By now, everyone is familiar with the sloth scene in Disney's new animated film, Zootopia . The decision to have the DMV exclusively employ the notoriously slow mammals is all kinds of genius, and it definitely doesn't hurt that the timing and writing of the jokes in the scene itself plays out brilliantly, to the point where if it were a stand alone sketch it could easily go up against anything from this season of SNL. But there's another scene in Zootopia that will have people talking even more, because it involves what you all came here to see... hardcore nudity!
Yes, the most talked about scene in Zootopia involves an animal nudist colony. A deceptively simple yet clever concept because, in the real world, animals are always nude. But in Zootopia , animals stand in for humans, so seeing a naked animal is shocking and taboo. Not only that, but the way the animals present themselves in the nude colony scene is pretty hilarious. Obviously no genitals or anuses make an appearance — this is a kids movie after all — but as Judy Hopps, who represents the audience in the scene, strolls through the so-called naturalist club, she can't hide her shock at the risqué images she sees before her.
In the scene, Judy is trying to locate a missing otter, and the trail leads her to the nudist colony run by the hippie-like yak named Yax. She is then presented with a barrage of uncomfortable moments, like when she first realizes that Yax has been buck naked the entire time she's been talking to him, which she doesn't seem to fully realize until he lifts up his tail right in front of her face.
Or how about when she stumbles upon this everyday game of naked volleyball between hippos and giraffes?
Or this panther seductively licking her leg while reclining on a velvet couch? Anyone who owns a cat has seen their pet do this, but you may not be able to look at them the same way after this.
Then there's this giraffe casually getting a drink, because that's how everyone drinks, right? Seriously, cheeks are spreading here, people!
The scene is super funny, but also remarkable in the way that it takes an everyday thing like animal nudity and manages to use it to make the audience uncomfortable by putting it in what would be either disgusting or titillating situations if the subjects were human. Like I said, it's a simple concept with a complex execution, and the scene is just one of the many reasons why Zootopia is going to be remembered as one of Disney's best.
Images: Walt Disney Pictures; giphy.com
