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Trollface and :-) having the same birthday is incredible. It's beautiful. It's meaningful. I am crying

[twistedtummies2]

Top 10 Cinderella Stories

Last week I talked about my favorite takes on "Jack and the Beanstalk," so...how about another (this time totally-separate-from-all-kinks) list about my favorite takes on a popular fairy-tale?

With as often as I talk about fairy-tales and fantasy around here, it’s kind of surprising that the story of Cinderella has almost completely escaped my attention. I’m not entirely sure why; while I can’t lie and say it’s my absolute favorite fairy-tale of all time, the classic rags-to-riches story is still a timeless classic, and I’ve seen my fair share of interpretations of the tale and its characters. Today, I think it’s time we mend that issue. Unless you’ve been living under a pumpkin coach for your entire life, you probably know SOME variation on Cinderella: the story focuses on a young lady - typically one originally of noble stock - who is menaced by her Wicked Stepmother. The evil woman forces the poor lass to slave away as a servant for her two Ugly Stepsisters. One night, however, with help from a supernatural entity (typically a Fairy Godmother, but other methods have been used), Cinderella is given the power to attend the prom-I mean, the royal ball. When she meets the charming Prince (or Prince Charming, take your pick), and wins his love, her life is changed forever.

Over the years, there have been stage and screen adaptations and reimaginings of this story and its characters. Originally, I was going to do a list specifically devoted to either Cinderella herself or the villainous Stepmother (and I may still do that), but after a while, I decided it might be better and more interesting to focus on the story as a whole rather than just one tiny part of it. So, I’m going to count down some of my favorite reinventions of the classic fairy-tale here today. Put on your glass slippers and watch the clock for midnight’s toll: these are My Top 10 Cinderella Stories!

SPOILER ALERT: The movie actually called “A Cinderella Story” starring Hillary Duff is NOT on this list. Sorry, I know it’s got fans, but I’m not among them. On that note, please remember that I haven’t seen EVERY version of this story that’s ever been made. So, if a favorite of yours isn’t mentioned here, chances are I just haven’t seen it, or don’t even know about it. With that said, let’s get into it!

10. The Prokofiev Ballet.

There have been multiple ballet takes on Cinderella over the years, but my personal favorite - and the one that seems to be the most famous - is the one composed by Sergei Prokofiev, first produced in the 1940s. If that name sounds familiar, Prokofiev is probably best known today for being the creator of another famous fairy-tale-told-through-music, “Peter and the Wolf.” This rendition of the Cinderella story was influential on several later interpretations, and has been produced numerous times over the decades by numerous companies. Among my favorite productions that have been recorded for viewing are the 1961 version for the Bolshoi Ballet in Russia, the 1970 production by the Royal Ballet in the UK (pictured here), and the 1987 production by the Paris National Opera Ballet Company. A common creative decision with this version is that at least one of the two Ugly Stepsisters tend to be performed as drag roles; for example, in the 1970 UK version I mentioned, one of the stepsisters is Sir Robert Helpmann (most famous as the Child Catcher from Chitty Chitty Bang Bang), while the other is actually the choreographer of that version, Frederick Ashton! Not much else to say, since the ballet doesn’t really do anything spectacularly unique in terms of story; it’s just a fanciful, fun, beautiful construct that is almost as timeless as the story itself.

9. Grimms Notes: The Animation.

This is a slightly more obscure interpretation, but it’s one I appreciate a lot. It is also the first major reimagining of Cinderella on the list, meaning it changes a lot of the story and the use of the characters involved. “Grimms Notes: The Animation” is an anime based on the now-defunct online game “Grimms Notes.” The premise of the show takes place in a universe with different locations designated as “story zones,” wherein everybody is given - at a certain age - a Book of Fate that dictates what their life is going to be like, and what their role in a given story is. However, these Books of Fate don’t seem to tell them EVERYTHING, and this gives room for monsters known as Chaos Tellers to come in and screw things up, playing on the insecurities and doubts of those involved in the stories to corrupt them. Cinderella’s story is one of the most important explored in the anime, as it’s revealed the main character of the show, Ex, was actually a friend of Cinderella. Ex was given a blank book, meaning his fate is totally uncertain, and he is considered a pariah in the community; Cinderella sympathizes with him as, while her fate is largely determined, she still has to deal with her wicked stepfamily, and there’s no guarantee of what will happen to her after she and the prince are wed. It is, in fact, revealed that there have been MANY Cinderellas over the years…but not all of their stories have ended happily ever after. The twist of who the Chaos Tellers corrupt to change the story, and how Ex and the other main protagonists work into it, makes for one of my favorite reinventions of the story, causing it to veer off course in an intriguing way.

8. Faerie Tale Theatre.

I’ve talked about Faerie Tale Theatre a few times in the past, and once again it returns to the forefront. For those who don’t know, this 1980s TV series - hosted and produced by Shelley Duvall (may she rest in peace) - adapted various famous fairy-tales, fables, and works of fantasy and folklore. Every episode featured an all-star cast of popular personalities, and was done in a deliberately theatrical manner, hence the title of the show. Their episode of Cinderella is no exception. Jennifer Beals plays the poor girl, while Eve Arden tackles the role of the Stepmother, and Jean Stapleton appears as the Fairy Godmother. The weirdest piece of casting, however, is Matthew Broderick, of all people, who plays the charming Prince Henry. This version largely plays itself for laughs, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, since the humor often does land. I love how obliviously amiable and innocently playful Broderick’s Prince is, I love how almost pantomime the villains are (“You kiss up to us, we despise you, and everyone goes home happy!” the Stepmother says at one point), and Stapleton’s fairy godmother is just a lot of fun to watch in general. She’s one of my favorites, partially because she plays a larger role in the story than usual. Beals as Cinderella sort of grounds and anchors the production, playing the role more or less straight in contrast to the weirdness of the rest of the major cast and characters. It’s another adaptation that likely slips through the cracks for most people, but it’s definitely worth giving a look.

7. Ella Enchanted.

This 2004 movie (starring Princess Mia and the White Queen herself, Anne Hathaway) is based on a book of the same title…which I have not read, and basically know nothing about, except that it exists. I therefore cannot judge how well it adapts the source, and I honestly don’t know what kind of reputation this movie has for most people: it seems largely forgotten today, I never hear anybody else talk about it, but I seem to remember it got a lot of attention when it first came out. Regardless, this version starts off telling the Cinderella story as we know it, but with a unique twist: in this tale, Cinderella isn’t obeying the cruel whims of her step-family by her own volition. It’s revealed that Ella, as she’s more simply referred to, had a spell put on her at birth that causes her to be supremely obedient: she must enact any command she’s given, whether she wants to or not. The true villain of the tale turns out not to be her stepmother (though she and the stepsisters are still very much involved in the story), but the Prince’s treacherous uncle, Sir Edgar (played by Cary Elwes, of all people). When Edgar learns of Ella’s curse, he plots to exploit her and her budding romance with the Prince to gain the throne for himself. This is the first version of the story on the list to really try and “toughen up” Cinderella, as it involves some action scenes and makes Ella a more feisty and spirited young lady; she only puts up with the abuse she undergoes because she truly and effectively has no choice. At the same time, it’s also one of the most comedic takes on the story, with a lot of slapstick humor and deliberate moments of melodrama. In my opinion, it’s worth checking out, if you haven’t already.

6. Disney’s Cinderella (2015).

We all love to make fun of and deride Disney’s agonizingly long string of live-action remakes of previous properties, such as Lion King, Mulan, and Snow White, and how absolutely DREADFUL they all are. However, many people forget that part of the reason this trend happened was because it started with a good first impression. The first proper film of this kind Disney made came out over ten years ago, as of making this list, and was their remake of Cinderella. And you know what? It still holds up, in my opinion! While by no means a perfect movie - I have some mixed feelings about Helena Bonham Carter as the Fairy Godmother, and I also think the ending is somewhat anticlimactic, for a few reasons, just for a start - I think it still works overall, especially when compared to later, similar movies. The reason for this, I suspect, is because it does what all these movies SHOULD be doing: while it certainly tries to do things that are different from the original in comparison, and which can be seen as recurring themes in later films (such as making the villains more sympathetic, attempting to strengthen the heroine, and going in a slightly more “realistic” direction in several ways), it doesn’t hammer or bludgeon those elements into you. It simply tells the story, and does so in a way that pays homage to the original, but still keeps a unique identity that is all its own. If you didn’t KNOW this was a remake of an earlier film, you probably wouldn’t even recognize that fact, and I say that in a good way: you can watch this essentially as just its own unique rendition of a classic fairy-tale, without needing to compare it constantly to an older take. And as far as that criteria goes, I think this one ranks pretty nicely.

5. Cinderella’s Castle.

This version only just came out last yar, and I already feel no hesitation or doubt in placing it among my personal top five here. This musical adaptation of Cinderella is the work of StarKid Productions (formerly known as “Team StarKid”), a theatre company probably most well-known for creating various parody musicals of popular works, such as the Harry Potter films and Disney’s Aladdin. The musical is a dark comedy reimagining of the classic story, which aesthetically pays homage to the cinematic work of the Jim Henson Creature Shop in the 1980s, with films like “Labyrinth” and “The Dark Crystal.” Once again, it starts off basically as the story we know, but at some point veers off in another direction: in this take, Cinderella’s stepfamily are revealed to not even be human beings, but man-eating trolls in disguise, who plan to - what else? - take over the world. The story quickly changes from a tale of romance to one of righteous revenge, as Cinderella seeks to stop her stepfamily’s evil schemes, save the kingdom, and - most importantly - avenge the death of her father, as well as the constant cruelties the trolls heap upon her. The musical is similar in tone to some of the more original works StarKid has done, mingling dark fantasy and horror elements with a sort of raunchy, vulgar sense of adult humor. It’s an acquired taste, not for everybody…but personally, this has become my favorite of their creations so far, and is easily one of my favorite takes on the timeless tale.

4. Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella.

If you want a much, MUCH more traditional stage musical take on Cinderella than our previous pick, look no further than Rodgers & Hammerstein’s popular take on the tale. Unlike most of the famous theatre duo’s work, this show was made not for the stage, initially, but for television: it was first performed live on TV in 1957, with Julie Andrews (a few years before she played Mary Poppins, and hot off the success of her work in My Fair Lady) in the role of Cinderella. Since then, the show has not only been performed numerous times onstage by various people, ranging from big Broadway theatres to small children’s companies, but has also been brought back to television no less than twice: first in 1965, with Lesley Ann Warren in the title role, and future Ursula from the Little Mermaid, Pat Carroll, as one of the Ugly Stepsisters. Then, in 1997, a TV movie version was made starring pop star Brandy, of all people, in the role of Cinderella; this one featured Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother, Bernadette Peters as the Stepmother, and Jason Alexander - of all people - as the Prince’s servant, Lionel. All three TV versions are honestly REALLY good, and the show is still mainstay onstage in many places across America. While it’s never gotten the extreme accolades and praised as a perfect masterpiece like some other Rodgers & Hammerstein musicals (such as Sound of Music or The King and I), it’s still an excellent retelling of the story with a lot of heart and humor.

3. Into the Woods.

Our third stage musical rendition in a row…can you tell I’m a theatre geek? Ha Ha. ANYWAY, “Into the Woods” is one of my all time favorite musicals, and while Cinderella is only part of the overarching story here, the way she and her tale are integrated into the larger narrative is really interesting. “Into the Woods” is a fairy-tale mash-up, in which four famous stories (Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and - of course - Cinderella) are interwoven together by an original subplot involving a Baker and His Wife. The first act of the show pretty much just tells the stories as they are, and has a sort of darkly comedic tone to it. The second act, however, is where things REALLY get interesting: more emphasis is placed on the “dark” than the “comedic” (although the humor never truly goes away, I should add) as we find out Happily Ever After ain’t all it’s cracked up to be, and the characters have to face the consequences of their actions and inactions from the first half of the show. Cinderella is no exception; her story is one of trying to figure out where she really belongs in the world, as she goes from one nightmare with her abusive family to a completely different set of problems after she marries her Prince. She, like all the others, learns a number of valuable lessons, perhaps the biggest among them being that old maxim, “be careful what you wish for: you just might get it.” The original Broadway version of the musical had Cinderella played by Kim Crosby. In the 2014 film adaptation (which I personally like, but seems to be divisive among people), she was played by Anna Kendrick (pictured here). Other notable actresses to tackle the part have been Phillipa Soo, Sierra Boggess, Helen Dallimore, and Laura Benanti, just to name a few. The show has been performed and revived multiple times in theatres worldwide, and is also very popular - both in its full form and in the first-act-only “Junior” edition - with many regional and community theatres. While sometimes considered one of Stephen Sondheim’s weaker works, it remains one of my Top 10 favorite musicals, and Cinderella is one of my favorite characters in it.

2. Disney’s Cinderella (1950).

While many people today often seem to poke fun at the perceived “weaknesses” of this Disney classic…let’s face it, this is, without a doubt, the DEFINITIVE depiction of the Cinderella story. When most people think of the story, the title, and the characters involved, this is the one they think of first, and many adaptations that have come since have essentially drawn more from the original Disney version than almost any other. The movie is essentially split into two major plotlines, as Cinderella’s struggles to deal with her stepmother, Lady Tremaine (and her stepsisters, Anastasia and Drizella), are paralleled by the slapstick antics between the friendly mice who live in the walls of her family estate, and their attempts to overcome the vicious gluttony of Tremaine’s pet cat, Lucifer. After the events of the royal ball, the two plots essentially come together, as the mice help Cinderella escape Tremaine and, in the process, Lucifer’s own devilish ways do him in. While the film is not perfect, and I can’t say it’s one of my absolute biggest favorite Disney movies, it’s not a bad feature by any means: the animation remains breathtaking, the songs are catchy, and the characters are memorable. I’m especially fond of this film’s version of the Fairy Godmother: her time onscreen is short, but they manage to not only make her an amusing character, but also one filled with a genuine warmth and sense of comfort, which I feel a lot of other takes lack. Cinderella, herself, I think is an underrated member of the Disney Princess lineup; she may not be Moana, but she’s not as passive and blithe as I think a lot of people make her out to be. The film is not perfect, of course, but I still think it’s more than worthy of the recognition it gets, and its given birth to a whole slew of spin-offs and sequels (at least ONE of which was actually good, and you all probably know which), which have expanded the story and its characters further. So…what rendition could possibly top this?

1. Ever After.

Though somewhat forgotten today, this 1998 film was a decent success in its own time - both critically and financially - and seems to be gaining more of a following as the years go on. It is a following well-deserved. I actually didn’t even hear of this movie till about eight years ago, but when I found out about, I KNEW I had to check it out. Since then, it has not only become my favorite take on Cinderella, but also quite possibly one of my favorite fantasy films (if you can even properly call it that, for reasons I’ll get to in a bit) of all time. The film postulates itself as the “True Story” behind Cinderella. It removes a lot of the more fantastical elements from the original fairy-tale and other interpretations (no fairy godmother, no talking mice, etc.), and makes some interesting changes to the plot and characters. Like the later 2016 film, it attempts to toughen up the heroine while still making her vulnerable enough to fit the mold of the story, makes the villains more sympathetic while keeping them a legitimate threat, and also emphasizes the romance between the main character (here named Danielle) and the Prince, as the movie is really about their budding relationship and the many twists and turns it takes. Just about every single one of the main figures from the story featured here have become my favorite takes on those characters: Drew Barrymore as Danielle is quite likely my favorite Cinderella, Angelica Huston as Baroness de Ghent is my favorite Wicked Stepmother, Dougray Scott as Prince Henry is my favorite take on the Prince Charming character…I think the only exception there is the Fairy Godmother, since in this version, the substitute for that role is none other than frickin’ Leonardo da Vinci (played by Patrick Godfrey), and even then, that’s till pretty dang cool! On that note, it even manages to add some action and adventure to the plot, not unlike “Ella Enchanted,” and while it takes itself plenty seriously, it also knows when to have a sense of humor! In short, this is a REALLY darn good movie, and as much as I will always respect other versions such as the Disney takes or the Rodgers & Hammerstein musical, this is, without a doubt, my favorite Cinderella story. If you haven’t seen it yourself, check it out soon: whether you’re a fan of fairy-tales or not, you will not regret a second, I can almost guarantee it.

HONORABLE MENTIONS INCLUDE…

Festival of Family Classics.

This one gets on here because it was actually one of the first versions of Cinderella I ever saw growing up. “Festival of Family Classics” was an animated series by Rankin/Bass, the same people behind “Frosty the Snowman” and other Christmastime classics. The “Cinderella” episode is still a nostalgic favorite of mine. Not much else to say, I just have a soft spot for it.

The Glass Slipper.

A more obscure rendition from 1955. This film was a box office bomb when it came out, and seems to be judged as sort of “meh” by most critics and audiences. Like the Rankin/Bass version, I saw it growing up, and still have a soft spot for it, but I ultimately like the ten on the main list more.

Once Upon a Time.

This famous ABC TV series featured MULTIPLE Cinderella stories, which got a little confusing, to be honest, as the show went on. With that said, as bizarre as this creative choice may have been, the different Cinderellas, Stepmothers, and so on were all, at least, interesting in their own rights, and seeing how the other famous fairy-tale figures sort of connected to this oft-repeated fable was always fun.

Smile! Pretty Cure.

This fairy-tale themed Magical Girl series mostly tells original stories, with the primary connection to the theme being that its three main villains are all evil figures FROM fairy-tales. However, in one episode, all of the cast get thrust into the story of Cinderella, with one of the main characters becoming the little princess, and the three aforementioned villains turning into the stepfamily. It’s a WEIRD but also really, REALLY hilarious take on the story, as well as one of the most memorable episodes of the show. The Japanese version had the long title: "What Has Happened?! Miyuki's Nonsensical Cinderella!" In the American English Dub, retitled “Glitter Force,” the episode goes under the shorter and sweeter title “A Fairytale Ending.”

[esta-elavaris]

Some random updates on the fic front based on some comments I've been getting on and off during Fallen Through Time's run --

It's going to end with TCOTPB, there won't be any Dead Man's Chest in it at all. With the way things are, there are some minor differences to how it would go compared to CTW, but they're so incredibly minor that it just doesn't feel worth going into it, especially because it'll detract from the plan I have of how to end it in my head, which I'm very happy with. Sorry! I know people want this 💜 I have to heed the vision and I promise you, you're not missing much at all. I'll probably include an A/N at the end explaining what those differences would be, for the folk who are interested, but there's really not that much change.

Once FTT is done, I'll be going back to As It Was, the one where James is the modern one, finally, but I'm going to take a break between the end of the fic and that point to work on some other fandom stuff. That stuff will probably end up being the Dracula fic, because it's calling my name. It'll also just be a nice break because AIW is going to be a fucking undertaking.

Tomorrow was looking like it was going to be a shitshow, but then it cleared up and I am currently bedridden but with a lot of mental energy, so I'm hoping to have a lot to throw at you between now and Monday. The next chapter of FTT already has around a thousand words in its draft ✨

[salty-ironstrange-shipper]

Stephen: I cannot conceive of a universe without you in it.

Tony: Yes you can, it's just less great and less hot.

[got7]

FAVOURITE KPOP TITLE TRACKS (22/?) Red Velvet ‘Dumb Dumb’ (2015)

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More solly pop stuff!!!!

Plus sketch

(I know solly pop has some discourse about what her body type is but honestly. She can change forma so idk....)

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Today on fic concepts I'll never write (see below cut for premise)

"There's been many different versions of the story of the night the last Nie Sect Leader died. Some say his brother became mad out of grief. Others that the sect leader killed him in his rage and the whole sorry story was covered up. Some that the heir had killed himself in anguish. Another version that he ran like a coward, too scared to face his responsibilities. But all the stories agree on this:

The night Nie Mingjue died, Nie Huaisang vanished and was never seen again.

Thirteen years later an old soul wakes up.

SO the actual premise is that after NMJ's qi deviation NHS does something/something happens, accidental or deliberate idk NHS winds up accidentally time travelling to the future and it's half about exploring the new world and half NHS trying to solve what happened. I said the night NMJ died for the drama but it's arguably more interesting if it's a little later. anyway also nhs sort of accidentally time travels wiht some importance evidence/context of what happened, ideally physical NOT just hte fact that the incident is fresh in his mind and yea. It's just NHS and others trying to solve what happened.

I imagine the nie sect implodes a little without a clear line of sucession and the general mystery/bad optics of both brothers dying/vanishing on the same night. JGY and LXC have influence in the clan in canon but it's obviously weirder without someone to influence through so in this I hc they don't.

nhs just trying to blend in, I think it's more interesting if he doesn't instantly play his hand of "oh im a time travelling person :-)" maybe time travellign is forbiden idk. but yeah. it's a bit like the main plot but instead of wwx coming back it's nhs but. fun thoughts. will never do anything with it. fun to think about. NHS trying to explain how he knows things/has evidence for things he has no right to know/have without also revealing who he really is.

(nb I'm not imagining a MXY sacrificial situation here because there's no NHS to ever set a plan in motion. That said, I do always love giving MXY agency and if you make it his idea--- well if MXY has suspicions about NHS' disappearance, possibly not well founded he may think him a good man to track JGY down. also despite all rumours NHS did not die and I like to think it was more a series of accdients but yeah. just fun. and the whole- the world has moved on without me, huh. thing.) -> I did also think there oculd be some fun in both WWX in MXY's body and NHS (man out of time) showing up at the same time and all the "I know he knows I know he knows" shit going on tbh.

also I like it because there is something intrinsically hilarious to me about being at the centre of a mystery that like, doesn't exist to you. Like finding out there's a whole set of conspiracy theories about your disappearance and you're only just learning that you ever even disappeared? (WWX knows he dies even if the rumours are a surprise. Whether or not NHS time travel was deliberate it was definitely not on his end. He was either trying to do somethign else or someone else did it to him. so yeah. you wake up, you learn you're in the future, and then learn you're a cold case. Except for all the people who think there's no mystery, just that you were the scum of the earth. You are also trying to save a cold case yourself. Except to you this case hasn't gone cold.)