Fairy Tales for the Modern-Day Kid

Disney has come up once again with an idea to propagate its fairy tale gospel. My kids are watching the new take on all things Grimm, never missing an episode of Once Upon a Time.  I have got to admit that it is quite compelling - I myself am glued to this modern version; where the characters that I grew up with suddenly were thrown into the modern-day setting.  I'm sure as well this is not an original idea, as people have used this plot in other movies, graphic novels and the like.

There seems to be a renewed interest in fairy tales emerging in Hollywood. We're seeing a revival of these tales being retold in a different viewpoint, or creating a deeper, more meaningful back story and plot.

A few years back, a new twist to the familiar Cinderella story was quite effective and emotive with Ever After; the heroine exemplified every feminists' dreams.  Of course, the beloved animation Beauty and the Beast renewed my faith in Disney movies: with its heroine once again able to fall in unconventional love - where beauty is really within.

So, what is it with fairy tales that every generation seem to connect to?  Do they bring about a much needed "moral" we crave for in stories and movies? Or are we twisting fairy tales to suit our own view of the world?  Just very recently, Snowhite and the Huntsman was screened - I didn't enjoy it at all, in fact the only character I was rooting for was the evil queen (played nicely by Charlize Theron).



So, here I am trying to figure out what my generation saw in fairy tales. We didn't have these modern-take-on-fairy-tales type of movies; no feminist undertones or political correctness.  No, we read the original tales, we lapped up the simplicity of their stories, and suspended our beliefs somehow - after which, the world seemed a happier, a magical place. Now, I can't help but analyse them...

For the next few weeks, I'll be comparing the old and new; dissecting which is better in telling the stories and imbuing the morals (if any) - after which I will try to make the better side win (at least in my viewpoint).  In my quest to understand and bridge this generational mind-gap I have with my kids...