Weighing in on 'Shrek'

[Photo: DreamWorks Pictures] Princess Fiona, left, is keeping a secret from the ogre Shrek.

By MIKE WILSON

© St. Petersburg Times, published May 31, 2001

Is this just another flick touting the slim and pretty, or does it offer a moral that beauty transcends chubbiness and pointed ears? Here are some of the things our readers had to say.

On Monday, Floridian published a column by a University of South Florida psychology professor who believes the animated movie Shrek reinforces stereotypes about overweight people.

Joel Kevin Thompson, who studies physical attractiveness and body image, said that when Princess Fiona becomes "ugly" (a word used in the movie) she also becomes fat.

"(The producers' storytelling) strategy -- weight enhancement -- fits neatly into our prejudice against fat people," he wrote.

We asked readers if they agreed. We received a large and impassioned response -- 63 calls and 49 e-mails.

Those who disagreed with Thompson outnumbered those who agreed by about four to one. Some readers felt the movie was crueler to short people than to fat people, and several objected to the belching and vulgarity in it.

Many spoke candidly about their own weight problems, but a person's size did not always determine the way he or she felt about the movie.

Here is a sample of what readers had to say.

Fat Fiona a model of beauty Editor's note: When St. Petersburg Times film critic Steve Persall reviewed Shrek two weeks ago, he called the computer-animated movie "a pleasant, byte-sized distraction" and gave it a grade of B. Here, he addresses Fiona's transformation.

It's a cute movie for the entire family. . . . If there is something wrong with this movie, then they had better throw out Snow White and Cinderella as well.
-- Penny Rochester, New Port Richey

I agree that it probably does reinforce the "fat" stereotype and gives small children the impression that fat is part of ugly. I have always been overweight, but had a lot of confidence and, as my mother used to say, "carry myself well." Don't know how my opinion can help, but would like Hollywood to choose wisely when children are watching.
-- Gail A. Ware, Clearwater

I agree that our discrimination against people considered overweight is a sad and deeply damaging attitude in our society. However, to me the movie Shrek promotes acceptance of one's natural and true self. It seemed to me the princess realized her dream of finding her "true love" only after letting go of a false Barbie-doll perfection, revealing her true self: larger, green and with different facial features. To me the message was to accept yourself as you are, because who you truly are is beautiful and lovable.
-- Virginia Walsh, Clearwater

Your article was political correctness run amok. Not only did you miss the entire point of the movie, but you are contributing to that part of society who will not be content until all media is reduced to a wishy-washy, humorless, sanitized blandness. . . . This is a terrific, clever, funny, thoughtful film -- one of the best I've seen in a long time, and it's extremely annoying to have someone who should know better put a damper on what should be hailed as great family entertainment. Get a life!
-- Eliza Arthurs, Clearwater

I applaud Mr. Thompson for the work he is doing regarding physical attractiveness and body image. It is something that is badly needed in our society. However, I feel he completely missed the mark. . . . As a large person, I have suffered the slings and arrows of unkind remarks for most of my life. To me, the main messages of the movie were "Do not judge others by their appearance" and "Be happy with who you are."

Both Shrek and Princess Fiona came away having learned these lessons.
-- Richard L. Johnson, Weeki Wachee

I saw the movie Saturday night with my two children, and we all loved it. As a matter of fact, one of my kids made the comment, "Finally, a movie that has a good moral to it." Yes, the princess thinks she is ugly because she is an ogre. But in reality, there was someone that loved her. . . . Maybe people should start looking into the more positive aspects and stop trying to find something negative to whine about.
-- Jennifer Robinson, Largo

I am 13 years old and weigh 85 pounds. You might be wondering why I put my weight. . . . My weight, or lack thereof, is a very big issue to me. Skinny people are teased just as much as overweight people. I would give anything to be a regular, average weight, or even "fat." . . . I get all the jokes: "You could Hula Hoop with a Cheerio," "God, I hate you! You're so skinny!" Even if they are joking, it still hurts. You said that being fat made Fiona "ugly." Well, I saw Shrek and when she said, "Look at me Shrek! I'm ugly!" Shrek told Fiona he thought she was beautiful just the way she was. And so do I.
-- Rachel Knox, St. Petersburg

As an overweight parent who tries to teach her child that you do not judge people by how they look, but rather who they are, I am sickened that all of the talented and special people it took to put this movie together could not think of any way to make this princess "ugly" other than to make her fat! I have stood on both sides of the scales, growing up thin and then gaining over 100 pounds due to a thyroid disease. I still feel the same way I did when I was thin, but I am treated totally different by children and adults alike. How can we change this when all you see around you are too-thin models and touched-up photos making kids and adults accept this as the norm?
-- Renee Polmear, Seminole

Enough with the political correctness already, she is a ogre. Ogres are suppose to be big and ugly.

Remember this, though -- our kids are growing up fatter every year, and telling them "It's okay, honey, have another doughnut" is not going to make it any better.
-- Philip Spriggs, Largo

As an overweight woman I do not feel that Shrek reinforces stereotypes. . . . It reinforces the fact that people are as beautiful at 150 pounds-plus as someone who weighs 105 pounds. I think the princess was prettier as an ogre than as a fancy, skinny girl.
-- Antoinette Instone, St. Petersburg

The movie did not emphasize the fat and ugly, but the importance of looking past the outside to see where the beauty really lies. All of us -- fat, thin, tall and short -- feel we have some shortcoming. It is in our own humanity and feelings of inadequacy that we judge others.
-- Margaret M. Richcreek, Clearwater

I thought it was terrific that after the last kiss, both Shrek and Princess Fiona remained green, ogre-ish and with their peculiar ears. Neither one turned into a "handsome" prince or a "beautiful" princess, but they remained as they truly were, "beautiful" and "handsome" inside.
-- J. Dallman, St. Petersburg

I just saw this movie and said to my husband, "Husband, this was a refreshing change." Well, not exactly like that. But I said it was refreshing to see that we ogres are getting some respect. I consider myself a less-than-perfect-looking (in the world's definition) woman, and I still feel good about me.

I thought when Shrek and Fiona kissed each other they'd turn into Pamela Lee and David Hasselhoff. Instead, he stays Shrek and she becomes a woman he can really associate with. Their kids will be cute and they'll live in the swamp happily ever after! We're talking sequel.
-- Emily Skinner, Largo

I felt very uncomfortable throughout the movie. I thought Fiona's body type was just a little bit exaggerated in the thin version, and then for the heavy version I felt uncomfortable that she was not as good as the thin version. I'm glad you're addressing the issue.
-- Claire Larsson, Spring Hill

First, I must say that I share Mr. Thompson's concern for the female gender and the pressures that they endure. . . . I have studied the role of the body in feminist literature, and it is troubling to see how thinness is prized as a "good" trait, while overweight is assumed as "bad."

However, I feel that the movie Shrek quashes rather than perpetuates these stereotypes. . . . Fiona has decided to choose the "prince" who accepts her as she is rather than the "prince" who chose her for the princess stereotype that she simply did not fit. When the two kiss at the end, they are not transformed, and therefore go against our expectations. This is a bold statement by the writers of the movie. . . . The fairy tale princess is a troll, Shrek loves her for it, and so do the theatergoers.
-- W. Brian Overcast, Tallahassee

I think the movie does stereotype the overweight person. I don't think it's fair, and I think it's going to cause harm in the younger children who watch it, because children can be cruel to each other.
-- Beverly Benjamin, St. Petersburg

My daughters, 18 and 11, and I saw the movie and thoroughly enjoyed it.

As we were leaving the theater we passed a family group which included two girls under the age of 10. They were chattering happily as they rushed out of the theater loudly proclaiming that they wanted to be "ogre girls," not princesses. Everyone knows that ogres have more fun.
-- Laura O'Keefe-Fontaine, Tarpon Springs

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