Wednesday 30 July 2008

The Princess and the Frog Official Teaser Trailer

The Princess And the FrogDisney has decided to renew with its original roots: a traditional 2D animated movie based upon the classic fairy tale The Frog Princess is indeed under production. The film is titled the Princess and the Frog.

The animated movie is directed by John Musker and Ron Clements, directors of The Little Mermaid and Aladdin. Dreamgirls star Anika Noni Rose is lending her voice to the lead character, Tiana. The Princess and The Frog is slated for a release on Christmas 2009.

Here below the first official teaser trailer of The princess and the Frog:


The Plot:
"A fairy tale centered on a young Afro-American girl named Princess Tiana who lives in New Orleans' French Quarter during the 1920's Jazz Age." (Source: IMDb)

The Princess and the Frog has been fueling the controversy on two fronts:

- Some people were perplex at the idea of a black fairy tale princess. Let's remind here a quote from Will Smith:

"You mess up white people's heroes in Hollywood, you'll never work in this town again!" (Will Smith on MTV)

But people sharing such concerns did not voice their opinion too loudly afraid to be accused of racism.

- More surprisingly, the real controversy came from people feeling that the original name of the heroine, Maddy, and her occupation as chambermaid were a stereotype of a black "lower class"...

But what's the matter with being a chambermaid? Cinderella did clean soils too, didn't she?

About the name: she is finally called Princess Tiana. I really feel sorry of such a coward change by Walt Disney! Should people whose real name is Maddy change their name too?

Nonetheless we will forgive Walt Disney about this name issue because it is at long last the Disney movie featuring an Afro-American princess in a fairy tale.
:)

3 comments:

Serenity said...

I just wanted to comment on this. I think it is great that Disney is coming out with this movie. I think it would be beautiful to see a variety of ethnicities when I go to The Disney Store and shop for dolls for my daughter. You questioned that "Should people whose real name is Maddy change their name, too?" Well no, not if that is their given birth name. Understand that when Africans where brought to this country, they were stripped of their culture as well as thier names. They were given names by the slave owners. Names such as Maddy, Mamie, Sambo and let's not forget Toby. Their last names were sometimes chosen based on the kind of work they were forced to do. For example, if they were forced to picked cotton then that would be the last name chosen. (Maddy Chamber) So thank you Disney for changing her name to Tiana. Applause, Applause...

daren williams said...

The problem is not the name it is the name coupled with the fact of her being a chambermaid for Whitey. Yes Cinderalla was a chambermaid, but for her own family; selective memory on your part.

But the REAL problem I have is that the prince is not "BLACK", he is whatever color...I don't know. The fact that Disney would make a movie of a Black princess is great, but complete the tale with a Black prince. Have any of the "White" fairy tales been with anything other than a White prince, or White male period.

In doing this, a none Black prince, you give little Black kids (kids in general) and adults too that a Black prince is not proper. That black girls should not desire or seek a Black prince. Psychologically it messes the child up. And Disney knows what it is doing.

It hurts my heart that God has caused the Black culture in America to bear the sickness of White people. So I have to explain to my 4 & 6 year old daughters racism in this country.

Anonymous said...

Well its about time the Disney come back to making some real nice story love all the Disney films seen Snow White but can wait to see this one it look promecing.To what i say so far wow a real twist to the story (Walt) would have love the twist, this is just the cain of story that he would like to tell. With lots of gags.Hoope that it will do well at the box office.