Young children and tweens are some of the most susceptible consumers in the world, and while they may not necessarily know the dangers and hidden tactics behind some companies’ motives – their exposure to symbolism that represents the occult and Illuminati is still detrimental. The increasing number of toys and other goods marketed towards children that incorporate offensive, disturbing and controversial themes includes the latest dolls made for young girls. Monster High Dolls falls under this category, and the Monster High ’13 Wishes’ DVD is a prime example of how today’s market makes light of the power of imagery and symbolism.
Released on October 8, 2013, the Monster High 13 Wishes DVD accompanies the Monster High line of 13 Wishes dolls that currently decorate the shelves of the toy section in your local stores. The Monster High line of dolls are inspired by monster flicks, thriller fiction, and science fiction horror, and the 13 Wishes dolls are an extension of this larger collection.
The storyline of the DVD basically centers on a little sister of one of the characters wishing to increase her popularity, and comes across a genie that grants not the typical three wishes, but 13 wishes. Throughout the DVD, it seems that each wish comes with a ‘dark side’ and the wishes start to have a chaotic effect on some of the characters. A description of the DVD states: “Join Frankie Stein, Clawdeen Wolf, Draculaura and the rest of their creeperiffic ghoulfriends as they journey deep inside the magic lantern to save the very soul of Monster High…”
If you didn’t know any better, you’d think that the description is highlighting what happens when you ‘make a deal with the Devil.’ You want something so bad that you are willing to do anything for it, and in the end, everything isn’t as it seems.
There’s also something quite disturbing about the cover art used to sell and market the 13 Wishes DVD. Skulls are inserted into the carpet décor towards the bottom of the cover. A skull is also used as a buffer between the words of the title: ‘Monster’ and ‘High’. Hidden, yet still easy to detect for the trained eye, is more than one instance of all-seeing eye imagery. Three such symbols are found in the lower right corner of the DVD cover. The center of the eyes even has a glowing effect. More all-seeing eye imagery is found underneath the footing of the first character – incorporating into the design of the carpet.
Although a stretch, yet still a part of the picture is the character that embodies cat-like qualities. Kitten Beta Programming has roots in creating a slave or sexually inhibited mentality in women, and big-cat prints that represent the likes of leopards and cheetahs are one of the most glaring pieces of symbolism related to this form of mind control. The fourth character featured on the cover is dressed in cat prints with animal ears as part of her appearance.