The Princess and the Frog Discussion - Part III

[Mooky]

I don't understand peoples' pacing problem as well. I thought it went together fairly well. It just might have seemed quick when you're in a theater with a big screen and sound system. I also liked how "Down in New Orleans" introduced Facilier and Naveen. The introduction was pretty good.

I think if the pacing of a movie seems off the first time, its probably because it is. Its kinda unfair evry other time you watch it since you already know whats going to happen, you can no longer be objective in the same way.

^^ This. I know it bothered the hell out of me the first time I saw it, but it became less and less of an issue with each subsequent viewing.

[Disney's Divinity]

Well, I can't speak for anyone else, but I've never understood the pacing issue people have talked about, and I've disagreed with it even before I saw the movie a second time. The only thing that ever stuck out as "too quick" to me was Naveen and Facilier's intro., but I think that had more to do with me than the movie--I was a little distracted at the beginning by my amazement at seeing another 2D film in theaters (the last one I saw was Mulan, I think).

So, no, the "subsequent viewing is cheating" argument doesn't work with me. But, having seen the movie a second time, I only disagree with the criticism more.

[IagoZazu]

When the movie played in my school's theater the weekend after Valentine's day (and all the showings were packed), the audience really loved the hillbilies scene based on the amounts of laughter that went on. I guess different strokes for different folks.

Same for the theater I went to. I guess it must be that the general public is into slapstick scenes, unlike most of us serious viewers here. Of course, I wasn't being cold or turned off, I chuckled myself. Every Disney movie has it anyway.

The only thing I would have changed in the movie is giving Facilier more screen time, but there have been a few Disney Villains in the past that didn't appear so often.

[Mr. Toad]

First time I have visited the thread because I have just seen the movie for the first time. I did not think there were pacing issues as some did. , Actually, I enjoyed this movie more than any Disney animaated classic since Lilo and Stitch.

Found the characters very endearing. The mix of music and plot very much reminded me of the renasaince films of the early 90s.

Kids laughed all the way through.

[kbehm29]

I am ashamed to say that after anticipating this movie for a LONG time, and wanting to support it at the box office....I did not go see this movie in theaters.

The Christmas season is always so hard for me. With 6 kids and one on the way, I never have the extra money during the holiday season.

I did order this Blu-ray and received it last week. We watched it TWICE over the weekend, and I have to say it is one of my favorites now. Can't wait to find some time to watch the bonus features. Didn't see any problems with the pacing of the movie. In fact, I loved it so much I can't even find anything to complain about it.

I hope the DVD sales do much better for Disney than theater tickets....

[DisneyJedi]

I hope the DVD sales do much better for Disney than theater tickets....

Well, apparently, they must be because all of the DVDs/Combo Packs were out of stock at this Target I went to after seeing Diary of a Wimpy Kid.

[bradhig]

I would be worried about that greeen dress Tiana wore when she became human again because it could dry out ,turn brown ,and fall apart.

Tiana could give Cinderella a run for the money She carried three trays like Cindy did but she also caught something with her feet.

The witch doctor guy seemed to be a lot like Rasputin in Anastasia.

I Guess won't have that blue dress to wear anymore.

[Mr. Toad]

I saw on the news last night where it had done very well in canada for week one. Right now on Amazon it is #2 for Blu Ray and #3 on DVD.

Twilight was ahead on both lists and Food Inc(which everybody needs to watch) is ahead on DVD.

[megustajake]

I like the movie, but I agree about the pacing problems. There weren't enough intimate moments, scenes that were allowed to "breathe". Many of the character's motivations were rushed.

For those who don't agree, it's just a difference of opinion then.

[Goliath]

The problem is not only with the hillbillies, it's just that the makers relied far too much on slapstick and 'hitting people on the head' or hurting them fysically to get laughs. It was just all too loud and overdone.

[ajmrowland]

I disagree. While the hillbillies were unecessary, some comic moments in the movie were actually funny. Check: "talking frogs", and some of Facilier's material. And the moment of Luis trying to play the riverboat was hilarious. If you cant laugh at that, you have no sense of humor.

[Sky Syndrome]

There weren't enough intimate moments

I agree.

Spoilers: Tiana and Naveen only had two peaceful moments away from everyone after the incident with the frog hunters made them warm up to each other. One while making the swamp gumbo and the other on the ferry when Naveen nervously tried to propose to her. It's hard to be in the intimate mood with someone with other people constantly being around.

[Disney's Divinity]

The problem is not only with the hillbillies, it's just that the makers relied far too much on slapstick and 'hitting people on the head' or hurting them fysically to get laughs. It was just all too loud and overdone.

I can understand that. That's why on the first watch, I didn't like Louis. He was almost nothing but slapstick (and when he got the bush-spikes stuck on him, I felt a temptation to ). This time around, the voice acting and his expressions/animation were more comedic for me.

I don't know why though, but the slapstick doesn't seem as jarring to me as it did before. I guess I just found the moments between the "your-supposed-to-laugh-here" scenes to be good enough to make me overlook it. Ah well.

(About the hillbillies, I did like them better the second time around, but I really laughed the most when my mom started hacking when the one hillbilly blew Ray out of its nose; not because it was funny, but because she was)

[Sotiris]

Disney animator revives old-fashioned art
http://jam.canoe.ca/Video/DVD_Column/20 ... 6-qmi.html

"Had he not been there", Musker says of Lasseter’s return to Disney when it merged with Pixar, "it would not have happened. He had the clout to do something like this and he had to kind of fight against certain ... whatever ... it was an upstream battle because they had stopped making it. But he loved it. We loved it. And he felt that audiences would still attend the film and get caught up". Audiences did. The Princess and the Frog was a $222.5 million worldwide success, less than Pixar’s films but still strong.

While other Disney animators have already plunged into a new hand-drawn Winnie the Pooh saga, the Musker-Clements team has fresh ideas to add to their own credits, which range from The Little Mermaid to Aladdin.

“We have something that we are pitching to John in a few weeks,” Musker says. “It’s Hollywood so I never look too far down the road. But, for the foreseeable future ...”

“We love it and John Lasseter is very committed,” says Clements of the revival. “So it’s looking very hopeful.”

Well, here's hoping!

[megustajake]

I do wish they let other directors tackle 2D animation. I thought "The Snow Queen" seemed so promising.

[Lazario]

From another thread where Princess and the Frog came up:

The comment about PATF being post Obama strikes me as odd, since it was in development before we even knew about him.

I'm not sure you got my point. That fact is, this could have been in development for 2 weeks or 2 centuries. It doesn't matter. My point is - Disney doesn't do anything daring or risque (at least, not since the 1940's) without someone else doing it first.

I really don't think they thought Obama was bad timing. If anything, it helped them with Princess and the Frog. You know that most people are praising this film for having a black Princess. You know this. Everyone does. I say that's the real novelty of this film. Its' driving force. Is it any coincidence that Disney never made one of their main characters black before? Yet, black main characters have been more prevalent in American culture in the 1980's to now than Native Americans, Asians (and Margaret Cho's battles on TV on her show in the 90's is proof positive of that), or Middle Eastern women.

Anyway, remember again what I want you to walk away with. My point: Disney doesn't do anything daring or risque (at least, not since the 1940's) without someone else doing it first.

[Sotiris]

The Problem with 'The Princess and the Frog'
http://thedisneyblog.com/2010/03/24/the ... -the-frog/

[Kyle]

that write up is ridiculous. Facilier too scary? I found he wasn't scary enough. Disney says it themselves he's more fun house scary than actually frightening. He's more charming than threatening.

Death in Disney films are nothing new, Bambi, Fox and the Hound, the lion king, etc

And honestly, whats wrong with being scared? its perfectly healty to learn about death at an early age. And your never going to get something in the range of PG13 in a Disney animated movie, so I dont see how anyone can complain about them being too scary for children.

My problem with the movie is that the whole moral of the story is supposed to be that you need to work to make your dreams happen. yet when she does finally get her restaurant, it wasn't because of work at all. she married a prince and became wealthy.

[Sotiris]

Exclusive: Don Hahn is Waking Sleeping Beauty
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=64414

CS: Have you been involved with Disney Animation lately? I know they most recently tried going back to 2D musicals with "The Princess and the Frog." Did they see that movie as being successful and might they continue to make movies in that vein?

Hahn: I think it was seen as successful. I think they're weighing that all the time and seeing - it has to be story driven and director driven. So if there's another director that comes along and wants to make another hand drawn movie, the resources are there to do it. The biggest advocate is John Lasseter. He's the one that's leading the charge saying, "We need to be making hand drawn stuff, motion movies and whatever it takes to tell these stories." So yeah, I think you'll see more of them in the future

[Scarred4life]

The Problem with 'The Princess and the Frog'
http://thedisneyblog.com/2010/03/24/the ... -the-frog/

My sister just turned 9, and she definitely wasn't scared in any way by Facilier. The movie didn't scare her at all, and she understood about Ray's death, and even thought it was a good ending. And how was this movie, by any means, scary? Has this person ever watch The Hunchback of Notre Dame? That movie is much scarier then TPatF.