The story that started with a glass slipper, a country maiden and a charming prince opened March 13 in theaters everywhere. This same story has been recreated more than 13 times since the start of the millennium – “Cinderella.”
This classic fairy tale has captured the imagination and hearts of little girls everywhere, but has the story been overdone?
When Disney first announced its recreation of “Cinderella” as a live action film, many were excited about the wonders of Disney. Many were disappointed at the lack of originality.
The story starts much like the Broadway musical, with a young girl and her two loving parents, who shortly pass away, leaving her with a cruel stepmother and two ditsy and unattractive stepsisters. The stepfamily mistreats Cinderella, and in order to deal with her grief, the girl hides away in the woods.
Much like in the Broadway musical version of “Cinderella,” the girl happens upon a charming gentleman in the woods, who unknown to her is the prince. The story continues as all fairy tales do – they meet at a ball, there is a fairy godmother involved; everyone knows the story.
So was the live action film necessary?
The film features many fantastic actors and actress, which achieve a higher story-telling level than any of the recreations have ever reached.
Helena Bonham Carter brings the fairy godmother to life like never before. Instead of the fairy godmother being a sweet and pure figure, Carter brings humor to the role, as she does with most, and keeps the audience intrigued despite the repetitive story every child has been told since birth.
Additionally, Lily James, the actress portraying the title character Cinderella, plays both a believable and realistic person. The problem with most fairy tale stories, including the new musical movie “Into the Woods,” which also featured Cinderella, happens to lay in the over emphases acting.
Many of the stories become less than life like, and cause the audience to become disconnected from the movie.
James portrays Cinderella as an actual person, as shown through her rememberable and relatable emotions and actions, which can bring audiences to tears.
Not only does the human aspect of the film recreate the story in a never before seen way, but the special effects are beyond compare.
Of course Disney can afford to produce a movie with amazing special effects and they are expected, but the movie uses these effects to truly capture the story.
When Cinderella dashes away from the palace and takes the ride of a lifetime in a carriage that is transforming back into a pumpkin, the audience feels as through the story is actually occurring and they are a part of it.
The audience forgets that four white mice could never become four white horses and a yellow pumpkin cannot become a golden carriage, because of the magic of the special effects.
The movie truly captures the idea of “Cinderella.” Magic is not impossible; nothing is impossible, which is mentioned many times in the Broadway musical.
Although this rendition of “Cinderella” may be the 13th in 15 years, it portrays the story to the fullest potential in a way Disney never could in a cartoon.
Now as for the rest of the renditions of “Cinderella,” this one should be the last for a while because it will be hard to best. It comes highly recommended, so if you have yet to see it, make this film apart of your plans this weekend.
ALIZABETH LENG
