The Swan Princess
- Linden
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I particularly enjoyed the part of the trailer when Derick goes snowboarding. That's when I started laughing and didn't stop until it ended.
But seriously, it's bizarre that they decided to make another sequel, CG no less. Is it cheaper now to do CG animation than hand-drawn?
The animation in it looks way worse than the Barbie movies, and that's saying something.
But seriously, it's bizarre that they decided to make another sequel, CG no less. Is it cheaper now to do CG animation than hand-drawn?
The animation in it looks way worse than the Barbie movies, and that's saying something.
The Swan Princess Christmas came in the mail yesterday and honestly, it's not that bad. That said, it's not good either: it's boring, sappy, and hideous to look at, but it has a few redeeming points. Namely, the characters are true to their prior incarnations (at least personality-wise), the story's solid if recycled, and it did manage to bring out a few chuckles out of me.
As pointed out before, the animation is the worst part of the movie. Contrary to what it says on the back cover, the animation is not "beautiful" in the slightest. On the other hand, it's not really Barbie-movies atrocious either. The characters look and move like rubber, but they have been given some subtle mannerisms that are sadly underplayed. Some effort was made for the leads' hair – it's more realistic than the hair of other characters, but it has a tendency to move on its own, even when the leads are standing still. Odette looks dreadful – she's constantly off-model compared to Odette from the previous three films; her dried grass-like hair (both in color and looks) doesn't help things either. Background characters are even worse; they move like they're made out of pudding.
Story is a mix of the original Swan Princess, The Return of Jafar and probably every other Christmas movie ever made. In other words, a typical holiday cheese-fest (the villain gets defeated by the Christmas spirit, joyously expressed in a song sung by a distressed Odette. Gag). Still, there are some good characterizations and characters aren't as stupid or daft as they tend to get in these DTV productions; they actually make some in-movie meta-references and address some of the movie's more obvious plot-holes, which really took me by surprise. It has been given a PG rating ("for mild violence and threat"), though I don't think there's anything in it that would scare or disturb even the littlest of children (except maybe seeing Chamberlain and old hag/Bridgit kiss three times over the course of the movie , or this ).
Continuity-wise, I'm not really sure where this would be placed in regards to the rest of the series. End credits identify it as a "Swan IV" production (btw, the production team is the same as for the other three movies), but the actual story plays out as if it happens some time after the original (Odette and Derek celebrate their first Christmas together, whereas they celebrated their first marriage anniversary in Swan Princess: Escape from Castle Mountain). Anachronisms are everywhere: light-bulbs and snowboarding play a part in the plot, and black people apparently lived in medieval European kingdoms like it was not a big deal (to be fair, it's something the original Swan Princess suffered from as well - yay for political correctness!).
The music… Ugh, the music… It's beyond horrendous. Mushy, moronic lyrics and auto-tune abound. Fortunately, the songs don't last for long and the original Swan Princess theme makes a short appearance.
Also, CGI Jean-Bob is now a mascot of Nest Animation.
Overall, it's a generally weak effort that is further bogged down by ugly visuals. It's not a bad way to spend an hour and a half, but you'd probably get bored quickly. It is meant for kids after all. As for older crowd, I'd recommend it to fans and completists only.
As pointed out before, the animation is the worst part of the movie. Contrary to what it says on the back cover, the animation is not "beautiful" in the slightest. On the other hand, it's not really Barbie-movies atrocious either. The characters look and move like rubber, but they have been given some subtle mannerisms that are sadly underplayed. Some effort was made for the leads' hair – it's more realistic than the hair of other characters, but it has a tendency to move on its own, even when the leads are standing still. Odette looks dreadful – she's constantly off-model compared to Odette from the previous three films; her dried grass-like hair (both in color and looks) doesn't help things either. Background characters are even worse; they move like they're made out of pudding.
Story is a mix of the original Swan Princess, The Return of Jafar and probably every other Christmas movie ever made. In other words, a typical holiday cheese-fest (the villain gets defeated by the Christmas spirit, joyously expressed in a song sung by a distressed Odette. Gag). Still, there are some good characterizations and characters aren't as stupid or daft as they tend to get in these DTV productions; they actually make some in-movie meta-references and address some of the movie's more obvious plot-holes, which really took me by surprise. It has been given a PG rating ("for mild violence and threat"), though I don't think there's anything in it that would scare or disturb even the littlest of children (except maybe seeing Chamberlain and old hag/Bridgit kiss three times over the course of the movie , or this ).
Continuity-wise, I'm not really sure where this would be placed in regards to the rest of the series. End credits identify it as a "Swan IV" production (btw, the production team is the same as for the other three movies), but the actual story plays out as if it happens some time after the original (Odette and Derek celebrate their first Christmas together, whereas they celebrated their first marriage anniversary in Swan Princess: Escape from Castle Mountain). Anachronisms are everywhere: light-bulbs and snowboarding play a part in the plot, and black people apparently lived in medieval European kingdoms like it was not a big deal (to be fair, it's something the original Swan Princess suffered from as well - yay for political correctness!).
The music… Ugh, the music… It's beyond horrendous. Mushy, moronic lyrics and auto-tune abound. Fortunately, the songs don't last for long and the original Swan Princess theme makes a short appearance.
Also, CGI Jean-Bob is now a mascot of Nest Animation.
Overall, it's a generally weak effort that is further bogged down by ugly visuals. It's not a bad way to spend an hour and a half, but you'd probably get bored quickly. It is meant for kids after all. As for older crowd, I'd recommend it to fans and completists only.
- Linden
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Kudos to you for sitting through the whole thing. I loved the original (and sequels) as much as any other girl growing up in the 90s, but even that wouldn't be enough to sit through the whole thing. The trailer was painful enough.
I do hope Nest gets some money off of this though, so they can make more quality productions. The more animation studios, the better.
I do hope Nest gets some money off of this though, so they can make more quality productions. The more animation studios, the better.
- Sotiris
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Re: The Swan Princess
The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale will be released on DVD, Blu-ray, and Digital on February 25, 2014. You can watch the trailer, here. This marks the first title in the film series that will be released on Blu-ray. It's sad that the original hasn't been released on Blu-ray, yet this one gets the Blu-ray treatment.
Poster
Source: https://moviesanywhere.com/movie/the-sw ... amily-tale
DVD
Source: https://www.amazon.com/Swan-Princess-Ul ... 00UGPZYQY/
Blu-ray
Source: https://www.amazon.com/Swan-Princess-Bl ... 00GMV8F6M/
Soundtrack
Source: https://www.amazon.com/Swan-Princess-Ro ... 0737X8FL1/
I'm actually surprised The Swan Princess Christmas was successful enough to warrant another sequel. Who buys these movies? Well, I know someone who does and I think he'll buy this one too.
Isn't that right, Mooky?
Source: https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/the ... familytaleSynopsis wrote:Shortly after the Royal Family adopts a young girl named Alise, she is taken away into the forest. Princess Odette, Derek and their woodland friends, Jean-Bob the Frog and Speed the Turtle, must work together to find a way to bring her home to the castle.
Poster
Source: https://moviesanywhere.com/movie/the-sw ... amily-tale
DVD
Source: https://www.amazon.com/Swan-Princess-Ul ... 00UGPZYQY/
Blu-ray
Source: https://www.amazon.com/Swan-Princess-Bl ... 00GMV8F6M/
Soundtrack
Source: https://www.amazon.com/Swan-Princess-Ro ... 0737X8FL1/
I'm actually surprised The Swan Princess Christmas was successful enough to warrant another sequel. Who buys these movies? Well, I know someone who does and I think he'll buy this one too.
Isn't that right, Mooky?
- disneyboy20022
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Re: The Swan Princess
I stopped watching at the 51 second mark. Derek and Odette look horrible. They hardly resemble their 2D versions. Honestly Derek looks like Camilla The Duchess of Cornwall with brown hair
Want to Hear How I met Roy E. Disney in 2003? Click the link Below
http://fromscreentotheme.com/ThursdayTr ... isney.aspx
http://fromscreentotheme.com/ThursdayTr ... isney.aspx
- Disney Guru
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Re: The Swan Princess
The first Swan Princess was amazing, 2nd okay third one was pushing it. Can't think of how awful the newer ones must be.
"I have this tremendous energy. I just loved and love life. I love it today. I never want to die."
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~Jayne Meadows Allen~
Re: The Swan Princess
Why... are they doing this now?
The first three hold sentimental value for me. True, the Christmas movie was more likable the second time I watched it, but the animation wasn't any more likable. Why they're making more Swan Princess movies now is a mystery to me.
The first three hold sentimental value for me. True, the Christmas movie was more likable the second time I watched it, but the animation wasn't any more likable. Why they're making more Swan Princess movies now is a mystery to me.
- Musical Master
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Re: The Swan Princess
I have some pretty nice nostalgic memories of the first film when my family bought the original VHS of The Swan Princess and I remember that I liked the characters and the animation. The songs were okay and the villian was decent. The second and third films were nice for direct to video sequels and I can't imagine how awful the new ones are though from what everyone on here is saying.
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- thedisneyspirit
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Re: The Swan Princess
I like the CGI
Last edited by thedisneyspirit on Thu Mar 09, 2017 1:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Re: The Swan Princess
The original worked, but as almost always in these sorts of sequels, these just don't. And I especially don't understand doing it so much later and so randomly in CGI?!
Looks like they are trying to directly compete with the Barbie Movies now over Disney. I'm sure Barbie has even been the swan princess at some point?
Looks like they are trying to directly compete with the Barbie Movies now over Disney. I'm sure Barbie has even been the swan princess at some point?
- Linden
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Re: The Swan Princess
Oh. My. Gosh! I think I almost peed reading the summary. I don't know why cheesy things entertain me so much.
I'm really surprised they had the money to make this.
Atlantica, there is a Barbie Swan Lake. It was one of the first Barbie CG movies put out.
I'm really surprised they had the money to make this.
Atlantica, there is a Barbie Swan Lake. It was one of the first Barbie CG movies put out.
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Re: The Swan Princess
They also made a reboot called Barbie In the Pink Shoes.Linden wrote:Oh. My. Gosh! I think I almost peed reading the summary. I don't know why cheesy things entertain me so much.
I'm really surprised they had the money to make this.
Atlantica, there is a Barbie Swan Lake. It was one of the first Barbie CG movies put out.
Re: The Swan Princess
You know me all too wellSotiris wrote:I'm actually surprised The Swan Princess Christmas was successful enough to warrant another sequel. Who buys these movies? Well, I know someone who does and I think he'll buy this one too.
Isn't that right, Mooky?
*pre-orders the DVD*
I have a few questions about the cover though... Why does Odette look like Hilary Duff? Why does that kid look like Lindsay Lohan circa 1998? Why does Derek look like Wendie Malick's ugly twin brother?
- MeerkatKombat
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Re: The Swan Princess
I always enjoyed this film when younger. I don't think it quite stands up so well now I'm older. The music was rather good, I'll give it that. I've never seen the sequels and the farther 'The Swan Princess Christmas' stays away from me, the better.
I don't understand why they got Liz Callaway to dub Odette's singing voice when Michelle Nicastro was a Broadway singer. Hearing her sing, it is quite obvious she didn't suffer from voice dissonance. Was very sad to hear of her death a few years ago.
Wikipedia tells me 'The Swan Princess V: A Royal Family Tale' is coming. I'll be skipping this one in much the same way I skip nearly all sequels.
I don't understand why they got Liz Callaway to dub Odette's singing voice when Michelle Nicastro was a Broadway singer. Hearing her sing, it is quite obvious she didn't suffer from voice dissonance. Was very sad to hear of her death a few years ago.
Wikipedia tells me 'The Swan Princess V: A Royal Family Tale' is coming. I'll be skipping this one in much the same way I skip nearly all sequels.
- Sotiris
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Re: The Swan Princess
A DVD box set of all 5 films will be released on April 01, 2014.
Source: http://www.amazon.com/Swan-Princess-Sec ... 00HXWF4X6/
On a related note, a CG-animated Swan Princess TV series seems to be in the works.
Source: https://in.linkedin.com/in/tushar-hote-7377784a
Source: https://in.linkedin.com/in/madhuri-ananthaneni-31a7683b
Source: http://www.amazon.com/Swan-Princess-Sec ... 00HXWF4X6/
On a related note, a CG-animated Swan Princess TV series seems to be in the works.
Source: https://in.linkedin.com/in/tushar-hote-7377784a
Source: https://in.linkedin.com/in/madhuri-ananthaneni-31a7683b
- Musical Master
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Re: The Swan Princess
What's funny is that the "The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale" is written by the original writers of the first movie, but it does look bad.
WOAH!!! THAT'S NOT ODETTE!Sotiris wrote:A DVD box set of all 5 films will be released on April 01, 2014. On a related note, a CG-animated Swan Princess TV series is in the works.
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- Sotiris
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Re: The Swan Princess
In The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale, they've actually recreated in horrible CG animation abomination, an iconic scene from the original for a flashback.
Source: https://lisab1991.tumblr.com/post/76771 ... ood-%C2%BD
Source: https://lisab1991.tumblr.com/post/76771 ... -childhood
They also copied the ending scene in Enchanted.
Source: http://goofyzachial.tumblr.com/post/152 ... -crappy-cg
Source: https://lisab1991.tumblr.com/post/76771 ... ood-%C2%BD
Source: https://lisab1991.tumblr.com/post/76771 ... -childhood
They also copied the ending scene in Enchanted.
Source: http://goofyzachial.tumblr.com/post/152 ... -crappy-cg
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Re: The Swan Princess
No.......Just.......No...Sotiris wrote:In The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale, they've actually recreated in horrible CGanimationabomination, an iconic scene from the original for a flashback.
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- Jules
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Re: The Swan Princess
Gah. It's particularly painful because Michel Gagné's effects animation in the original film was pretty darned good.Sotiris wrote:In The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale, they've actually recreated in horrible CGanimationabomination, an iconic scene from the original for a flashback.