Hausmarchen" or "Children and Household Tales". Grimms Fairy Tales have been an endless inspiration for writing, art, film and music
It just so happened that Bianca and I watched Disney's 1937 Snow White on Tuesday. We snuggled on the couch and oohed and aaahed at the cute parts, cringed at the scary mirror, mirror on the wall parts and I fast forwarded during the huntsman part!
Even this tame version of the Fairy Tale has a fairly dreadful theme of multiple attempts on the life of the pure and kindly Snow White.
a Steven Sondheim musical made into a movie. This was another take on the stories. What happens in the ' happily ever after'. The handsome prince isn't quite so charming after he has been won and the neighborhood has to deal with that dead giant in Jack's yard. Lots of fun and Bernadette Peters makes an adorable wicked witch. Then suddenly I'm watching a scene where gasp! Cinderella's stepsisters have their toes cut off in an attempt to fit the glass slipper and their bad luck doesn't just end by not getting the prince. Justice is served by having their eyes plucked out by doves. Whoa,This isn't the story I read as a kid!
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| Poor Prince. But really, should any girl have a foot that small. |
There was a much darker side.
The original tales were violent and even bawdy entertainment for adults not intended for children. It turns out Rapunzel had some twins while she was a captive in the tower.
Life was very rough in the times the original tales were told. I may be sappy but I prefer the gentle retelling of the stories. I found on the internet this picture of my childhood book where I first fell in love with fairy tales
In honor of the anniversary check out this interactive google doodle
http://www.google.com/doodles/200th-anniversary-of-grimms-fairy-tales
1 comment:
What a great essay on the Grimms! Rebecca just read a new rendition by Philip Pullman, and liked it. I laughed out loud at the tiny shoe. Perhaps she had a Chinese mother who bound her feet. I plan to order the Sondheim movie at your recommendation. Snow White was one of my favorites. The last time I saw it was when Rachael was little, and I was amazed at how good it still was.
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