THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG review
The film marks a return to form for the sadly beleaguered studio. The output from their flagship Walt Disney Animation Studios, dating all the way back to Walt's filmmaking beginnings, has long been the face of what has grown into no less than a global empire. For them, the 1990s were a great decade, as Disney Animation gave us some of the greatest and most popular animated films ever made, including "The Lion King", "Aladdin", and the high-water mark, "Beauty and the Beast". But as time wore on, something happened, and the films stopped clicking with the public. With films like "Atlantis: The Lost Empire", "Treasure Planet", and "Brother Bear", new Disney animated films ceased becoming event releases.
That "something" in question is, in great part, the rise of Pixar, that unstoppable juggernaut of brilliantly computer-rendered animation, both creative and technically. Each new Pixar film was (and continues to be) a reason for celebration, thus making them the "new Disney" in that respect. With Pixar tangentially tethered to Disney for distribution of their acclaimed films, Disney Animation proper could do little more than relinquish the spotlight to this young shiny upstart. Misguided executives blamed the medium, mandating a shift from the classic hand-drawn Disney style to the new C.G. future. Scrambling to measure up with their own deluge of computer-animated fare ("Dinosaur", "Chicken Little"), the old schoolyard kings suddenly looked desperate and second-rate. Then the dark day came when, by corporate mandate, the hand-drawn cell animation wing of Disney Animation Studios was shut down forever - supposedly going as far as trashing all drawing tables and supplies. The vault door had unceremoniously slammed shut on an era.
But then, in a funny bit of irony, the very creative masterminds who inadvertently brought about its demise resurrected the hand-drawn animation wing. Pixar had red dwarfed to the point of leveraging creative control of Disney Animation Studios, meaning the geniuses behind "Toy Story", "The Incredibles" and "Up" now had final say in the long-standing Disney animation tradition. And tradition is exactly what they viewed it as. They understood that any given film's success does not ride on the animation style, but rather the story and characters. Furthermore, they understood that the classic Disney style was essential and longed-for in the culture, and must be restored in a way that is good and proper. Thus, we now have "The Princess and the Frog" - a quite satisfying, if not quite perfect blending of the Disney princess movie legacy, and contemporary social values. This is a balancing act of nearly impossible proportions, but this film makes it look easy - Big Easy.
Set in 1920s New Orleans, "The Princess and the Frog" has the distinction of granting us the first African-American Disney princess character. Or does it? The so-called "princess" of the title, Tiana, is in reality, merely a hard working waitress, who's major dream in life is to one day own her own restaurant. One night during Marti Gras, the frog of the title (actually a happy-go-lucky prince, transformed by the evil voodoo magic of worthy villain Dr. Facilier) mistakes a princess-costumed Tiana for the real thing, and charms her into kissing him, in hopes of being restored to his human form. (After all, everyone knows the tale of the "Frog Prince", right?) The strategy backfires, leaving both of them frogs. A quest through the New Orleans bijou ensues, complete with colorful supporting characters, unlikely (or very likely?) romance, and a crash course in New Orleans culture and music (courtesy of composer Randy Newman). The latter element isn't simple pandering to the devastated, post-hurricane Katrina city. "The Princess and the Frog" is a love letter to The Big Easy, all that it was and is. This film is something that the people of New Orleans will be able to hold up and embrace as their own in a positive way for all time. And it is in that same way that the artistic heritage of Walt Disney should be cherished by everyone.
As for the pacing of the adventure itself, yes, there are brief moments when it veers in that "Jungle Book"/"Sword and the Stone" type of meandering that so dragged down those films, which came about in Walt's later years, when he had personally checked out of the animated movie business. But this narrative meandering is minor compared to those old-school offenders, and the film retains its focus quickly enough. We care about these characters, and by the end, we very much want to see them live happily ever after. This film makes the point that while it is okay to wish upon a star, we must also work hard to achieve our dreams. While this message may stand in stark contrast to the Disney of yore, it never feels like a manufactured shift, as the importance of magic in fairy tales is never forsaken.
While the notion of a new Disney princess may inspire groans from parents of princess-obsessed little girls - more dolls, dresses, books, and shoes! - I want to encourage everyone to consider the bigger picture here. Yes, the Disney marketing machine is an aggressive beast, and yes, this film is no exception to being a part of all that. But stepping back to 1937, with the very first Disney animated feature (arguably THE first animated feature film), "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs", the focus was solely on the artistic qualities - the crackling storytelling and ultra-fluid and moody animation. Over the years, as the studio did indeed morph into a global marketing empire, the Disney films that mattered retained those values, that passion from their creators. "The Princess and the Frog" is just such a work, and it's a breath of fresh air in an otherwise bumpy landscape of what is considered "family fare" at the movies. For animation buffs, this film provides a healthy and satisfying look backward to the artistic legacy of Disney animation while also looking unmistakably forward. For everyone else, "The Princess and the Frog" is a great time at the movies, and a welcome return of that old Disney magic.
- Jim Tudor
