The Princess and the Frog: Difference between revisions

Released in 2009, this is [[Disney]]'s 49th animated feature, as well as the first since 2004's ''[[Home on the Range]]'' to be traditionally animated. It's inspired by the novel ''The Frog Princess'', [https://web.archive.org/web/20060104025955/http://www.edbakerbooks.com/ E.D. Baker's] take on the classic fable "[[The Frog Prince]]", and written and directed by Disney staples John Musker and Ron Clements. It is also notable for introducing the first black Disney princess into the official line-up.

 

 

For almost a decade, Disney had been firmly entrenched in the growing 3D/CGI movement; a Disney exec announced that ''Princess'' would be a long-overdue return to the animation tradition the company maintained for over fifty years. Randy Newman composed the songs for a film that harkens back to the age of Disney where music played as much a character as the actual cast members themselves. The end result was a film that was extremely well-received by critics and easily equaled the greats of the Disney Renaissance, although it was only a modest financial success, coming out in the same year as ''[[Avatar (film)|Avatar]]''. To add insult to injury, the critically-panned ''[[Alvin and the Chipmunks|Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel]]'' beat it in the box office, as well. However, Tiana being an official [[Disney Princess]] solidified that the film would be a major money-earner through merchandise at the parks.

 

Before adding examples, note that tropes pertaining to the more sensitive political issues (gender and race) have been moved to the analysis page.

 

* [[Actor Allusion]]: The weird psychadelic filter effect on Dr. Facilier's face as he sings ''"I hope you're satisfied"'' during his [[Villain Song]] seems to hearken back to [http://dietrichthrall.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/they_live_movie_poster1.jpg one of the posters] for ''[[They Live!]]'', a horror movie in which [[Keith David]], Dr. Faciler's voice actor, starred prominently.

** May or may not be intentional, but when you think about it, doesn't Dr. Facilier {{spoiler|end up as a kind of a [[Gargoyles|gargoyle]] at the end?}}

* [[Dramatic Necklace Removal]]: {{spoiler|Lawrence rips the voodoo talisman from around his neck. Facilier ties it back on later, though, and Lawrence never tries it again.}}

* [[Drop What You Are Doing]]: Blink and you'll miss it. Naveen almost buried in gold coins during "Dig A Little Deeper" but the he turns and sees Tiana, and he drops the coin he was left holding after Mama Odie rescued him and pointed him at Tiana.

* [[Dumb Blonde]]: Charlotte.

* [[Eccentric Mentor]]: Mama Odie, who says and does more than a few odds things between teachings the protagonist to 'dig a little deeper' and find what will truly make them happy.

* [[Evil Counterpart]]: Dr. Facilier to Mama Odie.

* [[Evil Laugh]]: Dr. Facilier, in grand ol' Disney tradition. His shadow has one, too!

* [[Evil Is Stylish]]: Facilier is this all over.

** [[Evil Is Sexy]]: And according to the fangirls (and [[Stupid Sexy Flanders|some fanboys]]), he's also this.

* [[The Hedonist]]: Naveen.

* [[She Is Not My Girlfriend|He Is Not My Boyfriend]]: Tiana says this about Naveen. Ray assumed so because their (long froggy) tongues were ridiculously tangled up all around them.

* [[Hell Gate]]: The giant mask Dr. Facilier summons during his [[Villain Song]] and later {{spoiler|he gets dragged through it by the Shadow Demons when Tiana breaks their talisman.}}

* [[Here We Go Again]]: Ray [[Medium Awareness|attempting to restart "Dig a Little Deeper"]] (but immediately averted).

* [[Heroic Sacrifice]]: {{spoiler|Ray singlehandedly fights off Facilier's shadow minions so Tiana can escape with the blood talisman, only to have his triumph cut short by Facilier ''stepping on him''. He at least lives long enough to see Naveen and Tiana together and gets a great reward for his sacrifice.}}

* [[Hidden Depths]]: While deliciously suave, Facilier seems like a standard Disney villain until {{spoiler|it turns out his actions are him trying to pay back the Friends On The Other Side so they don't do something horrible to him. Doesn't make him much more sympathetic, but definitely more complex and relatable.}}

:Facilier seemed genuinely frustrated and bitter with his lot in life, (likely due to being black in 20's New Orleans). Probably what sparked his original deal with his "Friends", and after that just [[Dark Reprise|dug a little deeper each time...]] This gets obvious when he is convincing Lawrence to follow his plan, saying how he (Lawrence) should be tired of being in poverty while the big shots only get richer and richer. The expression in his face pretty much tells that he wasn't speaking much about Lawrence as he was about himself.

* [[Nice Hat]]: Dr. Facilier sports a ''very'' nice hat indeed.

* [[Nice to the Waiter]]: In a very literal example, Charlotte and Big Daddy La Bouff. They're a bit oblivious to Tiana's problems and come across as [[Idle Rich|airheaded socialites]] sometimes, but their kind treatment of servants and workers shows that their hearts are in the right place.

* [[No Except Yes]]:

{{quote|'''Mr. La Bouff:''' All right now, princess, you're gettin' that dress, but that's it. No more Mr. Pushover. Now who wants a puppy?}}

 

{{reflist}}

[[Category:Fantasy Animated Films]]

[[Category:The Millennium Age of Animation]]

[[Category:Disney]]

[[Category:Disney Self-Subversion]]

[[Category:Films Based on Novels]]