Tag Archives: cinderella

The Return of the Dark Fairy Tale

When studying the feminist evolution of the Disney princesses I came to the conclusion that it was time for Disney to once again reinvent the fairy tale for contemporary audiences. It seems that might be happening, though perhaps not in the way I’d expect. In the past year or so I’ve read a number of reports indicating that one of the latest trends in proposed films is the “dark fairy tale.” Several studios are green lighting movies that take classic fairy tales and “de-Disneyfy” them, supposedly turning them back to their darker roots. Whether or not the true sources of … Continue reading →

Did You Commit to Marriage Before You Even Were?

I did. I don’t remember exactly how young I was, but I knew early on I wanted to be married. I’m sure tales such as Cinderella had some impact on that notion, but they didn’t necessarily create the notion. It was there beforehand. Society also shaped some of my thoughts about marriage. Helped to define them, but definitely didn’t generate them. Good grief, I cringe thinking about what mixed-up concepts I’d have if I’d relied solely on my first impressions of marriage from society. Bacon See, there were a lot of mixed messages flying around about women’s roles in marriage … Continue reading →

Examining the Cinderella Effect

Our across the street neighbor’s little two-year old girl is nuts for Cinderella. We had Christmas dinner with them and Rebekah was simply ecstatic over the “LaLa” (her word for Cinderella or similar characters) that Santa had brought her. Her enthusiasm reminded me that of all the Disney Princesses, Cinderella always ranked as my favorite too. (At least when I was small. I’d have to say Belle’s probably bumped her way to the number one spot now.) But hands down Cinderella was the one who started it all. Like many little girls, my first notions of love at first sight … Continue reading →

Just Ella – Margaret Peterson Haddix

Usually, when we hear the words “and they lived happily ever after,” we think that’s the end of the story. The adventure has ended, and there is no more. Cinderella lived happily ever after with her prince, didn’t she? Well, didn’t she? In “Just Ella,” author Margaret Peterson Haddix explores the “what if.” Ella has gone to live in the castle preparatory to marrying the prince. Gone are the days when she would sit in the ashes or scrub the entire house for her evil stepmother – she is now the one in charge, and she’s not sure she likes … Continue reading →

Reservations Available for Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique

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Would your little one enjoy being transformed into a prince or a princess? Most of our little ones would enjoy that. Inside Cinderella’s Castle in the Magic Kingdom at Disney World, you will find a second Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique opening this September. There’s already one opened in Downtown Disney’s Marketplace. Featuring a magical garden setting, The Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Magic Kingdom is based on the scene in the Cinderella film where Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother transforms her outfit into the brilliant silver and white ball gown. The shop is run by Fairy Godmothers-in-Training and at the end of each princess … Continue reading →

The Myth of Cinderella

In 1949, Walt Disney released the musical cartoon Cinderella. It combined both realism with caricature and today it is considered one of the great Disney classics. Disney drew his inspiration for Cinderella, the step-sisters, step-mother, Prince and King – even the Duke, from real life and the caricature came in the form of the animal characters such as the singing birds and mice that sewed the dress. Disney Changed The Story It’s a well-known artifact of the Disney versions of fairy tales and historical novels that they change many of the facts. Why did he do it? There are plenty … Continue reading →

Do You Know Your Disney Princesses?

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Jasmine. Belle. Aurora. Little girls adore these princesses, but do you know one from the other? If you’re still a little lost when your little girl tells you she wants to have her own Raja, then hopefully this primer will help you to better communicate with your little one when it comes to the Disney Princesses. Princess: Ariel Film: The Little Mermaid The Little Mermaid is an age-old tale of an adolescent longing to explore a new world. Ariel, a mermaid, longs to have legs so that she can explore the land above. When she falls in love with a … Continue reading →

Cinderella 2 Disc Special Edition DVD Review

The first film I ever saw in a movie theatre was Walt Disney’s Cinderella. I know that this will probably come across as cliché, but the experience changed my life. It begun a lifelong love affair with movies and the imaginary world created by Walt Disney. As such, years ago, when Cinderella was first released on VHS, I was one of the first proud owners of the release. However, as anyone realizes who has seen a DVD vs. VHS film, the quality quickly eroded after various viewings. Luckily, Walt Disney Pictures has just released a two disc special edition DVD … Continue reading →