Rapunzel, Rapunzel, Let Down Your Long Hair

As I have been very wrapped up in Summer mania, I cannot forget another young lady whom I'm looking forward to seeing her debut in 2010. Disney's Rapunzel (once tentatively titled Rapunzel: Unbraided which was unbelievably silly and I'm glad they changed the name) will release. I think it's part of Disney's attempt to return to the second (maybe push for a third but I think Pixar has already claimed that spot) Golden Age a la The Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, and The Lion King era.
She certainly is cute! Kristin Chenowith will be lending her vocal support so I think that a musical side number would probably be mandatory.



A comparison of Fragonard's The Swing vs. Rapunzel

"The original version was that a girl got pulled from the modern world and replaced Rapunzel and Rapunzel got turned into a squirrel. But we’re on a clearer, more classic fairy-tale sort of track right now with Dean Wellins as co-director... It really plays on the mystery of the girl in the tower."
-Doeri Welch-Greiner

Uh yeah. Disney, with regards to that prior plot, WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING? A squirrel? A squirrel??!! Neither I nor the 9 year old version of myself would dare spend ten dollars on something with that ridiculous of a premise. And if we must follow along with the Disney food chain of modern girl=Rapunzel=squirrel, then where exactly would the squirrel go? He (I would assume) would be a sassy sidekick with some kind of personality in order to hang around the leading lady (Rapunzel) so I assume that the squirrel would wind up in the body of the modern world girl which would elicit some nibbling and squirrely noise jokes, maybe even a fart joke or two.
Ring, ring. Hello, Rob Schneider? Remember when you did The Hot Chick? Well, we here at Disney have something almost like that for ya, but with a twist!
Well, at least Disney got an attitude adjustment. They didn't call it the Golden Age for nothing.



As you can see, the animation has also changed. It is much darker, a little more on the sinister side which I always like to see Disney do (though not necessarily on the level of Hunchback). They have another movie releasing this December The Princess and the Frog and lordy, this one has been plagued with issues (offending those in the French and African American communities with everything from the original title to the leading princess name).

I'll let you watch and see for yourself what you think.


What comes to my mind:
1) Why must every Disney film trailer post the '90's start off with an introduction of all of the past greats?
2) The frog reminds me alarmingly of Jean-Bob from The Swan Princess. Google it. Even the same damn French accent. And the whole "ya gotta kiss me" storyline. Seriously, is that all male frogs can think about?

Love to you all,
Heather