Is Disney's new "
Cinderella," which opens this Friday, March 13, a little late to the ball? Given the current vogue for live-action adaptations of fairy tales -- a trend that Disney launched with "Enchanted" and kicked into overdrive with "Alice In Wonderland," "Oz the Great and Powerful," and "Maleficent" -- it's a wonder that "Cinderella" didn't arrive sooner.
The trend certainly makes good business sense; live-action fairy tales tend to be based on stories every child already knows, so there's brand familiarity, and they also tend to be public domain, so the screen rights are free. The hard part, though, is execution, generating a fantasy world and magical characters who live up to the versions we've all imagined to ourselves during bedtime readings. Digital effects have finally allowed live-action versions of fairy tales to be as visually imaginative as the Disney animated adaptations have been.
Then again, the history of cinema is full of live-action fairy tales that create wondrous worlds even with primitive effects achieved entirely through camera trickery or even 19th-century stagecraft. A little suspension of disbelief is all you need to enjoy these films, the best live-action fairy tales from a century of cinema.

Related Posts:
Lily James Is Fairy Tale Perfection at 'Cinderella' Premiere (PHOTOS)Lily James isn't just playing the titular character in Disney's upcoming live action adaptation of "Cinderella" -- the actress took a cue from the fairy tale handbook and wowed on the red carpet at Monday night's premiere in … Read More
'7th Heaven' Cast: Where Are They Now?Jessica Biel turns 33 on March 3rd and in honor of her birthday we thought we would look back at where it all began for the actress. Biel rose to stardom in 1996 when "7th Heaven" graced the WB and became an instant hit. The … Read More
Cary Fukunaga's 'Beasts of No Nation' May Land at Netflix"True Detective" helmer Cary Fukunaga has been busy in recent months, prepping to bring Stephen King's horror classic "It" to the big screen. Now, his latest directorial effort may be getting a high-profile deal from Netflix.… Read More
13 Sci-Fi Movies That Redefine the GenreThis weekend, "Chappie," a wonderful new science-fiction film about an embryonic sentient robot that is kidnapped and trained by a pair of low-level gangsters in a futuristic South Africa, comes out nationwide (for added visu… Read More
14 Perfect Claire Dunphy MomentsHow could you not fall for Claire Dunphy? Sure, she doesn't get as many outrageous lines and visual gags as her husband Phil, but we have continued to enjoy her competitive nature, unapologetic realness, and perfect reaction … Read More
0 comments:
Post a Comment