Yeah, I know this is late, but we have been spending most of our time watching…you guessed it, The Princess and the Frog. I must admit I was not thoroughly convinced that this movie would do New Orleans or the first African-American princess justice. I will further admit that I am not a Disney fanatic. Far from it as a matter of fact. Sure I have been to Disney world, know the popular characters and prefer my kids to watch Disney’s sugar coated shows over Nickelodeon’s questionable language and teen *ahem* activities. So I waited a bit before I ran out and took the kids to see The Princess and the Frog in the movie theater.
I was hook from the first frame. The music, the old school animation, the characters, the voices, and the story. Not only did Disney produce it’s first African-American princess, but a strong not-waiting for her prince to come Princess. Frankly, Charlotte fits the old school princess mold more than Tiana. Tiana is a hard working waitress in 1930′s New Orleans with only one goal to get the restaurant that her father and her always dreamed of. Her journey will take her through the bayou with 2 of the best, in my opinion, characters, Louis the gator and Ray the firefly. She would learn that what you want and what you need are different things and you don’t always get what you want how you want. Or something like that.
I think this marks a new era in flims in and about New Orleans. An era of getting actual locals input making for a much better story that doesn’t force New Orleans’ style upon the viewer. More like it should be, just another story that happens to take place in New Orleans. Sure there will be some things that non-locals won’t get, like the Shreveport joke, but I think this movie will go in the Disney vault as a classic. And it doesn’t give a princess for all the African-American girls who have patiently waited, but to all the little girls who dream big, live in New Orleans and who don’t start out as princesses. There are many of them and they come in all colors.
