"[46] Theater director Timothy Sheader found the production "harsh and unmagical". [16] Although he had not written a musical before, Freedman was fond of Warren's version and drawn to the opportunity to work with Zadan and Meron, whose plans to remake Cinderella he had first read about in a Variety article. 4. "[147] Similarly, Elle writer R. Eric Thomas crowned Cinderella "One of the Most Important Movies of the '90s". [23] Brandy had been starring on the sitcom Moesha at the time but was still relatively new to television audiences, despite her success as a recording artist. [67] Cinderella's "glass slippers" were made of shatterproof acrylic as opposed to glass, and only one pair was designed to fit Brandy's feet; the shoe the prince discovers and carries on a pillow in search of its owner was designed to be extremely small in order to give it the appearance of being "incredibly delicate", with Iscove describing it as "too small for any human" foot. [46][47], Jason Alexander was cast as the prince's valet Lionel, an entirely new character created for comic relief. [16] In a final attempt to earn Houston's approval, Meron and Zadan enlisted Broadway actors to perform a read-through for the singer, namely La Chanze as Cinderella, Brian Stokes Mitchell as the prince, Theresa Meritt as the Fairy Godmother and Dana Ivey as the Stepmother. Several well-known actors auditioned for the role, including Wayne Brady, Antonio Sabato, Jr., Marc Anthony and Taye Diggs, the latter of whom was highly anticipated due to his starring role in the musical Rent at the time. Box office. . With final encouragement from her Fairy Godmother, Cinderella finally decides she will run away from home. [102] Critics have softened towards the film over time,[94][95] which has earned 86% on review aggregate Rotten Tomatoes. [49] The actor concluded "There's no reason why this can't be the norm. When it is announced that there is to be a 'Ball' in honour of the kingdoms Prince the wicked step-mother. It was the 5th most popular movie at the British box office in 1951. [37] Meron maintains that these adjustments helped the composition resemble a "Rodgers and Hammerstein song that sounds like a new Whitney Houston record". [35][72] Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella was a major ratings success, breaking several television records much like the original did. [37] Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella premiered on October 13, 1997 at Mann's Chinese Theatre,[75] which Houston attended with her husband and daughter. With her Fairy Godmother's warning that the spell will only last until midnight, Cinderella leaves for the ball. [109] Harlene Ellin of the Chicago Tribune wrote that, despite its aesthetics and color-blind casting, the film "lacks the requisite charm and spark", concluding that the production "doesn't capture the heart" despite its beauty. [38], Freedman continuously re-wrote the script between 1993 and 1997, particularly concerned about whether or not Houston would like his teleplay. [71], The film's sets were designed by Randy Ser,[12] while art direction was headed by Ed Rubin, who opted to combine a "bright and bold" color palette with "a great deal of subtlety". [16] After relocating their production company, Storyline Entertainment, from CBS to Disney Studios,[18] Zadan and Meron re-introduced the project to Houston. Critical reception towards the film has improved over time, with several media publications ranking it among the best film adaptations of the fairy tale. [104] In addition to receiving praise for its overall craftsmanship and musical format, critics appreciated the film's color-blind cast. "[29] Chase hoped that the film mirroring an evolving society "will touch every child and the child in every adult",[19] encouraging "children of all colors [to] dream. Last edited on 28 February 2023, at 17:27, Outstanding Art Direction for a Variety or Music Program, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, 1950 animated adaptation of the fairy tale, Outstanding Variety, Music or Comedy Special, Outstanding Costume Design for a Variety or Music Program, Outstanding Directing for a Variety or Music Program, Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special, Excellence in Production Design Awards Show, Variety, Music, or Non-Fiction Program, Outstanding Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special, NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Television Movie or Mini-Series, "Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella (1997)", "Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella (1997)", "Whitney Houston And Brandy Star In TV Movie 'Cinderella', "Brandy Norwood, Bernadette Peters & More Look Back on Twenty Years Since Cinderella", "Playbill Critics Circle: Review TV Cinderella", "Finally, Cinderella is going to the ball", "TV's Cinderella Turns In Royal Ratings Performance", "Curtain Call: Ted Chapin Makes Sure Cinderella Has a Ball", "Playbill on Opening Night: Cinderella; The Very Best Foot Forward", "Ring Out The Bells, Sing Out The News: Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella Returns To Television", "It's Possible: 60 Million Viewers Go To The Ball With Cinterella", "It's Possible: An Oral History of 1997's "Cinderella", "Remembering Whitney Houston and the 1997 remake of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella", "Television; The Slipper Still Fits, Though the Style Is New", "Impossible? [16] Instead of making each character more modern, Zadan opted to "contemporize the qualities of the characters" instead. [11][128] Additionally, Montalban has reprised his role as the prince in both regional and touring productions of Cinderella, some of which have been directly based on or inspired by the 1997 film. 16. She isn't a filmmaker, particularly not in the same category and Martin McDonagh. [121] Bill Carter of The New York Times predicted that the success of the broadcast "will mean more musicals for television, probably as early as" 1998. Widest Release 3,848 . Cinderella will waltz into the hearts of the entire family and live happily ever after as one . Release Calendar Top 250 Movies Most Popular Movies Browse Movies by Genre Top Box Office Showtimes & Tickets Movie News India Movie Spotlight. [8] In 2007, theatre historian John Kenrick dismissed the film as "a desecration of Rodgers & Hammerstein's only original TV musical" despite its popularity, advising audiences to only watch the previous versions of the musical. The Cinderella: Sarah Michelle Gellar The Gist: A critical and box office bomb, this computer-animated film feels a bit like a warmed-over Shrek, combining the Cinderella story with elements from the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen.Cinderella must escape from Fairy Tale Land after her power-hungry stepmother (Sigourney Weaver, 71) tips the scales of . Disney's 1997 adaptation of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella was a dream come true for executive producer Whitney Houston (originally tapped to play Cindy herself) and for Black girls . [11][52] Despite being covered by singer Bing Crosby, "There's Music in You" remained obscure for 40 years until its re-discovery. [129][130], Despite its initial reception, Cinderella has become widely revered as one of the best film adaptations of the fairy tale. "[147] Khoo observed that the film continues to be constantly praised in social media by fans who had grown up with the film for its diversity, concluding, "With so much talk about the lack of diversity in Hollywood these days, Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'Cinderella' is a shining example of the diversity we need. "[2] Similarly, television critic Ken Tucker, writing for Entertainment Weekly, praised Brandy and Alexander but found that Houston "strikes a wrong note as a sassy, vaguely hostile Fairy Godmother" while dismissing Montalban as "a drearily bland prince" and describing most of the musical numbers as "clunky", predicting that children "will sleep through" the film. 6 min read. [35] Due to the film's child-friendly message, children and family members of the cast and crew visited the set regularly, including Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown and husband Bobby Brown. [16] Although they were originally concerned that the organization would dismiss the idea of a multi-cultural cast, they were surprised when the company did not protest whatsoever. The program's success inspired Disney and ABC to produce several similar musical projects. The timeless enchantment of a magical fairy tale is reborn with Rodgers & Hammerstein hallmarks of originality, charm and elegance. Genres Adventure Drama Family Fantasy Romance. Solely determined to bolster their own wealth and social status by marrying the prince, Cinderella's stepfamily leaves for the ball, leaving Cinderella home alone. Get it by Sat, Jan 14 - Wed, Jan 18 from Halltown, Missouri. The show loses money, and the home video [market] makes back the money that you lose. [19][31] Montan, who oversees most of the music for Disney's animated films, had been interested in crossing over into live-action for several years and identified Cinderella as one of the first opportunities in which he was allowed to do so. "[69] The costume department originally created fake jewelry for Goldberg's character, which consisted of rhinestones for her to wear during the film's ballroom and wedding sequences. [9] Translated, this means that 31 percent of televisions in the United States aired the premiere,[15] while 23 million different households tuned in to the broadcast. Running Time 1 hr 45 min. [55] Various elements from Freedman's script were incorporated into the 2000 national tour of Cinderella,[126] which is considered to be the first time the musical was adapted into a legitimate Broadway-style production. "[137] Following its success, Disney considered adapting the fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty" into a musical set in Spain featuring Latin music, but the idea never materialized. "[36] Due to the well-known cast, tabloid newspapers often fabricated stories of the cast engaging in physical altercations, particularly among Brandy, Houston and Goldberg, all of which were proven false. Although mistreated by her cruel stepmother and stepsisters, Cinderella is able to attend the royal ball through the help of a fairy godmother. [55] Although its original melody is retained, the music producers adapted the waltz into a "frenetic Latin-tinged number in duple meter" more suitable for the conniving character. Cinderella: Directed by Robert Iscove. MPAA PG. [17] The musicians were not interested in completely modernizing the material in the vein of the musical The Wiz (1974), opting to simply "freshen" its orchestration by incorporating contemporary rhythms, keyboards and instruments, similar to the way in which the studio approaches animated musicals. Box office. [107], Although Houston and Brandy's on-screen pairing was highly anticipated, the supporting cast of Peters, Goldberg and Alexander ultimately garnered most of the program's praise. [9][20] CBS originally intended to air the completed film by the end of the 1994-1995 television season, but the project was continuously delayed. Taylor Swift has not directed any large-scale projects with large budgets or crews. [92], Shortly after the film's premiere, audiences soon began demanding a swift home video release, which the studio soon began bringing to fruition. "[12] Towards the end of filming, the producers realized that they did not have enough money to pay for extras and additional costs, and Disney refused to loan any more money to the production. Back at their own home, Cinderella wishes to attend the ball herself, but her stepmother ridicules the idea, advising her that a prince would never be interested in her and to remain grateful for her current life. [16] Houston believed strongly in the story's positive moral "that nothing is impossible and dreams do come true," encouraging the filmmakers to imbue their version of Cinderella "with a 90s sensibility but to remain faithful to the spirit of the original.

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