They say they don't make 'em like that anymore. And if it wasn't for the influence of Pixar head honcho John Lassiter over the Disney executives then the traditionally 2D animation Princess and the Frog might not exist. Disney chief's believed that after the runaway success of CGI animated feature like Toy Story, Shrek and Ice Age that the age of hand drawn 2D films was over. But people like Lassiter, and Dreamworks Jeffery Katzenberg, thought that was nonsense. They believed that an audience was still willing to watch 2D features...as long as there was a great story worth watching.
And so Princess and the Frog was born. Recalling the second classic age of Disney animation (1989's The Little Mermaid 1989 to 1999's Tarzan), Frog captures that same blend of catchy songs, energetic characters and astoundingly beautiful hand drawn animation that hasn't been seen for a decade. The American, deep-south setting allows for a unique setting for a cartoon whether it's Louisiana paddle steamers, crocodile infested swamplands, jazz, voodoo, Cajun fireflies, rednecks, and for the first time in a Disney cartoon, a largely African American cast of characters.
Up there with the rest of them, Frog can be recommended if you have kids or just a plain animation enthusiast. It's cheerful, funny...and Jennifer Cody's Charlotte is one of the best animated cartoon characters I've seen in years. Somehow a CGI interpretation wouldn't do her justice at all, and that makes this retro effort all the more worth while.
