The beauty of true artistry shines through Disney’s Princess and The Frog. The first hand-drawn animation since Disney’s Home on the Range in 2004, this animated film is sure to become a masterpiece. And it comes to Blu-ray + DVD in a 3-disc combo pack loaded with special features.
Nominated for many awards including Oscars Best Animated Feature and Best Song, Princess and the Frog is one of those rarities that will live on in our hearts long after the awards and accolades have been forgotten.
It is the story of an American dream from the directors of The Little Mermaid and Aladdin, Ron Clements and John Musker, and it lives up to those classics. Tiana (voiced by Anika Noni Rose) works hard and is saving on her tips to buy a dilapidated old mill so that she can have her own restaurant. Her creed is that hard work will eventually pay off - which is a great message to put out there.
The film opens with Tiana’s mother (voiced by Oprah Winfrey) telling a young Tiana and Charlotte the Princess and the Frog fairy tale. In this opening sequence, the animation is spectacular. Charlotte’s room has a warm, golden glow infiltrated with the pink of little a princess’ bedroom.
It becomes obvious to the audience in this sequence that Eudora, Tiana’s mother, works for Charlotte’s father by taking care of Charlotte. The mansion where Charlotte lives is in sharp contrast to where Tiana lives - in a shack huddled in a row of shacks. Yet the same golden glow is seen in Tiana’s house as she cooks gumbo with her father. We see the love that surrounds Tiana’s family.
The animation is spectacular through out, but those opening scenes really grab your attention and hold it. Seen on Blu-ray, the wow factor is breath-taking.
Charlotte and Tiana remain friends though they are of different social worlds. The atmosphere of Tiana’s culture is that of the bayous of Louisiana and the colorfulness of New Orleans.
She works in a café and rides the street car to work and jazz music plays in the street. The music is by Randy Newman and adds the elements of jazz and fun to an already great film.
Charlotte’s one ambition in life is somewhat lame compared to Tiana’s dream. She wants to marry a prince and become a real princess. She is flighty and scatter-brained, but she has a good heart as we come to see. When a prince comes to town, she has to meet him and has only one thought in her head: marriage.
Prince Naveen (voiced by Bruno Campos) is the exact opposite of the hard-working Tiana. He is charming and expects to get by on his looks. He seems not to have a worry in the world, but he has been sent away by his parents and is broke. He is accompanied to New Orleans by his somewhat-loyal servant, Lawrence (voiced by Peter Bartlett).
The two meet the villain of the film, the voodoo master, Dr. Facilier, the shadow-man. He convinces Lawrence that he should switch places with the Prince and does a spell that allows Lawrence to look like Naveen and Naveen becomes a frog.
Later that night, Tiana is busy serving up Beignets at Charlotte’s costume party. The Prince-turned-Frog escapes from the clutches of Dr. Facilier and he convinces Tiana to kiss him. She does, and because she is not a princess, she turns into a frog, too.
The two frogs are chased and escape by way of helium balloons into the bayou. The adventure begins in earnest as the pair meet some interesting characters in the swamp.
They encounter a trumpet-toting alligator named Louis (voiced by Michael Leon-Wooley) who loves jazz and wants to play with the big boys, an unlikely fairy godmother in voodoo mistress Madame Odie (voiced by Jenifer Lewis), a Cajun-talking, lovesick firefly named Raymond (voiced by Jim Cummings) and a group of frog hunters whose antics are reminiscent of The Three Stooges.
This film is a must-have. Adults will laugh and catch some of the nods to past Disney films. Children will be enthralled. My 6-year-old son, who professes to hate any princess themed movie, admitted he liked it. It has something for everyone and is sure to please. From music to animation to characterization, The Princess and the Frog is brilliantly done and quite delightful.
Also chocked full of special features, some of which include featurettes such as The Making of a Princess and Conjuring the Villain, the 3-disc combo pack really scores with a plethora of extras. Happily Ever After never had it so good, and this film comes highly (and happily) recommended to children of all ages.
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