[103], Praising its score and faithfulness to the source material, Eileen Fitzpatrick of Billboard called the film a "sure to please" remake while lauding Brandy's performance, joking that the singer "slips into the Rodgers and Hammerstein Broadway-like score as easily as Cinderella fits into the glass slipper". [53] Despite praising Houston, Montalban, Alexander and Peters, People's Terry Kelleher found Brandy's vocals inferior to Houston's and "lack[ing] the vocal command and emotive power to" support the film's ballads. The special will reunite some of the original members of its heavy-hitting cast, including Brandy, Whoopi Goldberg, Paolo Montalban, Victor Garber, Bernadette Peters, Jason Alexander and Veanne Cox. Originally presented on television in 1957 starring Julie Andrews, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella was the most widely viewed program in the history of the medium. [9] Hirschhorn interpreted the film's success as an indication that "there is a huge family audience out there for quality programming," expressing interest in eventually "fill[ing] in the ground between feature animated musicals and Broadway". [92], Shortly after the film's premiere, audiences soon began demanding a swift home video release, which the studio soon began bringing to fruition. Welcome back to The Saturday Night Movies Podcast! [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. "[12] With a then-unprecedented production budget of $12 million, Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella is one of the most expensive television films ever made;[21][62] some media publications dubbed the program "the most expensive two hours ever produced for television. "[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. In addition to Cinderella herself, Mirojnick costumed all female guests attending the prince's ball in various shades of blue, ranging from aqua to sapphire;[49] Meron believes that Mirojnick's use of color in the characters' costumes distracts from the various skin colors of the film's actors. [76] The film's impending premiere coincided with the launch of the official Rodgers and Hammerstein website, which streamed segments from the upcoming broadcast via RealVideo from October 27 to November 3, 1997. The original cast included Brandy and the late Whitney Houston, as well as Whoopi Goldberg as Queen Constatina, Paolo Montalban as Prince Christopher, Victor Garber as King Maximillian, Bernadette . [12] Three songs not featured in previous versions of the musical were added to augment the film's score,[48] each of which was borrowed from a different Rodgers and Hammerstein source;[9][13][35][53] these additions are considered to be the most dramatic of the changes made to the musical. [79] Cinderella's producers immediately began researching other musical projects to adapt for the Wonderful World of Disney, with the network originally hoping to produce at least one similar television special per year,[79] announcing that songwriter Stephen Schwartz had already begun writing a musical adaptation of Pinocchio. [4] The studio originally planned to release an original soundtrack featuring the film's music. However, she called Montalban "perfectly charming" and "The real fairy tale". [20] Freedman was more concerned with writing a film suitable for young girls in the 1990s than writing a multi-cultural film, inspired by stories about his wife being affected by women's representation in films when she was growing up. [122] According to Zadan, Cinderella's success "helped secure a future for musicals in the 'Wonderful World of Disney' slot", whose film company Storyline Entertainment started developing new musicals for the series shortly afterward, including Annie (1999). [22] Mary and James often visited,[35] as well as Chapin. [123] According to Vulture.com entertainment critic Matt Zoller Seitz, both productions "stood out for their lush production values, expert control of tone, and ahead-of-the-curve commitment to diverse casting. "[20] The filmmakers also agreed that it would be wasteful to cast Peters without allowing her to sing. [37] Cinderella and the prince are also shown meeting and developing an interest in each other prior to the ball,[38] lessening the "love at first sight" element at the behest of the producers, by having Cinderella and the prince meet and talk to each other first,[37] an idea that would be reused in subsequent adaptations of the story. "[16] Executive producer Debra Martin Chase explained that, despite enjoying Warren's performance as Cinderella, she and Houston "realized we never saw a person of color playing Cinderella", explaining, "To have a black Cinderella is just something. [20] Furthermore, Alexander insisted that Lionel be different from his Seinfeld character George Costanza, despite Freedman originally writing several in-jokes that alluded to Alexander's most famous role, prompting him to revise several of the actor's scenes accordingly. [65] By February 1999, the video had sold more than two million copies. [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. after the company endured box office bombs with Fantasia and Bambi (pictures that would later become more successful with re-releases); . Describing it as "effortlessly, even unintentionally, progressive", Thomas wrote that the film "forecast a world with far more possibility; it's a film made for the future. However, development was delayed for several years, during which time the network grew disinterested in the project. [63] According to A. J. Jacobs of Entertainment Weekly, the film's budget was approximately four-times that of a typical television film. [74] The same newspaper reported that Cinderella was one of 16 upcoming television films commissioned for the series. [50] Disney CEO Michael Eisner introduced the program. [69] Mandy Len Catron, author of How to Fall in Love with Anyone: A Memoir in Essays, believes that the film remains "The only truly diverse version of the fairy tale" as of 2017. "[37] Attempting to eliminate the element that Cinderella is simply waiting to be rescued by the prince, Freedman explained, "I'm not saying that it's the most feminist movie you'll ever see, but it is compared the other versions. [29] The remake reflected a changing society,[27] containing themes discussing self-reliance and love. [20][56] Additionally, samples of "Impossible" and the wedding march were interpolated into its melody. [37] Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella premiered on October 13, 1997 at Mann's Chinese Theatre,[75] which Houston attended with her husband and daughter. Co-produced by Whitney Houston, who also appears as Cinderella's Fairy Godmother, the film stars Brandy in the titular role and features a racially diverse cast consisting of Jason Alexander, Whoopi Goldberg, Bernadette Peters, Veanne Cox, Natalie Desselle, Victor Garber and Paolo Montalban. [32] Houston would encourage the singer to "Sing from your gut" as opposed to singing from her chest in order to get her to sing louder. $14.00. [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. [101] Similarly, Martha Tesema wrote in an article for Mashable that "seeing Brandy as Cinderella on screen was groundbreaking" having "grown up in a time where future Disney characters like Tiana did not exist and the reason why didn't cross my minduntil this Cinderella. MPAA Rating: PG for suggestive material and language. [20][52] Few songs remaining in Rodgers and Hammerstein's repertoire were deemed suitable until they re-discovered "There's Music in You", a little-known song from the film Main Street to Broadway (1953),[20] in which the songwriters play themselves. The Stork Club . [86] ABC's chief researcher Larry Hyams recalled that few "predicted the magnitude of Cinderella's numbers". [15] According to the Nielsen ratings, Cinderella averaged a 22.3 rating and 31 share (although it was originally estimated that the program had earned only an 18.8 rating),[9][78] which is believed to have been bolstered by the film's strong appeal towards women and adults between the ages of 18 and 49. One of the best Disney movies from the 90s, 101 Dalmatians live-action is based on the book by Dodie Smith. [37] Zadan and Meron wanted Houston to end the film with a wedding song for Cinderella and Christopher. [78], In addition to being the most-watched program of the evening, Cinderella remained the most-watched program of the entire week, scoring higher ratings than the consistently popular shows ER and Seinfeld. "[4] Houston found the most impressive part of the remake to be "the lessons youngsters can learn about dreams and self-image". Cinderella explains that she can only imagine what it must have been like, and they briefly bond over the memory, only for the Stepmother to soon recognize Cinderella as the mysterious princess with whom the Prince danced and insisting that she will never be more than a common girl. [129][130], Despite its initial reception, Cinderella has become widely revered as one of the best film adaptations of the fairy tale. After revisiting the 1997 Cinderella on Disney+, . [27] Both Polygon and Mashable named 1997's Cinderella the best version of the story,[100][132] while Entertainment Tonight ranked the film the third greatest adaptation of the fairy tale. Adapted from Oscar Hammerstein II's book, Freedman modernized the script to appeal to more contemporary audiences by updating its themes, particularly re-writing its main character into a stronger heroine. "[51], Martha Tesema, a writer for Mashable, called the film "the best live-action princess remake", writing that it "deserves just as much praise now as it did then. "[16], Robert Iscove was enlisted as the film's director,[12] with Chris Montan and Mike Moder producing alongside Zadan and Meron. [16] Since Houston was still slated to play Cinderella at the time, production was unable to proceed without her involvement. "[39] Freedman identified Houston's eventual re-casting as the Fairy Godmother as a moment that instigated "the next round of rewriting",[16] adapting her version of the character into a "worldly-wise older sister" to Cinderella, as opposed to the "regal maternal figure" that had been depicted prior. They save the original sound while updating it. "[46] Theater director Timothy Sheader found the production "harsh and unmagical". [35][72] Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella was a major ratings success, breaking several television records much like the original did. [36] Montalban enjoyed this version of the prince character because "he isn't just holding out for a pretty girl he's looking for someone who will complete him as a person, and he finds all of those qualities in Cinderella. [135] On August 23, 2022, the cast once again reunited for a television special Cinderella: The Reunion, A Special Edition of 20/20, which was followed by an airing of the film, the first time it has aired on broadcast television in over two decades. This list shows all films released in 1997, including films that went direct-to-video, or only got an international theatrical release. MPAA PG. Based on the French fairy tale by Charles Perrault, the film is the second remake and third version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical, which originally aired on television in 1957. 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 . [39] Casting the stepmother proved particularly challenging since most of the white actresses considered for the role felt uneasy about acting cruelly towards a Black Cinderella; Bette Midler was among several actresses who declined. Among the most significant changes made to the musical, several songs from other Rodgers and Hammerstein productions were interpolated into the film to augment its score. [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. Widest Release 3,848 . [37] Zadan agreed that "We've only been able to make [expensive musicals] because of the home-video component. [12] Meron believes that the organization was so open due to Houston's involvement, explaining, "Whitney was so huge at that time; to a lot of executives she was popular entertainment as opposed to being defined by her race. Disney's recent streak continued over the weekend with the $70.1 million North American debut of its traditional, sumptuously costumed fairy tale adaptation "Cinderella," according to studio . "[37] Goldberg found the film's colorful cast to be reflective of "who we are", describing it as "more normal" than all-Black or all-white casts. [16] Houston arrived at the reading several hours late, by which time some of the actors had grown frustrated and weary. [15] The film became ABC's most-watched Sunday night program in more than 10 years,[81][82] as well as the most-watched program during the network's two-hour 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm time slot in 1314 years,[9][15][78][83] a record it broke within its first hour of airing. MPAA G. Running Time 1 hr 14 min. In the end, Cinderella and the Prince marry in a grand ceremony, while the palace gates close on her stepfamily, forcing them to watch from outside. Theater box office or somewhere else Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella is a 1997 American musical telefilm produced by Walt Disney Television. She isn't a filmmaker, particularly not in the same category and Martin McDonagh. The show loses money, and the home video [market] makes back the money that you lose. Cinderella grows distracted while waiting upon her stepmother and two stepsisters in the marketplace, where she meets a charming young man. [39] The telecast aired to over 60 million viewers who watched at least a portion of the film,[9] becoming the most-watched television musical in several years and earning more viewership than 1993's Gypsy. [136], Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella is considered to be a "groundbreaking" film due to its diverse cast, particularly casting a Black actress as Cinderella. [29] Writing for Nylon, Taylor Bryant called the film both "An Underrated Classic" and "One of the most important moments in [film] history". "[25] Tesema credits its ethnic diversity with making the film as "enchanting" as it is, continuing that the production "invites you to accept these [characters' races] as just the way they are for a little over an hour and it's a beautiful phenomenon". "[89], Brandy Norwood reprises her role as Cinderella in the Disney+ film The Pocketwatch, part of the Descendants franchise.[149]. [5][6] Songwriters Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II originally wrote Cinderella as a musical exclusively for television starring Julie Andrews,[7] which aired in 1957 to 107 million viewers. Cinderella currently has a score of 97% on Rotten Tomatoes. With kindness and respect", which some critics identified as the studio's attempt to make the film more feminist. Possibili progetti. [20] The producers hoped that the cast's diversity would enhance the film's "universal appeal" and interest children of all ethnicities. Piala AFC. [15][39] Describing the film as "Short, sweet and blindingly brightly colored", TV Guide film critic Maitland McDonagh wrote that Cinderella is "overall a pleasant introduction to a classic musical, tweaked to catch the attention of contemporary youngsters. The main plot follows a litter of dalmatian puppies who end up kidnapped by Cruella de Vil to make fur for her coats. With final encouragement from her Fairy Godmother, Cinderella finally decides she will run away from home. [49] The original song lacked a bridge and was deemed inferior to Houston's trademark vocals,[37] thus it was combined with the bridge from "One Foot, Other Foot" from Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical Allegro (1947). The film made $542 million worldwide, Branagh's biggest box office haul to date as a director. Box Office. [17] Cosmopolitan's Alexis Nedd wrote that the film's final cast consisted of "Broadway stars, recording artists, relative unknowns, and bona fide entertainment superstars. 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? [4], By the late 1990s, Disney had grown interested in reviving their long-running anthology program The Wonderful World of Disney. Cinderella (Brandy) chafes under the cruelty of her wicked stepmother (Bernadette Peters) and her evil stepsisters, Calliope (Veanne Cox) and Minerva (Natalie Desselle), until her Fairy Godmother (Whitney Houston) steps in to change her life for one unforgettable night. "[145] Fuse TV dubbed Brandy's performance as Cinderella "iconic" and "arguably the most groundbreaking portrayal at time," inspiring the character to become more diverse in the following years. ", "Ranking The 10 Actresses Who Played Cinderella Like Royalty", "Brandy Shares Her Fondest #BlackGirlMagic Moments", "Why Rodgers & Hammerstein's 'Cinderella' Is Still Relevant In 2017", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cinderella_(1997_film)&oldid=1142127041, This page was last edited on 28 February 2023, at 17:27. [42] Disney asked the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization to be as open about changes to the musical's score as they had been about the script and cast. People were clearly still thinking, 'Multicultural is one thing, but do we have to have two black leads? [17] Houston was retained as an executive producer, alongside Chase. And once you learn that, you don't unlearn it", representing its theme that nothing is impossible. Brand new: Lowest price. [70] Winston supplied the set with three armed guards to ensure that the jewelry remained protected at all times and was safely returned at the end of filming. has two spoilt daughters of her own. Cinderella 1997 vhs Sticker, cinderella sticker, disney princess stickers, whitney houston sticker, brandy norwood sticker, 90's sticker .

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