The Princess and the Frog: Disney’s Latest Trailer
Disney just released their latest trailer for The Princess and the Frog and it doesn’t look too bad, although it’s a bit early to tell. But from what I see here Disney is going back a step in a good way and getting back to a 2D style and good old fashioned fairy tales which has always been their strong suite. In general I like the Mardi Gras twist on the tale, but the devil is in the details to see if they can make this work. Here’s an official description of the film:
“When the free-spirited, jazz-loving Prince Naveen of Maldonia comes to town a deal with a shady voodoo doctor goes bad and the once suave royal is turned into a frog. In a desperate attempt to be human again, a favor in exchange for a fateful kiss on the lips from the beautiful girl, Tiana, takes an unexpected turn and leads them both on a hilarious adventure through the mystical bayous of Louisiana to the banks of the almighty Mississippi and back in time for Mardi Gras in New Orleans.
An unforgettable tale filled with music, humor and heart where two frogs—along with the help of a 200-year-old voodoo priestess, a love-sick Cajun firefly, and a trumpetplaying alligator—discover that what they want isnt as important as what they need. The Princess and The Frog will feature Disneys first African American princess, Tiana, who lives in New Orleans during the Jazz Age. Other characters include Louis, a trumpet-playing alligator, and Ray, a love-sick Cajun firefly. The Princess and The Frog marks the return to hand-drawn animation from the revered team of John Musker and Ron Clements with music by Oscar®-winning composer Randy Newman (Monsters, Inc., Cars, Toy Story).”
The funny thing about this film was that when they first announced it Disney made a big deal of featuring a black princess in their film, but now in an Obama era that seems slightly less remarkable — but I think that’s a good thing that we should expect this as the norm.