Enchanted

My initial response to “Enchanted” when I first heard about it was similar to the Disney studio’s response of the initial idea that was presented in the late 90’s. The script did not have a good center and the studio didn’t know what to do with it until director Kevin Lima (“A Goofy Movie”, “Tarzan”) gave it a center. Then, when I first saw a trailer for “Enchanted”, I was thinking that it was a pure comedy. My interest in the film was mild. After hearing my friends say good things about it and once I found out that Alan Menken had three of his songs from the film nominated for Best Song at the Oscars, I knew that I had to see it. “Enchanted” became even better after I bought it because it is not only a comedy but a musical fantasy film. The center of this movie is that it both pays respect to and parodies classic Disney films. The story has sincerity but it is injected with humorous satire. Ever since the late 90’s, I love it when movies use intertextuality. In other words, I love inside jokes and references to other films. My favorite references are the ones that no one else sees unless they are pointed out.

The opening animated sequence fully illustrates how the film is both a satire and an acknowledgment of past Disney films. I always laugh at the line, “We shall be married in the morning”. The ending of the song “True Love’s Kiss” is so climatic and the movie hasn’t even reached the 15 minute mark. One thing I like to point story-wise is that Giselle’s recreated “prince” looks more like Robert than Edward. The film does a good job of contrast between New York and Andalasia but also, New York is still portrayed in a family friendly manner. One thing I enjoy about the characters from Andalasia, particularly Giselle, is that not only do they behave like they are still in an animated world but that they affect the personalities of those New Yorkers that they come in contact with. Nathaniel is the stereotypical Disney animated sidekick even in New York because he shows up in different disguises and Giselle doesn’t recognize him (I like how Robert points out the oddity of Nathaniel’s requests in this realistic setting). As with most Disney heroines, everyone eventually warms up to Giselle and is instilled with the positive & fairy tale atmosphere she brings. The Banks get back together and Nancy not only reconciles with Robert but also in the end understands that true love exists between him and Giselle. Robert is the last one to surrender his rationalities and thus we get comedy & romance. He tends to be the voice of reason and reality in the film such as during “That’s How You Know”. We get great laughs as a result. I also love the Hallmark Card joke. Another funny moment is Robert’s reaction to Edward’s arrival. His face seems to say “And I thought Giselle acted crazy. These two are from the same place alright.” Robert throughout the film however shows that he is gradually changing. We also find out during dinner at the restaurant that Robert was a romantic and believed in true love until his separation. We have sympathy for him in that his first wife left him and Morgan in some way. Maybe that is why he let Giselle sleep on the couch instead of sending her away: he remembers what it was like to be in love for the first time. Giselle’s sincerity is what gets him to change his mind again about leaving her in the park. The more he spends time with her, the more her strangeness begins to grow on him. As the climax approaches, he sings to Giselle and then of course kisses her to bring her back to life. Giselle on the other end of the spectrum ends up adapting to the real world. She becomes angry and wants to go on a date with Edward. The movie is full of sincere moments where Robert & Giselle connect and build a relationship. Because of how destined that Edward and Giselle were made out to be at the start of the movie, we genuinely wonder whom is going to end up with whom. I like how Nathaniel’s change of heart is alluded to and pays off at just the right moment. There is a deleted scene in the cab preceding his arrival at the ball where he decides to change sides and because it was left out of the finished film, his arrival and change of heart is more of a surprise. He is quite an entertaining character and we are glad that he tries to undo his actions. Edward is a very romantic character but he is noble too. As such, he accepts the true love between Robert & Giselle and that makes him appealing also. Seeing as how this film has a lot of stereotypical characters and events, it is only fitting that Nancy and Edward end up together in Andalasia.

As usual, I wish to mention other aspects that make this movie wonderful. The references to past Disney films are too numerous to mention but I would like to point out my favorites. You have all sorts of cameos such as Jodie Benson (Ariel) playing Sam. I recognized her the first time I saw the movie. Also, Paige O’Hara (Belle) is in the soap opera that Nathaniel and Edward watch. Speaking of that, the soap opera is quite a well-done spoof of “Beauty and the Beast”. It is easy to allude to past works but this film also makes references to future Disney films, even unintentionally. During the end credits, “The Princess and the Frog” is portrayed and Rapunzel shows up during “That’s How You Know”. Idina Menzel, who plays Nancy, would later voice Elsa on "Frozen" but the really neat fact is that "Frozen" was only being pitched at Disney around the time "Enchanted" was released, well after filming. I also like the cinematography tribute to “Beauty and the Beast” during “So Close”. The special effects in the movie are quite reminiscent of traditional Disney animation, especially in the climax. For a period of time, I liked adding the subtitle “The Return of Alan Menken” to “Enchanted”. This multiple Oscar-winning musician is the reason why the film honors the Disney tradition and doesn’t just parody it. I love all the songs he and Stephen Schwartz wrote for “Enchanted”. They both won an Oscar for their song on "Pocahontas" and Schwartz got his second Oscar by way for his work on "The Prince of Egypt". My favorite songs in "Enchanted" are “True Love’s Kiss” and “That’s How You Know”. I love how the latter is portrayed in the film. At first, you don’t expect it to turn into a huge musical number thanks to Robert lines and reaction. All kinds of New Yorkers join in the song like on your usual animated musical such as the guitar player, the mariachi band, the break-dancers and so forth. There is a lot of multiculturalism in that song and it is very entertaining. The cast members in the movie are wonderful to watch, especially multiple Oscar nominee Amy Adams as Giselle. Just as the on-screen characters are infused with the optimistic & the fairy tale feeling that Giselle brings, so is the audience by Adams. She fully pulls off a character that is, in Lima’s words, “about 80% Snow White, with some traits borrowed from” other Disney Princesses. I first saw her in “Catch Me If You Can” and her persona from that movie helped me believe her performance in “Enchanted”. Sometimes she is over-the-top as Giselle but that is on purpose. Patrick Dempsey was very funny and romantic. As mentioned, he performs perfectly how someone in the real world would react to things that happen in an animated movie like a song. I didn’t recognize Timothy Spall until Nathaniel comes to New York but he was great. James Marsden always seems to be playing the second guy in a love triangle whether he is Cyclops on "X-men" or Richard White on "Superman Returns". He sings very well as does others in this movie.

It is now fully agreed that a “third coming” or "resurgence" of Disney Animation began around 2010. This was the movie that begun it in my mind. Officially, it will probably be “The Princess and the Frog” or "Tangled" but for me, it was “Enchanted” that first resurrected the genre that entertained me as a kid. It is the "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" of 2007 because both films in their respective decades showed the studio that there was an audience for traditional Disney animated films. Menken and Schwartz should have won an Oscar for this movie hands down. I have been hearing rumors of a sequel but the more that time passes, the more likely those stories may not come to fruition. “Enchanted” is also one of my top twenty favorite fantasy films. Nowadays, “Tangled” has somewhat replaced the spot I had in my heart for “Enchanted” but not completely. At a time of struggle and uncertainty in my life, “Enchanted” was there to lift my spirits and I will never forget that.

4.5 Stars