Traditional Animation: The Return

[Super Scooter]

The Walt Disney Company returns to their roots with the upcoming feature film The Princess and the Frog. It's scheduled for the end of 2009, and it will be the first traditionally animated movie from the company in five years! Not only that, it's a musical! Finally, a return to the type of work that made the Disney movies such classics.

I thought that the success of Enchanted might have helped prompt this, but I guess it was in production while that was. This could only mean good things for the future of Disney movies and, perhaps the type of Muppet films we'll be seeing.

 

[D'Snowth]

Well... two things...

1. I'm happy to see traditional animation is making a comeback for feature films in general!
2. Does it HAVE to be another Disneyized fairy tale?

 

[wwfpooh]

Well... two things...

1. I'm happy to see traditional animation is making a comeback for feature films in general!
2. Does it HAVE to be another Disneyized fairy tale?

1. Ditto.
2.It's the Mouse House, what did you expect?

 

[Oscarfan]

I prefer 2D to 3D. I've actually started an intrest in actually animating (insted of my usual doodling).

 

[wwfpooh]

Hopefully, with this return to classic animation, Disney will re-open its once-closed animation labs that were in Disney World or whatever.

 

[theprawncracker]

That is absolutely fantastic news! Thanks for reporting it Super Scoot! The Disney traditonally animated films are some of my all-time favorite movies, The Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast... all amazing classics.

I'm a fan of the new-age Pixar animation, yes, but there's just something especially magical about classic animation.

I thought I read somewhere that Diz had a Rapunzel film in the works as well...?

 

[AnimatedC9000]

That's right. It's a... 2D-on-3D film, isn't it?

 

[wwfpooh]

The Disney traditonally animated films are some of my all-time favorite movies, The Lion King, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast... all amazing classics.

Also known as part of The Modern Classics. Couple them with The Disney Afternoon (The Original Seven: The Gummi Bears, DuckTales, Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, TaleSpin, DarkWing Duck, Goof Troop, & Bonkers!) back in the day, and someone would be set for months!

 

[frogboy4]

I'm excited!

Here's a look at a production photo, the film logo, and some early conceptual art that's been bouncing about the web.

Yes, this will be the first black princess for a Disney animated film. The film is described as, "A female twist on the traditional Frog Prince tale that takes place in New Orlean's French Quarter." The film is due out Christmas Day of next year (2009). Hey, maybe it will have a trailer for the next Muppet film?

The film is helmed by directors Ron Clements and John Musker (directors of The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Great Mouse Detective, Treasure Planet, Hercules) who also wrote and are producing this picture. That's a good sign. These guys are largely responsible for much of the renaissance in Disney animated films rather than the missteps of The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Pocahontas and Brother Bear (sure, Treasure Planet underperformed and had some issues, but I actually liked that telling very much).

I feel less of a sense of affirmative action with this film telling. I feel that it is long overdue! Disney already has Pocahontas, Mulan, Jasmine and countless Caucasian princesses in films and printed on just about every type of product imaginable. The country has already seemed to catch up with the times. Can we blame this on Eisner too? Just kidding.

I hope this film takes off. There really aren't any blockbuster voice talents attached to the picture (I only recognize John Goodman's name as the probable narrator). The film will stand on its artistry from two of the best people that happened to Disney's traditional animation since the Nine Old Men.

 

[wwfpooh]

The film will stand on its artistry from two of the best people that happened to Disney's traditional animation since the Nine Old Men.

Now, if only the dudes who composed the scores for the Modern Classics were still around to oversee production of the score...