When I was a kid, Disney’s classic tale, CINDERELLA, was a staple in our household. I cannot tell you how many times we watched it on VHS! Even our family pet was named after one of the characters in CINDERELLA. It was refreshing for me to realize that decades after my first viewing this 1950’s animated picture is still as entertaining and fun as I remember.
The story, now a standard when thinking of fairytales, follows a young woman who has lost her father and is under the care of her cruel stepmother and spoiled stepsisters. Treated as a servant, she is banished to the top tower of the house and waits on her step family hand and foot. When the king decides it is time his son settle down and find a suitable wife, he throws a royal ball. The guest list? All eligible maidens within the kingdom are to attend in hopes that the prince finds his bride. When Cinderella is brutally attacked by her stepsisters, her ball gown (awesomely altered by mice and birds) is destroyed and her chance to go to the ball is ruined. Until Cinderella’s fairy godmother comes in to save the day and helps deliver Cinderella’s ‘happily ever after’.
Be warned, the songs in this picture will easily get stuck in your head. It is almost guaranteed that for weeks to come you’ll be singing things like Cinderelly Cinderelly , Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo, or Sing Sweet Nightingale. Thankfully these whimsical musical moments help propel the story forward. The memorable characters also aide in progressing the storyline and make what could be perceived as a very dark film, fun and light. (Seriously – am I the only one who is extremely uncomfortable during the scene where Cinderella’s stepsisters rip her dress to shreds?) All of the animals: mice, cat, dog, horse and birds have fantastic personalities that bring the Disney magic to life, because without them, I believe Cinderella would have been very dull. Plus, I love the king’s larger than life persona and the grandmotherly tendencies of Cinderella’s fairy godmother.
Even though the story is about dear sweet Cinderella, we see a lot of the story focus on the comic relief of mice, Jaq and Gus (my pet’s namesake!). Smart and daring meets bumbling and happy, the duo play off one another perfectly. Every day obstacles like getting their lunch past the evil cat, Lucifer, to greater scale adventures of helping Cinderella give a lot of heart to this picture.
Looking at all the wonderful animated features that are out and available today, it makes me happy to see CINDERELLA withstands the test of time. Children of all ages can still find enjoyment, entertainment and fun within the magical world of talking mice, clothed birds and Cinderella finding her Prince Charming. If it has been a while since you’ve watched this classic, I recommend you revisit this animated tale.
Video (1.35:1): This was an excellent Blu-ray transfer, especially considering CINDERELLA was originally released in 1950!
Audio (DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1): Perfectly clear audio, great for all of the catchy tunes in CINDERELLA.
Diane Disney Miller Introduction (1:00): Disney-Miller introduces this classic picture.
Classic Backstage Disney DVD Features (1:57:00): This combination of special features includes the following:
From Rags to Riches: The Making of Cinderella(39:00): This is a documentary about the production of this film.
The Cinderella that Almost Was: A more in depth look at the ideas that were discussed when creating Cinderella.
From Walt’s Table: A Tribute to the Nine Old Men(22:00): This is a nice dedication to a group of animators with the nickname Nine Old Men.
The Art of Mary Blair: This feature highlights a player in Disney’s history: Mary Blair. Not quite a “Nine Old Men” participant, she was an important piece of the puzzle when creating Disney classics.
Storyboard-to-Film Comparison: This is a comparison between the opening moments in Cinderella.
Laugh-O-Gram: An animated look at Cinderella from 1922.
The Mickey Mouse Club: This is an excerpt from an episode in 1956.
Theatrical and re-issue trailers
Deleted Scenes (10:00): These three deleted scenes are art and storyboards that didn’t make the flick.
Cinderella Alternate Opening Sequence (1:00): Another feature utilizing storyboards to present another opening to the fairytale.
Backstage Disney: Diamond Edition (30:00): This feature includes three segments: The Real Fairy Godmother, Behind the Magic: A New Disney Princess Fantasyland, and The Magic of a Glass Slipper: A Cinderella Story. My favorite? The last one. Christian Louboutin and a pair of real glass slippers!
Tangled Ever After ( 6:00): This is an animated short that shows the contrast between Rapunzel and Cinderella. Most of the focus is on animals Pascal and Maximus (much like CINDERELLA focuses on the mice !)
Classic Music & More (Audio Only, 32:00): This feature has a variety of recordings ranging from Cinderella Title Song, unused songs (approximately 7), a Village Store (from 1948), and two excerpts from 1950: Gulf Oil Presents and Scouting the Stars.
Personalized Digital Storybook: Bibbidi-Bobbidi-You: An interactive Disney Second Screen storybook.
DisneyView: Since CINDERELLA does not work into widescreen, you can change the black bars on the side of the screen with artwork from Disney.