#the '97 Cinderella with Brandy

[itsanidiom]

(^ u ^;) 

[artemistartarus]

I'm not putting in any Miyazaki movies because we all know they'd win.

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

The Walt Disney Home Video logo that wouldn't leave...

While the image of Sorcerer Mickey in this pose, with his hand out, next to the words "Walt Disney Home Video" had existed in print form since at least 1980, the motion graphic logo the lot of us '90s-borns all know wouldn't debut until September 1986. It first appeared on a random assortment of live-action Disney movies that hit shelves at the time, such as TEN WHO DARED and NO DEPOSIT, NO RETURN. Many more tapes released for a then-massive "Bring Disney Home For Good" campaign followed in mid-October, many of these releases containing this iconic logo... Some of these releases included the first ever volume of "Disney's Sing Along Songs", a couple of classic cartoon short compilations, and a clipshow called JIMINY CRICKET'S CHRISTMAS.

And Disney's home video department would keep it in circulation for a looooooong time in North America...

By early 1995, it was but gone internationally. All of the international arms of Disney's home media division replaced the Sorcerer Mickey intro with this rather cutesy, childlike "Disney Videos" logo that - to my knowledge - made maybe a fleeting appearance here in the states.

Here in the states (and Canada, too), the Sorcerer Mickey logo stuck around for a bit...

By the middle of 1992, the much simpler gold WDHV logo was more commonplace on VHS openings:

And yet, the older, longer logo was still in use... Sometimes it would be on the same tape as the gold logo!

The logo's appearances began dwindling by the mid-1990s.

In 1994, the logo would appear on all the first Masterpiece Collection releases, before the proper Masterpiece Collection logo was created and immediately showed up afterwards. (For example, I have two VHSes of the SNOW WHITE release. My September 1994 printing has the Masterpiece logo, and that was a month before release date.) Was the logo an eleventh-hour decision or something? THE RETURN OF JAFAR has the '86 logo, too, I think this is the only direct-to-video animated film to have it.

By 1995, it seemed like the destination for the Sorcerer Mickey intro was Sing Along Songs volumes, compilations of episodes from various Disney TV Animation series, that series about the puppy SPOT, and random WINNIE THE POOH VHS tapes. Almost as if it became synonymous with those titles and lines. You also had some sorta-kinda Cartoon Classics VHSes, like "Mickey Loves Minnie" and "Sweetheart Stories"... That stuff came out from '95 to '97... Masterpiece Collection tapes sometimes used the gold WDHV logo, sometimes they didn't. Ditto live-action movies and other releases. A few Sing Along Songs releases, titled "Collection of All-Time Favorites", debuted in 1997 featuring the logo but with the Sing Along Songs intro music playing over it.

Surprisingly, in 1998, the Sorcerer Mickey intro showed up on the Masterpiece VHS of MELODY TIME. And even more surprisingly, on the VHS of RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA, the TV movie starring Brandy. (In fact, there's an upload of a TV airing of this movie well after it had initially aired on ABC. The channel broadcasting it ripped the film from the VHS, so it opens with the WDHV logo.) It also appeared on a Sing Along Songs volume called "Happy Haunting Party at Disneyland!" Disney also had the home video license to SCHOOLHOUSE ROCK at this time, a couple volumes released around this time have it too.

In 1999, a re-release of A WALT DISNEY CHRISTMAS had it, in addition to the Sing Along Songs volume "Flik's Musical Adventure".

In 2000, A WALT DISNEY CHRISTMAS would see a re-issue of sorts that had it as well, plus the re-issues of a series of WINNIE THE POOH VHS tapes called "Storybook Classics".

Lo and behold, the logo made one last appearance in 2001, but this seemed to be by accident?

Two Sing Along Songs titles were re-issued that year, the 'Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah' volume (which was the very first title in the line, all the way back in 1986) and 'The Twelve Days of Christmas'. The former seemed to cut-and-paste the Sorcerer Mickey intro from the 1986 VHS release, as it still uses the "presents" byline that sparkles in below the logo. Weirder still, an ooooold bumper for the series with Ludwig von Drake as the announcer is on this tape, too. A real cut-and-paste job for a 2001 release. Whereas the Christmas one seems to have cut-and-paste the WDHV logo from the 1993/94 release, which arrives after a series of early 2000s previews and bumpers. It's surreal seeing that logo share a tape with the surround sound-like "Feature Presentation" bumper of the era.

Someone at Walt Disney Home Entertainment must've really wanted to keep this logo around!

It even made appearances on DVDs (!) in 2006 (!!)... But, in the case of one DVD release, this seems to be by mistake. MY DOG, THE THIEF, after you click play movie on the menu, begins with this logo. It must've been left on, suggesting that this was a rip from the then-latest VHS of the title. Some of the Sing Along Songs tapes saw DVD re-issues in 2006 as well, and some of their programs begin with this logo. Almost as if it's treated as part of the overall program, even though it's merely a general home video intro that appeared before several other movies, shows, and titles...

But perhaps the weirdest appearance of this logo in the 2000s...

Was at Disney Parks resorts...

Back in the mid-to-late 2000s, TVs in the parks' resort hotel rooms had something of a hidden channel. It was like, 99 or something, if you kept flipping. You'd be brought to a nonstop loop of classic Disney short cartoons, and this was a trip to see! I saw some shorts for the first time via this channel, such as ALPINE CLIMBERS and THE AUTOGRAPH HOUND. But, watch it a little more... And you saw this logo show up!

Before what, you may ask? The Disney Sing Along Songs volume 'Heigh Ho!'

It took me by surprise when I saw it on that channel, while staying in Walt Disney World in April 2007... That was just all kinds of wild to me!

Elsewhere, a channel called Fearnet would sometimes air the live-action television film MR. BOOGEDY, complete with the Sorcerer Mickey WDHV logo attached. MR. BOOGEDY was never given a VHS release here in America, so I assume Fearnet sourced the movie from a UK VHS release.

It just lingered and lingered... For a good reason, though, it is the probably *the* logo that is synonymous with Disney VHS tapes for Americans around my age.

[hitchell-mope]

So. The pocketwatch is really picking up steam huh?

As always. I have some thoughts. And not all of them are good

I’m looking forward to Uma coming back. I just hope she’s mellowed out a little bit

I’ve still got my fingers crossed that Mitchell is coming back. And hopefully he grew the facial hair out again

I have….mixed feelings on Brandy Norwood coming back as Cinderella. I love the ‘97 movie. But Chad as this Cinderella’s son? Seriously?

We better fucking see the bal baby. And not just a cameo either. He, or, less hopefully, but annoyingly more realistically, she, needs to play a substantial part in the film

Rita Ora as the queen of hearts? That is….a massive step down from Kristen Chenoweth as Maleficent.

Must there be another bloody hook child? Haven’t I suffered enough?

Barring China’s return, which I have a feeling is more completely understandable sentimentality than money related, it looks to me like they’re once again embracing the pasta/wall method of casting. And I am not optimistic about the the potential outcome.

The plot is admittedly interest piquing. But it’s still a movie from a franchise that payed dust to Mitchell Hope and his superior-to-Doherty-in-every-way acting talent. So I’ll see how it goes

Long story short. Not as excited as I want to be. And the casting of Cinderella and queen of hearts isn’t going change my ZM fancasts of Reese Witherspoon and Michelle Pfeiffer. ZM existed before the pocketwatch existed. And ZM will exist long after the pocketwatch airs. Aside from that. It’s a….decent idea that needs to bring back Mitchell Hope for me to be fully invested. And that’s all I have to say on the subject right now

[mysterymirrors]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Urban Outfitters Cinderella Blue Silk/Satin Strappy Crop Tank - M.

[juhneenteagues]

Also, while I'm here....

It definitely DOES NOT need a remake, BUT, if Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (1997) were to get a remake, I'd love to see Normani as Cindy... I don't even know if she can act but idk I feel like I need to see her in that role... She could give off the same vibes Brandy did in the 97 version.

I need to Coco Jones to do a cover of Have You Ever by Brandy.... like I need her to see and hear the vision!!!!

[groove-theory]

23 years ago, the only version of Cinderella we acknowledge was released.

[thatonequeeraunt]

The best Cinderella movie is the one with Brandy and Whitney Houston and all other entries are wrong

[tani-b-art]

When will we move beyond eurocentric mythology and allow our Black mythology to take center stage?

What is the aversion to creating Black princesses with their very own story origins?

Black girls can be princesses and mermaids. Black girls are princesses! Black girls are mermaids! What's a concern of mine (and for some others too) is that with everyone we've gotten so far, it's a replacement. The idea of "here, take this" kind of energy about it. Like it's a concession of already established stories and just sliding us in to say "look, we are diversifying our portfolio. we made (insert character) Black".

Now, the little Black girls who see Halle as Ariel definitely deserve this! Because they feel seen. This has nothing to do with the kids. Black children deserve to see themselves in these fantasies. And I'm joyous that they do and it's joyous to see them so happy and even emotional about it. Black and non-Black kids.

But as an adult, it's so noticeable to me now.

"Bailey’s casting in a role typically given to white actresses is a milestone whose long-term cultural impact could be seismic. But the news also presents an opportunity to have a larger conversation about colorblind casting in general, which — no matter how well-intentioned — can have adverse effects on the already-marginalized humanity, history, and creativity of historically underrepresented groups. The emphasis on colorblind casting over investment in original black characters and stories only assists in the continuous sidelining of significant creative expressions of black history and culture, which risk being entirely forgotten." ...."But if there is any genuine criticism to be leveled at Bailey’s casting, and ultimately colorblind casting in general, it’s that it risks sidelining and even erasing black history and culture, specifically black folklore and fairy tales. There’s a rich tradition to draw from, but Hollywood has mostly passed it over. Likewise, instead of a black James Bond, why not create a black action hero franchise of equal caliber? Or, better yet, adapt the work of black authors like Walter Mosley, who has an extensive library of detective novels, notably the Easy Rawlins series." ..."Instead of reimagining traditionally white heroes as black characters, stripping them of any cultural lineage and sociopolitical heft, the multi-billion-dollar industry could turn its attention to already-established black characters."

^^^In line of what we have with the franchises of Shaft, Cleopatra Jones, Get Christie Love, A Man Called Hawk. Why not continue these?

Makes me the think of Annie as well. The Wiz. (Carmen Jones I'll mention too).

Do these studios not want to invest in original stories for Black folklore and mythology? Or even allow new, original fairytale stories with Black princess to be created? If they absolutely wanted to keep a mermaid as the center of the story, there are folklores of African and Caribbean mermaids that they could've pulled from.

And it also doesn't have to be so diverse that it doesn't feel as authentic. The much adored 97's Cinderella and the equally adored Jingle Jangle both fashioned the diverse casting method for the main (Cinderella) and background characters (Jingle). Back then, I didn't even think twice about it but now as a grown up, it's very questionable. But as a child, it didn't matter and was normal. And that's what's important for Black children to see. I was a young kid and I know how affirming it was to see Brandy as Cinderella. I don't want to take that away from the little Black girls today. I was ecstatic just as they were when I was younger seeing Brandy and Whitney (and Whoopi) on my screen. And as a whole grownup seeing Tiana. And to add, Jingle Jangle did exactly what I'm saying here. A completely new, original story of a Black character in a fantasy! A young, little Black girl in make-believe!

[Along with both the Broadway Dreamgirls and the film. Original stories of Black characters.]

It's not that a Danish mermaid can't be Black because there are Black Danish people. It's not that a German princess can't be Black because there are Black Germans. It's the fact that they aren't telling stories of original Black animated characters to stand alone.

I'm excited anytime Black actresses get an opportunity to play in these roles because of the representation they bring! But I also wonder why the lack of investment for Black original characters isn't the first idea.

As someone said, "...Black versions of white things..." isn't as progressive as we think.

[princesssarisa]

I don't think I realized until now how valuable the colorblind casting of 1997 version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella really was. Because I'm white, I didn't appreciate it when I was little, but now I most certainly can!

First of all, it presents a world where interracial marriages and families with more than one skin color are perfectly normal. As much as we might joke about a white king and black queen having a Filipino son and no one noticing, or a white stepmother having one white daughter and one black daughter, isn't it a good thing that it normalizes non-monochrome families? Mixed marriages obviously exist in real life, and so do children who have different skin colors than their parents and siblings, whether because they're adopted or because their mixed-race genes manifest strangely. There are sets of mixed-race twins in the real world where one twin has dark skin and the other is white-passing. Who says the stepsisters in this version of Cinderella can't be one of those rare sets of twins, or that the Prince in this fairy-tale land can't be adopted?

Furthermore, the central romantic couple – Cinderella and her Prince, possibly the most famous pair of lovers in the whole genre of fairy tales – is not only interracial, but both partners are people of color. How often does pop culture show us an interracial couple where neither partner is white, let alone a black woman and an Asian man paired together? How many children in those ethnic groups are ever taught that this can be a romantic option for them?

For that matter, let's talk about Cinderella and the Prince as individuals, starting with Paolo Montalbán as the Prince. Too often Asian men are stereotyped as effeminate and unattractive, but here we have a handsome young Asian man as the story's Prince Charming, "as charming as a prince will ever be," whom every girl in the kingdom wants to marry.

And then there's Brandy as Cinderella herself.

First of all, a black Cinderella. The most iconic of all fairy-tale heroines, most often depicted in pop culture as blonde-haired, blue-eyed and white. For the first time, little black girls got to see her look like them for a change. And The Princess and the Frog didn't exist in 1997, so as a black princess she would have stood out all the more.

And just like the white Cinderella, she's clearly considered beautiful by everyone around her. The other characters repeatedly describe her as beautiful; not just beautiful, but "exquisite" and "stunning." Her beauty can't be denied. And not only is she celebrated as beautiful, but beautiful in a delicate, princess-like way, not in a sensual way or a powerful goddess-like way. Her dark skin is described by her stepsisters as "delicate and soft." She's described as "dainty as a daisy" and "graceful as a bird." How often are black girls described in such terms, even when it's obviously true? How often is their beauty described in terms of softness, purity and femininity?

Speaking of which, she's also allowed to be soft, pure and feminine in character. Goodness knows, over the years I've learned that while it might be a privilege for white girls to be allowed to be tough rather than forced to be gentle and sweet, for black girls it's often more of a privilege to be allowed to be gentle and sweet rather than forced to be tough and sassy. And I know that in the realm of fairy-tale princesses, Disney's Tiana has occasionally been criticized for being too much of a Strong Black Woman™ and too grounded in the realistic world of hard work, money and business goals. But even though the '97 Cinderella has a bit more subtle backbone than some previous versions, and even though she has an arc of learning to make her own wishes come true instead of dreaming her life away, she's still a gentle, soft-spoken girl and very much a romantic dreamer.

Not long ago, I was browsing the comments on the YouTube video of this version's rendition of "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?" One comment from a young woman stood out as especially poignant and I think it sums up the beauty of this version:

"This movie made me feel like I belong somewhere"

[crimsonflame-and-goldenheart]

"The sweetest sounds I'll ever hear, Are still inside my head! The kindest words I'll ever know, Are waiting to be said! The most entrancing sight of all, Is yet for me to see! And the dearest love in all the world, Is waiting somewhere for me, Is waiting somewhere, Somewhere for me!"

[luminouslumity]

Watch "Brandy - Starting Now (Official Video)" on YouTube

After watching Cinderella '97 so much, it's so great to see Brandy in another Disney thing again, even if it's just for just a music video!

[initiumseries]

do you consider CP a trailblazer for her casting as iris west in relation to all these black women being casted in race bent roles. like batwoman just cast a black actress as their lead and people were crediting candice and when halle was cast as ariel, folks were bringing up how it’s bc of candice as well.

Nah. Brandy was Cinderella in '97, and her love interest was Asian and  Whitney Houston was her fairy godmother. so I guess Brandy walked so Candice could be tokenized. I don't consider race bent characters, especially tokenized ones like Candice, Halle, et al as particularly worthy of note either. It's repackaged white supremacy. Call me when the whole cast is Black and it's an original Black story about Black people doing Black things that doesn't involve trauma or poverty porn. Then we can have the conversation about trailblazing.

[awheckery]

Will you tell us some of your many Thoughts™ about the live action Cinderella?

so something to keep in mind is that I went back to work monday night, my sleep schedule is heckedddddd and I am so tired right now I’m basically drunk

I am literally eating cereal in bed and it’s a real concern that I’m gonna fall asleep and drown in this bowl so this is gonna have to be the. oh christ whatsit called. the shit with the twitter memes, oversimplified takes on classic literature, cheat guide version, I am so tired

but ok here we go:

cinderella is my favorite fairytale, basically. ever after was a MAJOR formative influence on me, and it came on the heels of the ‘97 abc cinderella with brandy AND ella enchanted, which were also major formative influences, probably because they came into my life at a time when I really, really needed escapist media

I’ve read a ton of different spins and adaptations, I wrote a frickin’ cinderella novel that thankfully didn’t get anywhere with literary agents, and I watched every movie version I could get my hands on, so my expectations were not high ok

if you like the 2015 cinderella you need to scroll away right now because I’mma ruin it with petty. in kinda-sorta order, (not having seen this movie in a longish while) this is the petty shit that bothers me:

ella wants her father to bring home the first branch that hits his hat on the way home or whatev, and he does, which’d be a decent homage to perrault’s fairytale but they don’t fucking revisit it, no magic tree mother gifts here so why bring up chekhov’s tree branch, ugh

none of the characters are from the same genre, you expect me to believe chilly regal cate blanchett raised those dipshits, my disbelief is unsuspended

actually also any of the side characters with their one-off lines are more interesting and entertaining than any of the mains

richard madden looks like sebastian stans’s much older, significantly less attractive brother and he also looks a solid decade older than lily james, which is unfortch for him b/c I’m p sure he’s closer to her age than sebstan’s

I hate the cgi stag, having horrible flashbacks to kstew’s snow white movie, and the multiple jarring genre shifts therein, can we find a different shorthand for goodness of character rather than brief spiritual connection with cgi wildlife pls I’m begging you

I don’t like the big fairytale dress, I know this is a movie for children but I dislike the cheap-ass-looking butterflies and I miss the color from the animated original, and all this completely ignoring how the production treated lily james re: said dress

while we’re here what is upppp with the stepsisters’ ballroom gowns, they don’t match the mcfrickin aesthetic of the rest of the movie, it’s like they pulled those gaudy ridic costumes out of storage from the ‘97 cinderella, I demand visual continuity but nope, we can’t have that can we

I know you’re trying to pad the plot without too obviously cribbing from the slipper and the rose but evil-because-politics duke stellan skarsgard really doesn’t do it for me 'cause they drop that thread entirely. yaaaaaaay you married for love, too bad you offended your neighbors rejecting all their princesses, they’re ready to invade now

this entire relationship is built on lyinggggg. kit misleads the “good honest country girl” presumably so as not to intimidate her and she shows up at the ball and she’s fine letting him think she’s a princess, he makes that assumption and there’s a perfectly fine opportunity to correct it AND SHE DOESN’T. “NO MORE SURPRISES” ELLA? ARE YA SURE ABOUT THAT? how did either of them think that course of action was going to work out, honestly, the screenwriters dropped the ball, there could have been slightly more narrative complexity for very little effort, yes this is a movie for children but THEY ARE BEING NEITHER COURAGEOUS NOR KIND WITH THIS, ABC DID A WAAAAAAAY BETTER JOB 20+ YEARS AGO

and okay, here’s the big problem for me, here is what I loathe most, because THIS IS SUPPOSED TO BE A MOVIE FOR CHILDREN:

because of the dialogue, the sound mixing and the probably-directorial-decision to make lily james as breathy-sounding-as-possible, an uncomfortable chunk of the dialogue sounds like it came from a porno

I’m not fucking kidding

she walks into the ball and I was already perturbed because you can hear her gasping and the actual goddamn dress swishing while they’re dancing

but that entire bit in the garden? put that shit on and close your eyes and it is uncomfortable as hell to listen to

I was writhing in discomfort in the theater with friends, and multiple people in the audience were awkward-laughing because it was a later evening showing so most everyone there was an adult and I feel like a lot of us were on the same page

it might be a minor thing to some people but it completely counters anything good about the movie for me I HATE IT

[deadbonessinderhellaton]

The 97 Cinderella turns 20 on November 2nd this year. Im not saying that we should have a fanweek or anything I'm just saying we should have a fanweek

[mysterymirrors]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: Urban Outfitters Cinderella Blue Silk/Satin Strappy Crop Tank - M.