The Princess and The Frog Open Thread

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by Lamar Tyler | on December 14th, 2009 | 21 comments

princessandthefrog

Did you see the movie? What did you think? Is it important to you that Disney has a black princess and if so why?

About the author

Lamar and Ronnie Tyler are the creators of the award-winning blog BlackandMarriedWithKids.com . They also are behind the Amazon.com bestselling DVDs Happily Ever After: A Positive Image of Black Marriage, You Saved Me and Men Ain’t Boys that explores manhood in the African American community. The Tylers are also the proud parents of four children.

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Comments (21)

Tara Monday - 14 / 12 / 2009 Reply

Can I just start it off by saying I loved it? I laughed, a cried a little, I even got a little scared. All in all, I thought it was a fabulous movie. I heard from a few people that they didn't like it because she only becomes a princess at the very end. And that's okay with me. The whole movie shows her as a hardworking woman with a strong sense of loyalty to family and a to-die-for culinary talent. It's A-Ok in my book! :) .-= Tara´s last blog ..New for 2010 =-.
Pecansandie Monday - 14 / 12 / 2009 Reply

Oh, I loved it! The movie was wonderful and it means alot to me to see Disney have an African American Princess. I have two little girls of my own, complete with brown skin and kinky hair and I sometimes find it hard to find images that they can relate to. Frankly, I had to teach my girls to pick up dolls that look like them because so many of the images that they see on a daily basis don't look like them at all. After all, Disney gets plenty of African American dollars. I think its a great effort by a large company to celebrate princesses of all kinds. I also take my girls to see african american dance companies, etc so that they know that their little faces can be and do anything that they choose to do in life. I like for my girls to feel that their opportunities are unlimited. This princess has been very well recieved and celebrated, hopefully Disney's diversity efforts will continue.
MissJay Monday - 14 / 12 / 2009 Reply

We took our son and daughter and we loved the movie! I especially love how she had both parents, married, and a loving family. She worked hard and got the prince in the end. I also love how she was friends with the other girl, they didn't let their difference in "class" keep them from being friends. My daughter was scared of the crocs and the shadowman but other than that she loved the move. We had her wear her tiara there also. I saw another african american girl with a tiara on also, made me feel good for them.
RobertM Monday - 14 / 12 / 2009 Reply

I saw an article that I thought was a really good point and owrth discussion when you have a chance. It was on the fact that Tiana was more a validation for adult AfricanAmerican women than their children. AA women have always felt they were Princess's just no but them knew. PS As much as I dislike Disney it is really strange to know I know the words to the songs from Aladinn to Pochantos/Mulan(boys no longer interested at whichever was last). I feel like Michael Coreleone.
Jean Monday - 14 / 12 / 2009 Reply

I haven't seen the movie (my children are adults) but I do think it is important for African American children to see positive images of themselves in the media. Actually, it's also important for children of all races to see positive images of us, so I'm glad that the Princess and the Frog is doing so well at the box office. I'm glad that Disney is embracing diversity, but it's more important to me that we as African Americans continue to make it known that we want to see diversity in films by wisely using our consumer dollars, to strive to become decision makers at these movie studios, and to create our own film projects. I think we are heading in that direction but we need to see more of that. .-= Jean´s last blog ..Post-Racial America =-.
Kim Brown Monday - 14 / 12 / 2009 Reply

I thought the movie was awesome and my daughter and her friend loved it. I liked how she was such a great worker and consistently followed her dreams. I think Disney needs to have more african-americans in cartoon and in sitcoms. I was disappointed when I went to Disney World and I couldnt find "Penny Proud" or "Raven". I was like, "all of the money I spend at Disney and we cant find not one african-american souvenir or anything???" I was too out done!
Jamar Monday - 14 / 12 / 2009 Reply

I am taking my middle daughter (8 years old) to see the movie this weekend, a daddy daughter date that we have been planning (my wife and i) since we saw the preview. my daughters goes to a school in in lincoln park on the north side of chicago , we live in south shore on the south side. once while in target around her birthday i asked her about a doll that i was thinking of getting for her, a brown doll, she said "eww dad that doll is ugly!" thinking she just didn't like that particular doll i asked which doll was pretty to her. to my surprise she pointed at the same model of doll only white with blonde hair. this christmas i bought the doll, bed linens, and i am waiting for the wii game. i want my daughter to know that black is beautiful and so is she. due to my wife's fair complexion my daughter is of fair complexion but i am nestle like Wesley maybe not as dark as him more like cocoa. this movie is very important to me, it's very important to my family.
Mrs. White is ALWAYS RIGHT Monday - 14 / 12 / 2009 Reply

I took my 3-year-old daughter and four-year-old son to see this movie Saturday and neither I, nor my children were impressed. My daughter was so thrilled to go see it, but once in the theater, she was asking to go home 30 minutes into the movie. There were several things I didn't like about the movie, particularly the fact that she was a FROG the entire movie! I am aware that in other princess movies, they usually do not become princesses until the end, which is fine. But I think the previews misled little girls. My daughter wanted to see a princess or a girl throughout the movie, not a frog. She could not make the connection that the frog was Tiana...and she shouldn't have had to either. I think they tried too hard to make this movie about her being black. I didn't particularly care for the storyline. I mean, all that really happened was she was a frog hopping around in the darn swamps in New Orleans! I agree that this movie was more about appeasing adult African American women than the children. So many have been waiting soooo long for this apparently and now they feel some sort of vindication. I did not like the fact that it was in 2-d either. I could go on...but I won't.
Adaobi Monday - 14 / 12 / 2009 Reply

I loved the movie. I thought it was classic Disney. It told a story and a beautiful, uplifting story at that. To me, the fact that she was Black was a bonus. My 3 year old daughter was clamoring to go home before the movie even started but she was just scared of being in a loud and dark theater. Once the movie started she stayed quiet for the entire thing, which I did not expect from her at all. She would usually be up and about, playing with one thing or another, but this kept her interest. The fact that she was a frog during most of the movie didn't bother me at all. Like I said if it wasn't such a good story, then something like that would make itself so glaring that you couldn't enjoy yourself. One thing I definitely noticed was the fact that the mother was alive in this movie. If I'm not mistaken, there hasn't been one princess movie where the mother was living. She was non-existent, never mentioned, or just alluded to. Yes, the father did die, but his presence in Tiana's life was well established and she was constantly referring back to what her Daddy always taught her. Well done to Disney for establishing a character with a strong family. One thing I think we have to remember though is that despite this movie, Disney is not where we should be looking for a strong reflection of what's beautiful in our community. We have to be able to do that at home instead of looking to others to do it for us.
Adaobi Monday - 14 / 12 / 2009 Reply

Ok, ammend that. Mulan's mother was living as well. But I think that was about it.
James Tuesday - 15 / 12 / 2009 Reply

What concerned me most in this movie was the black male lead was lazy, and all he wanted to do was make music and fornicate all day, and thats who she fell in love with! So really what was different here? The characters were attractive and didn't talk in some derogatory way? The sterotypes were still there, just polished up a bit
Ronnie Tuesday - 15 / 12 / 2009 Reply

I have not seen the movie yet...but plan to take our daughters over the break. I expect that our 1 year and 3 year will be fidgeting throughout the movie..but I am prepared for that. I like your comments Adaobi and I look forward to seeing the movie.
Amber Wednesday - 16 / 12 / 2009 Reply

Did anyone notice that they wore wedding rings? I dont think i have ever seen that in a disney movie and her and the prince actually got married. In Mulan her parents are married but the do not have rings. Also, to what I remember, no other princess actually gets married (maybe little mermaid is the only one that comes to mind but i dont remember if they show aerial getting married) they just live happily ever after you assume they get married. Anyway, just a thought. I enjoyed the movie and will be taking my nieces when I get back home.
Joseph Jackson Wednesday - 16 / 12 / 2009 Reply

I thought Disney did a good job show-casing the rich cultural diversity in the African-American culture, and what better place to show that than Lousiana. What would a Princess movie be without Good and Evil and the perfect choice. Voodo or Whodoo or whatever it was, all deeply rooted in our culture. The charecters from the bayou with their nuances of French/ Caribbian culture. I even liked the attempts to show Southern Chivalry. All in All, I thought Disney did a good job, although I am a little confused about I area. What was the nationality of the Prince, was he Indian, Pakistanian or what, because I don't think he was Black, which makes no difference 'cause love is color blind , I was just curious. Oh, and my 6 year old daughter loved it, especially the music. I do so love our rich music history, it's like no other!
MissJay Wednesday - 16 / 12 / 2009 Reply

He was from Monaco or something like that. Not from America.
cocoamommy Wednesday - 16 / 12 / 2009 Reply

I took my 3yo daughter and 9yo son on Friday. My daughter enjoyed the animation and the beautiful princess at the end of course. She is a little young to appreciate the significance of an African American Disney princess. Now she too believes she is a princess because this is what we call her at home. My son enjoyed it for the comedic moments especially with Raymone(aka Ray), the firefly. I did not grow up watching Disney movies so I am a little unfamiliar with the storylines of other Disney princess movies. Now in reference to the prince in the film he was from Maldonia, which is a fictious place. I have to say the film did provide a valuable lesson on working hard and staying true to your convictions.
MissJay Thursday - 17 / 12 / 2009 Reply

Thanks @cocoamommy I knew it was something that started with an M LOL
GeeGee4 Thursday - 17 / 12 / 2009 Reply

I grew up a Disney baby! From the old school Mickey Mouse club with Annette Funicialo to Sunday night disney movies and all. I am one those people that would go see a Disney movie without a child present. In saying this, I was so impressed and moved to see a Disney movie that represented me!!! First we have our first black president, now we have our first Disney princess!!! (Yesssss) I have children ages 14,12,10, and 6yrs old and they all loved this movie. Me and my husband enjoyed as well. I don't necessarily believe that it is geered towards aa women. I think Disney did a wonderful job in depicting aa people in general and I look forward to more animated film that represent our people and our culture. Peace to everyone.....
Anonymous Monday - 11 / 01 / 2010 Reply

Ok, ammend that. Mulan’s mother was living as well. But I think that was about it. Mulan is not a princess she is not roylaty and does not marry into roylaty so she can't become a princess she is a good female action star though. I'm amazed how many people think shes a princess when it is never mentioned. Plus the term princess isn't used in chinese culture. BTW pochantos is not a princess either.
Damola_curtis Monday - 04 / 10 / 2010 Reply

I think it's wonderful that Disney has a black princess. It's unfortunate that she couldn't have been born a princess, but I'll take it. I also like that they got married at the end, underlining the value of marriage.
Cgarrett8506 Monday - 10 / 10 / 2011 Reply

I think its wonderful that there was finally a black princess. pertaining to the quote above, Cinderella wasn't quite a princess either, so it SORTA goes both ways. My only issue, as a Christian parent, was all of the voodoo, voodoo dolls, dark shadows, etc etc....shrunken heads. Really? In a children's movie? My son (age 3) watched it and literally woke up screaming that same night. I threw the movie away. Sometimes, we have to realize all entertainment isn't entertainment....and poor Tiana won't be shown again in the Garrett household.