Benjamin Lacombe's Ondine

© Image Benjamin Lacombe. 
"Ondine" cover "Ondine" ed Albin Michel, 2012 
Gouache and oil on paper 43 x 75 cm Inspired by the Pre-Raphaelites, of course, Millais, Rossetti & Waterhouse

From what I can gather, amazing illustrator Benjamin Lacombe is hard at work on a book retelling the tale of Ondine (or Undine), another of my favorite tales (yes, I have many.)

While there's not much information on his blog beyond this, posted on December 31  last year...

The image of this Card is extracted from my upcoing book, to be published in spring in France by Albin Michel, Ondine (I'll talk about soon) ..

... his Faceboook has a small collection of stunning artwork from the book, with the most recent painting posted just this Thursday. I've included the various notes per image he wrote regarding titles, inspirations and a nice teaser for the last image posted here.

© Image Benjamin Lacombe 
"The Nightmare" 2012 
Gouache & Oil on paper 

Ondine (ed Albin Michel, 2012)

 According to his notes the book will simply be titled Ondine and it appears that he's doing both the writing and the illustrating (no confirmation available) . Although the chances of an English edition are slim, I can still hope. In the meantime, the French edition is definitely going on my wish list and Spring in France, which is the release is planned for, is very soon...

© Image Benjamin Lacombe 
Portrait of Ondine, 2012 
Gouache and oil on paper 43 x75cm 
Extracted from Ondine Ed Albin Michel

© Image Benjamin Lacombe. Extracted from "Ondine" ed Veil 
"Loss" 2012 
Gouache and oil on paper This image appears in a surprising way (and in 3 parts) in the book, you'll see!

Wouldn't it be amazing to see these paintings in person?

Frankly, I don't really care what languages the book is available in as long as I can get one. Gorgeous.

NBC's Grimm Tackles A Princess & the Dragon Story

Tonight's episode is called "Plumed Serpent" but with Juliette being abducted by a fire-breathing creature it's pretty clear Nick has to rescue his princess from the dragon - literally.

With Pixar's Brave "I'll rescue myself" heroine on the way and Snow White in armor coming to theaters as well there is a lot of focus on the idea of "We finally have a princess that doesn't need a prince to save her!" I'm very happy to see this trend with regard to family movies and potential role models for girls. Even the mousiest and most retiring women I've met (and I've met a sad few) seem to harbor this secret wish they were stronger, sassier and could hold their own. (I say "even the mousiest" because, though you'd think they'd be the ones to faint if they ever saw a real weapon, I've found these women, even more than the rebels, are the ones fantasizing they could pick it up and use it.) I remember the first time I realized this. It helped me understand that despite all the apparent equality women have today, many still feel powerless and wish they didn't.

But while I'm cheering as much as everyone else about the heroine in Brave in particular, I have to say this one thing - and it's a touchy subject: Is it so bad to be rescued when you really need rescuing?

Elenor Abbott

When it comes down to it, everyone needs rescuing sometime (even our beloved kick-some-serious-butt Buffy!) and that includes every guy I've ever met. To NOT be rescued when you really need it is devastating but here's the thing: rescuing is rarely a one-man show. At the very least some cooperation is required from the rescue-ee. (And don't get me started about rescue-ees who don't really want to be rescued...) The problem I have is when people insist girls/women need to be rescued all the time and don't give us the option to participate (also known as "help"). Women may not always come in swords flashing with the tactical savvy of a well-trained samurai but just because we're not Navy Seals doesn't mean we're helpless either. What's worse than people assuming this about women is when women assume this about themselves. THAT'S the part I have a problem with.

Corey Godbey

The whole objection to having princesses waiting to be rescued is actually two-fold: the first, rarely discussed, part is where the princess allows herself to be put in the position of needing rescuing in the first place. Crap happens to everyone and even the smartest and most on-guard person can be forced into helplessness against their will but what we really want - need - is for girls and women to take ownership (and responsibility) of their situations as much as possible and stop being quite as vulnerable and therefore not need as much rescuing. The second part, where the "action" happens, is rarely as cut and dried as "you helpless/me rescue" - ask anyone who has ever been a victim of violence - but it's often portrayed that way in entertainment. Ultimately this does us all a disservice.

Edward Burne-Jones

Ideally we want everyone - men and women - to take whatever responsibility they can for their own safety and for the safety of those they care for, on every level. There will be times when we could all use a rescuing hand but that doesn't mean we have to be passive about it. It's like opportunity: it should be taken when it comes but you need to be prepared for it, because after that, the rest is up to you.

I'm aware this is the second post on the topic of women and violence (or women and passivity) in two days but I hope it's clear I'm not against "chicks with weapons". (Heck, I have a couple!) What I'm concerned about is having people - men and women - be forced into one extreme or other without allowing them to find their own balance according to their personality, strengths and weaknesses, which differ for everyone. Equally as important is taking responsibility for yourself as much as you can, no matter what situation you're in.

*steps down off soapbox*

I'm curious to see how this hot-button topic of a princess in need of rescue is handled in Grimm this week. I hope there are some twists, some surprises and that there's more to this episode than killing the dragon to save the girl.

Here's the promo note: the original link apparently expired after the show aired so I'm replacing it with a YouTube version of the same):

I'm sure there are a bazillion excellent articles on the topic that have probably said things much better than I just have  - or perhaps made arguments on the other end of the spectrum that should be considered - so if you know of one feel free to put the link in the comments so we can all have a read. 

In the meantime I have to go do my workout and sharpen the tip of my foil... :)

Snow White In Armor

UPDATE 3/1-12:

FYFairyTales Tumblr host, Natasha, kindly wrote me a mail after this post went live and gave me permission to publish it here, so please find her mail below the original post and if you want to join in the discussion you can do that here in the comments on this blog, or on her Tumblr account HERE. :)

If you read my previous post on 500 Rediscovered Fairy Tales & a Hollywood Article: Hollywood Fairy Tale Feeding Frenzy and read the Hollywood article I was referencing you may have noticed that the writer had some issues with Snow White getting her bad on and suiting up in armor in Snow White and the Huntsman. 


He's not the first person I've heard object to the idea and I admit I have my reservations about it too. I didn't post on this as planned back in January but it's still a relevant topic and more people may start asking the question the closer the film gets to being released. My hesitation regarding the image is not because Snow White should remain pure and dainty (not at all!) but the idea that she can only save herself/be effective/make a difference by becoming as much of a man as she can. It's not as simple as girls shouldn't fight either, because some girls can and do, very well (take it from a girl who fences). I'm not jumping up and down just yet as I have to see how the movie plays out with respect to this but it's something I will be watching for with a critical eye.

One of the fairy tale image blogs I have in the sidebar (FYFairyTales), which normally has very little text, had a number of posts discussing the issue and made a lot of great points.

 After a couple of comments from the blogger focusing on the fact of Snow White wearing armor, the blogger responds to a reader question:

Anonymous asked:

Why do you have issues with giving Snow White armor?

There are several fairy tales where the heroines sort their problems by being resourceful and witty, on their own. There are others, like Snow White, that they rely on men to solve their predicaments. There is nothing wrong with either. They both resonate with children and adults for different reasons and both have their points.

I wouldn’t have a problem with Snow White fighting back her stepmother, at all. But when you put a character like that, that is traditionally helpless, in armor, you are saying that she has to resort to masculine features to solve her problems, like war and brute force. She either is helpless or she has to become masculine - there is no middle ground at all. And there should be.

I think it’s too much of a stretch for a character like Snow White. Once I took a psychology class where the instructor explained how Snow White was a story that showed metaphorically the maturing of a girl into womanhood. If you change that and put so many masculine features into such a feminine character, what are you telling young girls? That there is no place to be a woman and find your space in the world — in order to do that, you have to be more like a man.

Finally, I think the scriptwriters did that just because it supposedly “worked” in Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, and they’re aiming for the same audience, and also trying to reach Twilight fans at the same time. It seems to be laziness more than anything else. But it does bother me.

I’m willing to watch the film and see how that develops. Maybe I’m wrong and the plot will work out somehow. But every time I see Kristen Stewart in armor, it just gives me the shivers. 

This is just the beginning of a lot of interesting points about Snow White and about strong females in general. It seems as if the blogger had even more ideas on the topic so perhaps she will return to post on the subject as the movie gains momentum.

You can read the whole discussion HERE.

In case you haven't seen it, there is a new Japanese movie trailer for Snow White and the Huntsman which focuses on the action and conflict, with lots of dramatic images, fight scenes and driving music.

What do you think? Does it bother you as well?

ADDED 3/10/12

Extract from a mail sent to me and published here by kind permission of FYFairyTales Tumblr host Natasha (I've edited slightly for language & to keep the comments focused on the post content):

HI Gipsy!  

I am Natasha Madov, who runs the F*** Yeah Fairy Tales tumblr. 

Thanks for putting the discussion up in your blog. I haven't really followed up the discussion yet, although I wanted to reply to one reader's interesting points about gender crossing, because I wanted to wait and see more, maybe new trailers or photos, or maybe even wait for the film. I was also thinking about the whole thing, my own views on the question of gender, also, discussing this with some people whose opinions I value -- one of them mentioned that the problem might be less with the agression implied in the armor, but the fact that she hides her feminility inside it. It would be less about masculine/feminine, and more about showing or hiding who you are in order to do what you need to do. 

"Mirror Mirror" is about to premiere soon, so the discussion is bound to start again. It has been interesting to see the reactions and the answers around it, and how, even if it bothers you and me, it does ressonate with other people enough to defend it. I just hope the movie rises to the occasion of this whole discussion.
Feel free to post this in your blog, and please overlook any mistakes -- English is not my native language and I wrote this in a bit of a hurry. 

All the best,
Natasha

Elle Fanning in Talks For "Maleficent"s Aurora

Nothing is confirmed. Everything is in the negotiation stage but it does appear that Elle Fanning has been approached regarding the role of Aurora in Maleficent. (Listen to me! I've read so many Hollywood buzz columns it's beginning to rub off! *shudder*) 

Who knows how solid this idea is right now but the girl is gorgeous, seriously talented and could easily play opposite Angelina Jolie. 

Can you see Elle as the next Sleeping Beauty?

500 Rediscovered Fairy Tales & a Hollywood Article: Hollywood Fairy Tale Feeding Frenzy

There's not a whole lot of new information in the Hollywood article regarding the fairy tale films being made or what's happening on the small screen BUT there are some interesting theories on why we're having a fairy tale zeitgeist and it pays homage to the fairy tale's most exciting news this year - the discovery of 500 "lost"* fairy tales in Germany:

A quick aside: if you have not read Heidi's post on this great piece of fairy tale news:

       Five hundred new fairytales discovered in Germany: Collection of fairytales gathered by historian Franz Xaver von Schönwerth had been locked away in an archive in Regensburg for over 150 years

-  and the Guardian article she's referring to, you should.

You can find it HERE.

I also like this neat and easy to read summary of the news from paperblog HERE.

King Golden Hair (from von Schönwerth's rediscovered tales) by Barbara Stefan

From Artinfo.com's article Hollywood Fairy Tale Feeding Frenzy: “Mirror Mirror,” “Snow White and the Huntsman”:

The discovery in Regensberg of 500 long-hidden German fairy tales assembled by Franz Xaver Schbnwerth (1810 – 86), which was  reported in The Guardian on Monday, is potentially excellent news for Hollywood. At the current rate with which the studios are racing to reformulate the fairy tales of Charles Perrault, the Brothers Grimm, and other writers and collectors into modish, mostly live-action films, they will exhaust the familiar canon in two years tops.

[FTNH edit: May I just quickly interrupt to point out that one of the coolest things about these rediscovered tales is their rawness. Unlike the Grimm's who edited, revised, polished and essentially turned told tales into literary ones, these 'rediscovered' tales were faithfully recorded in their incomplete inaccuracies as retold by common folk, almost complete with "um's and ah's". While I would hope - would be excited to know - that there are directors, writers and creators in Hollywood who would happily be inspired and/or mine a story for a movie or series out of such stories, it's a lot harder than finding a book of tales [which is conveniently out of copyright] and remaking a version of those and so quite unlikely we're going to see these tales spawn Hollywood-happy material. I would love to be proven wrong on this.  

After summarizing what's coming to the screen Reporter Graham Fuller goes on to mention the two Little Mermaid projects that I haven't seen anything on for quite some time and speculates what else may be coming:]

Joe Wright (“Atonement”) will direct a live-action film of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid.” Shana Feste (“Country Strong”) is prepping the film of Carolyn Turgeon’s comparatively dark 2011 novel “Mermaid: A Twist on the Classic Tale.” 

Thirty-six years after the flowery British musical “The Slipper and the Rose” and 14 after the limp “Ever After,” a new “Cinderella” can’t be far behind, whether it’s based on the Greek version recorded in the first century B.C., the ninth-century Chinese one, the 1634 Neapolitan one, Perrault’s, the Grimms’, or Turgeon’s 2009 “Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story.”

[FTNH edit: I greatly appreciate that there was quite a bit of research that went into this article but I especially like what he has to say toward the end as it's a point of view I haven't seen put forward before. :]

The fairy-tale craze – which TV, too, has exploited with ABC’s “Once Upon a Time” -- was triggered by the massive success and prestige of Jackson’s “The Lord of the Rings” and the three films adapted so far from C.S. Lewis’s “Narnia Chronicles.” After  a wave of bland but violent period adventure films in the nineties, “LOTR” and then “Narnia” opened the doors to “romance” cinema – by which I mean medieval or medievally inflected stories and their ilk, as opposed to stories of romantic love. They depicted great deeds of heroism, invoked mysticism, deployed state-of-the-art special effects, and, crucially for grabbing the attention of female tweens and teens, had women or girl warriors. “King Arthur” (2004), with Keira Knightley as an aggressive proto-feminist Guinevere, extended this idea less convincingly, though the film was a global hit.

He's particularly referring to Snow White and the Huntsman here but I think this may play a part in the reason fairy tales are so popular right now. I don't think it's the reason it was "triggered" as he says  but I think it certainly may have helped it along.

You can read the entire Hollywood Fairy Tale Frenzy article HERE.

While we're on the subject of the re-found tales, what Hollywood people MAY find interesting is the unvarnished versions of familiar tales reported to be in the collection. From The Guardian (emphasis in bold is mine):

While sifting through Von Schönwerth's work, Eichenseer found 500 fairytales, many of which do not appear in other European fairytale collections. ... However, the collection also includes local versions of the tales children all over the world have grown up with including Cinderella and Rumpelstiltskin, and which appear in many different versions across Europe.

While I'm excited to see the new tales, I'm very interested to read unedited, raw versions of tales we already know - the popular culture versions of the time. My wish list now includes: a fully translated-to-English version of the whole collection, a book in which the raw tales are printed alongside the literary ones and a children's illustrated book of raw pop-culture tales from the mid-1800s (yes - like a children's storybook, only using those tales and having the artists use those as the source of inspiration). That would make for a fascinating reflection of society among the common people (like you and me) both then and now. (You know I'm not the only one wanting new illustrations!) The last on the list is a book in which a modern day "recorder" goes around and writes down familiar and not-so-familiar tales of the common/average people of today and contrasts it with the source (with illustrations please - children's stories today must have illustrations if they are to reflect how things are at present). I think we could learn a lot about ourselves, about our past and about fairy tales. Anyone up for it?

Mr. & Mrs. Vinegar at Home by Arthur Rackham

And for those that read Heidi's post and the Guardian article but not the comments posted on the Guardian article, I suggest giving them a read too, HERE. Among some superior comments and silly ones there are some useful insights, some great links and other useful notes. I'm including one that caught my eye by "Mercurey":

There is some interesting work being done my anthropologists on the cultural life of street people. And there, the oral tradition is very much alive. As a source of entertainment and as an education to those entering that world.
Very much like fairy tales once did for children.
Theater company called Cardboard Citizens well worth looking out for.

The 'homeless children' aka Hansel & Gretel, of ABC's Once Upon A Time

It reminded me of the myths told by homeless children in Miami, discussed years ago in the SurLaLune site boards HERE. The original article, Myths Over Miami, can now be found archived  HERE. It's an amazing read but I have to wonder, did anybody ever go and write them all down - as a collection of tales, I mean - or was it just recorded for study purposes only and eventually summarized for an article? If this BIG NEWS on rediscovering 500 fairy tales tells us anything, it's that we should be careful not to lose the treasures we already have. I would suggest that this very thing is happening too easily right now. It's the age of information overload but somewhere, somehow we need to distinguish what's important and find a way to record it - in a way that won't be lost - for future generations and history to grow upon.

Note: I have, of course, added Franz Xaver von Schönwerth to the board of Influential Fairy Tale People I have on Pinterest. I now have 73 pins of fairy tale people you should be aware of and be thankful for but and know I'm still missing some key people. While I don't have a picture of von Schönwerth I found his signature, which will have to do for now. :)

*There's some speculation about the "lost" thing. It appears they weren't really out of complete circulation (there are German texts available of some of the work online). They just weren't widely available or known. There's also no known English translation of the full collection but once that changes - go Dan Szabo! (this Munich based translator is working on it right now)- they won't likely fall out of circulation again. 

"The Ice Book" by Davy & Kristin McGuire

If you're a regular reader of this blog you probably know I love multimedia productions in which a number of artistic disciplines come together to "perform" or present the story or art. This is my favorite kind of theater and the ability to tell stories like this is one of the things I miss most in giving up theater to pursue animation and development.

The Ice Book, created by Davy & Kristin McGuire, is a multimedia production of a different kind, almost like a human-sized pop-up book that comes to life. In presenting scenes and story this way it becomes clear how much of life really is in fairy tales, if only we choose to see it.

From the description:

The Ice Book is a miniature theatre show made of paper and light. An exquisite experience of fragile paper cutouts and video projections that sweep you right into the heart of a fantasy world. It is an intimate and immersive experience of animation, book art and performance.

It's simply beautiful. Take a look:

The Ice Book (HD) from Davy and Kristin McGuire on Vimeo.

Their website HERE has lots of information about the project and how they went about it. Here are a couple of excerpts:

Davy always had the dream of creating a theatre performance that opened up like a pop-up book. A show that would mix video projections with live actors to create a totally immersive experience. We wanted to create a full scale, life-size theatre production. 

The idea for the Icebook was to create a miniature maquette for this dream – a demonstration model to show to producers and other funders in the hope that they would give us some money to make the full scale show. (And we still hope that this will come true one day!) The Icebook has since however, grown its own legs and turned into a miniature show all by itself. An intimate performance for small audiences. 

We love the old pre-cinematic optical illusions, such as zeotropes and magic lanterns, and the magical way in which they can mesmerise audiences through basic mechanics. Rather than simply projecting images onto a screen, we wanted to create an object with a life of its own – a tangible and magical “thing” for an audience to experience. 

...Aesthetically, we were also inspired by early 20th century Russian fairytales as well as the work of Jan Svankmajer, Flatworld, the Judder Man from the Metz advert, Georges Méliès and the genre of German expressionism.

The couple spent much of last year touring with the art show to many enthusiastic and rave reviews. I hope they've had much continuing success and will produce more in this vein. For instance, I'd love to see them create their version of a fairy tale for the ongoing Re-Enchantment project or find another avenue/collaborator that can help expose their artistry to an even larger audience. 


Davy and Kristin McGuire can be followed and contacted on Twitter HERE.

"Mirror Mirror" TV Trailer: Focusing On Opposites

I only recently saw the TV #2 spot trailer for Mirror Mirror (see end of post to view) and was struck by the interesting use of opposites: height, perspective, expectations, color etc and reflections. It's quite interesting and I finally understood why they stuck with the film's title which focuses on reflections and images.

Now I'm looking for it, I can see this theme through all the other trailers released, though it's far more subtle. Almost every official movie poster, even the foreign ones, can be neatly split in half (just look how exactly face-on the characters in the middle of the poster always are - even the dwarves at the bottom), and within each poster there are further uses of opposites and/or reflections in design.

The one below that isn't so exactly balanced, still makes a clear use of opposites (foreground, background, negative space, age, youth, color contrast) and mirrors too. There are reflections of color, pose, attitude and concept. It's pretty neat.

A movie that explores the Snow White story by juxtaposing elements both internal and external throughout would be very interesting to me and actually have a lot to say...

Have I been missing the obvious all this time?

Have a look at the trailer with this concept of opposites and reflections in mind and you'll see what I mean:

Japanese Poster for Pixar's "Brave"

Just thought I'd share a lovely new image promoting Pixars' Brave in Japan.

I love the "spirit bear" in the background. It's a very powerful layout and I can see why it would appeal to Japanese culture.

Kristen Bell Signs On To Play Lead in Disney's "Frozen"

This concept art was for a Snow Queen attraction in Disney Land, which was sadly never made.

Still not much news on Frozen other than this casting news that appeared yesterday, but it does mean they're well into development and story on the project and that we should hear more soon. Kristen Bell (of Veronica Mars fame as well as House of Lies) will be voicing the lead, presumably Gerda (or whatever name they give her) although one IMDB news report (there are a number) has her as playing the character of the Snow Queen.

I'm guessing they've inferred this from the one sentence announcement, rather than Ms Bell confirming her lead role is actually the Snow Queen herself. I can't find an official or even "in development" IMDB page for Disney's Frozen or Snow Queen so until we get a proper quote it's all speculation. If it is the case that the lead is the Snow Queen character (ie the story is her story or from her POV), then the Disney version will be very different story from the Hans Andersen fairy tale we all know and love. Considering how complex the tale is there is plenty of room for unique creative interpretation. I just hope they keep some of the classic tale structure intact (and please keep the robber girl and the reindeer!).

Pre 2003 visual development for Disney's Snow Queen by Carol Kieffer Police

Ms. Bell will be singing too, confirming this will indeed be a musical as originally planned.

From The Hollywood Reporter:

She is also set to provide the speaking and singing voice as the lead in Disney’s upcoming animated feature Frozen. Directed by Chris Buck (Surf’s Up), the film is being produced by John Lasseter and Peter Del Vecho.

Alan Menken (The Little Mermaid and Beauty & the Beast) was working on the music before it was last put on hold and there has been no official word on that either continuing or changing. With a release date set for November 2013 (a Winter/Christmas release would be perfect for this) time's a-tickin' on getting the elements in place, though I did read a vague post about the theatrical release now being planned for "sometime in 2014". Since so many things change day to day in development it's really no wonder they remain so quiet - even if they're incredibly busy - until they have something well and truly concrete. Casting the lead is a big bit of concrete. :)

Pre 2003 visual development for Disney's Snow Queen by Carol Kieffer Police

In the meantime, here's an interesting tidbit buried in one of the release articles I thought I should bring to light and clear up any issues about (as far as I can for now anyway):

Our guess is that "Frozen" will be a computer generated feature (released in 3D, naturally), and that the next traditionally animated Disney feature will be "The Name Game," a quirky take on the Rumpelstiltskin tale being readied (in secret) by Ron Clements and John Musker. Supposedly the reason why that project is gaining momentum is because of the runaway success (and synergistic opportunities) of ABC's Sunday night series "Once Upon a Time," which features Rumpelstiltskin as the show's main villain.

Pre 2003 visual development for Disney's Snow Queen by Carol Kieffer Police

While there is apparently a Clements/Musker "secret project" titled The Name Game coming in 2013, Disney people in-the-know quote this: "Steve Hulett said many many times that Clements & Musker's film is NOT Rumpelstiltskin."


So there you go. We'll just have to stay tuned. 


Note: The images throughout are OLD Disney visual development art, prior to 2003, for Disney's The Snow Queen and are by Carol Kieffer Police.

Once Upon A... Hm (Review of Ep 14 Dreamy)

SPOILER ALERT:

If you haven't seen Once Upon A Time Ep 14 "Dreamy" - here there be spoilers!

I just watched yesterday's episode of Once Upon A Time and I'm torn between two emotions: disbelief and embarrassment.

I may seem like I'm being a little harsh in this review but after the last two episodes, which set up some very low expectations for this one, Episode 14 ground those six feet under. It may be the worst episode yet and does fairy tales, women and the idea of being true to yourself a great disservice. This is exactly what I wish people DIDN'T think of fairy tales - or of themselves.

When the show first started and we were presented with fairies in the clouds (both dressed like jellyfish with awkward legs) my first thought - honest to god - was: "Oh, they're going to do a parody - this should be fun..."

I couldn't have been more wrong. This was supposed to be serious stuff. I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to the writers and creators brains during the writing of this episode. Was it a product of 4am-over-caffeinated-itis? But it got worse with dwarf egg hatchings and possibly the most pathetically helpless, clueless female character written in recent TV history (and that includes Belle and her Stockholm syndrome*! - who, by the way is drowning her misery in a tavern and tells Grumpy he's in love and should go for it. Why? Because I'm proof love is so great??). I almost fell off my chair when Dreamy/Grumpy chased her bag of fairy dust by scaling the mining scaffolds and equipment as she flapped her hands and wings - WINGS! - helplessly and looked on. It continued on this terrible trail  - complete with Disney heigh-ho's - for the entire span of the Fairy Tale Land plot. I was embarrassed for the actors who were trying to make what they could of this awful story and terrible lines and could only redeem it by reminding myself that their efforts were rewarded by a pay check which should help feed their families and loved ones for a good couple of months.

 Back in the "real" world we have nuns having to pay rent (do nuns pay rent?), to Mr. Gold of course - who hates them (what?) - by selling candles (where did they buy all the wax and string supplies? Puff the Magic Dragon? Methinks perhaps they could have used those initial funds a little better)... Doesn't seem like a sustainable plan for anything but apparently it's "in Mary-Margaret we trust" and Grumpy now too. (I'm guessing next month they'll be having a helium sale.) And the town drunk falls in love with ditzy/flirty (totally flirty!) klutz nun who, once he solves the problem, asks her out on a date. In a boat. She says yes. Of course. (Hang on - what??)

Actually the boat is the thing I liked best about the entire episode. Completely underused too.

In the meantime I'm very, very glad I won't have to call Sheriff Swan should I have an emergency or anything happen to one of my loved ones. Her "I can tell you're lying" superpower? Not so super. There's nothing professional, commanding or reassuring about the way she handles (ie doesn't handle) business. Somebody needs to give her a box of evidence bags and some gloves so she at least looks like she knows what she's doing. She's making it easy for Regina to win.

Speaking of Regina, since Once returned this year the character has actually had my sympathy. Being stuck in a town with these people is a kind of hell all of its own. But maybe that's the point. That the curse-ER is the most cursed of all.

This episode left me shaking my head and very glad I was alone when I watched it so I wouldn't have to explain why I wasn't fast forwarding. The production side of me just saw $ k-ching-ing past at great speed and great waste. The opening cloud scenes are sadly an apt description of the whole - generated fluff.

I'm just now looking around for images to use for the post and interestingly there really aren't any graphics being created from the episode like you usually see week after week on fan blogs. Under comments in various places I'm seeing very mixed responses, from "can't wait till next week" to those who announced they've just given up on the series after seeing this episode. Among reviews I found this one HERE which pointed out many of the same concerns, along with a few of the writers' own. The graphics for their post are sadly amusing.

BUT, there was one good thing: the trailer for next week's episode promises much better things with more of Red/Ruby's backstory. (Note: this is the episode Ginnifer Goodwin, who plays Snow/Mary Margaret was so excited about filming after reading Ms. Espenson's script, alluding to a genius twist on things.) We'll find out who Big Bad is and see how the Snow/Red relationship worked in Fairy Tale. I hope they address Snow taking the forgetting potion too since there's going to be a whole thing with David/Charming as well apparently (you can see interesting photos from the upcoming episode HERE.) Most of all I really want to see how they make Red Riding Hood fresh for Once fans who are enjoying seeing into the lives of fairy tale characters.

So we end on an "up" note, with hope for both the series and for how fairy tales are being reinterpreted, here's the trailer for next week:

*Don't get me started on the Belle/Beast episode. I feel like society took a giant step backward with everything that said. You cannot fill in the "gaps" with the Disney movie - which also has some serious issues as far as I'm concerned. it has to be taken at face value - and that makes it seriously disturbing. I never want any girl - or woman - I know to model themselves after either Belle!


Image sources: screen capture, HERE and HERE.