(1950 - Walt Disney) 3 x 600 Running Time 74 minutes. Distributed by Derann Film Services.
As far as the current run of Super 8 Disney releases are concerned, this reviewer is prompted to remark: "Now we're really getting somewhere"! Disney's first 'proper' full length animated production since Bambi (release date August 1942) Cinderella is an enchanting release in the truly classic style. But what do I mean by 'proper' full-length animated release? Before you write pointing out that the Disney Studio released Make Mine Music (1946),Fun and Fancy Free (1947), Melody Time (1948), and Ichabod and Mr Toad (1949), these don't really count as some had live-action sequences and all consisted of more than one story, packaged together for release. None really enjoyed the lasting success of the Studio's full-length fully-animated productions, though they have done quite well on TV, for which their format is perhaps better suited.
It was quite a challenge for the Disney team to come up with a fresh idea to the traditional well-known rags-to riches story (too well-known to recount here) and, by introducing a wonderful cast of supporting animals and nasty 'humans', they succeeded with honours. Lucifer the crafty, fat cat, continually thwarted in his endeavours to catch the band of mice who are Cinderella's friends, is a marvellous villain, almost as cunning as his mistress, Cinderella's malicious Stepmother, Lady Tremaine, and the two ugly Stepsisters, Anastasia and Drizella, wonderfully portrayed by the Disney animators and splendidly voiced by Eleanor Audley, Rhoda Williams and Lucille Bliss. The animals play key roles in the story - quite unlike those in Snow White where they were incidental to the main characters. Lucifer was described in Newsweek as "the unutterably smug house cat whom Disney dreamed up as a wonderful villain set against the resident mice".
Newsweek said of the two main mice, Jacques and Gus (largely the responsibility of Ward Kimball); "In Gus, the mouse commando, and his pawkey pal Jaq, Disney has a pair of heroes the like of which has not been seen since the reign of Mickey". The chubby cheerful, but absent mined fairy Godmother provides both humour and charm, and one of the film's most memorable songs - Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo. Other tuneful numbers are, So This Is Love, A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes, Cinderella, The Work Song, and Sing Sweet Nightingale.
The animation and lay-out is superlative: the first time we see the callous Stepmother (Lady Tremaine) she is lying in bed, her face half-hidden in the shadows, and then she bends forward slightly and we see the full malice of her face and eyes. In another scene, Cinderella moves along a shadowy corridor and pulls back the drapes, flooding the area with sunlight - magical animation. The Disney animators contrast the gloomier scenes with bright sparkling colours filled with movement at the ball sequence and in other impressive scenes.
The Super 8 print is likewise impressive, magnificent, stunning! It's in the same outstanding class as Mickey's Christmas Carol. The colours are bright and well-saturated, added to which we have crisp definition - it is really nice and sharp! The picture quality is matched by that of the sound which on our review copy was well recorded.
It's no surprise Cinderella grossed $4,000,000 on its initial release, and has done well -on subsequent re-releases. The general consensus by the critics was that Disney was back with a force with a classic children's fantasy (how history repeats itself - Disney today is again critically and popularly acclaimed having 'returned' to the classic storyline!). Despite some slight weakness, it is a little short on imagination and lacks the zest of say The Little Mermaid, but it is very entertaining, amusing, endearing, and utterly charming. It has some memorable music and the animation is quite superb! So what more do, you want for your money? A release that has improved with time. Great colour and sharpness. Very highly recommended.
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Distributed by: Derann
Films. I have this film in my collection my rating: Picture |
The above review was printed in Super Eight Film Review issue 23 from Winter 1992. |
This page was last updated 02 Dec 2002
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