Cinderella Discussion

[estefan]

There's nothing too unusual about that. I only just recently watched The Rescuers and The Fox and the Hound for the first times.

[Flanger-Hanger]

There's nothing too unusual about that. I only just recently watched The Rescuers and The Fox and the Hound for the first times.

One would think those films are slightly more obscure than Cinderella.

But it doesn't matter if the poster has taken the time to see it now.

[UmbrellaFish]

Animated actors? That's odd to wrap one's head around.... I kind of don't know whether I'd like to see that or not.

Well, what are Mickey, Donald and Goofy other than animated actors? They play a different role in almost every other cartoon.

Well, yes I agree with that. But it's not exactly the same, either, because Mickey is always Mickey and Donald is always Donald, and so on, regardless as to what their character does, be they a bee keeper, a ghost catcher, whatever.

What I'm thinking of is black-haired, ivory-skinned Snow White taking over the heroine roles in Cinderella in 1950 as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty in 1959 as Aurora, Little Mermaid in 1989 as Ariel, and Beauty and the Beast in 1991 as Belle. Do you see what I mean?

On the other hand, it's an interesting concept, too. Imagine if animated characters could have garnered fan audiences like Bette Davis, Katharine Hepburn, etc. and a movie would be a "Snow White picture" or a "Pinocchio picture" because they're the main "stars".

But I doubt Walt ever really put too much thought into this concept, anyway.

[Disney Duster]

I am coming in very late to say Happy 60th Anniversary (it was Vaentine's Day!) to my favorite film of all time, Walt Disney's Cinderella!

Also, I was going to mention Walt's consideration of bringing Snow White and her animal friends into the film to be Cinderella and her animal friends in a critique I'm working on, to show the effort in Disney not doing that, and instead creating an all new, different heroine, as well as different animals and a whole different film.

Also, I recently discovered, that acording to the Disney archives, at least that I read from a pretty good sourse, that Cinderella's hair is burnt orange, and Aurora's hair was made golden blonde to differentiate her from Cinderella and Snow White. So Cinderella's not just blonde and blue-eyed, yay!

This makes sense in association with Cinderella's story. Her hair is orange like a pumpkin and burnt like ashes or cinders.

Also, many red-heads, and with up-do hair styles like Cinderella's at the ball no less, were popular back then, like Lucile Ball and even the animated Wilma Flinstone.

And has anyone ever heard of that "unwanted red-headed stepchild" saying? I looked, and apparently it's hard to figure out where that phrase came from or why it was made, but I guess red hair was widely disliked at some times. Though Anastasia has red hair, so...

I've recently looked around, and once again Cinderella's hair and costumes seem to come from the 17th century the tale was written in, and a just a little bit of the 19th century. I say it's supposed to be the 17th century, but it is a fairy tale and they decided to put some inspirations from other periods as well as their own original designs and creativity to make a unique fairy tale kingdom and clothing. Cinderella's hair evokes 17th century high-haired wigs and 19th century buns and 1950's up-dos. The architecture mostly seems more 17th century. But nothing in Cinderella can be pin-pointed to one exact time or place, being the mysterious magical tale it is.

Laslty wanted to say, because of the recent The Princess and the Frog, you know how Tiana works towards her dream? Well, Cinderella does to, at least for one point we can be sure of. She tells her stepmother she should be able to go to the ball, and she does chores to get to the ball, to get her dream. She fails this time, but then so did Tiana, and then it took a little magic with her hard work...

[pap64]

Sorry for bumping this very old thread, but I was watching videos at thatguywiththeglasses.com and was watching Nostalgia Chick's review of Ever After. While she focuses on the movie she discusses the Cinderella story as a whole, which includes a look at Enchanted as well as Disney's Cinderella. I am sure there are many diehards that would love to hear what she has to say about it:
http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videol ... ever-after

She also discusses the Disney Princess franchise as a whole in this video:
http://thatguywiththeglasses.com/videol ... 4707-ep021

[Disney Duster]

Thanks pap! I have to agree with that video a lot, I think that was very smart, and right, and well done! She even talked rather honestly and thoroughly about feminist looks at princess stories and feminism in general.

She even acknowledged Disney's Cinderella tries to be a little active and get what she wants! Horah! I think it touches on why I like Cinderella, she is a little of both passive and active.

And she also touched on why I don't accept Ever After as a proper telling of Cinderella, it changes things a lot and the glass slipper is merely a symbol. After saving herself, she just sees the Prince and goes "Hey, it's you", and it a great moment that he comes back to her, but as far as the importance of the Prince like in the original story, it's not there anymore.

Though I will be watching and enjoying Ever After soon as a I bought it's DVD recently!

However, even if it was for humour, she was rather missing some things in her harshness on some of Cinderella's attributes. Cinderella doesn't tell us what she wants because it is a secret. "If you tell a wish, it won't come true." And that's another reason I like Cinderella, I feel she does keep some secrets that perhaps get her what she wants more than we realize, or at the very least, she may have secrets that make her more than she appears on the surface...though I admit, like Nostalgia Chick said in the princess video, Cinderella was probably dreaming about being in a great place, dressed great, falling in love! The film suggests it in ways.

Oh, and even if the general archetype of Cinderella is "nice and pretty", if she was saying that's all Walt's was, she's wrong, most people admit Cinderella had at least some punch and personality. Walt created a specific Cinderella.

[pap64]

I don't think she was targeting just the Disney version, she was merely talking about how Cinderella the character's main traits is that she is pretty and nice. All tellings of the Cinderella story focuses on this aspect a lot, often to the point where she has no personality of her own.

[Lazario]

There's nothing too unusual about that. I only just recently watched The Rescuers and The Fox and the Hound for the first times.

One would think those films are slightly more obscure than Cinderella.

But with the Vault Moratorium thing... Rescuers and Fox are still in-print and Cinderella is much harder to find. Therefore, wouldn't it be easier for more people to be exposed to those films rather than Cinderella (where they'd have to go to either YouTube or the Library to get a copy of it)?

[Flanger-Hanger]

But with the Vault Moratorium thing... Rescuers and Fox are still in-print and Cinderella is much harder to find. Therefore, wouldn't it be easier for more people to be exposed to those films rather than Cinderella (where they'd have to go to either YouTube or the Library to get a copy of it)?

I would say no considering the amount of hype given to Cinderella when it does get released along with a strong merchandising brand tie-in, theme park representation, sing-along clips, compilation CDs etc.

The public is far more exposed to and constantly reminded of Cinderella than either Fox or Rescuers, despite those films currently still in print on DVD. They just don't get sold to the public in the same way Cinderella is.

[thesnakeguy]

New live version of Cinderella on the way?

http://thecelebritycafe.com/feature/ama ... 06-29-2010

[Escapay]

Live-action Cinderella discussed here:

Disney buys Cinderella live-action movie pitch

Glad to hear that Amanda Seyfried got the role. Been a fan of hers ever since her "All My Children" days when she played Joni Stafford, the girlfriend of Jamie Martin (played by pre-"Wildfire" Micah Alberti). Would be quite interesting if the role of Prince Charming went to Micah Alberti, thus reuniting the two former co-stars.

albert

[UmbrellaFish]

I like Amanda Seyfried, but I dunno... I was hoping for a less conventionally beautiful Cinderella, but I bet she can make it work.

[Atlantica]

She is an extremely talented singer, and as a bonus, her acting is good too !!

I'm glad she has got the role .... I was terrified it was going to go to some teeny bopper Disney Channel star. Glad they have decided to go with talent, rather than an extra promotion opportunity for one of their own.

[Disneykid]

Although I, like UmbrellaFish, would've liked to have seen the role go to someone who doesn't possess the stereotypical Cinderella look, I certainly won't complain. I really like Amanda Seyfried and know she'll give the role some real gravitas. It'll be interesting to see who'll make up the rest of the cast, especially if they're trying to make it an all-star one.

[Atlantica]

Dawn French as the Fairy Godmother

[Disney Duster]

MODS would you please, please put the Live-action Cinderella discussion in it's proper thead?


I was saving this for a while, thinking I'd put it in my huge critique of the film, but here it is from this site:

Later, Walt admitted to Ilene she was his favorite of the Disney heroines. She recalls, "Once I went into his office and he said to me, 'You're my favorite heroine, you know.' I said, 'You mean Cinderella?' 'Yes,' he said, 'there's something about that story I associate with.'

"I think it was the rags-to-riches tale," she says. "Of course, then I didn't know how many times Walt had risked it all to realize his dreams."

So if Walt identified with her, he couldn't have purposely made her sexist or passive, right? It is strange Cinderella doesn't seem to do much for her dreams, except dream and believe (which is something Walt believed got him his dreams, too!), but he did say "Snow White is a kind, simple little girl who believed in wishing and waiting for her Prince Charming to come along. On the other hand, Cinderella was more practical. She believed in dreams all right but she also believed in doing something about them. When the Prince Charming didn't come along, she went right over to the palace and got him."

And believing also got her dreams, as Walt did to get his.

[Super Aurora]

I was re-watching Cinderella, other night, and Of all the Disney heroine that became or are princesses, I have to say I find Cinderella probably the most mature and level headed of the bunch. Yes she did dream, but She, unlike Snow White and Aurora, didn't dream it and hope it'll come and appear for her. Actually when the prince announce ball, I think Cinderella took that perfect window opportunity as a chance to escape her servitude life. Duster point out one time that she also tend the ball as a party fun, not for romantic love. I think that's another reason too.

Cindy seems to be a smart woman in very subtle ways, where as Belle, yes smart, seems to have to have a book or some icon symbol that represent intelligence to tell audience that. I like to say Cindy is very street smart. So also has very mature attitude about things when dealing with the shit she puts up with from her step mother and sisters. Even though she gotten ridiculed by them, she didn't feel hopeless, or depress, or any other weak negativity. She was actually strong in mental mindset. I also like her sarcastic subtle humor when she wants to be, like when she mention the step sister's "singing"

If I had to say anyone who is most passive and submissive, it would be Snow White. Her naivety really enforce that. Aurora really didn't get much of chance display herself and basically her entire life is a lie. Eilonwry, Ariel, and Jasmine has shown some immaturity. Cindy is by no way naive or shown any immaturity. Only one close to matching her is Belle and Kida (though i maybe missing something out on her. I have to re watch it).

After watching Cinderella, I came to actually top her up to one of my favorite Disney character. Way to go Cindy.

[tsom]

I agree! I HATE when people say Cindy was just sitting down waiting to be rescued and Belle was the smartest because she reads books. As for the ball, Cinderella had NO intentions of landing the prince. Heck, she didn't even know she was dancing with the prince himself. She saw the ball as her opportunity to have some fun and see the palace for herself. It's probably the equivalent of going to the White House or Buckingham Palace! Her meeting the prince and becoming his wife was just an added bonus!

[pap64]

I agree! I HATE when people say Cindy was just sitting down waiting to be rescued and Belle was the smartest because she reads books. As for the ball, Cinderella had NO intentions of landing the prince. Heck, she didn't even know she was dancing with the prince himself. She saw the ball as her opportunity to have some fun and see the palace for herself. It's probably the equivalent of going to the White House or Buckingham Palace! Her meeting the prince and becoming his wife was just an added bonus!

This is what I think as well. She never wanted true love to come her way, just the opportunity to escape her daily routine, have fun and maybe even get closer to her step family. Love just came her way and she enjoyed (So this is love...).

I still love Belle and Tiana, but I agree that both are very over the top in terms of what they want and lack the subtlety that makes Cinderella a fascinating character.

[UmbrellaFish]

Oh, that's something about Disney's Cinderella that sets her apart from the other Cinderellas. She actually has a personality, and she's rather bright, too. Every time I watch the movie, I just find the character fascinating. Of course, she never speaks her authority, but when it comes to the animals, she does.

Now I want to watch the movie again, but I don't currently have it with me...