Professor Jack Zipes, a well known and respected powerhouse in fairy tale studies, is set to speak in Vancouver on March 24th on the subject of fairy tales and film makers, specifically Disney's versions vs other treatments.
Our contemporary concept and image of a fairy tale has been shaped and standardized by Disney so efficiently through the mechanisms of the culture industry that our notions of happiness and utopia are and continue to be filtered through a Disney lens, even if it is myopic. It seems that myopia has come to dominate both reality and utopia, thanks to Disneyfication, or that we are conditioned to view reality and fairy tales through a myopic pseudo-utopian lens. Despite the domination of the fairy-tale film by the Disney Corporation, however, it would be misleading to consider the Disney productions as constituting a monopoly of fairy-tale films, or that they have totally twisted our views of reality and utopia, for there have always been competing films that offer a different vision of fairy tales and social conditions. In this talk Professor Zipes will explore the different endeavors of filmmakers to develop fairy-tale films which essentially propose alternatives to the standard Disney fairy-tale film.
Act now to save our birds Birds have always been endowed with symbolic portent – from Chekhov to Hitchcock to Twitter. We ignore their decline at our peril. There are glimmers of hope, but only if we act now (Article by Margaret Atwood on the importance of birds from myth, to history to today, their decline and what we can do. She originally wrote the essay On Souls As Birds' from Mirror, Mirror On the Wall, which this article echoes. Again, via The Fairy Tale Cupboard)
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo (Ohio, USA) is having a "Fairytales & Frogs" themed event on February 15th, 2010 - kids under 12 in costume have free entry to the Zoo and Rainforest that day. "Not only will guests learn about the importance of frogs, but they’ll also celebrate the special role these amphibians have played in fairytales and legends throughout history. " (I wish I could go to this!) Additional info: "Everyone can get nose-to-nose with frogs during Get-Close Encounters and decipher myth from reality by talking with the Zoo’s frog keepers. Other activities include a frog craft, storytelling and an interactive life-size “Frogger” game that teaches the importance of frogs in our ecosystem and addresses the perils that frogs face in the wild due to pollution, climate change and habitat loss."
Sedan Chair Race for Charity with Fairy Tale Characters - I missed this announcement back in August (the event was in November) but as you can see from the poster, it looks like a lot of exhausting fun. Apparently this organization has raised over 52 million $HK via sedan chair races for charity to date!
The Emperor (of Clubs) Isn't Wearing Any Clothes! Kate Wolford, university lecturer and mastermind behind both the Diamonds & Toads blog and the new blogazine Enchanted Conversation, made reference to a notorious (and very sad) recent news headline involving a certain sports celebrity with some interesting observations. Make sure to read both the post and the many comments.
I have had this story in my to-blog list for ages and unfortunately have now missed the window when this amazing event was taking place (so sorry about that!) but feel I must still report on it - for you never know when he will return, and he WILL return...The 10th of November was the last day people would see a blue eight metre (twenty-six and a quarter feet) high giant walking the streets and villages of Scotland - at least for a while.
Here's where the story, the Myth of the Giant, began*:
“Many thousands of years ago when Scotland was a rough country of boulders, vast forests and wild beasts , people lived in fear of everything, even the shadows.
“Then one day the warmth of the sun was blotted out and they looked up to see two huge birds fighting in the sky. Like giant eagles they tumbled, wheeled and spun in the air until one of the creatures broke away and tumbled towards them. As it grew closer to the ground they saw it was not a bird but a giant man with great wings strapped to his back. When he hit the ground the earth trembled, his wings smashed to pieces, and the populace fled and hid in terror.
“Then, driven by curiosity, they ventured out to look at this Big Man. They saw he needed their help and they looked after him, gave him water and food.
“In return for their hospitality he helped clear the land of the giant boulders, throwing them into the sea to create islands. He carved out inlets with his bare hands so they could shelter their fishing boats and he chased the nightmare beasts from the forests.
“Gradually he recovered his strength and walked the land recovering the scattered pieces of his shattered wings to rebuild them.
“Finally he was ready, he tied his pinions to his back and with a great beat of air flew into the sky and was gone.
“At first people were sad and missed him, but when they looked around and saw their fields cleared of boulders, the forests safe to hunt in and sheltered havens for their fishing boats. They realised that this was now a land in which they could live and thrive.
“The wisest of them even suggested that the Big Man would return to see the country he had helped create. They promised that when he came back he would be welcomed with great celebrations. They wanted the communities to gather together to show him what had been achieved in his absence. These storytellers became The Guild of Watchers, who now await his return.”
As you can see from the photos, this was an awesome feat for the designers/creators and experience for spectators. The event included parades of different kinds, large projections of people onto buildings and on windows, dancing, live music, special puppet performances (of a smaller size), gift giving and much more - each town having their own variations in greeting their giant blue visitor. The Guild of Watchers who are the 'storykeepers' and have watched for the giant's return, showed the way by guiding the big man safely from shore to forest and beyond with their lanterns and then onto the paths to various villages. I love the fact the event was based on some Scottish myths and so brought ancient local tales to life.Here are some videos of the giant in action:
The 'elevator pitch' for the event:
Greeting some school children:
This one is a little jerky but it still gives a good idea of the big man's reception:
There are booklets on the myth as well as photos and a lot more HERE at the official website. If I find out when he's due to walk again I'll let you know.* Source for the Big Man myth is the official website.
Note: I apologize for posting this mid-week but I only found out about the event yesterday afternoon.
Fairy tale books are getting recommended and reviewed by blogs participating in a special cross-blog event called "Once Upon A Week". There are other fairy tale related activities happening too.
The event is being hosted by NotNessie at "Today's Adventure" and her blog has all the links you need to get you started in finding all the recommended reading, reviews, blogger interviews, give-aways, memes and more that are happening this week.
Here are the review links so far. Please contact NotNessie directly if you wish to post and participate:
For Thursday she even has a contest to win one of her recommended fairy tale retellings. To qualify people have to rewrite a fairy tale with themselves as one of the characters (which is chosen for you). Details are posted HERE so anyone interested can get writing.
You can find all the information, fun and participants at the Once upon A Week posts for "Today's Adventure" HERE. It's a great way to find fairy tale loving writers and readers and some great new blogs to boot.
My thanks to 'Anonymous' for pointing me in the direction of this production. Here's their comment in response to Monday's post that set this post in motion:
I'm in NY and there's a great show at The New Victory Theater in Times Square of Hansel and Gretel: LINK
They basically re-did the whole theater from top to bottom as the haunted forest of H&G!
'Anonymous' wasn't kidding - throughout this post you can see some pictures from the Scottish Catherine Wheels Theater Co., production.Here's an excerpt from the article:
Mounted throughout the theater, which is transformed into a cluttered, old haunted house with swirling nets, mad drawings and a variety of art installations made of dolls, the production begins downstairs, where a cellist plays tunes by the Bay City Rollers inside the 1970s-style house of Hansel and Gretel. As soon as the two (played by the apple-cheeked actors Tommy Joe Mullins and Ashley Smith) start dropping bread crumbs, the audience is led upstairs through a hallway backstage and around a maze assembled inside the theater.
It goes on to describe how the audience are, at one point, seated along a large dinner table, as if guests at the over-the-top feast (see below).And here's a description from Theater Mania :
The Grimm brothers' fairytale will literally unfold from the top to the bottom of the theater, and theatergoers, in groups of a 100, will follow the action from, according to press notes, a "kitschy 1970s inspired home through a spooky forest and into the dangerous clutches of a bald-headed witch who is at once nasty, funny, and completely off-her-rocker."
The show is aimed to be child-friendly so, despite the subject matter, the show is designed to be enjoyed by most ages (I would caution against very young children attending). The British Theater Guide HERE gives a good write-up of the show and addresses its suitability for children. I'd see it based on this report alone, if I could.Here's a trailer which gives a good idea of how the whole show is staged:
I love the whole 'leading the audience through the woods and making them a part of the scenes' approach. This is exactly the sort of thing I loved doing in theater when I had a chance - the show was different every time because it partly depended on the audience's involvement and partly because the close proximity with the audience provided opportunities for improvisation that the traditional audience-on-the-floor-actors-on-the-stage simply couldn't. Possibly the best result from staging a production like this, though, is that anyone who comes to the production will remember it forever. And this is why it's so important to do a REALLY good job!
The article - link HERE (the same as the link above) - is a very good review, hi-lighting both the good and the bad of such an adventurous show. Overall, the show is a recommended experience - it's currently sold out and has a wait list - and I sincerely wish I could go.From the copy: “Hansel and Gretel” runs through Nov. 1 at the New Victory Theater, 229 West 42nd Street, Manhattan; (646)223-3010, newvictory.org.
Halloween is approaching and this year I have a whole different perspective on it. It's always been one of my favorite holidays for many reasons. From the serious remembrance of our ancestors and consideration of the supernatural through to whimsical decorating and dressing up by adults and children alike, there's lots to celebrate for many different people. This year, as I try to figure out what costume my 2 year old is going to wear, the thought of gingerbread houses and strangers with candy is giving me nightmares!Hansel and Gretel in the Woods (Artist Unknown)
There's no doubt Hansel and Gretel is one of the scariest popular fairy tales out there - parents that go beyond neglectful and purposely leave their children to die in the wood, a cannibalistic witch... it's the stuff of nightmares. And at Halloween candy and nightmare houses suddenly abound, turning our suburban streets into very different places. I fully understand the paranoia of parents only accepting wrapped candy and chocolate and the sensibility of those who will accompany their children door too door (I will be one of them). While there's no question of doing both of these while my child is so young I know I will have to come to terms with sending my son out into the wilds of suburbia and using his judgment on whether or not to accept the treats offered to him (and this extends beyond Halloween too, of course).
Gingerbread house at the Festival in Qormi, Malta
In the meantime, here's a house made of sweet breads and candy, inspired by Hansel and Gretel that I wish we COULD have visited. On Saturday (October 17, 2009), in Qormi, Malta a local cultural and folkloric festival was held called Ljel f'Casal Fornaro. Qormi is known as 'la casa del fornaio' - 'the house of the baker' - and baking of all sorts is a huge part of this event. One local pastry chef was inspired by Hansel and Gretel and made/created/constructed a complete gingerbread house.
Man does not live on bread alone... A staggering 250kg of chocolate, 1,200 lollipops, 40kg of assorted sweets, 50 bags of marshmallows and 250 pieces of chocolate make up this Hansel and Gretel-inspired house of sweets. The brainchild of pastry chef Ronnie Caruana, this suite of sweets is more than one month in the making. It will go on display during Lejl f'Casal Fornaro in Qormi on Saturday (October 17th, 2009).
Staggering indeed.
I was always curious as a child how such a thing could possibly be constructed in the middle of the wood, surviving the elements, without very strong magic. And why, if that were the case, could the witch not conjure up something she herself would find palatable. But perhaps that's the point.
Image from Project Gutenberg - Artist unknown
At least Hansel and Gretel survive the experience (or so the story says anyway). Did you ever wonder how such an experience would affect the siblings? Well, we're apparently we're about to find out.
From geektyrant.com:
Norwegian co-writer and director of the horror comedy ‘Dead Snow’ Tommy Wirkola is putting a little twist on the whole dark children’s tale of Hansel and Gretel. This new idea explores what happened to Hansel and Gretel 15 years after the gingerbread house incident. They have become bounty hunters that specialize in tracking down and killing witches.
Hansel and Gretel
by Cattish (deviantART)
Adam McKay (one of the Producers) said this about the movie:
“The idea is, they’ve grown up and they hunt witches. It’s a hybrid sort of “old-timey” feeling, yet there’s pump-action shotguns. Modern technology but in an old style...
Sounds promising. Unfortunately this next comment has me cringing and thinking the producers (McKay and Will Ferrell) are thinking marketability, not story:
"We heard it and we were just like, ‘That’s a freakin’ franchise! You could make three of those!’ “
Yikes. Unless by that they mean making Red Riding Hood a werewolf hunter...
Hansel and Gretel
by Laura Palmer (lpspalmer on deviantART)
Then Tommy Wirkola added these comments about the film a couple of months later:
“It’s an action-adventure horror movie that finds Hansel and Gretel fifteen years [after their first witch incident] and they’ve grown up to become merciless witch hunters.Blood and gore and action, all the stuff that I love. I’m working on the first draft now so it’s a little ways off, but it’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s definitely an R-rated movie, the first draft has a lot of blood and guts. First and foremost, it’s an action movie, I think, with horror elements. And of course some dark humor as well. But the action and horror are the most import feelings I want.”
From the twenty or so announcements about the film I've read, people (generally) really like the idea. Reviews on the Director's previous movie "Dead Snow" are very positive with people finding a good balance of comedy against the horror.
Hansel & Gretel (Artist Unknown)
The film will be live-action and heavy on the effects. No casting has been announced yet but Will Ferrell is confirmed as staying off-camera and sticking to his Producer's chair on this one. The budget is reportedly on the tiny side for any kind of film so I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing considering the effects load. Let's hope the film has some substance and doesn't end up as a B-Grade slasher instead.
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters is currently due for release in 2011.
Hänsel und Gretel by CoryGodbey (You can see more of Cory's work in this previous post HERE)
*Sources for quotes about the film are HERE and HERE.
I'm rarely envious of what other people do for their weddings (we were married at the LA Zoo between the giraffes and the chimps - it was a hoot!) but Justin & Jordana, who were married in Oakland on October 11th, have tweaked my "I-wish-I-had-done-that" meter.
A fairy tale setting in a redwood forest and a steampunk fantasy carriage (shaped like a snail and breathing fire) = AWESOME!As a complete girly aside - did you notice her dress? Gorgeous!
This must be the only street legal snail in the world - let alone the only fire-breathing street legal snail. The unique vehicle is called The Golden Mean and you can find out more information about it HERE.
Here's a night picture of The Golden Mean at the Fire Arts Festival so you can see the flaming antennae in all their glory.Makes you want one of your own, doesn't it? Well, for those motivated souls, here's an 'Instructables' tutorial so you can construct your own:
Celebrating Halloween Grimm-style in Los Angeles this year is The Grimm Fairytale Ball - open to everyone over 21 (and costumes are encouraged).From their ad:
Once Upon A Midnight Dreary...
Little boys and little girls stepped onto pages seeped with shadowy ink and maddening dreams, passed through contorted reflections of reflecting brass, gripped breathlessly to groundshards or towering fauna surpassing clouds, titans, and perhaps even gods. Once upon a time, little boys and little girls were haunted, desired, fooled, fought, danced, puzzled, poisened, hunted, lost, and eaten in parables far different than the happy tales with happy endings for happy children today...
Entry is $10 with an RSVP or $20 without. This is one Halloween option for those who prefer the dark side of fairy tales. Complimentary candid club photography provided by Violet Photography - no personal cameras allowed (!).
Ready for a larger-than-life steampunk fairy tale?
Today the giants (and their handlers) that have walked the streets (and rivers) of Berlin for 4 days are taking a well deserved rest after a happy reunion that mirrors the story of the city itself.
It's been almost 20 years since the Berlin Wall fell and this year, as part of the 19th annual unification celebration, the giant marionettes of French contemporary street arts/theater company Royal de Luxe staged a special performance, the story of which took place over 4 days.
The presentation was called "The Giants Arrive - A Fairy Tale for Berlin" and will no doubt remain in the memory of everyone fortunate enough to see them (estimated to be around 1 million lucky people) for the rest of their lives. The larger giant marionette, stands around 31 feet tall and weighs in at 2.5 tons - seeing it in person is not something you're likely to forget!First seen in 1993, the company has continued adding 'chapters' to their giant story over the years, including such wonders as a giant Sultan's Elephant (very steampunk in style and pictured below) that sprayed water over the watching crowds. The technical feats required for building, moving, manipulating and most of all, telling an emotional story with these puppets is awe inspiring. These are the largest fully-functional, traveling puppets in the world.Here's a wonderful video from an older show which captures a little of how incredible these street performances are:
The company is bringing two puppets to Berlin. One is 9.5 meters (31 feet) tall and weighs 2.5 tons. It is a deep-sea diver and will be wearing an atmospheric diving suit made out of truck tarpaulins as it makes its way through the city and its waterways, aided by 31 helpers decked out in red livery. The helpers are called the "Lilliputians," after the little people in Swift's book. The smaller puppet -- at 5.5 meters (18 feet) and 800 kilograms (1,750 pounds) -- won't just be walking around; it will also be driving a scooter and a boat with the help of 22 Lilliputians.
Regarding the fairy tale of the title, here's what the creative head of Royal de Luxe, Jean-Luc Courcoult, said about the actual story (again from Spiegel Online International):
"It's a family story; it won't be political," Courcoult said... He went on to explain, his company will be telling a fairy tale about a long separation with the following plot: Terrible events have torn a city in two and caused one part of the city to be walled in. The big puppet is stuck in the west of the city, and the smaller one in the east. The big puppet drags a dormant geyser along the riverbed and places it under a wall. Then it wakes up the geyser to let it break down the city's barrier and allow the puppets to reunite.
You can read the rest of the article, which also details some of the amazing technical specifications as well as a lovely photo gallery of the event, HERE.
I found more details on the backstory of the tale HERE (reported by R.J. Evans for Socyberty - a website that publishes articles exploring social issues and how society changes/has changed - in June this year). I've put together the essential points in a collection of quotes below but there's a lot more information and detail in the article - I recommend clicking over to read it. The story is basically about a giant deep-sea diver who has been searching the world-over for his missing giantesse niece:
In 1912 the Titanic went down to the bottom of the ocean. Unknown to us, however, was that in its hold a giantess was held captive, the mother of the Little Giantess.
The enormous diver is the scouring the earth for the Little Giantesse. She was captured in Iceland which was at the time the home of the giants, each having his or her own particular task. The Little Giantess was to wake up the geysers of Iceland when a message needed to be sent. You may wonder what on earth geysers and messages have in common but little known to the outside world the geysers were used to transmit signals between the giants, much like the smoke signals of American natives.
But where does the deep-sea diver properly come in to the story? He is the brother of the giantess who drowned on the Titanic. Originally he had been busy doing his own job – sawing up icebergs – to realize that his sister and her daughter were missing.
In his past he has travelled the seabed for years and eventually he found the wreck of the Titanic. He buried his sister near the sunken ship. While there he discovered a mysterious box full of mail from the Titanic. He now had two new goals in life – the task of finding his niece and to deliver the mail. Since then he has wandered the earth in search of the Little Giantess.
And, as you may infer from the photos, all obstacles are conquered and the happy reunion occurred, fittingly, in Berlin near where the Wall once stood.Royal de Luxe apparently has no website and does no ordinary PR (the city of London put together a beautiful web presentation - including an extensive gallery - for the famed 2006 appearance which included the Sultan's Elephant. You can see that HERE ) but this website HERE has a long, fantastically detailed, yet easy-to-navigate article on the company.
The fact that Royal de Luxe make these extraordinary characters out of discarded items and what is essentially junk, is part of the magic - transforming the ordinary into the extraordinary. Fairy tales do the same thing by putting just a little magic into a tale, creating Märchen or 'Wonder Tales'. It is very fitting that these puppets have become part of the world and story of fairy tales. I sincerely hope I one day have the opportunity to experience one of the 'chapters' of these giant stories in person.
