Ten Screen-Accurate Fairy Tale Adaptations that Weren't Made by Disney
Disney was once famous for producing the most screen-accurate adaptations of well-known fairy tales, but their mission has strayed in recent years. Their current fairy tales are either soulless remakes of their animated classics or stories that shy so far from the original source material that they can barely be considered adaptations. Nowadays, if you want to see classic stories from the past brought to life on screen, you must turn to other studios. In a way, this post is the opposite of my "Ten Alternatives to Disney's Live-Action Remakes" since that was a list of movies that were more creative and original with their ideas, and these are movies that stick as close to the source as possible. If you want to see the stories from your childhood brought to life on screen, this is the post for you.
Disney produced a beautiful remake of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella starring Brandy in 1997, but the first production of this adaptation was filmed live for television in black and white and starred Julie Andrews as the enchanting heroine. This production came out seven years after the animated Disney version and boasted memorable songs, sweet romance, and additional screen time for the prince. It forewent the cat-and-mouse antics that took up a good deal of the animated film's runtime, making it more accurate to the Charles Perrault version that inspired it.
Although "The Little Mermaid" is a Danish fairy tale, Japan was the country to do it the most justice. This tragic story was brought to life in anime form almost a decade before Disney almost a decade before the far more famous Disney version of the tale. It tells the story of a blonde mermaid named Marina who fell in love with a prince she rescued from drowning. This version keeps the same tragic ending that Hans Christian Andersen wrote as well as darker elements that the Disney version left out such as her sisters proposing that she kill the prince to save her own life.
Although similar to the animated Disney movie, this made-for-TV miniseries covers every detail of Lewis Carroll's novels including the Jabberwocky, the looking glass, and the Red and White Queens. Its two-part runtime allowed it breathing room to cover all the wacky adventures that Alice went on during her time in Wonderland without the limitation of a single film. It is possibly the most accurate live-action adaptation of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland to date, especially considering how many liberties were taken with the 2010 Tim Burton film.
Thumbelina may be owned by Disney now as a result of their Fox acquisition, but it was originally created by Don Bluth as an attempt to compete with Disney by going back to what they once did best--accurately adapting fairy tales. Thanks to that, this film is probably more accurate than any Disney adaptation may have been. It follows the same episodic structure of the original story with gorgeous songs, animation, and voices, and ties everything together nicely by allowing Thumbelina to meet her future husband at the beginning of the story.
This made-for-TV adaptation of "Snow White" was the first in a short-lived series of Hallmark movies that attempted to give screen-accurate retellings of fairy tales. Alongside stunning visuals, the film sticks pretty closely to the Brothers Grimm fairy tale and includes one of the other methods that the queen used to try to kill Snow White before the apple. It also includes some new details that enhance the story including why the queen is so obsessed with her appearance, super-powered dwarves that can travel in the form of a rainbow, a djinn, and a brainwashing mirror.
As the next movie in the short-lived Hallmark fairy tale serial, Snow Queen was a two-part made-for-TV miniseries that covered every single episodic element of Han Christian Andersen's fairy tale. This is a pretty big deal when you consider that most people today think that Frozen was the original story. Following its fairy tale roots, the movie follows the adventures of a young woman named Gerda on her quest to rescue her friend Kai who was hypnotized by the seductive Snow Queen. The only changes to the story include aging up and making them employees at a family inn instead of neighbors.
Another movie that did a better job than Disney's live-action adaptation is the Chinese version of "Mulan." Though based on a poem/legend instead of a fairy tale, this character has become incredibly popular ever since she joined the official Disney Princess lineup. Although far more violent than the American version, Mulan: Rise of a Warrior is a more realistic spin on what this legendary figure's life could have been like if she were a real person. It ends with her being proposed to by a prince and having to give him up for the sake of maintaining peace within their country.
One year before Disney's Tangled, Germany, the home of the Brothers Grimm, created a short made-for-TV adaptation of "Rapunzel." This hour-long special included all of the details from the original fairy tale including Rapunzel's mother's obsession with a certain plant that grew in a witch's garden and the prince suffering from temporary blindness after the witch threw him out of the tower. It also adds a few new details to enhance the story such as Rapunzel having a "meet cute" with the prince when she was a child before getting locked in the tower.
If you want to be told the real story, it's usually best to go straight to the source. Three years before Disney's controversial live-action remake of "Beauty and the Beast," the French released an adaptation of their own. This visually stunning film sticks more closely to details of the original story that Disney left out, including Belle's siblings and the mysterious castle that seemed to anticipate her needs before she even knew what they were. It also provides a new backstory for the enchantress that gives her a more personal connection to the prince.
Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (1957)
Disney produced a beautiful remake of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella starring Brandy in 1997, but the first production of this adaptation was filmed live for television in black and white and starred Julie Andrews as the enchanting heroine. This production came out seven years after the animated Disney version and boasted memorable songs, sweet romance, and additional screen time for the prince. It forewent the cat-and-mouse antics that took up a good deal of the animated film's runtime, making it more accurate to the Charles Perrault version that inspired it.
The Little Mermaid (1975)
Although "The Little Mermaid" is a Danish fairy tale, Japan was the country to do it the most justice. This tragic story was brought to life in anime form almost a decade before Disney almost a decade before the far more famous Disney version of the tale. It tells the story of a blonde mermaid named Marina who fell in love with a prince she rescued from drowning. This version keeps the same tragic ending that Hans Christian Andersen wrote as well as darker elements that the Disney version left out such as her sisters proposing that she kill the prince to save her own life.
Alice in Wonderland (1985)
Although similar to the animated Disney movie, this made-for-TV miniseries covers every detail of Lewis Carroll's novels including the Jabberwocky, the looking glass, and the Red and White Queens. Its two-part runtime allowed it breathing room to cover all the wacky adventures that Alice went on during her time in Wonderland without the limitation of a single film. It is possibly the most accurate live-action adaptation of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland to date, especially considering how many liberties were taken with the 2010 Tim Burton film.
Thumbelina (1994)
Thumbelina may be owned by Disney now as a result of their Fox acquisition, but it was originally created by Don Bluth as an attempt to compete with Disney by going back to what they once did best--accurately adapting fairy tales. Thanks to that, this film is probably more accurate than any Disney adaptation may have been. It follows the same episodic structure of the original story with gorgeous songs, animation, and voices, and ties everything together nicely by allowing Thumbelina to meet her future husband at the beginning of the story.
Snow White: The Fairest of Them All (2001)
This made-for-TV adaptation of "Snow White" was the first in a short-lived series of Hallmark movies that attempted to give screen-accurate retellings of fairy tales. Alongside stunning visuals, the film sticks pretty closely to the Brothers Grimm fairy tale and includes one of the other methods that the queen used to try to kill Snow White before the apple. It also includes some new details that enhance the story including why the queen is so obsessed with her appearance, super-powered dwarves that can travel in the form of a rainbow, a djinn, and a brainwashing mirror.
Snow Queen (2002)
As the next movie in the short-lived Hallmark fairy tale serial, Snow Queen was a two-part made-for-TV miniseries that covered every single episodic element of Han Christian Andersen's fairy tale. This is a pretty big deal when you consider that most people today think that Frozen was the original story. Following its fairy tale roots, the movie follows the adventures of a young woman named Gerda on her quest to rescue her friend Kai who was hypnotized by the seductive Snow Queen. The only changes to the story include aging up and making them employees at a family inn instead of neighbors.
The New World (2005)
Pocahontas is not a fairy tale but a legendary figure who is part of the official Disney Princess lineup. There is far too much controversy surrounding the true history of her story for Disney to make another adaptation of it, but an arthouse filmmaker attempted to do just that in 2005. Is The New World worth watching? Not really. It's ridiculously slow and boring and spends more time focusing on beautiful scenery than it does on the plot. However, it is one of the only movies that at least attempts to give a realistic portrayal of what Pocahontas's life could have been like without all the Disney magic.
Mulan: Rise of a Warrior (2009)
Another movie that did a better job than Disney's live-action adaptation is the Chinese version of "Mulan." Though based on a poem/legend instead of a fairy tale, this character has become incredibly popular ever since she joined the official Disney Princess lineup. Although far more violent than the American version, Mulan: Rise of a Warrior is a more realistic spin on what this legendary figure's life could have been like if she were a real person. It ends with her being proposed to by a prince and having to give him up for the sake of maintaining peace within their country.
Rapunzel (2009)
One year before Disney's Tangled, Germany, the home of the Brothers Grimm, created a short made-for-TV adaptation of "Rapunzel." This hour-long special included all of the details from the original fairy tale including Rapunzel's mother's obsession with a certain plant that grew in a witch's garden and the prince suffering from temporary blindness after the witch threw him out of the tower. It also adds a few new details to enhance the story such as Rapunzel having a "meet cute" with the prince when she was a child before getting locked in the tower.
Beauty and the Beast (2014)
If you want to be told the real story, it's usually best to go straight to the source. Three years before Disney's controversial live-action remake of "Beauty and the Beast," the French released an adaptation of their own. This visually stunning film sticks more closely to details of the original story that Disney left out, including Belle's siblings and the mysterious castle that seemed to anticipate her needs before she even knew what they were. It also provides a new backstory for the enchantress that gives her a more personal connection to the prince.
Comments