Sleeping Betty-An Animated Inversion of Sleeping Beauty

Image source: IMDb. (n.d.). [Sleeping Betty (2007)]. Retrieved 6 May, 2025, from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1121969/mediaviewer/rm386573825/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk.

When one thinks of animated adaptations of "Sleeping Beauty," the Disney animated version comes to mind. Yet, there are other animations out there.

The nine-minute short film from 2007, Sleeping Betty, is one such version. The titular character sleeps from the start, prompting the side characters to wake her up in different ways while the prince makes his slapstick-filled journey on his white horse. Before they do so, the Queen sits in front of Betty and cries. 

My favorite aspect of Sleeping Betty is its ability to make a classic fairy tale about modern issues. Many parents have to wake up their lazy teenagers (represented by Betty) these days. Of course, a prince is often not going to save them. The side characters did not merely wait for the prince to come; they attempted (but failed) to wake her up before him. Each attempt brings plenty of humor. 

The character design is also surreal, with lots of marks; this is no Disney look. It is refreshing to see fairy tale animation take on a more serious look. The colors also appear in neutral shades in contrast to Disney's brighter color palette. Even though I am a fan of Disney's cute art style, it has yet to be taken seriously.

If I were to make a critique, it would be that the prince's horse journey strike me as rather aggressive. The neutral colors, though refreshing, also give the sense of an ordinary world. 

I also find it creative how they named the sleeping titular character Betty, which is structurally similar to "beauty." In most versions of the tale, including Disney's version, the sleeping beauty is Aurora (which sounds nothing like "beauty"). Plus, the prince is not the last to wake Betty up.

Viewers seeking a clever modern take on a classic fairy tale and/or a break from Disney's versions will find Sleeping Betty a refresher. 

SCORE: Great (9/10)

AGE RATING: 10+

Have you seen Sleeping Betty-An Animated Inversion of Sleeping Beauty? What do you think about it?

Alice in Wonderland (Disney Animated)

Image source. IMDb. (n.d.). [Sterling Holloway, Kathryn Beaumont, and Bill Thompson in Alice in Wonderland (1951)]. Retrieved 5 May, 2025, from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0043274/mediaviewer/rm3814246656/.

Walt Disney's "Alice in Cartoonland" comedies were among his first projects. Over two decades later, he created an animated feature based on the same source material.  

The string of random events in Alice in Wonderland teaches the protagonist that a nonsensical world, though pleasant in theory, is overwhelming. Plus, the nonsense gives the film a mysterious feel (as if walking through a dark forest). The only event I feel is unnecessary to the plot is the walrus and carpenter story told by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum (J. Pat O'Malley), which feels like a movie within a movie. Or maybe it teaches Alice (Kathryn Beaumont) a hard-to-catch subconscious lesson. 

The color palette is also among the brightest in the Disney animated canon, which complements its nonsensical (and psychedelic) world well. Alice grows and shrinks multiple times by drinking or eating certain substances (which serves as a controversial subtext for drugs in a G-rated cartoon feature). There are also lots of nonsensical creatures and phrases such as "merry unbirthday."

Unlike most classic animated Disney features, Alice in Wonderland acknowledges its cartoony-ness. For instance, Alice points out the talking and singing flowers (who sing "Golden Afternoon") and constantly scoffs off at the "nonsense" surrounding her. Of course, the nonsense also supplies a lot of humor, especially with Alice's growth spurts, and the nonsensical birds. 

Unfortunately, as with many old Disney films, its characterization leans rather flat. First, her sister (Heather Angel) is nameless. Besides, why is she teaching her and not her mother? The Queen of Hearts (Verna Felton), whose design I'm not a fan of, is also evil for evil's sake.

Besides, Alice's character trajectory is rather simple; she starts out longing for a playful world (while singing "A World of My Own") but gets a change of mind in Wonderland. Yet, she is still relatable. I felt for Alice multiple times, including for her separation from her cat Dinah and the multiple times she cried. 

The characters are all quite memorable for, if not their depth, their personalities. The excellent vocal performances and character designs (most of them) deserve the credit for it. I will not forget the March Hare (Jerry Colonna) and the Mad Hatter (Ed Wynn) for their iconic "Merry Unbirthday" tea party. Besides, as the funny-faced Chesire Cat said, everyone's "mad" in Wonderland. 

There are, of course, a few memorable action-packed scenes, the most notable being Alice's maze run at the end. There are also a few references to the Supreme Court, which struck me as an adult. 

The songs have a merry vibe, but some were forgettable. "A World of My Own" and "Merry Unbirthday" were among the most memorable, along with my favorite "Painting the Roses Red." 

Since Alice in Wonderland is full of nonsense, it serves as a perfect escape for a troubled day. Even better, viewers will feel thankful for reality by the end. 

SCORE: Good (8/10)

AGE RATING: 4+

Have you seen Alice in Wonderland? What do you think about it?

Tips for Parents of Princess-Obsessed Girls

For parents of little girls, princesses are everywhere. The ever-successful Disney Princess franchise has products sold in nearly every market. Plus, princess-centered tales like "Cinderella" and "Rapunzel" are among the most-common fairy tales found in children's treasuries. 

Of course, modern princess culture is full of controversies, from setting unrealistic beauty standards to romanticizing unhealthy romantic behaviors. From what I learned from my developmental psychology classes in college, early childhood is a critical time for brain development. About 95% of a child's brain is developed before age 6. Hence, it is crucial for parents to help their girls navigate the culture properly. 

Princess culture may be difficult to escape, but here are some tips for parents with princess-obsessed girls between the ages of 2 and 6:

1. Ask questions about princesses, since young children learn from discussions:
• "Why do you like [princess's name]?"
• "What do you like about princesses?"
2. Have the child draw a picture of themself as a princess, which exercises their imagination.
3. Check out books featuring positive portrayals of princesses, so that girls know that being a princess is not merely about beauty or romance:
• Interstellar Cinderella by Deborah Underwood
• Part-Time Princess by Deborah Underwood
• Princesses Wear Pants by Savannah Guthrie and Allison Oppenheim
4. Show age-appropriate children's TV shows with positive princess portrayals, especially if your girl is too young for most Disney films:
• Disney Junior's Sofia the First (where Disney princesses make guest appearances) and Elena of Avalor
• Certain episodes of PBS Kids series Super Why! (including "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty")
• Certain episodes of HBO Family series Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (including "Rumpelstiltskin" and "The Little Mermaid"-streaming on Max)
5. Research and expose your girl to forgotten fairy tales featuring empowered princesses, which might inspire them to, someday, make these stories more known:
• Forgotten Fairy Tales of Brave and Brilliant Girls from Usborne, which features the lesser-known Grimms' tale "Snow White and Rose Red"
• Fairy Tales for Fearless Girls by Anita Ganeri
6. Offer non-Disney princess apparel for more creative play, since research shows that children play less creatively with movie or TV tie-in toys:
• Toddler dress-up trunk from Lakeshore Learning
• Princess Costume Role Play Set from Melissa and Doug

Some of you might accuse me for implying four-year-olds can't watch Disney movies once in a while. Yet, it's important to remember that just because something is popular among a certain age group does not make it appropriate. Besides, there are more age-appropriate ways for parents to encourage their preschool or kindergarten daughter's princess interest without letting them watch feature-length films for mere stimulation.

What advice do you have for parents wanting to raise confident daughters in our princess culture?

Snow White (Disney Live-Action)

Image citation: IMDb. (2025). [Jason Kravits, Martin Klebba, Jeremy Swift, Rachel Zegler, Andrew Barth Feldman, Gal Gadot, Andy Grotelueschen, Tituss Burgess, and George Salazar in Snow White (2025)]. Retrieved 15 April, 2025, from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6208148/mediaviewer/rm2983434498/?ref_=ext_shr_lnk.

Disney has turned many of their animated classics into live-action films over the past decade, starting with older picks such as Alice in Wonderland and Cinderella. Hence, it is no surprise that Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs recently got the treatment.

The film, simply titled Snow White, maintains several elements from the original film. These include Snow White (Rachel Zegler) running through the forest, the poisoned apple, and, of course, a few familiar songs such as "Heigh-Ho" and "Whistle While You Work."

However, unlike 2017's Beauty and the Beast and 2019's The Lion King, Snow White is far from a shot-for-shot remake. It follows a musical format much more akin to Broadway than the animated film, with an opening and closing song: "Good Things Grow." The evil queen (Gal Gadot) also has a musical number of her own, complete with well-crafted choreography. Even "Heigh-Ho" and "Whistle While You Work" have more detail and/or were given fresh twists.

As does Cinderella, Snow White begins with the titular character's childhood and her positive relationship with her parents and the kingdom. An interesting change they made here is Snow White being named in honor of a blizzard rather than after her skin color (an outdated concept of beauty).

Of course, Snow White has much more agency than her animated counterpart. Rather than merely waiting for Prince Charming to save her, she desires to make her kingdom "fair and good" but plans to find her missing father until she finds out about his death. One critique I can make here is that the revelation would have been stronger if they showed Snow White's father dying rather than merely telling it. 

Another critique I have regards the visuals. The dwarfs' cottage is more charming and colorful than the animated counterpart, and the palette gives off a mysterious fairy-tale feel. However, the lighting sometimes gets rather dim. Plus, the dwarfs look like they belong in a Dreamworks animated film. Even the animals look as if they're CGI. Is Disney too lazy to recruit real dwarfs and animals? 

There has been lots of backlash against Snow White because Rachel Zegler's comments imply the original film is outdated. Yes, I see additional areas of potential critique. For instance, Snow White is nowhere near as childlike as her animated counterpart (no squeaky voice). However, she maintains the kindness and wonder of the original character. Snow White even helps Dopey (Andrew Barth Feldman) overcome muteness. 

The dwarfs have the same names as their animated counterparts (Sneezy, Doc, Grumpy, Happy, Bashful, Sleepy, and Dopey) as well as the same mining job. While only Grumpy has a character arc in the original film, though, as described above, Dopey also has one this time. Besides, Doc (Jeremy Swift) lives up to his name when helping Snow White's love interest, Jonathan.

Jonathan (Andrew Burnap) is not a prince, but a bandit; he is like Snow White's Flynn Rider. They meet multiple times throughout the film and save each other. 

As with many modern Disney movies, Snow White has moments of mocking the brand. For instance, the dwarfs comment on each other's names. Jonathan also sings a song to Snow White called "Princess Problems" (which mocks the "Someday My Prince Will Come" trope).

Snow White is not quite perfect, but Rachel Zegler's comments should not bring down its quality. With Christian themes of justice and standing up to tyranny without violence and emotional depth, Snow White is a worthy addition to the Disney canon. 

SCORE: Good (8.5/10)

AGE RATING: 8+

Have you seen Snow White? What do you think about it?

Grimm's Fairy Tales

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm have collected many of the world's most famous fairy tales, including "The Frog Prince," "Hansel and Grethel," "Rapunzel," "Little Red Riding Hood," "Briar-Rose" (Sleeping Beauty), and "Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs." 

Four of the above tales feature the common combination of passive princesses and prince saviors. Disney and others have added touches to such tales that make them "pretty." For instance, in "The Frog Prince," which many associate with a princess kissing a frog, she actually slams the frog onto a wall. It stands out even more how the Grimm's Snow-White and Sleeping Beauty (unlike the kisses reviving Disney's counterparts) wake up on their own, removing consensual issues. 

Passive princesses and prince saviors are prevalent even in many of the Grimm's lesser-known tales. A common pattern involves the prince or groom accomplishing a certain task and the king giving his daughter in marriage as a prize. The princesses hardly ever have a say in the marriages, conveying the sexist idea that women's opinions don't matter; their job is merely to be with a man.

As Elizabeth Dalton notes in the introduction to the Barnes and Noble Classics version, the Grimm's tales have also been criticized for its dark subject matter. A lot of these stories involve cutting off body parts, but such violence brings crucial messages. For instance, the doves pecking the eyes out of Cinderella's stepsisters represent eternal punishment for the wicked. 

Of course, more active maidens and princesses exist in some of the other Grimm's tales. For instance, "The Robber Bridegroom" tells the story of a maiden escaping a potentially toxic marriage. Even the Grimm's "Cinderella" protagonist receives assistance from birds at a tree she plants instead of passively waiting for a fairy godmother (I wrote about why the tale is underrated here).

A few tales even challenge the conventional fairy-tale trope of having the wedding at the end. In "Clever Alice" ("Clever Elsie" in other versions), for instance, the maiden marries at the beginning of the story and escapes by the end. 

Even young girls exist in Grimm's tales beyond "Hansel and Grethel" and "Little Red Riding Hood." One of my favorites is "The Seven Crows," in which a young girl rescues her brothers. Another tale I enjoy is "Snow-White and Rose-Red," which features two clever sisters who take on an evil dwarf. I am not a fan of how the Grimm brothers portrayed dwarfs outside "Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs," though.

One more tale that stands out is "The Juniper Tree," in which an older brother dies, becomes a bird, and resurrects (emulating Jesus). If I were to do a more Christian take on the tale, though, I'd have the brother display more Christlike behavior.

The Grimm Brothers have written a lot of tales that bore me, but also a lot that stood out. One of the charms of their fairy tales is the multiple, including Christian, subtexts. After people read the entire collection for themselves, they can, hopefully, re-popularize the Grimm's forgotten tales such as "The Robber Bridegroom" and "The Juniper Tree," and maybe even adapt them into iconic films. 

SCORE: Good (8/10)

AGE RATING: 5+

Have you read Grimm's Fairy Tales? What do you think about it?

Rumpelstiltskin (MGM)

Image citation: Rotten Tomatoes. (n.d.). [Untitled Image]. Retrieved 15 March, 2025, from https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cannon_movie_tales_rumpelstiltskin/pictures.

The Wizard of Oz may be Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM)'s only iconic fairy-tale musical, but the company made a few more. An example is their 1980s adaptation of the Grimm Brothers' Rumpelstiltskin.

Regarding Grimms' fairy tales, "The Frog Prince," "Snow White," and "Rapunzel" all have iconic film adaptations. Despite the tale being fairly well known, "Rumpelstiltskin" has yet to receive one (particularly from Disney). Yet, I feel as if the MGM film is underrated and awaiting discovery. 

MGM did not adapt "Rumpelstiltskin" the way Disney would; the film is faithful to the original tale, maintaining even the repetition (the elf spins the wheel three times). The most significant changes occur at the end of the film. For instance, in the original tale, the messenger (an animatronic black bird in the film) watches the dwarf (Billy Barty) dance inside his house while in the movie, he lives in a cave. 

As any feature-length fairy tale should, Rumpelstiltskin added depth to the characters. For instance, the miller's daughter, named Katie (Amy Irving), tends the garden while singing about becoming queen. She additionally identified constellations, even though it would have been better to show her pointing them out. The prince, named Henry (John Moulder-Brown), also meets Katie before she goes to the castle, and even after her first test from King Mezzer (Clive Revill). 

In addition, the film added a villain to the story: Queen Grizelda (Priscilla Pointer). Unlike the queen in "Snow White," she constantly insults without planning to kill Katie. Besides, Queen Grizelda does not die in the end. MGM also added a castle servant girl as a side character, Emily (Yael Uziely), who does not speak for much of the film (no explanation).

If I were to criticize the storyline of Rumpelstiltskin, it would be the scene in which the clerk's children yell and throw food at the dinner table. I don't find this scene necessary.

Another problem I have with Rumpelstiltskin is the lighting getting a bit too dim. Even then, it is still better than in many modern live-action films. Besides, its faithfulness would technically make the film much more forgettable than Disney films. However, the actors' performances, especially Amy Irving as Katie, and the songs make up for it. 

As with Disney's fairy tale films, Rumpelstiltskin is a musical. It is more like pre-Renaissance Disney films, though; it is a "jolly musical" (how Walt Disney described Mary Poppins) rather than a Broadway-style show. The songs, though not better than Disney music, are fairly engaging and memorable. 

One more compliment I have for Rumpelstiltskin regards how it keeps the ending involving Katie's newborn child. MGM could have skipped the newborn part and, instead, have Katie guess Rumpelstiltskin's name before marrying the prince. Too many popular fairy tales involving princesses have the wedding as the last event, which sends the message that life ends after marriage. Because of its ending, "Rumpelstiltskin" stands out among other Grimms' fairy tales.

Not only is Rumpelstiltskin underrated, but as a faithful adaptation, it encourages readers to check out the original tale more than even Disney tales. 

SCORE: Good (8.5/10)

AGE RATING: 7+

Have you seen Rumpelstiltskin? What do you think about it?

The Turnip Princess and Other Newly Discovered Fairy Tales

Image citation: Amazon. (2015). [The Turnip Princess and Other Newly Discovered Fairy Tales (Penguin Classics)]. Retrieved 10 March, 2025, from Amazon.com: The Turnip Princess and Other Newly Discovered Fairy Tales (Penguin Classics): 9780143107422: von Schonwerth, Franz Xaver, Eichenseer, Erika, Tatar, Maria: Books.

When one thinks of famous male fairy-tale authors, Charles Perrault, the Grimm Brothers, and Hans Christian Andersen come to mind. Yet, another fairy-tale collector has remained unknown until recently. 

As with the Grimm Brothers collecting in Germany, Franz Xaver von Schönwerth collected fairy- and folktales from Bavaria. Yet, most of Schönwerth's tales are much shorter than those of the Grimm Brothers. A factor can be Schönwerth's preservation of the oral storytelling style and a lack of explanation behind the magic. Their shorter length makes these tales easier to break down.

Even though these tales were collected by a man, there are some gender-role reverses. For instance, as Maria Tatar writes in the introduction, Schönwerth uses the word "beautiful" for both males and females. It is unfortunate how our society perceives "beauty" as a feminine trait (think "classic" fairy tales like "Sleeping Beauty" and "Beauty and the Beast"). Plus, there are several stories about men lifting the curses from enchanted princesses alongside the more traditional "Enchanted Prince Disenchanted" tales (i.e. "Beauty and the Beast"). 

Since, of course, all of Schönwerth's tales are new to me, I did not memorize many of them. Of the ones I memorized, one of my favorites is "Ashfeathers," Schönwerth's version of "Cinderella." It is less pagan than the Grimms' version; Ashfeathers gets her gown from a well instead of a tree on her mother's grave. Even better, she goes to church instead of a ball (making the tale more Christian). 

Another tale I enjoyed is "The Girl and the Cow," which has some "Beauty and the Beast" elements (three sisters, an enchanted castle, an animal prince). It is about a cow who takes the miller's three daughters to a castle across a lake (which can represent an evangelist bringing nonbelievers to Jesus). The youngest daughter stays at the castle and lifts the curse of an enchanted prince, who asks for her hand in marriage (representing the reward for Christlike obedience). 

Some of the "role reversal" tales strike me as anti-Christian, though. For instance, in "Follow Me, Jodel!" an enchanted frog princess gives orders to the boy who freed her from her spell. This implies a woman starting a romantic relationship, a job God has given to men. The toad bride archetype is more faithfully employed in "Hans Dudeldee," in which a golden fish brings Hans to the toad princess.  

Schönwerth even has some tales about partnering with Satan, such as "The Devil and the Fisherman" and "Contests with the Devil." Partnering with the deeds of darkness is forbidden by scripture. Some of you might tell me, "You're being too harsh." Fairy tales are not inherently Christian, neither do I know if Schönwerth was a believer, but I write my blog from a Christian perspective to honor God.

One more tale I want to highlight here is "Pearl Tears," which has Catholic undertones. The "Madonna"/"Our Lady of the Angels" (representing the Virgin Mary or a guardian angel) assists with the birth of the protagonist Maria and brings her to the palace, where God the Father and God the Son share a room. After suffering at home, Our Lady of the Angels gives Maria the palace (representing a convent), where she helps the poor and sick until death.  

I did not enjoy all of Schönwerth's tales, but I believe they need to become more popular. I hope to see picture book and/or film adaptations of "The Girl and the Cow" and "Hans Dudeldee" in the future. Especially if not, I plan to write my own versions of these tales. 

SCORE: Good (8.5/10)

AGE RATING: 12+

Have you read The Turnip Princess and Other Newly Discovered Fairy Tales?