Line #38 Main/DisneyCreaturesOfTheFarce


1	%% Image selected per Image Pickin' thread: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/posts.php?discussion=1318763861068376600
2	%% Please do not change or remove without starting a new thread.
3	%%
4	[[quoteright:247:[[WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/345_3755.JPG]]]]
5	[[caption-width-right:247:[[http://storyboardcomics.blogspot.co.uk/2011/09/snow-white.html Someday her prince will come...]] and give her a proper burial.]]
6	%%
7	Creator/WaltDisney movies are known for including a character (often the heroine) who is a FriendToAllLivingThings, which always leads to a signature scene where the [[WoodlandCreatures sweet woodland critters]] [[AllAnimalsAreDomesticated mobilize under her command]] to help out with the chores. Sometimes it's just a few birds chirping a sweet song to make her smile while she's working; other times the whole group turns up en masse to celebrate a particularly happy moment. The music for the scene will be light and whimsical, and if the heroine sings, the animals will join in too.
8
9	When you see a StockParody of such a moment, it's this trope.
10
11	Writers, particularly in WesternAnimation, like to throw this kind of parody in for the [[ShoutOut fairly]] [[TakeThat obvious]] [[{{Homage}} reason]] that most of them grew up idolizing Disney movies and either are completely disillusioned now or want to [[AffectionateParody poke a little fun at their first inspiration]]. But this trope, like the original, can show up in live-action film and television as well, since Disney's influence is quite far-reaching.
12
13	The parodic scene will generally start the same way as described above and then [[DarkParody take a sharp turn into audacity or tragedy]] (e.g. the heroine lures the critters in to cook and eat them). Other times the usual formula plays out straight and the joke is that the writers have copied a scene without even ''pretending'' they didn't take it straight from ''WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs''. (Even though gentle or pure characters attracting animals is OlderThanTheyThink, Disney films are the most iconic examples for most viewers.) In shows with particularly high trope content, the woodland critters [[AvertedTrope may not appear at all]], leaving the heroine puzzled or annoyed by their absence.
14
15	Note that to fit this trope it has to be a clear reference to the classic Disney moment. If it's just a character who does horrible things to animals after [[BaitTheDog seeming to befriend them]], that's either a Subversion of FriendToAllLivingThings or a straight example of EnemyToAllLivingThings.
16
17	Compare {{Disneyesque}}.
18
19	----
20	!!Examples:
21
22	[[foldercontrol]]
23
24	[[folder:Advertising]]
25	* One Dunkin' Donuts commercial featured animated bluebirds, whistling a happy tune at a construction site (and on the city bus).
26	* A [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7Z-yxe3g7Y Jeep ad]] referenced and parodied this when various woodland creatures climb into an SUV and [[CrowdSong sing "Rock Me Gently" with the driver]].
27	* One Advertising/{{Progressive}} ad shows a florist happily talking to animated flowers, birds, and butterflies. The scene immeidately goes into MoodWhiplash once a talking puddle admits to seriously injuring one of the florist's customers, at which point the illusion ends.
28	[[/folder]]
29
30	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
31	* In Yui's {{flashback}} about her past with Yukari in ''Manga/{{Yuyushiki}}'', Yukari seems to be a parody of Disney Princesses (out of [[{{ojou}} her background]]), including the FriendToAllLivingThings aspect. She's clearly disturbed by the attention the animals give her.
32	[[/folder]]
33
34	[[folder:Fan Works]]
35	* ''[[http://archiveofourown.org/works/227399 Cursed]]'': ComicBook/DoctorStrange, fed up with Loki, gives him the "Disney Princess Curse". Cue animals following Loki around (and, not being a virgin, he really wants to know why there are unicorns there). Loki seems to take it in stride, and puts milk out for the cats that keep popping up in his lair. It's the people [[TheMusicMeister randomly bursting into song]] he can't stand, anyways.
36	* After Halloween in ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13586946/22/Sons-and-Daughters-of-Sineya Sons and Daughters of Sineya]]'', Willow unthinkingly starts singing while doing chores. Since she went as a Disney princess for Halloween, this summons a bunch of local animals to help her clean, something which rather freaks her out even if they were surprisingly helpful, including three raccoons using the vacuum. Giles shrugs the whole thing off once he learns that Willow is only summoning ''local'' animals and thus won't upset the ecology.
37	[[/folder]]
38
39	[[folder:Films -- Animation]]
40	* The Franchise/DisneyAnimatedCanon even [[SelfDeprecation parodies themselves]]:
41	** In ''WesternAnimation/{{Cinderella}}'', our heroine attracts only the spiteful [[CatsAreMean family cat]], who proceeds to romp around her clean floor with dirty paws and ruin her work.
42	** ''WesternAnimation/{{Hercules}}''. Whenever Artemis appeared, she would be surrounded by animals like this... until they started getting in her way and tripping her, at which point she would start yelling at them to leave her alone. And Meg is perfectly aware that the friendly animals approaching her [[spoiler:are really the demons Pain and Panic in disguise]].
43	--->'''Meg:''' I thought I smelled a rat.
44	** ''WesternAnimation/OliverAndCompany''. [[RichBitch Georgette]] attracts a flock of bluebirds to act as a combination of attendants, chorus, and [[InterspeciesRomance starstruck fans]] during "Perfect Isn't Easy". And Georgette is no sweet young thing; she's a beautiful but brassy... [[LastSecondWordSwap poodle]].
45	** ''WesternAnimation/TheEmperorsNewGroove'': A squirrel tries to befriend Kuzco, but the latter, {{Jerkass}} that he is, tells the former to get lost. The squirrel gets its revenge later. By the end of the movie, the squirrel's joined up with [[TheDitz Kronk]] instead.
46	** ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}'': Rapunzel is able to charm Maximus, the fierce horse belonging to the captain of the guard. Flynn, playing the straight man, can't believe that a guard's horse is thumping its leg like a dog.
47	* ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyEquestriaGirlsLegendOfEverfree'': Fluttershy, upon finding out she can now talk to animals, accidentally lets the word spread among avians, who promptly swarm her. She ends up with half-a-dozen songbirds and two owls perched on her spread arms (and one on her head). Despite never meaning this to happen, she stays polite to them ("It's nice to meet all of you, too.") and looks endearingly awkward as Sunset questions her about this.
48	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheRoadToElDorado'', Miguel views the war horse that tags along as a special friend, talking to it and getting it to help him out on their quest. When Miguel isn't watching, the horse is much less kind to Tulio, including literally biting him in the ass at one point.
49	* ''Franchise/{{Shrek}}'':
50	** In ''WesternAnimation/Shrek1'', Fiona ends up singing with a bird... then she accidentally causes it to explode with a high note, so she cooks its eggs for breakfast.
51	** Done again in ''WesternAnimation/ShrekTheThird''. During the attack on the castle, Snow White first gathers a mob of woodland animals by singing happily, then switches to Music/LedZeppelin's "Immigrant Song" to send them to attack the guards.
52	* In ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsonsMovie'', the woodland critters (including an entire flock of bluebirds and a very [[WesternAnimation/{{Bambi}} Bambi-like]] deer) help Marge and Homer undress before they retire to the bedroom. The creatures stick around a little too long and are quite horrified with what happens next.
53	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Trolls}}'': When they're camped for the night, Poppy starts singing to relax and an annoyed Branch demands she stop so he can sleep, saying he like silence. In order to [[{{Pun}} troll]] him, Poppy starts singing "[[Music/SimonAndGarfunkel The Sound of Silence]]", and is soon accompanied by a host of small woodland creatures and even the plants.
54	[[/folder]]
55
56	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
57	* A classic example is in ''Film/NineToFive'', when Lily Tomlin's character is [[FantasySequence fantasizing about]] poisoning her BadBoss, [[RogerRabbitEffect with a group of Disney-esque animals watching and encouraging as she prepares to do so]]. She's even wearing a Snow White costume!
58	* Giselle in Disney's ''Film/{{Enchanted}}'' starts off as a straight example of FriendToAllLivingThings, but when she ends up in the [[RealLife Real World]] and summons cockroaches, pigeons, flies and rats to clean the apartment... [[FridgeLogic yes, you read that right]]. Cockroaches and rats are a lot cleaner than most people give them credit for (both stay clean in much the same way as your average house cat does), but it's still pretty {{squick}}y. Watch the scene for yourself [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb2si7fClqA here]].
59	* In the animated opening credits to ''Film/{{Grease}}'', ingenue Sandy is attended by deer and little birds as she rises and prepares for the day.
60	* In ''Film/RobinHoodMenInTights'', Maid Marian's singing causes a "happy little bluebird" to perch on her finger. Her sidekick Broomhilde points out that it left a "happy little doo-doo" when it departed.
61	[[/folder]]
62
63	[[folder:Literature]]
64	* ''Literature/{{Discworld}}'':
65	** Mentioned in ''Literature/SoulMusic'' when a skeletal, hooded, scythe wielding Death of Rats steps onto Susan's palm and it's compared to the scene where the princess sings to the woodland creatures, but "more of a PG rating".
66	** Mentioned again in ''Literature/CarpeJugulum'' when Agnes sings in tune with herself while getting ready for the christening of Queen Magrat's baby. The narration contrasts this with singing in tune with [[Film/MaryPoppins her reflection]], noting that such behavior leads to singing along with bluebirds, and once that's happened "there's nothing for it but a flamethrower."
67	* In Peter S. Beagle's novel ''Literature/TheLastUnicorn'', a maiden sings near the woods to attract a unicorn, but the titular unicorn stays away. The maiden then tells her fiancé that clearly her singing would attract any unicorn if they still existed, so this must prove they don't exist and she is free to marry him. The Unicorn explains to her companions that she didn't appear because the princess had made impossible promises in the song, and seeing an actual unicorn would have put her under an obligation to keep them.
68	* ''Literature/{{Spellsinger}}'': In ''Day of the Dissonance'', a young girl is used in an attempt to lure in a a unicorn. It fails to work because the unicorn in question is gay.
69	[[/folder]]
70
71	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
72	* The ''Series/MrShow'' sketch "Biosphere" features a lonely scientist on New Year's Eve unsuccessfully asking woman scientists to spend the night with him. In between each one, he talks with his [[RogerRabbitEffect animated animal friends]] for advice. His step-fairy godmother shows up with a solution [[spoiler:in which [[BestialityIsDepraved the animals come on to him]]]].
73	* ''Series/OnceUponATime'''s Snow White has an affinity with birds. Normally this is [[FriendToAllLivingThings played straight]], but in one episode, Snow's got a bit of amnesia that's made her a lot less pleasant (the Dwarfs eventually stage an intervention for her); it's first illustrated by her befriending a BluebirdOfHappiness (humming "With a Smile and a Song") then [[MoodWhiplash trying to smash it with her broom]].
74	* The ''Series/SaturdayNightLive'' ad for "Uncle Jemina's Pure Mash Liquor" has the title character (Aunt Jemima's husband) constantly surrounded by singing cartoon birds as he plugs his incredibly strong booze. They turn out to be a drunken hallucination.
75	* A ''Series/SmackThePony'' sketch features a live-action Snow White working in an ordinary office, with animated bluebirds flying around her head and cartoon bunnies skipping beside her, much to the annoyance of her co-workers.
76	[[/folder]]
77
78	[[folder:Theatre]]
79	* Referenced in ''Theatre/TheCompleteHistoryOfAmericaAbridged'', when the soldiers in a UsefulNotes/WorldWarI sketch take a look at the enemy positions:
80	-->'''Reed:''' My God.\
81	'''Austin:''' We're outnumbered a hundred to one.\
82	'''Adam:''' By animals! There's Bambi and Thumper and Flower, and they're in 3-D!
83	* ''Theatre/TheMusicalOfMusicalsTheMusical!'', though not at all parodying Disney or cartoons, has Jeune suffering from a mysterious condition similar to that of Johanna in ''Theatre/SweeneyToddTheDemonBarberOfFleetStreet'' or Cinderella in ''Theatre/IntoTheWoods'':
84	-->''I have little birds\
85	Flying 'round my head\
86	Why do the birds fly\
87	Around my golden hair?\
88	Are they building nests up there\
89	With twigs and springs and bits of twine?\
90	Who cleans the messes\
91	They leave in my tresses?\
92	Your guess is as good as mine.''
93	[[/folder]]
94
95	[[folder:Video Games]]
96	* ''Franchise/AceAttorney'':
97	** Acro from ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyJusticeForAll Justice For All]]'' is shown with birds at random, even landing on his hands. Nothing happens to the birds, but [[spoiler:he's the case's killer]]. Although, his "getting angry" animation consists of the birds [[TranquilFury quietly fluttering away]], and once, when he thinks Phoenix doesn't have a leg to stand on (and Phoenix is beginning to entertain the same notion), one of his birds flies over to peck at Phoenix's forehead.
98	** ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneyTrialsAndTribulations Trials and Tribulations]]'''s Dahlia Hawthorne is shown with butterflies around her at various points. Upon TheReveal, [[spoiler:''they burst into flames'']].
99	** In ''[[VisualNovel/AceAttorneyInvestigationsMilesEdgeworth Ace Attorney Investigations 2]]'', [[spoiler:animal (and [[ManipulativeBastard human]]) tamer Simon Keyes]]'s breakdown has the previously doting fauna each taking a turn to beat them up.
100	** In ''[[VisualNovel/PhoenixWrightAceAttorneySpiritOfJustice Spirit of Justice]]'', [[spoiler:Queen Amara, upon her true identity being revealed,]] attracts a number of woodland creatures and even a ''tiger'' that all watch her with reverent awe. When angered, however, she delivers a terrifying DeathGlare punctuated by a flash of lightning that scares the animals away. [[spoiler:That said, she turns out to be TakingTheHeat for the culprit and is genuinely kind-hearted.]]
101	* Olivia, the ultra-girly super-princess from ''VideoGame/BattleFantasia'', is accompanied into battle by doves. The character is a complete parody of PrincessClassic tropes, so this naturally adds to it.
102	* In ''VideoGame/SouthParkTheStickOfTruth'' [[WholesomeCrossdresser Princess Kenny]] can summon up a swarm of rats to attack his enemies by singing. However, if you fail the button prompts, the rats will turn on Kenny and devour him.
103	* ''VideoGame/TwistedWonderland'' gives Silver this ability; this attracts speculation from the fandom that he is based on [[WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty Princess Aurora]].
104	[[/folder]]
105
106	[[folder:Webcomics]]
107	* ''Webcomic/CollegeRoomiesFromHell'':
108	** In the earlier strips, Marsha has this in spades... and hates it, as she can't enter a park without getting swarmed. Later strips use it much more sparingly due to CerebusSyndrome.
109	** This gets used to a particularly creepy effect following [[spoiler:her FreakOut, when she starts attracting swarms of ''bats'']].
110	%%* ''Webcomic/CyanideAndHappiness'' also did [[http://www.explosm.net/comics/620/ a strip about this trope]].
111	* [[http://sarahburrini.com/en/2012/09/23/epiphany/ This strip]] of ''Live Ain't No Pony Farm'' features Sarah having an epiphany amongst a rather silly looking bunch of woodland creatures. And then she intends to pet a fox with rabies...
112	%%* From ''Webcomic/SkinHorse'': [[http://skin-horse.com/comic/maintaining-perfectly/ Nick is a "Whimsy Princess".]] [[http://skin-horse.com/comic/color-coordinated/ It doesn't go as planned.]] %%Links are NOT examples
113	* In ''Webcomic/YetAnotherFantasyGamerComic'', [[http://yafgc.net/comic/2221-the-plan-is-executed/ the princess is doing the traditional]] "sing and attract woodland creatures" bit but the nearby goblins are essentially using her as bait.
114	[[/folder]]
115
116	[[folder:Web Original]]
117	* Animals are inexplicably drawn to ''Creator/AchievementHunter's'' [[AxCrazy Ryan Haywood]] despite his tendency to either murder them, trap them in holes, or [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking name them Edgar]].
118	* ''Website/TheOnion'': "[[http://www.theonion.com/article/ted-cruz-dressed-campaign-rally-swarm-loyal-vermin-52859 Ted Cruz Dressed For Campaign Rally By Swarm Of Loyal Vermin]]".
119	[[/folder]]
120
121	[[folder:Web Videos]]
122	* ''Funny Or Die'' presents: "[[http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/5e27224abb/disneys-princess-kesha Disney's Princess]] Music/{{Kesha}}". Starring Ke$ha as herself, even.
123	* ''WebAnimation/IfDisneyCartoonsWereHistoricallyAccurate'': The princess's "friends from the forest" are revealed to be little cartoon Jews hiding from persecution from the village guards.
124	[[/folder]]
125
126	[[folder:Western Animation]]
127	* ''WesternAnimation/AmericanDad'': Roger asks Francine to make a dish using an adorable bird. We see her in the kitchen, with the bird flying around her head while it mimics everything she sings. Then in a flash, she grabs the bird and drowns it in the pot of water on the stove, with [[StepfordSmiler a creepily apathetic look on her face]].
128	* When ''WesternAnimation/DarkwingDuck'' is [[LiteralSplitPersonality split into a good and evil version of himself]], Darkwing's super-powered good side is eventually surrounded by woodland creatures that come out of nowhere.
129	* In ''WesternAnimation/DrawnTogether'', Princess Clara (an {{Expy}} of Franchise/{{Disney Princess}}es) has the ability to summon woodland creatures to join her when she sings a song. In the episode "Requiem for a Reality Show", after half the cast is denied food privileges after losing a contest, Spanky and Wooldoor resort to tricking Clara into singing her song again so they can hunt the gathering animals for food. She finds out when her singing [[RaisingTheSteaks reanimates their cooked remains]]. Then she [[LeaveNoWitnesses kills the last of the critters so he won't tell the others]].
130	* In ''WesternAnimation/EverAfterHigh'', as Apple White pledges to follow her fairytale destiny, she holds her arms out and bluebirds swoop down to perch on them.
131	* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'':
132	** In one episode Vicky becomes nice for an episode and summons a hundred or so animals to help her clean. Then she [[spoiler:turns back into her normal shrieking self and scares them all out of the house. There is much shattering of glass involved in their leaving.]]
133	** And again in another episode where the Cream Puff and Squirrely Scouts are racing to get up a mountain. The woodland animal help the girls along singing a cutesy tune in the process not to mention doing their hair and bringing gift baskets. However their helping and singing quickly gets out of hand and drives the girls nuts. When they finally snap, the animals turn on them.
134	* In the ''WesternAnimation/GuardiansOfTheGalaxy2015'' two-parter "Black Vortex", Gamora gets stuck in a fairy-tale world with a band of cheerful cartoon forest animals.
135	-->'''Gamora:''' I'm not who you think I am. I'm not a princess, and I ''definitely'' don't sing.
136	* On ''WesternAnimation/JimmyTwoShoes'', Beezy starts reading Jimmy a SickeninglySweet pop-up book. By the time he finishes, several animals have gathered around, even though they're indoors.
137	* In ''WesternAnimation/JinxyJenkinsAndLuckyLou'', one of the [[BlessedWithSuck annoyingly convenient]] things that happen to Lou is being hounded by a pair of overly-friendly bluebirds with a wreath of flowers. At least they lead to her [[CrashIntoHello literally running into Jenkins]].
138	* In ''WesternAnimation/KickButtowski'', Brad eats a whole tin of breath mints that gives him breath so fresh it attracts birds. TheStinger for the episode is an ad for the mints, with the disclaimer "Birds not guaranteed to appear."
139	* Of course, ''WesternAnimation/TheSimpsons'' had to do it at least once. (Not even counting TheMovie; see the Animated Films folder for that.)
140	** In the episode "Homer the Heretic", after Homer finds religion, he strolls his garden serenely and animals flock to him. Cut to later, when they're still flocking around him while he's taking a shower, and he asks "Guys, can you give me five minutes?"
141	** In a four-story episode, Lisa (as Snow White) gets help making dinner from all the woodland animals; the birds chop the carrots, the squirrels bring food, and even the tortoise gets to take a nice bath in some boiling water.
142	* In the pilot of ''WesternAnimation/SofiaTheFirst'', the WoodlandCreatures reveal (in song, no less!) that the only reason they help princesses out with their chores is to get some food.
143	* The Woodland Critters from ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' are a subtler, but clear parody of this... Stan realizes this when they tell him they want to bring about the birth of the Anti-Christ (a much less-subtle TakeThat at Disney).
144	* In one episode of ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'', we finally visit the dreaded [[BoardingSchoolOfHorrors St. Olga's Reform School For Wayward Princesses]] and find it's basically designed to brainwash its inmates/students into becoming cliched PrincessClassic types. This includes lessons in singing along with the creatures of the forest; one student, [[ContinuityNod Princess Smooshy from "Sleep Spells"]], is admonished by her instructor for [[BlackComedyBurst eating a bluebird whole]].
145	* ''WesternAnimation/TotalDrama Pahkitew Island'': Being a Disney Princess parody, Ella's singing attracts all sorts of woodland creatures, even pacifying the aggressive ones. This serves as an annoyance to Chris, who would rather see her get mauled. It's interesting to note that long after Ella gets eliminated, [[spoiler: the island's wildlife is revealed to be robotic]].
146	[[/folder]]

Context Main / DisneyCreaturesOfTheFarce