A Study in Princesses: Belle and Jasmine

Continuing from last week is my study on the evolution of the Disney princesses, examining how they developed from one-dimensional fluff into dynamic characters, and detailing how far Disney still needs to go. It almost physically pains me to say anything against “Beauty and the Beast,” but I have to be honest. Belle is my childhood favorite and in many ways a superb heroine; an intelligent bookworm who doesn’t care what others think of her, she longs for adventure and shows enough discretion not to give in to the first man showing interest. However, I have to say that the … Continue reading

Introduction to Disney Addiction

“The fairy tale of film — created with the magic of animation — is the modern equivalent of the great parables of the Middle Ages.”—Walt Disney Hi, my name is Angela and I’m a Disney-holic. I got hooked when I was small and I still go see the studio’s movies in the theaters, by myself if need be. For my formal introduction on this blog, I wanted to share a little bit about the role Disney’s had in my life. Disney means a lot of things to a lot of people—production company, ultimate theme park, greedy global conglomerate—and while I’m … Continue reading

Shows That Defy Imagination

Fans of Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” will soon get the chance to see their favorite princess (and various pieces of dancing silverware) in 3-D. Disney execs just announced that the mega-popular 1991 animated movie is getting a major makeover. Come 2010 fans will be able to view a 3-D version of the flick starring a beautiful maiden and her monstrous muse. Filmmakers are reportedly planning to use the movie’s original computer files to create a new Disney digital 3-D “Beauty and the Beast,” which will be released in about two years. Re-rendering the film is expected to take 10 … Continue reading

Belle’s Magical World (1998)

“Beauty and the Beast” was a smash hit for Disney, and I can see wanting to capitalize on that success as much as possible. This thinking brought us “Belle’s Magical World,” a movie comprised of a series of stories that supposedly took place between Belle’s arrival at the castle and the Beast’s magical transformation back into a prince. All of the characters are still household items, and there are more of them than ever before, making me wonder – just how many servants worked in that castle, anyway? I’m being a little more cynical than this movie really deserves – … Continue reading