Some good resources for literature & "fiction to film" classes and just good entertainment!
Once upon a time TV series (7.30 Tuesdays, Prime)
This fantasy drama series is a great reworking of the Snow White tale – full of intrigue, sorcery, love, suspense and the usual battles between good and evil, with great visual effects & good performances. A woman who works as a bail bonds officer is taken by a young boy to the town of Storybooke, where uncanny parallels exist between the townsfolk and the world of fairy tales. Could the fairytale characters be trapped in time in Storybrooke? The backstories are intriguing and mostly non-linear (from the creators of Lost!) – the characters' traits and motivations could all be compared with characters from the traditional book versions of the tales.
The first series was 22 episodes – probably a few too many to show at school, but definitely worth watching a few from the start. Stars Ginnifer Goodwin as Snow White (and her alter-ego schoolteacher in Storybrooke) and Robert Carlyle as the malevolent Rumplestiltskin/Mr Gold….well, anything with Robert Carlyle is going to be good! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Once_Upon_a_Time_(TV_series) and http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1843230/reviews
Snow White and the huntsman (opens 21 June) http://www.snowwhiteandthehuntsman.com/
Stars Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron (Queen) & Chris Hemsworth (huntsman). In this reimagining / Disney deconstruction of the Snow White tale, the huntsman who is forced to take Snow White into the woods to kill her becomes her mentor and protector, training her in the art of war as they try to vanquish the evil Queen. Visually spectacular, an awesome mirror, medieval battles and – for a while – 8 dwarves! Review:http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120530/REVIEWS/120539992 Trailer: http://www.metacritic.com/movie/snow-white-and-the-huntsman/trailers
Maleficent (release date March 2014)
Another revisionist version of a fairy tale – this time Sleeping Beauty. Told from the point of view of the evil fairy godmother Maleficent, it is the backstory of why she cursed Aurora to a permanent sleep on her 16th birthday. Stars Elle Fanning as Princess Aurora and Angelina Jolie as Maleficent. http://www.movies.ie/movie20news/Imelda_Staunton_Miranda_Richardson_Juno_Temple_Sam_Riley__More_Join_MALEFICENT
10 other upcoming fairy tale movies
Seems like a renaissance for the fairy tale genre. Includes: Hansel & Gretel: witch-hunters (Will Ferrell); Pan (Sean Bean); The little mermaid (director Joe Wright); Jack the giant killer (director Bryan Singer); Enchanted 2; Arabian Nights (Liam Hemsworth); Pinocchio (director Guillermo del Toro). Stories and themes that have stood the test of time! http://www.nextmovie.com/blog/fairy-tale-movies-in-development/
Prometheus (now screening)
Directed by Ridley Scott (Alien; Blade Runner). Stars Noomi Rapace (Dragon Tattoo) & Michael Fassbender. Sci fi / action / horror film set in the late 21st century. The crew of the spaceship Prometheus follow an ancient map to a distant world where they seek the origins of humanity – but find instead a threat that could wipe out the human race. Precedes the story of Alien, but is not directly connected to the series. The film has its own mythology and ideas.
http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/reviewcomplete.asp?FID=137119
And the most anticipated movie of the year?
The Dark Knight rises (in cinemas 19 July)
Directed by Christopher Nolan – the last in his Batman trilogy. Sequel to Batman begins & The Dark Knight. Stars Christian Bale & Anne Hathaway. Nolan sees the film as an epic war movie or historical epic rather than another superhero blockbuster. Set 8 years after the last film, a new terrorist leader comes to Gotham and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dark_Knight_Rises
This entry was posted on Friday, June 15th, 2012 @ 5:30 pm on the category films, popular culture, TV. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
