An excerpt from my script review for Maleficent which will be available 03/31/25:
1.) Marketability of the Idea
So this one came up as the Boss and I were discussing the new “live action” Snow White.
For those of you who don’t know, there’s been a bit of…controversy surrounding it.
Although I don’t think this is the complete story, this video is a good synopsis of the situation.
(The drama involved in this is similar to It Ends With Us in that I’m not sure anyone will be able to tell what really went wrong at this point.)
Okay, so before we go too far, we need to get one thing out of the way…
This was one of those career defining (destroying?) moments…and I’m sure “weird, weird” will haunt Rachel Zegler until her dying day.
Here’s the scene she’s talking about…
Prince Charming was no more “stalking” Snow White than the dove was stalking him that Snow White used to deliver a kiss.
Or maybe Zegler meant this…
The first comment on the video says it best: “Anyone who doesn’t understand how beautiful this scene or movie is shouldn’t be allowed to work for Disney. I said it.”
He wasn’t stalking her. It’s a fucking fairy tale about true love!
As impossible as that notion is, it’s okay to believe good things can exist in this world.
Fuck it’s one of the main reasons movies are such a popular escape from the realities we suffer through.
You’re going to say this shit while working in that industry?
We’ll get to the nuts and bolts of the Boss and my discussion, but one other thing that came up was the notion of Prince Charming kissing Snow White without her consent at the end.
Folks…I believe we’re overthinking things…
Recently I watched a movie or series where a man kissed his murdered wife on the lips before struggling to bury her.
(I think it was Hell on Wheels as that’s what I’m currently rewatching.)
This isn’t gross or sexual in any way, but an emotional final goodbye to a loved one.
For instance, I kissed my father’s cheek when he passed 13 years ago as my sister, mom and I wept at losing him after his extremely painful last day battling leukemia.
And I believe if the Boss goes before me, especially to something tragic that we’re not expecting, you better believe I’ll kiss her lips one last time, as I’m completely wrecked by the thought of living without her for what’s left of my life.
(Just as I’d be a mess and kiss one of the children’s foreheads if they were to go before me.)
Not to sound harsh, but there’s no consent because they’re dead.
(Just as a funeral isn’t for the deceased, but those left behind mourning the loss.)
Kissing my recently deceased spouse’s lips is a loving gesture…taking her for one last “roll in the hay” is a sexual one.
See the difference?
And this goes back to my above point…it’s okay to see a tender, beautiful moment and not over analyze it under a “me Too” lens.
I’m not sure if this covers all the “woke” accusations, but it’s something I believe we need to have a discussion about as a society, that these issues may be important to some Americans, but not all.
If everything is a catastrophe, then nothing is a catastrophe.
(Oh, and if you’re the star of a big budget blockbuster…don’t go on a political rant and then be surprised you’ve alienated half of your audience.)
One last thing before we move on is about Peter Dinklage’s comments in the first video about dwarves.
First…Mr. The Dinklage, they didn’t live in a cave, they lived in a cottage. The cave was where they mined their fortune in jewels.
(And don’t act like Tolkien dwarves aren’t fucking badass living in caves either.)
Second, it’s easy to act like a role like this is beneath you when the role that made you The Dinklage was as a dwarf in Game of Thrones.
Sure you grew tired of the role of Tyrion, and you had a career before him, but let’s be honest…no one was going around saying, “Did you see that cool guy that plays the nanny on Nip/Tuck? Let’s give him roles in Avengers and an X-Men film!”
Comments like the above video come off a bit like “closing the door behind you” particularly when there were other little people actors who’ve stated they’d have liked the role.
The whole dwarfs aspect is what I remember initially from the remake controversy. More the early CGI used for them that was weirder weirder than Sonic with teeth!
Okay, so why were the Boss and I talking about Maleficent?
The main discussion was why Disney feels the need to remake every animated feature into “live action”.
Yes that’s in quotes, because we get things like Lion King and Lady and the Tramp that are not live action!
More realistic animation, sure, but Disneynature didn’t go out to the African savannah and just happen to catch the animals doing a shot by shot reenactment of their favorite film.
And I’m unsure of why they keep making so many. I get the idea of an existing audience, but you’re spending millions and millions more dollars to give people something they’ve already seen?
To me it doesn’t make financial sense.
****Nevermind…
I just looked up the box office results of these remakes, and in most cases they’ve made more than the originals, which is baffling to me. Me being old, I guess.
Oh, and one last gripe while we’re on the topic, DISNEY!
After reading the script, I went to Disney+ to watch Maleficent since I have never seen it or the other “live action” remakes.
It wasn’t there! The sequel was, but not the first film.
Even checked Hulu, and the only option was to “upgrade” to live TV to watch it.
So dumb and fuck right off!
Want to stop losing subscribers for your streaming service? Put your shit up there! All of it!
Maleficent Box Office Stats
And for fun…
Snow White (2025) Box Office Stats
(Remember this reportedly cost $300M to make.)
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