got friends on the other side
Feb. 21st, 2010 11:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
kleenexwomanSo I went and saw "The Princess and the Frog."
I didn't expect a movie that was almost meta-Disney. The "wishing on a star" idea was critiqued, the main character's BFF was a fairytale-obsessed blonde whose ambition was to marry a prince, and there was certainly class commentary--Naveen's manservant actually resented his status, and it was made clear that Naveen's life of privilege wasn't a preparation for heroics, but for being unprepared for real life.
For a movie that had so much publicity over having a black princess, they really skimmed over any mention of race or racism. I wonder if it was a deliberate strategy to avoid controversy, or just part of the Disney fantasy--Tiana's big obstacle being something that she can work hard to overcome, not overt bigotry that she can't change. (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
drworm also pointed out that, prince or no, there was NO way that a rich blonde girl like Charlotte would have been allowed to marry a guy like Naveen. Fun fact, Naveen's voice actor was Brazilian!)
The animation was cute, with some genuinely beautiful scenes--the backgrounds were great, though, and the scenes of old New Orleans were fabulous. The animation in the Tiana's Fantasy sequence was especially nice, and the colors and designs in Dr. Facilier's song really reminded me of Oogie Boogie from "The Nightmare Before Christmas"--lots of fluorescence and interestingly blocky shapes. The songs were unfortunately kind of samey and lackluster, even with the differing musical styles, which really disappointed me.
Overall, the movie was charming, sometimes a little too much so. The frog-hunters scene in the swamp seemed contrived and dumb, but the little kids in the theater were laughing, so I guess there's that. Ray the firefly annoyed the hell out of me, even though the concept of a firefly in love with the evening star is sweet and seems like a lesser-known story by Hans Christian Anderson. (I liked Louis the gator, though!)
I did miss the edge of darkness and emphasis on the villians that characterized the Disney movies I grew up with. Facilier was a great concept that wasn't used enough, I think--the shadow demons and voodoo dolls were really cool, and the "villain in debt to the Other Side" thing could have had so much of an impact. As it was, he seemed like a plot device and not enough of an actual developed character.
I'm pleased Disney is going back to 2-D, though, because I missed that. I'm really looking forward to them doing "King of the Elves"--I NEVER thought I'd see the day when Disney adapted a Philip K. Dick story.
I didn't expect a movie that was almost meta-Disney. The "wishing on a star" idea was critiqued, the main character's BFF was a fairytale-obsessed blonde whose ambition was to marry a prince, and there was certainly class commentary--Naveen's manservant actually resented his status, and it was made clear that Naveen's life of privilege wasn't a preparation for heroics, but for being unprepared for real life.
For a movie that had so much publicity over having a black princess, they really skimmed over any mention of race or racism. I wonder if it was a deliberate strategy to avoid controversy, or just part of the Disney fantasy--Tiana's big obstacle being something that she can work hard to overcome, not overt bigotry that she can't change. (
drworm also pointed out that, prince or no, there was NO way that a rich blonde girl like Charlotte would have been allowed to marry a guy like Naveen. Fun fact, Naveen's voice actor was Brazilian!) The animation was cute, with some genuinely beautiful scenes--the backgrounds were great, though, and the scenes of old New Orleans were fabulous. The animation in the Tiana's Fantasy sequence was especially nice, and the colors and designs in Dr. Facilier's song really reminded me of Oogie Boogie from "The Nightmare Before Christmas"--lots of fluorescence and interestingly blocky shapes. The songs were unfortunately kind of samey and lackluster, even with the differing musical styles, which really disappointed me.
Overall, the movie was charming, sometimes a little too much so. The frog-hunters scene in the swamp seemed contrived and dumb, but the little kids in the theater were laughing, so I guess there's that. Ray the firefly annoyed the hell out of me, even though the concept of a firefly in love with the evening star is sweet and seems like a lesser-known story by Hans Christian Anderson. (I liked Louis the gator, though!)
I did miss the edge of darkness and emphasis on the villians that characterized the Disney movies I grew up with. Facilier was a great concept that wasn't used enough, I think--the shadow demons and voodoo dolls were really cool, and the "villain in debt to the Other Side" thing could have had so much of an impact. As it was, he seemed like a plot device and not enough of an actual developed character.
I'm pleased Disney is going back to 2-D, though, because I missed that. I'm really looking forward to them doing "King of the Elves"--I NEVER thought I'd see the day when Disney adapted a Philip K. Dick story.