Cinderella Tag

I'm super excited to be participating in Cinderella Week over at Along the Brandywine. I'm going to be reviewing the Leslie Anne (yes, I added an "e") Warren version of Cinderella later this week, and hopefully the 2015 Cinderella as well. But for now, the tag!

1. In the vast array of fairytale heroines, what particular character qualities most define Cinderella? 

I think Cinderella, whatever else she is, is kind-hearted and undervalued. Even if she isn't perfect (depending on the version...) she tries to be kind.

2. What are some of the deeper, big picture differences you see between retellings where both stepsisters are nasty and others where one is nasty and one is kind? How do you think the two takes differently develop/illuminate/affect Cinderella’s character and also the overarching story itself?

Well, having both sisters nasty I think turns them more into 2-D characters, where they're both just "nasty" and that's it. Having one sister kind turns them more into actual people. For Cinderella's character I think having one sister kind gives her an opportunity for a friend. This friend, however, probably is a difficult one, since Cinderella may still be ignored or mistreated by her at times, and whom she still has to serve. Particularly for non-fairy godmother stories, the kind stepsister could be quite important in resolving Cinderella's fate.

3. Are you an animal lover? Would you eagerly count mice, lizards, cows, and geese as friends? Dogs and cats? 

I would not consider myself an animal lover per se, but in her situation I think I would consider those creatures friends (um, except the lizards!), as she had no human companions. And I would already consider my dogs and cats friends.

4. After asking question #3, I realized how remarkably many of the adaptations I’ve seen have Cinderella either horseback riding or involved with horses. Have you ever ridden? If so, have you ever ridden sidesaddle or bareback? 

Yes, I've ridden. I've gone bareback once (or maybe twice), but sadly I have not yet ridden sidesaddle.

5. Your favorite Cinderella dress/s? 

Well, as a child I always liked this one:

But I'm really not sure why (presumably I just preferred it to her weird white one) and honestly I find it rather ugly now. Though I LOVED the 1965 Cinderella, I didn't like her clothes (except I kind of liked the orange and brown dress, even though it was ORANGE and BROWN together).

I adore Cinderella's blue dress from the new film:

However, my favorite Cinderella dress is Danielle's ball gown from Ever After:

I love the beaded detail and the high-waisted-ness and the sleeves. It's quite different from the other Cinderella dresses I've seen, and I really like it.

Really, I love all of Danielle's wardrobe, particularly her red dress:

I couldn't find a good screen capture of the whole dress, however.

6. Do you ever think of Cinderella while doing your household chores? :)

Yes, I do! Particularly when I'm doing dishes or mopping the floor on my hands and knees. :)

7. What major character traits do you think are essential in a faithful prince? 

Honesty,  humility, being a good listener, being sensible without being heartless — and of course, a healthy sense of humor.

8. Your top THREE favorite fairy tales (as in the original folk tales, not adaptations). 

The Twelve Dancing Princesses, Beauty and the Beast, and Cinderella (or maybe The Princess and the Pea).

9. Your top FIVE current favorite fairy tale/legend type films (BESIDES any Cinderella adaptations). 

That's hard, because most of the current ones I like are Cinderella types. :P Umm, well, I do like the animated Beauty and the Beast from the 90s, and Tangled of course. My sister Mathilda and I also used to enjoy watching Fairy Tale Theatre episodes together, and I remember particularly liking The Princess and the Pea and The Twelve Dancing Princesses. And for a fifth, I have to admit, that I have a special affection for Barbie and the Twelve Dancing Princesses, because when I was eight or so we got free World Premiere  (ooh-la-la) tickets to the movie and we dressed up and won giveaways and took a picture with Barbie and I loved it. So. 

10. If you could play Cinderella and the story could be set in any region of the world and any time period, what would you pick? And what would your dream ‘ball gown’ for it be like? 

Definitely medieval time, in some European country... I'm going to be unoriginal, and say quite honestly I'd love a dress like the 2015 Cinderella's – full skirt, blue in color,  but with a higher neckline and probably elbow-length flowing sleeves.

11. And (purely for fun :))… what color/s do you immediately associate with Cinderella?

Blue, definitely!