Sunday, February 21, 2010

the Princess and the Frog

To celebrate the end of applications, I am going to FINALLY blog about...the Princess and the Frog! After three years of waiting to see it, I finally did (two months ago). I never thought this entry would be so delayed...but, better than never right?

So by the time I was in the theater, I honestly did not know what to expect. I tried to avoid the Disney Channel at all costs, since they over expose the film with 5 "sneak peaks" clips...but I could not escape those...and even after all that I still found so many dazzling and inexplicable charms throughout the entire film.

Okay, so it wasn't "OMFG that changed my life" reaction, but if anyone really expects that, I think they are missing the point of the movie's release. It isn't meant to convert us into paganism or anything, it is meant to be a film that sticks true to traditional Disney ways, reminding us how the Disney Company all began---with the heart and soul in the 2-D medium. I think John Musker and Roger Clements and the entire Disney crew were just trying to say "We gave it our best shot, and we just want the world to know that this is how we roll." In that sense, I believe everyone did an excellent job, and honestly, they could not have done any better.

This film, like many Disney films, cannot be fully appreciated with just one viewing. Every second is filled with ridiculously luscious scenes that contain wonderful little details that we overlook--- from the lovely structure of Charlotte's bed, to the surrounding plants in the bayou. I felt sorry that the movie was so fast paced, and that these scenes could not be looked at more carefully. The animation had a lot of creative movements, there was so much in so little time that it's hard to notice every single one. And, I must say, the COLORS were sooo beautiful, and I just love all the characters... (except for those three guys in a boat, they were sort of annoying) The soundtrack is completely matches the New Orleans setting. It wasn't OMG BROADWAY music, but it was definitely jazzy and fun to sing along to. All of these things mixed together, and you get a gumbo that touches your heart :)

The story is sort of corny at times, but...THAT'S
WHAT MAKES IT SO CUTE!!! The target audience IS for little kids af
ter all...and of course most teens put on the tough act and deny that they take pleasure watching these films, but that is typical adolescent cynicism. There is no doubt that this film clearly teaches our younger generation important morals, such as working hard for what you want, and remembering that love is the most powerful element in our lives. And I find Tiana one of the more likable Disney princesses, she's one of the few who actually DOES WORK and at the same time displays some form of intelligence...compared to the heroine in OTHER Disney films that were higher acclaimed (Honestly, I feel that it's easier getting a higher rating when a successful studio FIRST starts out ...it's more difficult to CONSISTENTLY meet expectations of the audience for what is now more than 80 or so years...

In essence, I believe that it isn't the film that lacks quality, but the fact that it is now out of place in today's CG dominated film industry. When I was watching this film, I could not help but feel a bit sad, because I felt like I was watching a movie that should have been made ten years ago. And with Avatar released a week later, the comeback in 2-D animation was, in comparison to the blockbusters, very weak. However, I read somewhere that the amount at the box office was enough to keep the studio going, and I am hopeful for Disney's next production on Tangled, which is loosely baesd on the fairy tale Rapunzel and will come out this November!

And here is some of my fanart for the Princess and the Frog from my sketchbook! I lined them over in Photoshop. I'm proud to say that I drew the frogs from memory. I really like Mama Odie and Dr. Facilier...and Ray the Cajun Firefly (he made me cry in the end, the dear thing!) Enjoy!!!


























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