Enchanted

Princess Enchanted Tales: Follow Your Dreams Special Edition
$26.99
My 3 1/2 year old daughter absolutely loves the Disney Princesses and couldn't wait to get this movie. I did not buy it at the store as it was $20 for a couple of shorter movies, but once again found a great deal on Amazon. All I can say is when will the other princesses have their enchanted tales released?

Enchanted (Full Screen Edition)
$19.99
This is a terrifically entertaining -- and clever -- film, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

But... If I might get serious...

Leonard Bernstein once said that no composer consciously sets out to write "insincere" music. "Enchanted" is a conscious parody of Disney style and content that, at the same time, tries to remain sincere. But parody is inherently un-sincere. It's difficult to spoof something while treating it ingenuously. The two work against each other.

This is most apparent in the film's best sequence -- the "Happy Little Working Song", which skewers "Whistle While You Work". The former brutally satirizes what is implicit in the latter -- dirty animals are cleaning up the place, including the dishes! Stephen Schwartz couldn't resist having Giselle acknowledge that they rats, roaches, and pigeons are "vermin", or having her sing:

"We'll keep singing without fail, otherwise we'd spoil it,
Hosing down the garbage pail and scrubbing up the toilet.",

something the "real", naive Giselle would never sing. But this is a spoof, so why not? The sequence ends with a slap at "Disney cute" -- one of the pigeons eats one of the cockroaches. If we hadn't caught on that the film was a take-off, we know now.

The problem is that there's no easy way to balance sincerity and spoof. It's not unlike making a comic horror film. James Whale did it -- once -- and no one else has duplicated it, not even Sam Raimi. "Enchanted"'s script and direction lean on the sincere side, without going overboard on the send-up. But the result isn't sincere enough to draw any strong emotion, while the parody lacks "edge" -- except in the scene mentioned. There's no way this obviously tongue-in-cheek tone could have been continued throughout the rest of the film without -- well, spoiling it.

It would be unfair -- and insincere -- to ask Bill Kelly (the writer) and Kevin Lima (the director) to achieve what is virtually impossible. So I won't. Just enjoy "Enchanted" for what it is -- a Disney self-parody that's been a long time coming.

Parents should be aware that the PG rating includes "mild innuendo" -- /sexual/ innuendo, both straight and gay. It will probably go right over most toddlers' heads, but don't be surprised if you get the odd question or two. ("Mommy, why is that man smiling at the prince?")

This BD is typical of Disney, which is to say, gorgeous. Other than a game and some bloopers, there's nothing on the BD that wasn't on the DVD. But the animation, costumes, sets, and effects benefit greatly from high definition.

Ella Enchanted (Full Screen Edition)
$14.99
If you like Enchanted, you'll like Ella Enchanted. It has the right mix of humor, music, and a fairytale could love. A nice twist on the typical fairy tale.

Enchanted (Widescreen Edition)
$19.99
This is a terrifically entertaining -- and clever -- film, and I wholeheartedly recommend it.

But... If I might get serious...

Leonard Bernstein once said that no composer consciously sets out to write "insincere" music. "Enchanted" is a conscious parody of Disney style and content that, at the same time, tries to remain sincere. But parody is inherently un-sincere. It's difficult to spoof something while treating it ingenuously. The two work against each other.

This is most apparent in the film's best sequence -- the "Happy Little Working Song", which skewers "Whistle While You Work". The former brutally satirizes what is implicit in the latter -- dirty animals are cleaning up the place, including the dishes! Stephen Schwartz couldn't resist having Giselle acknowledge that they rats, roaches, and pigeons are "vermin", or having her sing:

"We'll keep singing without fail, otherwise we'd spoil it,
Hosing down the garbage pail and scrubbing up the toilet.",

something the "real", naive Giselle would never sing. But this is a spoof, so why not? The sequence ends with a slap at "Disney cute" -- one of the pigeons eats one of the cockroaches. If we hadn't caught on that the film was a take-off, we know now.

The problem is that there's no easy way to balance sincerity and spoof. It's not unlike making a comic horror film. James Whale did it -- once -- and no one else has duplicated it, not even Sam Raimi. "Enchanted"'s script and direction lean on the sincere side, without going overboard on the send-up. But the result isn't sincere enough to draw any strong emotion, while the parody lacks "edge" -- except in the scene mentioned. There's no way this obviously tongue-in-cheek tone could have been continued throughout the rest of the film without -- well, spoiling it.

It would be unfair -- and insincere -- to ask Bill Kelly (the writer) and Kevin Lima (the director) to achieve what is virtually impossible. So I won't. Just enjoy "Enchanted" for what it is -- a Disney self-parody that's been a long time coming.

Parents should be aware that the PG rating includes "mild innuendo" -- /sexual/ innuendo, both straight and gay. It will probably go right over most toddlers' heads, but don't be surprised if you get the odd question or two. ("Mommy, why is that man smiling at the prince?")

This BD is typical of Disney, which is to say, gorgeous. Other than a game and some bloopers, there's nothing on the BD that wasn't on the DVD. But the animation, costumes, sets, and effects benefit greatly from high definition.