Film and Books

I saw The Slipper and the Rose in my movie review book (Leonard Maltin) and actually found a full cut on Youtube. It is a 1970s British take on Cinderella, adding music. The familiar face is Richard Chamberlain as the prince. And, this version does focus largely on the royal side of things. 

We do get Cinderella too though there is no comeuppance for the wicked step-family.  She (to the stepmother's annoyance and you think something will come of it, but no) forgives them since she has found true love and happiness. A healthy sentiment.  Still, some might want more "Cindy" [note this is an insulting name, from the "cinders" she cleans up] when watching.

The post-ball material is somewhat off (the whole shoe fitting thing quickly is handled, no one is found, and later on we don't even see Cinderella's foot in the shoe -- she just finds it!).   But, overall, it is an enjoyable film, well acted with a wonderful story-like setting, and good singing and choreographically as a whole.  Cinderella never looks very down and out, but the actress looks young, beautiful, and full of life, as necessary.

[Beyond This Tale: There are varieties of this story, including ones that might add some literal meaning to the "fairy" godmother -- using an impolite use of that term -- but one I would be interested in seeing is one via the perspective of the stepmother and stepsisters.  

I think Angelina Jolie is another context was in a film where an "evil stepmother" type character is given some perspective.  A revisionist view would likewise try to consider the second wife and how she would have to handle two daughters and a daddy's girl etc.  I even was thinking, though this is really going out there, having a stepsister win out in the end.

The Drew Barrymore take-off had the younger step-sister at least fairly decent as I recall.  And, the stepsisters -- like Cinderella -- are possibly but teens.  Cinderella was a minor in this film.]  

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Books: I found two books at the Van Nest Library, which has various displays of shiny new looking books.  One is a young adult book by someone with many (I'm not familiar with her) entitled Every Single Lie.  A teen finds a dead baby and the rumor mill (helped now by Twitter) kicks in, her family already dealing with the death of a father with various issues.  

The book is well written and we find out in the end that it is inspired by various facts in the author's life (various parts, not the united whole).  The book covers such things as social media and how tragedy is reported and exploited.  I did feel a bit put upon that when I finally took a break from Twitter, which I use too much even if I now do so only Mon-Th, I had to read about Twitter too!

At some point, there is a feel that the poor girl has one thing after another put on her, down to the final reveal.  Still, I liked it, and the simple statement that some junior in high school is having sex is just tossed out without much comment.  It's one of the nice realistic feeling touches. 

(There is a "friend" who turns out to be not much of one, but to remember, the girl is only around fourteen.  She is selfish and has horrible judgment, but she is an immature girl.  Also, an assumption is made mid-plot that makes sense up to a point, but is somewhat less realistic today.  OTOH, it adds to the "assumptions we make" theme of the book.) 

The other book is a manga entitled Banned Book Club, which is based on college protests and related action during military rule in early 1980s South Korea.  The power of books [the deeper meaning of Shakespeare is touched upon] and resistance is still very topical around the world.   The heroine using her assumed innocence to her benefit in one side was great. 

Talking about 1980s, the son of the infamous Marcos duo will now be the leader of the Philippines.  I find these reboots a bit tired after a while.

Friday was Jen Psaki's last day.  And, since the Internet and so on is addressed above, this analysis on the "marketplace of ideas" is apt.