“Pan” Post-Mortem: A Peter Pan Story in Name Only

Sadly, the latest big-screen adaption of Peter Pan has failed in almost every way possible. From a business perspective, the film will end up costing Warner Bros., the studio that funded the project, a staggering $100 million or more. The film was made on a budget of $150 million and spent nearly the same amount on a global marketing campaign. That means that Pan would’ve needed to gross at least $300 million before it even became profitable for the studio. On …

Pied Piper in Police Procedurals

Picture the scene: police tape, a music institute, a car, and inside the car, a well-esteemed music teacher—or what’s left of the well-esteemed music teacher. Crawling over him and in him and through him are the furry bodies of nightmares, rats.  Music, crime, rats. What comes to mind? For me, anytime music and rats are linked, I think of the “Rat-Catcher of Hamelin,” aka, “The Pied Piper.” Of course, fairy tales are a very big part of my life, but then again, fairy …

Redheads and…Dead Heads?: “OUAT” 5.1 Review PART 2

  We return to the season five premiere of ABC’s Once Upon a Time (OUAT), which we first covered in this post. OUAT is known for its character-a-minute cameos, but this week featured the best untamed mane in the business: Merida, from Disney/Pixar’s Brave.   AUDIENCE ACCESSIBILITY It’s a good season for Disney/Pixar’s Brave–not only does Merida appear in this premiere but she’ll also appear in Sofia the First’s “The Secret Library,” appearing October 12. But honestly, it’s no surprise that OUAT is jumping on the Brave train, not after OUAT’s last season focusing on Disney’s Frozen.  …

When is a Tale not a Fairy Tale?: “OUAT” 5.1 Review PART 1

  Season five is now upon us! The glitzy, cringe-fest, character-studded opera that we love, hate, and hate to admit we love, is back. ABC’s Once Upon a Time (OUAT) opened its season five with “The Dark Swan,” returning to the dilemma we last left: will Emma be more Savior or Dark One? MINING WHAT MATTERED That said, in an episode filled with Saviors and Dark Ones and Tilda Swinton-esque hairdos, what sparked my fascination most was a side character, surprisingly. Ladies and …

The Clothes Make the Fairy Tale: “Goldie and Bear” 1.2 Review

For new viewers and readers, Goldie and Bear is Disney Junior’s latest fairy tale-themed television show. It’s cute and clever and computerized-cuddly. The season premiere confirmed that this show could prove its mettle. And most wonderfully, this second episode bought my viewership by showcasing my obsession, the one and only Little Red Riding Hood! Goldie and Bear has a greater commitment to storytelling and fairy tales than one would expect from a show for youngsters. To better analyze this intellectual storytelling, …

Everything in Proportion: “Goldie and Bear” 1.1 Review

  Goldie and Bear is a clever, wink-wink-nudge-nudge, fairy tale romp that is aimed towards children (it will premiere on Disney Junior) but delighted even this fully grown grown-up. Granted, this grown-up has a very high threshold for whimsy, but this children’s show is the real deal. Fairy tale’s own Maria Tatar—who, amongst her many other contributions to fairy tales and folklore, also chairs Harvard University’s Folklore and Mythology program—was brought in as a consultant. “When we are stumped,” she …