Movie: Cinderella

Continuing the series of fairytales that are being made into movies or remakes is Kenneth Branagh's visually captivating Cinderella starring Lily James and Robert Madden as Prince Charming.

The movie follows exactly the Disney version of fairytale Cinderella. Young Ella lives a beautiful, happy life with her father and mother. Her father is merchant who often travels away from home. When at home the family are kind and caring to one another. Then one day Ella's mother takes ill and dies. Before dying Ella's mother tells her to have courage and to be kind.

Ella grows into a beautiful, kind woman. One day her father tells her that he will be marrying Lady Tremaine and that her two daughters, Anastasia and Drizella will be coming to live in their home. After the marriage, Ella's father resumes his business travels, only to die while away. This leaves Lady Tremaine in charge of the estate.

From their arrival, it is evident that neither Lady Tremaine nor her ill-mannered daughters are fond of Ella. Their treatment of her is dismissive at first but burgeons into full blown resentment and hatred. Gradually she is sent to live in the attic.

One day while out riding, Ella comes across a handsome young man who is part of a hunting party after a stag. She refuses to give him her name and he tells her his name is Kit but does not reveal that he is the Crown Prince. Ella returns home happy while Kit returns to the palace determined to learn the identity of the beautiful young girl he met in the forest. His father however, reminds him that he has a duty to marry a "princess" but Kit feels this is not important.

In order to learn the identity of the mystery girl, Kit, decides to hold a ball, to which every eligible maiden will be invited. This of course, sets in motion the events that lead to them finding one another, losing each other again and the discovery of the real identity of the prince's mystery girl.

Discussion

Branagh's Cinderella is a lovely adaptation of the Disney fairytale that recaptures the innocence of the story. Parents with young children, older viewers who wish to just enjoy a good fairytale without the dark elements, the modern cynicism and the feminist overtones so common in even children's movies, will love this film. Ella is beautiful, kind and courageous - true to her mother's dying request. No matter how terrible Lady Tremaine treats Ella, she meets her time and again with unfailing kindness and respect. Even when all seems lost and she's locked in the attic, Ella refuses to despair or hate. And when Ella is rescued by the Prince from the clutches of Lady Tremaine, she responds not with hate or condescension but with forgiveness and humility. Lily James superbly captures Ella's purity of soul and strong character.

Prince Charming is well.... absolutely charming with a gorgeous smile and a determination to discover the true identity of the maiden who's captured his imagination. Encouraged by his father, the king, to marry a woman based on her social status, Kit hesitates. Despite everyone telling him that he doesn't know this girl and even that she is not suitable, he trusts his own instincts. He treats her with deference and respect. He also suspects that someone in the palace may be working against him.

As expected, Helena Bonham Carter plays the fairy godmother with her typical eccentricity. First appearing to Cinderella as a quirky, beggar-woman, she tests Ella by asking for something to drink and eat. Cinderella kindly complies. In this film, Helena is far from the Tim Burton style she's known for in the films, Les Miserables and Sweeney Todd. Her gown is pure white with 400 LED lights to achieve that fairy-godmother magic.

Cate Blanchette plays Lady Tremaine with cold harshness that convinces viewers there's not a nice bone in her body. Beautiful in a chilling sort of way, Lady Tremaine's evil is only emphasized by her spectacular couture costumes in bold colours and rich velvety fabrics.

Some aspects of Cinderella are exquisitely done. For example, the scene where Ella stumbles upon her fairy godmother, who turns a pumpkin, mice and a few lizards into a coach, horses and footmen, is brilliantly done. The lizard footmen are fantastic, still retaining some of their reptilian qualities that make them a bit repulsive but not enough to be totally off-putting. It's a chance once again, to showcase Ella's remarkable magnanimity as she treats the footman kindly, even though he's a bit creepy looking.

The costuming in Cinderella is simply stunning. Three time Oscar winner, Sandy Powell designed all the costumes including the amazing dresses worn by Lily James and Cate Blanchett. Swarovski provided Powell with 1.7 million crystals with which to use in Cinderella's ball gown and shoes. Cinderella's gown contains 270 yards of fabric in twelve layers and 10,000 Swarovski crystals. Powell wanted the dress to be voluminous and "to look like she was floating" when she danced and also ran down the stairs. Her wedding dress was simpler and more modest because as Powell explained in an interview with Paul Chi of Vanity Fair,  “Cinderella wins the Prince’s heart through her goodness, so I wanted to show this through her clothes."

The Prince, played by Robert Madden who has deep blue eyes, wore a blue wool military jacket that highlighted his eyes. It was modelled after the jacket in the Disney animated movie made years ago. 

Sandy Powell began working on the costume design two years before the film and has said that she blended 19th century style with that of the 1940's. This was especially evident in Lady Tremaine's costumes which are almost all done in green - the colour of envy.

Cinderella is a delightfully refreshing movie. 

The Captive Maiden by Melanie Dickerson

The Captive Maiden is an excellent romance novel loosely based on the Cinderella fairytale by Melanie Dickerson.

The novel opens in 1402 when Gisela Mueller is eight years old. Her father has just died and she lives now with her cruel stepmother, Evfemia, and her two daughters, Irma and Contzel.  Dressed as a beggar and now delegated to nothing more than a servant girl, Gisela is sent to the stable to help stable hand,Wido harness the horses. Gisela loves horses, especially her light brown destrier, Kaeleb. Gisela remembers meeting Wilhelm, Duke of Hagenheim, and his fourteen-year-old son, Valten Gerstenberg, Earl of Hamlin. At this time, Gisela thinks she will not like Valten because his father had purchased one of their fine horses for Valten to use in the lists. However, despite her attempts to dislike him she notes that he seems compassionate towards the horses

Nine years later, in 1412, Valten has just returned to Hagenheim after a two year absence. He is restless despite having been all over the Continent entering numerous tournaments. In his last tournament he had defeated Friedric Ruexner, a man who hated Valten and was determined to defeat him. As he wanders the Marketplaz dressed as a peasant,  he encounters the young woman he saw only few days ago racing across the meadow. When she is confronted by Ruexner, Valten comes to her rescue warning him to leave her alone.

Worried that Ruexner might continue to harass Gisela, Valten decides he will escort her until her horse is ready at the blacksmith. They visit his horse, Sieger, which unknown to Valten belonged to Gisela's father when she was a child. After wandering around with Valten for hour, Gisela is grabbed by her stepmother and forced to leave, but she manages to tell him her name as he tells her to come to the upcoming tournament.

Evfemia warns Gisela not to attend the tournament which is to take place in Hagenheim over a period of three days. However, Gisela has other plans. After Evfemia and her daughters leave for the tournament, Gisela puts on her mother's dark blue gown, mounts Kaeleb and travels to her neighbour, Ava von Setenstete's home. Ava, who is expecting a baby soon, gives Gisela a beautiful blue scarf and insists that she ride in her carriage to the tournament. Gisela is seated in the gallery with the other young maidens. The tournament champion will choose the Queen of Beauty and Love who will have the honour of bestowing the prize to the winning knight and of accompanying him to the banquet on the final night at Hagenheim Castle.

Gisela sees Evfemia and her stepdaughters seated farther back from her but she focuses on events at the tournament. The grand marshal of the field, Duke Wilhelm announces that the first day of the tournament will see the knights participate in the joust. The knight who is champion of the day will have the honour of crowning the Queen of Beauty and Love and the winner of the second day's battles would be the overall champion. The first day of jousting sees Valten defeat all his competitors during the first half including his arch-rival, Friedric Ruexner, who behaves brutishly. During the intermission, Gisela uncovers an attempt by Ruexner to poison Valten's horse and she is once again accosted by Ruexner. Valten returns to the lists wearing Gisela's colours and wins the first day, choosing Gisela as the Queen of Beauty and Love.

Gisela is offered accommodation at Hagenheim Castle where she meets his sisters, Margaretha and Kirstyn. All the wealthy attend a banquet given that evening at the castle including Evfemia, Irma and Contzel as well as Rainhilda, a young woman who wants to marry Valten. When Valten and Gisela have a few moments together Valten reveals to Gisela that he used to enjoy the tournaments but that now he finds them a waste of time while she reveals to Valten that she has no idea what will happen to her.

The second day of the tournament sees Valten win, despite a vicious battle with Ruexner, who badly injuries Valten's left hand. The day ends with Gisela being forced to come home with her stepmother, even though she knows this is probably not the safest thing to do. As Gisela suspects, Evfemia does not intend for her to attend the ball the following day. Instead, she locks Gisela in her room and sells her to Ruexner to be married to him. Desperate to flee from Ruexner, Gisela manages to escape with the help of Ava's servant boy and she makes her way to Ava's home. There Ava prepares her for the tournament ball. Gisela arrives at the ball, telling Valten what her stepmother has done to her. But while Valten goes to inform his father, Duke Wilhelm what has happened, Rainhilda and Irma trick Gisela so she is captured by Ruexner. Realizing she is in the clutches of his enemy who wishes revenge on him, Valten must try to save the young woman he's gradually grown to love dearly.

Discussion

The Captive Maiden is a well-written romance based on the Cinderella fairytale. The strength of this novel is Dickerson's use of the Cinderella theme to create a very romantic novel that includes a handsome chivalrous hero, a cruel villain and a gentle maiden.  The author realistically incorporates the Christian values that permeated both personal beliefs and social norms of the Middle Ages into her characters. For example, Gisela resorts to prayer numerous times both for herself and for the protection and safety of Valten. Valten also prays for Gisela's safety and whenever he faces mortal danger in a tournament. Ruexner, on the other hand, despises God whom he does not fear.

Valten is chivalrous, helping the weak, always trying to do what is right and rescuing damsels in distress. He's spent the last ten years participating in tournaments throughout Europe, winning the majority of those competitions. But he feels empty, his life lacking a purpose. He needs something more in his life, not something that feeds his ego. Although Valten has trusted in God to protect him during tournaments, he has relied on his own physical prowess. But when he tries to rescue Gisela, he is unable to help her and he is forced by circumstance to place his trust in God to protect her.  Friar Daniel reminds Valten of this when they are fleeing from Ruexner. "...You are trusting your own strength to get the lady to safety. You must entrust her to God, who is the One who will ultimately  make us safe, if we are to be safe."

Ruexner is a stereotypical villain, coarse and delighting in offending fair maidens. Typically he seeks his revenge by kidnapping the fair maiden Valten has taken a liking to. He's godless and quick-tempered - the complete opposite of Valten.

Dickerson incorporates the bare minimum of the Cinderella storyline in her novel; a handsome royal who meets a poor maiden living with her cruel stepmother and ugly, spoiled stepsisters. The maiden is taken from the ball, dropping a white slipper behind. The ending is quite predictable, with a happily-ever after that sees Gisela getting her prince. Fans of romance will enjoy this light-hearted novel. Readers who want more of Valten's family, should look for The Princess Spy which is due to be published in November, 2014.

Book Details:
The Captive Maiden by Melanie Dickerson
Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan    2013
281 pp.

Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey

Wild Orchid is an unpretentious little paperback novel that is a well written recounting of the Chinese legend of Mulan by well known author, Cameron Dokey. One of the novels in the Simon Pulse "Once Upon A Time" series, Dokey's poetic prose is well suited to the telling of such wonderful legends and fairytales as Mulan and Scheherazade.

Born in the year of the monkey, Mulan lives on her father's estate in rural China. Mulan did not know her father, Hua Wei, while growing up because he was a great soldier who lived at court with the Emperor. She knew he was very courageous but did not know personally what her father looked like or who he really was. Her father had been fighting against the Huns, a fierce tribe determined to over run northern China.

The Chinese emperor, known as Son of Heaven, saw his beloved son, Prince Jian, captured by the Huns and Hua Wei had rescued him. Son of Heaven granted Hua Wei permission to marry for love. He did so but while away with the emperor, his wife gave birth to Mulan and died. Hua Wei's grief was so great that he has not returned home in thirteen years. He also forbade anyone to speak the name of his beloved wife, so that Mulan does not know her mother's name.

In the years Hua Wei is absent, Mulan grows into an intelligent, courageous young girl who wants to learn more than just what women are normally taught; she wants to learn how to read and write. When she is seven years old, Mulan meets Li Po who shows her how to write and read, teaches her how to use a sword and most importantly to excel at archery. Everything Li Po learns from his tutor he passes on to Mulan, including how to become disciplined. Mulan also learns everything that she needs to at home, how to cook, sew and do embroidery, although she greatly hates these domestic tasks. Li Po and Mulan become close friends, promising to remain so for life.

One day, Mulan's father returns home unexpectedly. The Huns have been defeated for the time being, although Hua Wei has told the Emperor that the son of the dead leader will return to avenge his father's death. Hua Wei has been seriously injured and because of his views about another impending Hun attack, has been ordered home by the Emperor. He arrives home with a friend, General Yuwen Huaji.

At first, Mulan's relationship with her father is not good. Mulan has felt all these years, that if she were a boy, her father would have returned home sooner and more often. She feels he is not proud of her and does not love her. His seeming indifference to her when he arrives home, wounds her deeply. However, as time passes, it becomes evident that Mulan's father, Hua Wei not only has a serious leg wound but also has still not come to terms with his grief over the loss of his wife many years ago. When Mulan tends to her father's leg wound, he thanks her and their relationship begins to develop from that point on. Mulan's father comes to realize that his daughter is very special and takes over teaching her once General Yuwen leaves, taking Li Po with him.

Mulan's father eventually remarries and his new wife is expecting a baby. As he predicted, the Hun's are raising an army to attack China leading the Emperor to send notice that every family must send a man to fight. This means that Mulan's father will have to serve as a foot soldier and will likely not survive the battle. Mulan makes the decision to disguise herself and go in her father's place.

When Mulan arrives at the valley where the battle is expected to take place using the name Hua Gongshi, she is taken to serve with Prince Jian, the Emperor's youngest son. Prince Jian does not know Hua Gonshi is a girl but is impressed with his skill with the bow and arrow. Mulan/Hua Gonshi volunteers for a critical mission that will determine the outcome of the battle. 

Unexpectedly, Mulan finds herself falling in love with Prince Jian who is so much like herself. Facing the Huns in battle will take all her courage, but will Mulan have the courage to tell Prince Jian her true identity and her feelings for him?

Discussion

Told simply in Cameron Dokey's beautifully expressive style, Wild Orchid, is beautifully written, capturing the very essence of this legend through the well drawn voice of Hua Mulan. Readers can easily identify with Mulan's struggle to measure up in her father's eyes, experiencing her hurt at being abandoned and ignored.  Mulan's attempts to forge her own path outside of her culture's expectations for women is a theme that resonates today. In Mulan's world, women were expected to dress and behave a certain way, to marry by the age of fifteen. But Mulan wants none of this, instead recognizing where her talents are and attempting to remain true to herself.

Dokey draws each of the central characters equally well through the use of dialogue and action. Hua Wei is a crusty, battle-hardened warrior who is a romantic at heart. Li Po is Mulan's best friend, who remains supportive and helps Mulan develop her talents. Prince Jian is portrayed as a warrior with integrity and courage, who must forgive Mulan for the breach of trust between them.

Wild Orchid combines a great storytelling with interesting characters to make this one of the best novels of the Once Upon A Time series.

Book Details:
Wild Orchid by Cameron Dokey
New York: Simon Pulse     2009
199 pp.

When Rose Wakes by Christopher Golden

When Rose Wakes by Christopher Golden is the penultimate twisted fairytale. Golden takes the basic story of Sleeping Beauty and adds elements of horror while bringing it into a modern high school setting that young adults can relate to.

Rose DuBois wakes after a two year coma to find that she doesn't really remember anything or anyone from the time before the coma. She recognizes her two aunts, Fay and Suzette who tell her that they use to live in France and that they have brought her to America to receive the finest medical treatment possible. After going through physiotherapy, Rose is brought home to Boston's Beacon Hill to live with her aunts.

As she struggles to regain her life, Rose is haunted by terrifying nightmares she cannot understand but which seem vaguely familiar and appear to hold the clue to her past. When she mentions the dreams to her aunts they try to comfort her by telling her that they are "only dreams" that have no meaning.Instead they tell her to drink a bitter tea they make for her every day to help her regain her memory.

Eventually, Rose begins classes as a sophomore at St. Bridget's High School in Boston's Back Bay where she is known as "Coma Girl". Rose struggles to fit in and cope with the typical high school cliques and conflicts. It doesn't take her long to meet and befriend a handsome junior, tall, muscular, Jared Munoz and make a best friend in Kylie O'Neill. But she also makes enemies with Courtney Sauer who takes an instant dislike to Rose often becoming confrontational with her.

As time goes on bizarre happenings continue to plague Rose. Besides the increasingly detailed nightmares, there is also a strange woman who Rose discovers is following her as well as the creepy presence of black crows who appear to be watching her every move. Her Aunt's persistent warnings that she stay away from boys - all boys move Rose to rebel against their warnings and to pursue a relationship with Jared. She feels that Aunt Suzette and Aunt Fay are out of touch and unreasonably old-fashioned. Yet there are hints from her nightmares that guys are dangerous.

Eventually Rose begins to realize that her dreams are very similar to the fairytale story of Sleeping Beauty.Is she the princess? Is there a curse on her too and if so what part of it includes love and intimacy?

It isn't until Rose is violently attacked at school by Courtney that her Aunts tell her the truth about her past,the present about themselves and about the actual curse on her. I won't reveal how Golden weaves into the modern setting the story of Rose's past and the Sleeping Beauty fairytale because that would simply give away too much plot. But from this point on, the story moves breathtakingly fast. There is an epic battle between good and bad that involves Rose, her Aunts and their spurned sister.

The ending is bizarre and unsatisfying in some aspects. For me, this bizarreness ruined the book. It was strangely out of character with the situations and the characters involved. If someone were really trying to kill you and you knew they would never ever stop, would you spare them? I also found the entire premise of the fairytale element unworkable because the present day situation and that which occurred in the past is actually based on the dishonourable behaviour of Rose's father, the Duke of Rigauld.

There is an element of horror in this story but it's not overwhelming and Christopher Golden writing is well done in this regard. I wished there had been more character development for Rose's aunts but Golden does a great job developing the sweet romance between Rose and Jared. It is this romantic element which helps to hold the reader's interest in the middle of the novel when there is not much action occurring.

Overall, I think most young readers will enjoy When Rose Wakes, especially if they are fans of Golden's previous books. When Rose Wakes is a good blend of romance, mystery and horror. But I hazard that they will ultimately be very disappointed in the bizarre ending.

Book Details:

When Rose Wakes by Christopher Golden
New York: Gallery Books (Simon & Schuster) 2010

312pp

Tangled

I went to see Tangled on Friday night and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Generally I'm not a big fan of Disney movies and especially their fairytale animations. I saw the Frog Princess in the summer and thought it was terrible. The two lead characters were frogs for most of the movie. Not exactly exciting to watch. I also wasn't keen on the use of voodoo in the movie which my younger daughter thought was creepy.
Tangled was in a different class all together. Tangled is the title Disney gave to it's animated version of the fairytale, Rapunzel. Although initially the studio focused on the female character, Rapunzel, it was decided to redo the movie from the point of view of the prince. The story begins with the king and queen of a country having a baby. When the queen has difficulty during the birth, the citizens of the kingdom scour the countryside looking for a rare healing flower. Once found, the queen is given the essence of the flower to help her recover. A baby girl, Rapunzel is soon born. However, that flower had been hidden for years and used by an old witch to remain young. Now that the flower is gone she decides to kidnap Rapunzel who retains the flower's power to heal and restore youth. Rapunzel is imprisoned in a tower hidden deep within the forest. The story picks up when Rapunzel is 18 years old.

Along comes Flynn Rider, not a prince but a thief on the run after stealing the princess's crown and who escapes into the forest to hide. He finds Rapunzel in the tower. This "prince" however is NOT interested in rescuing Rapunzel and she must convince him to help her escape so that she can see the special lanterns that float into the sky every year on her birthday.
What follows is a series of exciting adventures leading to Rapunzel eventually reuniting with her royal parents.

In many ways, Flynn Rider is typical of many modern young men - self-absorbed, immature, uncommitted and interested in only saving himself. But Rapunzel is not to be put off. She is a take-charge kind of girl whose virtues of loyalty, purity and honesty gradually rub off on Flynn. For Rapunzel the decision to leave the tower is a difficult one because she is torn between being an obedient daughter and doing what she so desperately wants – to be a grown up making her own decisions in life.

Gradually Flynn Rider changes and becomes a “knight in shining armor” in part due to Rapunzel’s influence on him. She is the classic young woman of virtue and beauty who redeems a man. In the end, there is a "happily ever-after"!

This movie was excellent because it had an interesting plot, absolutely incredible animation, excellent singing, and some great characters. The horse, Maximus, stole the show in this movie. He was hilarious and most of the adults in the theatre seemed to enjoy this character the most. The medieval bar characters are also well done.

The animation is beyond belief especially well done when combined with the 3D. The lantern scene has to be one of the best to date.

Enjoy the trailer and then go see Tangled!

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George

Princess of the Midnight Ball is a retelling of the fairy tale, The Twelve Dancing Princesses. In this story, Princess Rose is the eldest of twelve sisters who have been cursed to dance each night for King Under Stone in his dark realm. Princess Rose's father, King Gregor, ruler of Analousia, suspects something is wrong because his daughters dancing slippers are worn to tatters every third night. As part of the curse, Rose and her sisters cannot even provide the slightest details as to what is happening to them.
In an attempt to learn what is happening with his daughters, King Gregor offers the choice of his daughters to the prince who is able to discover the secret behind the worn out slippers. After numerous young men fail in their attempt, Galen Orm, the nephew of the king's gardener decides to give it a shot. But Galen has a few tricks up his sleeve and a stout heart on his side.
This novel is well written, fast paced and exciting to the very end. We all know the ending, so it's no surprise, but George's book is entertaining nonetheless.


Book Details:

Princess of the Midnight Ball by Jessica Day George
New York: Bloomsbury 2009
276pp