movie: The Princess and the Frog
Jan. 3rd, 2010 12:25 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
meganbmooreFor the most part, I really enjoyed this. But then, “Disney Princess” movies are a fairly significant part of my childhood, so it's possible that it would have had to suck 9which it didn't) for me to not like it. I really liked the Jazz Age setting, and was grumpy anytime princess dresses replaced the 20’s frocks. I’m glad the final version is Tiana as a hardworking waitress, given what I’ve heard of earlier versions. Naveen looks less like a derivative ofGaston’s design. It may be helped that they played him as a dork.
A few comments:
1. Though Tiana has the typical daddy hangups, I think this is one of the few Disney Princess movies where the mother is not only present, but also a major influence in the heroine’s life. Tiana also has multiple female friends, something that, off the top of my head, isn’t true of any other Disney Princesses, though only the rich white friend is given development.
2. Not big on the voodoo villain. And don’t think I missed the “Oh noes! They have to succeed so they can make sure the blustery, affable white man isn’t supplanted by the creepy evil voodoo man.” bit.
3. I don’t think the world really needed another narrative where a serious woman has worked hard for years to achieve a goal, and has to learn to loosen up, and that the thing she’s worked for her whole life isn’t something important. It saved itself in the end, but still.
4. I really liked the sound of the songs, but the lyrics didn’t quite grab me.
5. I may be too old to really appreciate the alligator and firefly.
And you know, I know Disney knows Africa exists thanks to Lion King and Tarzan. I’m quite fond of both, but I wonder if, when deciding to have a black princess, they ever considered setting it in Africa with an African princess from one of the many cultures there. But then, when I heard about Guenevere in Merlin, my reaction was “Oh, so she’s actually a princess working undercover as a servant?”
A few comments:
1. Though Tiana has the typical daddy hangups, I think this is one of the few Disney Princess movies where the mother is not only present, but also a major influence in the heroine’s life. Tiana also has multiple female friends, something that, off the top of my head, isn’t true of any other Disney Princesses, though only the rich white friend is given development.
2. Not big on the voodoo villain. And don’t think I missed the “Oh noes! They have to succeed so they can make sure the blustery, affable white man isn’t supplanted by the creepy evil voodoo man.” bit.
3. I don’t think the world really needed another narrative where a serious woman has worked hard for years to achieve a goal, and has to learn to loosen up, and that the thing she’s worked for her whole life isn’t something important. It saved itself in the end, but still.
4. I really liked the sound of the songs, but the lyrics didn’t quite grab me.
5. I may be too old to really appreciate the alligator and firefly.
And you know, I know Disney knows Africa exists thanks to Lion King and Tarzan. I’m quite fond of both, but I wonder if, when deciding to have a black princess, they ever considered setting it in Africa with an African princess from one of the many cultures there. But then, when I heard about Guenevere in Merlin, my reaction was “Oh, so she’s actually a princess working undercover as a servant?”