Apparently, Melvin Van Peebles’s Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus ItchyFooted Mutha is opening this weekend at Cinema Village in NYC. I caught the flick at Tribeca 2008 and, oh, what a scene it was. Originally posted on the official Poritsky Blog, here is my original review/gut-reaction of this, shall we say, interesting film.

Perhaps it was because I was sitting in a university auditorium that I was suddenly rocketed back to my film school days while watching the latest film “of” Melvin Van Peebles. Back then, I would have been sniggering through my fingers as the raucous movie veered out of control around every single corner, and when it was all over and the lights went up, I would have over-analyzed the shit out of it and blatantly made fun of my colleague in class.

On its surface, “Confessionsofa Ex-Doofus-Itchyfooted Mutha” resembles the worst of student film stereotypes, replete with sex, knives, confused editing techniques, and above all, a message that it so convoluted and overdone that it has gotten lost among the screen-pollution you witness while watching it. That being said, I’m trying to figure out just why I loved this film. Read on…

It has not gone unnoticed that Disney princesses have shared a skin tone for about 5 decades: white. There are exceptions to this rule, such as Jasmine and Pocahantas. Still, the animators at the Mouse House are looking to fill a noticeable gap in their royal equality this winter with The Princess and the Frog, the first film to feature a black princess.

There isn’t much to say as all we have to go on so far is this teaser trailer released yesterday. The internet is already aflame with arguments over the white prince. “Why no strong black man?” the internet is asking. Well, I’ll reserve judgement for the actual film. In the meantime, let’s take a look at this trailer.

Otherwise ho-hum, this preview really banks on the whole “first black princess” thing. After a quick restrospective of Disney’s most beloved (read: boffo) 2-dimensional films, an outline of the newest princess, Tiana, is drawn onto a blank parchment and then POW! fills in with color. While the presence of an African-American princess is groundbreaking in the Disney canon, I’m personally more excited to see an animated New Orleans French Quarter. I’m not positive, but this may be the most modern princess story Disney has attempted, set in America no less. Watch the trailer below and leave your thoughts in the comments.