The Princess and The Frog

Join me today as I take a look at a Disney film that I feel that helped the company to get back on it's feet.

The Plot

In this film, the classic fairy tale cliche of kissing a frog and having it become a prince is turned on it's head when our main lead kisses a frog and becomes a frog herself.  Though besides this is a film of learning about what you need to survive in life and what it'll take for you to get by.

Characters

As usual, I'll be breaking this down into Important, Supporting, and villains.

Important Characters

Tiana  voiced by Anika Noni Rose

As I have always said about the Disney Princess, they keep growing to represent something more than just a woman looking for love.  With Tiana that is very true as she isn't interested in finding love at all but instead bringing her dream of opening a restaurant to life. This goes back to perhaps one of my favorite lessons is that "Wishing on a star will only take you halfway, you have to be willing to work for your dream".  Tiana has this lesson learned quite well but she doesn't  know how to have fun because she is so busy to bring her dream to life. I can actually appreciate that in this film, we had a character who wasn't waiting for someone to make her dream come true.  She knows what she wants and she knows what it'll take to get there.  Now really the only flaw that the film Tiana seems to have is that she is too busy working towards her dream that she has no time to relax and just have fun. But I really don't see that as a big flaw as I believe that if we want to make our dream come true, we need to work for it. I'm sure we all have a dream and if we want it come to life, we need to work for it.

Prince Naveen   voiced by Bruno Campos

Now if  I had to choose some words to describe Naveen at the start of the film, they would be charming, suave and lazy. When Naveen first comes to New Orleans, he had been cut off by his parents. Naveen knows how to have fun and that's it. Because he has never worked a day of his life because he had never needed to lift a finger.  Though through his time as a frog with Tiana, he learns about hard work and  what it takes for people such as Tiana to get by in this world when they have to work for themselves. He also comes to appreciate the value of working by the end of the film too, I would say.                      

James voiced by Terrence Howard

Now even though James (Tiana's dad) is only featured in the opening in the film, I still feel that he plays an important role as he is the one that inspired Tiana to open a restaurant in the first place as that was his dream and Tiana wanted to see his dream through because James died before he could ever open the restaurant himself.  He is also the same one that instilled in Tiana that you have to work for your dream to come true.  Again as I said that is a lesson I like because it is very realistic. Because it is one thing to have a dream but you have to do more than dream. You have to be willing to put blood, sweat and tears into working for your dream.   

Supporting Characters

This one is going to take a while as there are a lot of characters to talk about here.  Let's get started.  

Louis voiced by Michael-Leon Wooley 

Louis is a really fun character.  He is a gator who just wants to play jazz with the Big Boys but it doesn't exactly work out for one minor reason. It has something to do with the fact that he is a gator.  He is also bit of wimp and gets scared easily. As seen when he see the hunters with the guns.  Rightly so though, I  think.  Though he is willing to standby his friends in their time of need such as right around the time Ray is dying. Louis will stick up for his friends no matter what and he is always ready with a good tune.

Ray voiced by Jim Cummings

Ray is one of my favorite characters from the film. He may be simple minded but he has a lot of heart and is a good nature fellow who wants to see the good in people.  Ray is also in love with Evangeline, his girl who is actually the evening star but no one has the heart to tell him because he  is so in love with her.  Ray is also a tough fighter as he stands up to all the shadows that were sent out by Dr. Facilier. Though this is also when he meets his demise. As pointed  many a time, this is one of the saddest moments in the film.  It's surprising how a death of a firefly can make you some so sad.  I think part of the charm of this character comes from his voice actor, Jim Cummings.  As with every other Character Jim Cummings has voiced such as Tigger or Pete, he makes the character shine.  He may be a simple character but sometimes simplicity works the best for a character.

That scene shows both how tough and loyal Ray was and again, that is sad moment.  Now it isn't as sad as other Disney deaths such as Mufasa's but  killing off one of the side characters, that was something I didn't expect.  It was simple kill too with Facilier just squishing Ray by stepping on him but it did leave quite an impact on me and I was saddened by this because Ray was one of my favorite characters in the film but that there is where this film did something right. I cared about Ray and I was sad to see him die. You don't want to see characters that you like die and when you do, their death is almost more realistic because it feels as though a friend is dying. 

Mama Odie voiced by Jennifer Lewis

Mama Odie is the kindly old voo-doo priestess whom Tiana and Naveen seek the help of to turn back into humans.  Mama Odie know this is what they want but it isn't what they need.  No, Mama Odie tells them they have to dig deeper to figure out what it is they need.  Tiana doesn't exactly get the message right and think she needs to work harder. Which isn't what Mama Odie meant.  Mama Odie is such a fun character,  she has a lot of spunk and she is willing to help people but only if they are willing to help themselves.  I think with Mama Odie being 197, she is one of the oldest female Disney characters to date but that doesn't stop here fro knowing how to have a good time. It is also established in the film that Mama Odie and Ray knew each other prior to the events of the film when Mama Odie asks Ray about his grandmother. 

Charlotte voiced by Jennifer Cody 

For any of my readers, who have seen the play Wicked, Charlotte is best described as being a lot like Glinda from that musical. They are both in high positions of where they live and they are both spoiled. They both want to marry a prince and  they almost do. Though Charlotte was being tricked.  Now I would probably say this is where the similarities between these two characters stop because unlike Glinda who despised Elphaba (Wicked Witch) for a brief  period of their life while Charlotte never showed any ill will towards Tiana because they have been friends most of their lives.  As I was saying about Charlotte being like like Glinda, she is big and boisterous with all of her movements.  I think that the word, diva would be a perfect description for this character.

Eli "Big Daddy" La Bouff voiced by John Goodman

Eli "Big Daddy" La Bouff is voiced by John Goodman, this marks the second time he has voiced a character in a Disney Canon film but the third time that he has voiced a Disney character period of he also voiced Sully in Pixar.  This character is perhaps the most underplayed character that John Goodman has ever done for Disney.  With Big Daddy, it's not hard to see where Charlotte gets her attitude and sense of self-entitlement from because of how much Big Daddy spoils her. Big Daddy is also at the center of Dr. Facilier's plan to take over the city of New Orleans. Facilier thinks that by killing off Big Daddy, he will be able to take over the city and part of this comes from the fact that Big Daddy is the richest man in town. Though this subplot is one of the less developed aspects of the film. Although it is similar in vein to Ursula who tried to take over Altantica.   If nothing else, Facilier was smart in having a voo doo doll made of Big Daddy. Though the problem I have with this subplot is for Facilier wanting to take out Big Daddy, it felt as though Big Daddy was unaware and I was bit disappointed that there was no interaction between Facilier and Big Daddy.  I don't know if it would have made the film better but it would have given this area a bit more resolution than we got in the film. 

  Eudora voiced by Oprah Winfrey

Eudora is Tiana's mother and it is shown clearly throughout the film that she cares for her daughter.  Though she just wishes that Tiana would take time for herself and try to enjoy life. Even though she wishes that her daughter would slow she can respect her Tiana's wishes and is willing to support her no matter what. I have to say that I was surprised when I learned that Oprah voiced this character because Eudora didn't sound like her but I will say that I actually think it is kind of neat to have a pop icon such as Miss Winfrey voice a character for a Disney film and I know she has done past film work such as The Color Purple but I think Oprah could do really well voice acting other characters in animated films.  I will say I also appreciate that Disney didn't use Oprah as a selling point because while I respect Miss Winfrey, I feel if they had done that it would taken the focus away from the film and really, Eudora in the long run is actually a bit character. 

Music 

The soundtrack for this film is just wonderful especially with it having one of the best recent Disney villain songs.

Down In New Orleans

Now this song is actually broke up into multiple parts and maybe it's  just me but with the opening of the song, I get a Pinocchio vibe. Probably has to do something with seeing the star.  This is fun song that sets up the city of New Orleans quite well and shows us the magic of the town. It is a fun song, a little simple but it still works. Now I don't think this is the film version but it works for this review.  All in all this is a fun song and it does it's job of getting the audience excited about watching the film.

Almost There

Here is another song that is really fun and I love the art style of this song number as I just find it so much fun to look at and it doesn't detract from the rest of the film, it actually flows rather nicely.  Now with this song we see what Tiana wants and I find it honorable that she wants to see her father's dream realized and I love the look of the restaurant as it looks like a nice little place to eat at. Makes me wonder why Disney hasn't thought about making Tiana's Place an actual restaurant at one of the parks.  I could see that working but back on topic,  I love the way this song is sung because it is like a rollercoaster. It's somber but jovial at the same time with Tiana  saying that she will work hard to have her dream realized and she doesn't care what it takes. 

Friends on The Other Side

Ah, we have reached the villain song and one of my favorite songs from the film.   I just love the way it starts with Dr. Facilier getting angry at Lawrence for suggesting that he is a fraud.  I just love how Facilier  tempts  both of the gentlemen with the things they want and how he can read into their future.  In my humble opinion, Dr. Facilier out of all the Disney villains has the best singing voice.  Also love the foreshadowing in this song with Facilier referring to green and how that has a double meaning in the context of this film.  Now I have often heard people compare this to another villain song from a Disney film that I truly enjoy and that is Poor Unfortunate Souls. I can see that actually with the whole deal process being made and also the transformation of Naveen has to be one of the creepiest moments in recent Disney history.  This is just another one of those songs that after I listen to it, I'm left saying to myself, "One More Time!"

When We're Human

This song in a lot of ways reminds of Human Again.  The song that was cut from Beauty and The Beast. In that  both of those songs talk about what our heroes want to do when they are human.  Once again, I feel that Tiana steals the show but Louis take a close second. This is just a great song and to fun listen to and I really love love how vocally and lyrically the song matches the respective characters.  Though I would say as much as I like this song it is probably one of the least memorable from the soundtrack.

Goin' Down The Bayou

Fun Fact for ya, this song was almost cut out of the the film as some of the people working on this film felt there were already enough songs. Randy Newman saved this song because he felt this was the essential New Orleans sounding song that the film needed. I would say it's okay, a little short. It does have a nice beat and that one that is easy to dance along to. (As I find myself tapping my foot while typing this).  But my big problem is that I feel unlike the other songs from this film, there is no real substance to this song and I think in the long run, this song has no affect or importance on the story.  Whereas with Almost There, we hear Tiana sing about getting her restaurant,  Friends on The Other Side helps to set up both Facilier and the transformation of Naveen.  It's a fun song but I don't see the need for it compared to the rest of the songs featured in this film.

 Ma Belle Evangeline

This song here is our love song from the film and that is actually Jim Cumming doing the singing.  It is rather cute to hear Ray sing about his love for Evangeline and the intrustment solos just add another layer of beauty to this song. Also I think this is one of the big turning points for Naveen and Tiana, when they start caring for each other.  Just as with Beauty and The Beast, this love song is simple but I feel love songs work best that way, when they are just simple.

Dig a Little Deeper

This song here has a vibe to it that is just a lot of fun  and Mama Odie's message is very true.  Dig a Little Deeper is just another way of saying that you have to look inside yourself to see what you really need.  Whereas Facilier will give you what you think you want, Mama Odie will make you work for it and will make you think is that what you need.  It is most certainly one of the most fun songs from the film and I think that comes from Mama Odie's singing.  There is a whole a lot of soul in her singing and it really shines through. 

Villains 

Lawrence voiced by Peter Bartlett

Lawrence is Naveen's valet and one of his many servants. Lawrence is tired of the way he is being treated by Naveen and just in general because he feels that he doesn't get any respect.  At first, he doesn't trust Facilier but once Facilier shows him the card showing that he could have everything he ever wanted on a tarot card and then he decides to make a deal with Facilier and work with him.  Just as Naveen is transformed into a frog, Lawrence takes on the disguise of pretending that he is Naveen so long as they have his blood.   The best way to describe Lawrence is by saying that he first comes across as a bumbling fool but that isn't the case at all. He is pretty smart and his chemistry with Facilier is unique in that it comes across that Lawrence actually fears Facilier.  Which I think I would too knowing the kind of power that Facilier has. He doesn't seem like the type of guy who would go easy on you and that is made true when we see Lawrence lose Naveen after he had been turned into a frog.  Now maybe it is just me but I felt that Lawrence becoming evil just felt a bit rushed. I mean I get that he saw the card and then decided to work with Facilier but that was it and the next scene we see him, the audience is led to believe that Facilier and Lawrence have started working together. It just feels as though that happened way too fast.

Facilier's Shadow - Not Voiced

At first I wasn't going to talk about Facilier's shadow but in reality, I felt that I had to because his shadow was his own character. Instead of just acting like a regular shadow,  he had movements of his own such as the way he swerves and he even has a dance number with Facilier.  It is neat to watch the shadow interact with Facilier.  Though in reality, he is just a minor character.


Dr. Facilier voiced by Keith David

Facilier is one of my favorite Disney villains in recent memory.  He is very suave and charming.  I would also argue that he looks to be one of the most entertaining and it is easy to fall into his trap because he sells you what you want to hear. And he knows how to sell it well.  He can easily play with your mind and he's willing to make a deal with you to get what you want. Such as what he we saw when he turned Naveen into a frog. Also he is just a lot fun and if he weren't evil, I think he would be a fun guy to hang out with. Because he seriously feels like a villain that you could just hang out with in a bar and have a good time.  Now as I said when talking about Big Daddy,  I had a little bit of a qualm with the fact that there was no interaction between Facilier and Big Daddy. Considering that killing off Big Daddy was at the center of Facilier's plans.  Though Disney did do one thing with this villain that I liked that when he died, it actually looked as though he was dragged to Hell. I actually brought this up in a past comment when talking about how Disney does still try to push the envelope.  

One good example is the final battle in The Princess and The Frog, when Dr. Facilier The Shadow Man dies, he is dragged into what is basically Hell. Now the film never outright says it is Hell but the depiction certainly makes it look like Hell and heck they even include some voo-doo magic in that film, which some people like to refer to as black magic or think it is evil

I still stand by what I said here and I think this applies fairly to Facilier and I think this actually helped the film stand out for me a little bit more.



My Final Thoughts


The Princess and The Frog is a good film and it is one that I consider a modern classic. It has great music,  a great villain. All of the characters are fairly likable and easy to enjoy. If I had to pick my favorite character,   I'd probably have to go with Facilier as he is just so much fun and very entertaining.  As I have been saying this entire review, this is one of the best modern Disney films that I have seen and I think part of that comes from the simple charm and classic feeling that this film has in that it actually feels like a classic Disney film.  I can't suggest this film enough.