate as well as entertain them.
On the surface there is hunger and fear. Men still exercise unjust laws. They fight, tear one another to pieces. A mere few feet beneath the waves their reign ceases, their evil drowns. Here on the ocean floor is the only independence.
