Norwegian Family Fantasy Feature "The Ash Lad: In the Hall of the Mountain King" Is A Hit, Goes Global

The live-action fantasy feature film The Ash Lad: In the Hall of the Mountain King (Askeladden i Dovregubbens hall), is a box-office hit in its home country of Norway and looks to be set for distribution around the world... well, the non-English speaking world. So far, that is. We have our fingers crossed it will get some English-language distribution soon too, with the UK quite likely the first cab off the rank, for a number of reasons explained below. (Distribution rights are currently held by TrustNordisk.)

The Ash Lad is a magical adventure film, directed by Mikkel Brænne Sandemose and starring Vebjørn Enger.

It was released on 29 September 2017 in Norway (and, some sites also say Russia).

The plot is based on The Ash Lad of Norwegian folklore and fairy tale. Reports say this is the first time The Ash Lad has been adapted to a full-length feature film, though it has been used for ad campaigns (TV and print), and a short puppet film by Ivo Caprino* (Ash Lad and the good helpers, 1961).

(The feature film) follows the epic journey of Espen, the 17-year-old son of a poor farmer, who sets off with his brothers to rescue a princess from a troll known as the Mountain King to collect a reward and save his family from ruin.  

(One of the producers) Horsdal said the script delivers modernized take on the characters and has some humor to appeal to teens and adult audiences. The producer also pointed out the princess character is “strong-willed, sharp and utterly charming.” (Variety)

Take a look at the fun-looking trailer below (English subtitles included):

And a longer synopsis, from a Czech website promoting the film (via Google Translate, so it's not exactly precise!):

Official synopsis: Are trolls only small cute creatures? You have no idea! The king of trolls is a sinister and threatening giant from the mountains that lies waiting in his cave for a princess to be married to him on her eighteenth birthday, just so he can catch and eat her...   

Espen is the youngest of three poor farmer sons. At home, they treat him as the family bastard who cannot do any useful work but just walks through the forests with his head in the clouds and catching the claws. (Ed: ?) His only task, which they entrusted to him, is to keep the fire in the stove in order for it not to go out. It's probably just a coincidence that he just met in the forest with Princess Kristin, who is just out of her native castle.  

Kristin is very stubborn, and she does not believe in the old tortures of the King of Trolls. Most of all, she does not want to marry Prince Frederick, chosen for her by her father. The day before her eighteenth birthday she runs away into the unknown. Unfortunately, not long after meeting Espen, she finds out that these troll stories are true... 

 

Meanwhile, unsuspecting Espen will make another big mistake. He can not even watch the charcoal in the stove and, thanks to his distraction, burns the whole cottage down. When the king declares a search for his disobedient daughter, and promises her hand and half the kingdom to the one who finds her, the brothers do not hesitate to go on the mission. The elders plans to get have a new roof for the family, while the youngest would like her hand. in marriage. Their journey quickly becomes a great adventure, with many monsters, much magic and enchanted places awaiting them. In the end, the terrible and overwhelming King of Trolls awaits. 

 

Director Mikkel Brænne Sandemose describes the character of the film by saying: "During the expedition for the preservation of Princess Kristin, the character of Espen is completely altered. When writing the script, we were inspired by Bilbo characters from Hobbit and Frodo from The Lord of the Rings. They have a lot to do with Espen. Not only are they aged between youth and adulthood, but all three are making their way, making them great heros to explore. Above all, their success cannot just be a lucky coincidence, they must be worth it. Tolkien borrowed much from Norwegian folklore and mythology in his stories… But I feel that we convey something that is more grounded and Norwegian, that there is something here that will really engage people.”

Looks like a fun and magical family film!

A pre-release review (here) included this interesting note on the folkloric creatures included and direct nods to Asbjørnsen & Moe that will be of particular interest to our fairy tale and folklore readers:

Maipo Film’s producer Åshild Ramborg said that the Norwegian folk tales have everything audiences would want from a feature film; spectacular images, action and humor. The film is firmly rooted in folk tale fantasy, with water spirits (nøkken), huldra (a female forest creature), an old woman with her nose stuck in a tree stump, and of course the mountain troll itself making appearances. The film’s script is new but based on the stories of Asbjørnsen & Moe. "I have to applaud our writers who has added something new and fresh [to the story], while at the same time digging deep in the familiar tales. I assume there will be reactions, but I am very glad for our version. I think it will make children interested in folk tales (again)", Mikkel Brænne Sandemose said to NTB a few days ago. Maipo producer-CEO Synnøve Hørsdal said: "Obviously we are not only targeting Norwegian cinema-goers, but also international audiences. Given the renewed interest in the fantasy genre and Nordic mythology, I think it will perform well abroad."

International distribution confirmed at the end of February is listed below:

The movie was acquired for Latin America (California Filmes); France (Seven Sept); Italy (Videa); Spain (Art Mood); Germany, Austria, German-speaking Switzerland (Telepool); Japan (Interfilm); and China (HGC Entertainment).More sales were inked for Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan (Capella Film); the Czech Republic and Slovakia (Cinemart); Turkey (Euromedia); Korea (Activers Entertainment); Croatia (Discovery Film & Video); Estonia (Estin Film); and Malaysia and Vietnam (Red Pictures).

We hope it's not too long before it's picked up by English-speaking countries. It has reached the attention of the Irish Film and Television Academy for Windmill Lane's visual effects work on it, (likely in part to it being co-produced by Ireland's Subotica), and TrustNordisk, the distributor, shows the trailer with English subtitles on their website, so fingers crossed we get to see this.

We find it interesting that both the production design and creature designs follow nature-loving artist Theodor Kittelsen's classic renditions and illustrations from the early 1900s of this story quite closely. (Kittelsen was nicknamed "the father of all trolls" due to his many striking and stark renditions of trolls for children's books in particular.) Here are some examples for comparison:

The Ash Lad and the Troll - Theodor Kittelsen 1900

Askeladden som kappåt med trollet (The Boy Who Had an Eating Match with a Troll) - Theodor Kittelsen

Skogtroll, 1906 (Forest Troll) - Theodor Kittelsen

Theodor Kittelsen - The Forest Troll , 1892

According to cineuropa, the family adventure film is the first in a trilogy about the "Norwegian national hero", and the sequel is already in the works, with the third film well into the planning stages, so there will be more fairy tale films coming out of Norway in the near future to watch for too. A quick search through Variety's archives found this information on the sequel:

In the first film, scripted by Aleksander Kirkwood Brown and Espen Enger, the Ash Lad and his brothers fight to save the Princess from a vile troll, and collect the reward to save the family farm from ruin. In the sequel, also by Sandemose and Brown-Enger, he and Princess Kristin are searching for a legendary castle made of gold. When they arrive, the king and queen have been poisoned – only the Soria Moria water of life can save them and probably the world.

We'll be watching for these!

*By coincidence, the new film’s director is the grandson of Bjarne Sandemose, Ivo Caprino’s chief studio engineer.

'Mary and The Witch's Flower' Opens in Japan to Great Acclaim & Thumbs Up by Miyazaki

You may not have heard of this new film that has a serious Studio Ghibli vibe, but take a look at why you want this one on your radar!

We've included the three trailers so you can see a range of the goodies awaiting - all three are worth watching for a different perspective on the film:

'Mary and The Witch's Flower' is based on the 1971 English children's novel by Mary Stewart (yes, that Mary Stewart!), 'The Little Broomstick' and is considered a simple 'proto-Harry Potter' type of story. The movie itself shows a lot of Ghibli-like magic, style and Miyazaki-ish imagination, even as it pays close attention to it's source material.

The story is based off a very short novel. The greatest strength of the original story was its vivid and lyrical descriptions, making the world it takes place in feel very tangible despite the brevity of its plot. This same quality is on display in the film, too, which succeeds more because of its attention to detail than anything else. Even brief asides in the novel like “The little broomstick gave a leap, a violent twist, a kick like the kick of a pony” are faithfully recreated in visual form. (Animenewsnetwork)

Here's a brief introduction to the novel, taken from a non-spoilery review:

‘Nothing, thought Mary, nothing could ever happen here’ ‘Everywhere was damp, and decay, and the end of summer’; but then a small black green-eyed cat appears, and adventure and magic begin.
The cat leads Mary to a clump of unusual purple flowers that she shows to Zebedee the gardener at Red Manor, who names both the cat (Tib) and the blooms (fly-by-night). Zebedee also tells Mary of the folklore surrounding the flower , including: ‘And ’tis said that in the olden days the witches sought her [the flower] from the corners of the Black Mountains, and from the place where the old city was and there’s now naught but a pool o’ water’. 

...While sweeping up leaves with a small broom, Mary accidentally smears the broom in the juice of a fly-by-night flower. Immediately, ‘the little broomstick gave a leap, a violent twist, a kick like the kick of a pony’ and Mary and Tib are transported by flying broomstick to Endor College, school of witchcraft. Endor is no Hogwarts: Madam Mumblechook believes that Mary has come to enrol at the school to learn skills such as ‘Turning milk sour, blighting turnips, making the cows go dry’. The ill-wishing of the spells is underlined by the sourness of the rhymes used in the spells: nursery-rhymes that ‘slipped somehow, so that the result was not ordinary, or even nice at all.’ But then Mary makes a sinister discovery about animals that have been ‘transformed’ and begins to wonder if she will be allowed to leave Endor. She does manage to return to Red Manor, only to find that the cat Tib has been kept captive at the College. 

True to the spirit of a Mary Stewart heroine, Mary decides to go back to rescue Tib, which leads to further adventure and dangers as Mary releases all of the animals, breaks the transformation spell and flees Endor College. (extracted from a review at MaryStewartReading)

We recommend reading the whole review for a good overview of the book and it's themes in context of today. What Studio Ponoc does with those themes and ideas, we've yet to see, of course, but it's intriguing to have this as background.

The new studio producing 'Mary and The Witch's Flower', Studio Ponoc, is being considered "the new Studio Ghibli" - or, more accurately "Studio Ghibli 2.0". 

As Miyazaki slips out of retirement (for the sixth?? time) to finish another short film, 'Boro the Caterpillar' for the exclusive Ghibli Museum theater presentations, it's clear that even with blessed longevity, he can't keep un-retiring forever, and speculation mounts as to 'who will be the new Miyazaki?'. (Answer: no one!)

Director of 'Mary and The Witch's Flower', Hiromasa Yonebayashi (director of 'Arriety' and 'When Marnie Was There') is considered a protegé of Miyazaki with this being his third feature film (and his first since leaving Studio Ghibli). Miyazaki - a notoriously critical director - has officially given it his thumbs-up, which is a huge deal. While no one will ever 'do Miyazaki like Miyazaki', Yonebayashi is certain to do his legacy proud at the very least and we can look forward to more of this unique type of storytelling and animation magic in the future.

Distribution update from Crunchyroll on July 13, 2017:

After a modest opening in theaters in Japan on July 08, 2017, Mary and the Witch's Flower will be casting its spell with an expanded theatrical release that will include some 155 territories worldwide, including the United States, England, France, Australia, China, and South Korea. The film will also see distribution in South America, Africa, and the Middle East.

Yes! We are doubly-excited now!

'Wicked' the Movie Finally Gets a Release Date (Get Out Your 5 Year Planners Folks, It's a Way Off)

Wicked is about to defy whatever force has kept it bound in development for so long and is getting set to 'fly'. Universal has just confirmed the release date of a movie version of the phenomenally popular Broadway musical. It is, however, a LONG way off, as in years. December 20, 2019 to be exact.

(Note: that date is also booked by Disney for a 'yet-to-be-revealed' live action fairy tale', so development on this, and whatever Disney decides fills their slot will be interesting.)

Though it won't be the animated movie fans have been holding out for, for many years now, the movie does promise to bring all the best aspects of the musical to the big screen.

The Broadway musical was based on Gregory Maguire's book of the same name, which was a revisionist version of The Wizard of Oz, told from the point of view of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West. The tone of the book is, however, completely different from the stage play and apart from the themes, has captured people's hearts with the wonderful music and lyrics.

The new movie version will include four, yes, four, new songs, (so yes, it's a musical - how could it not be?) and seeks to cash in on the popularity of a show that's been a hit for fifteen years running, had over five thousand performances around the world, and was the first Broadway show ever to hit the $Billion mark at the box office a couple of years ago.

The film will be directed by Stephen Daldry (Billy Elliot, The Hours) and produced by Marc Platt. The screenplay is to be written by the musical's book writer, Winnie Holzman and composer-lyricist, Stephen Schwartz. Both the musical and the film are adapted from Gregory Maguire's best-selling novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West. (Variety)

There's no news on the cast as yet, and although fans will be rooting for Kristin Chenoweth and Idina Menzel to reprise their original roles of Glinda and Elphaba respectively, with the story being a coming of age tale, the Producers will almost certainly be (very particularly) choosing younger stars - who can really sing - to bring the roles of twenty-somethings Elphaba and Glinda to life on film.

The movie has a tall order to fill with such high popularity stakes, but, having actually been in the works since 2015, they should have plenty of time to sort out their approach and hit all the right notes, especially as it includes key players from the musical that have kept it so popular.

'Beauty and the Beast' 2017: Best Thought Provoking Articles About the Movie on the Internet (so far)

UPDATED! MARCH 18th, 2017 8pm

There are a lot of reviews, theories, musings and posts in general discussing Disney's take on Beauty and the Beast - both the animated version as well as the new one. Here are some that fairy tale fans, and fans of storytelling - and adapting tales for various audiences - might find more useful and interesting than the current avalanche of reviews.

This is Part I. You can find Part II HERE.

'Beauty and the Beast': 9 Differences Between the Live-Action and Animated Movies — and Why They Matter - from the Hollywood Reporter, this is one of the most thoughtful pieces we've seen at the differences in the new movie which expand on the animated classic and story. Most people know the Disney classic well so there aren't spoilers here, exactly, so much as an explanation of how the filmmakers expanded the story and why. For those who are wanting to watch the movie looking for those aspects they put an effort into developing (and which you might miss hints of in scenes in which those additions aren't the focus) this article will likely help you pick up on things you normally wouldn't see until a second viewing. For those who would prefer to see it without the hints first, it can serve as a reflective piece after a viewing, to see how successful the filmmakers were in communicating their intentions.

13 'Beauty and the Beast' Adaptations - a handy list and set of links to the various notable screen adaptations, whether they were successful or not. Each has had some impact on how society views the fairy tale, which makes for an interesting comparative tool.
There's another shorter list HERE with a couple of differences. The 'beastliness' of films is rated in this article.
A different list of 13 can be found HERE, and, although it overlaps with the others, it highlights a few different ones, including a specific episode from Once Upon A Time and a couple of other episodic series highlights.

The Beauty and the Beast remake is a long series of wasted opportunities - yes, that is the official title. We didn't paraphrase. The title is harsher than the article, likely to catch people's attention but it does critically ask the important questions of how to represent something in a revision/ reboot/ remake, be it active feminism, or acceptance of differences (race, orientation etc). (Note: it also makes an effort to point out the changes that did work, so this isn't entirely negative and critical.) Though it contains spoilers (so it may be better for reading after viewing the movie) it also makes clear how over-hyped some of the changes are, or how the changes, touted to be bold and needed advances for today, are, perhaps, still on the tame side, giving nods to these things rather than properly representing them. (Please note - neither the article, or we, are not saying things need to be explicit in any way. It's more about how one scene or moment can be undermined, ending up as a detached statement that doesn't actually change the landscape of the story at all.) Worth a read for writers and filmmakers looking to address equality for all in their work.

The boycott against Beauty and the Beast is about much more than the movie - quoting the article to give you an idea of what's being discussed: "But like so many of today’s cultural controversies, this fight over boycotting the movie is part of a bigger picture. It’s not just about Beauty and the Beast or gay rights. It’s about the outrage culture we’ve grown so accustomed to, the spectacle, and the opportunity to define ourselves online by publicly performing our morals." The article also talks about the importance of acknowledging Howard Ashman, the lyricist and co-composer of many/ most of the iconic songs that caused people around the world in droves to love The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and, yes, Beauty and the Beast. Ashman was gay and struggled with being accepted for his orientation, among many other challenges. "It takes a special cultural ignorance to protest the adaptation because it features a gay character, even though the original movie wouldn’t be what it is without Ashman’s talent." [Note: it may be of interest to christian readers that the Catholic News Service, discusses these aspects and still recommends the movie as "a must-see film intended for children" with the "pall" cast by the controversy being called "unfortunate". This article 'Beauty and the Beast': Why Christian Parents Can Calm Down is a traditionally solid evangelical approach, while being realistic about society, explaining why a 'panic button', and boycotting the movie, is unnecessary. The Evangelical Christian organization, Focus on the Family gives a movie review and breakdown here of the various elements of the movie from the positive through to the questions as well as any violence, strong language, and sexual allusions of all orientations.]

Why Is the Prince in Beauty and the Beast Always Less Hot Than the Beast? - To quote Heidi of SurLaLune: "There's been a long going discussion among scholars and others about the disappointment often felt by readers and viewers when the Beast is transformed back into his human form in Beauty and the Beast tales... The effect is much worse in film, of course, but it has been explored many times in fiction, too, by Angela Carter, Robin McKinley, and others." And this discussion has now hit popular culture, something we don't remember seeing much of when the animated film was released, but perhaps the live action/ CG simulated-live action aspect has brought this (along with other questions) to the fore. What isn't discussed here is that Cocteau, in his black and white cinematic masterpiece, intended the transformation to be a let down, and the ending to specifically be unsatisfying and a strong statement. No filmmaker since seems to have navigated (or successfully ignored) this concept gracefully since, and that includes this new movie. [Note: the animated classic intended to tap the Biblical concept of new/re-made man, hence the name 'Adam' used in the studio for the human Prince at the time, but that idea, as most girls who fell in love with the Disney movie will tell you, wasn't successful. He was definitely "less hot".]

A traditional tale with titillating twists: Beauty and the Beast gets reinvented (again) - This article tracks the traditional psychoanalytical interpretations through to the implications 'updating' Belle through to noting the social implications and automatic connections audiences will make to this new Belle, just in having Emma Watson in the role. With the strong impressions of her public persona, which include 'forever-Hermione', eco-conscious fashion icon, feminist bookworm, activist and UN Women Goodwill Ambassador, she is currently the quintessential model for brains + beauty that so many girls (and women) want to be.

There's Actually a Reason to Like Gaston in the New Beauty and the Beast - "Like" is probably the wrong word here, though it attracts readers. What they really mean is 'understand'. And understanding Gaston doesn't mean being OK with any of his behavior, as this next article - which should be read as a companion  piece to this one - outlines:
Why 'Beauty and the Beast's Gaston Is the Worst Kind of Disney Villain - "No one's a misogynist like Gaston." As stated above, it should be read as a companion piece to that one. Having the sort of background this 'new' Gaston has been given doesn't excuse any of his behavior  - as a character and certainly not in real life, as Teen Vogue aims to remind romantics.

'Beauty and the Beast' Honest Trailer Tells "a Tale as Old as Stockholm Syndrome" - This is a humorous video but, at the safe distance that comedy gives us, raises more - a lot more - than this much-talked about issue and is worth consideration. Disney's classic animated version of Beauty and the Beast has a lot of questionable things and while, yes, it paints these in fairly broad strokes, we all know that nuances of an aspect are rarely retained by the public over the long term. The overall impression - especially the unspoken ones - need to be considered, and in some cases, challenged. Even with revisions and updates in the new live action version, Belle's character motives still seem a little too close to home to the #whyIstayed discussion of domestic abuse (which is different from Stockholm syndrome but not necessarily unrelated). This 'honest trailer' that pulls no punches will, at the very least, enlighten you as to the impressions the story can give and illustrates why challenging, or updating the 'nuances' in a new version shouldn't be done half-heartedly. How much the new film succeeds at doing this on certain issues is still debatable. Good for thinkers but expect some protective feels if the Disney movie/s are personal faves.

The Primal and Mythical Allure of Beauty and the Beast by Maria Tatar - One for fairy tale folk and those looking to increase their knowledge of the fairy tale, and its appeal, beyond general knowledge. By esteemed fairy tale scholar Maria Tatar, you know this one is highly recommended by our news team. "Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” like the many other versions, gave us a vivid, visual grammar for thinking about abstractions: cruelty and compassion, surfaces and essences, hostility and hospitality, predators and victims. Like all fairy tales, it gives us the primal and the mythical, getting us talking in ways that headlines do their cultural work today. And they also lead us to keep hitting the refresh button, as we try to get the story right, even as we know that Beauty and the Beast will always be at odds with each other in an endless struggle to resolve their differences."

Crosswalk the Musical: 'Beauty and the Beast' (James Corden Brings ‘Beauty And The Beast’ (And Its Stars) To The Street -  Finishing on a fun note, this is both funny and shows how both versions of this film inspire people to creativity and continue telling the tale of Beauty and the Beast in news ways. One of the best things about this 'sketch' is that tale telling is being taken to the streets. The performance, stopped traffic. Literally. Take a look. (If you want to skip the preamble and prep and just get to the street performance, begin at 3:36):

UPDATE! MARCH 18th, 2017 8pm:

Reel Representation: Diversity in ‘Beauty and the Beast’ is less radical than Disney claims  - This article takes a critical, and thought provoking look, at the true amount of diversity included in the 2017 re-make. Yes - there is more diversity and clear feminism in the new movie but is it really as progressive as the promotional campaigns for the movie have been touting? "Holding up the moments as landmarks lessens the significance of true milestones and superficially lets Hollywood off the hook, making it seem like diversity is rapidly increasing when in reality, change is slow in Hollywood."

'Beauty and The Beast': Why Live-Action Remakes Can't Truly Replace Cartoons - To be clear, this is not saying the movie is bad or 'less', just that there are certain aspects in which animation - being the artform that is is - does exceptionally well, that is difficult to reproduce in live action. (In other words, sometimes animation is the best medium.) It's an issue worth considering when choosing how to tell a story, as in what you're trying to do in a specific medium. It is also the reason illustrated books (picture books) and traditional animation works so well at telling fantasy stories. "The very specificity that live-action CGI demands (and delivers) makes it harder for audiences to accept nonhuman characters as peers to the humans — they seem too alien, too dissimilar. By contrast, there's more in common between Belle and Mrs. Potts in the 1991 animated story, because the lack of detail in the line work means the two subconsciously look more alike.
The same is true of almost every animated story: the cartoonishness works in the favor of the movie, because the artists are rarely trying to be realistic — they're more focused on telling the story in the best way possible. That's rarely the case on a live-action remake, for the simple fact that there's an additional layer of "reality" immediately placed upon proceedings..."

Ultimately this shouldn't mean 'don't make CG/live action versions of stories - not at all. What it means is there needs to be more awareness about why things work in one medium and not another, and that those need to be part of the conversation when creating moving images in whatever medium, or blend.

This is Part I. You can find Part II HERE.

Did we miss a thought provoking article on Disney's live action remake Beauty and the Beast?
Add it in the comments and we'll update the post and credit you!

Guest Post: 'Five Fairy Tale Films & Their Forgotten Beginnings' by Diamond Grant

Every year we find ourselves watching feature films based on classic tales throughout the seasons, some of which relate better to winter, others more fitting for summer. It's inevitable we'll discover new fairy tale films as part of our culture.

By the time most people hear about fairy tales, they've been turned into huge cinematic films, but we often forget their humble beginnings. Some of the most popular and loved films that have made their way into most families’ favorite collections all started as lesser-known fairy tales.

Some stories were adapted or loosely based upon original tales and characters from writings, while others stayed truer to the story that not. It's worth paying homage to where these beloved films originated, and to possibly learn some lesser known facts of how they made it to the big screen.

Let's start with one you probably know well, both as film and tale. Will we still be able to surprise true fairy tale fans here with some forgotten facts? Let's find out!

The Little Mermaid

Disney's 'The Little Mermaid' development art

We're all familiar with the feature Disney film The Little Mermaid. Not so many know it started out as a lengthy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen. A master storyteller, Andersen's stories are the source for many of the household fairy tale films we've all come to adore today. The film stays true to the written story in many of the main parts; however, there are some differences between the tale and movie that are startling.

The comedic characters Sebastian, Scuttle and Flounder, while great additions to the film, do not appear in the original, although the little mermaid is described as being so friendly with the fish of the sea that they would eat out of her hand, much like stereotypical land princesses who are friendly with forest creatures. Less well known is that in Andersen's tale the little mermaid ultimately discovers she needs a soul (apparently merpeople aren't gifted with them) so she can avoid a foamy death after living for 300 years in the sea. To win the love of a human is the only way she's able to gain an immortal soul. In the film, she spots Eric, whom she falls for after seeing him for the first time but there's no complication of needing a soul. She'd be happy just to have legs - and Eric, of course. Ursula, who tempts Ariel with this possibility, is portrayed in the film as a witch who has her own agenda and actively wants to make life difficult for the mermaid. In the fairy tale the sea witch is the conduit of fate.

Disney's 'The Little Mermaid', Triton's Kingdom development art

Aladdin

Disney's 'Aladdin' development art

This well-known film and character originate from a lesser-known book of tales entitled One Thousand and One Nights, later referred to as Arabian Nights. Oddly, the story of Aladdin only appeared in the editions after the first European translation was made by Antoine Galland between 1704 and 1717, which has led some to believe he created the character and his story.

In the original works, a woman named Shahrazhad (or Scheherazade) used her wits and creativity to delay her inevitable execution as she told the tale of Aladdin, and many others, to King Shahriyar. Each night, she told him part of the story, and because he wanted to hear more, he kept her alive.

The Disney film uses character traits and ideas from popular movies such as Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Thief of Baghdad, for their version and, reinforcing these tropes is set in Arabia, while the original was set in China. Whether or not Aladdin was Chinese remains a mystery!

Disney's 'Aladdin' development art

Chicken Little

Disney's Chicken Little (2005) concept art

In the original tale of Henny Penny, the main character, more commonly known in the US as Chicken Little, expresses and justifies her fears. The most popular Disney adaptation of Chicken Little is a science-fiction sequel that came out in 2005. Foxy Loxy becomes a bully instead of a rival and both Chicken Little and Foxy Loxy switched genders. Chicken Little is now a little boy and Foxy Loxy is a girl.

Not many know that before this quirky CG retelling, that there was a 1943 Disney adaptation which was manufactured at the request of the United States government to disgrace, and discourage Nazism and what it stood for.

(If you weren't aware of this before it will make watching Chicken Little again quite a different experience, won't it?)

The Princess and the Frog

Disney's 'The Princess and the Frog' development art

The Princess and the Frog was derived from the book The Frog Princess, a middle school novel written by E.D. Baker, who used ideas from the original Frog King (better known as The Frog Prince) fairy tale. The film caught the attention of many because it was the first Disney movie to include a black princess.

The moral of the story differs between tale and film. The fairy tale can be seen to suggest that you can get what you want in life even if you don't deserve it. The movie altered this to be a more suitable and uplifting for todays viewers, showing you can get what you want if you work for it.

The prince transformation differs greatly too. In the tale, the frog is thrown violently at a wall, which releases him from his enchantment, whereas in the movie, the frog turns into a prince when he is kissed. A nice little nod is given to this story's origins in the form of a fairy tale book that's read aloud in the film, retelling a more modern and familiar version where the frog must be kissed - giving the frog his reason for seeking a princess in the first place.

Disney's 'The Princess and the Frog' development art

Frozen

Disney's 'Frozen' character development and design

Now a part of mainstream Western culture, the film Frozen is a family favorite. But where did it really come from? Most fans know by now that Frozen originates from the Hans Christian Andersen tale The Snow Queen. What's less well known is that The Snow Queen is a segmented story, with seven unique 'episodes', each illustrating problems and solutions the heroine must face on her journey to save her friend. Differing from the movie, the tales' main characters are Gerda and Kay, who are like brother and sister though not blood-related.

It's also worth mentioning that in the original material, there are no trolls. The only similarity is the goblin (also described as the devil) who created the evil mirror that shatters, a sliver of which pierces Kay's eye and freezes his mind and heart. In an interesting parallel between movie and tale, in the fourth section of The Snow Queen, Gerda is told a story of marriage by a raven, about a princess who was fixated on getting hitched. In the film, Anna is very keen to marry Hans, so it's possible to see similarities in morals and lessons of the two versions.

Disney's 'Frozen' development art

Watch or Read?

Has dipping into the details on these classics given you a thirst for binge-watching these films? You can watch them on Netflix or use a U.S. connection if you're outside the country and desperately want access. Keep an eye out for the similarities and differences mentioned in this article; you can see where Hollywood has been creative or strayed from the original works and decide whether you like it or not.

It's also great fun reading the tales to see just how differently you interpret the stories. What your mind creates from the creativity of words will be different to what you see on screen. It also gives you an insight of how film manufacturers would have gone about deciding what to put in their movies and how to take the most entertaining and essential parts out to animate them.

Have knowledge on some differences between original works in fairy tales and movies? Or some cool information on where fairy tales were born? Leave a comment below.

Diamond Grant is a fairy tale enthusiast who enjoys reading original works and watching feature films. She also likes uncovering differences between versions of fairy tales, opening up a discussion as to which are more entertaining.

Thank you for being our guest writer today Diamond!

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