Saturday, July 25, 2009

Disney's "Rapunzel" - Still "Unbraided"?

OK - a confession. Unlike most of my posts you may find a teensy bit of an opinion being expressed in this post today... :D

In case you don't already know, Disney has another fairy tale scheduled for a late 2010 release: "Rapunzel" (sometimes referred to as "Rapunzel: Unbraided") and a little blog just told me they very recently (like, last week) had their production kick-off party. That means they're just starting the serious animation production phase 'now'! I feel for that crew. That's a very tight schedule to be working on, whether or not they've completed rigging and layout.

UPDATED AT 11:56AM:
2 OF THE DRAWINGS BELOW ARE NOT FROM DISNEY'S PRODUCTION BUT ARE 'FAN ART' BY TALENTED FRENCH ARTIST DAVID GILSON (who use to work for Disney). RATHER THAN REMOVE THE DRAWINGS I HAVE ADDED HIS CREDIT ABOVE THEM. You can see more of his 'fan art' (many of which are often mistaken for real Disney production images) in a previous post HERE and at his
WEBSITE. Thank you to the anonymous commenter who pointed out my mistake this morning. :)

UPDATE 11:56AM:
The image below is not a production image but fan-art by DAVID GILSON

UPDATE AT 11:56AM:
The image below is not a production image but fan-art by DAVID GILSON
This particular feature film has a bit of a troubled history having been batted around in development for nearly ten years (at least since they announced it publicly) in story-hell, changing producers, directors and even approaches (you can see some of the old vs new artwork in this post). It was supposed to be the big 'all-CG-fairy-tale" film for Disney, proving they could do hand drawn and CG just as well. Now it's got even more pressure being the big number '50' full-length feature for Disney animation.By now, those of us who follow such things are feeling a little skeptical about it all, wondering if they can pull it together in time to meet the announced release. My guess is, if things are going well we'll see a sneak peek during the trailers shown before "Princess and the Frog". Still, just like everyone else, we can't help but be drawn to what they're doing.Apart from the whole "think of what we could do with all that hair! - and in CG!" angle being pitched to the execs, it started off with the interesting idea of basing the artwork on the famous painting 'The Swing" by French Rococo artist, Jean-Honoré Fragonard. Then we heard it was all about a modern girl who got switched with the real Rapunzel (who got turned into a squirrel) and... yikes! But all reports are that it's on a much better track now - more classic and true to the original (all you fairy tale scholars out there must be thinking that's a ballsy thing to do but what they mean by this remains to be seen).

From Wikipedia:

Doeri Welch-Greiner, the production manager for the movie, says that "The original version was that a girl got pulled from the modern world and replaced Rapunzel (Kristin Chenoweth), 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; he was one of the story guys on Iron Giant and a Disney animator for a long time. It really plays on the mystery of the girl in the tower, and I think it’s really going to be great with Dean’s story sense and sense of staging, and the artistry that Glen brings to it, we hope we can bring the artistry of the movie to a different place."

Keane also promises that he’s going back to Rapunzel’s literary origins to do a traditional, character-driven fairy tale that speaks to a modern audience. “It’s a story of the need for each person to become who they are supposed to be and for a parent to set them free so they can become that. It will be a musical and a comedy and have a lot of heart and sincerity. I think that’s what Disney needs to do right now. No one else can do it. We should not be embarrassed or make excuses for doing a fairy tale."
Of course, this was added to Wikipedia before Mr. Keane was removed from the project but John Lassiter (who is determined to return Feature Animation to its glory days of good films and great returns) assures us (via press releases) that Rapunzel is now a solid movie and one worth making (deletes comment about ridiculous numbers of dollars already spent and keeps blogging).

But there's hope. Here's an uncredited source (because the person who visited the studios and blogged about it, just quoted an artist and didn't mention their name):

"Rapunzel has really, really come together. Before it was a series of really nice moments, some really funny sequences. But now it has a real epic sweep to it. To me it has the feel of those early Disney features from the forties..."

Despite all this we'll be watching keenly and closely to see just what happens with this. We'll also be rooting for it to suceed (as a film, as well as at the box office), because, quite frankly, we want more fairy tales! Here's the most recent artwork I've scrounged from around the web which shows a little development art and one scene but doesn't give away a whole lot. You can be sure if I find anything else, I'll post it!

20 comments:

  1. Great article. Lasseter didn't remove Keane; Keane stepped down due to health issues, and will continue as Exec. Producer along side Lasseter and is also helming animation under the directors.

    Several of the pieces you have are not from Disney at all, but talented French artist David Gilson, who used to work for Disney.

    This production actually has 5 more months of production than BOLT did. It will finish on time just fine.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hi Anonymous!

    Thank you for setting me straight on the images. I've added an update to indicate my mistake. :)

    Re Keane, I was being deliberately vague about his role change as it was my understanding his health issues weren't public knowledge, so was discreet for privacy purposes. :)

    I know I speak for many when I wish the Rapunzel crew all the best in production. We are looking forward to the results.

    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I hate that Mandy Moore is the voice now I was looking forward to Kristen Chenoweth...

    ReplyDelete
  4. kristen chenoweth sucks her voice is baby and childish only if this was the origal rapunzel (which enchanted was based on)would it be right if this a a sherk like film she'd be good but as a disney princess like this rapunzel she'd have been crap her voice her accent very bad and not cute for disney princesses her singing is to opera for this look at her performance at oscars SHE CAN'T SING ALEN MENKEN SONGS WELL he is the one doing the songs for rapunzel so she'll sound just as bad on this as she did there any who says shes better knows nothing about disney pincess clearly your just a fan of kristen not the disney princess and want your idol.

    ReplyDelete
  5. kristen chenoweth was the Best choice for this..now Mandy Moore? please she isn't even popular or a star...Another Disney bomb without Kristen!
    btw assbag princess above..You Suck not kristen chenoweth!

    ReplyDelete
  6. the squirrel idea is DISGUSTINGLY BAD. but the whole witch turning regular kids into fairy tale characters sounds apathetic, like they are ACTUALLY making an excuse to adapt a fairy tale; Walt Disney built his company on adaptations of fairy tales, why the hell should they disregard them? im curious about this movie but not excited (though i LOOOVE the Fragonard-inspiration)

    ReplyDelete
  7. PLUS the 3d model looks awkward, one of the eyes is off, but even if it wasnt, it would still look like theyre trying waaaaay too much.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Hi there,

    Would just like to inform you that sketches 2 and 3 are by me, the ones called "sketch-01" and "withsketchsmall-01" Are made by me Rob Jacobs, so also fanart. you can view more of my own Rapunzel related artwork here: http://robjacobsart.blogspot.com/search/label/rapunzel

    ReplyDelete
  9. I like the fan art style MUCH better for Rapunzel. Disney's final Rapunzel looks like a pre-teen brat.

    The fan line art is beautiful. The Disney art makes her look annoying and snotty, and simply not beautiful. Her hair doesn't even have any life. The artwork based paintings did look beautiful and promising, but the final 3D Rapunzel lost all the beauty she could have had.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Will it be a 3D Animation Movie or classic like "Kiss the frog"?

    ReplyDelete
  11. I mean "The Princess and the frog" :-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. oh gosh thanks SO MUCH FOR THIS!

    ReplyDelete
  13. thanks for the update! I've been super curious about al lthe artwork that they make before the movie!! Love your blog! <3

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thanks for posting the pics, they're really neat! I'd like to add the that the title has since been changed to "Tangled" according to Wikipedia, they're trying to put less emphasis on the princess so boys will see it. I am insanely excited for this movie!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I think 2D would have been a much better choice. 3D will never capture any of the qualities 2D has to offer. I'm still waiting for a Disney movie to compete with Pocahontas and Beauty and the Beast but alas... The story still looks interesting though!

    ReplyDelete
  16. i wish disney returned to their epic 2d movies

    ReplyDelete
  17. I think like the comment from July 30, 2010 3:23 PM! 2D would have been a much better choice. I love Dinsey-Movies like Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Co. Drawing Pictures in 2D are much better. I don't like 3D-Animated Movies... they are good, yes but not sooooo awesome like 2D-Animated Movies! Sorry my English is very bad. Greez Yvonne

    ReplyDelete
  18. im glad kristen cheonowth didn't do the voice i love the sweetness of mandy moores voice i say we keep kristen with her wicked rep. and who cares if mandy moore isn't that famous she has the perfect voice they did great job casting especially with zachary levi<3!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I really like the artwork you choose!

    ReplyDelete