It's been a while since an old fashioned, hand drawn animated film received a high profile release. In my mind, the art of hand drawn animation is seemingly all but dead. There are a few reasons for this. The most notable one being the advancement of technology, which has allowed designers and artists to render a world via a computer just as well as those found in hand drawn incarnations. Going seemingly hand in hand with the advancement of technology is the complete dominance of Pixar. Some may say that in a way Disney cannibalized its own hand drawn animation field, but then again could you blame them? Pixar is the pinnacle of not only creating lush and beautiful visuals, but storytelling as well. Yes, throughout Disney's history they've had features that boasted fantastic stories (i.e. "Beauty and the Beast", "Snow White", etc.), but they've never consistently put out quality hand drawn features at the rate that Pixar has put out computer animated films.
So, it should come as no surprise that there was a level of trepidation on my part prior to seeing the film. Was I going to get a great, back to the basics film from Disney? Or was I going to get a film trying to emulate the classics of Disney yester year? Well, more or less the film was a respectful and dazzling throw back that has earned its spot in that coveted Disney vault. As found in most of Disney's hand drawn animation films, "The Princess and the Frog" takes a classic fable and tweaks it in a fashion that keeps the fable's moral core, but at the same time still feels new. So, as the title would suggest, the film works around the tale of Prince Naveen, who is heartlessly turned into a frog and in order to break his spell, he must kiss a fair maiden. Such a fair maiden would be Tiana, a young woman who's forced to bus tables and work tireless hours as she scrimps and saves in the hope that one day she will be able to open her own restaurant. With Tiana and Prince Naveen being on opposites side of the spectrum, it's pretty clear what kind of themes and morals the film will toss at you.
Where the story is familiar and the path it leads meets most of our expectations, the film generates enough charm via the film's characters, the setting,and the music to warrant to this film a spot in Disney's coveted animation canon. As mentioned, the characters peppered throughout the film are extremely lively as they pop off the screen with great charisma. From the human characters like Tiana to a backwoods hick firefly, the film delivers a set of colorful characters that not only deliver a dose of heart, but a piece of hilarity that would make even a curmudgeon chuckle. Accompanying characters that leap of the screen, "The Princess and the Frog" also is able to capture the vibrant aura that a city like New Orleans possesses. Whether it's from the use of jazz music or the beautiful hand drawn construction of New Orleans itself, the film boasts what seems to be an admirable depiction of a city that always seems to be on the cusp of a party while still maintaining its natural beauty. Of course this is with the notion that New Orleans is more than a bunch of coeds exposing themselves for beads.
Yet, aside from the film's visual beauty, it also boasts a terrific score/collection of original songs. Written by Disney song specialist Randy Newman, the songs capture the auditory heart and soul of New Orleans as it mixes in street jazz with a swamp land sensibility. With witty lyrics and the bombastic use of horns, Randy Newman has crafted a collection of songs that not only speak volumes to the film's characters, but also lend the film a source of undeniable energy that separates it from other animated films. Obviously the film's desire to mix up the princess scenario (i.e. the white princess)is a welcoming form of differentiation, as this admirable trait should inspire a new mind set for little girls. But, despite the rather positive social image it possesses, "The Princess and the Frog" stands alone as its own entertaining entity, simply because it features fantastic characters, vibrant elements, and wonderful music. Does it surpass the efforts of Pixar? Not completely, but in many respects it's able to place itself nearly on par with Disney's story telling giant.
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