Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Fairy Tale and Mythology Round Up: History of Little Red, La Belle et la Bete Trailer, Jupiter Ascending Trailer, Disney Villains High School, Moana: the Next Disney Movie


Grandma, What a Big History You Have!
Back in November, Once Upon a Blog featured an excellently written, moving piece on the history of Little Red Riding Hood and how her story has changed over time to serve the audience, since the first known variation in the 1st century. Well worth the read!
"Fairy tales, on the other hand, are much more mutable and most have their true origins in oral tales and are much more difficult to trace directly. They're accessible to all peoples of culture, time, class, education and to children as well as adults. That the tales are still recognizable after all this, that their motifs and essential stories remain intact ad recognizable speaks to how true they are in speaking about the human condition. As a result fairy tales are not only pretty special, they're essential." 
SurLaLune comments on it as well, and introduces us to the book Revisioning Red Riding Hood Around the World by Sandra L. Beckett and many other Red Riding Hood resources. My personal favorite is Red Riding Hood Uncloaked, but I am excited to sink my teeth into a few of the others she recommends!

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Breaking News: Gans' "La Belle et la Bete" Trailer Released This Morning 
Once Upon a Blog found the trailer for Gans' La Belle et la Bete for us, and it is absolutely stunning! They seem to be doing a straightforward version of the tale, with no modern twists or wierdness. It is actually kind of refreshing.


Here is the 1946 version by Jean Cocteau for comparison:


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We have discussed Jupiter Ascending, the sci-fi Snow White adaptation starring Mila Cunis and Channing Tatum, several times on this blog, but now we have a trailer, and it looks epic! For those longing for a space opera, this is it. Directed by the Wachowski siblings, you know it is going to be visually stunning:


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Why this "Disney Villains: the Next Generation" show is a problem

Io9 recently reported on a new show coming out of Disney:
[The Descendants is set] In a present day idyllic kingdom, the benevolent teenaged son of the King and Queen (Beast and Belle from Disney's iconic Beauty and the Beast) is poised to take the throne. His first proclamation: offer a chance at redemption to the trouble-making offspring of Cruella De Vil, Maleficent, the Evil Queen and Jafar who have been imprisoned on a forbidden island with all the other villains, sidekicks, evil step-mothers and step-sisters. These villainous descendants (Carlos, Mal, Evvie and Jay, respectively) are allowed into the kingdom to attend prep school alongside the offspring of iconic Disney heroes including Fairy Godmother, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel and Mulan. However, the evil teens face a dilemma. Should they follow in their nefarious parents' footsteps and help all the villains regain power or embrace their innate goodness and save the kingdom?
I will let you all respond as your conscience dictates. Io9 has some rather interesting questions about it.

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The Next Disney Movie in Development: Moana (2018)
Disney has another movie coming out for 2018, perhaps as a response to all the backlash Frozen got. It takes place in the South Pacific with a princess (alas, another princess) of color!
"The main character will be Moana Waialiki, a sea voyaging enthusiast, and the only daughter of a chief in a long line of navigators. When her family needs her help, she sets off on an epic journey. The film will also include demi-gods and spirits taken from real mythology."
It sounds like a lot of fun! I am a little nervous because the concept art has her all sexified Hopefully it can be an awesome adventure story without her looking like a stick body with ginormous eyes.


REVIEW: Breadcrumbs



Breadcrumbs
by Anne Ursu

“A boy got a splinter in his eye, and his heart turned cold. Only two people noticed. One was a witch, and she took him for her own. The other was his best friend. And she went after him in ill-considered shoes, brave and completely unprepared.” 

Hazel has moved from a more progressive, creative school to a traditional school in a new neighborhood. She feels so out of place. All the things she enjoyed about learning are discouraged. Her only touchstone is her best friend Jack. They let their imaginations run wild, inventing stories and playing baseball as superheros who are not allowed to use their powers. However, one day, Jack gets something in his eye, and he is completely different. He is mean to Hazel and doesn't care about what they used to care about. And then he disappears. Everyone thinks he went to visit his aunt, but Hazel knows something is wrong. She knows he was stolen by the Snow Queen. She must embark on a mission, facing wolves, witches, and ice, to save her best friend... who might not want to be saved.

To read more, see my review at Palimpsest.