Disney Keeps 2D Alive

I have been looking forward to The Princess and the Frog for months, but not for any real expectation of cinematic greatness. Instead I wanted Disney to prove that 2D animation is still viable in the world of 3D animation. And prove it they did. However, only in 2004 it looked like Disney had given up on 2D animation altogether when it shut down their 2D studios in favor of 3D. Following the acquisition of Pixar, they reopened the studios to make The Princess and the Frog. Instead of pandering to what they believe modern audiences want (as they have been with film after film about cute lost dogs) they returned to what they do best—retelling fairytales.

This is not to say that they didn’t have an eye on modern sensibilities. This was not the traditional Frog Prince. It was the princess and the frog where the “Princess,” Tiana, kisses a frog, Prince Naveen, and instead of the frog prince turning into a human, she turns into a frog. It is clever and in keeping with modern sensibilities influenced by the success of Shrek where fairy tale stereotypes are turned on their head.

But the film, directed by Ron Clements and John Musker of Aladdin and Little Mermaid fame, does retain much that Disney is loved for—a magic-filled world, catchy musical numbers, love triumphing evil, and a nasty villain who will stop at nothing to separate the protagonists. Although it includes all of these things, the strength of this film relies on its lush visuals of jazz-filled New Orleans and ...Read More