San Diego Unseen: An Urban Portrait
In recent years, however, several other studios have vied for the crown, and Disney seemed to go astray while trying to keep up with the likes of Shrek and Pixar. The formula—making magical versions of familiar fairy tales—has been diluted. It’s sad but true, like the beginning of any good fairy tale.
But Tangled, Disney’s new computer-generated, animated flick based on Rapunzel, is a throwback to the classics. It’s funny, touching and sweet, and it feels both classic and contemporary at the same time.
Wait, does that sound like a Pixar film? Sure, because one of the smartest things Disney has done in the last decade was to place Pixar head honcho John Lasseter in charge of all its animated offerings.
“When I found out that John Lasseter was going to be the one that all roads led to with this, I felt so unbelievably confident in the ability for this film to be successful,” Zachary Levi—who’s best known for playing the title role on Chuck, and who voices Flynn Rider in Tangled— recently told CityBeat. “Pixar has never, ever made a movie that wasn’t a hit. The only thing you could start differentiating was whether it was a hit, or it was a giant-mega-smash-beyond-everything hit. But all of them have been great, because it all comes down to storytelling.”
Rider is the rogue who hides out in a hidden castle, only to find it occupied by Rapunzel, the long-haired girl who’s been kept there since she was a baby, by Mother Gothel (Broadway vet Donna Murphy) and is dying to get outside and see the world.
In a terrific bit of casting, Mandy Moore voices Rapunzel. Not only does she easily embody the sweet, wide-eyed princess; she also offers up a sense of comic timing we haven’t seen from her before. Perhaps most importantly, she’s a familiar voice who can really sing, and her presence allows longtime Disney composer Alan Mencken to craft songs that are all over the spectrum.
Yes, there are the standard Disney ballads, and yes, there are the bouncy show tunes. But Moore has a contemporary voice, and there are a number of songs that feel more American Idol than Great White Way. This is actually a good thing, despite how it sounds, because it roots the movie in the here and now, rather than feeling like it’s trying to grasp the past.
“I don’t know what I brought to it, other than utter confusion, especially for the first song,” Moore says. “It was amazing to get to sing Alan Mencken songs. It was challenging in its own way, but I felt like when things are so good to begin with, just watching them get fleshed out with a 70-piece orchestra elevates it that much more. I just didn’t want to do anything to mess it up, that’s all.”
I have to say, though, I was skeptical going in. Because, hey, there’s no shortage of cartoon crap out there. But Tangled quickly won me over. And though Moore and Levi are both great—another surprise, to be honest—both of them have scenes stolen by the film’s most memorable character, Maximus, an animated horse who is equal parts friend, foe, plucky sidekick and comic relief. It has a Pixar feel but retains a unique Disney look, and unlike Pixar’s latest offerings, the 3-D is actually worth paying for.
Again, it’s a simple formula—classic story, terrific script, great animation, memorable songs and solid acting, and it’s enjoyable for both kids and parents. It’s also the first animated fairy tale I’ve seen in a while that feels sincere, because it taps into something very familiar, very childlike and very Disney. There are lessons to be learned here, Hollywood. Just like in any of the classic Disney films.
Write to anders@sdcitybeat.com and editor@sdcitybeat.com.
