146 – The Princess And The Frog (w/ Kelechi Ehenulo)

Pucker up, people! The Comeback Era truly begins as film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Sam Summers venture to the Bayou in 2009’s The Princess And The Frog. And they’re not alone, joined by special guest Kelechi Ehenulo to talk Disney’s brief return to 2D animation, its intentional evocation (and interrogation) of classic fairytale movie tropes, and the impact of the studio’s first Black princess. Plus, they dig into the absolutely stacked jazz-influenced soundtrack, the 1920s-influenced animation style of Almost There, the delicious legacy of Tiana’s beignets, the history of frog-kissing in folk stories, and why it’s a bit like Widows and Sinners.

Next up: Tangled

Disniversity is brought to you by Ben Travis (@benstravis) and Sam Summers (@samsummers0), with art by Olly Gibbs and music by Nafets. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @disniversity. This podcast is not affiliated with Disney.

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Welcome to Disniversity, the podcast crash course through the history of Disney’s animated classics, with film journalist Ben Travis and animation academic Dr. Sam Summers. Each week, we’ll be moving forward in time through the legendary Walt Disney Animation Studios catalogue, watching every feature film in chronological order – from Snow White to Zootropolis 2. Watch along with us, and listen as we explore each film’s historical context, advances in animation and lasting legacy, and talk about how they stand up today.