We continue our delve into fairy tales with a discussion of the origins and history of the Cinderella story and a critical viewing of Ever After. We talk mousewashing and how it’s changed stories over the years, track Cinderella all the way back to 1 B.C., question the one-true-match theory, and get a big kick out of Cinderella as a tomboy, a killer father-daughter relationship, and the role of Utopia as a bond between them. We also run down the week in geek, including some Fassbenderesque boobs-against-the-window NYC exhibitionism, Sean’s take on the new Underworld flick, a possible Spidey intro in the why-can’t-I-see-this-today-Crom-why Avengers movie, thoughts on just how much early Dark Knight press is enough, Patrick Stewart’s expressed desire for a film career, a serious Trek fan’s divorce-fueled loss of his prize possession, creator’s approval for the new Dredd re(boot/make), and joy for new Spartacus and new (Hooper-tastic) Archer.
I heartily enjoyed watching Ever After. I had forgotten that I liked it so much 14 years ago that I purchased the VHS tape. But it is not surprising since anything Drew Barrymore touches is elevated to magically tall bean-stalk levels. Aside from the wonderfully crafted story and the entertaining but often ridiculous headgear, I found myself constantly distracted by how old everyone was in the movie. With life spans in the 16th century less than half of what they are today even Drew Barrymore and her Prince Charming were most likely double that age of their most likely counterparts of the day. Yet with a less seasoned cast I doubt the performance would have been nearly as enjoyable.
I also found striking similarities between Drew Barrymore’s father, Auguste, and Dennis Quaid in The Parent Trap. Even though Jeroen Krabbé was only in a short span of the movie his carefree demeanor and love for his daughter shone through brightly.
Allow me to say that I am tickled to be learning more about the history of fairy tales. I never paid it too much attention which is now criminal to me. I had no idea who the Grimm Brothers were a month ago. The rich past of fairy tales ranks among the great studies of mythology, philosophy and world history in my opinion and should never have been split out and separated from higher level education literature tracks (at least not the tracks I took). So thank you GWC for taking the time to enlighten me beyond the bland Disney commercialization that I had always been accustomed to.
I look forward to further discussion about fairy tails and to re-watch my Blu-ray of Tangled with Little Shootette this week.
~Shooter Out
PS. As an aside watching a well-used 14 year old VHS tape is a little like trying to watch a drive-in movie in the middle of a heavy blowing blizzard. You tend to get the point but you lose a lot in the translation.
Speaking of Angelica Houston’s eyebrows…go watch Ice Pirates
Ahh…the classics! grin
I admit that my formal education around fairy tales came from an elective I took in college - an English department class on Children’s Literature. It was awesome. I learned more in graduate school, but that had to do a lot with my friend’s research agenda. That said, in my field there’s a general assumption that you are familiar with certain archetypal stories - many of which we identify through fairy tales.
Very much an enjoyable film. I think my favorite Cinderella story because of the humanity of the haracters I do like the little bit of the start of the dislike of the daughter by the step mother when her new husbands last words are love to his daughter and nothing to her. A case where it is a stupid reaction but you an comprehend it rather then she is just flat out evil because he is now shut up and listen to the story.
I do also like the attempted wedding with the spanish princess dispite the way over the top volume of her bawling and the princes reaction.
I am of couse confused by a few points which can easily be glossed over to enjoy the film like how the only blood hier of a landed man (I presume at leased a count if not a barron sine her mother was a countess and her step mother is now a baroness) becomes a commoner and the wife gets everything of how she started and continued being a rustic nobles daughter living a few hours walk it seems from the royal palace and hence the court. But yes a very nice film and I love the Cinderella character.
Chuck, for the Chuck series finale, you must not have been looking the right places. There were plenty of people who were less than happy with the ending. It wasn’t what I expected, but I understand what they were going for.
I am buying that as a T-shirt for my daughters.
Regarding Patrick Stewart’s expressed desire for a film career …see my sig below:D
Really enjoyed the Fairy Tale eps surprising how much influence they have had outside their immediate genre, off to watch The Cannonball Run, I’ve just got the inclination:groucho:
+1 “Reno 911” reference
and then there’s this …
in other words … Burt Reynolds is god.
OB
I had forgotten how much I enjoy this retelling of the Cinderella story. I personally have huge problems with the Disney version. I think it’s a huge disservice to both girls AND boys. THis movie balances all of it out by providing us with more rounded characters instead of impossible to live up to stereotypes.
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