The Princess and the Frog
Director: Ron Clements, John Musker
Cast: Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David, Jim Cummings, Michael-Leon Wooley, Jennifer Codey
A unique retelling of the classic fairy tale by the Brothers’ Grimm, “The Princess and the Frog” tells the story of Tiana, a beautiful waitress from the colorful world of New Orleans whose lifelong dream is opening her own restaurant. When Tiana kisses a frog claiming to be a handsome prince, she is magically transformed into a frog herself, and she, along with Prince Naveen, must find a way to break the spell and make her dreams come true.
What makes “The Princess and the Frog” unique from other Disney movies is that while wishing on a star plays a vital role in the framework of the story, simply wishing for your dreams isn’t enough to make them come true. You also have to work hard and not lose sight of your dreams in order to see them transformed into reality. One way that this is illustrated in the film is in Tiana’s lifelong dream to open her own restaurant. Initially, Tiana’s determination to open a restaurant is borne from her desire to fulfill her father’s dream. When she is transformed into a frog after kissing Prince Naveen, Tiana agrees to help him in exchange for Prince Naveen helping her get the money to buy her dream restaurant. As the story unfolds though, Tiana realizes that hard work only plays a part in making her dreams come true. Her dream would mean nothing if Naveen was not there to share it with her because the most important thing in life is not finding your dreams, but by being with the people you love.
Illusion is a powerful theme in “The Princess and the Frog.” Many of the movie’s darker moments are creatively conveyed through the distorted perception of illusion, all of them tied in some way to the villainous Dr. Facilier (a.k.a. the Shadow Man). One way that illusion is illustrated in the film is when the Shadow Man creates an illusion of Tiana’s dream restaurant in order to remind Tiana of her father’s dream and everything she has sacrificed to make that dream come true. He tells Tiana that he will help her fulfill her dream if she will return the talisman that holds all of his magic. Although his offer is tempting, Tiana realizes holding on to what is truly important matters more than believing in dreams. She breaks the Shadow Man’s magic talisman, even though doing this meant that she might never see her dream fulfilled or have her true identity restored to her.
“The Princess and the Frog” is a beautiful and sincerely heartfelt story that restores the essence of the classic Disney style while also allowing its own unique essence to shine through. The animation is absolutely stunning, the characters are memorable, and the film’s message is one that both children and adults can identify with. I would highly recommend this film to anyone who loves Disney storytelling at its best.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.
Director: Ron Clements, John Musker
Cast: Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David, Jim Cummings, Michael-Leon Wooley, Jennifer Codey
A unique retelling of the classic fairy tale by the Brothers’ Grimm, “The Princess and the Frog” tells the story of Tiana, a beautiful waitress from the colorful world of New Orleans whose lifelong dream is opening her own restaurant. When Tiana kisses a frog claiming to be a handsome prince, she is magically transformed into a frog herself, and she, along with Prince Naveen, must find a way to break the spell and make her dreams come true.
What makes “The Princess and the Frog” unique from other Disney movies is that while wishing on a star plays a vital role in the framework of the story, simply wishing for your dreams isn’t enough to make them come true. You also have to work hard and not lose sight of your dreams in order to see them transformed into reality. One way that this is illustrated in the film is in Tiana’s lifelong dream to open her own restaurant. Initially, Tiana’s determination to open a restaurant is borne from her desire to fulfill her father’s dream. When she is transformed into a frog after kissing Prince Naveen, Tiana agrees to help him in exchange for Prince Naveen helping her get the money to buy her dream restaurant. As the story unfolds though, Tiana realizes that hard work only plays a part in making her dreams come true. Her dream would mean nothing if Naveen was not there to share it with her because the most important thing in life is not finding your dreams, but by being with the people you love.
Illusion is a powerful theme in “The Princess and the Frog.” Many of the movie’s darker moments are creatively conveyed through the distorted perception of illusion, all of them tied in some way to the villainous Dr. Facilier (a.k.a. the Shadow Man). One way that illusion is illustrated in the film is when the Shadow Man creates an illusion of Tiana’s dream restaurant in order to remind Tiana of her father’s dream and everything she has sacrificed to make that dream come true. He tells Tiana that he will help her fulfill her dream if she will return the talisman that holds all of his magic. Although his offer is tempting, Tiana realizes holding on to what is truly important matters more than believing in dreams. She breaks the Shadow Man’s magic talisman, even though doing this meant that she might never see her dream fulfilled or have her true identity restored to her.
“The Princess and the Frog” is a beautiful and sincerely heartfelt story that restores the essence of the classic Disney style while also allowing its own unique essence to shine through. The animation is absolutely stunning, the characters are memorable, and the film’s message is one that both children and adults can identify with. I would highly recommend this film to anyone who loves Disney storytelling at its best.
© 2013 – 2016 Keriane Kellogg. All rights reserved.