Disney is indoctrinating your kids. That is what parents across the country have claimed in regards to recent movies released by the multibillion dollar company. Luca, a Disney movie released in 2021, is a tale of two young boys called Luca and Alberto, set on the Italian Riviera. The two become close while training for the town’s triathlon, the Portorosso Cup, while hiding their shared deepest darkest secret: they are not humans. A single drop of water on their skin would reveal their blue and green sea monster scales, under the human shells they use to blend in.
When the film was released on Disney+ in 2021, there was a lot of dispute about whether or not it is a gay allegory. After all, Luca and Alberto want to run away on a Vespa and live together forever, without having to hide their true identities. It has queer undertones if you break it down to the core plot. The producers did say that it was not intended to be a love story, but that is why interpretation is crucial. In Against Interpretation, Susan Sontag ignores the importance of interpreting art, which is especially seen in the public response to Luca.
I feel that the interpretation of Luca as an allegory of a gay relationship is not nearly as harmful as Sontag suggests in her essay. In fact, I think it is quite beautiful as it invites a natural conversation about the story. It shows how people’s experiences shape the way they see a work of art, which adds a new dimension to the piece. Anyone can make their own unique connections between a piece and their lives. Sontag writes that “The interpreter, without actually erasing or rewriting the text, is altering it”(3). I would argue that interpretation, when done right, can add a new perspective to a text, not alter it.
Sontag wildly states that “In good films, there is always a directness that entirely frees us from the itch to interpret”(7). Although this may have been true when she wrote her essay, it certainly is false today. Film technology has evolved dramatically since the start of the revolutionary art form. There are new ways to animate different graphics, produce new sounds, and shoot from exotic angles that can change the experience for the viewer. In essence, films aren’t silent or black and white anymore. Filmmakers today have a plethora of tools at their fingertips to work with the blank canvas of a video.
What makes Luca so amazing is the lack of directness that Sontag is referring to. The true meaning of Alberto and Luca’s relationship, and the ending of the whole story is up for interpretation. In a child’s eyes, they may just be two best friends. But those who are old enough to understand love to some extent, may see two characters in love, and we should welcome both interpretations.
We should discuss our interpretations of all films because they force us to pause and reflect on why we may have thought of the story a certain way. Our intersectional identities can be a contributing factor to our understanding of a film, or any work of art. We all have subconscious biases based on our gender, race, sexual orientation, age, and other factors that make us who we are. It is vital to recognize the social implications that a work of art can have. Art has commonly been used throughout history as a medium to voice cultural and political views. It can be used as a way to educate a group of people on relevant societal issues or concepts. Oftentimes, interpretation is the only way to crack through the outer layer of a piece and uncover the true meaning. The real message behind a piece may be concealed because of suppression from higher-ups and fear to talk about such issues explicitly.
I don’t think that it is reasonable of Sontag to encourage a focus on form rather than content, especially when examining art that is made for the public. She says that “What is needed is a vocabulary—a descriptive, rather than prescriptive, vocabulary—for forms” (8), but this cannot and should not be applied to everyone and to all types of art. Of course, this would be different in a more artistically sophisticated space. In an environment where art is spoken about more often, such as higher education, I understand Sontag’s push towards form over content. Expecting regular people to conform to a certain way of discussing art discourages them from expressing their opinions or trying something new. To put it simply, it makes art less accessible. She is shutting down productive conversation surrounding art because it doesn’t meet her standards of complexity. Shouldn’t we encourage deep thinking, even if it includes interpretation? Sontag’s writing feels exclusionary, and it is almost as if she wants to keep people out of the artistic community, which should be an open space.
Luca, just like any other mainstream media company’s film, was made for the general public, specifically for children. I don’t necessarily think that the main characters are in love. Just because they are two boys who become close with each other and show lots of physical affection does not mean that there is anything romantic going on. Masculinity is extremely rigid and fragile, so boys are not encouraged to show physical affection when together in fear of being “too feminine”. However, it was not the closeness between Luca and Alberto that made this movie resemble a queer allegory. The ending of Luca riding off on the train and Alberto running towards him feels like the ending of a love story. The whole concept of them having to hide their true identities in order to be accepted in the human only town has a lot of parallels with the typical queer experience.
Queer representation in the media is necessary for society to advance and become more accepting. Although, Luca is not explicitly queer, it can be interpreted that way and this should not be shut down. When children watch this movie, they may not necessarily understand the different interpretations. However, they see two boys being physically affectionate, and that can be a crucial step in terms of destroying fragile masculinity. Gender roles and expectations are ingrained in your head younger than you would think. Today, movies and other digital content kids consume can play a large role in the future generations’ worldviews. If only heterosexual romances are shown to them, they may have a hard time grasping homosexual relationships later in life. When young children see Luca they will learn that platonic or romantic love and affection between boys is not a bad thing to show. Additionally, it will help them comprehend that they should never be ashamed of their true identity, and that is a great thing to learn, regardless of whether or not Luca and Alberto are in love.
If we discourage the interpretation of art like Sustan Sontag does, new insights such as Luca being a gay allegory will not be voiced. I am afraid that the artistic world could become insular, when it should be the opposite. In the future, we should welcome all interpretations of films and other forms of art. We need to acknowledge the beauty of sharing how a film resonates with our personal experiences, which could be related to our identities or struggles. By hearing about someone else’s interpretation of an artwork, you can gain a more well-rounded perspective on it and reflect on it. This reflection is key to advancing as a person and as a society overall. Art is such a huge part of our culture, and we are exposed to it all the time, so let’s do our best to have an open mind when it comes to new interpretations.