'Beauty and the Beast' Trailer Will Help You Believe In Magic Again

There's magic & beauty out there.

Find it, share it, fight for it.

(Paraphrasing Celeste Ng)

It's been a really rough week, hasn't it. (Statement, not a question.) Trying to find bright spots of inspiration to move you forward without making you feel like you're ignoring things, has been difficult. Beautiful and cute things have felt indulgent, ridiculous, even, and haven't served their usual roles of giving people a 'breathing space' or needed distraction. More than a few people have told us it feels trite and irresponsible to spend any time thinking about fantasy, fairy tales and magic. Even when we received word early this morning that the new trailer for Disney's live action Beauty and the Beast was about to go live, the fairy tale newsroom didn't immediately jump to attention. It took seeing some gifs, that hinted at a better story and a narrative of hope, to tune in (which is why we put an extended one at the head of the post today).

We're glad we did. Take a look (full screen recommended):

Regarding the trailer, there's more hinted at here than we could have hoped for - Belle's father and the rose, the magical objects actually being far more charming than any image so far has promised.

The Beast is less beast-like -more human- than expected but knowing they're aiming at families with young children, it's not too surprising either. One Tumblr artist has already given the Beast a make-over, and we would have been fine with this as well. Perhaps this was done in anticipation of his final transformation though. There isn't a female fan I know of, who isn't a little bothered by the fact that Belle overcame her initial reaction , looked past her first impressions, fell in love with him as he was, only to have him be completely changed. Perhaps the human-ness makes the 'beast' easier to recognize as still being there in the end, after the transformation. We shall see. Cocteau intended his audience to be disappointed at the reveal of the prince - and so we were. Disney, however, never intended that in the past. We're curious to see how it's resolved in the new movie.

The only thing we really haven't glimpsed/heard, is the musical-song aspect, but all signs point to this movie being everything it has promised to be, and possibly more. Not only should it make Beauty and the Beast classic fans happy, but it's likely to get others, who have criticisms of the Disney original, a little more on side too - and anything that brings people together to talk in a positive and hopeful way, is a good thing.

Aside: the hillside shot cannot help but be compared to The Sound Of Music, but, if you know that classic film, perhaps that's actually an appropriate (and possibly inspiring) comparison.

While a great trailer doesn't 'fix' anything, what it does do, is remind you that people generally do want to be 'better'. That, with the right motivation, people will put in the effort to make magic of many kinds, and that more is possible than most of us ever dream, especially when we work together.

Fairy tales have always suggested that magic is something that requires hard work. While the moment that 'spark' happens (eg someone is transformed, a dress appears etc) is represented as a magical instant, there has often been many years of preparation - of real life grit and survival - before that becomes a reality.

Fairy tale folk are uniquely qualified to remind people that there is always hope and that magic is possible, especially when we show courage, remember things aren't always as they first appear, that transformation is possible and that you are rarely as alone as you feel.

If you know where to look, there is help, and a way forward - even if it only seems to be a talking candlestick.

Illustration: 'La Belle et la Bête' illustrated by Emilie Etienne

"A forest, a forgotten castle, 

a girl in the dark, A beast that screams ... 

"Once upon a time", tell tales, 

Yes, If you listen carefully, it is always a time ... 

Beauty and the Beast ... "

This beautiful and unusually illustrated French version of Beauty and the Beast hasn't had as much exposure as it should. Although it was released in 2004, no doubt the upcoming Disney live action movie will boost interest in all things Beauty and the Beast, and this should be one of them.

In the dreamy doll depictions of Emilie Etienne, the delicate and three dimensional aspect bring a different perspective to the tale than one usually sees. The photography makes great use of lighting and alternate focus points to add to the dreamlike aspects, giving the sense that there is movement within the images - perhaps a strand of Belle's hair loose in the wind, or that the Beast's eyes are about to blink. It's very effective, even in the few images available online.

The volume itself is also a lovely and artful presentation, ornate and with deep rich colors, perfect for enchanted collections of books.

Although it's not always readily available, this book is worth hunting down to add to your fairy tale library.

Here's the description from Amazon France:

Come indulge in the Beast to save her father, Belle ends up loving the monster which then turn out to be a handsome prince bewitched ... Everyone has one or the other adaptations of the famous tale in the form of film or cartoon. The imagined story by Mrs Beaumont became legendary. It celebrates the "inner beauty" that may exist in being the ugliest, even terrifying, and the value of those who, like Belle, know go beyond appearances. An uplifting story vocation, therefore, owes its success to the subject as to how it is treated: the marvelous is always present, and story structure, with the succession of events in which the heroine must overcome, it takes traditional stories. A beautiful text become a classic. - Pascale Wester 

Emilie Etienne's website, with her gnarled witches and other enchanted folk, can be found HERE

Disney's 'Beauty and the Beast' New Poster & Update

Released yesterday by Emma Watson via her Twitter feed and Facebook page, the new poster for Disney's live action version of the fairy tale looks more than a little familiar. Comparison to original classic poster appears to be intentional, and why not? It's a nice homage, and people love - and are protective of - the original they adore and really want more of - not changed. Seems like a smart move on Disney's part.

Here's a visual side-by-side for you:

There has been news appearing here and there, prior to Tuesday's monumental election event, and now seems like a good time to take a break from all that, to focus on something positive for a few minutes, to summarize it.

Here's are the latest released details on the upcoming - and significant - differences in the live action version of Beauty and the Beast, in contrast to the animated classic:

Belle's new backstory:

“In the animated movie, it’s her father who is the inventor, and we actually co-opted that for Belle,” said Emma Watson. “I was like, ‘Well, there was never very much information or detail at the beginning of the story as to why Belle didn’t fit in, other than she liked books. Also what is she doing with her time?’ So, we created a backstory for her, which was that she had invented a kind of washing machine, so that, instead of doing laundry, she could sit and use that time to read instead. So, yeah, we made Belle an inventor.”

And yes, she stills reads - actually, she invents so she can read, so reading and learning and imagining are still very much a part of Belle's persona. *all the Belle fans sigh in relief* Emma Watson also insisted that Belle be given proper foot attire: sturdy boots.

"My Belle is very practical," Watson says, during a shooting break. "In the movie she wears these little ballet shoes, and I knew that they had to go. If you're going to ride a horse, and tend your garden and fix machinery, then you need to be in proper boots." (Entertainment Weekly Magazine)

And if your'e wondering about Belle's ball shoes, they're 18th Century heeled shoes - hand painted with gold flowers - "but they are something that Belle can run in and that she can go off and save her father in."

Her father, Maurice, gets a bit of a different spin too:

In addition, Maurice’s character is more three-dimensional and instead of being an inventor of oddities, he makes music boxes. “Kevin Kline as Maurice, is making all these music boxes that have to tell the story of Belle not traveling,” according to the the film’s set decorator, Katie Spencer. (source x)

The three new songs added the film, add to the story and plot too, and we finally understand why Audra McDonald was cast as Garderobe (it's a good reason). Here's the summary via Entertainment Weekly's magazine:

When Disney releases its live-action remake of Beauty and The Beast on March 17 of next year, viewers will hear three new ballads written by composer Alan Menken — who penned the tunes for the original 1991 animated version with the late Howard Ashman — and lyricist Tim Rice. These include a song performed by Emma Watson’s Belle with her character’s father Maurice (Kevin Kline), and another called “For Evermore,” sung by Dan Stevens’ Beast.  

“It ends up being a song called ‘Our Song Lives On,’ and it’s done in a number of forms,” says Menken of the former track. “The first time it’s sung, it’s Belle’s father singing as he’s completing a music box, and basically it’s [about], ‘How does a moment live forever? How do you hang on to precious moments?’ Then, it’s reprised by Belle, and then it’s the song that’s actually over the end credits at the end of the movie. Disney hasn’t announced it yet, but there’s going to be some wonderful singer on the end credits song.”  

“‘For Evermore’ is this moment where the Beast now loves Belle, and he realizes that she misses her father, and he acknowledges she’s no longer a prisoner, and when she sees her father’s in trouble, he says, ‘Go to him, go.’ And he voluntarily lets her go,” Menken continues. “He’s basically singing about how he now knows what love is, as he watches her leave, and he’s climbing up the turret of the castle as she recedes into the distance, just watching her go further and further away.” 

“‘Days in the Sun’ is a moment when all of the objects in the castle —and Belle — are going to sleep. Basically, everybody in the castle is having memories of what it used to be when they had their days in the sun. It’s sort of a combination of a lullaby and a remembrance of happier days for everybody.” 

The new Beauty and the Beast will also feature a showcase for Broadway legend Audra McDonald, who plays the part of Madame De Garderobe. “It’s a moment within the prologue, just before the spell befalls the castle,” Menken says. “We’re actually at an event at the Prince’s castle, where the Prince is about to be turned into the Beast, and he’s in his very selfish and self-indulgent phase of his life, and we see that, and we have the magnificent Audra McDonald singing this number.”  (Adapted from: Entertainment Weekly)

Fan created poster, combining the EW released pic with the first teaser poster

So what do you think? Are you happy about the changes? Do you feel they update the story in the right direction for a stronger Disney female role model?

Despite fans generally being in ecstasies of happiness, there are superficial criticisms (the dress, the color, the lack of variety in her non-ballgown wardrobe, the Beast's horns) but also some more serious ones, suggesting the changes to Belle's backstory are only tokens in the direction of true feminism. While we don't see any reason why a feminist can't enjoy pretty things, including ball gowns and lovely dances, there is a point to be made about how this relationship develops, as well as Belle's character not having to obviously challenge the status quo of the time period (which, although nebulous, is clearly not today). Hopefully, seeing Belle grappling with common ideas about a woman's place by doing such activities as inventing conveniences for herself makes the difference more clear, but, as suggested by one blogger, altering her historically accurate costume - had she been made to wear one - to suit her independent needs, would have perhaps made that even more obvious. We would suggest it's a little early to throw down the gauntlet in accusation of pseudo-feminism, but you can be certain many will be watching for just that.

To date, however, all signs point to the listed 'updates' above as being positive for us here in the fairy tale newsroom, but we're still very curious to see how the prisoner-to-lover transition is handled, as well as the reaction to falling in love and transformation. It's rare to hear those who truly love the original fairy tale (and Cocteau's film) be happy with the Beast's transformation back to a man. They still want their Beast. We can't imagine that would be acceptable in a family film, but it's still a relevant issue that needs addressing. We hope it will be.

Ask Baba Yaga: How Do I Bring Back the Magic?

Vasilisa the Brave by Lorena Carrington

Baba Yaga invites you to think about bringing the magic back into your life today.

Here's today's question and answer (via poet and oracle Taisia Kitaiskaia* of The Hairpin):

(Originally posted HERE)

Fear and wonder - the flip sides of the fairy tale coin. I have no doubt many of us could use a dose of magic -right now- to help put us right side up, bridge the chasm, bring us through the dark, dark woods, and emerge with hearts strong and intact, arm in arm with the many and varied companions we've met in our journey, as we all persevere on the road toward a better tomorrow.

Bring back the magic.

Baba Yaga's House by Lorena Carrington

SPECIAL REMINDER: Baba Yaga's advice will be collected into a book, Ask Baba Yaga, to be published in Fall of 2017. Her oracle, Taisia, is looking for questions from our Once Upon A Blog readers that she can answer for special inclusion in the book- right now. Although there's no guarantee which ones will make print, the earlier the question, the more likely you will get Baba's attention and see your anonymous question - and answer! - in print. Although Taisia hopes she will be able to continue as Baba Yaga's oracle, it is uncertain this will be possible at this time, so consider this your chance to get those burning questions answered by our favorite crone. Don't delay - send that question today!

(And remember, IF we hear that Baba Yaga has had a good amount of questions from readers here, we will hold a special giveaway when the book is published! Now go: write those words!)

This is the email address where you can send your questions

directly to Baba Yaga herself.

AskBabaYaga AT gmail DOT com

To encourage Baba Yaga to continue imparting her no-bones-about-it wisdom (ok, there may be some gristle in there... bones too), I suggest we not to leave her box empty... 

Thank you Baba Yaga (& Taisia).

* Taisia Kitaiskaia is a poet, writer, and Michener Center for Writers fellow. Born in Russia and raised in America, she's had her poems and translations published in Narrative Magazine, Poetry International, and others.

Once Upon A Time "Dream Loot Crate" - Gift Subscription Boxes We'd Like To Send to Our Fairy Tale Friends

Apparently we've been outed as Fairy Tale Geeks, and we couldn't be more proud.

Of the many breeds of geeks and gamers around (eg. Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Mario, Star Wars etc) there's one thing we all have in common: we delight to receive gifts reflecting our fandom and obsession, and Loot Crate is making geeks happy everywhere, as their 'crates' hit their doormats every month or two.

What is a Loot Crate? Loot Crate is a fairly new monthly box subscription and gift service, in which the recipients receive a magical box full of surprise 'loot' on the chosen theme.

Unlike other pop culture geeks, who often have a large array of merchandise and collectibles to choose from, fairy tale geeks don't usually have quite that option... Or at least  we didn't until ABC spawned Once Upon A Time and the passionate fandom associated with it, which in turn created a demand for all things 'Once', both in mainstream marketing and via private enthusiastic artisans and crafters.

When Loot Crate asked Once Upon A Blog to create a "Dream Loot Crate" on a theme that fit with our blog, it wasn't long before we realized this would be a good time to showcase some of the Once Upon A Time variety that most fairy tale folk would be happy to receive, whether they were "Oncers" or not. Not only that, if Loot Crate likes our Dream Crate suggestions, they might even make that theme one of the available choices for the subscriptions!

Can you imagine getting a box full of fairy tale bits and pieces every couple of months or so?

We had to give it a go*.

We opted for eight unusual-but-awesome things a friend of a fairy tale fan might put together for a special gift box, so, if you feel inspired to shop for the Holiday Season from our selection, this is a totally collectible combo. (Only eight? We totally could have made a twenty item box - there are so many treasures to choose from! - but, again, opted to limit it to a package-combo that might fit in a regular mail box... hint, hint Loot Crate!)

We also read somewhere that Loot Crate likes to encourage smaller business as well as niche gamer/geek merchandise, like those little stalls you see at ComiCon, so we decided we'd put together two Once Upon A Time "Dream Crates", one using available merchandise from retailers, and the second being an Etsy version, with custom and handmade items.

Here are the details of our picks:

OUAT DREAM CRATE #1

Once Upon A Time Dream Crate (Popular Merchandise)
1. OUAT Pillow Case no filling (for sweet dreams)
2. Official OUAT Classic Fairy Tales volume Illustrated by Kevin Tong (because every fairy tale crate should include a tale or two!)
3. Alice & the White Rabbit Working Pocket Watch Necklace (for good times)
4. Funko Pop Snow White Forest Outlaw (to challenge your princess stereotypes)
5. Magic Beans OUAT Glowing Glass Replica Pair (to take you to castles in the clouds - budget-friendly version HERE)
6. Belle's Chipped Teacup (because "sometimes the best teacup is chipped")
7. Tin 'Welcome to Storybrooke' Sign 8.5 x 11" (your new home - for ever after)
8. Rumpelstiltskin 'Dark One' Dagger Letter Opener (for challenging mail)

OUAT DREAM CRATE #2 (ETSY)

Once Upon A Time Dream Crate (Etsy)
1. Handmade OUAT Red Riding Hood Funko Pop (not available in the official Funko Pop line)
2. OUAT Drawstring/Dice Bag (hand-made, embroidered!)
3. OUAT Official Red's Untold Tale (OK, not Etsy but many available via Ebay.. gotta include a tale)
4. Mr. Gold/Rumpelstiltskin's "Every Magic Comes With a Price Dearie" 3 Engraved Pencils Set
5. Fan designed "ONCE - Believe In More Than Can Be Seen" custom printed t-shirt (black or white)
6. Toll/Troll Bridge Sign (Digital Print Download)
7. Birch Tree Background (Regina's Wallpaper) Blanket/Throw with 'Magic Is Coming' or 'I Will Always Find You' or "Magic Always Comes With A Price'
8. Faux Leather OUAT Henry's Book phone cover/flip-case

Putting together a imaginary gift box for fairy tale friends was wonderfully therapeutic after such tense US election. Thinking of what people might like to make them smile, instead of focusing on the division that clearly exists in the country, was a good thing to do, and a good transition to start considering gift season.

Should we create a general fairy tale box of gifts for your gift giving consideration? Perhaps we shall. In the meantime, for all the geeks and gamers in your life, Loot Crate may have just made life a little easier for you with their selection. (And we hear there will be a Fantastic Beasts crate coming very soon!)

A monthly mystery crate for pop culture fans filled with incredible and exclusive items and apparel from your favorite tv shows, movies, games, and more! Over $45 value in every crate!

* What's usually in a Loot Crate? About 6 to 8 cool surprises. Typical items include:
- a t-shirt (or any piece of art you'd want on the shirt)
- a small toy-like item
- another wearable item like a beanie, scarf or jewelry piece
- a smattering of little objects like stickers, pins, office supplies etc
The value tends to range from about $20 total up to $100 total, depending on the type of loot box and subscription you choose. 

'East of the Sun, West of the Moon'-Inspired Designs Walk on Water for Fendi's 90th Anniversary

Note:

At this time of great tension, immediately prior to the 2016 US election, we've decided rather than dwell on those anxieties, that we'd focus on beauty - call it eye candy, if you will - but either way, it lifts the soul and reminds us not all the world is an ugly place right now. Our posting will likely be a little sparse or very brief, over the coming week as things unfold and, hopefully, resolve, but we believe in the power of beauty and stories to ground people and aim to make the world a better place, and we will continue to be here to note it as we can. 

For all those US citizens who can vote, please do that: vote, no matter which side you lean toward, and please choose wisely: think of the future of your/our children, and of the world. You are choosing the future for more than one country and more than one people. It's that important.

In the meantime, we assume there is no real deciding left to be done, only to wait for the polls to open, so let's think on lovely and inspiring things.

“In my wildest imagination, I never thought something like this could exist,” he mused in a pre-show conversation. “To do this on a crystal bridge over the most famous fountain in the world? If that’s not a fairy tale, I don’t know what a fairy tale is.” (CREATIVE DIRECTOR, CHANEL, FENDI - KARL LAGERFELD)

Rome's famous Trevi fountain, after a one and a half year $2.4 million rehab, recently added to its already existing fairy tale status by becoming the stage for Fendi's 90th anniversary Legends and Fairy Tales Collection debut. A crystal-like walkway was built right over the water, (out of plexi-glass) and the models, walking on the water (yes - ON), told Fendi's own spin of East of the Sun, West of the Moon, in the procession of Kay Nielsen inspired wearable art over the evening.

The collection spun its own tale: a princess journeying from day to night, the colour palette darkening as she travelled further into the woods. Consistent throughout was the subtle application of Fendi’s extraordinary craftsmanship, the way, for instance, an insect’s wings illuminated by sunlight were duplicated in a tiny clutch of feathers, or the flowers around the hem of an organza dress had petals of mink. (Business of Fashion)

"It is an extraordinary experience to see East of the Sun and West of the Moon take on a totally new life in the hands of Karl Lagerfeld at Fendi, and it's an absolute delight to see how the images so directly inspired his breathtaking 90th anniversary show," stated editor Noel Daniel. "The artistry and craftsmanship and love behind each flower, each branch, each hue of sky is unbelievable. The tales have proved yet again to be eternally inspiring." (dexigner)

The inspiration began with the recent TASCHEN release of Kay Nielsen's beautiful illustrations and developed from there.

It all started with an early 20th century edition of East of the Sun, West of the Moon, a Norwegian fairy tale with pictures by the famous children’s book illustrator Kay Nielsen, which Lagerfeld found at his friend Sandy Brant’s place. His curiosity was piqued. “This was something from the North, we were making a fur collection, and the pictures were something in between art nouveau and art deco,” he explained. (It was also, coincidentally, an era when the designer liked the way fashion used fur, as opposed to later decades when everything got much too heavy for him.) “So we asked the estate for permission to use them.” And that is how Nielsen’s illustrations came to be reproduced in a minutely-intarsia-ed mink coat, or embroidered on a flowing empire-line gown then re-appliqued with fur and organza. (Contemporary artists Katy Bailey and Charlotte Gastaut also contributed ideas.) (Business of Fashion)

Lagerfeld explained, “I called the show Legends and Fairy Tales, because it’s a collection that doesn’t relate to everybody like ready-to-wear, this is very special for people who have a special kind of life”. (hausmag)

We didn't report on this back in July during the event and, frankly, fashion is a little difficult to keep track of, as fairy tales are commonly linked with fashion, and it's almost always possible to find a connection. While that's historically been the trend, one could argue it's more so the case today, with much more emphasis on a theatrical and 'transportive' presentation of themed collections.

Today, while themed collections often tell stories through their clothes and construction, the runway shows themselves are no longer just platforms for models to parade the designs, but are expected to build an atmosphere of fantasy and of a different world. It's not uncommon, even, for these stages to be specially built to specific design specifications, just like a theater set, but to involve mechanics and moving parts, revealing either the paths to be trod or the models, acting as the 'prelude' to the show, or story, being modeled in the wearable art that follows.

We greatly recommend you look at this incredibly artful behind-the-scenes video, showing the design and construction process right through to the show. It's short but leaves us wanting much more in terms of the tales hinted at in the seams. We are seriously considering keeping this little wonder-peek for our fairy tale library and future inspiration:

Fendi Legends and Fairy Tales : Backstage from Simone Campanella - Videoblitz on Vimeo.

This video is enough to make us seriously consider a change in vocation!

We'll leave you with more lovely designs reflecting Nielsen's inspiring fairy tale illustrations. (We're guessing you won't mind the few overlaps necessary to show you the range of the collection.)