This is a list of the Best Live-Action Fairy Tale movies that were reviewed. In a lot of ways this list was harder than the worst list since I had the opposite problem there were a dearth of stellar movies but somehow it hit that target.

 

Number #10 

Gemma Craven as Cinderella and Richard Chamberlain as Prince Edward The Slipper and the Rose Cinderella picture image

Gemma Craven as Cinderella and Richard Chamberlain as Prince Edward

The Slipper and the Rose – Originally this was the movie for the surprised/liked list but it broke off from that for  a few reasons. The biggest reason is this the only Cinderella movie that have the godmother doing more stuff for Cinderella and gives a reason for why the magic has a limit. It also just addresses some other issue with the story and while characters aren’t amazing they are likable and there is more than just the Cinderella story being told. Plus the songs and the costumes are awesome.

 

Number #9

Jen with the Skeksis Chamberlain The Dark Crystal picture image

Jen with the Skeksis Chamberlain

The Dark Crystal – There really isn’t anything quite like The Dark Crystal. It has a lot of artistry,  imagination, and heart. The story is dark yet complex and still fairly accessible.

Number #8 

Libuše Šafránková as Cinderella with Pavel Trávníček as the Prince at the ball Three Wishes for Cinderella picture image

Libuše Šafránková as Cinderella with Pavel Trávníček as the Prince at the ball

Three Wishes for Cinderella – In a lot of ways this movie is another breath of fresh air for the Cinderella story. While  there is magic there is no fairy godmother but instead an owl and hazelnuts. Cinderella in this version is very able; she rides, hunts and is clever while still being kind. I do like that she veils her face so no one can recognizes her, even the prince. Plus the snow landscapes are lovely.

 

Number #7 

Ron Perlman as One and Judith Vittet as Miette The City of Lost Children picture image

Ron Perlman as One and Judith Vittet as Miette

City of Lost Children – You don’t get much more surreal than this one. The weird imaginary just adds so much to this story that it makes it more of a fairy tale.

Number #6

Ivana Baquero as Ofelia with Faun Pan's Labyrinth picture image

Ivana Baquero as Ofelia with Faun

Pan’s Labyrinth – This movie is intoxicating. It combines a beautiful dark fairy tale with the horrors of reality within the context of Fascist Spain. I do wish that it wasn’t so balanced between the two settings as the fairy tale elements were better but that could be just wanting more of it.

 

Number #5

Noah Hathaway as Atreyu and Falkor The Neverending Story picture image

Noah Hathaway as Atreyu and Falkor

The Never Ending Story –  This movie traumatized so many children in the 80’s but it’s just pure uncut nostalgia that you can’t deny it. While it does have complex idea at play the philosophies in this story are lovely. Plus Falcor is awesome.

Number #4 

Johnny Depp as Edward Scissorhands & Winona Ryder as Kim Boggs Edward Scissorhands picture image

Johnny Depp as Edward Scissorhands & Winona Ryder as Kim Boggs

Edward Scissorhands – Edward Scissorhands effortlessly combines a lot of fairy tale tropes into a modern setting. It’s a beautiful bittersweet tale that is very emotionally charged.

Number #3

Drew Barrymore as Danielle and Dougray Scott as Prince Henry Ever After: A Cinderella Story picture image

Drew Barrymore as Danielle and Dougray Scott as Prince Henry

Ever After – Let’s not pretend that this isn’t the best Cinderella movie. This movie gives story gives Cinderella a.k.a Danielle  the most acengy she can possible have while still being the Cinderella character and it does it well. All the Cinderella elements are there is someway but the are elevated in such a way that makes them make sense in the story and the world. Plus it’s a fun movie with great costumes.

 

Number #2

Cary Elwes as Westley and Robin Wright as Buttercup The Princess Bride picture image

Cary Elwes as Westley and Robin Wright as Buttercup

The Princess Bride – Another nostalgia bomb. I’m not sure would really understand a person if the didn’t like something about this movie, it literally has everything and it’s super entertaining and vastly quotable.

 

Number #1

Josette Day as Belle and Jean Marais as The Beast La Belle et la Bete Jean Cocteau 1946 picture image

Josette Day as Belle and Jean Marais as The Beast

La Belle et la Bete – There should be no surprise here, that the 1946 Belle et la Bete movie would be number one.  It’s just so perfect. It’s only flaw is that it knows it’s flawed and the story doesn’t make sense so it tells you to keep your childlike sensibility and just hits you with a dream-like movie.

I do hope the Disney Live-action remake will be on the level of the 1946 movie. Maybe when it comes out next year I will review it but till then the blog is moving on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Wishes for Cinderella picture image

Three Wishes for Cinderella

Today’s movie, Three Wishes for Cinderella, is interesting. By interesting, I mean watching it, I couldn’t find it nor get a DVD of it with English subtitles so I had to watch it without subtitles and then I watched it again with this British guy narrating it, which was weird but I least I understood the story better.

Three Wishes for Cinderella, or as it’s sometimes called, “Three Nuts for Cinderella” and I’m immature enough to giggle when I see that, is a 1973 Czechoslovak/East German movie starring LibuÅ¡e Å afránková. So did I mind watching this movie twice as most movies I struggle to even make it twenty minutes before suppressing the urge to kill myself? Nope, this movie was charming.

Libuše Šafránková as Cinderella with Pavel Trávníček as the Prince with his pals Three Wishes for Cinderella picture image

Libuše Šafránková as Cinderella with Pavel Trávníček as the Prince with his pals

It’s your basic Cinderella story. Cinderella has a step-mother and step sister who hate her while every else loves her. Though this movie is quite different from other versions. Cinderella is forbidden to ride her pretty white horse and Step mother makes her keep busy by mixing peas and lentils together and makes Cinderella sort them, which is a tasks that her dove friends do for her.

One day, when the King, Queen and the Prince are heading to a castle in the vicinity, Cinderella sneaks out and visit her pet owl and meets the prince. Well she throws a snowball at him and gives him the run around and then steals his horse. The Prince is impress that someone other than him could ride his horse.

The step-Mother weasels an invite to the ball. The send the stewart to get fabric. He offers to get Cinderella gift. Cinderella wants to go to the ball but dejected that they step-mother would never let her go she asks her to bring back what ever hits his nose. On his way back the prince hit the stewart’s with a bird nest and he find three hazelnuts which he gives to Cinderella.

Cinderella takes the hazelnuts to her owl and tell him that she wishes she could fly ways but to even leave she would need a disguise. The owl motion for her to open the hazel and out pops a huntsmen costume. She then runs into the prince who is having a contest where the first one to shot down a bird of prey wins a ring, Cinderella wins the contest and once again impresses the prince. She then runs off and the prince chases after her. She take off her disguise and give him the run around again.

As the Step-mother and sister get ready for the ball, Cinderella ask if she could just look in through the window, which her step-mother respond by making sort the peas and the lentils again. However she once agin gets help from the doves. She them goes to her owl. For her second wish she wishes for a pink ball gown that looks like the dawn. She goes to the ball and wins the love of the prince who wants to marry but before she agrees she gives the prince a riddle, which is something like, ” Dirty face but now a chimney sweep, A Feather hat but not a huntsmen, a ball gown but not a princess.” Which is her but until he can answers it she won’t be his wife and he runs out the ball to her horse and leaves her shoe. Oh and in this version she wears a veil so no can recognize her which means the Prince follows for her grace and charms over her face.

The Prince follows her to the manor but can’t find her. I think her Step-mother does something to her when she figures it out but I’m not sure what. Cinderella escapes though, I guess and goes to her owl and the last wish is a wedding gown. Cinderella reveals herself to the prince and they ride off to the castle on their horses.

Libuše Šafránková as Cinderella Three Wishes for Cinderella picture image

Libuše Šafránková as Cinderella

What is interesting about this movie is that for a lot of European specifically in Germany and Norway, though there could be more countries, this is THE movie to watch on Christmas Eve because it has a nice winter setting, which is both refreshing and has a nice romantic feel.

Libuše Šafránková as Cinderella on her horse Three Wishes for Cinderella picture image

Libuše Šafránková as Cinderella on her horse

What I really like about this move version is Cinderella herself. So often Cinderella is accused of being too passive and marrying a guy she doesn’t know. This Cinderella hunts, rides, is kind, mischievous and smart. And much like another Cinderella who fits these traits, that we’ll get to someday (Cough Ever After Cough), she also meets the Prince by throwing something at him. Also LibuÅ¡e Å afránková just looks like a great Cinderella as she is quite beautiful but in a charming natural way. She was just perfect.

Also with the her wearing a veil and the Prince meeting her a few times their love is a bit more believable, though it didn’t seem she was really interested him and she did let him off the riddle hook quickly, but it’s more than original story.

Libuše Šafránková as Cinderella with her owl Three Wishes for Cinderella picture image

Libuše Šafránková as Cinderella with her owl

The changes they made to the story were great as the owl and hazelnuts act as the fairy godmother and there is no coach just her horse. There was just enough magic without any real frills. It was just good emotions

Libuše Šafránková as Cinderella with Pavel Trávníček as the Prince Three Wishes for Cinderella picture image

Libuše Šafránková as Cinderella with Pavel Trávníček as the Prince

 

I will say there are some weird cinematic choices. I think it might be more the the style of 70’s cinema than artistic expression but there are some weird closeup that are off-putting but the last shot is stunning as they ride off into the distance against pure white snow, it was rather magical.

Libuše Šafránková as Cinderella with Pavel Trávníček as the Prince at the ball Three Wishes for Cinderella picture image

Libuše Šafránková as Cinderella with Pavel Trávníček as the Prince at the ball

Being costume freak I am I have to discuss Cinderella’s Ball gown, First off, I really like the motif of the gown. She looked like a sunrise with a soft pink and blueish tones. Many Cinderella are either in blues and white that pink is a nice color choice. Also I love, love the fire bird on the back of the train and on the sash.

However I din’t really like that this gown was style of the times and didn’t really fit into the rest of the costumes. It was the point of the costume but they didn’t even try to make it the mingle the style of the 70’s with the time period of the movie. Though Å afránková looked lovely and it was a fun scene, so I forgive it a little bit.

Three Wishes for Cinderella picture image

Libuše Šafránková as Cinderella with a dove

Three Wishes for Cinderella is a very refreshing take on Cinderella plus an Owl and Horse play a critical role so clear it’s a great movie.

I will say the ONE thing I didn’t like was all the hunting but that is me being sensitive, also that music they played all the time got a little old.