Wednesday 4 April 2012

Fairytales are back from the dead!

The first of the Snow White films came out last week and the first of the wave of Fairytale films. Where were all these films when I was writing my essay about Fairytales for Uni?

As you know (and if you don't, start looking) the theme of the year in Hollywood is Fairytale retelling. With the announcement of two Snow White films, Jack the Giant Killer and Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters there is no doubt that more will be made soon.



The wave has also reached TV with ABC's Once Upon a Time which is between a rip off of the amazing comic book series 'Fables' and 'Lost'. The latter is because it is the same same people who made 'Lost'. The show has the same set up, like 'Lost' each episode focuses on one character and shows their back story while cut with whats happening in our world, 'Storybrooke, present day. I admit I haven't been watching every episode because sometimes the character they focus on has a dull back story and doesn't really push the story along (just like 'Lost'). Another annoying thing about the show is that each episode ends the same, in a hopeless situation, there is never a happy ending or a hint of one. It's a shame because a few episodes back I really thought it was becoming its own. But if you can get past the first two - three first episodes, which aren't super, you can start to get into the story, even though you want to slap everyone for being over dramatic.

It starts on channel 5 this month in UK, you never know you might love it. http://www.channel5.com/shows/once-upon-a-time



As for the films, Mirror Mirror is out now (review to follow), watch the trailer, there is seriously something for everyone (not Julia Roberts). http://mirrormirrorfilm.com/#/home



I think everyone is excited about Snow White and the Huntsman but just in case you have no idea what I'm typing about, look on the website http://www.snowwhiteandthehuntsman.com/



Jack the Giant Killer has encountered problems so the release date has been pushed back to 2013, but the trailer can still be found on IMDB. Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters has only got the image below at the moment and no word on a release date, yet.


When these various films were announced, I didn't think Snow White would be the fairytale to adapt. I thought Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty.  I would like to see a villain piece, but not that 'Maleficent' film that's floating around that is meant to be 'Sleeping Beauty' but told from the perspective of the evil witch. I think they should make 'The Pied Piper of Hamlin' because that is a very creepy story. Think about it, this strange guy appears and takes all the children away and they are never heard of again. Where did they go? I think I find it more disturbing after reading a Fables spin off novel, Peter and Max. A very good read. As it is part of the Fables universe, the fairytales are slightly twisted and says what really happened. Peter Piper and Max Piper are brothers, Max grows up to be the Pied Piper of Hamlin and a very powerful sourcerer. That book alone would make a very good film.



There have been fairytales before like The New Adventures of Pinocchio, aside being one the most disturbing tales, that film just wasn't great. But the two fairytale films that I have been dying to see, both by french writer/director Catherine Breillat. The film Bluebeard and the TV movie Sleeping Beauty, but I can't find them anywhere! If you're intrigued here are the trailers:


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1355623/


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1721683/

Keep an eye out for more Fairytale film announcements!

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