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FIRST LOOK

First Look: Disney's Rapunzel

by Alex Billington
April 22, 2008
Source: SlashFilm

Largely because there is a lack of anything else newsworthy so far this week, I thought I should throw this out there before we hit the summer movie season anyway. We first mentioned Rapunzel in the announcement of Disney and Pixar's Full Animated Line-Up Through 2012, although the film has been in the works for quite a long time. The animated film is now slated for release in December of 2010 after recently being revamped at Disney. You can check out a few new concept art photos below.

In this new telling of the classic fairy tale, Rapunzel, audiences will be transported to a stunning CG fantasy world complete with the iconic tower, an evil witch, a gallant hero and, of course, the mysterious girl with the long golden tresses. Expect adventure, heart, humor, and hair... lots of hair, when Rapunzel unleashes her locks in theaters for the 2010 holiday.

Disney's Rapunzel

Directors Glen Keane and Dean Wellins want Rapunzel to look and feel like a traditional hand-drawn animated Disney film, but in 3D. They're using a certain rendering technique that will make the surface look painted while still maintaining the depth and dimensions of 3D animation. Some test footage was originally screened at Siggraph in 2005, which is where the concept art of Rapunzel to the left originally came from. Since then the project has revamped and we can't confirm whether that's still the same design we'll eventually see. The visual style for this film is based on French Rococo artist Jean-Honoré Fragonard's painting "The Swing." Stay tuned for more on this Disney project as it develops.

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http://www.theaterhopper.com Tom Brazelton

"Directors Glen Keane and Dean Wellins want Rapunzel to look and feel like a traditional hand-drawn animated Disney film, but in 3D. They're using a certain rendering technique that will make the surface look painted while still maintaining the depth and dimensions of 3D animation." To me it looks more like someone put Vasoline on the lens. Like they're on the set of "The View," or something. Rapunzel looks a heck of a lot like Kate Hudson - but I see they haven't announced the cast list yet...
John

That's gorgeous animation.
Icarus

Is it just me or is the animation of her eyes just... well... off. Her right eye seems unnaturally bigger than her left. And hell, her eyes just seem a big big to begin with anyway. Maybe using a 2d model for a 3d character doesn't quite work as nicely as they'd like it to. I'm not impressed.
Squiggly_P

I'll be honest... I don't get why an animator would even want to work on this sort of crap anymore. Haven't we about run dry with all the 'fairy tale' crap over the past 80 years? I mean... I'll go see it cause I see anything that's animated, regardless, but I long for a day when Pixar will release something like "Schindler's List" or when Dreamworks will release something like "Seven"... only animated. Why should we let the Japanese animators have all the fun?
Alfredo

why does it look like she had a stroke and one side of her face is just all over the place?? Hell, I'll still go watch it, if only cuz I watch anything animated
D. Felipe

I CANT WAIT TILL 2010!!! I've been really excited about this since I found out about it in 2007. Fragonard is my favorite artist and Disney has made the best animated films of all time. I love that they're going back to their fairytale roots and making another classic like the favorites of my childhood. I really can't express how excited I am to see this movie!
RJ

I have thought that they should do a Rapunzel since Beauty and the Beast, so it's nice that they are. I love the fairy tale stuff, they're fun. I really like the coloring and style, especially where her hand meets her hip, that's just beautiful; her body looks almost like a renoir painting. Although, I think that her head's too big for her body and her eyes are too big for her head. I can see what they're going for though.
Darren Jones

The style of trying to make digital animation look painted is interesting but I'd love to see a full animation using the art technique of Drew Posada where a digital paintbrush is used over traditional pencils. Check out his site there are some fantastic examples of what could be done with this to create a visually stunning mix of old and new animation techniques. Rapunzel looks interesting but the tower shot looks like a scene from a computer game and Rapunzel looks very rough. Much too early to tell on this one yet.
Taiana

I'll just say this one thing. I think the song "Rapunzel" by Emilie Autumn should be used in the movie. Maybe at the credtis or something.
Andy W

What are you people on about? Surely you can see that she has a look of amused indignation on her face? Hence the raised eyebrow and slight smirk. It's called adding personality to your animations.
Alice

okay, bout the person who left a comment about not wanting to work on fairy tales and stuff and there being the fact that there aren't enough fairy tales in the world. Okay man your missing the point, what your seeing as fairy tales are just the goody two shoes versions. For example Disney's Alice in Wonderland is entirely wrong, it was actually suppose to be more scary, almost like a horror tale. If disney would take a chance and actually make a movie that was a little more intense it would open up so many more doors for them! I for one am glad that their making Rapunzel, it's one of my favorite fairy tales! And the way their making it with the Oil painting type CGI, oh it will be beautiful to watch. I do wish though that they would have actually made Alice in wonderland a little better though.
Stacey

Answer to Andy W: The reason why Rapunzel looks strange isn't because of the smirk. When someone smirks and raises an eyebrow the lifted eyebrow and lifted mouth-corner are on opposite sides of the face... try it yourself. The animator just screwed that up, making her right eye appear much to big for the raised smile and making her whole face off-hilter. I am personally really looking forward to both this movie AND the princess and the frog in 2009 Christmas. I loved the fairy tales so this should be wonderful! However, I am a little upset (well, more than a little) that they've decided to do paint-over 3-D animation... what ever happened to classic 2-D animation?!? Sure this may be beautiful but it still won't have the Disney animated feel we've been waiting for since the last golden age movie of 'The Lion King'. Sigh... hopefully this won't be too disappointing... Now onto King if the Elves...
joey koenig

i think it is a great idea to start by reateling old fairy tale and start mack movies of them VERY AWSOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
joey koenig

the way the director is telling the story is a great idea. the kids will love the fact how it is an old fairy tail one of my favorits is comming into theaters. i have to say it hasnt been geting the.......you know.......like respect it deserves now i think it is now geting that respect!!!!!!
Greg Taylor

Fairy tales are what they are, an exaggeration of the truth. Tales told to children to teach them about life's truth. Never mind if one body part is too big or what, it is a feel good kind of story. Rapunzel has always been a charming story for children. One of my favorites. And Disney always does it up well, they make it so fascinating that it wakes up the child in all of us. It appeals to children as well as adults. Eeezz up and enjoy life.