blog post #25 by Science Fiction Author Clara Bush
Supernatural Beings Abound and Glorified
The Critics
Background
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Portrait of Tchaikovsky by Edwin Evans published by J.M. Dent & Co in London and E.P. Dutton & Co in New York in 1906. |
Maleficent in Disney’s 1959 Sleeping Beauty.
The 2014 Cast
“We think it’s fun for our kids to have cameos and join us on set, but not to be actors,” Jolie told EW’s Anthony Breznican in a new interview. “That’s not our goal for Brad and me at all. I think we would both prefer that they didn’t become actors. But [Vivienne] was 4 at the time and other 3- and 4-year-old [actors] really wouldn’t come near me. Big kids thought I was cool! But little kids really didn’t like me. So, in order to have a child that wants to play with [Maleficent] but I don’t want to play with her — to have that scene, it had to be a child that really liked me and wasn’t afraid of my horns and my eyes and my claws. So it had to be Viv.”
Thirty-four-year old English actor Sam Riley portrays Diaval—Maleficent’s raven who she shape-shifts into a wolf, a horse, and the ultimate dragon—was fascinating and one of my favorites. Disney photos.
Young Maleficent (Isobelle Molloy) and Young Stefan (Michael Higgins) in Maleficent. Disney photo.
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YES!!!! The Jeepers Creepers villian is one of my all time favorites. Now thats a monster that will keep you up at night.
A point that I think is often overlooked regarding Disney’s retelling of Malificent is its likeness to Gregory Maguires retelling of Elphaba in Wicked. Personally I love the idea of telling the other side of the story and would love to hear a retelling of all the storybook villians from their point of view.
Ursala, from little Mermaid, lets hear that backstory. haha.
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Just got around to seeing Maleficent. And while I would agree that it is great retelling and brought with it several fun little creatures, it left me wanting. Little Stephan, like you said, was lackluster… but actually so was older Stephan.. the whole story around the king was, well, eh.
The fairies too were such a missed opportunity – a great place for comic relief met by slapstick nonsense. I wish the writers for Shrek had brought something to the table and made this movie something worth buying.. for adults and kids.
Hi Burchfield—Whoa! Ursala, now that is a villain to consider. Wonder what would make her so evil? That’s a tale I’d also like to see and read. Thanks for the comment.
Hello Jo— You do make several convincing comments regarding the movie. And I agree the fairies were definitely a missed opportunity. And Stephan, young and old, does rate only an “eh.”
Still…
A movie with monsters and otherworldly creatures— that I could take my granddaughter to—left me thankful for being entertained and not bored.
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