Walt Disney’s ‘THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG’ review

Walt Disney’s ‘THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG’ review

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Disney is the standard bearer of animation from its inception. The house that the mouse built went from Steamboat Willie to some of the most memorable moments in popular history. One can easily list off a number of accomplishments the studio has given the world without ever pausing. The name Disney is on par with using the word quality.

But, in this modern world, Pixar as overtaken Disney as the most successful part of the company. The little studio has never made a film that hasn’t grossed $100 million. Pixar has been the main collector for the coffers of Disney Inc. with hand drawn animation being on the wane for a number of years. With The Princess and The Frog, Disney throws caution to the wind and goes very old school. It has produced yet another classic.

Set in the Big Easy, the story is of Tiana (Anika Noni Rose). As a little girl she hears the story of the princess and the frog told by her mother. Mom works for Big Daddy (John Goodman) who has a daughter Charlotte (Jennifer Cody), a spoiled little girl who dreams of being a princess. Tiana also has a dream, to open a restaurant with her father.

We jump to years later and Tiana is now a young woman working three jobs and saving every penny to open the restaurant. Her father is long past but she wants to honor his memory. It is the eve of Marti Gras where Big Daddy has been named King of the festival. For the celebration, New Orleans is visited by royalty, Prince Naveen (Bruno Campos). He is a vagabond scamp who lives more for the party than responsibilities.

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A bit of treachery happens and our prince is turned into a frog. When Tiana gets involved, something goes amiss and she too is turned into a frog. So these two star-crossed amphibians must work together to get back in time for Charlotte to kiss Naveen in order to break the spell. Along the way they befriend a trumpet-playing crocodile named Louis and a skat and jive talking lightning bug named Ray. This group must battle demons let loose by evil voodoo madness forces that plan on destroying order and letting chaos reign over the city.

This is such a beautiful film to watch. The line drawings and palette of colors come in such sharp contrast to the computer generated images seen in all new animated films. This throwback to a simpler time gives the final product a classic touch. Call me old fashioned, but I just love the look of The Princess and the Frog, reminding of the best of The Jungle Book and Beauty and the Beast. Even the bubbles are magical.

Like almost all Disney films, there are moments that may scare the little ones. Here, there are voodoo priests who summon shadow spirits, filling both dark crevasses and fiery pyres. Certain beats of the flick are just as scary as the Evil Queen of Snow White and the Sea Hag from The Little Mermaid. But it is not any more terrifying than the beginning of Bambi. We also get slapstick moments and tender touches as two different mucus covered beings find a place of understanding.

While all of the voice cast performers are wonderful, it is interesting that the big names don’t shine more. Oprah Winfrey and Terrence Howard both do fine jobs in supporting roles, but they never deliver that magic moment. Only John Goodman as Big Daddy comes across as a larger than life character. The songs by Randy Newman are all great, with the feel of old school New Orleans jazz but in a more modern vein. But what is missing from the film is that big hook number, the song one hums when leaving the theater. It is lacking what on Broadway is called the show-stopper.

The Princess and The Frog is a must-see film if for no other reason than it breaks one of the last color barriers. Now every little girl can have a princess that they can identify with. In true Disney fashion, it is a story of hope and redemption – two stalwart themes as American as Disney itself.

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