One fine thing about watching a movie based on a story you know
(when the movie is faithful to the story) is being able to know when
something is going to happen before it does, but not because
you've seen the movie. When it is based on something as short
and simple as a faery tale, it is fun to see how the movie deals
with it differently than the original source. This movie has all the
charm and verve of an old-fashioned Broadway show, much of its
charm coming from Manilow's songs. He could have been much
more appreciated had he been born a few decades earlier and
worked on Broadway. His songs are pure old-fashioned Broadway, which means they don't usually have too much new
meaning to them, they are just fun and pretty and very VERY catchy. It is only when he tries to make a MODERN score and write songs
to be performed like pop-song that he becomes pathetic. Sadly,
this leaves him only open to fine children's movies like these. One
rare happening in adapting stories to movies is that the writers are
able to keep the storyline and add new depth too it to keep the
spirit of the Faery Tale alive, but also for older watchers. For one
thing, give the Prince an earlier meeting with the girl to make it
more complex, (and not have him admit he's a Prince at first
makes it seem honest) and give the Prince a more rebellious
personality than making him the upper class figure regularly seen
in story books. The animation and much of the vocal scores help
make the scenes touching and funny when they should be. But
again, the movie's main strong point is its score, and the
spectacular cast of stars (Jodi Benson, Gilbert Gottfreid, Barbara
Cook, Charo, and the spectacular Carol Channing [Hello Dolly
herself!]) and some sadly lesser known celebrities. The only
complaints to be made are the scripts several weak moments
toward the end, when the sadness on the hero and heroine's parts
seem a bit overdone, as do some of the 'heroic' scenes involving
the prince. His heroism gives no feeling that he has accomplished
a lot to get his heart's desire. But still, this movie manages to bring
out the spirit you can rarely see in the original story, and if you see
it just to enjoy it, which is what you are meant, you may just be
impressed by what Don Bluth could do before he started
completely losing his touch.
(when the movie is faithful to the story) is being able to know when
something is going to happen before it does, but not because
you've seen the movie. When it is based on something as short
and simple as a faery tale, it is fun to see how the movie deals
with it differently than the original source. This movie has all the
charm and verve of an old-fashioned Broadway show, much of its
charm coming from Manilow's songs. He could have been much
more appreciated had he been born a few decades earlier and
worked on Broadway. His songs are pure old-fashioned Broadway, which means they don't usually have too much new
meaning to them, they are just fun and pretty and very VERY catchy. It is only when he tries to make a MODERN score and write songs
to be performed like pop-song that he becomes pathetic. Sadly,
this leaves him only open to fine children's movies like these. One
rare happening in adapting stories to movies is that the writers are
able to keep the storyline and add new depth too it to keep the
spirit of the Faery Tale alive, but also for older watchers. For one
thing, give the Prince an earlier meeting with the girl to make it
more complex, (and not have him admit he's a Prince at first
makes it seem honest) and give the Prince a more rebellious
personality than making him the upper class figure regularly seen
in story books. The animation and much of the vocal scores help
make the scenes touching and funny when they should be. But
again, the movie's main strong point is its score, and the
spectacular cast of stars (Jodi Benson, Gilbert Gottfreid, Barbara
Cook, Charo, and the spectacular Carol Channing [Hello Dolly
herself!]) and some sadly lesser known celebrities. The only
complaints to be made are the scripts several weak moments
toward the end, when the sadness on the hero and heroine's parts
seem a bit overdone, as do some of the 'heroic' scenes involving
the prince. His heroism gives no feeling that he has accomplished
a lot to get his heart's desire. But still, this movie manages to bring
out the spirit you can rarely see in the original story, and if you see
it just to enjoy it, which is what you are meant, you may just be
impressed by what Don Bluth could do before he started
completely losing his touch.