Music, Movies, Stars, etc.

I told you I was eager to watch ‘Tangled’, the animated movie from Disney, right? And so, I did download Tangled via torrent and I even got an HD copy of it. We started watching it yesterday afternoon and now, we have already watched it for three times. Here’s my movie review of Tangled in bulleted form (para maiba naman):

1. Tangled had more story in it compared to the original Rapunzel story. It was indeed a “Disneylized” version of Rapunzel although part of it reminded me of “Barbie as Rapunzel”. In Tangled, Rapunzel is a lost princess but in the original story, she’s a daughter of commoners – a man and his wife who longed for a child before she came. When Rapunzel’s real mom got pregnant with her, she had cravings for rampions which were only available in the garden of a powerful enchantress. His father was then tried to steal the rampions (or was it radish?) and when the enchantress caught him, he begged for mercy and he agreed to give her daughter so he won’t be punished for what he did. There was no such thing as a golden flower and the hair with healing powers.
2. I enjoyed the inventive ideas in the movie such as the use of a Frying Pan as a weapon. Yup unlike other fairytale-based movies where the heroes and heroines had to have swords and archery supplies, all the heroes here needed nothing but frying pans – and of course, Rapunzel’s Golden Hair.



3. Speaking of the hair, the movie is nothing without THE Sunshine Hair. It’s that element of the story which gives Rapunzel her distinctive character and the story a visual device. Rapunzel used her hair as a rope, as something which prettifies her (Rider was impressed when it was braided), as some sort of protective device, and as a source of magic.
4. Now as for Rapunzel, I think Mandy Moore’s spirited voice gave life to an otherwise dull damsel-in-distress. I wanted Rapunzel to have more character – more of that distinctive heroine much like Shrek’s Fiona but really, what could you expect from a girl who has been locked up all her life? Sure she had plenty of talents which she already enumerated and demonstrated in the first part of the film but those talents didn’t prove to be much useful when she was out in the world – aside from the beautiful voice which helped her win the hearts of the vikings in the ‘bar’.
5. As for the songs…. well, they were beautifully delivered and they had a more contemporary but still a bit broadway-like beat. Though they made me smile and they had me singing along, I have to say that the songs were not as powerful and moving as those in Beauty and the Beast and Lion King. The Tangled songs lacked soul. But I did enjoy Donna Murphy’s ‘Mother Knows Best’. The first song rendered by Mandy Moore ( When Will My Life Begin) was also nice but it didn’t have much effect as that of Ariel’s Part of Your World.



6. Among all the characters, I love the animals the most. I love Pascal but I love Maximus more. Maximus had all the qualities which a Disney Prince usually has – righteous, passionate, gallant and good with swords. Rider was well, after all a thief, and Disney had to incorporate the Princely characteristics on someone in the film – and those qualities landed on Maximus’ hoofs.



7. The movie was very visually appealing with all the golden light in almost every scene. I don’t know if it’s only me but I think the whole film was very… well, yellowish because of all the sunshine, the golden hair, candle lights and lanterns. The yellow effect made Tangled more lively – and more ‘Disneyish’. Also, the lantern scene (much like Aladdin and Jasmine’s magic carpet ride) was uplifting but it was not as exciting and touching as those hand-in-hand prom-like moments of Cinderella and Belle.

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