For as long as fairy tales have been recorded there has been a debate about whether or not they should be modified for children, so today Alex and Jonathan take up the negative side of the discussion with a look at three films with fairy tale elements that are not Disney’s idea of kid-friendly: Beauty and the Beast (1946), Ugetsu (1957), Donkey Skin (1970). We discuss the history of fairy tales being told to children, how tone can compensate for unsavory elements of fairy tales without expurgating them, and where the boundaries of fairy tales and ghost stories touch.
Also on Apple Podcasts
Skip to: Beauty and the Beast (14:47), Ugetsu (37:25), Donkey Skin (53:19), Overall (1:12:34), Coming Attractions (1:19:45)
Resources referenced in this episode:
- READ: “On Fairy Stories” by J. R. R. Tolkien
- READ: Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont
- LISTEN: Episode 134. Master Masaki on Kwaidan (1964)
- READ: Donkeyskin by Charles Perrault
Coming Attractions – Fairy Tales with a Twist
- Shrek (2001)
- A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)
- Maleficent (2014)
Intro/outro music:
Ash by Mike Braudrick
Receive new episodes directly:
The Filmlings 