The New Ladies of Fairy Tales

                                                           

In the olden days, the formula for a successful fairy tale was: Princess in trouble + Brave Prince Charming + Prince rescues Princess =  Happy Ever After. Yeah, right!

Maybe I bought this formula when I was five years old, but by the age of ten. I knew better. I was a child from the era that gave us, The Korean War, The Cold War,  Civil Right's Movement, the bra burning Women's Liberation Movement, the Space Program and, last but not least, the war in Vietnam. You realized right away that the world did not offer happy ending fairy tales. I was born to Italian Immigrants in good ole South Philly. We were a middle class working family. The entire family worked in my father's grocery store. As soon as we four siblings reached the age of seven, my father tied an apron around our waist and said, "Get to work!" 

                                                          

We four kids worked seven days a week along with my mother and father, the famous Fred and Lucy.  We went to Catholic school where the nuns focused on teaching the necessary skills to turn us into productive tax payers, even if they had to beat the lesson plans into our skulls. The nuns of the Immaculate Heart of Mary had no patience for fragile princesses in their classes and, they tolerated a Prince Charming even less.

                                                                     

South Philly girls were tough. We had to be. The world in which we lived in was not conductive to princesses or fairy tales. Unfortunately, the Disney Fairy Tales from my generation, did not mirror my upbringing or my daughter's. Sad! I was never a weak maiden in need of rescuing. I was the one usually rescuing others. This may be why I love "The Walking Dead's female heroines Carol and Michonne. 

I brought up my daughter to be a strong woman, also. She's a tiny package looking more like Snow White...that is until you try to hurt her family...then she becomes Wonder Woman... who will gladly send you flying into the next fairy tale. So you can imagine our opinion of weak princesses in Disney Films.

                                                                

This is why we both enjoyed Walt Disney new take on "Doesn't Need Saving" Princesses. Here are two samples

Yes indeed! Walt Disney Pictures/ Roth Films has brought fairy tales into the future and Malificent was proof of this. Women have always been able to do the same jobs as men and, just recently, the military said women could fight on the front lines.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jan/24/us-military-lifts-ban-women-combat

                                                                  

It was with the premier of the film Malificent starring Angelina Jolie, Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning and Sam Riley http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maleficent_(film) that I noticed the new direction,  the Disney Studio had taken.

It was Angelina Jolie's Malificent's kiss that woke the princess, and then, saved Princess Aurora from the selfish, demonic King Stefan. It didn't matter that it was Malificent who placed the curse on Aurora in the first place; Malificent was a little pissed off with the treacherous Stefan for stealing her powerful wings by the time Aurora was born. She took her revenge out on the person she assumed meant the world to Stefan.

                                                                 

What Malificent didn't count on was for her and her shape changing familiar (Sam Riley) to become the secret protectors of baby Aurora. The infant's guardians, who were also fairies, were comically incompetent. Malificent grew to love the child and the child, her.

In the end, it was the love of a strong woman who saved the fair Princess Aurora and her Prince Charming. This was the best version of Sleepy Beauty that I've seen yet.
Angelina Jolie did a stunning job in the film as the angry fairy queen of the forest who falls in love with the child she' cursed. Love conquers all!

                                                               

This past weekend I went to see Cinderella with my niece and great niece. I had wondered if Disney Studio would do as good a job with this film as they did with Malificent. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cinderella_(2015_film)

Cinderella which starred Lily James in the title role was a visual feast for these old tired eyes. Richard Madden (Game of Throne's Rob Stark), Cate Blanchett, Helena Bonham Carter and the very talented Nonso Anozie from the series Dracula.

The story went by the normal formula of princess saved by prince except for a few twists which I picked up on right away. Yes, the stepmother played deliciously wicked by Cate Blanchett was selfish and abusive to Cinderella, but we see what sparked the hatred.

                                                                       

When Cinderella's father (Ben Chaplin) died away from home, he sent one special gift back and that was for his daughter. The wife received nothing, not even a note proclaiming his love. Lady Tremaine lets slip that she was a happy wife and mother to her true love, first husband, until his untimely death.  Maybe she married Cinderella's father for convenience and security for her and her two brats, but I think she had also allowed herself to dare fall in love again with husband #2.  Lady Tremaine realized that she was not treasured and she took out her revenge on Cinderella. 

                                                              

Cinderella was a sweet, forgiving girl, but her courage did not reveal itself in battle. No, Cinderella proved her bravery with her refusal to allow Lady Tremaine to take advantage of the king's love for her. Cinderella was willing to stay the family slave in order to protect the new king. Bravery comes in all forms and I'm hoping we will see more kick ass princesses on the horizon.

Side note: I wasn't sure what my great niece took home from the film. This being her second movie date of the year with me. Yesterday, she came home from school and asked me to dance with her; a waltz; just like Cinderella and Kit danced. I asked her if I was to play the part of Prince Kit because I would need to lead the waltz. Isabella looked me straight in the eye and said, "Aunt Marie, I'm a princess and I'll lead my own waltz."

                                                           

Damn right, you will!!! Long live the Warrior Queen! 

Princess Mia & Cinderella Party...South Philly Style

                                                                    

I was born and raised in South Philly and although I’m a South Jersey girl now, having moved to Audubon after my husband retired from the Fire Department; my heart belongs to the City of Brotherly love, Cheese steaks and block parties.

I love Audubon, New Jersey, because we have enough small pockets of wooded area to attract hawks, migrating birds, ducks, fox, possum, raccoon, native honey bees, butterflies, and of course, Turkeys. No, I’m not talking politicians. I’m talking wild turkeys. There are several males and females who stroll up and down our street.

                                                   

Every once in a while, I have to get back to my roots and I do that whenever I visit my family. My sister and brother and their families live in South Philly. Sometimes, I’ll go to Sunday mass at St. Monica’s church with my sister. If you remember from my “Life with Fred & Lucy” Episodes, my siblings and I went to St. Monica’s school. There were no lay teachers back in the day. We had NUNS! The good sisters of the order of the Immaculate Heart had to deal with the entire Maratea family which included all my cousins from the Tempesta and Deluccia Family. I know without a doubt that we kids drove the nuns crazy.

                                   Princess Mia with Mom and Dad

                                                                          

This past week, my brother’s granddaughter, Mia Rose, turned four. Mia is a cutie pie and a diva. I love this kid. My niece, Rita, and her husband, Eric, had a street party celebrating Halloween and Mia’s Birthday.

                                                                          

South Philly knows how to party and when we party, we do it right. There was a DJ playing music, several bounce rides and toss games, and of course, plenty of good food.

My niece hired a costume character to drop by and offer Mia a birthday wish. She had contacted www.tgifparties.com  Mia loves Cinderella and was very happy when the Disney Princess showed up.

                                                                    

I’m guessing that Cinderella had no idea what she was getting into when she dropped by. Most hired characters make an entrance, take pictures with the birthday child, play music and do a few games and then they leave. Not with my family.

                                                                   

Mia Rose, all four years of marvelous, took Cinderella by the hand to show off her bedroom, and then, her playroom in the basement. Cinderella was coerced into playing doll baby and doctor. Mia then declared that Cinderella was in need of a nap and had the princess lie down and go to sleep. It was hilarious watching this whole scene.

                                                                     

Cinderella may have expected this job to last maybe 30 to 45 minutes. I think she and her audio/video assistant were at Mia’s party for way over an hour. Mia was in her glory and I was impressed with Miss Deena, Cinderella’s alter ego.

                                         Mia, Cinderella and Uncle Mike                        

                                                     

One of my jobs at the Academy of Natural Sciences, www.ansp.org  before retiring was the Coordinator of the Birthday Program. I had a staff of delightful, caring people who were well-trained and well-versed in accurate natural history facts. My “Birthday Angels” made the Birthday Party Program one of the most successful programs at the Academy and it was because they made the birthday child, family and guests feel like royalty.

                       Princess Mia with brother, Jason and cousins

                                                                       

Deena did an outstanding job of going with the flow and, happily participated in all requests made by our family’s little princess. If I was still working at the Academy, Deena would have fit in perfectly with my “Birthday Angels.”

If you need a Cinderella for your little princess then please contact www.tgifparties.com  

Ask for Deena and tell them Aunt Marie sent you.