DVDizzy Forum

I wish there was an audio commentary included as a bonus feature on the home video release.

Anatomy of a scene: The Stag

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2p9z6S7pWo

Yea that's a great commentary there and I wish we got one for the whole film. It's a mystery why this film didn't get one!

tsom wrote:I wish there was an audio commentary included as a bonus feature on the home video release.

Anatomy of a scene: The Stag

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2p9z6S7pWo

Oh my golden goodness. This is my favorite scene in the entire film! So glad it's what they chose for him to record a scene commentary.

Honestly, I would want to watch everything available about the making of this scene. Dailies from shooting, outtakes from different angles, even the table reading just to see how Lily & Richard first approached Ella and Kit's first meeting. But really, this scene is the sum of its parts, and each one is done so splendidly. The cinematography, the score, the dialogue, the performances. Really glad to hear Branagh discuss how it was shot.

Of course, just having that little snippet makes me even more disappointed that Disney decided the film didn't need a commentary. But perhaps it also might be a director's decision, as last year's Into the Woods contained commentary. Then again, Rob Marshall is fond of recording them (he's recorded them for five of his six theatrical films - we'll find out in 2017 if he records one for Beauty and the Beast). Branagh's provided commentary for only five of his films, though he's directed fourteen.

Albert (who did not post here solely to toot his own horn and provide a link to his audio commentary for the film. But since it's there...)

tsom wrote:I wish there was an audio commentary included as a bonus feature on the home video release.

Agreed. It's a huge pity that Disney have left them out.

A little late, but here's the Blu-ray.com review for the live-action Cinderella: http://www.blu-ray.com/movies/Cinderell ... 75/#Review

The Blu-ray.com review was good and I liked it, but he is totally wrong about Helena Bonham Carter and her scenes. That was all some of the best parts of this film!

Escapay wrote:Then again, Rob Marshall is fond of recording them (he's recorded them for five of his six theatrical films - we'll find out in 2017 if he records one for Beauty and the Beast).

Rob Marshall isn't directing Beauty and the Beast. Bill Condon is.

Disney Duster wrote:The Blu-ray.com review was good and I liked it, but he is totally wrong about Helena Bonham Carter and her scenes. That was all some of the best parts of this film!

Escapay wrote:Then again, Rob Marshall is fond of recording them (he's recorded them for five of his six theatrical films - we'll find out in 2017 if he records one for Beauty and the Beast).

Rob Marshall isn't directing Beauty and the Beast. Bill Condon is.

Silly me!

I think I was confusing Rob & Bill because Rob was offered the Beauty and the Beast film at one point.

Albert

Oh I didn't know he was offered that. I wonder who would do a better job. I hope it's Condon because he's the one actually doing it...

So Marshall recorded a lot of commentaries? And if so, then what about Condon?

A look at how they did the dress transformation!

Cinderella's dress transformation in progress

Doug Walker (aka Nostalgia Critic) has done a Disneycember review of Cinderella (2015) and he's very torn up about it which with some points in comparison to the original animated film from 1950 are some good arguments.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIXd3F9ksac[/youtube]

Sorry this thing is not allowing me to make it clickable.

I finally watched this and it was pretty good. Even though it was about as straightforward and unimaginative as I expected based on the trailer, they still pulled it off well with the performances, beautiful costumes, and production design. I guess that's all you can hope for from a story as overdone as Cinderella. Cate Blanchett was the standout of course.

I'm really glad you liked the film Lady Cluck!

Thanks for posting that Musical Master (to embed the video remove the "s" from the "htps" part), and I must say I do see and agree with a lot of what Doug said, especially how Cinderella not leaving her abusive stepfamily's house because it used to be her parents is not a good reason, because she leaves the house anyway to live in the castle (though she might not have found as nice a house to live in if she left the house to find a place with better treatment). But here's what I wrote on the Youtube video's page:

When Cinderella gets her happy ending, at least her parent's house is back in her possession, but I must admit I found it not a good reason to stay when she would be living in the palace mostly anyway. I'm so glad you saw the original Disney Cinderella got angry and frustrated, and she had sass, too. But what I also loved about her was her warm goodness, and this live-action Cinderella also has a shining goodness that keeps me interested. The prince also had goodness, like her. Also, I saw both Cinderellas trying to get happier situations by trying to make their dresses for the ball. And Cinderella riding her horse away from her step-family when they get very cruel I saw as trying to escape for a little bit. Also, you say it doesn't make sense that Cinderella is or almost was an adult when she became a servant and a victim of abuse. But you said her transgression into a servant and taking abuse was well done! I must go with what you said before, that it was well done and her age didn't matter. Any age can take abuse. Also, I still feel very, very sad for Cinderella when her dress gets torn and she isn't allowed to go to the ball. And she wasn't always accepting everything with a smile! She made unhappy faces from her father's death to her step-family's treatment and onward till her happy ending. And as for the original Disney Cinderella breaking through the mentality she was nothing but a servant, I don't think she had that mentality. When made fun of by her stepsisters for wanting to go to the ball, she says , "Why not?", and I think through the whole movie it can be gleaned that Cinderella doesn't think she's unworthy, she thinks she deserves better, she's just looking/waiting for the chance.

I am so mad that freakin' Mad Max: Fury Road got nominated for Best Picture but Cinderella didn't! To me, Mad Max: Fury Road had like no story, and went like this, "unexplained bad guys shooting at unexplained good guys. Unexplained good guys shooting back at unexplained bad guys. Some unexplained place the unexplained good guys were going to isn't there anymore. They defeat the unexplained bad guys. They go to some unexplained place where things will be better for them. The end." How the heck is that better than the explained, defined, story, romance, and characters of Cinderella?!

AT LEAST it got the Costume nomination. It better win. It should be doubtful it won't win, but with the Academy being all dumb with the nominations this time and some other times, who knows. I thought Cinderella should have also been nominated for Score, Director, Best Production Design, and MAYBE Best Actress (Lily James) and Best Supporting Actress (Cate Blanchett). Oh, and maybe Best Visual Effects.

I think it definitely deserved Original Score and Production Design as well. I'm actually predicting it to win Best Costume Design. The joke has always been that the category should actually be called "Most Costume Design" and Cinderella is definitely the most Costume Designy of the nominees. If Alice in Wonderland can win for Costume Design, I think Cinderella has a strong shot, too.

And yeah, I wasn't wild about Mad Max, either. It's certainly a strong technical achievement and I agree with a lot of its nominations in the crafts categories, but story and character wise, I didn't find myself fully invested in the situation. I felt it was mostly one long dull car chase. There are only so many times I can watch a car flip over and explode, though I will admit the stunt work was excellent.

Oh, yea I forgot I thought this should get nominated for Production Design too.

I'm glad to hear what you said estefan. I agree with you.

This is random but I have noticed the throne and some steps seemed added to the ballroom floor when the Duke gives Kit the broken glass slipper heel. I wonder if they were cheap and didn't want to build a whole new throne room and so put the steps and throne and other parts on the ballroom floor, or I missed that they were always there in the ballroom...anyone know anything about this?

While we wait to see if Cinderella wins at the Oscars, I wanted to bring up some things and wondered what anyone else thought about them.

First, it seems this film had some of the Fairy Godmother's lines dubbed in! When she says, "I'm your hairy dogfather", it doesn't seem to match her lips or match her distance from the camera! It is a hilarious line and I love it being in the film, but not at the expense of it not truly being within the film. Also, I think the two "Bibbidi bobbidi boo"'s she says are also dubbed in. The first time she says it, it is when the camera is on the mice. The second time is when she zaps the lizards with her wand, and it doesn't look like she's saying the words. I think the "hairy dogfather" line was added in after someone, maybe Helena, thought of it, and the "Bibbidi bobbidi boo"'s were added in because they decided to just stick 'em in as connection to the original. If I had to choose, I would not have dubbed these lines in. It distracts me, because it doesn't seem they are actually in the film. Plus, the Fairy Godmother should either say the magic words every time or not at all, because saying it just twice doesn't make any sense!

I also wanted to talk about Cinderella's ball dress. Am I the only one who thinks it looks a lot like Belle's dress? Belle's dress had a big poofy skirt, with pleats going all around it, and neckline sleeves. Granted, there are some differences. Cinderella's dress is, of course, a different color, is covered in crystals, has skinnier pleats going all around the skirt, has two lines on her bodice instead of one, has butterflies, and her sleeves are divided into four sections and partly go up on her shoulders (but fall off her shoulders sometimes?). I don't mind it looking so much like Belle's dress at all, especially since I think Belle has the objectively best Disney princess dress of them all, and I would rate my favorite Disney dresses as first Cinderella's, then Belle's, and then this live-action Cinderella one, but this is something I just noticed and wonder if anyone else feels the same.

Finally, here is a summation of how I would change the film, if I could:

Cinderella (2015):
Capture more heart, charm, and soul like the original did. Maybe make Cinderella more interesting because some people complained she wasn't interesting enough. Better developed romance for the two leads, probably by spending more screentime on it, especially at the ball. The names of Drizella and Major stay as they are from the Disney film. I hate saying this, but perhaps a prettier actress for Drizella who looks more like Anastasia and Lady Tremaine do in the film. Make the beginning of the film less saccharine, including a more serious dance between Ella and her father where he says, "You're such a good dancer. And your mother is too" and then he goes over to her mother. Less fake-feeling or mushy stuff in all of the scenes between Cinderella and her father, actually. Make Cinderella read that book aloud more enthusiastically/better. Skip Cinderella asking for the tree branch, I don't care if it mixed the Grimm's version in, it was an inane request, she should just tell her father, "All I want is for you to come back quickly, as soon as you can." Her father then says, "Oh Ella!", and hugs her and the rest goes as in the movie except none of the "your mother is the heart of this place" stuff. After Ella becomes a servant, she makes sure she has more food for herself than her stepfamily's leftovers, by buying more or making more and hiding it. We find out Kit's real/full name at least said once. The King doesn't die, and he isn't sick. Kit smells flowers and swings in his mother's garden in a scene juxtaposed with Ella playing with bubbles as she washes a floor. When Kit leaves Cinderella in the forest, he tells her there will be a ball at the palace that everyone can come to, and he can see her again there, but she can’t tell anyone about it until it’s officially announced. Cinderella's reason for not leaving the house is because, she says, "It is still a very nice place to live. And it's my home. I want to have a home." Her friend says, "Well, maybe you'll meet someone you'll get to have a new home with." Cinderella says, "That would be nice." The fencing scene happens in a new set that is meant to be in the palace, not that pre-existing real place it's in. Cinderella's pink dress has neckline-type-of-sleeves similar to the ones the later new blue dress has, so her new blue dress looks like her old pink dress, like it's supposed to. And it doesn't have a bow in the back, just the ribbon around the waist. The pink dress gets ripped up more so Cinderella couldn't fix it in time for the ball at all. Take out the “I’m your Hairy Dogmother” line because it was clearly dubbed into the film and does not fit with her mouth movements. When the Fairy Godmother transforms to her true self, how she transforms is from the fairy dust from her stick that becomes the wand falling onto her. The Fairy Godmother says "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo" for each spell she does, except when she transforms herself, and she just says "Boo" when she casts the spell that makes Cinderella unrecognized by her stepfamily at the ball (in the original film, she just said "Boo" to chase Lucifer with Disney dust). There is no fly landing on the carriage and the lizard footman eating it, that scene should just be cut. There's a scene where Kit has an almost fight with his father about finding the girl with the glass slippers, and then the King finally concedes and decides to let Kit go after who he wants, and then he says he'll try to be a better father from then on. They both get emotional about it, mainly Kit, happy his father is finally being this way. When Lady Tremaine confronts Cinderella in the attic, she says, "Now, Anastasia, Drizella, and I need a better life, too, and we can't let you take it from us, so I'm going to make sure you can't", and breaks the slipper and locks Cinderella in. There's a scene where Lady Tremaine comes to give Cinderella food in the attic she locked her in, the day the slipper comes to their house. Cinderella hears her coming and stands to the side of the door. When Lady Tremaine slips in some food, Cinderella grabs her arm and pulls her in, then tries to run out the door. Lady Tremaine overtakes her and says, "You think you can overcome me, you stunted little kitchen wench?" She throws Cinderella to the ground, and quickly walks out the door and locks it again. So Cinderella takes a candle and lights the door on fire. Then the mice open the window, and smoke comes out. The prince and his men see the smoke coming from the tower. Kit says, "It looks like someone is trying to escape that tower. Captain, why don't you go and investigate." We see Lady Tremaine and the Captain come up to the attic with Lady Tremaine holding a bucket of water. She throws the water on the door, and then opens it. She says, "See, it's no one of importance" or whatever she says in the movie at that time. Kit's hands let go of the slipper when it fits her foot, so we can see the beautiful moment of it fitting the servant cindergirl and him still wanting to marry her. But then Cinderella takes it off and carries it with her and Kit as they walk out. In the end narration, the Fairy Godmother calls Cinderella "Cinderella" instead of Ella.

Disney Duster wrote:It distracts me, because it doesn't seem they are actually in the film.

Dubbing is a reality of all filmmaking. For a long time, Italian cinema was notable for shooting everything silent and dubbing all the audio in post-production. Many musicals pre-record the songs that the actors lip-sync to when they film the scenes (it's a basic plot point in Singin' in the Rain). The "live audio" on most films today is not used (unless you're Tom Hooper and the movie is Les Miserables) because there's too many elements working against it (ambient noise, unrelated background audio, etc.), so dubbing (and audio mixing in general) helps make a movie sound the way it's supposed/expected to sound.

Tom Scott explains it better in his "Things You Might Not Know" series: (and he filmed it in Disney's Hollywood Studios, too! I've been on that street countless times...)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKcqyREyejo[/youtube]

Granted, because his ADR at the end is just his voice, it shows how unnatural the dub sounds. But it shows how important (and underappreciated) audio mixing and editing is. They're the ones who decide how much ambient noise and foley effects should be used, and at what volumes, so that the speaker's voice isn't lost. Live audio is better left for live theatre, a movie utilizes a very different type of aural experience.

This scene from Singin' in the Rain gives an approximate look at how dubbing works. The dubber (in this case Kathy) reviews the scene she'll dub, it gets cued up, and she records her dialogue while re-watching the scene to ensure it matches.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zo3WnPlpLXQ[/youtube]

And this one shows that in the film itself, they dubbed over an actor who said nothing at all during actual filming (at the 0:14 mark). "She's gotta talk into the mic, I can't pick it up" was added later; it's apparent that the pantomime of him shaking his head wasn't enough, so they added the line for audiences to better understand the scene.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTFCctdiS04[/youtube]

Disney Duster wrote:Better developed romance for the two leads, probably by spending more screentime on it, especially at the ball.

We find out Kit's real/full name at least said once.

I agree with these. But everything else seems like unnecessary changes to me.

Honestly, I'd have liked more Kit/Ella scenes in general, not just at the ball, but them meeting a couple more times after their first encounter, before the ball, where they still don't know who the other is.

Albert

I have seen Singin' in the Rain a while back, so I didn't remember everything. Great movie though.

Thanks for explaining to me dubbing for almost all sound in a movie, but I must say, the dubbing for the Fairy Godmother still bothers me because it doesn't match her mouth movements. And, of course, because it makes no sense she says magic words only two times.

I'm glad Ella and Kit only met once before the ball. It put more importance on the ball and reinforced love at first sight. I only wish they spent more time getting to know each other and build the romance at the ball, rather than elsewhere. Keeping the deleted scene in would have worked wonderfully. It wouldn't have given them a perfect romance but it would have been better.

Oh, and I want to add I think when Kit leaves Cinderella in the forest, he tells her there will be a ball at the palace that everyone can come to, and he can see her again there, but she can’t tell anyone about it until it’s officially announced. Because when you start to fall in love with someone, you don't just let them go saying , "Hope I see you again!"

For anyone wanting to see them, the deleted scenes are on Youtube. Just search for one. Here's the link to "The Mourning" for instance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMSQQ9lDUVU

Disney Duster wrote:For anyone wanting to see them, the deleted scenes are on Youtube. Just search for one. Here's the link to "The Mourning" for instance:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMSQQ9lDUVU

Thank you!

I'm still mad that they are not included on the blu-ray. But at least now we can see them online...