Maleficent (Live-Action)

[disneyboy20022]

I didn't read the leaked script when it first surfaced as I didn't want to spoil the movie for myself. I just read it now, and actually thought it was much, much better than the final film!

What?? Why?!

I actually enjoyed the film as it is for what is. That script was an abomination to me. For me the alterations made it an enjoyable fan fiction. However I will admit there are many times in the movie I begin to laugh out loud which not a lot of movies are able to do that for me. I've had time to digest it all and I think it was better than I thought it would be.

[Prince Edward]

Storywise, Linda Woolverton have ruined a great story yet again. That lady is just a horribly bad writer. Why Disney keeps giving her work is beyond me.

The visuals and the music are great. Angelina Jolie is amazing as Maleficent. Just to bad that the movie is all over the place and that the story is so different from the original animated classic. I would have much preferred Disney to make a live action movie out of the 1959 animated one.

I find it irritating that Woolverton can't use the original Disney names for the characters that are clearly inspired by the ones from the animated orgiginal movie, but have to make up stupid new names for them. It's as if her ego matters more than making a good story. I swear, if Disney let Woolverton write or direct their next live action fairytale, then I'd loose it. (Horrible thought!; Disney will off course use Woolverton when they are turning Beauty and the Beast into live action... Better prepare ourselves for a big battle between the forces of Belle and that of the evil Beast, Gaston being a good guy, and having new names for all the magical objects in the castle.)

Some thoughts:
- Prince Phillip: Why even bother to include him when he is present for like 3 minutes.
- Maleficent and Stefan: Their whole relationship and backstory. Just awful.
- The three fairies. Irritating characters. Just served to remind me that this movie could have been a lot better had it been more like the original animated classic.
- Aurora: Such a bad actress. And Aurora sounds and acts like a stupid little girl.
- Maleficent's raven was a positive surprise for me. Good actor and a funny twist.
- The battle near the end, and then the ending. Just horrible.

I enjoyed this for what it was. Sadly, it could have been so much better had the script been any good at all. Disney have a classic animated movie based on a well known fairytale, and then they end up making such a meh movie? They should have used a good director and they should have used a script writer that actually can write.

The first time in many years that I did go out of a theater after watching a Disney movie being really let down. I will buy it though, being Disney and featuring such iconic characters and all, and I would want the movie to do good so that Disney will continue to make more live action movies. I just hope that they will stay true to the story of the original movies from now on...

I hope Cinderella next year will follow the main plot from the 1950 movie. Sad that the Maleficent movie was not made a Sleeping Beauty movie instead...

[Musical Master]

I don't think Woolverton would ever make the Beast a bad guy, that's just silly. She did say in an interview for TheWrap that I posted that she could write and direct her own epic film and she's currently developing her own TV show with Ron Howard. Besides, I know this is just opinion but she is a better writer than most hacks in Hollywood (I'll take her over Rosenberg) and I would rather have something different than a "Sleeping Beauty movie", that would be boring and I hate those kind of films.

[Prince Edward]

What did ‘Maleficent’ change from ‘Sleeping Beauty’?
Maleficent is now in theaters, and one of its most controversial elements is how much it deviates from the 1959 Sleeping Beauty. Here we discuss some of the differences.
http://www.hypable.com/2014/05/31/malef ... hanges/#10

[Musical Master]

What did ‘Maleficent’ change from ‘Sleeping Beauty’?
Maleficent is now in theaters, and one of its most controversial elements is how much it deviates from the 1959 Sleeping Beauty. Here we discuss some of the differences.
http://www.hypable.com/2014/05/31/malef ... hanges/#10

Good read, although the Queen in the original animated movie only had one line and that was it. Although Cinderella might have a few changes, nothing major but some changes regardless of the plot.

[candydog]

I didn't read the leaked script when it first surfaced as I didn't want to spoil the movie for myself. I just read it now, and actually thought it was much, much better than the final film!

What?? Why?!

It just seemed to be a more full, rounded story to me. I didn't think it was great, and it still missed so much of the potential for an amazing story, but it just seemed like it made a little more sense.

The whole thing with the fairy King and Queen was quite interesting, and how Maleficent was cursed with horns. The three fairies were much better characters in the leaked script too. They were a little bit nasty, but seemed to actually contribute to the story.

I liked Stefan being half fairy, and I liked how the three good fairies were trapped in the mortal Kingdom and sort of became the King's three fairies by default.

I also liked the little nods to the film here and there, such as Diaval saying that Maleficent was a sort of "Mistress of All Evil", and the queen being called Queen Leah - a great little detail for the hardcore fans.

I preferred Maleficent's curse in the leaked script, but I'm glad they went with the 1959 version's christening scene more in the final version. I liked that Maleficent cursed Aurora to die though and then removed the curse later only to find that it was now in fact the three fairies' spell that had put Aurora in danger.

Actually there was quite a lot I liked - I liked the ongoing jokes about Flittle turning a woman blue, it could have been quite funny in the final version.

The story just seemed less cheesy and less cliche. I still hated Maleficent having wings at all. There is no suggestion in the original that she ever had wings - it was just a plot that they pulled out of absolutely nowhere when they could have chosen a more logical story, such as her incredible magical powers being the reason that she was feared and hunted by the King.

[Musical Master]

Here's Lindsay Ellis's (Nostalgia Chick) tweet on her thoughts of Maleficent: "It's a bit of a mess but I love it anyway". She also really liked Frozen as well.

EDIT: In case if you wanted to know about what Linda will do afterwards, her television pilot she's pitching with Ron Howard won't have anything to do with fairytales; according to this interview.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/womenandholl ... generation

[Disney Duster]

Well I saw it and...I loved it! I thought it was great!

I thought the narration was a great idea and really nice, except when it was used lazily to cover parts that weren't worked out very well, like it tried to explain how Stephen decided to leave Maleficent for the human kingdom but we should have seen that instead. Or some of it.

There was one very glaring thing that was illogical from the beginning - Maleficent is an innocent, lovely girl, but her name means "evil-doer"! There was no explanation that maybe people thought she was evil and called her Maleficent or that she had a wicked/mischievous side to her that earned her the name. And she had horns from birth, of all things! Yea, that doesn't look evil at all. Maybe they could have at least said she was named Maleficent because she had horns? I still think she should have been born without horns as a normal fairy like the original Disney film suggested and she gave herself a horned headdress when she turned dark from what Stephen had done to her.

The three fairies were actually not as bad as I feared they would be. I actually think they did the CGI very well, and if they just were less nasty in personality they could have been almost like the original animated versions.

The christening scene was phenomenal. Everything, music, visuals, acting, was superb and in the end, chilling. That and the curse's fulfillment were the best parts to me, and if only the whole film could have been like that...which would probably require it to be more of just a live-action version of the original film, huh?

Maleficent's pants-suit at the end was an awful idea and whoever thought of that should be cursed themselves! I didn't get how Maleficent was good but she did what looked like a willing killing of Stephen when, after he pulls her down toward the ground, she throws him off of her and lets him fall to his death?

Angelina Jolie was pretty great but sometimes not so. When she yelled at the attackers in the beginning she seemed kind of bad, when she lost her wings it was kind of good and heartwrenching, and when she said those things to Aurora before she awoke it seemed like she could have had more emotion, but oh well. At least she cried. And on that note Elle Fanning was a good actress when she cried, but she wasn't very good for the rest. She showed joy well but she needed more of someting. The original Aurora actually was better in her princess-ness.

Though the art direction is generally good, the costumes and sets were hit and miss for me. I don't think any of the creatures in the Moors looked good, but I didn't think winged Maleficent did either.

It was a good time at the movies for a Disney fan who loves magic and fairies and castle and princes and princesses. It was a good time for acting, visuals, and music. I would recommend seeing it if you love the original animated film just because, well, it's that film with a twist, of course, but also for the magic, art, and acting, mostly that of Anjelina Jolie.

By the way I agree with you so much Prince Edward!

[Musical Master]

I didn't get how Maleficent was good but she did what looked like a willing killing of Stephen by, after he pulls her down toward the ground, she throws him off of her and lets him fall to his death?

I think that while Maleficent didn't know it would happen but when Stefan launched himself on her to fall to their deaths she had no choice but to let him die on purpose, proving that while she did become sort of good for Aurora, she still had a trace of wickedness to let Stefan die. Which is interesting if I do say so myself. I'm glad you liked it Duster, can't wait for Cinderella.

[Disney Duster]

I was wondering that too. Maybe some wickedness still in there after all . And you know, I think I will call this a great movie, regardless what others say.

[Musical Master]

I was wondering that too. Maybe some wickedness still in there after all . And you know, I think I will call this a great movie, regardless what others say.

Me too. After watching it, the one thought that raced through my head was this: "Linda Woolverton has redeemed herself". I don't care if others will argue with me on that but I adored on just how not only Jolie was great but the movie itself was a wonderful experience and I hope to see it again soon.

[ajmrowland]

I thought the movie was good. The fairies were entertaining. Elle was actually pretty good as Aurora, despite the characters' writing. Angelina was stunning.

One bone I have is that they never really explained Maleficent's physical differences from the other fairies, nor her name. And at the Thorn Wall, she tells Diaval to bring her Aurora, but he ends up being the distraction to the Kings men while she gets Aurora herself.

[Disney Duster]

Me too. After watching it, the one thought that raced through my head was this: "Linda Woolverton has redeemed herself". I don't care if others will argue with me on that but I adored on just how not only Jolie was great but the movie itself was a wonderful experience and I hope to see it again soon.

You're so excited about this movie I can't help but feel so too. I hope to see it again too.

One bone I have is that they never really explained Maleficent's...name.

Yea!

[Musical Master]

Me too. After watching it, the one thought that raced through my head was this: "Linda Woolverton has redeemed herself". I don't care if others will argue with me on that but I adored on just how not only Jolie was great but the movie itself was a wonderful experience and I hope to see it again soon.

You're so excited about this movie I can't help but feel so too. I hope to see it again too.

One bone I have is that they never really explained Maleficent's...name[/b].

Yea!

That was a bit strange, they never did explain on why she's named after evil but I guess it's up to us to think about that.

[Disney Duster]

What's also strange is I never got the Cinderella teaser before my viewing! I really was looking forward to seeing it on the big screen. I guess only some theatres do it? Was it in 3D, whoever saw it?

[Miss Manday]

So I DID go in knowing the plot of the film, having read the leaked script last year. And I'm glad they made the changes they did to the script, as the movie played out FAR better this way. I was extremely worried about Maleficent being a woman scorned by love, because that's so cliche, especially for the Mistress Of All Evil. But Stefan stripped her of her wings, her freedom, her identity. And that was far better than the love angle. So good change there.

Like many of you, I was worried about how this film would turn out. I'm so protective of canon. Like Wicked, for example. I LOVE Wizard Of Oz. I love Wicked. But I hate when people call Wicked the official canon, because it is not. That was my worry here. But as a separate story, a "what if", I can enjoy this film. In fact, I REALLY enjoyed it.

The only things I didn't like:

1.) Elle as Aurora. She was cute, but she was not beautiful. And Aurora is Sleeping BEAUTY?

2.) Phillip's role in the film. Phillip was the first of the Disney princes to get off his duff and fight for his love, and in this movie... well... he was demoted to the likes of Charming and Snow Prince. I LOVED the 'Once Upon A Time' twist of a 'mother's love being the true love... but poor Philly had a less than glamorous ride into the fray, and floated his way to Aurora's side, just to fail and get kicked out on his rear again. Jeez.

But Angelina Jolie IS Maleficent, and she did her justice for sure.

[Kraken Guard]

Like many of you, I was worried about how this film would turn out. I'm so protective of canon. Like Wicked, for example. I LOVE Wizard Of Oz. I love Wicked. But I hate when people call Wicked the official canon, because it is not. That was my worry here. But as a separate story, a "what if", I can enjoy this film. In fact, I REALLY enjoyed it.

That's exactly what my concern is for this movie!

What if people now decide that Stefan was secretly the bad guy in the original, and that the three fairies never really cared for Aurora? That the reason for Maleficent cursing Aurora was because he had robbed her of her wings some years prior? What if people consider this one as the canon?

[lord-of-sith]

Like many of you, I was worried about how this film would turn out. I'm so protective of canon. Like Wicked, for example. I LOVE Wizard Of Oz. I love Wicked. But I hate when people call Wicked the official canon, because it is not. That was my worry here. But as a separate story, a "what if", I can enjoy this film. In fact, I REALLY enjoyed it.

That's exactly what my concern is for this movie!

What if people now decide that Stefan was secretly the bad guy in the original, and that the three fairies never really cared for Aurora? That the reason for Maleficent cursing Aurora was because he had robbed her of her wings some years prior? What if people consider this one as the canon?

Then they are simple minded and don't understand the difference between an original movie and a new tale with similar characters. Good thing you understand the difference and can be content knowing that this movie will have little to no bearing on the original other than giving it more publicity and, subsequently, new fans!

[Kraken Guard]

That's exactly what my concern is for this movie!

What if people now decide that Stefan was secretly the bad guy in the original, and that the three fairies never really cared for Aurora? That the reason for Maleficent cursing Aurora was because he had robbed her of her wings some years prior? What if people consider this one as the canon?

Then they are simple minded and don't understand the difference between an original movie and a new tale with similar characters. Good thing you understand the difference and can be content knowing that this movie will have little to no bearing on the original other than giving it more publicity and, subsequently, new fans!

Fans who will probably get the wrong message when viewing the original, if they haven't seen it prior...

[Musical Master]

That's exactly what my concern is for this movie!

What if people now decide that Stefan was secretly the bad guy in the original, and that the three fairies never really cared for Aurora? That the reason for Maleficent cursing Aurora was because he had robbed her of her wings some years prior? What if people consider this one as the canon?

Then they are simple minded and don't understand the difference between an original movie and a new tale with similar characters. Good thing you understand the difference and can be content knowing that this movie will have little to no bearing on the original other than giving it more publicity and, subsequently, new fans!

Have you seen the movie yet?

Here's something that's interesting, in an interview for Hollywood Reporter, Linda reveals that writing the kiss scene was the most emotional for her in her whole career since Homeward Bound (she also reveals that she wrote the entire ending to that movie, emotions and all).

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/m ... ing-708353

"I will not ask for forgiveness. What I have done is unforgivable. I was so lost in hatred and revenge....you stole what was left of my heart. And now I've lost you forever. But I swear, no harm will come to you as long as I live...and not a day shall pass that I won't miss your smile".

Best.... Lines.... Ever....