0 Happily Ever After Is Not All That It Seems... (A Handy Infographic)

Just sent to me today as part of a promotion for a book any fairy tale student (or regular reader) should have, is this great infographic, created by the Norton Critical Editions team. We see a lot of infographics floating around these days but one of the best things about this one is I know the team will have done their research properly to create it, so you can trust this summary and use it confidently for reference.

I love the artwork too - very nice, yet easy to quickly reference all the information. Look at that neat list of referenced fairy tales at the bottom to. It's a very neat resource to have on hand. (Can we get a poster please?)

Here's a link to the Norton Critical Edition of The Classic Fairy Tales, edited by Maria Tartar, if you don't already have a copy, or need another to give to a friend.

In case it's not already clear, this book is highly recommended for any fairy tale study library, from the casual student to those more inclined to serious scholarship.

Here's the summary:

Fairy tales shape our cultures and enrich our imaginations; their narrative stability and cultural durability are incontestable. 

This Norton Critical Edition collects forty-four fairy tales, from the fifth century to the present. The Classic Fairy Tales focuses on six tale types: "Little Red Riding Hood," "Beauty and the Beast," "Snow White," "Cinderella," "Bluebeard," and "Hansel and Gretel," and presents multicultural variants and sophisticated literary rescriptings. Also reprinted are tales by Hans Christian Andersen and Oscar Wilde. 

"Criticism" gathers twelve essays that interpret aspects of fairy tales, including their social origins, historical evolution, psychological drama, gender issues, and national identities. 

A Selected Bibliography is included.

Detail: Happily Ever After Is Not All That It Seems... (A Handy Infographic)

0 "The Crane Wife" by Patrick Ness Named Notable Book by ALA

The Crane Wife by Katrina Pallon

I will admit I know very little about Patrick Ness, not having read any of his books, but Heidi has mentioned him on SurLaLune a couple of times so I thought I'd bring you notice of his latest folklore-based novel, especially since it was just named as one of ALA's Notable Books for 2015.

(And, as a bonus today I'm adding some lovely illustrations, some of which I hadn't seen before today. Credit is under each image.)

The Crane Wife by Kat Leyh

Refreshingly, this story is based on a little-known-to-the-Western-world romantic Japanese fairy tale (one of the better known ones that's usually included in multicultural collections) and was written by a man, both of which make it notable as well.

The Crame Wife by Janey-Jane

The Crane Wife is based on the fairy tale of the same name and seems to follow key aspects of the plot (at least to a certain point), though the setting is more urban and more modern.

The Crane Wife by Eno Keo

Two critically acclaimed authors who draw on folklore and fairy tales, Eowyn Ivy (The Snow Child) and Ali Shaw (The Girl With Glass Feet), both praise the book, which, despite other mixed reviews, is more than enough for me to put it in my shopping cart straight away!

Here's the synopsis, care of Penguin Press:

A magical novel, based on a Japanese folk tale, that imagines how the life of a broken-hearted man is transformed when he rescues an injured white crane that has landed in his backyard. 

George Duncan is an American living and working in London. At forty-eight, he owns a small print shop, is divorced, and is lonelier than he realizes. All of the women with whom he has relationships eventually leave him for being too nice.  

But one night he is waked by an astonishing sound—a terrific keening, which is coming from somewhere in his garden. When he investigates he finds a great white crane, a bird taller than himself. It has been shot through the wing with an arrow. Moved more than he can say, George struggles to take out the arrow from the bird’s wing, saving its life before it flies away into the night sky. 

The Crane Wife by pageboy

The next morning, a shaken George tries to go about his daily life, retreating to the back of his store and making cuttings from discarded books—a harmless personal hobby—when a woman walks through the front door of the shop. Her name is Kumiko, and she asks George to help her with her own artwork. George is dumbstruck by her beauty and her enigmatic nature and begins to fall desperately in love with her. She seems to hold the potential to change his entire life, if he could only get her to reveal the secret of who she is and why she has brought her artwork to him. 

The Crane Wife by Gennady Spirin (retold by Odds Bodkin)

 Witty, magical, and romantic, The Crane Wife is a story of passion and sacrifice that resonates on the level of dream and myth. It is a novel that celebrates the creative imagination and the disruptive power of love.

And here's the author introducing us to his novel:

Has anyone read this? I'm very curious now!

Detail: "The Crane Wife" by Patrick Ness Named Notable Book by ALA

0 "Into The Woods": New Movie Poster, New Website & Random Thoughts on How We (& the Media) View Fairy Tales

And one more bit of Into The Woods news for Thursday:

Today also saw the launch of the official website (although there's not a whole lot there apart from the trailer, cast list and the photos you've already seen) and new promo poster variations (see above and below).

The Facebook page is finally becoming active too.

The important thing this confirms is that they're still releasing on Christmas Day in theaters in the US. I can see the Winter merchandise and decorations now... although they're mixing up with Narnia a bit in my head at the moment, which I wouldn't mind too much since so much of the first Narnia movie merchandise at the time of the release was just stunning.  I'm going to do my best to be optimistic about this.

One note does concern me though: we're a little tired of fairy tale stories backstabbing us, or the media doing their level best to "shock" the public by uncovering their dark sides via these "OMG did you know..!" lists. Adam over at Fairy Tale Fandom has a great and timely post on this very subject.

One thing my forced downtime made me do, since I couldn't handle computer screens, was to do a lot more reading. While I plan to get to the various books in more detail in the coming weeks, I have to admit my favorites were not the novels but the collections, specifically Jack Zipes' recent wonderful book, The Golden Age of Folk & Fairy Tales from The Brothers Grimm to Andrew Lang and to a lesser extent, though still great to read, Philip Pullman's Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm (with the English version and the German version side by side so I could look at Shaun Tan's sculptures while reading).

Why? Because they were just "as is" - no emphasis on the happily ever after or the magic but also no emphasis on the dark, gruesome, grimness either. They were just tales in which something out of the ordinary happened and people had to choose how to respond and what, if anything, they should do about it.

When I started getting a lot better and could watch TV again, I also spent some time showing my kid some more of Miyazaki's movies and discussing extraordinary, ordinary things (if you follow me) and it struck me just how similar the sensibilities are - which is probably why I love the movies so much. While the fantasy creatures and impossible things were notable, it was clear that many of these things could have been either frightening or wondrous, depending on the context they were seen in and particularly how the child (usually it was a child) at the center of the story saw it. We weren't told "this is beautiful" or "this is scary", we had to hold our breath and see what the kid thought.

Here is an excerpt from a wonderful set of images, illustrating Miyazaki's philosophy in storytelling. It's something I sincerely wish more filmmakers, especially regarding family films, in English speaking countries would adopt:

The excerpt above is slightly out of context so you can see the full five illustrated page summary HERE.

Anyway - these are my random musings as I watch fairy tales being presented to the public once again. I'm actually hopeful that Into The Woods will work in favor of balancing some of the glitter vs gruesome polarization we currently see when the public contemplates fairy tales.

Detail: "Into The Woods": New Movie Poster, New Website & Random Thoughts on How We (& the Media) View Fairy Tales

0 Gans' La Belle et la Bete coming to Blu-ray & DVD (but no English subtitles, or English region friendly version in sight)

The question keeps popping up on old posts or in my inbox so I thought it was high time I addressed this in a post. The questions are: Will Gans' La Belle et la Bete be coming to US/UK/Aus theaters? Will there be an English translation or subtitles if it does? How about Blu-ray/DVD - will we be getting one of those? Will that have subtitles at least??

I've been constantly searching for any news of an American, or English speaking country, release of Gan's sumptuous Beauty and the Beast remake, but whether it be theaters, a limited release/showing or DVD/Blu-ray and there has been nothing. Unless Pathé do an English international release later in the year or in 2015 (like sometimes Japanese films do) then it looks like we're out of luck at seeing it on the big screen.

(It's just so bizarre. I haven't even had luck with Canadian releases.)

I've been watching the Blu-ray/DVD announcements for other countries as well to see if there are English subtitles but so far zero. Again, it's just bizarre, especially as the feature film song had an English version so I'm a little confused. Maybe distribution agreements with Pathé haven't been working out well? 

The French DVD and Blu-ray release however, (though there are no English subtitles) is June 26, 2014 and you can find that HERE. (Note: the disc release seems pretty light on content. It looks like just the film and no behind-the-scenes footage, although some was released online as part of the marketing lead up).

 

Andis something that looks like it was created for a steel book release but apparently isn't. It's just the Blu-ray/DVD combo packaging.
✒ ✒ To see it & LOTS of behind-the-scenes & "making of book" pics click the "Read more" link below✒ ✒

With no English-friendly versions in sight, apparently I need to seriously brush up on my French - and get an all-region Blu-ray player... 

There is a French making of book available in the UK, but with French text. You can find that HERE. Andare some preview images from the book (click on image to view full size):

As well as more from behind the scenes which I found online HERE. I'm sharing as much as I can find, simply because this looks like it's difficult for English speakers to find. (Images & Text via auto-translate: © 2014 Eskwad - PATHÉ PRODUCTION - TF1 FILMS PRODUCTION - buys / neunte / zwölfte / ACHTZEHNTE BABELSBERG FILM GMBH - 120 FILMS © Huginn & Muninn / Mediatoon Licensing):

Castings storyboards through costuming and special effects Achieving, Behind the Scenes of Beauty and the Beast in bookstores February 28, dives into the magical world of Christophe Gans.

Here is an exclusive preview.

 On Beauty and the Beast , from a story That everyone knows, I wanted to offer a world That belongs to me completely. universe Woven sum of emotions I have known Especially through video games or Japanese cartoon. diagonally Vision worlds I love my cross occupations in parallel cinema ... For example, Shadow of the Colossus , Fumito Ueda game. Represents It has small face climbing over huge entities That Are difficulty to guess the shape or scale accurate Because we do not-have the Necessary distance. It is a concept That I tried to remember to Beauty and the Beast , Including the scene of the giants ... "

Christophe Gans

"Maybe one of my five favorite movies or oven japanime. SPECIFICALLY this sketch there, inside Memories . Which Raises the issue of setting operatic scene around costumes, roses, etc. .. Of course, at Morimoto, we are in the interstellar void, inside of a vessel, with ghosts Have you APPEAR cosmonauts before ... HOWEVER, I imagined the field of the Beast in the same way as an enclave. A lost world, an oasis of spring surrounded by walls of ice, with winter scolds the other side In this ... pocket outside time, Belle finds himself dressed as It was three centuries ago - I do not know if people in apercevront, goal Does not she wear dresses of the First Empire in the Beast! Magnetic Rose Succeeds in a perfectly tight mode (25 minutes), to sixteen this dream shift, poetic, a universe incorporated in a biosphere That is not hers. When I was little, I loved movies with dinosaurs. Not Because of the dinosaurs, goal Because They Took Place in small oasis ., a clueless beach or in the crater of a volcano ! Awesome It is very childish to Imagine That there are micro-worlds within the world - it is still too big for a child. We all remember the castle of the Beast is lost somewhere beyond the forest - but I've Previewed time immediately these walls of ice and perpetual spring They protect. You know, I think there are two kinds of influences That Occur During The Production of a film. Those we-have in mind, 100% aware it is: Legend , Miyazaki, My Neighbor Totoro . ... And Those we Discovered while shooting or postproduction There Was this plane Crying FreemanWhere Tcheky Karyo walk in the forest at night with this woman yakuza white trench coat That is in the process of smoking against a tree ... When I turned, I thought "Cool. It's like black of the past film. In fact, it is "a map for Vertigo . The One Where James Stewart Kim Novak catches in the redwood forest He finds she HAS white trench coat, she leans against a tree ... Is That What I mean there are influences on the Abebooks web lost the thread and replaying Afterwards.Magnetic Rose , When you tell me, It Seems totally obvious. Goal I did not think. Same ..: the sequence of giants, I did not think spontaneously Majin (Kimiyoshi Yasuda, 1966) by turning, goal today when i see my giant wandering amid the mist and tall fat in my movie, yes, that's obvious. "

Christophe Gans

"I met Christopher on Fantômas , a beautiful project That Unfortunately DID not materialize. When contacted for my Beauty and the Beast , I Had Worked on in the Meantime environments video game Heavy Rain , a highly cinematic game. I Had the impression listening Christophe , I had my appointment with my work on Heavy Rain , it was interesting to-have Someone who can do the decoration built as well as virtual ... paradoxically, there is very little in my virtual party on film. 
WAS Trying to go up to the So-Called "bio" (When the actor is in direct contact with the elements), that 'is to say the opposite of virtual ... We built the Entire bio dining room - with the exception of ceiling vaults - The Board of Belle , the tower Where the Beast lives, the interior and exterior cottage / (except the roof), the tavern, 80% of the hall, the first two flights of the monumental staircase and the corridor walls That border trophy and outdoor promenade That leads, and finally inside the rose. Everything Regarding virtual extensions cottage (landscape all around) and ballroom (Actually two columns and floor, everything else is duplicated digitally) ... 
The environment of the castle (park, castle, gardens) while it is turned on green background with bio media for the bridge and the grand staircase of the garden. There is a scene Where Beautiful wrinkles were giant tree to contemplate the extent of the area: the tree WAS Constructed so That It moves there, the rest Was a huge blue background. "

Thierry Flamand

"It goes way back, Christophe and me. On Crying Freeman , His first movie, he made ​​me small sketch "Fellows potatoes" which allowed me to put things ... fortunately, for the sake of efficiency and Because We know better today, we Developed a technique. He made ​​a list of scenes, All which reserves as the first guide, and as you go up the site. This is Where It is interesting Because it is already staging: there comics, storytelling, dramaturgy, all common language starts to aggregate. At the same time the storyboard is Intended to anticipate the reality of shooting and Constraints. This is the moment When everything falls into place it is at the heart of the staging of the project. 
valid Drawing a scene purpose it May Also invalidate and because icts full rewrite. Often This happens with Christophe. French translation of the storyboard is "storyboard." It really is this:. the graphic writing For a very visual director like Christopher, this is an optimal shape in Photo of His intentions. What I Discovered about Silent Hill Is That the tray there is a large table with the agenda, displayed page by page. And When A storyboard is turned up, we put a broad red marker above. It is gratifying to see That you-have a practical value on the set ... "

Thierry Ségur

Your participation on the movie Mainly Concerns the creature design?
Essentially, yes. The design of the Beast and Tadums, plus two or three other projects like stone statues ... I was working on the reboot of Total Recall When Christopher contacted me.

How he presented HAS His Version of the tale?
I thought he wanted to do a modern version of of Beauty and the Beast as Red Riding Hood or Snow White and the Huntsman , thesis-have movies Recently revived day old well-known tales. He Told me right away: "I want to stay very classic, I want the movie to be what it shoulds be a timeless tale for all the family."It time immediately appealed to me.

A classic approach is extended to the Beast?
An approach That extended Throughout the world he created. It was obvious I was not going That approach to the beast in terms of superhero a little weird. He Showed me pictures, arts François Baranger concept, All which further routed me the script (in my art, images speak louder than words) Christophe ... Told me later That I 'Review: had a tendency to create graphics in mythological content. In terms of horror, I'm not fascinated by the hideous creatures , I like drawing stylish monsters. So I Quickly Realized what he wanted, and I started to draw.

Patrick Tatopoulos

"I chose to make the wreck Scanline Plans Because They Had signed the picture I have of 300 Zack Snyder: the sinking of the Persian fleet at the bottom of the cliffs. Leonidas looks vessels breaking on the reef, while striking violently ... An amazing flat. INITIALLY, I wanted a similar sequence with boats thrashed on the rocks by a huge background blade, All which shatters. And Then the reality of numbers caught up with us too expensive! There, I Said to myself: this is not a realistic vision That Will dominate, the purpose symbolic vision. How to register image of a shipwreck as prologue to what Will Follow? And I thought this underwater cliff with sea anemones That retract When grazed by sinking gold coins. This picture announces the garden of the Beast , roses, rich robbers Will try to loot ... A sort of poetic transposition of what Will Follow. This is an underwater shipwreck plan something That HAS Perhaps ever seen. The camera travels through schools of fish, and back along the cliff to . reach the recessed boat on the rocks 
It is Often Said That special effects Prevent us from telling the stories -. sometimes this is true Many movies are Constantly obscured, clouded by the rate of special effects shots That Fall on us ... On the Contrary, I think we can use the SFX to create "clips", literally - that are moving or stationary They. Plans That Contain So Many Details That They synthesize an Entire sequence. Underwater shipwreck map is a good example, as the wreckage returned to Port and dockworkers are emptying. Again we can speak of a Summarized sequence captured in a single shot! It's a way as any to return to the essential quality of American cinema of the 40s. When we watch a movie by John Ford, in general it Does not need more to him a plane to catch the gasoline of a scene! Where other filmmakers needed Would Have 5-6, he finds a way to make one. In my opinion, for reduce the number of plans for reduce It was not the story, deploy goal INSTEAD. "

Christophe Gans

There is also this little preview available online of one of the French book releases and although I'm not completely clear on which book this is (it appears to be one of the novels based on the film), the preview is pretty and worth sharing: you can see it HERE.

If anyone has found out further information for any English speaking zone, please do share! We're all dying to see this film - imperfect reviews and all. 

Italian poster featuring Vincent Cassel

Detail: Gans' La Belle et la Bete coming to Blu-ray & DVD (but no English subtitles, or English region friendly version in sight)