Editorial
Front Page - Friday, December 25, 2009
The Critic's Corner
David Laprad
Disney means different things to different people. To me, the name stirs up memories of seeing “Bedknobs and Broomsticks” on a Saturday afternoon and watching “The Wonderful World of Disney” on television on Sunday nights.
To my children, the Disney name is tied to the remarkable run the company had in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, when it produced moves like “The Little Mermaid” and “The Lion King.”
And to children even younger than mine, Disney is the name on tattered VHS boxes and cheap direct-to-DVD sequels like “Bambi 2” and “The Return of Jafar.”
In 2002, after losing more than $100 million on “Treasure Planet,” Disney seemed to be out of magic. The studio tried to switch to computer animation, but impotent efforts like “Chicken Little” and “Meet the Robinsons” paled in comparison to the masterpieces Pixar was releasing every year. So they continued to churn out DVD sequels in a shameless effort to cash in on its classics. Perhaps the people in charge at the time thought fans who loved “Cinderella” would be DYING to find out what happens in “Cinderella III: A Twist in Time.”
For a while, it seemed as though computer animation had replaced the traditional hand drawn process and that we’d never see another “Aladdin” or “The Beauty and the Beast.” Then, earlier this year when I logged on to my favorite movie news Web site, I read that Disney was trying its hand at another hand animated theatrical release, with the directors of “The Little Mermaid” and “Aladdin” at the helm. Based on E.D. Baker’s novel, “The Frog Princess,” which itself drew inspiration from the Grimm brothers’ fairy tale, “The Frog Prince,” it would be a Broadway-style musical set in the French Quarter of New Orleans.
My heart skipped a beat. Could Disney recapture the charm of its classics or would it end up with another “Planet”-sized debacle? Having seen the movie, I’m thrilled to report the magic is back.
In “The Princess and the Frog,” a scheming voodoo magician named Facilier transforms a Maldonian prince named Naveen into a frog. The frog prince then mistakes a girl named Tiana for a princess and convinces her kiss him to break the spell. The kiss doesn’t do the trick, but instead turns Tiana into a frog, too. Together, they set out to find a voodoo priestess so she can turn them back into humans.
Disney does so many things right with “The Princess and the Frog,” I don’t know where to begin. First, there’s the story, which feels like the Disney we all knew and loved. I particularly liked how the writers kept returning to the theme of keeping your eyes on your dreams. In the beginning, Tiana, an aspiring chef who’s been working double shifts at greasy spoons for years to save up enough money to open her own restaurant, sings about how she’s “almost there.” When her dream is shattered just as it seems to be coming true, she sings the same words with sorrow: she was “almost there.” Later, Facilier tempts her with a shortcut, telling her she’s “almost there.” Great stuff.
The characters are the most memorable aspect of the movie. Tiana has the pluck of Mulan, the grace of Belle, the work ethic of Snow White and the misfortune of Cinderella. And she’s as beautiful a Disney heroine as there ever was. Naveen is a smooth-talking, fun-loving prince, which means there’s room for improvement. Supporting characters include a trumpet-playing alligator named Louis and a lovesick Cajun firefly named name Ray. Each is given his moment to “shine.” (Ho ho.)
Then there’s the animation, which is stellar. The establishing shots of New Orleans and the bayou are rich and inviting in a way few computer-animated movies are. And the character animation is as good as it’s ever been. The animators got especially creative with Facilier’s shadow, which is a character in its own right. What a delight it was to see so much color, creativity and humor splashed across the screen.
The music, which incorporates some of the hottest Dixieland I believe I’ve heard, is also enjoyable. Songs like “Almost There,” “Dig a Little Deeper” and “Friends on the Other Side” prove someone at Disney remembers how to write good songs. You might not leave the theater singing “Hakuna Matata,” but you should find yourself enjoying the moment during these wonderful musical pieces.
If I had a complaint about “The Princess and the Frog,” it would be that it doesn’t rise to the level of greatness seen in “The Lion King” and “The Little Mermaid.” But it is a highly entertaining animated movie from the studio that more or less invented them 70 years ago. And it’s a film I believe will remind everyone, from elderly people, to baby boomers, to teenagers, of what they love about Disney.
Email David Laprad at dlaprad@hamiltoncountyherald.com.
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