Tarot in The Princess and the Frog

Shade

Hey y'all,

Has anyone caught Disney's The Princess and the Frog Yet? I rather enjoyed it and I adored the villain Dr Facilier (referred to by most characters as "The Shadow Man") and his frequent use of tarot cards.

About half the cards depicted in the film are loosely based on the traditional tarot but whoever he is talking to (most of the time conning) appears on the card. A beleaguered manservant sees himself on the 10 of wands hauling a load of sticks but then he next card shows him gleeful and wealthy as his former boss is dragging the sticks. The rest of the cards just illustrate whatever temptation he is peddling. Basically the Shadow Man can make his cards show people what they want to see.

The character who balances out the Shadow Man, Mama Odie a 197 year old blind voodoo priestess living in the swamp, doesn't make use of the cards and instead scries int a bowl of magic gumbo.

Anyway - a fun little use of the tarot in a delightful movie. I suppose some would say that it makes tarot seem a little sinister but I don't think there is really space for a serious depiction of tarot in this film.

It looks like Disney has a promotional set of tarot cards depicting the characters from the film but I don't see anything tarot related in the images: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2455/3773488704_0ea004866a.jpg
 

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WingspreadPhoenix

I can't wait to see that movie! It's cool that there's tarot of some sort in it :> I can just picture my friend, very religious, who also wants to see that movie, telling me, "The bad guy in the movie used tarot cards!" xD Still, it looks very cute!
 

nisaba

I just love the idea of scrying in a bowl of magic gumbo. Very reminiscent of the Voodoo woman that Nanny Ogg met up with in "Witches Abroad". As Nanny said, "In a good reading you gets the truth, but in a good bowl of gumbo you gets *everything*!"
 

Volt Vixen

I absolutely looooved that movie. It was a piece of animated artwork. When me and my friends went to go see it, as soon as they saw the Shadow Man reading the cards, they looked at me, since I'm the only one in the group that reads Tarot, hahah. I rather liked the animated depictions and how the characters reflected from the cards. That was really a cool touch.
"Hush up and look at the gumbo! >:C!" I might have to try that...Gumbo scrying...Hmm...
 

Shade

I just can't get enough of Mama Odie. If we look at Dr Facilier and Odie as two different styles of reader we might see some healthy and unhealthy practices.

The Shadow Man only tells the querent what they already know but it doesn't leave them empowered in any way and they have to depend on him to get what they want.

Mama Odie tells you flat out she doesn't care what you want, her reading (both in gumbo and in a magical musical number is all about what you NEED. From her song:

Mama Odie;
If they all knew what they wanted,
What they wanted- need to do.
I told them what they needed,
just like I be telling you!

---

Prince Froggy is a rich little boy,
you wanna be rich again?
That aint gonna make you happy now.
Did it make you happy then? NO!

(Just bought the soundtrack and I'm loving it)

But that's a pretty powerful message to give as a reader. How many times have you had someone say "I want this I want it so bad I'll do anything to get it" and you are like... BAM... 8 of Cups.... turn around... step away from the car.

Like a relationship reading where they tell you "I just want to get married, that will make me happy" and the answer is... baby you got to love yourself before you're going to find someone to love you back the way you deserve.

Mama Odie:
You gotta dig a little deeper!
It really aint that far!
When you found out who you are,
you find out what you need.
Blue skies and sun shine; Guaranteed!

Mama Odie is also the type of the reader that doesn't give easy answers. She's not afraid to ask questions and let the querent stew on it.
 

silverwings94

Shade said:
Hey y'all,

Has anyone caught Disney's The Princess and the Frog Yet? I rather enjoyed it and I adored the villain Dr Facilier (referred to by most characters as "The Shadow Man") and his frequent use of tarot cards.

About half the cards depicted in the film are loosely based on the traditional tarot but whoever he is talking to (most of the time conning) appears on the card. A beleaguered manservant sees himself on the 10 of wands hauling a load of sticks but then he next card shows him gleeful and wealthy as his former boss is dragging the sticks. The rest of the cards just illustrate whatever temptation he is peddling. Basically the Shadow Man can make his cards show people what they want to see.

The character who balances out the Shadow Man, Mama Odie a 197 year old blind voodoo priestess living in the swamp, doesn't make use of the cards and instead scries int a bowl of magic gumbo.

Anyway - a fun little use of the tarot in a delightful movie. I suppose some would say that it makes tarot seem a little sinister but I don't think there is really space for a serious depiction of tarot in this film.

It looks like Disney has a promotional set of tarot cards depicting the characters from the film but I don't see anything tarot related in the images: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2455/3773488704_0ea004866a.jpg


Hi Shade,
Any idea where I might find these cards. I think my granddaughter would love a set.
Thanks,
Kat
 

shadowmon

haha shadowman