Just wanted to share a quick post of two drawings I did recently of Josh Hutcherson (and as his character Peeta from The Hunger Games).
If you are at all interested in seeing more of my drawings feel free to visit my deviantART page http://bee-minor.deviantart.com/
Let me know what you think!
– Bee
As a lover of both Disney animated classics and the fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen, I thought it would be interesting to look at the contrasting elements of both Hans Christian Andersen’s original fairy tale, and Disney’s animated film adaptation.
If for some strange reason you are not aware of what The Little Mermaid is, come on out of that rock you’ve been living under, and have a little read of this plot summary.
The Little Mermaid follows the tale (pun very much intended) of a young mermaid who is fascinated by the world above the sea, longing to explore a life up there with the mortals. When she swims to the surface and sees a handsome prince, she immediately falls in love and is willing to give up her life in the sea and her identity as a mermaid to gain a human soul and the love of said prince.
So just how different is Disney’s animated adaptation to Hans Christian Andersen’s classic fairy tale?
The answer? Very, very different.
Warning: The last section contains spoilers for the ending of both versions of this story, if you have not seen/read it and do not wish to know the ending, I advise you do not read the last part!
Family
In Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale, the little mermaid’s family plays a very important role, and quite a substantially larger role in comparison to Disney’s 1989 animated adaptation. One of the major character differences would be that of the little mermaid’s grandmother, who partially acts as a catalyst for the little mermaid’s desire to explore the world above the sea.
Another difference in family is the king of the sea has six daughters (whereas in Disney’s version, he has seven).
Also in Hans Christian Andersen’s The Little Mermaid, the little mermaid’s sisters encourage her to find the prince, whereas in Disney’s version, King Triton is notably angry and distraught at the idea of Ariel having human interaction.
The Little Mermaid/Ariel
To avoid any confusion, when I refer the ‘the little mermaid’ I am referring to Hans Christian Andersen’s character, whilst Ariel will be made in reference to Disney’s character. In Hans Christian Andersen’s story, the little mermaid didn’t have a name (nor did any of the characters).
There are quite a few notably different characteristics between the little mermaid and Ariel, the first being her age.
In Disney, we are aware that Ariel is sixteen years of age, however in Hans’ fairy tale, she is first introduced to us at nine years of age. We learn from the little mermaid’s grandmother that mermen can live up to 300 years of age, yet the king’s daughter each have to wait until their 15th birthday before they are allowed to visit the surface of the sea. As there is a one year age margin between each daughter, this means the little mermaid has five move years to wait until she will be allowed to see the surface.
Speaking of which, it is interesting to note that in Hans Christian Andersen’s tale, the little mermaid is obedient and waits for her 15th birthday before swimming to the surface, despite her longing to see the world above her. Whereas Ariel portrays quite a disobedient princess who travels to the surface despite King Triton telling her not to.
Another interesting characteristic in the little mermaid is that her sisters were known for collecting strange items they found from wrecked ships, however the little mermaid was only interested in a “beautiful marble statue” of “a handsome boy carved out of clear white stone” (Andersen, p. 40). If Disney’s “Part of Your World” taught us anything it’s that Ariel was quite the hoarder.
A little fun fact I discovered while reading The Little Mermaid is that the little mermaid and the prince share the same birthday. Although never directly stated, all you have to do is connect the dots. The little mermaid travelled to the surface on her 15th birthday where she saw celebrations from the ship of the prince celebrating his birthday.
Another differentiating characteristic between the little mermaid and Ariel is that in the fairy tale, the little mermaid is often described as silent and pensive, however this would not make for a great film so I can see why Disney would have changed this.
Something which I found quite interesting while reading this fairy tale is that mermaids were described as having voices much nicer than any mortals, and the little mermaid had the loveliest voice of all mermaids…so eh…no pressure Jodi Benson!
Transformation from Mermaid to Mortal
Something which I feel Disney lacked in was the actual transformation process from mermaid to mortal. It seems as though one moment Ariel was a mermaid and then in the next shot she is waking up on a beach with legs. Now do not fear I am not bashing Disney (heaven forbid!) I am simply stating that I think a transformation scene would have been pretty cool visually (and from an animators prospective) to see.
Regardless, Hans Christian Andersen went into quite a lot of detail (well for a fairy tale) into the transformation of the little mermaid from mermaid to mortal. He begins with the sea witch explaining to the little mermaid how painful it will be to become mortal (which is also interesting because in Disney’s version Ursula was more interesting in deceiving Ariel). The sea witch explains that after Ariel drinks the potion, her tail will split and it will hurt as though there is a sharp sword piercing her tail. She proceeds to describe how every step she takes as a mortal will be like threading on a sharp knife so the blood will flow.
Another interesting condition attached to her transformation is that if the prince fails to fall in love with the little mermaid, the first morning after he is married to another, the little mermaid’s heart will break and she will die.
After agreeing to these conditions, the witch begins to make the potion which is described as quite a painful experience for the sea witch, “she cut her breast and let the black blood chip into the kettle” (Andersen, p. 55).
Contrasting from Disney’s version, which see’s a glowing light from Ariel’s throat leave her body, to take her voice away from her, the sea witch physically cuts out the little mermaid’s tongue.
Meeting The Prince
Just to once again remind us that real life does not meet the expectations Disney has set for us, a major differentiating factor between Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale and Disney’s animated film is the prince does not fall in love with the little mermaid. Yes we were all eager for Prince Eric to lean over and “Kiss the Girl” in Disney’s adaptation but sadly, Hans Christian Andersen is there to set us straight in his fairy tale.
Despite the little mermaid saving the prince’s life, he is blissfully unaware of this fact (he actually thinks a beautiful girl from the temple saved him from drowning) and is expected to marry the daughter of a neighbouring king. The prince soon finds out the King’s daughter is in fact the beautiful girl from the temple (who he ironically says looks just like the little mermaid).
It is also stated in the fairy tale that the prince loves the little mermaid as though she was a lovable child (aka she is in the friend zone).
The Ending
The endings for both versions of The Little Mermaid are drastically different.
In Disney’s version, Prince Eric realised that it is Ariel he loves, and the pair marry in the sunset with Ariel’s sisters and King Triton present, and they live happily ever after and we as viewers are satisfied.
In Hans Christian Andersen’s fairy tale however, things are a bit more bleak. The Prince marries the Kings daughter, the beautiful girl who the prince thinks saved his life, leaving the little mermaid to await her imminent death in the morning. Then in a twisted turn of events, her sisters arrive on the surface just before sunrise, to help save their little sister. Their hair has been cut off in exchange for the little mermaid’s life with the help of the sea witch. However there is a catch. The little mermaid must take the knife given to her from the sea witch and plunge it in to the prince’s heart before sunrise and the little mermaid will become a mermaid again. To sum up, either the prince or the little mermaid must die.
The little mermaid sees how happy the prince is with his new bride and throws the knife into the sea. She then dies and becomes foam on the sea (this is what happens to mermen when they die, the have no immortal soul, so they stop existing, they simply become foam on the surface of the water). She is then with the daughters of air who tell her a mermaid has no immortal soul and can never have one unless she wins the love of a mortal (which unfortunately for the little mermaid, she failed to do). The daughters of the sea have no immortal souls either, but by their good deeds, they can create one for themselves, and because the little mermaid was so selfless as to kill herself instead of the prince, she wins herself an immortal soul.
Needless to say Hans Christian Andersen and Disney portray two very different tales of The Little Mermaid, however there is no denying that they are both equally as thrilling, exciting, and lovable.
– Bee
Works Cited:
Andersen, Hans Christian. Fairy Tales. London: Penguin, 1994. Print.
2012 saw some superb films emerge including The Hunger Games, Avengers Assemble, The Hobbit, Silver Linings Playbook, and The Dark Knight Rises.
So what films can we expect from 2013, and will they top 2012?
Here are my picks, of which films I am most looking forward to seeing.
Stoker
Release date: 1st March 2013
Director: Park Chan-Wook
Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Nicole Kidman, Matthew Goode, Dermot Mulroney, and Jacki Weaver
Rating: 18
Plot: After India’s (Mia Wasikowska) father dies in an auto accident, her Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode), who she never knew existed, comes to live with her and her emotionally unstable mother (Nicole Kidman). Soon after his arrival, she comes to suspect this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives, but instead of feeling outrage or horror, this friendless girl becomes increasingly infatuated with him.
My POV: I love a good thriller (not horror, oh no!) but thrillers I am all for. Although this film appears very dark with themes of a sexual (and lets face it creepy) nature, I am very excited about this film. I am a fan of Mia Wasikowska after seeing her performance in The Kids Are All Right, and no-one can forget Nicole Kidman’s performance in the psychological thriller The Others, therefore I hold high expectations for this film. I am also excited to see Jacki Weaver in this film. I loved her performance in Silver Linings Playbook.
Oz: The Great and Powerful
Release Date: 8th March 2013
Director: Sam Raimi
Starring: James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff.
Rating: PG
Plot: When Oscar Diggs (James Franco), a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics, is hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, he thinks he’s hit the jackpot–fame and fortune are his for the taking–that is until he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who are not convinced he is the great wizard everyone’s been expecting. Reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants, Oscar must find out who is good and who is evil before it is too late.
My POV: I have been looking forward to this film for the best part of a year and very excited that it is coming out next week. Everyone loves The Wizard Of Oz (it’s called a classic for a reason!) and Wicked, the musical production is equally as enthralling. So why not add another to the collection with this film, Oz: The Great and Powerful. A film which stars James Franco, Mila Kunis, and Zach Braff as a talking monkey is bound to be a winner, right? We shall soon find out!
The Great Gatsby
Release Date: 17th May 2013
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher, Jason Clarke
Rating: TBA
Plot: Nick Carraway (Tobey Macguire), a Midwesterner now living on Long Island, finds himself fascinated by the mysterious past and lavish lifestyle of his neighbor, Jay Gatsby (Leondardo DiCaprio). He is drawn into Gatsby’s circle, becoming a witness to obsession and tragedy.
My POV: As a graduate with a degree in English, and an avid film-lover, I get very excited when I hear about book to film adaptations, however with this excitement also comes scepticism. However, with the acting talent of Leonardo DiCaprio, I am sure this film will live up to its expectation.
The Wolverine
Release Date: 26th July 2013
Director: James Mangold
Starring: Hugh Jackman
Rating: TBA
Plot: Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) travels to Japan, where he engages a mysterious figure from his past in a fight that has lasting consequences.Vulnerable for the first time, and pushed to his physical and emotional limits, he confronts not only lethal samurai steel, but also his inner struggle against his own immortality, emerging more powerful than ever before.
My POV: I am a huge X-Men fan, and although X-Men Origins: Wolverine left little to be desired, I am hopeful that this film will meet the standard of the previous X-Men trilogy. Besides, it’s Hugh Jackman!
Spring Breakers
Release Date: 5th April 2013
Director: Harmony Korine
Starring: James Franco, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson, Rachel Korine
Rating: TBA
Plot: Four college girls who land in jail after robbing a restaurant in order to fund their spring break vacation find themselves bailed out by a drug and arms dealer who wants them to do some dirty work.
My POV: Okay, hear me out. This film is on the list basically because I want to see how bad it is, is that wrong? Perhaps if they had cast actors not trying to break their good-girl Disney image this film may be seen as acceptable (and who knows may even interesting!) but when you cast Selena Gomez and Vanessa Hudgens in a film about girls who rob a restaurant, land in jail, and work for a drug dealer?…I mean really? As I said, let’s see how bad this movie turns out. My guess is, it’ll be a flop (or a joke) of a movie.
Jurassic Park 3D
Release Date: April 2013
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Sam Neill, Laura Dern, Jeff Goldblum, Richard Attenborough, Bob Peck, Martin Ferrero, BD Wong, Samuel L. Jackson, Wayne Knight, Ariana Richards
Rating: PG
Plot: During a preview tour, a theme park suffers a major power breakdown that allows its cloned dinosaur exhibits to run amok.
My POV: Sure, it’s just a ploy to get people to pay to watch a movie they’ve already seen, but I love that they are re-releasing Jurassic Park into theatres (and in 3D no less!) 2013 actually marks the 20th anniversary since it’s release!
Dorothy of Oz
Release Date: TBA
Director: Will Finn, Dan St. Pierre
Starring: Kelsey Grammer, Dan Aykroyd, James Belushi, Lea Michele, Hugh Dancy, Megan Hilty, Patrick Stewart, Oliver Platt, Martin Short
Rating: TBA (most likely G)
Plot: Dorothy (Lea Michele) returns to Kansas to find it devastated. Dorothy then finds a new way to get back to the Land of Oz only to discover that her old friends the Scarecrow (Dan Aykroyd), Tin Man (Kelsey Grammer), Cowardly Lion (James Belushi) and the entire Land of Oz are all in grave danger. On Dorothy’s new journey through Oz, she meets new friends like a marshmallow man named Marshal Mallow (Hugh Dancy), a china doll princess (Megan Hilty), an ancient tree named Tugg (Patrick Stewart), and a large owl named Wiser (Oliver Platt). With the help of her new friends, they band together against a wicked Jester (Martin Short) who wants to control Oz by turning important people into marionettes.
My POV: Very very excited about this Wizard of Oz adaptation also. A great voice cast too! I have very high hopes.
Saving Mr Banks
Release Date: December 2013
Director: John Lee Hancock
Starring: Tom Hanks, Emma Thompson, Colin Farrell
Rating: TBA
Plot: The film centers on the life of Travers, shifting between 1907 with her childhood in Queensland, Australia, the negotiations with Walt Disney and the making of Mary Poppins in the 1960s.While in California for filming, Travers thinks back to her difficult childhood in Australia, most especially to her father, the inspiration for the role of the story’s patriarch, Mr. Banks.
My POV: While I have not heard much about this film (virtually nothing in actual fact), I am very excited about the prospect of a film about Walt Disney, and the adaptation of Mary Poppins from book to screen (on our screens!). Very excited about this film, pity it’s so far away. I am also looking forward to seeing Tom Hanks’ portrayal of Walt Disney.
Red Dawn
Release Date: 15th March 2013
Director: Dan Bradley
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Josh Peck, Adrianne Palicki, Isabel Lucas, Connor Cruise
Rating: 12
Plot: A group of teenagers look to save their town from an invasion of North Korean soldiers.
My POV: Even though this was released in the USA in 2012, Ireland unfortunately has decided to wait until March to release this film (which thankfully is only two weeks away). It’s no secret that I am a big fan of Josh Hutcherson, and I’m not going to lie, that is the main reason I want to see this film. However it does look promising so I am hopeful that it will be a good action film.
Anchorman: The Legend Continues
Release Date: December 2013
Director: Adam McKay
Starring: Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, John C. Reilly (rumoured)
Rating: TBA
Plot: The continuing on-set adventures of San Diego’s top rated newsman.
My POV: Will Ferrell, probably definitely my favourite comedic actor ever. I also love Paul Rudd, and Anchorman, so really this sequel has been long awaited. Again pity it’s not released until December (and that’s in the US, which means I could be waiting another year to see it over here!). Alas I shall look forward to it nonetheless.
Frozen
Release Date: 6th December 2013
Director: Chris Buck, Jennifer Lee
Starring: Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff
Rating: TBA (more than likely G)
Plot: When Anna (Kristen Bell) is cursed by her estranged sister, the cold-hearted Snow Queen Elsa (Idina Menzel), Anna’s only hope of reversing the curse is to survive a perilous but thrilling journey across an icy and unforgiving landscape. Joined by a rugged, thrill-seeking outdoorsman Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), his one-antlered reindeer and a hapless snowman, Anna must race against time, conquer the elements and battle an army of frozen sinister warriors if she ever hopes to melt her frozen heart.
My POV: Disney Animated Classics + Hans Christian Anderson = One very happy me. Plus what a great cast! The Disney nerd in me is definitely freaking out!
Monsters University
Release Date: 12th July 2013
Director: Dan Scanlon
Starring: John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Steve Buscemi, Helen Mirren
Rating: TBA (again more than likely G)
Plot: A look at the relationship between Mike and Sully during their days at the University of Fear — when they weren’t necessarily the best of friends
My POV: Cannot contain my excitement over this one. Monsters Inc is definitely one of the best Pixar movies there is (then again, they’re all amazing!) and whoever came up with the idea of a prequel set in Mike and Sully’s University days…I salute you. Big expectations for this one, doubt very much I will be disappointed.
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Release Date: 22nd November 2013
Director: Francis Lawrence (no relation to Jennifer Lawrence)
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Sam Claflin, Lenny Kravitz, Stanley Tucci, Donald Sutherland, Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Rating: TBA (I’m guessing 12)
Plot: Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson). Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a “Victor’s Tour” of the districts. Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow (Donald Sutherland) prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (Quarter Quell) – a competition that could change Panem forever.
My POV: Don’t know where to start with this one. I love The Hunger Games trilogy. Suzanne Collins knew what she was doing when she wrote those babies. With the alarmingly perfect and talented cast (I’m looking at you Lawrence and Hutcherson), The Hunger Games has proved to be a highly successful franchise. The first film of the series, The Hunger Games was phenomenal. I am most certainly looking forward to seeing what the new director, Francis Lawrence, can bring to these films (he is signed on to do the next film also). Indeed this is certainly my most anticipated film of 2013.
– Bee
Just wanted to share a drawing I did a while ago of Darren Criss as his character Blaine Anderson from the television series Glee.
Below is the video showing you the drawing process.
– Bee
Today I wanted to write about a young man by the name of Brian O’Reilly, more famously known under his pseudonym BriBry.
BriBry is a musician/songwriter and youtube personality in his early twenties. From Dublin, Ireland, BriBry rose to prominence on youtube through his web series entitled ‘Things To Do Before You Die’, which sees him tackle various challenges such as zorbing, bungee jumping, riding in a hot air balloon, playing binocular soccer, etc.
So why does BriBry undertake these challenges?
“In 2010 a close friend of Brian’s, Ross Nugent, was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma, a rare type of cancer. Ross’s family have since set up a registered charity, The Ross Nugent Foundation, with the aim of raising money for the oncology ward at Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital and cancer research. So far thousands of euros have been raised for the cause. Tragically, Ross succumbed to his cancer and passed away on May 15th 2010. He was 18 years old.” (Extract taken from http://www.bribry.com/)
BriBry uses his Things To Do Before You Die web series to raise money for the Ross Nugent foundation (all proceeds from his videos goes towards the foundation) as well as selling Ross Nugent Foundation wristbands (which I can say I proudly own and wear), and has even released a beautiful song approriately titled ‘The Ross Song’ which I will link at the end of this post. I highly urge you to listen to this song, like it on facebook, and donate to the charity if at all possible.
As if that weren’t enough, BriBry announced today on his facebook page that he is going to be setting up a charity called ‘Cut Cakes Not Wrist’.
Just last month, BriBry posted a video on his youtube page addressed to ‘People Who Are Depressed’ which is a very moving and vulnerable video for any young lad to post onto the internet. (You can watch this video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgsHOe9QA4k and the follow up ‘Part 2’ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olu1qwYst6c)
Whether its his whimsical facsination with Devon Murray (aka Seamus Finnigan of the Harry Potter franchise), his love of the 2009 film 500 Days Of Summer, or his overall good-natured character, I can guarantee once you see one of his videos, you’ll want to watch more!
– Bee
BriBry’s website (where there are links to his facebook, twitter, and a place where you can donate to the Ross Nugent Foundation): http://www.bribry.com/
BriBry’s youtube channel (some very funny videos here): http://www.youtube.com/BriBryontour
The Ross Song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pik2XcLXCEw
BeeMinor 