What's the Deal
I've been doing Disney-associated princesses, mostly when looking at clusters of fairy tales. The following three, however, stand on their own, and I thought they deserved some spotlight, too.
The Princess and the Frog, 12 December 2021, streamed via Disney+
I remember this film being a big deal in 2009. Sure, there had been Pocahontas (we'll…get to her) and Mulan (yaaaaaaas), but this is the first Black princess, and that's important. I mean, through high school, I was constantly compared to both Pocahontas and Mulan (high cheekbones, black hair, it me), so I get what it means to have someone that looks like you dominating pop culture for a few weeks. And how awesome is Tiana, anyway?
I'm certain there have been dozens if not hundreds of analyses looking at the relationship between Tiana, daughter of a seamstress, and Charlotte, the most benevolent version of a Southern belle. Given the princess narrative--humble beginnings, talented and spunky kid, a handsome dude of uncertain provenance--it makes a bit of sense that they'd set this in New Orleans in the 1920s. (I mean, there are issues with disappearing the existence of racism while retaining the socioeconomic structures that grew out of it, but.)
Every family dinner ever, amirite?
We meet Tiana as she's saving up for her own restaurant by working what looks like two full-time jobs as a waitress. She's hella good at her job, but it's clear immediately that she's exhausted and kind of lonely.
Prince Naveen of Maldonia (surrrrrre) is visiting town and Lottie's father is throwing a party and Lottie shoves an armful of money at Tiana and orders 500 beignets for later that day, like, WTF Charlotte, do you not understand how baking works? Where is Tiana gonna get all that flour and sugar at the last minute? Does she have an industrial sized cooker to get everything fried up? DAMN IT, CHARLOTTE.
But she's got a space all picked out for her restaurant, which is sweet. Tiana's mother pleading, "But I want grandchildren," though, relatable or MOST relatable?
Meanwhile, Naveen is pulling a Jasmine and trying to understand what ordinary people are like or whatever. (He's from Maldonia, which I suppose deliberately sounds like a Central European nation, but why not a fake country from North Africa? The requirement of "prince" makes a historical piece challenging, but c'mon, guys.)
Keith David voices Dr Facilier, the voodoo doctor, and that is, alas, the only good thing about the character. Because, like, voudou is still an active religious and cultural practice. Let's all wince together and then look away as quickly as possible.
I'd like to take this moment to applaud Lottie's hustle.
And then the dudes Tiana's trying to buy her space from tell her she's been outbid and also, "a little woman of your…background would'a had her hands full trying to run a big business like that," and let's set everything on fire, y'all.
Tiana wishes on a star and then a talking frog puts the moves on her. Things take a turn from there.
Tiana and Naveen travel the bayou and almost get eaten not a few times, but they also befriend some other critters on the way. Naveen is altogether too shallow and Tiana does NOT have TIME for this rich boy NONSENSE. Naveen's planning to marry Lottie due to the reality of his broke-ness.
Meanwhile, Lawrence, Prince Naveen's valet, is posing as Naveen and courting Lottie in the meantime! They almost get married! Facilier wants to get Naveen's blood for some magical reasons; the spell itself is located in a spooky talisman.
They head over to Mama Odie, who might have the wisdom and know-how to get them back to human form. (Also, they fall in love, but that isn't really the point.)
They realize that because her father is Mardi Gras King, Lottie is technically a princess, and thus might be able to break the spell. Also, Tiana breaks Facilier's talisman and he gets dragged into the spirit world.
Naveen is determined to marry Lottie so Tiana could get her funding, Lottie realizes the two are in love, so she kisses him, no wedding required. Except, nope, that does not break the spell.
They get married as frogs, and in a surprisingly bit of circular logic, Naveen marrying Tiana makes her a princess, so their kiss turns them both human.
So, like, Tiana still gets her restaurant and Lottie funds most of it, I assume. Y'know, girl, if you'd just asked your best friend Lottie for a loan in the first place, we could have avoided all of this.
Brave, 12 December 2021, streamed via Disney+
Oh man, remember when Brave came out and everyone was like, A princess movie without any romance? WHAT? Also a lot of chatter about Merida's hair. It is pretty glorious.
Merida's also unique amongst the Disney princess canon because, WHOA, her mother is ALIVE. In the Princess narrative, fathers traditionally have wanted their daughters to stay young. (Tiana and Moana both still have mothers, but they're much less active in the narrative.) With Brave, though, Elinor is frustrated because Merida won't grow up. The older that Merida gets, Elinor thinks, the less that youthful hijinks are befitting of a princess.
When Merida has to face the fact that princes and princesses are married off for alliance purposes, well. Maybe somebody should explain to her about dynastic privilege? Girl, if you thought you were being confined by gender roles where you are now, try being poor in a feudal society.
So, if Merida wants to fight against the prescribed roles for her as a princess and/or a woman, is that an inherent criticism of the choices Elinor has made? Well…Merida's a stupid teenager, so yeah.
What Merida doesn't get, however, is how super-badass her mother is. The woman wades into a brawl, silencing everybody as she goes, and pulls four clan leaders across the room by the ears and it ain't nothing. (Rewatching so many of these movies and it's SO WEIRD how I'm almost always on the side of the stuffy adults.)
But geez, Elinor, burning her bow? That was some quality workmanship. To her credit, she regrets it immediately. Methinks Elinor had as much of a temper as Merida back in the day. But Merida runs away, finds herself in a stone circle (girl), follows a wisp into a wise woman's hut (GIRL), and buys an incredibly ill-considered spell to change her mum to change her fate (GIRL).
You turned your mother into a BEAR, Merida. A gigantic, kingdom-destroying, magic BEAR.
Also, MERIDA, you don't just leave your edible bear-making spells on the counter! Things happen if you do that.
"Fate be changed, look inside, mend the bond, torn by pride." Honestly, this witch's riddle isn't all that mysterious, is it? Like, it's directly applicable to the current situation! Stubborn lass. And, in case things didn't feel urgent enough, the longer Elinor remains a bear, the more she'll become a bear. Y'know, like Mor'du, the first cursed bear.
Honestly, those three suitors weren't all that bad. Just young. I bet they and Merida are great hunting buddies when they get older.
It's cool, though. Elinor kills Mor'du and then turns back human, along with the boys.
HEARTWARMING.
Moana, 12 December 2021, streamed via Disney+
I actually did a quick review of Moana when I first started doing these write-ups! It's been a while, though, and I don't think I've watched since then.
So the thing is, when you're better than everybody else at everything, sometimes you start making some bad choices. Like, oh, trickster god Maui, who wanted to prove he could steal the heart of Te Fiti, and got it. But the demon Te Ka wanted it, too.
Now here we are.
I do want to point out that, while Moana is amazing in terms of craft and representation--again, it's thrilling to see heroes who look like me and my family--but of course there are critiques to be made about cultural appropriation and misrepresentation. Rising Up with Sonali has a specific critique about letting people tell their own stories, and Smithsonian Magazine has a good summary of various issues. And, just as I mentioned with voudou in The Princess and the Frog, what we see in Moana is drawing from living traditions.
Okay.
So, Moana still has a mother (again, like Tiana and Merida), but it's her responsibility as heir to her father, the Chief, that shapes what's happening. Because she lives a great life in a beautiful place, but no one ever leaves, which is pretty reminiscent of Ariel in The Little Mermaid and a bit like Belle of Beauty and the Beast. The idea isn't that you're being, like, oppressed--you're just getting claustrophobic.
The soundtrack to this film is so good, y'all.
And whoooooa, like in Hero With a Thousand Faces, she meets Maui, her guide to the world outside. Actually, the whole thing maps well to a hero's journey, up to and including the death of a mentor: Gramma Tala here, like Obi-Wan, like Dumbledore, like Mufasa, like Gandalf.
D'you think Tala knew all this time there were sea-faring vessels in that lagoon and she just didn't say anything to almost anyone? Like, those boats were in PRIME condition. Who's been keeping them up? The climate isn't so ideal that there wouldn't be some kind of decay otherwise. And certainly Moana's father knew about them and didn't want to share.
When the sailing flashback happened, I was immediately like, Lin-Manuel? Is that you? Love that dude.
There's a thread of matriarchy going on here, too: Gramma Tala charging Moana with the journey, and Moana's mother assisting her leavetaking. The women of this family get stuff done and that feels pretty authentic, ngl.
I would have words with whoever decided that chicken should be the animal companion instead of the adorable pig. And I know exactly the curse to lay upon them.
My hair is much like Moana's hair and I spend most of this film marveling at it. I have hit myself in the face with my hair many, many times.
Anyway, there are pirates and, like, a giant crab. More interesting, I think, is the Ocean-capital-O acting as catalyst and conspirator for the journey. That it rescued Maui long ago and Moana here, and keeps them together for the quest, seems in keeping with a generally boundless-seeming power. There are times, though, when it gets very playful and very small and I don't know how I feel about that.
The twist in the legend still gets to me: Te Ka the demon is actually Ta Fiti, robbed of her heart and left empty of care. It's poignant and scary--if we're hurt badly enough, would we all turn into monsters?
I'm not crying you're crying
The Bottom Line
I didn't expect many themes to emerge from this grouping, but wow, these fit together really, really well.
The Princess and the Frog, 12 December 2021, streamed via Disney+
I remember this film being a big deal in 2009. Sure, there had been Pocahontas (we'll…get to her) and Mulan (yaaaaaaas), but this is the first Black princess, and that's important. I mean, through high school, I was constantly compared to both Pocahontas and Mulan (high cheekbones, black hair, it me), so I get what it means to have someone that looks like you dominating pop culture for a few weeks. And how awesome is Tiana, anyway?
I'm certain there have been dozens if not hundreds of analyses looking at the relationship between Tiana, daughter of a seamstress, and Charlotte, the most benevolent version of a Southern belle. Given the princess narrative--humble beginnings, talented and spunky kid, a handsome dude of uncertain provenance--it makes a bit of sense that they'd set this in New Orleans in the 1920s. (I mean, there are issues with disappearing the existence of racism while retaining the socioeconomic structures that grew out of it, but.)
Every family dinner ever, amirite?
We meet Tiana as she's saving up for her own restaurant by working what looks like two full-time jobs as a waitress. She's hella good at her job, but it's clear immediately that she's exhausted and kind of lonely.
Prince Naveen of Maldonia (surrrrrre) is visiting town and Lottie's father is throwing a party and Lottie shoves an armful of money at Tiana and orders 500 beignets for later that day, like, WTF Charlotte, do you not understand how baking works? Where is Tiana gonna get all that flour and sugar at the last minute? Does she have an industrial sized cooker to get everything fried up? DAMN IT, CHARLOTTE.
But she's got a space all picked out for her restaurant, which is sweet. Tiana's mother pleading, "But I want grandchildren," though, relatable or MOST relatable?
Meanwhile, Naveen is pulling a Jasmine and trying to understand what ordinary people are like or whatever. (He's from Maldonia, which I suppose deliberately sounds like a Central European nation, but why not a fake country from North Africa? The requirement of "prince" makes a historical piece challenging, but c'mon, guys.)
Keith David voices Dr Facilier, the voodoo doctor, and that is, alas, the only good thing about the character. Because, like, voudou is still an active religious and cultural practice. Let's all wince together and then look away as quickly as possible.
I'd like to take this moment to applaud Lottie's hustle.
And then the dudes Tiana's trying to buy her space from tell her she's been outbid and also, "a little woman of your…background would'a had her hands full trying to run a big business like that," and let's set everything on fire, y'all.
Tiana wishes on a star and then a talking frog puts the moves on her. Things take a turn from there.
Tiana and Naveen travel the bayou and almost get eaten not a few times, but they also befriend some other critters on the way. Naveen is altogether too shallow and Tiana does NOT have TIME for this rich boy NONSENSE. Naveen's planning to marry Lottie due to the reality of his broke-ness.
Meanwhile, Lawrence, Prince Naveen's valet, is posing as Naveen and courting Lottie in the meantime! They almost get married! Facilier wants to get Naveen's blood for some magical reasons; the spell itself is located in a spooky talisman.
They head over to Mama Odie, who might have the wisdom and know-how to get them back to human form. (Also, they fall in love, but that isn't really the point.)
They realize that because her father is Mardi Gras King, Lottie is technically a princess, and thus might be able to break the spell. Also, Tiana breaks Facilier's talisman and he gets dragged into the spirit world.
Naveen is determined to marry Lottie so Tiana could get her funding, Lottie realizes the two are in love, so she kisses him, no wedding required. Except, nope, that does not break the spell.
They get married as frogs, and in a surprisingly bit of circular logic, Naveen marrying Tiana makes her a princess, so their kiss turns them both human.
So, like, Tiana still gets her restaurant and Lottie funds most of it, I assume. Y'know, girl, if you'd just asked your best friend Lottie for a loan in the first place, we could have avoided all of this.
Brave, 12 December 2021, streamed via Disney+
Oh man, remember when Brave came out and everyone was like, A princess movie without any romance? WHAT? Also a lot of chatter about Merida's hair. It is pretty glorious.
Merida's also unique amongst the Disney princess canon because, WHOA, her mother is ALIVE. In the Princess narrative, fathers traditionally have wanted their daughters to stay young. (Tiana and Moana both still have mothers, but they're much less active in the narrative.) With Brave, though, Elinor is frustrated because Merida won't grow up. The older that Merida gets, Elinor thinks, the less that youthful hijinks are befitting of a princess.
When Merida has to face the fact that princes and princesses are married off for alliance purposes, well. Maybe somebody should explain to her about dynastic privilege? Girl, if you thought you were being confined by gender roles where you are now, try being poor in a feudal society.
So, if Merida wants to fight against the prescribed roles for her as a princess and/or a woman, is that an inherent criticism of the choices Elinor has made? Well…Merida's a stupid teenager, so yeah.
What Merida doesn't get, however, is how super-badass her mother is. The woman wades into a brawl, silencing everybody as she goes, and pulls four clan leaders across the room by the ears and it ain't nothing. (Rewatching so many of these movies and it's SO WEIRD how I'm almost always on the side of the stuffy adults.)
But geez, Elinor, burning her bow? That was some quality workmanship. To her credit, she regrets it immediately. Methinks Elinor had as much of a temper as Merida back in the day. But Merida runs away, finds herself in a stone circle (girl), follows a wisp into a wise woman's hut (GIRL), and buys an incredibly ill-considered spell to change her mum to change her fate (GIRL).
You turned your mother into a BEAR, Merida. A gigantic, kingdom-destroying, magic BEAR.
Also, MERIDA, you don't just leave your edible bear-making spells on the counter! Things happen if you do that.
"Fate be changed, look inside, mend the bond, torn by pride." Honestly, this witch's riddle isn't all that mysterious, is it? Like, it's directly applicable to the current situation! Stubborn lass. And, in case things didn't feel urgent enough, the longer Elinor remains a bear, the more she'll become a bear. Y'know, like Mor'du, the first cursed bear.
Honestly, those three suitors weren't all that bad. Just young. I bet they and Merida are great hunting buddies when they get older.
It's cool, though. Elinor kills Mor'du and then turns back human, along with the boys.
HEARTWARMING.
Moana, 12 December 2021, streamed via Disney+
I actually did a quick review of Moana when I first started doing these write-ups! It's been a while, though, and I don't think I've watched since then.
So the thing is, when you're better than everybody else at everything, sometimes you start making some bad choices. Like, oh, trickster god Maui, who wanted to prove he could steal the heart of Te Fiti, and got it. But the demon Te Ka wanted it, too.
Now here we are.
I do want to point out that, while Moana is amazing in terms of craft and representation--again, it's thrilling to see heroes who look like me and my family--but of course there are critiques to be made about cultural appropriation and misrepresentation. Rising Up with Sonali has a specific critique about letting people tell their own stories, and Smithsonian Magazine has a good summary of various issues. And, just as I mentioned with voudou in The Princess and the Frog, what we see in Moana is drawing from living traditions.
Okay.
So, Moana still has a mother (again, like Tiana and Merida), but it's her responsibility as heir to her father, the Chief, that shapes what's happening. Because she lives a great life in a beautiful place, but no one ever leaves, which is pretty reminiscent of Ariel in The Little Mermaid and a bit like Belle of Beauty and the Beast. The idea isn't that you're being, like, oppressed--you're just getting claustrophobic.
The soundtrack to this film is so good, y'all.
And whoooooa, like in Hero With a Thousand Faces, she meets Maui, her guide to the world outside. Actually, the whole thing maps well to a hero's journey, up to and including the death of a mentor: Gramma Tala here, like Obi-Wan, like Dumbledore, like Mufasa, like Gandalf.
D'you think Tala knew all this time there were sea-faring vessels in that lagoon and she just didn't say anything to almost anyone? Like, those boats were in PRIME condition. Who's been keeping them up? The climate isn't so ideal that there wouldn't be some kind of decay otherwise. And certainly Moana's father knew about them and didn't want to share.
When the sailing flashback happened, I was immediately like, Lin-Manuel? Is that you? Love that dude.
There's a thread of matriarchy going on here, too: Gramma Tala charging Moana with the journey, and Moana's mother assisting her leavetaking. The women of this family get stuff done and that feels pretty authentic, ngl.
I would have words with whoever decided that chicken should be the animal companion instead of the adorable pig. And I know exactly the curse to lay upon them.
My hair is much like Moana's hair and I spend most of this film marveling at it. I have hit myself in the face with my hair many, many times.
Anyway, there are pirates and, like, a giant crab. More interesting, I think, is the Ocean-capital-O acting as catalyst and conspirator for the journey. That it rescued Maui long ago and Moana here, and keeps them together for the quest, seems in keeping with a generally boundless-seeming power. There are times, though, when it gets very playful and very small and I don't know how I feel about that.
The twist in the legend still gets to me: Te Ka the demon is actually Ta Fiti, robbed of her heart and left empty of care. It's poignant and scary--if we're hurt badly enough, would we all turn into monsters?
I'm not crying you're crying
The Bottom Line
I didn't expect many themes to emerge from this grouping, but wow, these fit together really, really well.
No comments:
Post a Comment