Tangled (formerly Rapunzel)

[Macaluso]

I definitely wouldn't want to see Raiptwice

[Whitney]

I think only the actual trailer and television spots are the big sellers of films. I mean, what little kids and soccer moms will actually see all internet videos? And if you ask me, the trailer was, although almost good...rather, a fail.

SZWG, she is actually one of the skinner princesses, almost as skinny as Ariel (Glen Keane designed them both). The "baby fat" princesses are Snow White and Cinderella.

And yes, Disney has gone back to tradition. Rapunzel had golden hair in the original story. Let Disney be Disney, about the old classics...

I have to disagree with her being one of the skinner looking princesses. To my eyes, she very rounded around the edges and hasn't come entirely out of childhood yet.

But Walt Disney always had an interest in developing new ideas by using new technology. He didn't want to be stuck in the past. To take a quote from Meet the Robinsons, "Keep Moving Forward" while not forgetting that story is more important than medium.

[droosan]

"Macaluso, you said Raiptwice."

[Ben]

BADGES!?

WE DON'T NEEED NO STINKIN' BADGES!

Even in French, the title isn't "Rapunzel". It's French for Rapunzel, but still not the right title!

[droosan]

"It's kinda like -- those FRENCH -- have a different word for EVERYTHING."

[Ben]

...as long as he doesn't choke himself trying to speak French...!

[GeorgeC]

Just don't take the arrow out, Steve!

You were so funny back then! What happened?

[EricJ]

Just don't take the arrow out, Steve!
You were so funny back then! What happened?

He grew up, started talking in a normal voice, wrote Roxanne and Bowfinger, and acted in David Mamet films....EXCUUUUUSE HIIIIM!

(And even with the arrow, he'd still had a year of writing for the Smothers Brothers behind him.)

[Whitney]

The French also had unnecessary consonants, just because they look pretty.

"Parley?! D*** to the depths whatever man thought of "parley!"

"That would be the French."

Hehehe!

[James]

What I find interesting is that Disney had a big media campaign about introducing Tiana that first African American princess. Now their newest film goes back to the stereotypical blonde character design. I will say she has a bit more baby fat on her and she is more adventurous than other princesses, but where's the cultural diversity?

Forced diversity for diversity's sake is not the route they need to go to get back to greatness. Find a story where it works naturally and you're not having to do it for political correctness reasons but for legitimate story needs, and you'll be on a better track. Don't pander to your audience.

As an aside: (http://disney.go.com/princess)
BLACK: 5
BLONDE: 2
REDHEAD: 1
BRUNETTE: 1

Not sure blonde is all that stereotypical for Disney.

[Ben]

Nope, it's just the perceived ideal of a "princess", most likely based on the most popular (Cinderella) and the most perfectly stylized (Aurora), combined with the general "fairytale" impression of princesses from years of storybooks (all of which are usually blonde) and real life figures like Princess Diana.

It's not that Disney has been stereotypical, it's that they seem to pick up the flack for our insistence on what a princess is/is expected to look like.

But...that all aside, Rapunzel was always known for her golden/yellow hair, so making her anything but would probably spark a controversy worst than something as minor as a name change!

[EricJ]

t's not that Disney has been stereotypical, it's that they seem to pick up the flack for our insistence on what a princess is/is expected to look like.

Walt didn't even want the princesses to look alike--
He thought Cinderella couldn't follow Snow White's "classic" princess look, so she was stylized to more of a contemporary 50's-debutante look of the day...While Sleeping Beauty was designed to fit in with the "medieval tapestry" look of the entire artistic concept.

(And we sometimes forget, that was IT for princesses before Ariel came along, and that's a good 52 years into their feature career.)

[droosan]

At The Little Mermaid 15th Anniversary panel (awhile back), Glen Keane told a story of an early meeting with the Disney Consumer Products division .. who were apparently expressing concerns from Mattel over Ariel's red hair.

"Mermaids are always blonde," someone had said .. as well as, "Girls won't play with red-haired dolls."

Even Jeffrey Katzenberg was skeptical; he cited the (then recent) success of Splash, which had featured a blonde mermaid.

Mr. Keane apparently won them over with an argument that went something like, "Look. Ariel defies her father, makes rash decisions, and chases her man all the way up onto dry land. That's not a blonde -- that's a redhead..!"

[EricJ]

And unofficially, can't recall the animator, but one said the idea to do the project had been first inspired by the Hildebrandts' illustrated version of Andersen:
http://www.spiderwebart.com/productsd.asp?snob=102572

[Whitney]

I didn't know anything about that picture or that artist. Thank you for sharing that gorgeous picture.

I'll cede the point about Rapunzel traditionally having long, golden hair. I just enjoy seeing characters in story lines that aren't typical of your everyday cartoon/animated movie. The Princess and the Frog was a great reimagining of the classic tale with a strong female lead. I want to see new, diverse stuff. Diversity doesn't always mean you are being PC.