The Princess and the Frog Discussion - Part III

[tsom]

So, I've seen The Princess and the Frog a total of 4 times now. The last two of those were last night and tonight...both for free! It's showing all weekend (along with Precious and UP) in my school's movie theater. Both times I went, the movie was packed, as in people were sitting on the floor. It seemed that everyone loved it. There was plenty of laughter, several "awww"s, and a few tears. I'm definitely going again for a fifth time!

[blackcauldron85]

Just an FYI:
I think that the book The Art of The Princess and the Frog might be going out of print; I had placed my order with Amazon a couple weeks ago, and a few days ago, I received an email saying something about how they can't find it or locate it or something, and that if I say it's okay, they'll keep my order and let me know when they can ship it. I figured that I'd see if anyone else was selling it for a good price, and so I looked today. Amazon isn't even selling it through themselves, just the Marketplace now. I just ordered it through Barnes & Noble for $28 & change (Amazon's price was $26 & change) (and I canceled my Amazon order), and I received an email saying that it's scheduled to ship. I hope I get it. But, in case you were holding off on buying the book, you might want to do so soon or pay a higher price.

[Sotiris]

Just an FYI:
I think that the book The Art of The Princess and the Frog might be going out of print; I had placed my order with Amazon a couple weeks ago, and a few days ago, I received an email saying something about how they can't find it or locate it or something, and that if I say it's okay, they'll keep my order and let me know when they can ship it. I figured that I'd see if anyone else was selling it for a good price, and so I looked today. Amazon isn't even selling it through themselves, just the Marketplace now. I just ordered it through Barnes & Noble for $28 & change (Amazon's price was $26 & change) (and I canceled my Amazon order), and I received an email saying that it's scheduled to ship. I hope I get it. But, in case you were holding off on buying the book, you might want to do so soon or pay a higher price.

It's true. It has gone OOP along with The Art of Up. They're both still available though on amazon.co.uk if you're interested.

[blackcauldron85]

It's crazy how the book was only out for 2 months before becoming OOP!

[DisneyJedi]

It's crazy how the book was only out for 2 months before becoming OOP!

Agreed.

[SillySymphony]

I've been waiting for my library's copy. Their website says "on order." I hope they were able to get a copy.

[Sotiris]

Apparently marketing costs can be as high as a film's production budget.

Box Office Mojo: Production Budgets

Monster vs. Aliens: $175 million

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa: $150 million


Forbes.com:

Q: What percentage of a movie's budget is marketing these days?

A: We don't really look at it that way. Our marketing budget has stayed the same at around $150 million to $175 million per film.

http://www.forbes.com/2010/02/10/dreamw ... rks_2.html


Do you think the same applies for The Princess and the Frog's marketing cost? Was it as high as the production cost? If so, no wonder it was considered a box office "disappointment".

[yamiiguy]

It's up for pre-order on iTunes now - $19.99 for HD and $14.99 for SD. I'll just skip the cinema now, take that international delays.

[Goliath]

It's up for pre-order on iTunes now - $19.99 for HD and $14.99 for SD. I'll just skip the cinema now, take that international delays.

You'll regret that. There's just something special about seeing a Disney film on the big screen.

[myr_heille]

Just an FYI:
I think that the book The Art of The Princess and the Frog might be going out of print; I had placed my order with Amazon a couple weeks ago, and a few days ago, I received an email saying something about how they can't find it or locate it or something, and that if I say it's okay, they'll keep my order and let me know when they can ship it. I figured that I'd see if anyone else was selling it for a good price, and so I looked today. Amazon isn't even selling it through themselves, just the Marketplace now. I just ordered it through Barnes & Noble for $28 & change (Amazon's price was $26 & change) (and I canceled my Amazon order), and I received an email saying that it's scheduled to ship. I hope I get it. But, in case you were holding off on buying the book, you might want to do so soon or pay a higher price.

It's true. It has gone OOP along with The Art of Up. They're both still available though on amazon.co.uk if you're interested.

Thanks for the cue! I bought The Art of Up as soon as it went on sale but I waited a bit for Princess, and I got the "we're still searching for your item" email a few days ago. So I canceled my amazon.ca order and bought it on .co.uk - I hope I get it!

[blackcauldron85]

http://animationguildblog.blogspot.com/ ... rnoon.html

Meanwhile, animation staffers attended a meeting about new ideas for hand-drawn production. (The word is that the company would like to see TP&TF hit $300 million globally, the better to get into clearly profitable territory, and of course now it's below that magical figure. "But the merchandise has sold well.")

[Disney's Divinity]

I'm sorry if this has been mentioned before, but I thought it was something interesting to note about the movie that was worth sharing:

I actually finished reading Uncle Tom's Cabin this past weekend for a women's literature class, and for some reason that was the first time I drew the connection between Evangeline the character and Evangeline the star in TP&TF. Evangeline in UTC is--for those who may not know--an angelic little girl who is basically horrified by slavery and the system's practices that she sees all around her in the south. The St. Clare family live in New Orleans, and Evangeline eventually dies. She's treated as a Christ-like figure, giving hope to all the slaves that they can at least have God and faith, and that one day they will have freedom, if not in this world, at least in the next (Yeah, a heavy-handed Christian outlook, but that's her significance in the book). She even cuts off her hair and gives each of her father's slaves a lock so that, when she's gone, they'll know somebody loved them (and that way they can understand that Christ can love them, too). This eventually helps to reform Topsy, a mischievious, out-of-control, black child who is kind of a symbol for the freed slave who is the product of having no education, no familial connections, and also experiencing abuse and condemnation (how do they become a part of society once they've been freed?).

Anyway, I just thought that it seemed very likely that they purposely chose the star's name from this character. UTC is an abolitionist novel and, for all its faults, it was a critical part of the movement; borrowing something from it would be the kind of homage you would expect from Disney's film concerning the first black princess/film/etc. Also, the character is angelic and spiritual, and also a sign of hope in the novel. The star, Evangeline, is a similar figure of hope in TP&TF, for Ray and lateron the other characters. And then there's the whole New Orleans relationship they share.

Someone might've already mentioned this, but I just thought it was a small point that was interesting. I know not everyone takes the time to read UTC--they usually just know it as that important anti-slavery novel--so I wanted to outline something they might not have known on their own (hope that doesn't sound condescending). I really don't know if this was deliberate, but, regardless, the name connection does seem to work well anyway.

[UmbrellaFish]

Funny you should post that, Disney's Divinity. I'm doing a Social Studies Project about the Civil War, and I've just finished my little biography piece about Harriet Beecher Stowe, so I go to UD to waste a little time, and it pops up again!

I've never read Uncle Tom's Cabin (even though I own a copy of it ), but your inference is really interesting, and I wouldn't be surprised at all if Evangeline's name actually does come from Uncle Tom's Cabin. That would also give the character of Ray even more depth.

What can I say, I love Ray!

[Sky Syndrome]

I haven't read Uncle Tom's Cabin in a long time. But I totally recollected that little girl while reading your description of her, Disney's Divinity. If naming the evening star 'Evangeline' was Disney's tribute to the character and book, I think it's wonderful. :)

[Margos]

Great analysis, Disney's Divinity! I had noticed the connection, but really never mentioned it, since I never bothered thinking it all the way through. But I really think you might have something there!

[BwayJ]

The name may also be referencing the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow poem "Evangeline," which tells of a woman who searches America for her betrothed only to be reunited just before his death.

[ajmrowland]

That's a great analysis! even though I never even heard of the book, you made the connection so clear and vibrant!

[PrincePhillipFan]

Very interesting analysis, Divinity! I personally never read Uncle Tom's Cabin (though I always wanted to get around to reading it), and never knew of a possible connection between the film and the book.

[PatrickvD]

I've read UTC but it's been way too long so I had forgotten that. Very interesting.

To me, the movie really became powerful when Facilier started talking down to Tiana and said something along the lines of "a woman of your background"... that was sort of the moment where I really started rooting for her.. maybe a little late, but the acknowledgement of her background and situation made it just that much stronger.

And a little homage like this, to me, only adds to it. Makes it deeper and richer. I think TPATF will become a classic down the line, it will just take some time to get there I guess.

[PatrickvD]

I just noticed another fun little connection, in the 1987 TV adaptation of Uncle Tom's Cabin Evangeline was played by Jenny Lewis, who sang the wonderful title song "Barking at the Moon" in Bolt.