Filmtracks Traffic Rank: #1,207
Written 12/17/09
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Buy it... if you have been dispirited by Randy Newman's relatively
sparse output in the 2000's, because The Princess and the Frog is
a perfect assignment for the rowdy bluesy and jazzy aspects of the
composer's style.
Avoid it... if the rhythms and instrumentation of the Bayou, both
absolutely saturating the atmosphere of these songs and (much of) the
score, have never appealed to you.
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| Newman |
The Princess and the Frog: (Randy Newman) Many
critics and audiences have argued that there is no coincidence between
Walt Disney Pictures' abandonment of their traditional animation formula
(in story and animation technique) and the general decline in the
quality of their feature films as the 2000's have progressed. Proof in
the form of The Princess and the Frog is interesting ammunition
against strictly computer-generated films without a musical format. The
2009 film represented a journey to Disney's recent past, turning to the
creators of The Little Mermaid and Aladdin to help
resurrect the magical charm that the studio so often enjoyed in its
musical offerings. Along with a compliment of songs comes a story based
on a familiar fairy tale, a slice of romance, and colorful supporting
characters that don't distract from the sincerity of the narrative. Much
has been made about the fact that The Princess and the Frog
finally adds an African American princess to the collection of other
ethnicities to star in a Disney animation, though the setting of New
Orleans almost demanded such casting. When a visiting prince is
transformed into a frog by a local voodoo master at the turn of the
century, he mistakes a waitress for the princess he must kiss to return
himself to human form. In so doing, she becomes a frog as well, and the
two, along with the help of a few other animals, seek a voodoo priestess
who can save them while eluding creatures under the control of the
villain. The film's representation of the Bayou is one of its major
attractions, with colorful flair and snazzy music almost omnipresent. An
important aspect of the Disney musical machine that contributed to the
resurrect the studio in the early 1990's was composer Alan Menken, whose
banishment from the collaboration late in the decade officially signaled
the downward movement for the studio's musical ventures. Despite
Menken's very positive recognition for Enchanted more recently,
Disney made the wise move of hiring Randy Newman to write the songs and
score for The Princess and the Frog. While Menken probably would
have handled this assignment well enough to suffice, Newman was a much
more inspired choice. His roots in Louisiana and natural blend of jazz
and blues in his style of writing are a perfect match for The
Princess and the Frog, his first non-Pixar-related association with
Disney. Add to that Newman's relatively sparse composing schedule in the
2000's and this combination of score and songs is really a treat. It's
an exhibit of a composer snugly in his element, and the enthusiasm
inherent in his music seems all the more genuine in this stylish
romp.
At times in the past, Newman has blurred the lines of
waltz, blues, and jazz rhythms in the process of creating a comedy
atmosphere, even if the film didn't really call for any such application
of those styles of music. In
The Princess and the Frog, not only
are all of those mannerisms appropriate, but they swing with a level of
vibrant, sumptuous appeal that will likely attract the attention of
those for whom Newman is a composer better tolerated than enjoyed. His
instrumentation includes accordions, harmonicas, acoustic guitars, and
fiddles, joined gloriously by Terence Blanchard's swaying trumpet. A
Cajon spirit is occasionally joined by Southern European waltzes,
merging royalty with New Orleans quite effectively in both the score and
songs. None of the seven songs are the kind that will burn up the
charts; there is no light rock ballad (connected to the score) or Newman
vocal performance that is guaranteed of awards nominations. But they
strongly compliment each other in their perpetually upbeat nature and
typically heightened tempos. Once again, the villain's song, "Friends on
the Other Side," steals the show, Keith David's performance a standout.
There are no famous vocalists in
The Princess and the Frog, an
asset of the early eras of Disney musicals, but their performances are
as competent as Newman's rowdy instrumental embellishments. The melodies
of the songs do carry over throughout the score, of which more than half
an hour exists on Disney's album for the soundtrack. The themes of
"Almost There," "Friends on the Other Side," and "Ma Belle Evangeline"
carry most of the load, though Newman does introduce a theme specific to
the score that only begins to congeal in "This is Gonna Be Good," which
closes the film with a redemptive and sweet orchestral crescendo not
quite on the same level as Menken's usual, chime-banging/choral finales.
The most engaging portions of the score are those that carry the same
Cajon spirit as the songs, whereas the minimal amount of usual Carl
Stalling-style of bouncing animated comedy material is predictably the
only weak link. On the whole, though, the score is more consistently
palatable than many of Newman's other raucous works. Not surprisingly,
the songs are where the heart of the soundtrack lies, and their format
follows usual Disney introduction and reprise formulas. One interesting
aspect of the soundtrack is a distinct difference in recording aspects
between the score and songs; the two are best appreciated apart because
of disparate volumes and instrumental placements in the mix. The fact
that any CD for a Disney film in 2009 exists is another intriguing
aspect, because the studio had claimed earlier in the year that all of
its forthcoming releases would be digital-only. Newman fans will love
this one, and even his detractors will have a difficult time diminishing
a composer clearly invigorated by a perfect assignment.
**** @Amazon.com: CD or
Download
Bias Check:
For Randy Newman reviews at Filmtracks, the average editorial rating is 3.15
(in 20 reviews) and the average viewer rating is 3.11
(in 22,946 votes). The maximum rating is 5 stars.
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