Lisa Dawn's Blog: The Princess Blog, page 24
June 6, 2023
"Be Pretty, Girls, and Things Might Work Out."
Just when I thought I'd put this discussion to rest, a New York Times article went viral a couple days ago that did a profile on , the main in charge of Disney's long-running slate of live-action remakes. According to the author of the article, Brooks Barnes, Bailey's remakes are "crucial to [Disney] remaining relevant" because the animated classics they cover "showcase ideas from another era" such as "Be pretty, girls, and things might work out." Really? That's all you got out of these inspirational works of art? Are we doing this again? It looks like we're doing this again.
Let's start with the next upcoming live-action remake, Snow White , starring . Some might argue that this movie is a good example of one that needs an update because so much of the story is focused on the protagonist's physical appearance. Is that really what saved her in the end? Nope. Not at all. In fact, the queen's jealous of Snow White's beauty is the very thing that caused her to nearly get killed by the huntsman and then run through the woods on a treacherous trek for her life. But it's okay. After that, the dwarfs and the prince found her and were so taken by her beauty that they took her in told her she'd never have to worry about the queen again, right? Wrong. She had to use her natural goodwill and kindness to convince her animal friends to bring her to safe haven where she needed to earn her keep with a little hard work, similar to a more modern Disney Princess that we know.
Because Barnes' article references this movie in a paragraph about emphasizing diversity, I can't resist wondering if he's trying to make some sort of dig towards people of color by saying they are replacing the "be pretty" message with diversity. I admit this may be a stretch, but saying both of these things in the same article could be interpreted as a claim that diverse people are less beautiful than the white princesses we've seen in older movies, which, of course, isn't true. That's just another reason that Bailey and the remake team need to start rethinking their messaging strategy.
But what about Cinderella? Didn't she get away from her stepfamily solely because the prince was charmed by her beauty, something that the live-action remake tried to correct? This is a harder one. Yes, the 1950 Disney animated classic did have the prince fall in love with her in a single night for seemingly very little reason other than her appearance, but that was not the final message of the movie. If it was, then marrying the prince would have been the only thing Cinderella did in the entire movie. Instead, it showed her day-to-day life doing chores for her family and taking their abuse with a monumental amount of self-control. It was her fortitude in remaining kind and gentle and never breaking down for so long that earned her the chance to become the graceful elegant woman at the ball instead of giving up and submitting to a life of misery. The moral of the story was perseverance, not being pretty, which I don't think is the moral of any story. Of course, there were plenty of other "Cinderella" adaptations that showed her getting to know the prince before the ball as well, so the remake was far from revolutionary.
The later generations of princesses were even more blatant in their feminist values, yet that didn't stop Disney from doing second-rate remakes of The Little Mermaid , Beauty and the Beast , Aladdin , and Mulan , claiming that these were more feminist than the originals. As someone who grew up with these animated films, I can attest that the original versions of the characters were just as inspirational, if not more so, than the ones from the remakes, particularly in the case of Mulan. All of the princesses from these movies saved their princes at some point in the original film. Ariel saved Eric from drowning. Belle broke the Beast's curse with the power of true love. Jasmine spoke out against he guards and Jafar for Aladdin's arrest. Mulan took an arrow for Shang. All of these characters were active players in their own story. People are entitled to like or dislike the remakes as they please, but the claim that they fix outdated gender roles from the originals is simply inaccurate.
Disney's live-action remakes continue to be a hotly debated topic, and the recent article on Sean Bailey only add fuel to the fire. While some may argue that remakes serve as an important means for Disney to remain relevant, there are concerns about the messages being portrayed, particularly regarding gender and beauty. However, it's important to note that the original versions of the animated classics were not without their own feminist values, and it's possible for the remakes to achieve both a nostalgic appeal and progressive messaging. At the end of the day, it's up to Disney to weigh the importance of both factors and make decisions that align with their values and audience. What do you think are some of the messages behind the original animated films? Let me know in the comments!
Let's start with the next upcoming live-action remake, Snow White , starring . Some might argue that this movie is a good example of one that needs an update because so much of the story is focused on the protagonist's physical appearance. Is that really what saved her in the end? Nope. Not at all. In fact, the queen's jealous of Snow White's beauty is the very thing that caused her to nearly get killed by the huntsman and then run through the woods on a treacherous trek for her life. But it's okay. After that, the dwarfs and the prince found her and were so taken by her beauty that they took her in told her she'd never have to worry about the queen again, right? Wrong. She had to use her natural goodwill and kindness to convince her animal friends to bring her to safe haven where she needed to earn her keep with a little hard work, similar to a more modern Disney Princess that we know.
Because Barnes' article references this movie in a paragraph about emphasizing diversity, I can't resist wondering if he's trying to make some sort of dig towards people of color by saying they are replacing the "be pretty" message with diversity. I admit this may be a stretch, but saying both of these things in the same article could be interpreted as a claim that diverse people are less beautiful than the white princesses we've seen in older movies, which, of course, isn't true. That's just another reason that Bailey and the remake team need to start rethinking their messaging strategy.
But what about Cinderella? Didn't she get away from her stepfamily solely because the prince was charmed by her beauty, something that the live-action remake tried to correct? This is a harder one. Yes, the 1950 Disney animated classic did have the prince fall in love with her in a single night for seemingly very little reason other than her appearance, but that was not the final message of the movie. If it was, then marrying the prince would have been the only thing Cinderella did in the entire movie. Instead, it showed her day-to-day life doing chores for her family and taking their abuse with a monumental amount of self-control. It was her fortitude in remaining kind and gentle and never breaking down for so long that earned her the chance to become the graceful elegant woman at the ball instead of giving up and submitting to a life of misery. The moral of the story was perseverance, not being pretty, which I don't think is the moral of any story. Of course, there were plenty of other "Cinderella" adaptations that showed her getting to know the prince before the ball as well, so the remake was far from revolutionary.
The later generations of princesses were even more blatant in their feminist values, yet that didn't stop Disney from doing second-rate remakes of The Little Mermaid , Beauty and the Beast , Aladdin , and Mulan , claiming that these were more feminist than the originals. As someone who grew up with these animated films, I can attest that the original versions of the characters were just as inspirational, if not more so, than the ones from the remakes, particularly in the case of Mulan. All of the princesses from these movies saved their princes at some point in the original film. Ariel saved Eric from drowning. Belle broke the Beast's curse with the power of true love. Jasmine spoke out against he guards and Jafar for Aladdin's arrest. Mulan took an arrow for Shang. All of these characters were active players in their own story. People are entitled to like or dislike the remakes as they please, but the claim that they fix outdated gender roles from the originals is simply inaccurate.
Disney's live-action remakes continue to be a hotly debated topic, and the recent article on Sean Bailey only add fuel to the fire. While some may argue that remakes serve as an important means for Disney to remain relevant, there are concerns about the messages being portrayed, particularly regarding gender and beauty. However, it's important to note that the original versions of the animated classics were not without their own feminist values, and it's possible for the remakes to achieve both a nostalgic appeal and progressive messaging. At the end of the day, it's up to Disney to weigh the importance of both factors and make decisions that align with their values and audience. What do you think are some of the messages behind the original animated films? Let me know in the comments!
June 4, 2023
Review: Saving Winter
After joining a review team for one of Rachel Huffmire's upcoming books, I decided to familiarize myself with her first series, The Mirror Chronicles. Unfortunately, the fourth book in the series was probably not the best place to start. Unlike many other fairy tale series I've read, Saving Winter does not work as a standalone at all. I've discovered in the past that the science fiction genre does not blend well with fairy tales, and this ARC was no exception. The book is loosely based on "The Snow Queen," but I found little similarity to it despite the quoted Hans Christian Andersen passages at the beginning of each chapter, which seemed out of place. Regardless of whether or not it followed the fairy tale, this was not a pleasant reading experience in general. While it could be because I didn't read the rest of the series, I found it exceedingly difficult to keep track of the characters and plot in this book.
This would normally be the place where I share a brief summary of the story, but I found Saving Winter so confusing that I'm not entirely sure I know what it was about. There was a lot of time travel, some rebellion, and many different characters to follow, none of whom I felt particularly attached to. I've said in other reviews that time travel plots can be tricky to handle, especially for fairy tale adaptations and this book was all over the place. At first, it seemed like it was about a character named Violette forming a rebellion against ITTA, an agency that is similar to the Time Bureau from Find Me in Paris, which is a rare example of a story that combines princesses and time travel in a compelling way, despite its many plot holes. This book is the polar opposite of Find Me in Paris. There was a great deal of effort spent fleshing out each timeline and the mechanics of the world and in doing so, the book left little room for the readers to care about the characters.
Partway through the book, it is revealed that an alternate version of Violette was formed as a result of her time travel escapades, and that version seems to represent the infamous Snow Queen. Closer to the end, the main character switches to a girl named Fleur, who is likely the Gerda character from the fairy tale. Fleur wants to rescue her friend Baigh, who probably represents Kai. This would have been well and good if Fleur and Baigh were more present at the beginning of the story to give readers a chance to care about them. However, they show up so late in the book that I barely knew who they were or why it was so important for her to save him from the evil version of Violette. Not only that, but it seemed like the good version of Violette had been all but forgotten at some point. Either that or she was actually someone else the whole time, and that wasn't very clear either. The whole book was so confusing that I rarely knew what was going on at any given time.
To be fair, I think that reading the first three books in The Mirror Chronicles may have alleviated some of my confusion with Saving Winter. Most series I've read where each book adapts a different fairy tale usually have different protagonists in each book, making the world easy to learn about from anywhere in the series. This series might be a rare exception to that rule. Even so, I found the world unnecessarily convoluted, and the emotional stakes were as cold as the Snow Queen herself, which I suppose was appropriate for such an adaptation. Each chapter of this book becomes progressively more confusing in terms of who to root for and what the characters' motivations are. If it hadn't been for the epitaphs of "The Snow Queen" between chapters, I would have had no idea it was based on a fairy tale.
Overall, Saving Winter by Rachel Huffmire left me feeling underwhelmed and disconnected. While the book follows a noble cause and contains some exciting moments, the confusing plot and lack of personality for the characters made it difficult for me to care about any of them. I think this book is meant as a reward for people who have enjoyed the first three books in the Mirror Chronicles as opposed to an introduction to this convoluted science fiction world. Despite its good intentions, I found myself struggling to stay engaged with the story throughout. While Saving Winter may have some redeeming qualities, I would caution readers to manage their expectations before diving in.
This would normally be the place where I share a brief summary of the story, but I found Saving Winter so confusing that I'm not entirely sure I know what it was about. There was a lot of time travel, some rebellion, and many different characters to follow, none of whom I felt particularly attached to. I've said in other reviews that time travel plots can be tricky to handle, especially for fairy tale adaptations and this book was all over the place. At first, it seemed like it was about a character named Violette forming a rebellion against ITTA, an agency that is similar to the Time Bureau from Find Me in Paris, which is a rare example of a story that combines princesses and time travel in a compelling way, despite its many plot holes. This book is the polar opposite of Find Me in Paris. There was a great deal of effort spent fleshing out each timeline and the mechanics of the world and in doing so, the book left little room for the readers to care about the characters.
Partway through the book, it is revealed that an alternate version of Violette was formed as a result of her time travel escapades, and that version seems to represent the infamous Snow Queen. Closer to the end, the main character switches to a girl named Fleur, who is likely the Gerda character from the fairy tale. Fleur wants to rescue her friend Baigh, who probably represents Kai. This would have been well and good if Fleur and Baigh were more present at the beginning of the story to give readers a chance to care about them. However, they show up so late in the book that I barely knew who they were or why it was so important for her to save him from the evil version of Violette. Not only that, but it seemed like the good version of Violette had been all but forgotten at some point. Either that or she was actually someone else the whole time, and that wasn't very clear either. The whole book was so confusing that I rarely knew what was going on at any given time.
To be fair, I think that reading the first three books in The Mirror Chronicles may have alleviated some of my confusion with Saving Winter. Most series I've read where each book adapts a different fairy tale usually have different protagonists in each book, making the world easy to learn about from anywhere in the series. This series might be a rare exception to that rule. Even so, I found the world unnecessarily convoluted, and the emotional stakes were as cold as the Snow Queen herself, which I suppose was appropriate for such an adaptation. Each chapter of this book becomes progressively more confusing in terms of who to root for and what the characters' motivations are. If it hadn't been for the epitaphs of "The Snow Queen" between chapters, I would have had no idea it was based on a fairy tale.
Overall, Saving Winter by Rachel Huffmire left me feeling underwhelmed and disconnected. While the book follows a noble cause and contains some exciting moments, the confusing plot and lack of personality for the characters made it difficult for me to care about any of them. I think this book is meant as a reward for people who have enjoyed the first three books in the Mirror Chronicles as opposed to an introduction to this convoluted science fiction world. Despite its good intentions, I found myself struggling to stay engaged with the story throughout. While Saving Winter may have some redeeming qualities, I would caution readers to manage their expectations before diving in.
May 30, 2023
Should Ariel Be Able to Write?
One of the most common complaints about Disney's The Little Mermaid that the new remake tried to "fix" is that after Ariel demonstrated she could write by signing her name on Ursula's contract, she never used this method to communicate with Eric when she was mute. In an interview on TikTok, director said that in order to fix this "plot hole," he "wanted to eliminate the whole idea that she can write at all." Instead of signing a scroll, she plucks a scale from her scale to seal the deal with Ursula, giving her no other way to reveal her identity when she meets Prince Eric. The popular YouTube account HISHE (How It Should Have Ended) played with this idea in their recent video, in which Ariel scrawls her entire story to Eric in the sand the moment she meets him on the beach. Even novel adaptations of the fairy tale have incorporated this method of communication for the voiceless mermaid. Is it true that no one who worked on the original 1989 movie thought of this? The answer may surprise you.
As some of you may recall, one of the newest items in my collection is The Little Mermaid: The Full Film Script from Canterbury Classics. This is more than just the screenplay of the movie. It contains concept art, interviews, production details, and, most notably, the original story treatment that was written by in 1985. For those of you who are unfamiliar with screenwriting, a treatment is a broad two-page summary of a movie that is used as a jumping off point to outline the finer details that will eventually evolve into a hundred-or-so-page script. The original treatment for a film is rarely the exact same story used in the movie by the time a screenplay is completed. Expanding upon each scene for the full-length script inevitably creates story problems that need to be fixed by adjusting various elements of the plot. Therefore, it's no surprise that the ending that was summarized in this treatment was vastly different from the one we saw in the completed film. However, one particular element of it stood out to me that I've never seen anyone use as a defense of this popular plot hole argument.
In the original treatment, Ariel writes a letter to Prince Eric that becomes a major plot point leading up to the film's climax, which was a lot more similar to The Swan Princess or Beauty and the Beast than the ending that we ended up with. Some defenders of this plot hole may still argue that Ariel waited too long to write the letter, but if you consider that she only had three days to get Eric to fall in love with her and spent the first day finding her bearings as a human and adjusting to life in Eric's castle, it makes sense that she wouldn't have gotten a chance to sit down, find a writing utensil, and begin penning a letter until the second night, which was when Vanessa entranced Eric. Not only that, but does anyone honestly believes that Eric finding a letter would have been a more exciting climax than the one we got? All Eric needed to figure out that Ariel was the one who saved him was to listen to her voice one time. After she transforms back into a mermaid, reading the letter seems like an extraneous detail that detracts from the action of movie's riveting third act. According to the book, the thrilling climax in which Ursula grows into a giant monster and creates a huge storm was due to 's complaint that the original ending wasn't exciting enough. Even though I'll never forgive him for trying to cut "Part of Your World," he at least had the good sense to realize a letter wasn't very cinematic.
This treatment wasn't the only time that a letter had been incorporated into the Disney version of "The Little Mermaid." The 2003 coffee table book Once Upon a Princess featured diary entries from various Disney Princess characters and included a passage in which Ariel was considering writing a letter to Eric that revealed her identity the day she learned he was going to marry Vanessa, like in the original treatment. However, she decides against it because writing that she was a mermaid under a spell just didn't seem very believable compared to seeing it for himself when the spell broke. And you know what? I think she was right. Imagine if she wrote that to him the first day he met her on the beach. He'd probably think she swallowed a little too much seawater. Plus, giving Eric the opportunity to spend quality time with Ariel without knowing she was under a spell gave him the chance to fall in love with her organically instead of trying to help her fulfill a deal. This is something that was emphasized even more in the live-action remake, regardless of whether or not she had been able to write. Ursula clearly states that Eric must give Ariel "not just any kiss," but "the kiss of true love," which is something that could have only happened after he spent time with her, and not as a result of reading a letter.
What do you think? Does Ariel's ability to write create a plot hole, or would it have no major impact on the story? I personally don't think it makes much of a difference because Eric still needed to fall in love with her for who she was and not just because she was the girl who saved him. He already suspected her true identity several times upon meeting her, and the way that it is ultimately confirmed for him is far more cinematic than reading a letter would have been. Having Ariel sign a contract made more sense in the animated film because it showed that she was aware of and agreed to Ursula's terms, unlike the remake, which makes her forget the terms of the deal right after the spell is cast.
May 28, 2023
Review: The Seven Years Princess
The Seven Years Princess by Brittany Fichter is one that had been on my reading list for a while. After reading several of Brittany's other books, I knew to expect a dark fantasy romance with religious undertones. In this case, however, I was not very familiar with the fairy tale it was based on. So I pulled out my fancy Brothers Grimm anthology and took a few minutes to learn the story of "Maid Maleen." It is about a girl who was imprisoned for seven years after falling in love with a prince and left her tower to find that everything she knew had been destroyed. As soon as I finished it, I said to myself "Yup, that sounds like a Brittany Fichter story." Her adaptations tend to be darker than most, so this seemed like the perfect fairy tale for her to expand upon.
Ever since she was a little girl, Princess Maleen took a liking to Prince Roburts, who belonged to an enemy kingdom. The one person who she could never tell about this forbidden romance was her uncle, who ruled her kingdom with an iron fist. One day, she would come of age to take over the throne and make her own decisions, but that day was far in the future. Her secret remained safely under wraps until Maleen realized how determined her uncle was to start a war and made a public impromptu announcement about her betrothal to the prince, hoping it would end the struggle between the two kingdoms. Instead, her uncle was so enraged by this announcement that sentenced her to imprisonment in an isolated tower for seven years until she came of age. Maleen was not alone in this tower. A servant named Jalyna was trapped with her to take care of the princess during these lonely years, but it turned out to be very much the opposite as Maleen was forced to do her best to make sure Jalyna didn't starve herself to death from despair.
Many of Brittany Fichter's earlier adaptations change certain details about the story to expand upon the world so it matches her darker style of storytelling. This story was already dark enough that she didn't need to change much, which served as both an advantage and a disadvantage. There were just enough additional details for Maleen's relationship with Roburts to feel genuine and to understand the intent behind Maleen being locked up for so long. Yet, the seven years passed by so quickly in the book that it was difficult to understand why neither Maleen nor Roburts could find a way to get her out of the tower any sooner. Though the book elaborates a bit upon both of their attempts to add a sense of realism to the story, they don't seem to be seven years worth of attempts, which is a very long time to try to accomplish something. It seemed like it only took seven years because that's what the fairy tale said it would take as well as when Maleen would come of age. I like that she was a more active character in this adaptation, but doing so took away from the believability of how long it took her to escape.
Ever since she was a little girl, Princess Maleen took a liking to Prince Roburts, who belonged to an enemy kingdom. The one person who she could never tell about this forbidden romance was her uncle, who ruled her kingdom with an iron fist. One day, she would come of age to take over the throne and make her own decisions, but that day was far in the future. Her secret remained safely under wraps until Maleen realized how determined her uncle was to start a war and made a public impromptu announcement about her betrothal to the prince, hoping it would end the struggle between the two kingdoms. Instead, her uncle was so enraged by this announcement that sentenced her to imprisonment in an isolated tower for seven years until she came of age. Maleen was not alone in this tower. A servant named Jalyna was trapped with her to take care of the princess during these lonely years, but it turned out to be very much the opposite as Maleen was forced to do her best to make sure Jalyna didn't starve herself to death from despair.
Many of Brittany Fichter's earlier adaptations change certain details about the story to expand upon the world so it matches her darker style of storytelling. This story was already dark enough that she didn't need to change much, which served as both an advantage and a disadvantage. There were just enough additional details for Maleen's relationship with Roburts to feel genuine and to understand the intent behind Maleen being locked up for so long. Yet, the seven years passed by so quickly in the book that it was difficult to understand why neither Maleen nor Roburts could find a way to get her out of the tower any sooner. Though the book elaborates a bit upon both of their attempts to add a sense of realism to the story, they don't seem to be seven years worth of attempts, which is a very long time to try to accomplish something. It seemed like it only took seven years because that's what the fairy tale said it would take as well as when Maleen would come of age. I like that she was a more active character in this adaptation, but doing so took away from the believability of how long it took her to escape.
The other aspect of the story that was harder to swallow was the love triangle that Maleen found herself in upon escaping. In the fairy tale, the prince's new bride forces Maleen to switch places with her because she does not know that Maleen is his former lover and doesn't want the world to see how ugly she is. Here, Priscilla knows exactly who Maleen is and uses her powers to make Maleen look like her and marry Roburts in her place because she does not want him to discover that she was tainted by dark magic. Even though Maleen asks her why she can't use magic on herself and marry him, the explanation she gives doesn't make that much sense. Much of this is attributed more to the original fairy tale than this specific adaptation, though. It seems odd that any bride would want to manipulate a former lover of her betrothed into marrying him in her place and then get angry about the two actually being in love after their nuptials. Brittany did the best she could in making sense out of the material she had to work with, and I appreciate how faithful she was to the original fairy tale while adding just enough new content to flesh out the world and characters.
The Seven Years Princess fits perfectly into Brittany Fichter's unique collection of dark fairy tale retellings. There could not have been a better story to match her writing style than "Maid Maleen." I will surely remember this obscure Brothers Grimm fairy tale for years to come thanks to this book. It does an excellent job of developing the characters and allows us to experience their long struggle for freedom, love, and peace among their kingdoms. However, the book struggles to explain away some of the more confusing elements of the fairy tale that may make it difficult for readers to fully suspend their disbelief. I recommend this story to people who enjoy darker fairy tale adaptations and are looking for a story that hasn't already been retold a million times.
May 27, 2023
Story Saturday: The Magician and the Maid
"The Magician and the Maid"
Once upon a time, there was a lady's maid named Edna who worked at the palace. Every day, she would tend to fine ladies in beautiful gowns of shimmering satin and silk and dream of wearing one herself. She was so obsessed with this dream that she often sneaked into the closet of the princess and tried on her dresses when she was away. One day, the princess came back early from a riding lesson and caught Edna admiring herself in one of her fine dresses in the mirror. She threw a huge fit and nearly got Edna kicked out of the castle. The king thought it would be a more suitable punishment to lower her rank to that of a scullery maid. Now, Edna had to spend her days and nights scrubbing floors and chamber pots, watching the fine ladies living out the life she dreamed of from a distance.
One day, the king hired a traveling magician to create fireworks for a grand ball to celebrate the princess's coming of age. Edna had been working as a scullery maid for well over a year and hadn't been able to see such a grand event even from a distance in quite some time. It hurt her heart to be so close to the life she wanted and yet so far away. In fact, the princess was so concerned about Edna causing trouble that she ordered her to spend the entire event cleaning the dust from the attic in the tallest tower of the castle, as far away from the ballroom as she could possibly get.
As the sun set, Edna looked out from the tower and admired the festive banners and lanterns that had been placed in front of the castle like a glistening garden of color and light. Horses pulled ornate carriages that looked like miniatures from such a great distance. Edna wondered what it would be like to ride in one of them. Suddenly, she became so startled by the sound of approaching footsteps that she nearly dropped her sponge out the high window. Had the princess or the king come to check on her? Surely they would be too busy greeting their guests for the ball at this time. An unfamiliar voice greeted her in the doorway.
"I didn't mean to startle you. I just needed to find a high enough spot to see where to release the fireworks for tonight."
It was the magician the king had hired. Edna was surprised that he was quite handsome and didn't have the customary long white beard that she was used to seeing on wizards.
"It's all right," she said. "It's just that no one usually comes up here."
"I'll leave you to your work then."
"Wait."
Edna held her breath as he turned to face her. She wasn't expecting to cry, but having someone to talk to on such a lonely evening made the tears pour out.
"Maybe you can help me," she sobbed.
She explained to him how she dreamed of wearing a beautiful gown and attending one of the glittering events that she had spent her life watching from a distance. The magician was so moved by her words that he decided to help her. With a wave of his wand, her rags transformed into a lovely gown, and her hair color changed to an unrecognizable auburn. Now she could go to the gala without fear of being recognized.
Edna was elated. "May I know the name of the man who has made all my dreams come true?" she asked.
The magician told her his name was Carlisle.
"Will you be attending the festival, Carlisle? They only need fireworks at the beginning and end of the ceremony."
"I usually just watch these events from a distance like yourself, my lady," he responded. "There's no point in getting attached when I'm always traveling from town to town."
"After all you've done, the least you could do is allow me the honor of dancing with you."
"I suppose one dance couldn't hurt."
Edna had the greatest night of her life pretending to be noble and dancing with Carslisle in her shimmering gown. In fact, they were having such a good time together that they forgot about releasing the fireworks when the princess presented herself to the court. The king was outraged. He tracked down the magician and found him deep in conversation with Edna.
"We paid good money to make sure this night went off without a hitch for my daughter!" the king shouted. "Who is this hussy that has distracted you from your duties?"
Unfortunately, the force of the king's words caused Carlisle to accidentally release the spell he had on Edna. For the briefest moment, her hair returned to its mousy brown hue, and the blue gradient of her dress melted into her brown work rags.
"Father, that's the maid who tried to steal my clothes!" squealed the princess.
"It seems that the life of a scullery made was not punishment enough for you," said the king. "I want you both to leave this kingdom and never return!"
As Edna's disguise wore off, the tears that she thought had vanished with the spell returned. She ran down the hall sobbing with Carlisle close behind her.
"Don't be sad, Edna," he said. "No one's ever noticed me before the way you have. You may not have been born noble, but to me, you are a princess. I know it seems bad, but maybe being banished could be the best thing that ever happened to you. You deserve better than to let the king and princess treat you that way. Come with me, and we can attend all sorts of galas in kingdoms all over the world. Won't you consider it?"
Edna brushed away her tears and looked deep into Carlisle's eyes, seeing the sincerity in his words. She realized that she was also in love with him, and the life that he suggested sounded so much better than that of a scullery maid.
She paused for what felt like a lifetime and then nodded.
"Yes," she said, "I'll come with you."
Carlisle waved his wand to release the long-delayed fireworks, and then Edna shared a kiss with him as the colors exploded above them. The two spent the rest of their lives traveling from kingdom to kingdom and lived happily ever after.
Once upon a time, there was a lady's maid named Edna who worked at the palace. Every day, she would tend to fine ladies in beautiful gowns of shimmering satin and silk and dream of wearing one herself. She was so obsessed with this dream that she often sneaked into the closet of the princess and tried on her dresses when she was away. One day, the princess came back early from a riding lesson and caught Edna admiring herself in one of her fine dresses in the mirror. She threw a huge fit and nearly got Edna kicked out of the castle. The king thought it would be a more suitable punishment to lower her rank to that of a scullery maid. Now, Edna had to spend her days and nights scrubbing floors and chamber pots, watching the fine ladies living out the life she dreamed of from a distance.
One day, the king hired a traveling magician to create fireworks for a grand ball to celebrate the princess's coming of age. Edna had been working as a scullery maid for well over a year and hadn't been able to see such a grand event even from a distance in quite some time. It hurt her heart to be so close to the life she wanted and yet so far away. In fact, the princess was so concerned about Edna causing trouble that she ordered her to spend the entire event cleaning the dust from the attic in the tallest tower of the castle, as far away from the ballroom as she could possibly get.
As the sun set, Edna looked out from the tower and admired the festive banners and lanterns that had been placed in front of the castle like a glistening garden of color and light. Horses pulled ornate carriages that looked like miniatures from such a great distance. Edna wondered what it would be like to ride in one of them. Suddenly, she became so startled by the sound of approaching footsteps that she nearly dropped her sponge out the high window. Had the princess or the king come to check on her? Surely they would be too busy greeting their guests for the ball at this time. An unfamiliar voice greeted her in the doorway.
"I didn't mean to startle you. I just needed to find a high enough spot to see where to release the fireworks for tonight."
It was the magician the king had hired. Edna was surprised that he was quite handsome and didn't have the customary long white beard that she was used to seeing on wizards.
"It's all right," she said. "It's just that no one usually comes up here."
"I'll leave you to your work then."
"Wait."
Edna held her breath as he turned to face her. She wasn't expecting to cry, but having someone to talk to on such a lonely evening made the tears pour out.
"Maybe you can help me," she sobbed.
She explained to him how she dreamed of wearing a beautiful gown and attending one of the glittering events that she had spent her life watching from a distance. The magician was so moved by her words that he decided to help her. With a wave of his wand, her rags transformed into a lovely gown, and her hair color changed to an unrecognizable auburn. Now she could go to the gala without fear of being recognized.
Edna was elated. "May I know the name of the man who has made all my dreams come true?" she asked.
The magician told her his name was Carlisle.
"Will you be attending the festival, Carlisle? They only need fireworks at the beginning and end of the ceremony."
"I usually just watch these events from a distance like yourself, my lady," he responded. "There's no point in getting attached when I'm always traveling from town to town."
"After all you've done, the least you could do is allow me the honor of dancing with you."
"I suppose one dance couldn't hurt."
Edna had the greatest night of her life pretending to be noble and dancing with Carslisle in her shimmering gown. In fact, they were having such a good time together that they forgot about releasing the fireworks when the princess presented herself to the court. The king was outraged. He tracked down the magician and found him deep in conversation with Edna.
"We paid good money to make sure this night went off without a hitch for my daughter!" the king shouted. "Who is this hussy that has distracted you from your duties?"
Unfortunately, the force of the king's words caused Carlisle to accidentally release the spell he had on Edna. For the briefest moment, her hair returned to its mousy brown hue, and the blue gradient of her dress melted into her brown work rags.
"Father, that's the maid who tried to steal my clothes!" squealed the princess.
"It seems that the life of a scullery made was not punishment enough for you," said the king. "I want you both to leave this kingdom and never return!"
As Edna's disguise wore off, the tears that she thought had vanished with the spell returned. She ran down the hall sobbing with Carlisle close behind her.
"Don't be sad, Edna," he said. "No one's ever noticed me before the way you have. You may not have been born noble, but to me, you are a princess. I know it seems bad, but maybe being banished could be the best thing that ever happened to you. You deserve better than to let the king and princess treat you that way. Come with me, and we can attend all sorts of galas in kingdoms all over the world. Won't you consider it?"
Edna brushed away her tears and looked deep into Carlisle's eyes, seeing the sincerity in his words. She realized that she was also in love with him, and the life that he suggested sounded so much better than that of a scullery maid.
She paused for what felt like a lifetime and then nodded.
"Yes," she said, "I'll come with you."
Carlisle waved his wand to release the long-delayed fireworks, and then Edna shared a kiss with him as the colors exploded above them. The two spent the rest of their lives traveling from kingdom to kingdom and lived happily ever after.
May 26, 2023
Review: The Little Mermaid (Live-Action 2023)
Disney's 1989 animated classic The Little Mermaid is a movie that means so much to so many people, myself included. It inspired children to chase after their dreams, encouraged future ingenues to pursue musical theater, pioneered the Disney Renaissance, started the trend of mermaiding, got the general public interested in animation, had a huge impact on the lgbt community, and held a universal appeal to dreamers everywhere. It is not only my favorite Disney movie, but my favorite movie of all time. If there was one film I didn't want to see suffer from Disney's live-action remake syndrome, it was this one. Even though I knew it would never live up to the original because nothing ever could, I went in with high hopes that it would at least capture the spirit of the story for a new generation of audiences. And I am so pleased to inform all of you, my lovely readers, that it did.
Back in 2019 when Disney first announced the casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel, the internet tried to turn the adaptation of this beloved classic into a race war, but that was never what this movie was supposed to be. Seeing it yesterday only proved that to me. It's the story of a beautiful princess who is passionate about exploring the world beyond her shallow reef and fiercely defending the differences of a parallel species that those around her refuse to accept. Halle perfectly captured the innocence and passion of Ariel's character in a way that few others could. Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric was the ideal match for her with a script that made him just as passionate about the world beneath the waves as Ariel was about the world above them. His new song "Wild Uncharted Waters" comes at just the right time in the movie to mirror "Part of Your World" and allow us to see that this couple is meant to be together against all the odds that separate their two worlds.
Many of the recent Disney remakes add unnecessary padding that slows the movies down, which was a concern here because this movie that has an hour longer runtime than the original that it's based on. That extra hour severely bogged down the Broadway version of the story and later needed to be retooled when it was licensed for schools and community theaters. In this version, I was so enthralled with Ariel's journey that I didn't even notice the extra hour and was surprised by how soon the credits began to roll. Each scene was strategically placed to drive the story forward and take a transformative journey alongside Ariel as she discovers what it means to be human. This journey was just as visual as it was spiritual with an underwater world that was created using all sorts of modern technology including CGI, harnesses, and blue screens. Halle was trained by synchronized swimmers to learn how to move gracefully in the harness to create the illusion of being underwater, which she pulled off flawlessly. Though the world wasn't quite as whimsical as its animated counterpart, it created a believable undersea setting more effectively than many of its predecessors about mermaid princesses.
There was some controversy about the changes between this movie and the 1989 classic, and I was pleased to find that those changes were few and far between, unlike the egregious prequel novel, which was contradicted a few times even in this movie. The lyric changes in "Kiss the Girl" and "Poor Unfortunate Souls" were barely even noticeable. The strangest and most unnecessary change was a memory spell that Ursula cast on Ariel so she would forget that she needed a kiss to break the spell. This didn't really affect in the plot because she was already in love with Eric and wouldn't have been opposed to a kiss either way, so I'm not sure why they bothered with it. I was expecting some sort of visual effect to show Ariel forgetting about the kiss when Sebastian reminded her later like how Eric's eyes glowed when he met Vanessa, but I think the artists forgot to include this to really drive the point home, making it a forgettable detail.
Some of the more disappointing changes include the lack of costumes for Ariel as a human and the smaller role for her sisters, which made the new names and designs even more questionable. Ariel wore the same blue dress for practically the entire time she was human, which seemed unfair compared to the many beautiful costumes that Princess Jasmine got for the Aladdin remake. Even the pink dress she wore at the end looked like the same design as the blue dress in a different color. The removal of the concert from the beginning of the movie was particularly noticeable because the "Coral Moon festival" where Triton met with his daughters felt like a minor social gathering compared to the grandeur of the "Daughters of Triton" concert that Sebastian conducted in the original. Sebastian and Triton treated Ariel like she had missed a major event, but the movie never explained the "Protector" lore from the tie-in books, so it wasn't clear why the royal family only met once a year and couldn't catch up at another time like later in the movie when they got together to help each other clean up a shipwreck.
While it might not compare to the movie that launched the Disney Renaissance and inspired an entire generation to chase after their dreams against all odds, 2023's The Little Mermaid is a solid film that is thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end. Unlike with "Cinderella" and "Snow White," there are so few live-action adaptations of "The Little Mermaid" that the world needed desperately needed one that was done right, especially one as inclusive as this. As much as I love the Disney version of this story, I'm a little disappointed the Universal Pictures and Working Pictures adaptations of the fairy tale were both cancelled, possibly due to not being able to compete with Disney. I appreciated the Hans Christian Andersen quote that Disney included at the beginning of this remake, but I don't think the specific quote they used applies to the Disney version, which made it seem out of place. Have you seen the new Little Mermaid yet? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Back in 2019 when Disney first announced the casting of Halle Bailey as Ariel, the internet tried to turn the adaptation of this beloved classic into a race war, but that was never what this movie was supposed to be. Seeing it yesterday only proved that to me. It's the story of a beautiful princess who is passionate about exploring the world beyond her shallow reef and fiercely defending the differences of a parallel species that those around her refuse to accept. Halle perfectly captured the innocence and passion of Ariel's character in a way that few others could. Jonah Hauer-King as Prince Eric was the ideal match for her with a script that made him just as passionate about the world beneath the waves as Ariel was about the world above them. His new song "Wild Uncharted Waters" comes at just the right time in the movie to mirror "Part of Your World" and allow us to see that this couple is meant to be together against all the odds that separate their two worlds.
Many of the recent Disney remakes add unnecessary padding that slows the movies down, which was a concern here because this movie that has an hour longer runtime than the original that it's based on. That extra hour severely bogged down the Broadway version of the story and later needed to be retooled when it was licensed for schools and community theaters. In this version, I was so enthralled with Ariel's journey that I didn't even notice the extra hour and was surprised by how soon the credits began to roll. Each scene was strategically placed to drive the story forward and take a transformative journey alongside Ariel as she discovers what it means to be human. This journey was just as visual as it was spiritual with an underwater world that was created using all sorts of modern technology including CGI, harnesses, and blue screens. Halle was trained by synchronized swimmers to learn how to move gracefully in the harness to create the illusion of being underwater, which she pulled off flawlessly. Though the world wasn't quite as whimsical as its animated counterpart, it created a believable undersea setting more effectively than many of its predecessors about mermaid princesses.
There was some controversy about the changes between this movie and the 1989 classic, and I was pleased to find that those changes were few and far between, unlike the egregious prequel novel, which was contradicted a few times even in this movie. The lyric changes in "Kiss the Girl" and "Poor Unfortunate Souls" were barely even noticeable. The strangest and most unnecessary change was a memory spell that Ursula cast on Ariel so she would forget that she needed a kiss to break the spell. This didn't really affect in the plot because she was already in love with Eric and wouldn't have been opposed to a kiss either way, so I'm not sure why they bothered with it. I was expecting some sort of visual effect to show Ariel forgetting about the kiss when Sebastian reminded her later like how Eric's eyes glowed when he met Vanessa, but I think the artists forgot to include this to really drive the point home, making it a forgettable detail.
Some of the more disappointing changes include the lack of costumes for Ariel as a human and the smaller role for her sisters, which made the new names and designs even more questionable. Ariel wore the same blue dress for practically the entire time she was human, which seemed unfair compared to the many beautiful costumes that Princess Jasmine got for the Aladdin remake. Even the pink dress she wore at the end looked like the same design as the blue dress in a different color. The removal of the concert from the beginning of the movie was particularly noticeable because the "Coral Moon festival" where Triton met with his daughters felt like a minor social gathering compared to the grandeur of the "Daughters of Triton" concert that Sebastian conducted in the original. Sebastian and Triton treated Ariel like she had missed a major event, but the movie never explained the "Protector" lore from the tie-in books, so it wasn't clear why the royal family only met once a year and couldn't catch up at another time like later in the movie when they got together to help each other clean up a shipwreck.
While it might not compare to the movie that launched the Disney Renaissance and inspired an entire generation to chase after their dreams against all odds, 2023's The Little Mermaid is a solid film that is thoroughly enjoyable from beginning to end. Unlike with "Cinderella" and "Snow White," there are so few live-action adaptations of "The Little Mermaid" that the world needed desperately needed one that was done right, especially one as inclusive as this. As much as I love the Disney version of this story, I'm a little disappointed the Universal Pictures and Working Pictures adaptations of the fairy tale were both cancelled, possibly due to not being able to compete with Disney. I appreciated the Hans Christian Andersen quote that Disney included at the beginning of this remake, but I don't think the specific quote they used applies to the Disney version, which made it seem out of place. Have you seen the new Little Mermaid yet? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
May 23, 2023
Review: A FairyTale Is Born (The Swan Princess 11)
Promoted on Sony's website as "Part One of the thrilling conclusion to the Swan Princess series," The Swan Princess: A FairyTale Is Born marks the 11th film in the franchise since The Swan Princess came out in 1994, meaning it is expected to end with a total of 12 movies. That's still not as many as
The Land Before Time
, but it's close! With all the experience that Richard Rich and his team have making Swan Princess films, they had plenty of time to hone their skills with animation and plot development, which is why the last few movies have not been as nightmarish as some of the earlier CGI ones. This movie serves as a nice homage to its roots as a partial prequel that ties up any loose ends long-time fans of the series may have had about Queen Uberta's origins and the absence of Odette's mother and Derek's father along with some nostalgic orchestrations of memorable songs from the original film.
Do you ever get the feeling that you've just seen the entire movie after watching a trailer? When it comes to the trailer for The Swan Princess: A FairyTale Is Born, that is practically the case. The trailer for this film contained scenes from every part of it, including the beginning, middle, and end. What's good about that is that I knew exactly what to expect from this film. What's bad is that I was rarely surprised. Just like in the trailer, the film starts with a peasant Uberta living a quiet life in the village with her husband, Maximilian, when she is informed that her distant relative passed away, making her the queen. The movie then cuts to a song that is featured in the trailer in which Uberta must learn how to be a queen. It is there that Odette's parents, King William and Queen Aubrey, befriend her and help her gain the confidence she needs to reign. This was a nice touch that foreshadows the eventual alliance that Uberta and William form an alliance over their children, but it wasn't very clear why Aubrey wanted her to succeed so much aside from obvious plot reasons. I would have loved to see them bond over a shared interest that caused them to become such good friends.
One element of the film that was not included in the trailer was the development of Derek's father, King Maximilian. Maximilian was a fantastic character with a beautifully written backstory that was equal parts tragic and heroic. As someone who grew up on the shadier side of the kingdom with no royalty in his bloodline, he was a humble king who stood up for the poorer people of the kingdom. He believed in second chances for those who had to stoop to criminal acts for survival and providing employment to those in need. It's no wonder Uberta fell for him despite her diametrically opposed uptight nature. It was these well-meaning intentions that ultimately led to his tragic downfall. The only thing about bugged me about Maximilian was how sloppily he dressed as the king. After an entire song and dance about how important it was to put on proper appearances after Uberta became queen, none of the servants who propped up her gown and hair seemed to bother with Maximilian's disheveled crown and shabby clothing. I get that his character design was meant to be indicative of his humble roots, but with an entire staff of servants at their disposal, how is it possible that not even one noticed him going out in public like that?
Another thing that surprised me about this movie was that it took a full hour before Odette and Derek appeared in their present time period. From the trailer, I was expecting time jumps between the past and present, but the movie was a lot more fluid, focusing on Uberta for the first two-thirds and Odette and Derek for the final third. Their story was the least interesting part of the film. After Uberta decides to retire as queen to become a full-time singer, something that was foreshadowed in the previous movie, A Royal Wedding, she decides to plan a big coronation for Odette and Derek. That's pretty much it. That's their whole story. While the trailer made it look like Odette summoned her mother's ghost through some sort of magic, it turned out to be a rushed fantasy portion of a song she sang about feeling anxious for her coronation. If it wasn't for a line that Odette gave at the end of the movie, I would have thought the sequence with her mother took place entirely in her head. I'm still not sure it didn't. The movie ends with a nice montage of clips from other films in the franchise followed by a foreboding "To Be Continued." Thankfully, like Kingdom of Music , which ended the same way, it did not leave us with a frustrating cliffhanger. That was just the filmmakers' way of letting us know there is still another movie on the way.
As the second to last movie in the Swan Princess franchise, A FairyTale Is Born contains a lot of easter eggs for fans who have been following the films from the beginning. It even had a reference to the original "Swan Lake" fairy tale when Uberta suggested Sigfried as a possible name for Prince Derek. While not perfect, the movie was a love letter to fans that provided all the things they've wanted over the years such as learning what happened to Odette's mother and Derek's father and how their destiny would be fulfilled as heirs to the kingdom. My favorite part was learning Maximilian's story. I found him to be a fascinating character and wished we could have spent more time with him (and that one of the servants had taken a minute to fix his outfit). Odette's mother was more generic, so I wish they had given her more of a personality as well. Odette and Derek's adopted daughter, Alise, and her betrothed, Lucas, were also in the film, but only briefly I assume that since this movie focused so much on the past, the finale will focus more on their future as the new heirs to the kingdom. What are your expectations for the final movie in the Swan Princess franchise? Let me know in the comments!
Do you ever get the feeling that you've just seen the entire movie after watching a trailer? When it comes to the trailer for The Swan Princess: A FairyTale Is Born, that is practically the case. The trailer for this film contained scenes from every part of it, including the beginning, middle, and end. What's good about that is that I knew exactly what to expect from this film. What's bad is that I was rarely surprised. Just like in the trailer, the film starts with a peasant Uberta living a quiet life in the village with her husband, Maximilian, when she is informed that her distant relative passed away, making her the queen. The movie then cuts to a song that is featured in the trailer in which Uberta must learn how to be a queen. It is there that Odette's parents, King William and Queen Aubrey, befriend her and help her gain the confidence she needs to reign. This was a nice touch that foreshadows the eventual alliance that Uberta and William form an alliance over their children, but it wasn't very clear why Aubrey wanted her to succeed so much aside from obvious plot reasons. I would have loved to see them bond over a shared interest that caused them to become such good friends.
One element of the film that was not included in the trailer was the development of Derek's father, King Maximilian. Maximilian was a fantastic character with a beautifully written backstory that was equal parts tragic and heroic. As someone who grew up on the shadier side of the kingdom with no royalty in his bloodline, he was a humble king who stood up for the poorer people of the kingdom. He believed in second chances for those who had to stoop to criminal acts for survival and providing employment to those in need. It's no wonder Uberta fell for him despite her diametrically opposed uptight nature. It was these well-meaning intentions that ultimately led to his tragic downfall. The only thing about bugged me about Maximilian was how sloppily he dressed as the king. After an entire song and dance about how important it was to put on proper appearances after Uberta became queen, none of the servants who propped up her gown and hair seemed to bother with Maximilian's disheveled crown and shabby clothing. I get that his character design was meant to be indicative of his humble roots, but with an entire staff of servants at their disposal, how is it possible that not even one noticed him going out in public like that?
Another thing that surprised me about this movie was that it took a full hour before Odette and Derek appeared in their present time period. From the trailer, I was expecting time jumps between the past and present, but the movie was a lot more fluid, focusing on Uberta for the first two-thirds and Odette and Derek for the final third. Their story was the least interesting part of the film. After Uberta decides to retire as queen to become a full-time singer, something that was foreshadowed in the previous movie, A Royal Wedding, she decides to plan a big coronation for Odette and Derek. That's pretty much it. That's their whole story. While the trailer made it look like Odette summoned her mother's ghost through some sort of magic, it turned out to be a rushed fantasy portion of a song she sang about feeling anxious for her coronation. If it wasn't for a line that Odette gave at the end of the movie, I would have thought the sequence with her mother took place entirely in her head. I'm still not sure it didn't. The movie ends with a nice montage of clips from other films in the franchise followed by a foreboding "To Be Continued." Thankfully, like Kingdom of Music , which ended the same way, it did not leave us with a frustrating cliffhanger. That was just the filmmakers' way of letting us know there is still another movie on the way.
As the second to last movie in the Swan Princess franchise, A FairyTale Is Born contains a lot of easter eggs for fans who have been following the films from the beginning. It even had a reference to the original "Swan Lake" fairy tale when Uberta suggested Sigfried as a possible name for Prince Derek. While not perfect, the movie was a love letter to fans that provided all the things they've wanted over the years such as learning what happened to Odette's mother and Derek's father and how their destiny would be fulfilled as heirs to the kingdom. My favorite part was learning Maximilian's story. I found him to be a fascinating character and wished we could have spent more time with him (and that one of the servants had taken a minute to fix his outfit). Odette's mother was more generic, so I wish they had given her more of a personality as well. Odette and Derek's adopted daughter, Alise, and her betrothed, Lucas, were also in the film, but only briefly I assume that since this movie focused so much on the past, the finale will focus more on their future as the new heirs to the kingdom. What are your expectations for the final movie in the Swan Princess franchise? Let me know in the comments!
May 21, 2023
Review: True Princess
It's hard to find new retellings of "The Princess and the Pea" that don't stray too far from the original source material. That could be because the soft delicate princess presented in the original fairy tale is the exact opposite of how princesses are portrayed in modern media. Nevertheless, Kayla Eshbaugh does her best to honor the source material in her premiere fairy tale retelling,
True Princess
. This is the first book in The Cursed Kingdom Chronicles, which expands upon the world of fairy tales by making each princess's unique situation a curse on her kingdom created by the Ancients, a vengeful race of magic users. The premise is similar to
Ever Cursed
without all the misandry. Using this overarching narrative, the book provides a simple explanation as to why the princess from "The Princess and the Pea" was so delicate that she turned black and blue from a single pea being placed under her mattress.
True Princess is stereotypical in its presentation, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It's rare to see a modern fairy tale adaptation that has a classic damsel in distress as a protagonist with a love interest who is kind, romantic, and worthy. Like most modern fairy tale adaptations, the book alternates between the perspectives of the main couple, Princess Elisianna and Prince Liam. Even though half the chapters are told from Liam's perspective, there isn't much to his character outside of wanting to marry a princess for the sake of his kingdom and falling in love with Elise. This is clearly Elise's story. The book expands upon with it would be like to be cursed with frailty. She must sleep on the most delicate pillows and take great care with her actions throughout the day lest she stumbles and injures herself. Fortunately, she is a privileged princess and has an entire castle staff devoted to her every need, so this doesn't present much of a problem for her. She spends most of her time sharpening her mind and dreaming of the physical activities that she can't do because of her condition.
True Princess is stereotypical in its presentation, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It's rare to see a modern fairy tale adaptation that has a classic damsel in distress as a protagonist with a love interest who is kind, romantic, and worthy. Like most modern fairy tale adaptations, the book alternates between the perspectives of the main couple, Princess Elisianna and Prince Liam. Even though half the chapters are told from Liam's perspective, there isn't much to his character outside of wanting to marry a princess for the sake of his kingdom and falling in love with Elise. This is clearly Elise's story. The book expands upon with it would be like to be cursed with frailty. She must sleep on the most delicate pillows and take great care with her actions throughout the day lest she stumbles and injures herself. Fortunately, she is a privileged princess and has an entire castle staff devoted to her every need, so this doesn't present much of a problem for her. She spends most of her time sharpening her mind and dreaming of the physical activities that she can't do because of her condition.
Elise and Liam have a "meet cute" that is inspired by the original fairy tale. When her caravan is attacked on the way to a competition to win Liam's hand in marriage by proving she is a true princess, Elise finds herself battered and bruised and falls asleep in his sitting room. When he finds her, he assumes she is a servant due to her current state and is shocked when she proceeds to scold him about his lack of comfortable pillows and reveals that she is a princess. Unlike in the fairy tale, he believes her pretty quickly and devotes the rest of the book to making her stay as comfortable as possible. Much of their relationship progresses with snarky letters to each other in which she boasts about the comfort of her kingdom's pillows, and he continues trying to make up for his behavior on her first night. Elise's personality is not for everyone. She comes off as entitled and pretentious at times, but that is likely how she compensates for the physical weakness caused by her curse, and Liam doesn't seem to mind it.
My biggest issue with this book is the ending. Even though True Princess follows the source material pretty closely throughout, there was a bit of a "gotcha" moment at the end that didn't seem necessary and wasn't explained well. Without giving too much away, all I can say is that it involved time travel, which can be a sticky beast when it comes to fiction. As a result of that element, the book glosses over the iconic tower of mattresses from the fairy tale, which is something that rarely shows up in modern retellings despite being such a fun thing to imagine. That one transgression aside, everything else happens exactly how it should and sets the scene for future books that feature the other cursed princesses Elise met in the competition for Liam's hand, similar to how A.G. Marshall set up her Fairy Tale Adventures series.
Overall, True Princess is a mostly faithful retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale that doesn't shy away from what some might consider to be outdated stereotypes. It expands upon what it would be like for a privileged woman to grow up with a curse that doesn't allow her to participate in most physical activities and for a man to fall in love with such a woman and go to great lengths to protect her and make her happy. It's a lighthearted classic fairy tale that only struggles a moment when it tries to introduce new elements into the story. I think True Princess would be enjoyable for any fan of "The Princess and the Pea" that wishes to re-experience the story with an additional layer of detail.
May 19, 2023
It's a Big Day for Little Mermaid Fans!
If you're a fan of Disney's The Little Mermaid, you're in for a treat! Today marks the launch of not one, but two exciting new musical releases related to the beloved Disney classic. First up, we have the highly anticipated soundtrack for the 2023 live-action adaptation of "The Little Mermaid." The album features new takes on classic songs like "Under the Sea" and "Part of Your World," as well as brand-new tunes by Alan Menken and Lin Manuel Miranda. But that's not all - we also have a brand-new music video from PattyCake Productions called "Fish Out of Water." This fun, upbeat video takes us on a journey through the history of Disney's The Little Mermaid, from the original animated movie to the newest incarnation coming out next week. Featuring catchy music and delightful animation, this video is a must-watch for anyone who's ever been enchanted by Ariel and her underwater world."Fish Out of Water" is the second video in PattyCake Productions' "Evolution" series, which features different versions of a single Disney character from throughout the years performing an original song in a magical setting. I was so enchanted by their Cinderella one last month that I've watched it practically every day since it came out. This one is even more magical because it features my favorite Disney princess! I loved seeing all the familiar-looking faces of the character that I have been following throughout the years including the theme park version, the Broadway version, the Once Upon a Time version, the live TV special version, and, of course, the newest one. Five years ago, PattyCake Productions presented their own interpretation of what a live-action adaptation of Disney's The Little Mermaid might look like with "The Grande Mermaid" from their first web series, Unexpected Musicals. I have to admit I liked that one a little better than the new one. I was hoping to see some amazing transformation sequences like the Cinderella video had, but all the Ariels in this kept the original mermaid-like appearances. I particularly felt sorry for the "live" version, who was stuck showing just her head on a poster even though she clearly had a full costume made for her. However, I enjoyed the Disney Store setting and the nice message at the end.
Speaking of original music, fans were able to get their first listen to the original songs from Disney's live-action remake of The Little Mermaid today with the release of the new soundtrack. How do they hold up to the songs from the animated film and the Broadway show? I feel the same way about these songs as I do about the new songs from their other live-action remakes. They sound okay but lack the classic feel of the originals despite having the same composer. Of course, a lot of the things made the 1989 version of The Little Mermaid work so well was thanks to Howard Ashman, who sadly passed away a few years later after losing his battle with AIDS. Many fans were offended by the news that Disney+ is removing Howard , the documentary about his life, on the same day that the live-action Little Mermaid is being released in theaters. I can't imagine that this decision was intentional, but it does come off as disrespectful toward his influence on the film. It would not be the beloved classic it is today without him.
There is some contemporary influence in the new soundtrack from Lin Manuel Miranda, who worked with Alan Menken on the new songs. Ariel and Eric's newest songs, "For the First Time" and "Wild Uncharted Waters," respectively, sound fine for what they are but do not compare to their superior Broadway counterparts, "Beyond My Wildest Dreams" and "Her Voice." "The Scuttlebutt," on the other hand, is the biggest bane of Manuel's influence. Of all the things fans wanted from a new version of Disney's The Little Mermaid, nobody asked for a rap song from the ever-annoying Scuttle. This song is an embarrassment on an otherwise solid album and is likely to feel out of place in such a classical musical theatre-inspired film. It's nice that they gave Scuttle a chance to sing, but I would have preferred something more similar to "Human Stuff" or "Positoovity" from the Broadway show than the direction that Menken and Miranda decided to take this number. The songs from the original film remain mostly in tact with the exception of "Daughters of Triton" due to some retconning and "Les Poissons," which I doubt many people will miss.
So what are you waiting for? Whether you're a longtime fan or just discovering The Little Mermaid "For the First Time," these new releases are sure to make your day. Check out the soundtrack and music video today and get ready to be swept away by the magic of The Little Mermaid all over again! What are your thoughts about these original compositions that were created to compliment the animated classic? Were you blown away by PattyCake Productions' new music video? Do you prefer the Broadway equivalents of the songs from the new film or the ones that were written with Miranda's influence? Let me know in the comments below!
Update: Shortly after I made this post, Disney announced that they are no longer removing Howard from Disney+ due to fan outrage.
May 17, 2023
Wouldn't You Think I'm the Girl Who Has Everything?
Look at this stuff! Isn't it neat? I posted a couple of videos on my YouTube channel several years ago showing off my collection, but it has grown quite a bit since then, especially after getting a castle of my own. As a self-proclaimed princess enthusiast, I'm always on the lookout for new and exciting additions to my collection. And let me tell you, I've hit the jackpot recently. From 3D prints of enchanted jewels to rare memorabilia from classic and upcoming princess movies, I've added some truly amazing items to my collection. My household recently invested in a 3D printer, and I've found that it's a fantastic tool for growing your princess collection with items that might be difficult to find online such as Magical Girl transformation wands, tiaras, and more. I also may have inherited some of Ariel's hoarding tendencies lately as a side effect of my hype for the upcoming remake of The Little Mermaid.
Having a 3D printer is a lot of work, but it can be very rewarding. Ours has three different stations that take up an entire desk--a printing station, a cleaning station, and a curing station, and they require lots of materials and maintenance. Purchasing a variety of resin colors and types can give each print its own unique personality. Creating fully customized prints requires knowledge of 3D modeling, which is a difficult skill that can take a lifetime to master. Even though I studied computer animation at the DAVE School years ago, I was never very good at it. Those of us who are not naturally skilled artists must turn to free models we can find online on websites such as Thingiverse or Cults3D. The coolest model I was able to find was a screen-accurate statue of Marina and her prince from the 1975 anime adaptation of "The Little Mermaid." Consequently, this was the first thing I printed. Grey resin was the perfect color for this statue since it meant I wouldn't have to paint the prince at all. I painted Marina using acrylics.
My next goal was to recreate the main enchanted jewels from one of my favorite shows, Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders. Since the show never released officially licensed versions of the enchanted jewels, I made my own as a child using posterboard and markers. I placed velcro on the backs so they would attach to my clothes like the ones in the show. Years later, one of my online friends sent me a Heart Stone and Moon stone that she made from resin. I decided to make my own now that I have the capacity to do so with the Sun Stone as my top priority. I found some similar-looking models online and was able to print a red translucent Heart Stone, a blue translucent Moon Stone, and yellow Sun Stone. Unfortunately, the yellow resin was not translucent, so I tried to enhance it with some gold metallic accents that I painted on with acrylics. I have acquired a bottle of translucent yellow resin since then, so I would like create an updated version in the near future. In the meantime, the jewels I printed embody the magic and wonder of riding the wild magic with Princess Gwenevere and her friends.
Since I'm not a master artist, I can't make everything myself. As such, there were a few things I had to order the old-fashioned way. Thanks to Amazon, I managed to get my hands on the necklace from Anastasia , a film that holds a special place in my heart. It's a stunning piece of jewelry that goes perfectly with my old music box, and it's a true testament to the power of love and hope that Anastasia embodies. Circling back around to The Little Mermaid, I was also lucky enough to acquire the full film script of the 1989 movie from Canterbury Classics. It's a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes information and fascinating insights into the making of this iconic film. I love being able to reference the concept art and storyboards that I've seen from the film's production over the years in one convenient book. Last but not least, I was beyond excited to get my hands on a Deluxe Mermaid Ariel Doll from the upcoming live-action version of The Little Mermaid. I was able to share her cool translucent watery stand with my Summer Seas Ariel doll, so the two can become friends on my shelf.
As I look at these new additions, I can't help but feel a sense of joy and wonder at the magic that to my collection. Each item holds a special place in my heart and serves as a reminder of the beauty and enchantment that the world of princesses offers. I can't wait to discover more treasures to add to my collection, and I would love to hear about the new items you have added to your own princess collections. Share your finds in the comments below, and let's continue to celebrate the magic of princesses together!
Having a 3D printer is a lot of work, but it can be very rewarding. Ours has three different stations that take up an entire desk--a printing station, a cleaning station, and a curing station, and they require lots of materials and maintenance. Purchasing a variety of resin colors and types can give each print its own unique personality. Creating fully customized prints requires knowledge of 3D modeling, which is a difficult skill that can take a lifetime to master. Even though I studied computer animation at the DAVE School years ago, I was never very good at it. Those of us who are not naturally skilled artists must turn to free models we can find online on websites such as Thingiverse or Cults3D. The coolest model I was able to find was a screen-accurate statue of Marina and her prince from the 1975 anime adaptation of "The Little Mermaid." Consequently, this was the first thing I printed. Grey resin was the perfect color for this statue since it meant I wouldn't have to paint the prince at all. I painted Marina using acrylics.
My next goal was to recreate the main enchanted jewels from one of my favorite shows, Princess Gwenevere and the Jewel Riders. Since the show never released officially licensed versions of the enchanted jewels, I made my own as a child using posterboard and markers. I placed velcro on the backs so they would attach to my clothes like the ones in the show. Years later, one of my online friends sent me a Heart Stone and Moon stone that she made from resin. I decided to make my own now that I have the capacity to do so with the Sun Stone as my top priority. I found some similar-looking models online and was able to print a red translucent Heart Stone, a blue translucent Moon Stone, and yellow Sun Stone. Unfortunately, the yellow resin was not translucent, so I tried to enhance it with some gold metallic accents that I painted on with acrylics. I have acquired a bottle of translucent yellow resin since then, so I would like create an updated version in the near future. In the meantime, the jewels I printed embody the magic and wonder of riding the wild magic with Princess Gwenevere and her friends.
Since I'm not a master artist, I can't make everything myself. As such, there were a few things I had to order the old-fashioned way. Thanks to Amazon, I managed to get my hands on the necklace from Anastasia , a film that holds a special place in my heart. It's a stunning piece of jewelry that goes perfectly with my old music box, and it's a true testament to the power of love and hope that Anastasia embodies. Circling back around to The Little Mermaid, I was also lucky enough to acquire the full film script of the 1989 movie from Canterbury Classics. It's a treasure trove of behind-the-scenes information and fascinating insights into the making of this iconic film. I love being able to reference the concept art and storyboards that I've seen from the film's production over the years in one convenient book. Last but not least, I was beyond excited to get my hands on a Deluxe Mermaid Ariel Doll from the upcoming live-action version of The Little Mermaid. I was able to share her cool translucent watery stand with my Summer Seas Ariel doll, so the two can become friends on my shelf.
As I look at these new additions, I can't help but feel a sense of joy and wonder at the magic that to my collection. Each item holds a special place in my heart and serves as a reminder of the beauty and enchantment that the world of princesses offers. I can't wait to discover more treasures to add to my collection, and I would love to hear about the new items you have added to your own princess collections. Share your finds in the comments below, and let's continue to celebrate the magic of princesses together!
