Lines that make you cringe

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Cheshire_Cat
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Lines that make you cringe

Post by Cheshire_Cat »

Are there any lines from any Disney/Pixar movie that make you shudder when uttered? Why? Mine are:

Beauty and the Beast

Belle (to Gaston): He's no monster, Gaston! You are!

*The reason I don't particularly like this line is because it's just so cliched. It's a standard trope for movies like this, i.e. "Who's the real monster?"-type movies.

The Hunchback of Notre Dame

Phoebus: Easy! I just shaved this morning!
Esmeralda: Really? You missed a spot.

*This dialogue just doesn't sound realistic at all. I doubt anyone who's having the blunt end of a sword pointed menacingly in their face would be in the mood to crack jokes at the moment.

Pretty much everything said and done by the gargoyles during the siege of Notre Dame.

*One of my biggest pet peeves when it comes to movies is whenever the script demands comic relief during a situation that by no means calls for it. This is supposed to be an intense and climactic scene in the movie. If the same people who wrote the script for Hunchback had written the script for, say, Sleeping Beauty, then they probably would have inserted corny jokes uttered by the Three Fairies during the final fight against Maleficent.

Now, I'm not saying that any climactic battle scene is inappropriate for some comic relief, but given the dramatic nature of the scene from Hunchback, I just feel it cheapens the whole thing.

Anyway, I'd like to hear some of your opinions! :)
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Post by Semaj »

The Jungle Book

"You wouldn't marry a panther, would you?"

Made sense when Bagherra asked Baloo, but not when Baloo asked Mowgli. Maybe it denoted his uneasiness in telling Mowgli he changed his mind about letting him stay in the jungle, but it felt too awkward.

The Fox and the Hound

"You're a silly....empty-headed.....female!"

There were a lot of terrible, awkward lines throughout this film, but this one was particularly disturbing.
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Post by RyGuy »

The Princess and the Frog

"I got news for you Shadow Man. It's not slime! It's mucus!!"

Mulan

"Not quite. Ready, Mushu?"

I have no idea why those two lines make me cringe. But they do.
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Post by Dr Frankenollie »

RyGuy wrote:The Princess and the Frog

"I got news for you Shadow Man. It's not slime! It's mucus!!"
Agreed. This line is horrible.
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Post by Sky Syndrome »

Flynn's monologue at the beginning of Tangled. The backstory needed a narrator who treated it with dignity for crying out loud.
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Post by Marce82 »

Sky Syndrome, I am 100% in agreement with you.

Now, the lines that make me cringe...
In The Princess and the Frog:

Naveen: " and you became.."
Tiana: "... a princess. You just kissed yourself a princess"

COULD THEY BE PUSHING THE PRINCESS LINE A BIT MORE????
Oh, I also cringe every time TIana mentions tabasco. Seems that's the only ingredient she knows.

In the Hunchback of Notre Dame... Quasi is showing Esmeralda the bells. In more than one occasion she turns to her pet goar Djali is he/she wants to do whatever Quasi proposed.

DJALI SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT MOVIE. Does EVERY character need a sidekick? They are shoe-horning the character into the scene by having Esmeralda talk to it.

In Hercules: (I'm paraphrasing)
At the end, Zeus says "for a hero isn't measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart"

Really? Do they need to spell it out for the kids? Ever heard of subtlety?

In Mulan: anything Mushu says.

Thats all I can think of for now.
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Post by Lazario »

Semaj wrote:The Jungle Book

"You wouldn't marry a panther, would you?"

Made sense when Bagherra asked Baloo, but not when Baloo asked Mowgli. Maybe it denoted his uneasiness in telling Mowgli he changed his mind about letting him stay in the jungle, but it felt too awkward.
But didn't it help the scene, really? Since Baloo felt worse than awkward about telling Mowgli he had to go back to the Man Village? (Not trying to argue, just asking.)


Something tells me I would cringe during the entirety of Beauty and the Beast were I to watch it again. And I won't even watch The Nightmare Before Christmas again. Just. Won't. Do it.

I think the ultimate line that makes me cringe is Toulouse from The Aristocats saying (I might misquote), "what if we meet a big tough alleycat?" And every Disney movie where any character utters the phrase "sissy stuff." Of all sources, this is not Disney's forte. Dictating what's tough and what isn't? That's like people thinking Michael Jackson or John Travolta had ever been in a real street fight. Not as... charming as it should be. Just silly. And criticizing "girly" stuff? Are they TRYING to alienate a big part of their audience? In a way, there's no way I could ever wholeheartedly embrace Aristocats after something like this. It's just respectful to try harder to be more creative in making an observation like boys don't want to watch a romantic scene. Why did they bother to come to see a Disney movie anyway? It's not culturally taboo for "boys" to like babies and children. But romance; can't Disney just assume if they're really so bothered, they can get up and make a sandwich? (Or, in a theater, go get some more popcorn or a Snickers?) Not insult / annoy the rest of the audience?

Everything else that annoys me in a Disney film pretty much comes down to non-dialogue moments. There are quite a few in Bambi (oh, GOD, WALK already, Bambi- WAAAAALK!; we just got through with seeing Dumbo do the same thing and he was adorable!) and the whole cherub cupid scene in Fantasia (talk about too cutesy, this scene is an instant toothache and perpetually on its' way to becoming a full-on eye infection). Which strangely was so nauseating, somehow I had nothing left to hurl when Make Mine Music and The Parent Trap tried the same thing. Actually, those Parent Trap cupids were almost on the Sound of Music marionette level of indescribable squirmage (just dopey enough though to get a pass by Creepy Customs, so long as nobody tries to make one for an arts & crafts project). This is of course why I went insane for Fun and Fancy Free re-enacting the cupid routine with teddy bears. Now THAT was genuinely cute and sweet.

I probably shouldn't have used this thread to make another Beauty and the Beast cheapshot when Bambi is the KING animated Disney movie of cringe. Thumper is such a minor would-be saving grace that he barely registers on the radar. And then... he grows up. With what looks like a thick mustache. Um... if this were one of those Stranger Danger videos, this guy would get a "Watch Out for STRAN-GERRRRRS" closeup. Oh, DISney... Animal puberty? Don't make me make a humping dog joke. Disney shouldn't be in the business of teaching the facts of life. They just SHOULDN'T. Especially since so many fans remain adamant that they shouldn't "indoctrinate" audiences into the dark alley of (GASP!) homosexuality. Too many Disney fans are real "let's have our cake and eat it too" types. Let's let Disney fill our kids' heads with fantasies of romance and try teaching us the facts of life... but leave out any real reference of sex. Okay... a rule? I can accept that. But did Disney ever really stick to it? Just look at Bambi with its' battling stags and swelling music cueing in the "alone time" montage. Bambi is most definitely talking about sex. But slapping a cute animal face on it. Hey, if we're going to follow that logic: aren't humping dogs still cute dogs, when you ignore the fact that they're humping?
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Post by rodis »

In Pocahontas:

Powatan's little speech after Pocahontas saves Smith "My daughter came here with courage but we came here with hate" and then when Smith's on the stretcher, again Powatan "You're always welcome here, thank you, my brother"
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Post by qindarka »

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs:

"It's not for you, it's for Snow White".

The Lion King:

"No king, no king, lalalalalala".

Hercules:

"Honey, its Hunkules".

Tangled:

"You are never leaving this tower. EVER"
"I never break my promises. EVER"
"For the first time EVER, I'm completely free".

" I know not who you are, nor how I came to find you, but may I just say. Hi."


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Post by slave2moonlight »

Okay, I know I have a ton of these. I think certain films are particularly bad about this. Ones that wanna be comedies but don't have good comedy writers. Unfortunately, I have an awful memory. I will say that a lot of the lines people have mentioned here so far don't bother me. Some, like the Jungle Book one that's been discussed, I think work quite well. A few mentioned here do bother me. But, I doubt I could find too many that bother me, personally, from the classic stuff. Maybe if I rewatched each one and came back here to post. Anyways, off the top of my head, I can easily say that one of the worst for me is, "Bake those cookies, Lucille," from Meet he Robinsons. In fact, there are several in that movie, I'm sure. The humor with the Bowler Hat Guy works for me, but hardly any of the other humor in that movie does. Another I remember from that one is, "Only my enemies," or something like that, spoken in the beginning by the Wednesday Addams ripoff little girl. I love the character of Wednesday Addams, but this was just such a lame ripoff, and the line wasn't funny, particularly because it was so obviously supposed to be.

Let me think for a second if any others come to mind. I know there are more from that movie, but I'm going to try not to think about IT.

Anytime they talk about "the groove" in Emperor's New Groove, HONESTLY. I think it's a stupid word, and I wish they hadn't used it somehow. I otherwise love that movie. There might be another line or two in that film I don't love, I don't recall, but that might be it, any mention of "the groove".

I know there are probably some from the Lion King. Most likely from the cubs or the hyenas.

Okay, that's all I got for now. Maybe I'll watch something soon and have more to say. Though I love most of these movies, often the Disney writers come up with things they find hilarious that I feel just the opposite about, yet I sometimes will see that the soccer mom crowd seems to like those particular jokes for some reason. By that I mean people who halfheartedly watch Disney movies. Those types and the fellow Disney fanatics of the variety who find ANYTHING Disney to be absolutely perfect.

I think the bulk of the lines I find dumb I would probably find in the more recent stuff. Like, from Lion King to now, more as we get closer to now. I'm sure Bolt has some, and probably Dinosaur (haven't watched it in forever), and maybe even Tangled. But maybe I'm forgetting some really dumb lines in the older stuff too.
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Post by slave2moonlight »

Lazario wrote:Actually, those Parent Trap cupids were almost on the Sound of Music marionette level of indescribable squirmage
Honestly, I could probably go on forever if we're including live-action too. Though I actually can enjoy Haunted Mansion to some degree, for example, I know there are a lot of cringe worthy moments in that, and any movies I was disappointed in, like Country Bears, I'm scared to rewatch and find all the cringeworthy moments. But, again, in general, I don't have a great memory. I will say that, while the cupids or the opening of Parent Trap in general doesn't bother me, I am sure there were several other moments in that film that make me cringe a little. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe it's just the one that comes to mind, and that's one some people may not believe. It's that "Let's Get Together" song that is supposed to be so cute, and all the soccer moms find so cute, and all. It's not that it's so horrible, it's just a couple things. One, I just don't find it believable that this performance would take place. I understand its purpose in the girls' plan, but it's a moment that goes beyond my suspension of disbelief, I guess. But, maybe that is less my problem with it than the other, which is just how the parents crack up so much at it. I know people love to see their own kids perform, but maybe that's it, I guess. It's always less enjoyable for the outside viewer. Sometimes my reason for disliking something is not so much that it is unlikable, but rather, I just get frustrated at HOW MUCH other people like it when I don't think it's THAT good. Again, I'm not talking about the movie "The Parent Trap". I LOVE that movie. I'm talking about that one bit. I don't altogether hate it, but when they do the "Say Hey Alligator" line in the song, and that just breaks up the mom and dad, I'm like, "Really? That was as cute and funny as all that?" I just don't get it. Anyways, there, I said it. I kinda like the song and love the movie, so this was hard for me. :D
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Post by Ivan »

qindarka wrote: Hercules:

"Honey, its Hunkules".
This, and the continued use of "Jercules" during the scene where he wants to play discus with the teens. Not a fan of lazy puns in the least.
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Post by DancingCrab »

Marce82 wrote:DJALI SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN PART OF THAT MOVIE. Does EVERY character need a sidekick? They are shoe-horning the character into the scene by having Esmeralda talk to it.
Esmerelda actually DID have a little goat sidekick named Djali in the Hugo novel, so you can't really blame Disney when an animal sidekick is handed to them without having to even brainstorm about where to put one in the story. An argument can even be placed for the gargoyles, as Quasimodo has many a conversation with his "stone friends" (notice: not "stoned friends" :lol: ). You can argue and critique about the execution all you want, but I think it's weird to say they should have made it less like the source material because that element doesn't work FOR YOU in a DISNEY FILM. Again, not saying you should have to like the goat, that's your perfectly just opinion, but he most certainly SHOULD have been an animated version of Hunchback.
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Post by estefan »

The one that immediately comes to mind is in The Hunchback of Notre Dame:

"I'm Phoebus. It means sun god." Who introduces themselves like that? Nobody...that's who.
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Post by PixarFan2006 »

Another one from Hunchback

"Pour the wine and cut the cheese"
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Post by Disney Duster »

Marce82 wrote:Now, the lines that make me cringe...
In The Princess and the Frog:

Naveen: " and you became.."
Tiana: "... a princess. You just kissed yourself a princess"

COULD THEY BE PUSHING THE PRINCESS LINE A BIT MORE????
She has to say that to outwardly show they both realized the only reason the spell worked was because she had just become a princess. It's a necessary line.
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Post by Dr Frankenollie »

Although I really like Tangled, some of its dialogue is quite cringe-worthy. The prologue is excellent, but the narration by Flynn spoils the atmosphere frequently (especially when he says "Creepy, right?" after we hear Mother Gothel's spell for the first time). Also, I hate "Here comes the smoulder', '...may I just say - hi" and "They just can't get my nose right!" :roll: All of these lines are unnecessary and just seem very forced; I never fail to cringe when I hear them.
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Post by Goliath »

Adult Simba: Creepy little monkey. Would you stop following me! Who are you?
Rafiki: The question is, who... are you?
Adult Simba: [sighs] I thought I knew, but now I'm not so sure.

Rafiki: [after guiding Simba to a spot where he says will show him Mufasa] Look down there.
Adult Simba: [looks into a pool of water] That's not my father. That's just my reflection.
Rafiki: No, look harder.
[touches the water, as it ripples Simba's reflection changes to that of his father]
Rafiki: You see? He lives in you.
Mufasa's ghost: [from above] Simba.
Adult Simba: Father?
Mufasa's ghost: [apears among the stars] Simba, you have forgotten me.
Adult Simba: No. How could I?
Mufasa's ghost: You have forgotten who you are and so have forgotten me. Look inside yourself, Simba. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the Circle of Life.

Adult Simba: I know what I have to do. But going back means I'll have to face my past. I've been running from it for so long.
[Rafiki hits Simba on the head with his stick]
Adult Simba: Ow! Jeez, what was that for?
Rafiki: It doesn't matter. It's in the past.
[laughs]
Adult Simba: Yeah, but it still hurts.
Rafiki: Oh yes, the past can hurt. But the from way I see it, you can either run from it, or... learn from it.


Corny and clichéd.

estefan wrote:The one that immediately comes to mind is in The Hunchback of Notre Dame:

"I'm Phoebus. It means sun god." Who introduces themselves like that? Nobody...that's who.
And that's why it's funny. Notice the look on Esmeralda too, when he says that.
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Post by slave2moonlight »

Dr Frankenollie wrote:Although I really like Tangled, some of its dialogue is quite cringe-worthy. The prologue is excellent, but the narration by Flynn spoils the atmosphere frequently (especially when he says "Creepy, right?" after we hear Mother Gothel's spell for the first time). Also, I hate "Here comes the smoulder', '...may I just say - hi" and "They just can't get my nose right!" :roll: All of these lines are unnecessary and just seem very forced; I never fail to cringe when I hear them.
I kinda think that if you take away that stuff, you're going to have another bland prince with no personality. Not saying this type of personality is the only one he has to have, but it IS the personality they gave him and I think it fits the movie well. This stuff actually didn't bother me, and it's one of the things that makes him the only really great "prince" character besides Naveen and Aladdin. Sure, Eric was good, and I even like Prince Phillip, but neither showed a lot of personality, just more than Snow White's and Cinderella's.

The, "may I just say, - hi," line and the bit leading up to it makes me cringe a little, I'll go along with that one, and maybe there are others in the film. Because it tries to be a comedy a lot of the time, I'm sure I could find a good handful, as Disney is very uneven when it comes to animated comedy.
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Post by RIPJoeRanft »

Pretty much the entire Pocahontas script.

Flynn Rider has quite a few, but I still think that character works at the end of the day (although not as strongly as Naveen, who had that funny and charming accent going for him, which made lines twice as funny on delivery).

Don't notice any from Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, or The Lion King after repeated viewings. Those hold up for a reason. Of course The Genie has some dated and crazy references, but that's his shtick and I don't think it's ever done poorly really.

Lady and the Tramp had a few annoying exchanges between Lady's owners (never was down with the whole "Jim Dear" and "Darling" thing), but nothing all that cringeworthy. and the fantastic exchanges between the dogs make up for any slight annoyances.

Those blasted gargoyles from Hunchback as well. Somebody mentioned the Cut the Cheese line, and that's certainly one of them. Awful dialogue throughout this film...it does a ton of things well and a ton of things poorly.

Oh, and that yodeling song from Home on the Range...the first time I heard it, I was actually ashamed to be such a big Disney Animation fan. Disgraceful.
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