NEWS FEED

Snow White fairy tale revisited in new movie

Written by Rachel Shoemaker, Entertainment Editor

Once upon a time, there was a movie based on the German fairy tale Snow White. Then, there was another made, and another. Since Walt Disney’s film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs first premiered in 1937, numerous retellings have been produced.

However, because of a more recent fascination with fairy tales, two twists on the traditional tale of good and evil are appearing on screen in 2012.

On March 16, Mirror Mirror made its debut, telling the story of a malicious queen who unjustly takes over the kingdom belonging to Snow White, an orphan princess. Instead of seven dwarfs to help, there are seven miniature-sized highway robbers in their place. After rescuing Snow White from exile in the forest, the rebels stand by her side and help overthrow the queen.

Snow White and the Huntsman will be released on June 1, putting yet another unexpected spin on the traditional story. As usual, the evil queen is out to get Snow White, but Snow White has neither the dwarfs nor the robbers to help her. Instead, she wins over a huntsman, the prince, who was originally ordered by the queen to kill her. With him on her side, she prepares for the crucial battle that will decide the fate of the realm.

These are just the two most recent adaptations that have been made of Snow White. The story has acquired many adaptations as it has evolved over the years.

Following the Disney version in 1937 came the restored Disney version in 1993, Snow White: A Tale of Terror (1997), Snow White: The Fairest of Them All in 2001 and the most recent Blu-ray Diamond Edition in 2009, just to name a few. According to senior Shawna Gilliam, fairy tales are simple to modify.

“Fairy tales are easy to alter because you can change around the plot to make it either funny or scary,” Gilliam said. “It’s interesting because we grew up watching the happy-go-lucky Snow White, but it’s a different generation now; she’s changed.”

Although both Mirror Mirror and Snow White and the Huntsman are tightly woven around the tale of Snow White, they have completely opposite tones. “Huntsman takes itself very seriously, selling what looks like a Lord of the Rings take on the classic fairy tale,” MTV Movie Team critic Josh Wigler said. “Mirror Mirror is slap-sticky and over-the-top in the comedy department.”

Even though she said she does not watch television much, biology teacher Leanna Racquer said Snow White and the Huntsman will certainly be a movie she watches on the big-screen.

“Snow White and the Huntsman looks very aesthetically pleasing. The sets, costumes and people are pretty, but my first impression was that it’s dark, and I like when people tell stories from other points of view. It makes Snow White look not so innocent,” Racquer said. “I’m thinking Charlize Theron makes a much better villain than Julia Roberts.”