The Problem With Cinderella
By, Celli Arenas
It’s spring again, a time to refresh and renew our senses. We will have the time to reflect upon what inspires us most, make plans, and press forward into the newness of Spring that Mother Earth has provided. Spring also blooms the thoughts of true love, classic true love; love like we see in the movies! This spring, Disney has released the live-action remake of Cinderella. The movie is described as a Science Fiction Film/Fantasy Film, and is rated PG. It was released to theaters on March 13, 2015, making it part of a “tent-pole” trend in filmmaking. Eric Diaz, of “The Nerdist” says this of the live-action trend: “This past weekend, Disney’s live-action remake of Cinderella cleaned up at movie theaters, making over $70 million dollars just at the domestic box office alone. This follows up last year’s surprise hit Maleficent, and before that, Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland. The next couple of years see live-action versions of Beauty and the Beast as well as The Jungle Book hitting cinemas. It’s clear now that Disney now has yet another [tent-pole] “franchise” in the form of live-action retellings of their classic animated movies.” (“5 Live-Action Remakes of Animated Classic Disney“)
To the credit of Director: Kenneth Branagh, Costume design: Sandy Powell, Featured songs: A “Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes“,”Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Bo“, and Producers: Allison Shearmur, Simon Kinberg, David Barron; this live action version of the timeless classic was skillfully and beautifully done. The visual aesthetic of the film is breathtaking. The performance of Oscar-winning, Cate Blanchette was riveting. She makes for a convincing and eerily wicked villainess. Kudos to her performance, she stole the show!
In summary, “After her father unexpectedly dies, young Ella (Lily James) finds herself at the mercy of her cruel stepmother (Cate Blanchett) and step sisters, who reduce her to scullery maid. Despite her circumstances, she refuses to despair. An invitation to a palace ball gives Ella hope that she might reunite with the dashing stranger (Richard Madden) she met in the woods, but her stepmother prevents her from going. Help arrives in the form of a kindly beggar woman who has a magic touch for ordinary things.” (Google)
So, what’s the problem? It is a fantasy film, science fiction film, strictly for entertainment, right? Why analyze the implications of the this classic tale of true love? That’s why, “the classic tale of TRUE love,” is the problem. Many women grew up watching Cinderella, reading books, and making trips to Disneyland/Disney World to take a picture with Cinderella and Prince Charming. Scores of little girls want princess dresses and crowns, princess tea parties and want to live the science fiction/fantasy as if it were their own true life. We teach little girls to visualize fantasy/science fiction as something plausible and realistic that can happen in their own real lives by creating activities for them, and dressing them up like the princesses we see in film.
Women believe the concept of being considered princesses to their fathers and queens to their husbands. While watching the movie I saw scores of little princesses drag their grandmas and moms to see the live-action film (probably for the 5th time since it was released). It was particularly cute when I heard one little “princess” squeal, “Daddy” when Prince Charming stroked the cheek of Cinderella, while admiring her flawless beauty. I instantly thought, wow, this baby is two years old and automatically connects Prince Charming to her Daddy (thereby, possibly seeking the same type of man for her own future husband).
There are many connections being made from watching this film that will have lasting effects in the lives of millions of little girls all over the world. When “classic true love” doesn’t occur the same way as it did for Ella, in this science fiction/fantasy film, some women will become discouraged and want to give up on love completely because they have not yet found their very own, “Prince Charming”. This is the problem with Cinderella!
Ladies, it is just a fantasy. Although the notion and concept are beautiful, and dream inspiring, we must be able to separate reality from fiction and act accordingly. We also have to remember that this story is just a dream, created by Hollywood to make money.
There is such a thing as a “Prince Charming” out there for you; you just have to create your own realistic criteria, and recognize him when you see him.
Have you watched the live-action version Cinderella, in theaters now? What are your thoughts?
Photo Credits: Google Images
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Celli Arenas, published author, has been featured in several magazines, such as: MIA Magazine, Success Magazine, Legacy Magazine. She is the host blogger at http://www.cellibration.com, and hosts MIA-Live.net for BlogTalk Radio. Her books, “30 Days of Dynamic Pursuit” a self-help journal, and “Sidetracked: He Used To Love Me”, a coming of age novel, are both available at amazon.com.
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