Author Archives: Josh Russell

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The re-imagining of the fairy tale

Princess Aurora stood in front of giant thorns.

Ask anyone in 2014 what a good fairy tale is, and they will probably point towards the works of Walt Disney – and rightly so. Classics such as Snow White and The Seven Dwarves, or in more recent times Frozen, capture the hearts and minds of children and adults alike all over. But what if they aren’t what they seem? Would you believe me if I told you that Frozen started out as a brutal tale about an evil witch kidnapping children?

The Snow Queen is a classic tale that was written by Hans Christian Andersen in 1884, and at its heart it is a tale about good and evil, from the perspectives of two children. Although Frozen is based on this classic, it certainly tells a different story. In The Snow Queen, the titular character is the evil villain, however in Frozen the same character is the beautiful queen called Elsa, who treats her powers as a curse. The Snow Queen is a benevolent, powerful and dangerous being to be feared, yet Elsa is a misunderstood woman who, after all, only needed the love of her sister to stop chaos ensuing. There are common themes through both representations, but ultimately one thing can be seen – time has changed this classic fairy tale.

Elsa using her ice magic.

Image via: http://frozenwallpaper.com

What used to be a dark tale of good vs. evil is now a light-hearted flick (with comic relief snowman included). So what has changed? Do today’s audiences only want these fairy tales, and are the dark morals of old stories not appreciated any more? Looking at the latest details for Disney’s Maleficent, perhaps the darker side of these fairy tales has not been lost to the ages.

Thought of as one of the most sinister Disney villains, Maleficent is fairly unknown. During Sleeping Beauty she is pretty horrible, cursing the poor Princess Aurora to die before her 16th birthday. But, low and behold, good triumphs evil and the Princess is saved by the handsome Prince Phillip, etc etc. In Maleficent, however, it looks like the tables could be turning. Disney are returning to deliver the untold story of one of the most iconic villains to date in a retelling of the classic Sleeping Beauty, but from the perspective of Maleficent.

Snow White, the Huntsman and Ravenna.

Image via: http://qfxblog.files.wordpress.com

There really is true potential here to turn the iconic fairy tale back into the darker fantasy tales of old. And this isn’t the first time this has happened. The classic story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was once re-imagined as the action film Snow White and the Huntsman, which shifts the focus away from the comic relief dwarves and onto the grittier side of things. And again, in the 2011 horror re-imagining of Red Riding Hood, the classic fairy tale was given a dark twist. This time, the wolf is actually a werewolf and preys on an entire town.

Should the classic fairy tale formula be left alone? The original tales of Hans Christian Andersen and The Brothers Grimm definitely had darker elements to them, but the majority of modern re-tellings are much lighter and happier in tone. Do people want these versions, or should we be looking to the past for inspiration? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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This week in history: 28th April – 4th May

Sergio Leone and a poster for The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.
Bing Crosby with a pipe.

Image via: henryzecher.com

This week’s TWIH post celebrates the life of a certain Spaghetti Western legend, and showcases the births of two fantastic actors.

On the 2nd of May, 1901, Bing Crosby was born in Tacoma, Washington. He started out singing in a band called Musicaladers. From then, he stormed the US, hitting his musical peak with his 1941 cover of White Christmas. His acting career was plentiful as well, with greats such as White Christmas (1954), Going My Way (1944), and The Bells of Saint Mary’s (1945).

The actor Daniel Day-Lewis was born on the 29th of April, 1957 in London. He has starred in a number of critically acclaimed films such as My Left Foot (1989), There Will Be Blood (2007) and Lincoln (2012). He is best known for his use of method acting. For example, in the filming for My Left Foot, in which Day-Lewis played the role of the Irish artist Christy Brown, he spent almost the entire film shoot in a wheelchair.

And now, on to a sadder note. On the 30th of April in 1989, the great western director, producer and screenwriter Sergio Leone passed away. He leaves behind a legacy of many fantastic Spaghetti Western films, and is renowned for his use of extreme close up shots combined with lengthy long shots. A selection of his best and most critically acclaimed films follows:

The Last Days of Pompeii (1954), The Colossus of Rhodes (1961), the Dollars Trilogy, and Duck, You Sucker! (1971).

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Star Wars Episode VII Cast Announced

An ensemble of Star Wars characters.
An ensemble of Star Wars characters.

Image via: newsmoves.com

We’ve been waiting for so long – it really does feel like forever. But now, after internet speculation a-plenty, Lucasfilm has blessed us with the gift to beat all gifts. Ladies and gentlemen, the cast list of J.J. Abrams‘ Star Wars: Episode VII.

Here’s the full statement:

The Star Wars team is thrilled to announce the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII.
Actors John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, and Max von Sydow will join the original stars of the saga, Harrison Ford,Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, and Kenny Baker in the new film.

A photo of the cast for Star Wars: Episode VII

Image via: insidethemagic.net

Here’s a statement from J.J. Abrams himself – 

“We are so excited to finally share the cast of Star Wars: Episode VII. It is both thrilling and surreal to watch the beloved original cast and these brilliant new performers come together to bring this world to life, once again. We start shooting in a couple of weeks, and everyone is doing their best to make the fans proud.”

Star Wars: Episode VII is being directed by J.J. Abrams from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and Abrams. Kathleen Kennedy, J.J. Abrams, and Bryan Burk are producing, and John Williams returns as the composer. The movie opens worldwide on December 18, 2015.

So what do you think? Some expected names here (thank you, gods of Star Wars), but also some surprises. Andy Serkis? Oh yes please. This announcement has left this Star Wars nut very happy, but what do you guys think? Hit up the comments below!

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Events, offers and releases 14/4/14

Spider-Man in his costume about to webswing across the city.
The character Ivan Locke, played by Tom Hardy, driving his car.

Image via: http://oyster.ignimgs.com

This week brings some absolutely fantastic looking films to the table – why not treat yourselves and get to the cinema? First of all comes the sequel to the re-imagining of Spiderman. Of course, I’m talking about The Amazing Spider-Man 2, which swings into UK cinemas this Wednesday. ‘Nuff said.

Want something a little darker? Why not check out Locke? This moody thriller stars Tom Hardy, and looks like it could be good for something to do this Friday night. Want some more of the eerie stuff? Also this Friday comes Magic Magic, a psychological thriller that looks like it could give quite the fright.

And finally, an offer that really is too good to miss out on. Did you catch Andy telling you about the release of Noah in his Events, Offers and Releases post at the end of last month? Well, Showcase Cinemas are offering up the chance to win a trip to Iceland! Oh yes, lucky winners will be given a tour of the beautiful South Shore, and will take part in a whale watching experience!

All you have to do is answer the following – What does Noah build in the film? Choose from A – an Ark, B – a Jet Ski and C – a Bungalow. Send your answers to competitions@national-amusements.com by April 23rd to be in with a chance!

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This week in history: 24th March – 30th March

The actor Robert Carradine stood in a forest.

Image via: http://sfsketchfest.com/

This week’s TWIH post combines the births of some influential actors and actresses and the release of a first-of-its-kind film.

On the 24th of March in 1954, in Hollywood, the youngest of the Carradine brothers was born. Robert Carradine began his acting career in 1972 alongside John Wayne in the western classic The Cowboys. One of his best known roles had him portraying Sam McGuire, the father in the Disney Channel’s Lizzie McGuire. Unknown to many, Robert Carradine also starred in 2012’s Django Unchained!

On the 26th of the same month, in 1985, Keira Knightley was born. She grew up in London, and her first role was a small part in 1993’s Royal Celebration. Since then, she has starred in a huge number of brilliant films, including Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999), Bend it like Beckham (2002), and Doctor Zhivago (2002). One of her most famous roles is that of Lady Elizabeth Swann, which began in 2003’s Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl. 

The première of Shaun of the Dead was on the 29th of March, 2004. Simon Pegg, one of the leading actors in the film, said that the film was the first ever “rom-com-zom”, or romantic comedy featuring zombies. The film went on to make $30,039,392. Horror great George A. Romero was so impressed with Simon Pegg’s work towards this film that he offered him a cameo role in his 2005 zombie flick Land of the Dead!