WHEN FAIRYTALES SPEAK

FAIRYTALES have always been exciting for me. In my childhood, I had devoured lots of illustrated comics, both foreign and local as they revealed to me the world of imagination, the world of fairies and ghouls and dwarfs, the world of spiritual forces and the weaknesses of human beings when they confront each other.

                           

This is why, I had to see two films: Maleficent and Frozen. I have watched the latter several times on video and still marvel until now “Let it Go” of Elsa (sang by Idina Menzel), one of two main characters, the other Anna – supposed to be her sister,-- singing in the middle of a mountain of snow. Then I rush to slide the mouse to the ending, where Anna (kumukurap-kurap) in a dilemma whether to embrace her loved one first, the poor iceman who could give her life, or go to protect her sister, the heiress-queen, from sure death from the man who was too ambitious to become king of their land. Over and over again, I listen to the song, showing how Elsa has to discard many of the conservative ways she had learned in the kingdom, and to assume responsibility for her awesome powers of being able to create ice and loads and loads of snow enveloping the whole kingdom and beyond.

Maleficent on the other hand turns the story of The Sleeping Beauty around. Maleficent is the witch queen who throws a curse on the baby of the king and the queen, that when she reaches her 16^th birthday she will prick her finger with a spindle and then fall into a deep sleep. Only true love will bring her back to life. No human can reverse the curse on her. Not even Maleficent herself. Why so?

Aurora, the baby who grows up into a beautiful smiling girl, taken care of by three Tinkerbell-like fairies who assume human forms in an isolated forest, wanders into the territory of Maleficent. Of course, what is a fairytale without a prince and a princess, and a witch and all those dwarfy beings and monsters peopling the forest? A prince wanders into the forest and meets Aurora. He is on his way to seek the king, the father of Aurora.

Meanwhile, the winning ways of Aurora, her innocence and happy disposition change the evil character of Maleficent who comes to love her as her daughter. However, the three pixies reveal to Aurora the curse Maleficent had posed on her. Very disappointed, Aurora leaves the forest and goes to the castle of her father. Maleficent works to reverse her curse on her but it could not be undone. She rides her horse to reach the castle in time to prevent Aurora from pricking herself, bringing with her the prince whom she had thrown into a deep sleep to follow whatever orders she has over him.

Aurora learns that the King had caused the loss of the wings of Maleficent in the past in order to win the contest of defeating her with the kingdom as the reward.

Terribly saddened she seeks to prick her finger a kind of death wish to remain asleep for the rest of her life. That act is contrary to the original story of the fairytale. Anyway, Maleficent arrives with the body of the prince whom she awakens to kiss Aurora.

Did Aurora wake up as the real fairytale states? Nope, she continued sleeping. One little fairy said, “You did not kiss her enough!” Instead, Maleficent kisses her forehead and Aurora awakens.

What has happened here? In Frozen, Anna recovers her human form after Elsa embraces her. She had frozen after protecting Elsa from being killed. On the other hand, Aurora awakens after Maleficent shows her maternal love for her.

Thus, the principle of sisterhood that many women's groups are espousing has been shown on screen as a theme that ought to be instilled in the audience. That sisterhood is as old as those paganic eras should be upheld in order to bring about truly humane societies.

The screenwriter and director of Frozen is Jennifer Lee while Angelina Jolie had strong influence on the direction of Maleficent which then show us that women's presence in those twin positions – that of writing the text and realizing the film are highly important in order to bring about truly feminist films.

FOR SALE: BUILDING 9, 5TH FLOOR, BAHAY CARIDAD, 60 SQUARE METERS, BUILT IN 1998. CASH OR PDC'S. P1.5M. NEGOTIABLE. CALL UP 09178170022 OR 02 2165808. 3