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Hello Cinephiles,
Today we’re talking about the 1997 film Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella.
Story
It’s one of many Cinderella movies and the second remake of this particular story. Interestingly, it’s the only Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical to be written for television; the original starring Julie Andrews in 1957.
There are some parts that drag, a lot of singing about what they just did, which slows down the story.
Score: 0.5
Characters
I like the spin each actor put on their characters, making them unique but still recognizable. I really appreciate that the prince has more than a cookie-cut out personality.
Score: 1
Dialogue
I’m really glad I had the subtitles on because the tone and volume of voice varied wildly. The kind mumbled Cinderella was very soft spoken, and half of the cast used Broadway projection while the rest spoke regularly.
The words themselves were good but often spent more time recapping or connecting the songs than actually telling the story.
Score: 0.5
Visuals and Music
The set design is okay, the costumes are gorgeous, and the choreography very well done. The movement in this movie was timed, precise, and excellent.
The music was okay, but the powerhouse Brandi sounded meek and soft, and it didn’t meld well with the prince. I’m not sure who decided she shouldn’t use her full power, but it was a bad choice.
Beyond that, the songs were very similar and often didn’t advance the plot.
Score: 0.5
Fun
I’ve been really tired and this wouldn’t have kept me awake if I didn’t have a big bowl of popcorn. I loved the diversity and the cast was fantastic, but for a short movie they filled so much time with repetition and not enough with the main characters.
Score: 0.5
Overall
A classic take on Cinderella with a fantastic cast and some wonderful moments. It has it’s issues but overall a fun film.
Final Score: 3 Stars out of 5