MovieChat Forums > The Princess and the Frog (2009) Discussion > Is the poster actually racist?

Is the poster actually racist?

posted 11 years ago by ohdearurdead
4 replies | jump to latest

Now, make no mistake - I hate it when people yell RACISM!!11 over sill things. However..

the poster for this movie is mighty pretty, but I started thinking about it - is it also devilishly clever and racist? I had no idea this movie had a black princess. And you know what? THE POSTER DOESN'T TELL ME EITHER! Her skin color is cleverly hidden, in what was probably an attempt not to turn people off this movie. I suppose someone who looks closely can tell she is black, but I swear to God I was not able to.

I find it impossible to believe that this was a coincidence.

Thoughts?

[–] Cristianos 11 years ago

I don't see the film poster as being racist. It coincides with the actual events in the movie with Tiana, in her princess costume, preparing to kiss Naveen as a frog. The dark swampy setting simply tells us that the film takes place in the Deep South.

Also, the poster is a small portion of the marketing campaign for a movie. If the poster doesn't give us the full story, the trailers and promotional advertising is what audiences will see to judge whether they view the movie in theaters or not.

What we do in life, echoes in eternity.

[–] BabyFrog 11 years ago

Well, there's bound to be something of its nature again.

Frogger

[–] paperdoll86 11 years ago

I see your point, but that particular poster is in the same vein as a silhouette poster for Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and Lion King. So, no.

[–] frostylikas 11 years ago

You say you don't like racism being yelled over silly things, this is rather silly.

If Disney didn't want anyone to know about Tiana's ethnicity, they would not have advertised this film AT ALL, in case someone found out. The fact that you weren't aware that she was black, and the poster didn't reveal much does not mean that they were trying to cover it up. It just means that you literally did not know, and that wasn't something they could help if you didn't know.