Disney kills the Princess

[3rdgensooner]

'Tangled' Will Be Final Disney Fairytale -- Is That a Good Thing? (http://blog.moviefone.com/2010/11/22/tangled-disney-fairytale/)

http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.moviefone.com/media/2010/11/disney-princesses-112210.jpg

Wonders never cease: After 73 years of romantic swooning, Disney is closing the door on the genre that helped make them famous -- the fairy tale.

The LA Times (http://articles.latimes.com/2010/nov/21/entertainment/la-et-1121-tangled-20101121) reports that after 'Tangled (http://www.moviefone.com/movie/tangled/33552/main),' the Mouse House is shutting the door on fairy tales and princesses for the foreseeable future. Though they can never say never -- because the future can bring any number of surprises -- the company wants to keep up with the times, and the times aren't too keen on romantic stories of unstoppable princes saving desperate, pretty princesses ...even if they are a cornerstone of the company's business, from the castles that adorn the logos to Princess merchandise lines and spin-off Broadway musicals.

Animation heads Ed Catmull (Pixar) and John Lasseter (Disney) believe that "films and genres do run a course. They may come back later because someone has a fresh take on it ... but we don't have any other musicals or fairy tales lined up." In fact, as part of this fairy tale-free future, they've killed the other two films that have been in development -- 'The Snow Queen' and 'Jack and the Beanstalk.'

What will be a blow to many should seem like a blessing to masses of others. Over the years, the Disney princesses have struggled not only with limited and waning interest, but also ongoing critical discussion of the questionable themes and representations they relay, like critiques of its romance-based message and the representation of other cultures. Yet this thematic change has its own cross to bear.

After the disappointing performance of last year's 'The Princess and the Frog,' (http://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-princess-and-the-frog/30244/main) the princesses have to make room for the 'Toy Story' folks, Jack Sparrow and superheroes -- stories resting on male characters. It ties back to the early controversy surrounding the current film, as references to Rapunzel were scrapped for the so-called "gender-neutral" name of 'Tangled' and the focus was switched to the male co-star, so that the young boys of the world wouldn't be turned off by the story. In fact, the entire film was re-worked with action and banter, a lead who was a thief instead of a prince to give it Sparrow flavor, and a number of twentieth century notions like Joni Mitchell tunes and a 'Mommie Dearest' mom who tells her daughter that she's "getting kind of chubby."

Disney isn't pushing a new era for female fare, but rather a so-called gender-neutral framework that seems more interested in focusing on male heroes (Buzz, Woody, Jack, most of the superheroes) than reworking the now-dated approach it has been championing for decades. Instead of offering up new and modern dynamic women for the old fairy tale fans to run to, the company is focused on not alienating the male audiences with "female fare."

It's not surprising considering the boy's club that is Pixar, but one has to wonder what will happen with 'The Princess and the Bear' in the wake of this change. In fact, reference to this project is surprisingly missing from the news piece. The film has already lost Brenda Chapman, who was to be Pixar's first female director (http://blog.moviefone.com/2010/09/27/girls-on-film-pixars-brave-first-female-director/). One has to wonder why the animation house who has always worked to be the more modern source of animated fare would continue with fairy tale worlds once Disney acknowledges that they're antiquated. Perhaps the celtic heroine will be the next on the chopping block.

Now that fairy tales and classic Disney fare are relegated to slightly older audiences, like Little Red Riding Hood becoming a 'Twilight'-esque tale of romance in 'Red Riding Hood,' (http://www.moviefone.com/movie/red-riding-hood/10036127/main) is it a good thing for Disney to move on from princesses? What should that hole be replaced with? Will Disney lose its hold on little girls, or finally give them so more worthwhile heroines to love?

[The]

Girls should be indoctrinated for their future in the kitchen preparing tasty sandwiches, not dreaming about princes and frogs.

[NormanPride]

Princess and the Frog tanked? I thought it was fantastic...

[Spring]

wait....what?

[3rdgensooner]

wait....what?Like a moth to a flame....

[Spring]

Like a moth to a flame....

Where is Pozey? He will be heartbroken.

[3rdgensooner]

Where is Pozey? He will be heartbroken.In the fetal position on the floor, boo hoo-ing like a little girl, er, princess.

[JohnnyMack]

Princess and the Frog tanked? I thought it was fantastic...

Werd.

[JohnnyMack]

I'm taking the boys to see Tangled this weekend so I don't have to go shopping.

[GottaHavePride]

Princess and the Frog tanked? I thought it was fantastic...


I had absolutely zero interest in seeing Princess and the Frog, and I usually enjoy kid movies (stupid fun is good).

[GKeeper316]

the problem with disney's fairy tale movies is that since the little mermaid came out and revitalized the genre, disney has tried to take a decidedly comedic approach to the stories.

look back at the classics, like sleeping beauty and snow white... very little comedy. the writers stayed true to the heart of the stories and made them great adventures. the stuff they do now is poorly written and throws too many pop-culture references into what should be timeless classics. the music is lame too... its basically the same crap pop songs they push on the little kids in their crappy 30 minute sitcoms on the disney channel.

[oumartin]

they sure make those princess' look totally hawt! even for cartoons.

[GKeeper316]

they sure make those princess' look totally hawt! even for cartoons.

can't argue with that...

[VeeJay]

Girls should be indoctrinated for their future in the kitchen preparing tasty sandwiches, not dreaming about princes and frogs.

Mayonnaise and fresh sliced tomatoes is the trick to any tasty sammich.

Unless it's a fried peanut butter and banana sammich.

[The]

http://i.imgur.com/cojMJ.jpg

[badger]

On the Princess and the Frog - it did not make it's budget back on domestic box office - U.S. and Canada - and had to rely on overseas earnings to make a profit. Not a movie expert by any means, but I've heard that movies are generally only considered a financial success if they are profiting from domestic revenues, with overseas revenue considered extra gravy.

If you haven't seen the flick, it does not suck. You should definitely see it if you're into Disney stuff.

Disney nearly axed Narnia because of revenue worries... in fact, they did and sold distribution rights to another company, who is doing the third flick independent of Disney this winter, if i'm not mistaken.

In any event hugs and kisses to The for your continuous misogunist posting rants. They are very cute and nobody takes you seriously so it's all good.

[thecynic]

there's more money in porn

[SoonerStormchaser]

http://i.imgur.com/cojMJ.jpg

This is ****ing awesome! I laughed til I cried on this...the wife didn't get it, she said it hit too close to home.

[flyou11]

Doubt that will last. We will see another princess movie. Just may not be in the next year or two.

[Romulus]

IMHO the main reason the frog movie busted was the princess was black, probably a hard thing for 95% of the girls in the audience to relate to

[3rdgensooner]

IMHO the main reason the frog movie busted was the princess was black, probably a hard thing for 95% of the girls in the audience to relate toSo the same [made up statistic] 95% of girls related to the indian Pocahontas and the arab Jasmine?

[Romulus]

Yes

[badger]

NP and I just saw this last night. Don't understand why it's not getting better box office returns - it's a cute movie.

[Tulsa_Fireman]

Not to sound like a jerk, but I thought it sucked.

The only good part was the VA work for the voodoo guy.

[SanJoaquinSooner]

Snow White the greatest of all time. Sleeping Beauty highly underrated.

[SunnySooner]

My girl LOVES the princesses, and she couldn't even sit thru TPATF. Too much time as frogs, dark overtones with the voodoo, IDK, she didn't like it. Same girl who has Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty memorized.

There's enough princesses now, they can quit for awhile. You'd be amazed at the stuff you can buy with Cinderellas mug on it. Unreal.

[badger]

Fire dude, I was referring to Tangled, not Princess and the Frog.

Tangled is apparently the second-most expensive flick of all time, with a $260 million budget... apparently due to six years of production. I guess Titanic's #1?

It is a very energetic and cute take on Rapunzel.

[Chuck Bao]

I applaud Disney for this different direction. The thought that a very small number of people are born higher, nobler or more Godly-blessed than others is offensive in the context of modern society, or at least it is to me. The concept of kingship is not only anachronistic, but also carries some pretty heavy religious undertones.

I don’t go for social engineering and it’s debatable whether this is a wise commercial decision for Disney, who made its fortune with the classic princess in a castle formula. I don’t think they are killing off the princess, just revising her/him in new movies to be worthy by action instead of birth.

[Thaumaturge]

So the same [made up statistic] 95% of girls related to the indian Pocahontas and the arab Jasmine?

Jasmine was hardly arab. Only the villains were.

[C&CDean]

I applaud Disney for this different direction. The thought that a very small number of people are born higher, nobler or more Godly-blessed than others is offensive in the context of modern society, or at least it is to me. The concept of kingship is not only anachronistic, but also carries some pretty heavy religious undertones.

I don’t go for social engineering and it’s debatable whether this is a wise commercial decision for Disney, who made its fortune with the classic princess in a castle formula. I don’t think they are killing off the princess, just revising her/him in new movies to be worthy by action instead of birth.

Deep thoughts....

[RacerX]

I applaud Disney for this different direction. The thought that a very small number of people are born higher, nobler or more Godly-blessed than others is offensive in the context of modern society, or at least it is to me. The concept of kingship is not only anachronistic, but also carries some pretty heavy religious undertones.

I don’t go for social engineering and it’s debatable whether this is a wise commercial decision for Disney, who made its fortune with the classic princess in a castle formula. I don’t think they are killing off the princess, just revising her/him in new movies to be worthy by action instead of birth.

I think you posted on the wrong board. The appropriate response here would be "BOOBIES!".

[NormanPride]

I applaud Disney for this different direction. The thought that a very small number of people are born higher, nobler or more Godly-blessed than others is offensive in the context of modern society, or at least it is to me. The concept of kingship is not only anachronistic, but also carries some pretty heavy religious undertones.

I don’t go for social engineering and it’s debatable whether this is a wise commercial decision for Disney, who made its fortune with the classic princess in a castle formula. I don’t think they are killing off the princess, just revising her/him in new movies to be worthy by action instead of birth.

Offensive? It's not about the nice life, man. It's about making your dreams come true. Why else would all the thugs get their dreams at the end of the movie? The princess aspect is just a vessel to deliver the fantasy.

[badger]

When we went to go see Princess and the Frog, a vast majority of the audience happened to be black... and most of them were kids with maybe one or two adults. I didn't care, kid movies are always more fun when kids are in the theatre ("Mommy! There's a horsie!"). In fact, all movies are more fun when kids are in the theatre:

As Hellboy is starting:
Kid: Mommy, I don't wanna see this movie!

Later in Hellboy after big fight scene:
Kid: Is he dead?

[RacerX]

At the end of Little Mermaid, some little girl (maybe 3), says goodbye to Ariel as she leaves the theater.

Great stuff.

I liked both Princess and the Frog and Tangled (Maximus was the awesome).

[NormanPride]

The little girl sitting next to us last night left at one point with her mom, then came back and exclaimed "I made a peepee!"

We thought it was hilarious and cute, but I bet her parents were mortified. :D

[badger]

Her parents were repeatedly apologizing -- parents - don't apologize for your kid enjoying a movie (or saying cute things) apologize when they won't stop throwing popcorn or kicking your seat :mad:

[OUthunder]

At Disney World, they have college girls who dress up like them and allow you to take pics with them. I hope they don't discontinue that because my daughter and I really liked it. OK, I reaaaaaly liked it. Pocahontus was a babe. :D

[sappstuf]

I applaud Disney for this different direction. The thought that a very small number of people are born higher, nobler or more Godly-blessed than others is offensive in the context of modern society, or at least it is to me. The concept of kingship is not only anachronistic, but also carries some pretty heavy religious undertones.

I don’t go for social engineering and it’s debatable whether this is a wise commercial decision for Disney, who made its fortune with the classic princess in a castle formula. I don’t think they are killing off the princess, just revising her/him in new movies to be worthy by action instead of birth.

Princess and the Frog really doesn't have any of this. She is not a princess to start with and only dreams of owning her own restaurant. She meets the frog who is a prince and it is he who really learns the lessons of life (e.g. value of work and responsibility).

At the end, of course, they are married, but they don't go live in a castle. It ends with her fulfilling her goal of opening the restaurant she had already saved for on her own and the prince helping her run it. The only lesson she really learns is to lighten up a little and enjoy life.

It was more of an American Dream movie than Disney Princess movie when you break it down.

Maybe that is why it didn't do so well.. Oh well my 7 year old daughter loves it and I have seen it 4 times already.

Damn you Netflix instant viewing!!!

[Chuck Bao]

Offensive? It's not about the nice life, man. It's about making your dreams come true. Why else would all the thugs get their dreams at the end of the movie? The princess aspect is just a vessel to deliver the fantasy.

You make a good point there, NP. It is probably all about escapism, but the question is for whom.

I am sure that if Disney is not on the ball that some other movie production house will step in to deliver that shining but brief moment in our lives when we all can imagine ourselves to be that pretty princess or prince. Hello gay pride parade.

Don't get me wrong: I like fantasy as much as the next guy. But, what is wrong with the idea that your dreams can come true if you work hard enough at it without that God-annointed factor?

[NormanPride]

You make a good point there, NP. It is probably all about escapism, but the question is for whom.

I am sure that if Disney is not on the ball that some other movie production house will step in to deliver that shining but brief moment in our lives when we all can imagine ourselves to be that pretty princess or prince. Hello gay pride parade.

Don't get me wrong: I like fantasy as much as the next guy. But, what is wrong with the idea that your dreams can come true if you work hard enough at it without that God-annointed factor?

Because that's what they call "real life". It's not escapism if the kid is told "Your dream will come true if you finish your peas at supper and do your homework." :D

[Chuck Bao]

Princess and the Frog really doesn't have any of this. She is not a princess to start with and only dreams of owning her own restaurant. She meets the frog who is a prince and it is he who really learns the lessons of life (e.g. value of work and responsibility).

At the end, of course, they are married, but they don't go live in a castle. It ends with her fulfilling her goal of opening the restaurant she had already saved for on her own and the prince helping her run it. The only lesson she really learns is to lighten up a little and enjoy life.

It was more of an American Dream movie than Disney Princess movie when you break it down.

Maybe that is why it didn't do so well.. Oh well my 7 year old daughter loves it and I have seen it 4 times already.

Damn you Netflix instant viewing!!!

Thanks for the recap, sappstuf. I haven't seen this movie, it seems to be already going in that direction.

[badger]

http://www.blogcdn.com/blog.moviefone.com/media/2010/11/disney-princesses-112210.jpg

Of the princesses pictured, and adding in a few more (Mulan, Pocahontas and Princess and the Frog), here's how I'd rank those movies and their princess roles:

Movie themselves:
Beauty and the Beast (this movie really was a lot of fun - go back and watch it!)
Sleeping Beauty (the music was wonderful - good choice to go with the ballet music! terrific villain too)
Snow White (really a big accomplishment for the time - nearly bankrupted Disney to pull it off, still reaping the rewards today from taking such a risk)
Mulan (the movie was awesome, from granny, to the animated battle scenes, to a non-wimpy heroine)
Aladdin (all genie!)
Cinderella (not really fond of this one, but the animals, especially the bratty cat, made it cute)
Pocahontas (not really much to the story and not historically accurate either.
The Little Mermaid (there's a reason why this movie tanked the box office. but the music didn't totally suck)
Princess and the Frog (the music was forced, the storyline was stuck in the swamp... wow...)

Now, as for the princesses themselves:
Belle: A strong independent girl that values books and being kind to others.
Mulan: Same as Belle, without the books
Jasmine: Aside from the whole no-covering-face-woman controversy, was she really that bad for an Arabian princess in a kid's cartoon? No.
Tiana: Would have been more of a character if she didn't spend a majority of the film as a frog.
Pocahontas: Spends most of her time singing in the great outdoors. Sounds like fun!
Ariel: Spends half the film without a voice... and the character is kind of an annoying-rebellious type.
Cinderella: Spends a lot of the film whining, chore-ing and crying. Meh.
Snow White: Has the most annoying scream out of all the princesses... and has an annoying voice.
Aurora: Spends most of the film sleeping silently.

I would put Tangled above all of them except Beauty and the Beast, and Rapunzel as an equal to Belle and Mulan princess-wise.

[Chuck Bao]

Because that's what they call "real life". It's not escapism if the kid is told "Your dream will come true if you finish your peas at supper and do your homework." :D

Alright. I agree, just so long as they are not God-annointed royal peas.

[2121Sooner]

Badger.


Can I get your thoughts on the musical talents of each of The Wiggles?


Thanks in advance.

[Chuck Bao]

Pocahontas (not really much to the story and not historically accurate either.
Pocahontas: Spends most of her time singing in the great outdoors. Sounds like fun!

I am a direct descendant of Pocahontas and John Rolf. I don't normally sing outdoors, but I like to pee out there. I'm sure that is worth something, or it is to me and my own thinking of royal entitlement.

[badger]

2121- so sorry, don't know anything bout the wiggles.

chuck - were you also disappointed in the movie's take on the story? pocahontas was a kid when she saved john smith!

[2121Sooner]

maybe he liked em young?

[NormanPride]

Well, maybe he thought native americans just matured slowly.

[soonerchk]

You know what messages I got from the Disney Princesses? Pretty is better than not pretty, and being a Princess doesn't suck.

I think both of those lessons still hold true today.

[C&CDean]

Would Cruella Deville qualify as a Disney princess?

[2121Sooner]

You know what messages I got from the Disney Princesses? Pretty is better than not pretty, and being a Princess doesn't suck.

I think both of those lessons still hold true today.

And shoes will save the day

[NormanPride]

Would Cruella Deville qualify as a Disney princess?


No, but Perdita was, and she was a bitch.

[soonerchk]

And shoes will save the day

Cute shoes. Not Birkenstocks.

[2121Sooner]

Cute shoes. Not Birkenstocks.

There arent any Disney fairytell movies shot in Seattle......you should be ok.

[SicEmBaylor]

Girls should be indoctrinated for their future in the kitchen preparing tasty sandwiches, not dreaming about princes and frogs.

This.

[The]

http://i.imgur.com/6P5Ac.png

[3rdgensooner]

True, I've got a hot *** "cat". /beatnik

[SunnySooner]

I'm smart, and I've had PLENTY of guys!!...wait...;)

[RacerX]

Would Cruella Deville qualify as a Disney princess?

i've got a print photo with her when i did the marathon in '95. I need to scan that.

[C&CDean]

i've got a print photo with her when i did the marathon in '95. I need to scan that.

Indeed mister. Cruella is my fav Disney character. Reminds me of the ex.

[MsProudSooner2]

Tangled was good. Good princess, good hero, interesting horse, good music. If they aren't going to make any more Princess movies, they last one they made was a good one.

[soonerinkaty]

Not princess related at all, but Titan AE was the best animated film not made by Disney. I just thought I'd share.