Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams

In 2007, DisneyToon studios produced and released the first film in a planned line of films centered around the Disney princesses. Disney Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams featured stories about Princesses Aurora and Jasmine and starred Erin Torpey, Linda Larkin, Corey Burton, Gilbert Gottfried, Barbara Dirikson, and Jeff Bennett.

The first story, Keys to the Kingdom, King Stefan (Burton) and King Hubert (Bennett) leaving for a royal conference leaving Princess Aurora (Torpey) to reign in their absence.

The second, More than a Peacock Princess has Jasmine (Larkin) tired and bored of her usual duties. So she seeks more responsibility.

Rumor has it that this film is what caused John Lasseter to cease production of all the sequels DisneyToon was working on. This is the film that prompted an entire reworking of the studio. And for good reason, because this is the most pointless piece of fiction I have ever seen. The worst thing I have ever watched. And I’ve seen most of Elf.

There’s two stories that are introduced with the princesses telling the toddlers watching the video that they’re about to see something that taxed them, but they followed their hearts and everything worked out in the end. I may not be part of the demographics targeted for the film, but I figure even the target demographic would be rolling their eyes.

If I’m correct in understanding the second law of thermodynamics, then everything produced is driving the universe towards entropy and total chaos. Which means that this film contributed towards the complete unraveling of the universe. And while everything does, this was a complete waste of a contribution.

The music’s ok, and was even nominated for a no-name award. But that’s just a thin veneer on trying to make something so skull crushingly pointless even marketable.

#120

Aladdin

It’s hard to keep thinking of fresh, new ways to start introductions to these reviews. I don’t want to keep doing the same thing, but it’s most likely always going to be a repeat of an introduction I’ve done in the past. But oh well. Aladdin was Disney’s film for 1992. Based off the Arabian folktale from One Thousand and One Nights, the film starred Scott Weinger, Johnathan Freeman, Robin Williams, Frank Welker, Douglas Seale and Gilbert Gottfried. Earning over $500 million worldwide, its success led to two sequels, three video games, five Academy Award nominations, winning two (Best Original Score, Best Original Song: A Whole New World) and a Broadway adaptation in March. It was also one of the more annoying, yet fun worlds in Kingdom Hearts.

Set in the city of Agrabah, Aladdin (Wenger), a street urchin meets and falls in love with Princess Jasmine (Linda Larkin). However, the vizier, Jafar (Freeman), arrests him in order to acquire a magic lamp which is hidden a cave only Aladdin can enter. In it, he finds a sentient magic carpet and a genie (Williams) that he uses to win over Jasmine and defeat Jafar.

Not since Pinocchio has Disney made a film where the main character gets in so much trouble because he decided to lie. And it’s interesting to see Aladdin get deeper and deeper and deeper in his deception, especially when there’s a few times he could just tell the truth, free of consequences. But when everything unravels thanks to Jafar, it’s nice to see that he not only owns up to it, be goes and fixes what he screwed up.

And that’s what’s great about Aladdin as a character. He’s a nice guy who would rather go hungry than see children do so. And he’s always dreaming of improving his station in life. And when that actually does happen, he’s not prepared and starts becoming a polar opposite of who he really is. And when he gets that realization, it’s too late. It’s something we can all relate to in some way or another.

Aladdin isn’t the only character to go through development though. It’s a small part, but the Sultan also goes from strict and by the scroll, insisting that Jasmine marries a prince to realizing that love is better. It’s also Aladdin’s actions after the reveal that help him to see this. It’s short, it’s fast, but some development is like that.

Jafar is a good villain, especially with the sarcasm. He’s very savvy at what’s going on around him and keeps trying to edge it all into his favor. And when it doesn’t go according to plan? Develop a new plan around that. But he’s also always lusting after more and more power, which is eventually his downfall as his hubris gets in the way of him thinking about the details.

There’s also quite a bit of humor in this film. And mostly, it’s well timed and well placed. But there are a few areas where the jokes seem out of place. And they’re all from Genie. All of Iago’s comedic moments make sense due to the fact that he’s a loudmouth blowhard with no sense of subtlety. Genie, on the other hand has some moments that take away from the heaviness of the scene. I’ve said before that comedic relief is necessary to do just that, but sometimes, a heavy scene needs to be a heavy scene. #3. 

Initial Reaction: The Little Mermaid

And so, Disney's foray back into the fairy tale is with a Hans Christian Anderson story. Despite a few changes to make it more family friendly, it's a good watch. And the animation has gone back to the vibrancy of previous films.

Ariel has interesting characterization in that she knows what she wants. And then goes after it. She's also the first Disney Princess to actually partake in the action. Eric is also the first Disney prince to not be aided by magic in saving the day. Disney's first battle couple.

Triton is just afraid of what the humans would do if they see Ariel, and he tries his best to convey it, but can't do so eloquently. Realistic parenting.

Ursula's motives aren't really clear except for revenge on something in the past. But she's largely doing it because she can. She's like Ratigan, only a bit more pragmatic.

Great music too.

So, initially, I'd put The Little Mermaid at #6.