Film Adaptations.

Cinematic Updates To Classic Fairy Tales

These days, when we think of fairy tales, we usually think of either the funky mash-ups of the Shrek franchise, or the ‘classic’ Disney movies – pretty young things, perfectly rendered in animation, twirling among helpful animals while singing with the voice of an angel. Those movies are somewhat dated now, however, and Hollywood seems keen to re-adjust that picture – remaking those fairy tales without the sanitizing process previously employed, and instead embracing the darker, more disturbing elements of source material.

Every new interpretation is simply the latest embellishment in the life of these tales, which have been altered, edited and expanded upon for hundreds of years. They reflect both the times in which they are being told, and the capabilities of the media used to tell them. Always evolving, these are tales of human fears and anxieties, hopes and dreams, needs and desires.

Tangled (2010)

The male character here is a thief, rather than a prince, who initially becomes Rapunzel’s reluctant guide, rather than immediately the father of her children. Such adjustments to the traditional narrative make for wholesome entertainment the whole family can enjoy.

Snow White and the Huntsman (2010)

Attempts to re-imagine the character of Snow White as a self-reliant, capable, warrior of a young woman. What makes this re-imagining stand out from the crowd is the fact that it focuses on all of the foundational elements that traditional fairy tales have in common with the work of William Shakespeare. The death of a monarch parent, leaving a corrupt pretender in a position of dangerous influence; the victimization and rejection of offspring; the responsibility of the martyr child to restore peace and order – all of these plot points work to build the dramatic tension and create a framework in which an iconic and idolized female character can become an independent and capable figure, rather than a damsel-in-distress that enlists bluebirds to help with the tidying up.

Maleficent (2014)

This version of the story of Maleficent highlights an interesting point about traditional fairy tales in general. Often, the story is driven by the actions or needs of female characters – be they evil stepmothers, evil faeries, evil witches, or compliant women enabling abuses by others. But, in cinematic versions of these tales, they are pantomime villains – evil for evil’s sake, driven by power, vanity, vengeance, or money. Here, we have a look at what is rustling behind that curtain and, lo and behold, it is betrayal by a loved one.