The Princess and the Frog

Walt Disney Animation Studios have made a joyous mix of adventure storytelling, engaging characters, great comedy and memorable music in new movie "The Princess and the Frog", an animated comedy set in the magnificent city of New Orleans. From the creators of "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin" comes a modern reinterpretation of a classic tale, starring a beautiful girl named Tiana (Anika Noni Rose), a frog prince who desperately wants to return to human and a kiss that leads them to live an exhilarating adventure through the mystical bayous of the Louisiana. "The Princess and the Frog" is a return to the animation done by hand, thanks to the celebrated couple formed by John Musker and Ron Clements, with music by Oscar ® winner Randy Newman.
Everyone knows the story in which a princess finds true love when kiss a frog, so it that magically turns into a beautiful prince. In this version, the girl always kisses a frog, but the result is very different. It 'just one of dozens of surprises in this mix of crazy humor , emotions, melodies and chills. Love eventually finds its way - between a prince and a princess, or perhaps even among the frogs, as between a firefly and the object of his desire.

On the shore of the Great River there is New Orleans, a city that shines for opulence, adventure, love, music and magic. Here, in a "once upon a time" era of jazz in the twenties, including iron balconies and typical streets of the French Quarter, it is told a very special story.
Tiana is a young attractive woman, independent and hard working. She has no time for love and the vanity of dreams, and is passionate about cooking and she plans to become a successful restaurateur, extolling the love for the food that represents the legacy of his father. But despite the hard work and commitment, several obstacles do not allow it to achieve its goal.
On the banks of the Mississippi, however, a fascinating jazz fan arrived in the city. This is the real Prince Naveen, from the distant Maldonia. Spoiled, irresponsible and lazy, Naveen has worked his way through her good looks and his undeniable charm. His wealth and position attract the interest of the evil Dr. Facilier, which deals with black magic and whose efforts to exploit the real privileges of Naveen mysteriously transformed the beautifull prince into a frog.
Naveen's attempt to rely on the traditional fairy tale with a kiss that would serve to bring him back to human form, it causes only result of the transformation also Tiana, so the two find themselves stranded in the bay of amphibians of Louisiana, chased by hunters frogs and looking for the magic of a mysterious priestess of 197 years, called Mama Odie.
To help them in their journey precarious, awkward and funny, there's a Cajun firefly, and an alligator named Ray who plays jazz, Louis. Despite their path is full of dangers, the difficulties bring out the best part of this couple. Overcoming their differences and obstacles, the two see their dreams realized, but not in the way they had expected.
In the end, love triumphs and the enormous differences that appeared first seem to disappear in the bayou.

The characters

TIANA (in the original version voiced by Anika Noni Rose) is certainly not the traditional fairytale princess. His dreams are in fact linked to distant kingdoms and castles in the clouds, but the personal success and succeed in giving life to a restaurant. It 'an African American woman attractive, independent, hard-working and has a strong character, but also loving and loyal, who shows great compassion. She loves her mother and the father keeps close to his heart, and despite knowing that his path will not be easy, believes that everyone is able to achieve their objectives.

In his pursuit of the objectives, however, Tiana never seems to appreciate what is happening in this path. He has no time for love and she do not want to waste completely behind the men, let alone of kiss a frog.

PRINCE NAVEEN (in the original version has the voice of Bruno Campos), the fascinating qualities of New Orleans have attracted the Prince Naveen from his distant kingdom of Maldonia. Although flawed and irresponsible, Naveen has an irresistible charm and a zest for life that conquers those around him, as well as a passion for Dixieland jazz, which was popularized by Paul Whiteman, Jimmie Noone, Earl Hines, King Oliver, Jelly Roll Morton and Louis Armstrong.

"Disney has a long tradition of princes, but aren't usually characters full" says Randy Haycock, supervising animator of Naveen. "They play a role, just for some of the princesses fall in love. We never had a prince who really influences a heroine, because it's always been love at first sight. For once, there is a girl who meets a boy and this follows from the idea of romantic comedy where the couple met, but they do not like the beginning. "

Like everyone else, Naveen defects are intrinsically linked to his talents. Even the heroine has a defect, does not know how to appreciate life and not know how to party. "Naveen is what makes her understand," says Haycock. "He teaches her to calm down from time to time and simply appreciate what is happening. Have fun, enjoy life, be happy with what surrounds you."

THE DOCTOR FACILIER (in the original version has the voice of Keith David) Facilier is an ambiguous character, a figure the left and threatening, causing many problems and dangers to the Prince Naveen and Tiana. It's a cool person, that puts into practice his magic spells and uses its ties to the "friends of the world" to get what he wants, thanks to its mysterious charm and disturbing.

"It's musical, threatening, tall, light and thin. It can be really sweet. It's nice, cute and I think that in the field of animation contemporary, it is rare to see this kind of bad," says Bruce Smith, the supervising animator Dr. Facilier. "It is always great, as an animator, working on the bad, which is the character who holds the film together and makes everything interesting and exciting. Fortunately, in this case I found myself with a bad magnificent and unique."

MAMA ODIE (the original version voiced by Jenifer Lewis) Mama Odie is the sunny side of Facilier, a magical, eccentric and wise Queen of the Bayou, of 197 years old, Tiana and Naveen who leads in their mission to foil the evil Dr. Facilier. In the story, Mama Odie "at the deepest, darkest bayou." Lives on his old boat, set in a strange way to a giant tree, Mama Odie, assisted by his pet snake Zuju, pantry spells and spells for people in need.

"I remember that he was conquered by Mama Odie," says supervising animator Andreas Deja. "This old blind woman and eccentric, who has a snake that allows you to see. Everything about her was unusual."

Much of the spirit of Mama Odie was inspired in part by the makers of the famous storyteller Coleen Salley of New Orleans, author of several picture books, a renowned professor at the University of New Orleans and ambassador for children's literature.

RAY (the original version has the voice of Jim Cummings) is in love with Cajun firefly. Together with his Southern charm, its gentle humor and romantic, the desire in the heart of Ray is a firefly named Evangeline, the firefly most beautiful of all creation. Its admirable devotion towards this goal unattainable, however, is that true love that becomes the basis of the movie.

"It is a romantic," says supervising animator Mike Surrey. "It's like Naveen and Tiana, but not afraid to express his love in a direct and carefree. He believes that the couple is in the same condition, even if they do not realize it. It's hard not to cheer for a character general. in fact, epitomizes the idea of the transcendent power of love. All this in just a goofy little guy and unhelpful ".

LOUIS (in the original version has the voice of Michael-Leon Wooley) is a jazz fan, a busy and fascinating alligator who loves this music and play the trumpet, whose 'care' suspect in Tiana and Naveen adds enjoyment to their adventure in bayou. "It 'a manipulator," says supervising animator Eric Goldberg. "He has a very active brain, but has a talent for jazz and when he plays expresses his true nature."

"There's an alligator who plays the trumpet, how can you not fall in love with him?" Says the writer Rob Edwards.

BIG DADDY (in the original version has the voice of John Goodman) Eli la bouffe, known as "Big Daddy", is a wealthy gentleman with a fun and safe place that wants nothing more than to make happy his 'Princess' Charlotte, the which gives rise to a Mardi Gras Ball to present the company Charlotte as 'princess'.

Big Daddy is a tribute to certain characters made popular by American literary works as "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and "Easy, Sweet Charlotte," the patriarch rich and powerful. But while these people were motivated by power and desire to destroy their children, Big Daddy does not seek control or authority, but rather is characterized by boundless adoration for his only daughter.

CHARLOTTE (in the original version is voiced by Jennifer Cody), the spoiled, demanding and fiery daughter of Big Daddy is the perfect example of the rich girl of the early twentieth century, even if Charlotte is definitely not the stereotype of the wealthy daughter.

Big Daddy loves her blonde with blue eyes, taking every opportunity to satisfy it with handmade clothes and feeding his fantasies, including his marriage to a prince (and in turn becoming the princess), although some has to kiss frogs. To keep our feet on the ground friendship with Charlotte is a young girl, Tiana, daughter of the best seamstress in New Orleans, a sensitive girl who does not like kissing frogs and become the best friend lives in Charlotte.

JAMES (in the original version is voiced by Terrence Howard) is the source of inspiration of Tiana and is the legacy of his love. A strong and loving father to his daughter who transmitted his values ??and family ties with the inhabitants of New Orleans: their love of good food. As James tells the little Tiana, "the food brings people together quite different, and the heat makes you smile. When I open my restaurant, there will be a long line of people for miles just to taste my food."

EUDORA (in the original version has the voice of Oprah Winfrey) is the pillar of Tyana, a lifeline and a source of inspiration. Tiana's mother sees the respected business woman who aspires to be successful. As a girl, the happiest moments of Tyana were with their mother, while playing in the house of one of its richest clients with a girl named Charlotte. But while Tiana's father, James, is a romantic, Eudora is a pragmatic woman. She, in fact, knows that Tiana will face great difficulties in trying to become an independent woman.

"Eudora has a particular personality," says supervising animator Ruben Aquino. "The important thing is to be a loving mother, who also has a career, that of a seamstress. This activity offers a modest life, even though she is very good at what he does and loves his daughter, so much wanting the best for her ".

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