I’ve seen many different versions of the classic Cinderella story over the years. One of the most unusual is Cinderella Skeleton,
a ghoulish take on the fairy tale that is written by Robert D. San
Souci and illustrated by David Catrow, an exceptional artist whose work
has wowed me in the Christmas books How Murray Saved Christmas, Merry Un-Christmas and Silly Dilly Christmas Songs: Where Did They Hide My Presents?.
As
you might guess from the title, in this version, Cinderella is a
skeleton, and so is almost every other character in the book. The look
is quite comparable to The Nightmare Before Christmas and Corpse Bride;
it’s macabre, yet there’s also a definite sweetness to it. Cinderella
herself is just as kind and gentle as she is in any version I’ve
encountered, and her stepfamily is just as cruel. The prince, meanwhile,
is dashing as can be in a sharp blue uniform with gold epaulets that
reminds me a lot of the Beast’s duds in the ballroom scene of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.
The
basic contours of the story really are pretty much the same. Cinderella
is a poor overworked girl who lives with her frivolous, mean-spirited
stepsisters and stepmother. There is no mention of her father, and
really, considering the circumstances, that seems a bit odd; if they’re
all dead, then shouldn’t her father be with them? But maybe in this
version of the story her father died far from home. Or maybe he’s the
only one still alive. In any case, though, Cinderella Skeleton is a
dreamer, and she longs above all else to attend the Halloween Ball. She
is more proactive than most in that instead of having a fairy godmother
come to her in her hour of despair, Cinderella seeks out the aid of a
wood witch. What’s more, she goes and collects the objects the old – but
seemingly not deceased – woman recommends.
It is perhaps
fitting that a Cinderella who takes such initiative should be given a
longer visit with her prince. She is allowed to remain at the ball until
morning – by the sky, not the clock. Thus, there is more time for the
two bony lovebirds to make a real connection. In a rather unnecessarily
grotesque move, the prince ends up with not just his ladylove’s shoe but
her foot as well, but at least there’s no blood involved as he searches
his unconventional kingdom, severed foot in tow.
Yeah, that
part sounds a bit gross, and it is, but it’s very much in keeping with
the overall style of the book, which has a definite beauty about it
despite the icky images. Catrow’s artistry in watercolor and pencil is
unmistakable, and Cinderella still manages to look beautiful in her
delicate blue lace draped over her like gauzy spider webs. Her empty
sockets somehow look as sparkly as they would with eyes in them. The
magnificent castle, complete with ominous vulture gargoyles, nearly
shimmers in the pinkish glow of a fading sunset as a moon of monstrous
size rises.
Meanwhile, the narration is finely crafted and
complex. Each of the 26 stanzas contains seven lines, the first of which
is “Cinderella Skeleton,” sometimes followed by punctuation. The other
six lines follow the pattern ABBCCA, and the rhythm is consistent with
wiggle room of a syllable or two. It’s a rather unusual pattern, and
because of the distance between the first main line and the last, one
almost has the tendency to forget what word is being rhymed. This is a
book best read slowly. It certainly was written that way, with San Souci
clearly relishing the clever wordplay as he carefully crafted each
image. The descriptions make me chuckle and wince all at once. Take, for
instance, this declaration of love from the prince: “Your gleaming
skull and burnished bones, your teeth like polished kidney stones, your
dampish silks and dankish hair, there’s nothing like you anywhere!” Aww.
How touching.
This book really is exquisite in its own way.
However, I do question the age recommendation of 3 to 7. I think that
some aspects of this book might well freak out a child that young.
What’s more, the complicated and formal way in which is it written seems
likely to me to bore many kids in the read-aloud set. Frankly, the
group I see embracing this book most readily is the Hot Topic crowd. All
those teens who happily scoop up Jack Skellington merchandise would
probably find this picture book a delightful Halloween diversion. I
wouldn’t put a lot of stock in the age printed on the back, but if you
know a child entranced by gothic imagery and willing to sit through some
fairly lengthy poetic narration, Cinderella Skeleton is a surprisingly sweet Halloween treat.
Showing posts with label Cinderella. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cinderella. Show all posts
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Even Larry Can Learn From a Princess Story in Sweetpea Beauty
I’m always happy to see that a new VeggieTales video is about to be released. I got wind of Sweetpea Beauty
early in the summer, so I knew that I would have another helping of
computer-animated Veggie goodness to look forward to. This particular
installment, like Esther of several years ago, specifically
targets a female audience, though the kitchentop sequence largely
concerns Larry the Cucumber’s self-image issues, which evens things out a
bit. Nonetheless, both stories in Sweetpea Beauty are very much in the tradition of Disney’s princess tales, and most of the major characters are female.
Petunia and Annie, two of the series’ most sedate characters, take the lead in running the show after they find Larry bemoaning his silly appearance. Of all the Veggies, I probably relate most to Annie, a quiet youngster with glasses and short brown hair, and she is one of the most little-used characters in the series, so I was pleased to see her here. Petunia, meanwhile, has become increasingly prominent since her first appearance in Duke and the Great Pie War, usually appearing as a level-headed foil for goofball Larry. There also tends to be a hint of romance in their interaction with each other, though this is generally underplayed. At this point, she has probably become the main female character in the series, eclipsing even Laura Carrot, young Junior Asparagus’s best friend, and vain Madame Blueberry.
Snoodlerella, the first of two stories presented in this video, is a companion piece to A Snoodle’s Tale, which came out in 2004. Both are set in the same whimsical world populated by strange beings who look a bit like gourds with wings, and both are narrated by an unseen Bob the Tomato in a style strongly influenced by Dr. Seuss.
Snoodlerella is a pretty straightforward retelling of the story of Cinderella, but in this case, the young Snoodle for whom the tale is named does not escape the ball at the stroke of midnight. Instead, though the homely girl’s clothes are reduced to rags and her glasses and braces return, she receives a special audience with the wise King, who informs her that she is beautiful just the way she is. Although this story is populated with unfamiliar characters, most children watching will be able to connect them with the Cinderella tale, and longtime Veggie fans will enjoy this trip back into the world of Snoodles, complete with the voice of Tim Hodge, who brings a regal warmth to a character who was previously only heard.
The Silly Song is a rather dizzying ditty called Pants that calls for Larry, a salesman on the Veggie Shopping Network, to sing a song convincing home viewers to buy pants from him. This is an especially silly concept because Veggies, lacking legs, do not wear traditional two-legged pants. It goes with the theme of the video well because it has to do with society trying to push a certain brand of beauty upon people. It’s also the only part of the episode primarily featuring male characters. It’s a fun song, but it’s also rather annoying; while that emphasizes the point that such sales pitches probably are best ignored, it also makes for a Silly Song that probably isn’t going to attain Classic status.
The title segment, Sweetpea Beauty, is an homage to any number of fairy tales. While it borrows most heavily from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and, to a lesser extent, Sleeping Beauty, fairy tale fans will also recognize references to such stories as The Princess and the Pea, Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Rapunzel, along with what I took to be a nod to the Danny Kaye comedy The Court Jester. Additionally, much of the story is narrated by a pair of singing minstrels played by Jerry Gourd and Mr. Lunt.
Petunia plays Sweetpea Beauty, the kind-hearted commoner whose best friend is Prince Larry. Little does she or the prince realize that the misguided queen (Madame Blueberry), under the advisement of a sinister magic mirror, plans to give her an everlasting sleeping potion so that she will never be a threat to her sovereignty in this kingdom where the crown can only be worn by the fairest woman in the land. While Sweetpea is as lovely as any fairy tale princess, it’s her inner beauty - and her ability to see the beauty in all things, from mud puddles to skunks - that is celebrated throughout the story, and that’s what the insecure queen must struggle to understand as she decides whether or not to take the mirror’s advice.
As with the rest of the Veggie videos, Sweetpea Beauty features excellent animation, upbeat music, zany humor, memorable characters and an important lesson. In this case, the message is that God made each person beautiful in his or her own way and that traits like kindness and faithfulness are more important than physical appearances. While I do think that this particular video might appeal less to boys than most, Larry’s antics throughout the video, along with Sweetpea’s tomboyish tendencies, make this a Veggie outing likely to entertain anyone who isn’t turned off by all the princess talk.
Petunia and Annie, two of the series’ most sedate characters, take the lead in running the show after they find Larry bemoaning his silly appearance. Of all the Veggies, I probably relate most to Annie, a quiet youngster with glasses and short brown hair, and she is one of the most little-used characters in the series, so I was pleased to see her here. Petunia, meanwhile, has become increasingly prominent since her first appearance in Duke and the Great Pie War, usually appearing as a level-headed foil for goofball Larry. There also tends to be a hint of romance in their interaction with each other, though this is generally underplayed. At this point, she has probably become the main female character in the series, eclipsing even Laura Carrot, young Junior Asparagus’s best friend, and vain Madame Blueberry.
Snoodlerella, the first of two stories presented in this video, is a companion piece to A Snoodle’s Tale, which came out in 2004. Both are set in the same whimsical world populated by strange beings who look a bit like gourds with wings, and both are narrated by an unseen Bob the Tomato in a style strongly influenced by Dr. Seuss.
Snoodlerella is a pretty straightforward retelling of the story of Cinderella, but in this case, the young Snoodle for whom the tale is named does not escape the ball at the stroke of midnight. Instead, though the homely girl’s clothes are reduced to rags and her glasses and braces return, she receives a special audience with the wise King, who informs her that she is beautiful just the way she is. Although this story is populated with unfamiliar characters, most children watching will be able to connect them with the Cinderella tale, and longtime Veggie fans will enjoy this trip back into the world of Snoodles, complete with the voice of Tim Hodge, who brings a regal warmth to a character who was previously only heard.
The Silly Song is a rather dizzying ditty called Pants that calls for Larry, a salesman on the Veggie Shopping Network, to sing a song convincing home viewers to buy pants from him. This is an especially silly concept because Veggies, lacking legs, do not wear traditional two-legged pants. It goes with the theme of the video well because it has to do with society trying to push a certain brand of beauty upon people. It’s also the only part of the episode primarily featuring male characters. It’s a fun song, but it’s also rather annoying; while that emphasizes the point that such sales pitches probably are best ignored, it also makes for a Silly Song that probably isn’t going to attain Classic status.
The title segment, Sweetpea Beauty, is an homage to any number of fairy tales. While it borrows most heavily from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and, to a lesser extent, Sleeping Beauty, fairy tale fans will also recognize references to such stories as The Princess and the Pea, Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Rapunzel, along with what I took to be a nod to the Danny Kaye comedy The Court Jester. Additionally, much of the story is narrated by a pair of singing minstrels played by Jerry Gourd and Mr. Lunt.
Petunia plays Sweetpea Beauty, the kind-hearted commoner whose best friend is Prince Larry. Little does she or the prince realize that the misguided queen (Madame Blueberry), under the advisement of a sinister magic mirror, plans to give her an everlasting sleeping potion so that she will never be a threat to her sovereignty in this kingdom where the crown can only be worn by the fairest woman in the land. While Sweetpea is as lovely as any fairy tale princess, it’s her inner beauty - and her ability to see the beauty in all things, from mud puddles to skunks - that is celebrated throughout the story, and that’s what the insecure queen must struggle to understand as she decides whether or not to take the mirror’s advice.
As with the rest of the Veggie videos, Sweetpea Beauty features excellent animation, upbeat music, zany humor, memorable characters and an important lesson. In this case, the message is that God made each person beautiful in his or her own way and that traits like kindness and faithfulness are more important than physical appearances. While I do think that this particular video might appeal less to boys than most, Larry’s antics throughout the video, along with Sweetpea’s tomboyish tendencies, make this a Veggie outing likely to entertain anyone who isn’t turned off by all the princess talk.
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
My Top Ten Movies of the '60s
A grand decade for Disney, the 1960s included some of my all-time
favorite movies, as well as a lot of flicks that are highly watchable
once, with limited replay value. All of my top ten are ones I'd be
happy to sit through multiple times. And have.
Peter Pan (1960) - Though I'm not a fan of the Disney version of the J. M. Barrie classic about a boy who stays forever young on a magical isle called Never-Neverland, I love this version, a television adaptation of the musical starring Mary Martin. She is endearingly spunky, and I never seem to mind much that she's a girl. Perhaps that softens Peter's bravado; even when he's bragging up a storm with I Gotta Crow, I don't find him nearly as obnoxious as the animated Disney imp. I love the songs throughout the film, and the performance of Cyril Ritchard as sinister but silly Captain Hook / ineffective Mr. Darling is the most entertaining aspect of the whole movie.
Swiss Family Robinson (1960) - Two words: ostrich races. Not to mention the treehouse of my dreams and what may have been the beginning of my love affair with stories about folks shipwrecked on seemingly uninhabited islands.
The Sword in the Stone (1963) - I can trace my love of King Arthur back to this Disney cartoon, in which he is a scrawny kid known as "the Wart" living under the thumb of his corpulent uncle and brutish cousin. Merlin serves as a wise but comical mentor, with some help from the requisite animal sidekick, Archimedes, who bears a strong resemblance to the owl from Bambi. Sticking with the fairly light-hearted portion of T. H. White's The Once and Future King, heightening the slapstick and doing a lot of simplifying, it's among the funniest animated Disney films, even if it was less successful than most.
Mary Poppins (1964) - A real contender for my all-time favorite movie. The songs showcase the Sherman Brothers at their best, from peppy classics like Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious to my personal favorite, the compassionate, religiously loaded Feed the Birds. The cast is wonderful, especially Julie Andrews as eccentric but exceptional Mary and Dick Van Dyke as irrepressibly jolly Bert. An engrossing tale of magic, imagination and parents and children coming to appreciate each other, it's also the movie that made me fall in love with London.
Cinderella (1965) - I've seen many versions of this story, but this television adaptation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, starring Leslie Anne Warren, will always be my favorite. She makes such a perfect Cinderella, sweet and starry-eyed, dutifully doing her chores amid abuses by her absurd step-mother and step-sisters but taking time to imagine better things. The prince is dreamy, with loads more personality than the Disney version, and Cinderella's step-family is hilarious. The step-sisters even evoke some sympathy, as the lady of the house is scarcely any kinder to her own daughters. It's all very low-frills, with scarcely any props at all, but the story and the fantastic songs more than make up for it. This is my second-favorite Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.
The Sound of Music (1965) - This, naturally, tops the list. Rodgers and Hammerstein's crowning achievement, it's another movie starring Julie Andrews as an unusual nanny who swoops in to repair a family with unruly children and a distant father. But in this case, she plays an aspiring nun who hadn't bargained on falling in love with the dashing captain so excellently portrayed by Christopher Plummer. The sweeping cinematography, the iconic songs, the historical backdrop, the religious overtones, the humor, the romance... It all blends perfectly for a movie I can watch over and over again with rapt enjoyment.
The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming (1966) - Quite possibly the funniest movie of the decade. Of course, by the time I saw this, Russians no longer seems a great threat, so I never had much reason to see Alan Arkin's merry band of accidental invaders as antagonists. I just reveled in the relentless slapstick and silly one-liners. But I've also come to think of it as an inspiring tale underneath all that comedy, one that dares to hope that people who are supposedly enemies can be united by a common goal and can overcome suspicions to form unlikely friendships.
The Graduate (1967) - It took a couple of viewings for me to really appreciate this movie, which stars a hilariously awkward Dustin Hoffman as confused young college graduate Benjamin, who is lured into an affair with the wife of a family friend. But now that I've been in Benjamin's shoes - as an aimless college grad, that is, not someone who channeled that aimlessness in such an unhealthy direction - the film seems very apt. And what kind of Simon and Garfunkel fan would I be if I left this off the list?
The Jungle Book (1967) - Another triumph for the Sherman Brothers, this story of a boy raised by wolves features an intriguing array of creatures, each with a distinct personality. No-nonsense panther Bagheera, sibilant snake Kaa, haughty elephant Colonel Hathi, lackadaisical bear Baloo, ambitious orangutan King Louie, sinister tiger Shere Khan and a hapless quartet of vultures all make an impact on Mowgli's journey. With the exception of the cats, they all have a song, too, each in a different style. Kaa has a hypnotic lullaby, Hathi a crisp march, Louie a jazzy scatfest, the vultures a Beatles-esque harmonious ode. Baloo, of course, gets one of the bounciest numbers in Disney history. A simple story magnificently told, with lush animation every step of the way.
The Love Bug (1969) - I just love WV bugs, and this is why. Herbie, the little white beetle with the number 53 on his side, is more lovable than any car ought to be. He doesn't talk; he simply uses a series of mechanical noises to communicate emotion, and he maintains control over his own steering. This is the first of his adventures. Though Dean Jones, David Tomlinson and especially Buddy Hackett make terrific co-stars, this little automobile is clearly the star.
Peter Pan (1960) - Though I'm not a fan of the Disney version of the J. M. Barrie classic about a boy who stays forever young on a magical isle called Never-Neverland, I love this version, a television adaptation of the musical starring Mary Martin. She is endearingly spunky, and I never seem to mind much that she's a girl. Perhaps that softens Peter's bravado; even when he's bragging up a storm with I Gotta Crow, I don't find him nearly as obnoxious as the animated Disney imp. I love the songs throughout the film, and the performance of Cyril Ritchard as sinister but silly Captain Hook / ineffective Mr. Darling is the most entertaining aspect of the whole movie.
Swiss Family Robinson (1960) - Two words: ostrich races. Not to mention the treehouse of my dreams and what may have been the beginning of my love affair with stories about folks shipwrecked on seemingly uninhabited islands.
The Sword in the Stone (1963) - I can trace my love of King Arthur back to this Disney cartoon, in which he is a scrawny kid known as "the Wart" living under the thumb of his corpulent uncle and brutish cousin. Merlin serves as a wise but comical mentor, with some help from the requisite animal sidekick, Archimedes, who bears a strong resemblance to the owl from Bambi. Sticking with the fairly light-hearted portion of T. H. White's The Once and Future King, heightening the slapstick and doing a lot of simplifying, it's among the funniest animated Disney films, even if it was less successful than most.
Mary Poppins (1964) - A real contender for my all-time favorite movie. The songs showcase the Sherman Brothers at their best, from peppy classics like Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious to my personal favorite, the compassionate, religiously loaded Feed the Birds. The cast is wonderful, especially Julie Andrews as eccentric but exceptional Mary and Dick Van Dyke as irrepressibly jolly Bert. An engrossing tale of magic, imagination and parents and children coming to appreciate each other, it's also the movie that made me fall in love with London.
Cinderella (1965) - I've seen many versions of this story, but this television adaptation of the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, starring Leslie Anne Warren, will always be my favorite. She makes such a perfect Cinderella, sweet and starry-eyed, dutifully doing her chores amid abuses by her absurd step-mother and step-sisters but taking time to imagine better things. The prince is dreamy, with loads more personality than the Disney version, and Cinderella's step-family is hilarious. The step-sisters even evoke some sympathy, as the lady of the house is scarcely any kinder to her own daughters. It's all very low-frills, with scarcely any props at all, but the story and the fantastic songs more than make up for it. This is my second-favorite Rodgers and Hammerstein musical.
The Sound of Music (1965) - This, naturally, tops the list. Rodgers and Hammerstein's crowning achievement, it's another movie starring Julie Andrews as an unusual nanny who swoops in to repair a family with unruly children and a distant father. But in this case, she plays an aspiring nun who hadn't bargained on falling in love with the dashing captain so excellently portrayed by Christopher Plummer. The sweeping cinematography, the iconic songs, the historical backdrop, the religious overtones, the humor, the romance... It all blends perfectly for a movie I can watch over and over again with rapt enjoyment.
The Russians are Coming, the Russians are Coming (1966) - Quite possibly the funniest movie of the decade. Of course, by the time I saw this, Russians no longer seems a great threat, so I never had much reason to see Alan Arkin's merry band of accidental invaders as antagonists. I just reveled in the relentless slapstick and silly one-liners. But I've also come to think of it as an inspiring tale underneath all that comedy, one that dares to hope that people who are supposedly enemies can be united by a common goal and can overcome suspicions to form unlikely friendships.
The Graduate (1967) - It took a couple of viewings for me to really appreciate this movie, which stars a hilariously awkward Dustin Hoffman as confused young college graduate Benjamin, who is lured into an affair with the wife of a family friend. But now that I've been in Benjamin's shoes - as an aimless college grad, that is, not someone who channeled that aimlessness in such an unhealthy direction - the film seems very apt. And what kind of Simon and Garfunkel fan would I be if I left this off the list?
The Jungle Book (1967) - Another triumph for the Sherman Brothers, this story of a boy raised by wolves features an intriguing array of creatures, each with a distinct personality. No-nonsense panther Bagheera, sibilant snake Kaa, haughty elephant Colonel Hathi, lackadaisical bear Baloo, ambitious orangutan King Louie, sinister tiger Shere Khan and a hapless quartet of vultures all make an impact on Mowgli's journey. With the exception of the cats, they all have a song, too, each in a different style. Kaa has a hypnotic lullaby, Hathi a crisp march, Louie a jazzy scatfest, the vultures a Beatles-esque harmonious ode. Baloo, of course, gets one of the bounciest numbers in Disney history. A simple story magnificently told, with lush animation every step of the way.
The Love Bug (1969) - I just love WV bugs, and this is why. Herbie, the little white beetle with the number 53 on his side, is more lovable than any car ought to be. He doesn't talk; he simply uses a series of mechanical noises to communicate emotion, and he maintains control over his own steering. This is the first of his adventures. Though Dean Jones, David Tomlinson and especially Buddy Hackett make terrific co-stars, this little automobile is clearly the star.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
My Top Ten Movies of the Late '90s ('95-'98)
The 1990s were incredibly big years for me movie-wise. Half my childhood
happened in the '90s, including most of my teenage years. While I
didn't necessarily get out to the theater that often back then, the
movies I saw at the cinema really stuck with me. And I've had lots of
time to catch up with the others - though almost all of my favorites are
ones I saw in the '90s themselves. It was such a big decade for me
movie-wise, I have to split it up into two. This first list covers 1995
to 1998; I'm skipping '99 since I did a top ten list for that one already and I'm looking for any excuse to trim down my list.
Babe (1995) - This beautifully shot fairy tale about a pig who becomes an expert sheep-herder simply by being polite led me to an obsession with Dick King-Smith. For an entire summer, I read every book of his that I could find in the library. As much as I love his writing, I like the film version of Babe even better than the book. The sun-drenched cinematography, the folksy music, the special effects and, perhaps most of all, James Cromwell as Farmer Hoggett, the ultimate man of few words.
Braveheart (1995) - It took me until 2001 to see this one, just because I knew it would be extremely bloody, not to mention long. I finally watched it when my brother brought some friends home to see it at midnight one night. No matter; bloodthirsty battles have a way of keeping one awake... The music, the cinematography and the accents were glorious. And Mel Gibson was a tour de force on this one. I still had to avert my eyes many times, but on the whole, I was a little surprised by how much I liked it.
Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) - My dad saw this in the theater with a friend of his who happened to be a music teacher himself. They loved it, as did my freshman theology teacher, who took every opportunity she had to recommend it. I can definitely see why any educator would appreciate this movie, in which Richard Dreyfuss shows us the lifetime of a composer who discovers untapped talents as a teacher. Powerful demonstration of John Lennon's observation: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."
Sense and Sensibility / Pride and Prejudice (1995) - Yes, I'm cheating and putting the Austens together, though if you really pressed me, I'd have to claim the first as my favorite. Emma Thompson's incredible screenplay makes it one of the most faithful adaptations I've seen, making Sense and Sensibility manage as well in a couple of hours as Pride and Prejudice does in five. This was the movie that introduced me to her and made me really fall for Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant. Excellent all around. Of course, the latter is considered by many to be the ultimate Austen adaptation, and it certainly is terrific, thanks to a screenplay that sticks close to the book and an amazing cast, with Colin Firth the clear standout as the dashing Mr. Darcy.
Toy Story (1995) - A dazzling movie that ushered in the era of computer-animated films. It would be nice if they all came close to the standard this set. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen lead a top-notch cast of voice actors that includes Wallace Shawn, Don Rickles and Pixar mainstay John Ratzenberger in this funny, touching tale of jealousy and cooperation in the playroom. This one was first recommended to me by my freshman English teacher, who couldn't say enough good things about it. She was sure I'd love it, and she was right.
Phenomenon (1996) - I'd been wanting to see this one but hadn't yet gotten around to it when we watched it as part of my senior theology class. I wrote a four-page-long paper about it, and I could have gone on longer. A fascinating film about a humble man played by John Travolta who suddenly finds himself with remarkable abilities. I loved the story, as well as the excellent supporting performances, especially by David Strathairn, Forest Whitaker and Robert Duvall.
That Thing You Do! (1996) - Who would've ever thought that my little town of Erie would pop up in a Tom Hanks movie? This movie came just a year after Forrest Gump made me fall head over heels for Hanks, who I'd enjoyed in several other movies already. His role as an actor in this is comparatively small, but he wrote and directed the film, which is a fun, family-friendly reflection on the meteoric rise and fall of many bands in the '60s. An exuberant movie with one of the catchiest title tracks around, it's a winner for anybody who loves this era of music.
Anastasia (1997) - One of my favorite animated films, this Don Bluth movie was one that my brother and I caught in the theater together. It 's a highly fictionalized version of the life of Russian princess Anastasia Romanov, who was long rumored to have survived the attack on her family; one of the places she supposedly came was Erie, where there is a house named after her. The recent revelation that she died along with the rest of her family doesn't ruin this movie's charm for me. It's a touching love story with a wonderful cast that includes Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer and Angela Lansbury, and I loved the music so much I bought the soundtrack and the sheet music.
Ever After (1998) - Speaking of fairy tales, this live-action version of Cinderella directed by Andy Tennant is one of my favorite adaptations of the classic story. Drew Barrymore is headstrong but lovable as Danielle, an intelligent young woman devastated by the loss of her beloved father and oppressed by her cruel stepmother and stepsister. One of my favorite touches in this version is making the second stepsister sympathetic; wonderfully played by Melanie Lynskey, she is sweet and marginalized because she is portly, giving her more empathy with Danielle. Also fun is the incorporation of Leonardo da Vinci, which helps the film almost feel more like historical fiction.
The Truman Show (1998) - Jim Carrey is surprisingly low-key in this thought-provoking movie about a man who unknowingly spends his life as the subject of a reality show. Everything about his life has been manufactured, but there is one person from his past who is determined to tip him off. The lengths these people go to in order to keep up the artifice is incredible; the scary thing is that it's not so terribly removed from reality. I loved the concept of the movie and its family-friendly execution, and for the first time, Carrey's character didn't give me a headache. This is probably still my favorite of his performances.
Babe (1995) - This beautifully shot fairy tale about a pig who becomes an expert sheep-herder simply by being polite led me to an obsession with Dick King-Smith. For an entire summer, I read every book of his that I could find in the library. As much as I love his writing, I like the film version of Babe even better than the book. The sun-drenched cinematography, the folksy music, the special effects and, perhaps most of all, James Cromwell as Farmer Hoggett, the ultimate man of few words.
Braveheart (1995) - It took me until 2001 to see this one, just because I knew it would be extremely bloody, not to mention long. I finally watched it when my brother brought some friends home to see it at midnight one night. No matter; bloodthirsty battles have a way of keeping one awake... The music, the cinematography and the accents were glorious. And Mel Gibson was a tour de force on this one. I still had to avert my eyes many times, but on the whole, I was a little surprised by how much I liked it.
Mr. Holland's Opus (1995) - My dad saw this in the theater with a friend of his who happened to be a music teacher himself. They loved it, as did my freshman theology teacher, who took every opportunity she had to recommend it. I can definitely see why any educator would appreciate this movie, in which Richard Dreyfuss shows us the lifetime of a composer who discovers untapped talents as a teacher. Powerful demonstration of John Lennon's observation: "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."
Sense and Sensibility / Pride and Prejudice (1995) - Yes, I'm cheating and putting the Austens together, though if you really pressed me, I'd have to claim the first as my favorite. Emma Thompson's incredible screenplay makes it one of the most faithful adaptations I've seen, making Sense and Sensibility manage as well in a couple of hours as Pride and Prejudice does in five. This was the movie that introduced me to her and made me really fall for Alan Rickman and Hugh Grant. Excellent all around. Of course, the latter is considered by many to be the ultimate Austen adaptation, and it certainly is terrific, thanks to a screenplay that sticks close to the book and an amazing cast, with Colin Firth the clear standout as the dashing Mr. Darcy.
Toy Story (1995) - A dazzling movie that ushered in the era of computer-animated films. It would be nice if they all came close to the standard this set. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen lead a top-notch cast of voice actors that includes Wallace Shawn, Don Rickles and Pixar mainstay John Ratzenberger in this funny, touching tale of jealousy and cooperation in the playroom. This one was first recommended to me by my freshman English teacher, who couldn't say enough good things about it. She was sure I'd love it, and she was right.
Phenomenon (1996) - I'd been wanting to see this one but hadn't yet gotten around to it when we watched it as part of my senior theology class. I wrote a four-page-long paper about it, and I could have gone on longer. A fascinating film about a humble man played by John Travolta who suddenly finds himself with remarkable abilities. I loved the story, as well as the excellent supporting performances, especially by David Strathairn, Forest Whitaker and Robert Duvall.
That Thing You Do! (1996) - Who would've ever thought that my little town of Erie would pop up in a Tom Hanks movie? This movie came just a year after Forrest Gump made me fall head over heels for Hanks, who I'd enjoyed in several other movies already. His role as an actor in this is comparatively small, but he wrote and directed the film, which is a fun, family-friendly reflection on the meteoric rise and fall of many bands in the '60s. An exuberant movie with one of the catchiest title tracks around, it's a winner for anybody who loves this era of music.
Anastasia (1997) - One of my favorite animated films, this Don Bluth movie was one that my brother and I caught in the theater together. It 's a highly fictionalized version of the life of Russian princess Anastasia Romanov, who was long rumored to have survived the attack on her family; one of the places she supposedly came was Erie, where there is a house named after her. The recent revelation that she died along with the rest of her family doesn't ruin this movie's charm for me. It's a touching love story with a wonderful cast that includes Meg Ryan, John Cusack, Kelsey Grammer and Angela Lansbury, and I loved the music so much I bought the soundtrack and the sheet music.
Ever After (1998) - Speaking of fairy tales, this live-action version of Cinderella directed by Andy Tennant is one of my favorite adaptations of the classic story. Drew Barrymore is headstrong but lovable as Danielle, an intelligent young woman devastated by the loss of her beloved father and oppressed by her cruel stepmother and stepsister. One of my favorite touches in this version is making the second stepsister sympathetic; wonderfully played by Melanie Lynskey, she is sweet and marginalized because she is portly, giving her more empathy with Danielle. Also fun is the incorporation of Leonardo da Vinci, which helps the film almost feel more like historical fiction.
The Truman Show (1998) - Jim Carrey is surprisingly low-key in this thought-provoking movie about a man who unknowingly spends his life as the subject of a reality show. Everything about his life has been manufactured, but there is one person from his past who is determined to tip him off. The lengths these people go to in order to keep up the artifice is incredible; the scary thing is that it's not so terribly removed from reality. I loved the concept of the movie and its family-friendly execution, and for the first time, Carrey's character didn't give me a headache. This is probably still my favorite of his performances.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
I'm Not Under Ella Enchanted's Spell
I love a good fairy tale, and I was charmed by Anne Hathaway in The Princess Diaries, so I figured Ella Enchanted
was right up my alley. The 2004 movie stars Hathaway as Ella of Frell, a
girl who, like Sleeping Beauty before her, has been given a most
inconvenient present by an unhinged fairy. Unlike Maleficent, Lucinda
(Vivica Fox) doesn't mean for her gift to be a curse, but blessing the
infant Ella with "obedience" means that throughout her life, she must do
exactly what she is told, no matter what the task. Before her untimely
death, her mother (Donna Dent) forbids Ella to tell anyone about her
gift, lest that knowledge be used against her. But can such an unusual
attribute be kept secret forever?
While there are bits of other fairy tales tossed in here and there, along with references to Monty Python (Eric Idle serves as the rhyming narrator), Ella is mostly a new twist on the story of Cinderella. After some background on Ella's infancy and childhod, the tale resumes with the marriage of Ella's father to the obnoxious and cosseted Dame Olga (Joanna Lumley), who has two daughters: the cruel, scheming Hattie (Lucy Punch) and ditzy, elastic-faced Olive (Jennifer Higham). Olive doesn't come into the story much, but her facial expressions are so bizarre that when she is on-screen, it's hard to focus on anyone else. Hattie is the one who most actively undercuts Ella, especially once she begins to notice a pattern behind the strange things her new step-sister does.
Ella does have allies: her aunt Mandy (Minnie Driver), a fairy of only moderate talent, and her best friend Areida (Parminder Nagra). And she finds more friends as she embarks on her journey to find Lucinda and beg her to allow her to live a life free from the demands of others. Chief among these are Slannen (Aiden McArdle), a rebellious elf who desperately wants to be a lawyer, and Prince Char (Hugh Dancy), the gorgeous prince who inspires Beatles-like furor among all the young maidens of the kingdom - except Ella.
Her own peculiar form of enslavement has made her extremely sympathetic to the plight of the kingdom's mistreated beings - namely, the elves, who are only allowed to work in the entertainment profession; the giants, who have been forced into slave labor; and the ogres, who would be wiped out entirely if the prince's diabolical uncle Edgar (Cary Elwes) had his way. She can't understand why someone with Prince Char's influence isn't doing more to help his kingdom, while the naive prince is just having his eyes opened to the evils around him.
The film's premise is promising, and I have a hunch that it is executed with rather more sophistication in the Gail Carson Levine book on which the movie is based. The trouble is that Ella is very clearly aimed at a tween audience and as such is an extension of the sort of corny, noisy fare shown on Nickelodeon and Disney nowadays. In trying to be hip by inserting contemporary elements such as rock music, which really doesn't gel with the fantasy setting, and references to current pop culture, it turns into a modern mish-mash. This technique worked pretty well for Shrek, but partly because Ella is live action, it just seems silly here.
One of the strangest parts of the movie is Heston (Steve Coogan), a sinister snake who acts as Edgar's henchman. I can buy cartoon villains having talking animal henchmen, such as Iago in Aladdin and Bartok in Anastasia. I can handle Lord Voldemort having a right-hand snake to whom he spouts instructions in Parseltongue. But to have a snake in a live action film just sitting there chatting away on the villain's shoulder is a little too much for me. It immediately makes Edgar less intimidating, since he just looks so ridiculous gabbing with that goofy snake. It's not that I can't accept The Princess Bride's dashing farm boy as a bad guy; he was chilling in The Jungle Book. Here, however, he's just campy.
Hathaway is sweet and engaging, and she's a good sport for doing all the crazy stuff the script calls for. There are a lot of cheesy special effects and groan-worthy puns that come flying at the audience, and there's likely to be some rolling of the eyes among anyone older than 15 or so, particularly with moments involving such gems of wit as the flatulence of giants. I wish that the music didn't seem so out of place, because Hathaway does have a very pleasant voice. I don't so much mind her big karaoke number, though, because it shows us how Ella's obedience actually can be a gift, since it forces her to use skills she might not ordinarily have. This also comes to light in a scene in which she rescues Slannen from distress with some impressive martial arts moves.
Dancy is my favorite cast member and nearly the only one who doesn't seem over-the-top. Not just a pretty face, the prince is kind and considerate, though he's so intimidated by the idea of being king that it seems he won't be much good for the kingdom. Meeting Ella changes his perspective, awakening his activism. I also liked Areida, but Ella's best friend is extremely underused after a nasty trick by Hattie knocks her out of the picture. I was hoping that she would play some sort of significant role later in Ella's adventures, coming to her aid in a tight spot as a testament to her unconditional friendship, but she only showed up for a moment at the end, just long enough to show us that Hattie's damage had been undone.
I like the clever reworking of the Cinderella story and the way Ella finally manages to free herself from the bonds of obedience that Lucinda imposed upon her, but of the several film versions of the classic fairy tale that I have seen, this would be near the bottom of my list of recommendations. It's nice that they seem to be encouraging social consciousness with this fable, but the same point was achieved much more skillfully with Ever After, whereas the fantasy elements are most beautifully preserved in the Rodgers and Hammerstein version with Leslie Ann Warren. Tweens might get a kick out of this spunky retelling, but this 26-year-old was not especially enchanted.
While there are bits of other fairy tales tossed in here and there, along with references to Monty Python (Eric Idle serves as the rhyming narrator), Ella is mostly a new twist on the story of Cinderella. After some background on Ella's infancy and childhod, the tale resumes with the marriage of Ella's father to the obnoxious and cosseted Dame Olga (Joanna Lumley), who has two daughters: the cruel, scheming Hattie (Lucy Punch) and ditzy, elastic-faced Olive (Jennifer Higham). Olive doesn't come into the story much, but her facial expressions are so bizarre that when she is on-screen, it's hard to focus on anyone else. Hattie is the one who most actively undercuts Ella, especially once she begins to notice a pattern behind the strange things her new step-sister does.
Ella does have allies: her aunt Mandy (Minnie Driver), a fairy of only moderate talent, and her best friend Areida (Parminder Nagra). And she finds more friends as she embarks on her journey to find Lucinda and beg her to allow her to live a life free from the demands of others. Chief among these are Slannen (Aiden McArdle), a rebellious elf who desperately wants to be a lawyer, and Prince Char (Hugh Dancy), the gorgeous prince who inspires Beatles-like furor among all the young maidens of the kingdom - except Ella.
Her own peculiar form of enslavement has made her extremely sympathetic to the plight of the kingdom's mistreated beings - namely, the elves, who are only allowed to work in the entertainment profession; the giants, who have been forced into slave labor; and the ogres, who would be wiped out entirely if the prince's diabolical uncle Edgar (Cary Elwes) had his way. She can't understand why someone with Prince Char's influence isn't doing more to help his kingdom, while the naive prince is just having his eyes opened to the evils around him.
The film's premise is promising, and I have a hunch that it is executed with rather more sophistication in the Gail Carson Levine book on which the movie is based. The trouble is that Ella is very clearly aimed at a tween audience and as such is an extension of the sort of corny, noisy fare shown on Nickelodeon and Disney nowadays. In trying to be hip by inserting contemporary elements such as rock music, which really doesn't gel with the fantasy setting, and references to current pop culture, it turns into a modern mish-mash. This technique worked pretty well for Shrek, but partly because Ella is live action, it just seems silly here.
One of the strangest parts of the movie is Heston (Steve Coogan), a sinister snake who acts as Edgar's henchman. I can buy cartoon villains having talking animal henchmen, such as Iago in Aladdin and Bartok in Anastasia. I can handle Lord Voldemort having a right-hand snake to whom he spouts instructions in Parseltongue. But to have a snake in a live action film just sitting there chatting away on the villain's shoulder is a little too much for me. It immediately makes Edgar less intimidating, since he just looks so ridiculous gabbing with that goofy snake. It's not that I can't accept The Princess Bride's dashing farm boy as a bad guy; he was chilling in The Jungle Book. Here, however, he's just campy.
Hathaway is sweet and engaging, and she's a good sport for doing all the crazy stuff the script calls for. There are a lot of cheesy special effects and groan-worthy puns that come flying at the audience, and there's likely to be some rolling of the eyes among anyone older than 15 or so, particularly with moments involving such gems of wit as the flatulence of giants. I wish that the music didn't seem so out of place, because Hathaway does have a very pleasant voice. I don't so much mind her big karaoke number, though, because it shows us how Ella's obedience actually can be a gift, since it forces her to use skills she might not ordinarily have. This also comes to light in a scene in which she rescues Slannen from distress with some impressive martial arts moves.
Dancy is my favorite cast member and nearly the only one who doesn't seem over-the-top. Not just a pretty face, the prince is kind and considerate, though he's so intimidated by the idea of being king that it seems he won't be much good for the kingdom. Meeting Ella changes his perspective, awakening his activism. I also liked Areida, but Ella's best friend is extremely underused after a nasty trick by Hattie knocks her out of the picture. I was hoping that she would play some sort of significant role later in Ella's adventures, coming to her aid in a tight spot as a testament to her unconditional friendship, but she only showed up for a moment at the end, just long enough to show us that Hattie's damage had been undone.
I like the clever reworking of the Cinderella story and the way Ella finally manages to free herself from the bonds of obedience that Lucinda imposed upon her, but of the several film versions of the classic fairy tale that I have seen, this would be near the bottom of my list of recommendations. It's nice that they seem to be encouraging social consciousness with this fable, but the same point was achieved much more skillfully with Ever After, whereas the fantasy elements are most beautifully preserved in the Rodgers and Hammerstein version with Leslie Ann Warren. Tweens might get a kick out of this spunky retelling, but this 26-year-old was not especially enchanted.
Monday, March 5, 2007
No Sense in Avoiding This Nonsense
When I think of James Marshall,
poetry usually doesn't come to mind. After all, he was a master of
weaving a few brief sentences into an engaging story. Prose was his
forte. But in Pocketful of Nonsense, he tried his hand at a few limericks - five, to be exact, a fourth of the poems contained in this collection.
Marshall's short verses are perfectly entertaining, in good company with classic poems about diners with mice in their stew and peanuts lolly-gagging about on railroad tracks. The word "nonsense" really does apply to most of the entries, and they are rendered even more bizarre by Marshall's colorful illustrations, which display, as always, his wry sense of humor.
Thus we get Cinderella, star of the jump-rope rhyme in which she "went upstairs to kiss her fella, / made a mistake and kissed a snake," puckering up with closed eyes and plump lips while the snake in her embrace glares at her, grossed out. We get, in a Marshall original, a bulldog who literally "watches his weight" looking perplexed at his girth while he licks his plate clean. In another of his, we see cheerful Antoinette coming in from the beach, her vision obstructed by a very strange something that causes her mother to comment, amused, "You're simply not like other girls."
As a collection of poetry, Pocketful of Nonsense strikes me as pretty short, especially considering the fact that few of the offerings exceed five lines. I would think it could have been at least twice as long - but then I suppose the "pocket" might not be such an appropriate word to employ. Some of the pairings are quite amusing, while others fall flat, making for a book that is a bit uneven overall and probably too short. It's not the finest of Marshall's works, but it's fun to see a slightly different side to his writing. You'll likely get some laughs out of Marshall's nonsense. It's just a shame there aren't a few more to be had.
Marshall's short verses are perfectly entertaining, in good company with classic poems about diners with mice in their stew and peanuts lolly-gagging about on railroad tracks. The word "nonsense" really does apply to most of the entries, and they are rendered even more bizarre by Marshall's colorful illustrations, which display, as always, his wry sense of humor.
Thus we get Cinderella, star of the jump-rope rhyme in which she "went upstairs to kiss her fella, / made a mistake and kissed a snake," puckering up with closed eyes and plump lips while the snake in her embrace glares at her, grossed out. We get, in a Marshall original, a bulldog who literally "watches his weight" looking perplexed at his girth while he licks his plate clean. In another of his, we see cheerful Antoinette coming in from the beach, her vision obstructed by a very strange something that causes her mother to comment, amused, "You're simply not like other girls."
As a collection of poetry, Pocketful of Nonsense strikes me as pretty short, especially considering the fact that few of the offerings exceed five lines. I would think it could have been at least twice as long - but then I suppose the "pocket" might not be such an appropriate word to employ. Some of the pairings are quite amusing, while others fall flat, making for a book that is a bit uneven overall and probably too short. It's not the finest of Marshall's works, but it's fun to see a slightly different side to his writing. You'll likely get some laughs out of Marshall's nonsense. It's just a shame there aren't a few more to be had.
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
"It's Simon and Garfunkel! You Can't Just Turn Them Off!"
Last year, my dad and brother had the opportunity to spend an evening in
Buffalo watching Beatlemania!, a tribute to the Beatles, which is my
brother’s favorite musical group. Mom and I had acquired the tickets by
chance when the two of us went to see Art Garfunkel in February; a local
radio station had a booth set up, and I gave the wheel a lucky spin and
walked away with the tickets. We only thought it fair to make
Beatlemania! a boys’ night out to balance our February concert, but
while Dad and Nathan were grooving to I Wanna Hold Your Hand and Let it Be,
Mom and I decided to veg out for the evening with a couple of chick
flicks. We debated a bit but wound up with two, one of which was Maid in Manhattan.
Mom was especially interested in seeing it. I doubted I would strongly
dislike it, but I didn’t expect it to thrill me too much either. While
exceedingly high expectations sometimes lead me to think badly of an
otherwise good movie, one that delivers more than I expected usually
ranks high with me. I suspected from the movie’s opening moments that
this would be such a film.
The film opens with shots of New York City set, I noted with excitement, to the tune of Paul Simon’s Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, a lively Latin-flavored tune that also showed up in The Royal Tenenbaums. It captures the energy of the city well and also gives a nod to the ethnicity of the protagonist. I was just tickled to hear the song and thrilled with the opening dialogue between the titular maid, Marisa Ventura (Jennifer Lopez), and her son Ty (Tyler Posey), which reveals that the boy is a big Simon and Garfunkel fan. Now that, I thought, is one cool kid!
Ty is eccentric and precocious, driving much of the action in the film, including his mother’s first encounter with Chris Marshall (Ralph Fiennes), a senatorial candidate staying at the hotel where Marisa works. Chris is a very pleasant fellow, annoyed by all the special treatment his staff wants him to receive and refreshed by Marisa and her gregarious son. The only trouble is that when he meets her, she is wearing the luxurious outfit of a wealthy guest, a dangerous dress-up game initiated by her trouble-making fellow maid Stephanie (Marissa Matrone). They hit it off, but Chris doesn’t know Marisa’s a maid instead of a socialite and she doesn’t want him to find out. The whole story plays out much like Ever After, with the class boundaries, deception, confrontation, and eventual inevitable reconciliation. Not overly creative, I suppose, but I’m the sort of gal who can tolerate multiple incarnations of basic plotlines. I think Maid in Manhattan does very well for what it is.
Marisa is both timid and ambitious, an hard-working woman who wants to do her job well and rise to a higher position in society but makes a big mistake along the way. Lopez handles the character well, while Fiennes’ slightly aloof approach makes Chris come across as shy and kindly. I also found Posey very enjoyable in his role as the clever, match-making Ty, and supporting roles by Stanley Tucci, as Chris’ cynical campaign manager, and Bob Hoskins, the honorable head butler who sympathizes with Marisa, enhance the film considerably.
I must attribute some of my enjoyment of the movie to the unexpected presence of Simon and Garfunkel. After that promising beginning, I kept alert for any future references and was rewarded with Eva Cassidy’s exquisite rendition of Kathy’s Song toward the end of the film. The movie was not as much of a comedy as I had anticipated, but that didn’t bother me; too much of the humor in most romantic comedies I’ve seen lately tends to be crude anyway. I just found it a nice, feel-good movie with a happy ending and a nifty soundtrack. And that was good enough for me.
The film opens with shots of New York City set, I noted with excitement, to the tune of Paul Simon’s Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard, a lively Latin-flavored tune that also showed up in The Royal Tenenbaums. It captures the energy of the city well and also gives a nod to the ethnicity of the protagonist. I was just tickled to hear the song and thrilled with the opening dialogue between the titular maid, Marisa Ventura (Jennifer Lopez), and her son Ty (Tyler Posey), which reveals that the boy is a big Simon and Garfunkel fan. Now that, I thought, is one cool kid!
Ty is eccentric and precocious, driving much of the action in the film, including his mother’s first encounter with Chris Marshall (Ralph Fiennes), a senatorial candidate staying at the hotel where Marisa works. Chris is a very pleasant fellow, annoyed by all the special treatment his staff wants him to receive and refreshed by Marisa and her gregarious son. The only trouble is that when he meets her, she is wearing the luxurious outfit of a wealthy guest, a dangerous dress-up game initiated by her trouble-making fellow maid Stephanie (Marissa Matrone). They hit it off, but Chris doesn’t know Marisa’s a maid instead of a socialite and she doesn’t want him to find out. The whole story plays out much like Ever After, with the class boundaries, deception, confrontation, and eventual inevitable reconciliation. Not overly creative, I suppose, but I’m the sort of gal who can tolerate multiple incarnations of basic plotlines. I think Maid in Manhattan does very well for what it is.
Marisa is both timid and ambitious, an hard-working woman who wants to do her job well and rise to a higher position in society but makes a big mistake along the way. Lopez handles the character well, while Fiennes’ slightly aloof approach makes Chris come across as shy and kindly. I also found Posey very enjoyable in his role as the clever, match-making Ty, and supporting roles by Stanley Tucci, as Chris’ cynical campaign manager, and Bob Hoskins, the honorable head butler who sympathizes with Marisa, enhance the film considerably.
I must attribute some of my enjoyment of the movie to the unexpected presence of Simon and Garfunkel. After that promising beginning, I kept alert for any future references and was rewarded with Eva Cassidy’s exquisite rendition of Kathy’s Song toward the end of the film. The movie was not as much of a comedy as I had anticipated, but that didn’t bother me; too much of the humor in most romantic comedies I’ve seen lately tends to be crude anyway. I just found it a nice, feel-good movie with a happy ending and a nifty soundtrack. And that was good enough for me.
Friday, February 22, 2002
"Impossible Things are Happening Every Day"
I've been in a romance-y mood ever since I saw The Princess Diaries,
and the other night I decided to indulge in a viewing of one of my
all-time favorite romantic movies. At one o'clock in the morning. When I
should have been writing a paper. Such is life.
I'm a sucker for Rodgers and Hammerstein. I love musicals, and not too many folks can outdo this creative team. And I definitely prefer the touchy-feely sentimentality of Hammerstein to the more hard-edged lyrics of Hart. I've loved their version of Cinderella for as long as I can remember, and it stands as my favorite although I enjoyed Disney's version and Drew Barrymore's Ever After. The songs are phenomenal, the prince (Stuart Damon) is gorgeous, and the sweep-you-off-your-feet, seemingly impossible romance is a thrill every time. (OK, Bargainluvers, you can dole out that corny award any time now.)
Leslie Ann Warren, 17 at the time, stars as the starry-eyed Cinderella, a meek and mild lass who exudes an innocence and freshness rarely seen on screen. She timidly obeys the commands of her step-mother and, to a lesser extent, her step-sisters, but when no one is looking, she whiles away her hours dreaming by the fireplace (In My Own Little Corner). As the movie begins, Cinderella is alone at home with strict orders to speak to no one. When a handsome stranger passes by on his travels, however, her kindness overcomes her fear of her step-mother and she offers him some water. As he and his companions move on, Cinderella discovers to her delight that the courteous gentleman with whom she had been speaking is, in fact, the prince.
When she learns of the prince's invitation to a royal ball (The Prince is Giving a Ball), Cinderella dreams of going to meet the prince again. Her step-family, of course, balks at the thought, and she must remain at home among the ashes. That is, until her fairy godmother shows up to convince her that anything is possible if she wants it badly enough (Impossible). The fairy godmother's song is a key number in both the Disney version and this version. Here, however, the emphasis is upon an individual's power to dream the impossible and make it come true. In Disney, the focus is on the magic in a few certain words. I like both, but Bibbity Bobbity Boo isn't likely to come in handy much in ordinary life!
Devoid of her rags and draped in a luxurious fur-trimmed gown, Cinderella arrives at the ball, flooring the previously fatigued prince. Once glance, and the prince is hooked. And somehow, it seems to him that they have met before... Ten Minutes Ago, the prince's starry-eyed duet with Cinderella about their love at first sight, is my favorite song in the film. Do I Love You Because You?re Beautiful? also fits in here, an interesting question because the prince didn't really fall for Cinderella until she looked like a princess instead of a dirt-smudged servant. Kinda like Eric in The Little Mermaid. These princes who are so sure they'll know their true love the first time they lay eyes on her... Anyway, Cinderella?s abrupt departure leaves the prince in shambles, and he must embark on a kingdom-wide search for the missing girl of his dreams. The film ends as it begins, and the prince's ability to recognize Cinderella in her rags and still be smitten is enough evidence for me that this love is not based solely on exterior appearances.
I love this movie. Its sets are very simple, and the scene in which Cinderella flies to the ball in her carriage is extremely fake, but I breathe it all in just the same. This prince has long been my standard for whether or not I consider an actor to be terribly handsome. Few can measure up. As I watched this most recently, I realized that the prince, as kind and courteous as he is, is a bit condescending. In his conversation with Cinderella, he carries a clear air of superiority, and he comes off as a bit of a snob when he dismisses Prunella and Esmerelda on the basis of a creaking knee and batting eyes. Cinderella is poor and subservient, but under the right conditions it is clear that she's physically flawless. Oh, well. It's a fairy tale.
The step-family is extremely enjoyable. Prunella (hey, speaking of Little Mermaid, she played Ursula) and Esmerelda (a Rodgers and Hammerstein regular) come off as a couple of silly, insecure young women constantly badgered by their whining mother. They're not especially nice, but it's not too hard to sympathize with them. Their moment in the spotlight comes with the hilarious and all-too-true song, Why Would a Fellow Want a Girl Like Her? They also come across as being halfway decent sisters during the song I Suppose. (Is that the title? I'm not sure.) The step-mother is hilariously snivelly, always complaining and wearing a look of disdain on her face. The look she wears when the prince silences her from reprimanding Cinderella at the end of the film is simply priceless. Put it on freeze frame. You'll laugh out loud. The king and queen are regal and genteel, played by veteran actors Walter Pidgeon and Ginger Rogers, and the kindly fairy godmother is beautifully portrayed by Celeste Holm.
I could watch this movie a hundred times - I probably have - and never get tired of it. "Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh!" (Little Mermaid again. Think Ariel getting her voice back from Ursula. Divine chorus. Can ya hear it? That is the sound of inspiration.)
~el fin~
I'm a sucker for Rodgers and Hammerstein. I love musicals, and not too many folks can outdo this creative team. And I definitely prefer the touchy-feely sentimentality of Hammerstein to the more hard-edged lyrics of Hart. I've loved their version of Cinderella for as long as I can remember, and it stands as my favorite although I enjoyed Disney's version and Drew Barrymore's Ever After. The songs are phenomenal, the prince (Stuart Damon) is gorgeous, and the sweep-you-off-your-feet, seemingly impossible romance is a thrill every time. (OK, Bargainluvers, you can dole out that corny award any time now.)
Leslie Ann Warren, 17 at the time, stars as the starry-eyed Cinderella, a meek and mild lass who exudes an innocence and freshness rarely seen on screen. She timidly obeys the commands of her step-mother and, to a lesser extent, her step-sisters, but when no one is looking, she whiles away her hours dreaming by the fireplace (In My Own Little Corner). As the movie begins, Cinderella is alone at home with strict orders to speak to no one. When a handsome stranger passes by on his travels, however, her kindness overcomes her fear of her step-mother and she offers him some water. As he and his companions move on, Cinderella discovers to her delight that the courteous gentleman with whom she had been speaking is, in fact, the prince.
When she learns of the prince's invitation to a royal ball (The Prince is Giving a Ball), Cinderella dreams of going to meet the prince again. Her step-family, of course, balks at the thought, and she must remain at home among the ashes. That is, until her fairy godmother shows up to convince her that anything is possible if she wants it badly enough (Impossible). The fairy godmother's song is a key number in both the Disney version and this version. Here, however, the emphasis is upon an individual's power to dream the impossible and make it come true. In Disney, the focus is on the magic in a few certain words. I like both, but Bibbity Bobbity Boo isn't likely to come in handy much in ordinary life!
Devoid of her rags and draped in a luxurious fur-trimmed gown, Cinderella arrives at the ball, flooring the previously fatigued prince. Once glance, and the prince is hooked. And somehow, it seems to him that they have met before... Ten Minutes Ago, the prince's starry-eyed duet with Cinderella about their love at first sight, is my favorite song in the film. Do I Love You Because You?re Beautiful? also fits in here, an interesting question because the prince didn't really fall for Cinderella until she looked like a princess instead of a dirt-smudged servant. Kinda like Eric in The Little Mermaid. These princes who are so sure they'll know their true love the first time they lay eyes on her... Anyway, Cinderella?s abrupt departure leaves the prince in shambles, and he must embark on a kingdom-wide search for the missing girl of his dreams. The film ends as it begins, and the prince's ability to recognize Cinderella in her rags and still be smitten is enough evidence for me that this love is not based solely on exterior appearances.
I love this movie. Its sets are very simple, and the scene in which Cinderella flies to the ball in her carriage is extremely fake, but I breathe it all in just the same. This prince has long been my standard for whether or not I consider an actor to be terribly handsome. Few can measure up. As I watched this most recently, I realized that the prince, as kind and courteous as he is, is a bit condescending. In his conversation with Cinderella, he carries a clear air of superiority, and he comes off as a bit of a snob when he dismisses Prunella and Esmerelda on the basis of a creaking knee and batting eyes. Cinderella is poor and subservient, but under the right conditions it is clear that she's physically flawless. Oh, well. It's a fairy tale.
The step-family is extremely enjoyable. Prunella (hey, speaking of Little Mermaid, she played Ursula) and Esmerelda (a Rodgers and Hammerstein regular) come off as a couple of silly, insecure young women constantly badgered by their whining mother. They're not especially nice, but it's not too hard to sympathize with them. Their moment in the spotlight comes with the hilarious and all-too-true song, Why Would a Fellow Want a Girl Like Her? They also come across as being halfway decent sisters during the song I Suppose. (Is that the title? I'm not sure.) The step-mother is hilariously snivelly, always complaining and wearing a look of disdain on her face. The look she wears when the prince silences her from reprimanding Cinderella at the end of the film is simply priceless. Put it on freeze frame. You'll laugh out loud. The king and queen are regal and genteel, played by veteran actors Walter Pidgeon and Ginger Rogers, and the kindly fairy godmother is beautifully portrayed by Celeste Holm.
I could watch this movie a hundred times - I probably have - and never get tired of it. "Ahhh-ahhh-ahhh!" (Little Mermaid again. Think Ariel getting her voice back from Ursula. Divine chorus. Can ya hear it? That is the sound of inspiration.)
~el fin~
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)