this film was almost a great imaginative film. A mixture of shakespeare, pop, jazz, and faerie tales. This movie was an imaginative twist on the Cinderella theme. Featuring a strong cast, headed by the perfectly cast Kathleen Turner, this movie had everything going for it. Everything but production values. I almost never think that a movie needs special effects or big budgets, but with an over the top production like this, it came off with the same seedy quality as every other made for tv movie. Besides better cinematography, this film was almost perfect.
12 Reviews
A deeply cool movie
mail31859518 December 2006
I've seen this movie twice with my teenagers who love it. This one ought to be a cult fave! The best line, "Your dress is deeply cool!" says the Prince to Cinderella. Kathleen Turner shines as the stepmother. I also like the 1950's era cars and motorcycles. The melancholy prince is a great departure from the typical swashbuckler. He tries to stay cool, but fails to hide his love for the fairy-tale princess-to-be. Her slipper is not glass (truer to the original story), but Cinderella loses is nonetheless but gets it back from the heir to the throne. My only complaint is that it is not shown more and seems to be almost impossible to get. Hopefully Blockbuster or Amazon will start stocking this one sometime soon.
A quirky and wildly glamorous modernisation of the Cinderella story
zh8429 January 2000
This film moves the Cinderella story forward to the early 1950s and makes good, if eccentric, use of the Isle of Man as a background. The Ugly Sisters have become wildly glamorous upper-class English girls, and together with Kathleen Turner as the stepmother they flounce about in various wonderful period costumes. The story is altered a little from the traditional version: early on it is oddly combined with the plot of "King Lear", and in later stages Cinderella is rather more assertive than is usual. It looks splendid and works on the whole pretty well, but does go over the top at times.
I loved it...
sedahapple1 April 2004
It is not difficult for a die hard fairy tale enthusiast to get bored with all the different versions of Cinderella. However, i think that this one was all together unique. Kathleen Turner was EXQUISITE as the "Wicked Step Mother" true. But there were other elements to this version that made it equally fabulous. The fact that Cinderella "rescues" her father, and gains a backbone and stands up to her step mother were great. There is also a wonderful element of traditional magic, in the form of Cinderella's "fairy god mother" a mermaid/sea nymph who takes an interest in Cinderella. The low budget, special effects harkened back to Rogers and Hamerstein's version. Simple effects let the story take center stage.
What Is This Slop?!
carchero4 August 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Having grown up in the 60's, I've seen many versions of Cinderella, but this is the worse. I wanted to give it one star but Kathleen Turner does evil so good and she's gorgeous! Too bad this movie went from strange to bizarre in seconds!
While Cinderella, whose real name is Zozella (Ugh!), is still mourning her mother, her father brings home a new wife and her daughters. The father does not die in this version, but he is being slowly poisoned by the stepmother. There were times that Cinderella stood up to her stepmother and even got slapped for it, but not much else impressed me.
The wicked stepsisters give off an incestuous vibe that I found creepy. They are jaded and severely spoiled. When they learn of Cinderella's innocence, they endeavor to remove it. Yuck! They never do, but yuck just the same!
The prince is bored with palace life and refuses to be manipulated by his mother to find a wife. All he wants to do is play his guitar, sing and hang out with his friends. When he sees Cinderella at the ball, he can't take his eyes off her. But she ignores him and dances with the rich, older guys her stepmother is interested in. She knows her stepmother is looking for a new, rich husband and this is the only way she can save her father.
Cinderella meets a dirty, unpleasant mermaid-like woman who tells her how to get a dress and the way into the castle for the ball. However, Cinderella has no shoes and can't get in. While sitting under a rose bush she tells it about having no shoes. Suddenly, petals fall on her feet and creates some of the ugliest shoes I've ever seen!
The ball is terrible. The music is, too. The movie doesn't know whether it is from the early 20th century or the mid 20th century. I was confused. Some of the clothes were great, esp. Cinderella's blue ball gown. The stepmother does have a cool 1950s convertible to ride to the ball in!
The movie has hit and misses. Mostly, the latter. I can't suggest watching this. I only watched it to the end because I was curious how it would turn out. Now I'm depressed that I did. I could have been doing laundry! LOL!
While Cinderella, whose real name is Zozella (Ugh!), is still mourning her mother, her father brings home a new wife and her daughters. The father does not die in this version, but he is being slowly poisoned by the stepmother. There were times that Cinderella stood up to her stepmother and even got slapped for it, but not much else impressed me.
The wicked stepsisters give off an incestuous vibe that I found creepy. They are jaded and severely spoiled. When they learn of Cinderella's innocence, they endeavor to remove it. Yuck! They never do, but yuck just the same!
The prince is bored with palace life and refuses to be manipulated by his mother to find a wife. All he wants to do is play his guitar, sing and hang out with his friends. When he sees Cinderella at the ball, he can't take his eyes off her. But she ignores him and dances with the rich, older guys her stepmother is interested in. She knows her stepmother is looking for a new, rich husband and this is the only way she can save her father.
Cinderella meets a dirty, unpleasant mermaid-like woman who tells her how to get a dress and the way into the castle for the ball. However, Cinderella has no shoes and can't get in. While sitting under a rose bush she tells it about having no shoes. Suddenly, petals fall on her feet and creates some of the ugliest shoes I've ever seen!
The ball is terrible. The music is, too. The movie doesn't know whether it is from the early 20th century or the mid 20th century. I was confused. Some of the clothes were great, esp. Cinderella's blue ball gown. The stepmother does have a cool 1950s convertible to ride to the ball in!
The movie has hit and misses. Mostly, the latter. I can't suggest watching this. I only watched it to the end because I was curious how it would turn out. Now I'm depressed that I did. I could have been doing laundry! LOL!
Bizarre costume choices Interesting twists to the story
jamielamoreaux-663636 January 2024
Whoever did the costumes wasn't given direction at all. They are all over the place, they range from Elizabethan To Dior's new look The queen walks around looking like she's going to a fancy dress party as queen Elizabeth, the prince wants to be a teddy boy/Elvis Presley. He and his band perform a really horrible rock and roll song Or tune because it's too bad to be a song. It's a nice if bizarre version of the story there are better versions but It's amusing Other than the costuming and the songs.
Kathleen turner and David warner were excellent in their parts. I don't know about Mab She spent the most of her time whispering In a grotto That was rather odd.
Kathleen turner and David warner were excellent in their parts. I don't know about Mab She spent the most of her time whispering In a grotto That was rather odd.
Thank goodness for fast forward
syllee24 December 2001
Bizarre take on the Cinderella tale. Terribly poor script, but Kathleen Turner turns in a pretty decent evil step-mother performance.
Visually stunning in some parts, but that's about it. The period costumes range from the Elizabethan era to the 1990s. Fast forward until you see something interesting and save yourself the full 90 minutes of drivel.
If you're really in the mood for a Cinderella story - I suggest "Ever After: A Cinderella Story" or "The Glass Slipper".
Visually stunning in some parts, but that's about it. The period costumes range from the Elizabethan era to the 1990s. Fast forward until you see something interesting and save yourself the full 90 minutes of drivel.
If you're really in the mood for a Cinderella story - I suggest "Ever After: A Cinderella Story" or "The Glass Slipper".
A beautifully bizarre adaptation.
KittyGrimm19 May 2007
I remember watching the Disney version and watching it now makes me think it has somehow lost its magic touch. Plenty of other renditions, Ever After put aside, of Cinderella, have, in fact, lost their touch throughout the years. Then I found this production with a flawless performance by Kathleen Turner as the evil stepmother and was blown away by the phantasmagorical essence of this fantasy story that has cast me under its spell since childhood.
We all know the story of Cinderella, a young girl who's father died and was dominated by her wicked stepmother and stepdaughters and longs to go to the ball for one last chance for freedom. But this plot line takes a different twist in the classic Fairy Tale by causing Cinderella (whose real name is Zizola, and is only called Cinderella by her family because of her slavery) to be trapped in a situation of her father (who still lives) slowly losing himself to a dominant wife who manipulates him into playing favorites with his wife and step-daughters against his own and tries to poison him. Thus, Zizola goes out to save her father by stopping her stepmother from finding another suitor at the ball by distracting the men who come her way. There, the bored Prince Valiant has a change of heart from his dull life and falls in love with the mysterious lady in the strange dress (forged by a water nymph named Mab) with rose petals for slippers.
What drew me to this film most of all was it's original take on the old Fairy Tale that none can compare to. It does not weave a web of lies like most Cinderella stories, it does not ignore any reason as to why Cinderella would want to attend the ball and nor does it show a shallow side to the Prince as the Disney version did. Instead it shows more of Cinderella's selfless heart more than any other production and the artwork is simply stunning! The costumes are all beautifully made, especially Zizola's sapphire blue ballgown to match the Marcella Plunkett's fantastical beauty and soft, spirit-like voice.
I would highly suggest this film for anyone who is interested in a dream-like sequence of the classic Fairy Tale with an interesting twist. My only problem is that the producers and director did not make a full collection of other Fairy Tales with this same element and the fact that the film is now out of print.
We all know the story of Cinderella, a young girl who's father died and was dominated by her wicked stepmother and stepdaughters and longs to go to the ball for one last chance for freedom. But this plot line takes a different twist in the classic Fairy Tale by causing Cinderella (whose real name is Zizola, and is only called Cinderella by her family because of her slavery) to be trapped in a situation of her father (who still lives) slowly losing himself to a dominant wife who manipulates him into playing favorites with his wife and step-daughters against his own and tries to poison him. Thus, Zizola goes out to save her father by stopping her stepmother from finding another suitor at the ball by distracting the men who come her way. There, the bored Prince Valiant has a change of heart from his dull life and falls in love with the mysterious lady in the strange dress (forged by a water nymph named Mab) with rose petals for slippers.
What drew me to this film most of all was it's original take on the old Fairy Tale that none can compare to. It does not weave a web of lies like most Cinderella stories, it does not ignore any reason as to why Cinderella would want to attend the ball and nor does it show a shallow side to the Prince as the Disney version did. Instead it shows more of Cinderella's selfless heart more than any other production and the artwork is simply stunning! The costumes are all beautifully made, especially Zizola's sapphire blue ballgown to match the Marcella Plunkett's fantastical beauty and soft, spirit-like voice.
I would highly suggest this film for anyone who is interested in a dream-like sequence of the classic Fairy Tale with an interesting twist. My only problem is that the producers and director did not make a full collection of other Fairy Tales with this same element and the fact that the film is now out of print.
So Beautiful, So Promising: So EMPTY
Enrique-Sanchez-5618 December 2001
Warning: Spoilers
*****THIS REVIEW MAY HAVE SPOILERS - but that determination would be negligible in such a classic and well-known story*****
The CINDERELLA story ranks as my favorite fairy tale. The world will never have enough of this wonderful tale.
The problem is that everyone wants to tell their own version of the tale. This cannot work if the story deviates or attempts to throw some interesting ideas together with some magical photography and scrumptious looking production designs with poor direction and editing.
This Cinderella story is more like an Ugly Duckling that never hatches or rather, is never transformed into a swan.
All the production value that money can buy, cannot purchase good cinematic timing and dramatic development - or good acting.
The entrance of Cinderella at the ball as so poorly done, there was no drama of anticipation nor excitement of discovery.
The writing made me very nervous, too. The Prince Charming was the most undesirable of memory. Why would any girl want to marry a boorish, self-absorbed prince who disliked women?
Turner's turn on the Stepmother role was an embarrassingly painful showing that demonstrated one-liners more than acting nuance.
Even the Cinderella part held little interest or sympathy.
Perhaps only one sentence will describe this attempt: So cheaply '90's,
What MUST be mentioned and mentioned in shameful excess is the glorious photography, matte work and production design. It was a pleasure to peruse the landscapes, sets and settings as the story unfolded.
For some Cinderella storytelling, go for two gems:
1) Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella Musical with Lesley Ann Warren. Even with the obvious stagey TV - 60's look to the sets, this is the best version on celluloid - bar none. An all star cast makes every effort to provide the highest entertainment. Engaging, diverting and memorable writing and music. This is the classic.
2) Ever After- this Drew Barrymore gem maintains the historical perspective, alters the story line but not enough to derail the effective development of the salient points of this classic tale. The characters of the principals and of all of the supporting roles were written smartly and acted well.
The CINDERELLA story ranks as my favorite fairy tale. The world will never have enough of this wonderful tale.
The problem is that everyone wants to tell their own version of the tale. This cannot work if the story deviates or attempts to throw some interesting ideas together with some magical photography and scrumptious looking production designs with poor direction and editing.
This Cinderella story is more like an Ugly Duckling that never hatches or rather, is never transformed into a swan.
All the production value that money can buy, cannot purchase good cinematic timing and dramatic development - or good acting.
The entrance of Cinderella at the ball as so poorly done, there was no drama of anticipation nor excitement of discovery.
The writing made me very nervous, too. The Prince Charming was the most undesirable of memory. Why would any girl want to marry a boorish, self-absorbed prince who disliked women?
Turner's turn on the Stepmother role was an embarrassingly painful showing that demonstrated one-liners more than acting nuance.
Even the Cinderella part held little interest or sympathy.
Perhaps only one sentence will describe this attempt: So cheaply '90's,
What MUST be mentioned and mentioned in shameful excess is the glorious photography, matte work and production design. It was a pleasure to peruse the landscapes, sets and settings as the story unfolded.
For some Cinderella storytelling, go for two gems:
1) Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella Musical with Lesley Ann Warren. Even with the obvious stagey TV - 60's look to the sets, this is the best version on celluloid - bar none. An all star cast makes every effort to provide the highest entertainment. Engaging, diverting and memorable writing and music. This is the classic.
2) Ever After- this Drew Barrymore gem maintains the historical perspective, alters the story line but not enough to derail the effective development of the salient points of this classic tale. The characters of the principals and of all of the supporting roles were written smartly and acted well.
I Don't Care What You Say...I LIKED IT!
Red_Rose4 December 2002
I thought it was an original story, very nicely told. I think all you people are expecting too much. I mean...it's just a made for television movie! What are you expecting? Some Great wonderful dramtic piece? I thought it was a really great story for a made for television movie....and that's my opinion.
Possibly the BEST Cinderella EVER!
melinda-piette27 August 2002
I have an admitted soft spot for Cinderella, but always had issue with the complete simpy victim she let herself be. In this case, she's far less so---I very much like how she's FAR more interested in saving her father than her own future happiness.
I loved the King Lear aspects and found this to be a delightful visual treat
I loved the King Lear aspects and found this to be a delightful visual treat
Bravo for Kathleen Turner, David Warner et al. Manx catz
johnnybird14 January 2002
Creative use of modern and mystical elements: 1956 Cadillac convertible to transport evil stepmother Kathleen Turner (John Waters' "Serial Mom") and the 2 twisted sisters; Queen Mab as the faerie godmother; David Warner (Evil in "Time Bandits") in redcoat at court; Cinderella (she's a babe) shovelling coal into an insatiable furnace; Cinderella and her prince charming both look like (and act like) rock stars. Isle of Man locations.
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