The biggest issue with the movie is when it was released. Shrek had just taken over the world, and every kids' movie suddenly had to be full of pop culture references and modern inventions in medieval times.
To be fair, Hoodwinked is actually pretty damn hilarious. The whole whodunnit take on fairy tales was unique enough for me to think it wasnt ripping off shrek
Oh my God, that's it! I knew there was something about this film, something I couldn't put my finger on, but that is genuinely it! This movie's a Shrek knockoff! The pop culture references! The cartoony villain! The not so subtle attempts to subvert genre tropes and stock character motivations! THE ENDING IN THE CHURCH!!! OH MY SWEET BABY JÉSUS, IT'S TRUE!!! *THIS IS A SHREK RIPOFF!!!!*
Shrek came out in 2001, while Ella Enchanted came out in 2004. So the assumption that Ella Enchanted (at least the movie version) copied a lot from Shrek is no coincidence and is pretty much valid.
@@bul13ts Now I can't help but think they modeled the king after katzenberg the same way he modeled Farquad after Eisner I mean both Katzenberg and the king are ~petty assholes~
The part in the book where she breaks the curse is actually much more significant. He doesn't just propose to her, he tells her to marry him and it comes off as an order, and she finds the power to resist. It's so impactful. I enjoyed this video, thank you
I think one of the things I loved most about the book was that there was no immediate danger to Char like Prince Edgar, it was simply the inevitability of that danger that gave Ella the determination to break her curse. She loved him so much she wasn’t even willing to risk the possibility of hurting him. It’s such a powerful moment and it feels so earned when she breaks it.
The same author wrote a really great take on the Snow White story called "Fairest" set in the same world. Ella's friend in finishing school is from the kingdom where "Fairest" takes place. And it's the same as Ella Enchanted in that you don't make the connection until late, in this case when she eats the poisoned apple.
You know... I feel really dumb. Fairest has been one of my top five favourite books for the last 11 years. I’ve read it a half a dozen times, and I never put together that it was supposed to be Snow White. Wow
HHHHHHHHOOOOOOLLLLLYYYYYY fucgkin shit i didnt know that was the same author i read fairest like 5 years ago but never read ella enchanted only watched the movie wtttfffff
I like when people are so certain of their masculinity and all and all badassness to admit that they like something that might be considered feminine. This is why The Iron Bull is one of my favorite characters in DAI. Good on you, Dominic
I noticed two mistakes you made about the books: Char didn't have the shoes custom made for Ella, they found them under a bench; Dame Olga wasn't 'shocked and hurt' that the father only married her for her money. She was upset because she was under the impression that he was super rich, and then she found out he had nothing. Funny story: I listened to the story countless times growing up, and I never made the connection that it was the Cinderella story. My mum had to tell me.
Jerusha French I was also confused about that part ("did he have them made and then hide them under the bench?"), especially because it took me a few reads to get the Cinderella thing. I think maybe I read a review on the back of the book and was like OHHHHH!
Jerusha French no way. I was describing my confusion when they talked in the video about Char having them custom-made. I had a bit of doubt in my memory of the book, and literally went searching for a comment like yours to reassure myself that I was remembering correctly. (As in, Char really didn't have those shoes made.)
Oh, yeah, that makes sense. I wan't sure whether that was just your thought-process while watching it or whether it was what you thought. Thanks for clearing that up!
Jerusha French Same. I noticed a few more mistakes too. Like Lucinda spending one month each being a squirrel and being obedient. It was 3 months each. And "The next day", Char came to find her. No, it was that night. She rushed home to disguise herself before he could get there.
"Now freakishly happy about being cursed" lmao It's kinda creepy how the curse allows people to tell her what to think/believe additional to telling her how to act
An order is an order, no matter it’s nature. If someone says, “You should be happy all the time!” In the right tone, it’s an order. If someone in a guilt-tripper way says, “You aught to feel sorry for me!” You WILL feel as they have said to. Though thankfully you can hide emotions, the way the spell works requires that a literal carrying out of the order said directly to her must be done. Wording is key here, I think.
This is basically the geass but backwards Instead of giving an order that no one can disobey no matter what you cannot disobey an order anyone gives you no matter what
Exactly how I felt. I had to read this book for Middle School English class and dreaded it because I hated the film, but once it got going I surprisingly enjoyed it and loved the book. Personal favorite part is Ella finding and exploiting loopholes in orders like when told to speak up she'd scream everything and when told to quiet down in response she'd mumble. Book Ella thoroughly loved to fuck with people whenever she was able to.
Makes me wonder how exactly the loopholes work. (Havent read the book or seen the film so idk bout the exact phrasing) but when the giants tell her not to run away my first thought was.. "just walk then. Or crawl. Or fo cartwheels. Anything but run?"
I kept thinking of Jessica Jones, except that instead of a character with the power to make anyone do anything, you have a character who has to do anything she's told. Man, there are some dark places you could go with that premise...
@@negatjazzy idk about in the movie, but in the book the ogres tell her to "stop" and "don't run away" which is moreso an expression for "don't leave"
Mind you, I think the book is miles better but there's a reason for Ella not lifting the curse herself before that point in the movie. It's because Lucinda ordered her to remove it herself if she hates it so much, thus giving Ella the capability to do so. I'm still not sure why she didn't remove it *immediately after Lucinda said that*, though. Probably for dramatic effect.
I guess you could argue that being forced to kill the prince upped the hate level for the curse. It couldn't be an after the fact moment where the curse is merely a pain in the ass. It has to be in a moment where she truly hates what it's doing to her.
I actually considered this but thought that she must have hated it already by that point in the movie, since she'd already been given the order to kill the prince. But I think you're probably right, actually having to almost go through with killing him was probably the last drop :)
Kaja Miletic Sh*t! I've seen this movie so many times! How have I never caught that Lucinda gave her the order, thus letting her brake it?! I feel so dense!
Problem is, she follows every other order right away. The only way it works is if "if you hate it so much" means she can only do it when she hates it as much as she describes. But then that means she would have had to have exaggerated when she was trying to get Lucinda to break the spell. It could work, but I'm not sure it works with the movie we were given. Maybe some changes in wording would make it work better: "If you hate doing what you're told more than anything, why don't you just remove it yourself?" And then have some indication that she's following orders when she actually does it.
You missed a few points in the latter half of detailing the book's plot. For example, Char didn't propose to Ella's masked alter-ego (in fact, he expressly stated that he intended to remain single for life), and the reason Hattie removed her mask was because she thought that 'Lela' was disfigured beneath it and wanted to shame her. Also, Lucinda 'gifted' Ella's dad and Dame Olga with 'a gift that nobody could possibly dislike' which was everlasting love; the reason Ella's dad GTFO was because he still hated her despite his new and permanent love for her -- by that same token, Dame Olga loved Sir Peter despite his moneygrubbing, and the reason she enslaved Ella was because she loved her husband too much to take it out on him. Furthermore, Lucinda was a squirrel and then a child for a respective 3 months each. And the shoes were discovered in an abandoned part of an old castle, and they fit because they were fairy-made. The fake Hattie-letter said that Ella never got Char's proposal letter because she had despaired of Char ever popping the question, and so had gone for her Plan B in the form of the aforementioned old guy to get a quick fortune since the queendom didn't seem to be in the bag.
Yes! But you could argue that a proposal implied and interrupted by Hattie? He says, "Marriage is supposed to be forever, but friendship can be forever, too. Will you....?" And then Hattie rips off her mask, making Ella flee.
@@madelinejane9413 "...write to me when you go home to Basque?". That seems like the likely end to Char's speech. He made it clear he had no intention of marrying and is only looking for friendship
I was in genuine denial that that was Cary Elwes. I know his career began with Princess Bride and ended with Men in Tights, but still! It actually kinda hurts to see him in something that looks like an ironic kickstarter project.
And he totally was Baron Humbert Von Gikkigen in two Ghibli movies or anything - giving me seriously weird feelings about a cat-man statue in a white suit with an English accent.
I would blame Shrek on what happened to the Ella Enchanted movie I wouldn't be surprised if this project had started out to be closer to the original text but the success of Shrek caused Studio heads to demand alterations to be closer to that type of movie resulting in what was released
Fun fact: The author visited my school once. I didn't read it because I thought it was a girl book, but I remember she said she complained about the changes but they didn't listen
LUCKY. Ella enchanted and the two princesses of bammare were favorites of mine. Def not Disney princesses. Lol too much depth and fear and it's really fucking good. It isn't too much for young readers but has enough I still smile when I revisit it today and I'm fucking thirty. Won't spoil the story for you but it's well written. Like really well written. No wasted word. Her work is far underrated.
That is the most well laid-out Cinderella Story I have ever heard. It literally gives a reason for everything that happened in Cinderella like the magic ending at midnight and the shoe and everything like that. I love the way they told it in this one
"because she said no they can now get married" I love this show, it's my new favorite and i'm going to subscribe and tell all my friend both real and imaginary
The most vivid memory I have of the book is Ella triumphantly opening the window and yelling out "I want everybody to know that I shan't marry the prince!," rejoicing in her ability to finally say "No" to something, and then realizing with even greater joy that it means she can actually give an honest "Yes!" Such a good book.
I dressed as Ella from the book when I was 9 for Halloween and everyone kept thinking I was Fiona. I even carried around a large book and wore a nice little simple necklace. I also added a small flower tiara. But people kept assuming Fiona.
They actually found the fairy made shoes together while dicking around in the gardens of the old castle at a party neither of them wanted to be at. It was awesome.
I bought it at a book fair after I saw the movie. I remember thinking the book was so, so good, but the movie was just too much fun for the age I was at for me to ever hate it, even with its faults. Plus, it introduced me to "Somebody to Love" by Queen which I love to this day
Don't worry, Dom! I didn't realize it was a Cinderella retelling either until I got to the end of the novel. Then again, I was six or seven when I first read it, so...
That and the weird way they designed the crown makes it look too big for his head. Like it fits, but it encompasses his head rather than resting on top of it.
Remember that scene where Sir Edgar made Ella "shake her booty" right in front of him? That's another scene from my childhood that has a lot more unfortunate implications now.
Thank you so much for making this! Ella Enchanted was a book I absolutely adored as a child, I read it over and over I loved it so much. So you can imagine my disgust and horror when I saw what the movie did with such a brilliant and memorable story. It made a joke out of it, which really hurt. Ella Enchanted deserved so much better, it deserved to be an epic and unique fairytale movie. This movie is trying to be Shrek, and it's completely insulting to Gail Carson Levine's work.
I remember being sooooooo disappointed in this film, because the book holds such a special place in my heart. I've read it so many times. The book has this sort of maturity to it, and it felt like the production wanted to change it to a happy, funny, family film, so they completely transform the plot. I was disappointed about the change of politics, the dumbed down characters, and the tongue and cheek, awkward humor that took away any dignity the book had. Even disappointed with some of the direction, not the actors. I was really excited about Anne Hathaway playing Ella, after seeing her role in "Becoming Jane", thinking that if she played Ella like Jane, it would be perfect. I was even disappointed in Cary Elwes direction, since his performance was too goofy, and uncomfortable, even when comparing previous roles. The two things I was most disappointed about was: 1: The ogre scene/subplot. My favorite f***ing part about the book, because it is so badass. 2: They changed the believable relationship of Char and Ella into a cliche 3 day romance. If you do the math, from the moment they met to the moment Ella broke her curse and accepted Char's proposal, it is roughly 15 months. And they don't officially fall for each other until the last 4-5 months of that timeline. It felt genuine. On it's own, the movie is "okay" but claiming that the movie is an adaptation of the book is like saying "Frozen" is loosely based on "The Snow Queen": Laughable.
I had to write an essay on this book for school, and one of the options was comparing it to the adaptation. I was horrified when I watched the movie, and that horror was strongly expressed in my paper. I’m still upset at how they turned the elves from such a cool and unique society to a song and dance number.
So lowkey I love the movie and the book, I know the movie was ridiculous and is terrible but it's the sorta thing that's so ridiculous that it's awesome, sort of like Sharknado I guess 😂 idk, I liked it
Yeah same here, *SPOILERS* I had no idea that it was a Cinderella retelling until the last couple chapters, as I thought every fairytale element related to Cinderella was a common fairytale trope. It wasn’t until the climax of the story that these tropes only pertained to a very specific fairytale.
Same! I thought the slippers were just a fun fairytale Easter egg and that Hattie and Olive were references/tropes like you said. I think when they forced her to be a servant in her own house I started to pick up on it, but the dress transformation stuff was what tied it all together for me lol
@@erikbihari3625 The fact that the shoes only fit Cinderella's feet and that she was used as slave labor by her stepmother and stepsisters is the core of the story that has spread through various cultures. The shoes being made of glass and the existence of fairy godmothers are indeed specific to the version that inspired the Disney film, though.
Excellent review! Ella Enchanted was my favorite book when I was little and I was so bummed when the film came out and it was.. well. Slight correction in the summary: Char didn't have the glass shoes made, they found them while exploring the castle hosting Olga and the father's wedding; Ella's clothes for the ball were her mother's; and they didn't technically fall in love again at the ball, Char had no intention of finding a wife so soon after having his heart broken by Ella and had only decided that "Lela" was an excellent friend i.e. how they acted when they first met at the start of the book. Also I think Lucinda spent 3 months each as a squirrel and a kid, idk
So they adapted a very nuanced and interesting adaptation of the Cinderella story that seeks to make every event and motivation in the tale to make sense and that includes a very mature and rational depiction of love and villainy, to a hollywood flick that completely removed all the nuances that made this story unique? Yeah...Talking about de-evolution of culture...
I must be under some sort of curse. You said the book was good, I stopped the video, read the book, and came back to watch the rest. Thanks, it was good!
This movie sparked so much rage in me. I absolutely LOVED the book. I read it so much it literally fell apart. I was so happy when I heard it was becoming a movie. I was so angry when I saw what it became. R.I.P. Ella enchanted
This author actually has a second book set in the same universe called Fairest. Once again, it's a fairy tale that you don't realize is a fairy tale until the end, this one being based off of Snow White. I absolutely adore this book. Ella Enchanted and Fairest are actually connected, albeit loosely, because Ella is friends with the little sister of the main character of Fairest when she's at finishing school, Char is sent to Aythora (the kingdom where Fairest takes place) in Ella Enchanted, and Ella's father stays in the inn owned by the main character's family. The two books don't need to both be read to understand the stories, but it's fun re reading each one and picking up little Easter eggs like those... I don't know where this is going, but I just wanted to point this book out as another great read for people who liked Ella enchanted
I think the book is way better, but the movie doesn't bother me. I saw the movie first as a kid and enjoyed it. I read the book a few years later when I recognized the title and was kinda surprised at all the changes the movie made. I still really like both, but the movie is kind of a guilty pleasure.
WOW Thanks so much for talking about this book!!! It's one of my favorite childhood books of ALL TIME because *basically the story being Cinderella is the twist that sets up the third act, which is pretty freaking tight*
The second book Fairest (not sure whether it's technically a sequel or a spinoff) is also a phenomenally nuanced and subversive take on a fairy tail--in this story, Ella's Ayorthian friend's sister, Aza, is a recontextualized Snow White who is the subject of both immense praise (for her exceptional singing talent, which is culturally significant to Ayorthians) and intense mockery (due to her large size and her appearance, which is inconsistent with Ayorthian beauty standards), making her very insecure. These books are singularly sophisticated fairy tales and I love them with my whole heart. My sister hasn't read Ella Enchanted and doesn't understand why I hate the movie so much lol
Yes! I've seen the movie twice. The first time was in theaters where i got my heartbroken at being failed by the film studios for the first time in my life. The second, was a few years later after my temper had settled a bit. I was hoping that maybe I could like it a little since time had passed, but it only made me more mad.
@@victorlolxd7347 because it was such a a horrible adaptation from a good book. It was very clearly a "wow Shrek is popular... Is there another fantasy property we can make modern and hip for the kids?" Adaptation rather than telling a good story. Which I know is a common kind of thing... Now... But back then, that was the first book to movie adaptation as a child where it was turned into something completely unrecognizable. And you never forget your first😂
@@emmajochum8682I think the movie is much better than the book BY MILES But i totally get where your coming from… They left out some big chunks of storyline
I LOVED this book as a child and was super excited for the movie. My best friend and I literally left the theater and burned our tickets and a picture of the book as some weird funeral. We were so discussed with this movie. I like to pretend it doesn't exist...
stiches6749 umm...well I understand the disappointment of something you love bend turned into a 'in name only' adaptation, did you attempt to view the movie as a separate piece? I understand the changes they made can be detrimental to how it all comes down and that the book was indeed better but I highly doubt it warrants burning something you could have just thrown away without wasting matches or lighter fuel or whatever you used to incinerate the tickets
Titilayo Aderemi-Williams of course I can view them as two totally unrelated things. But I don't think it was a waste of matches or paper. This adaptation could have been beautiful, and they pooped on it.
@ I have a lot of comments I'm not proud of from years ago that I have no way of deleting, so getting notifications on my old comments is like a game of russian roulette for me
Dude, the story in the book is SO realistic to real life. So many girls are brought up to be obedient bc it’s convenient for the parents at the time and/or bc of gender roles, and that really does become a curse in adulthood. It stings even more when those same girls are criticised for what happens to them after being manipulated or pushed around by others. It’s taken me years to try to undo the curse of being a people-pleaser and I’m still in the process of practising being assertive enough to just uphold my own identity.
Omg that third ******* film made me want to start flipping tables. Hollywood had their dirty fingerprints all over it so clearly, they couldn't even try to frame someone else.
i love the book art so much i couldnt stop admiring it. the dress looks like velvet and she looks like a portrait of an actual girl. the curtain/not-curtain background is so cool. just a great cover overall.
I was out to lunch with the author shortly after the movie came out (she was a guest at my university and I graciously volunteered to buy her food before her afternoon schedule) and asked how involved she was involved in the adaptation. She said she had the right to say “this screenplay is nothing like the book” and because of consulting rights, they didn’t have to change it. She did enjoy some of the originality as you mentioned.
Welp. At least Cary Elwes looked like he was having a blast! Watching this review was absolutely depressing, and I was grateful for the copious amounts of Uncle "It's Obvious if You Look at Him" sprinkled throughout to keep me alive.
Despite all the awful shit Ella had to go through on top of her father being a dick, I have a keen memory of reading that scene at the end of the book where she's asked to marry Char again and she's fighting the enchantment and I'm sitting there practically yelling at her to just say, "Yes!" 💖
Gail Carson Levine has written a delightful number of retold fairy tales that make for wonderful reads. Sonora and the Long Sleep and The Fairy's Mistake were two of my favourites, but Cinderellis and the Glass Hill was another brilliant retelling of the Cinderella story with a male Ella, and it is honestly charming. God damn, the entirety of her work is truly singular in how clever, personable and well-told the stories are. Ella Enchanted is longer than the ones I mentioned. These three are pretty quick, but very wonderful reads. I strongly encourage going through them. :)
First off, they're both cinderella stories so they're inherently similar. Second off, they have similarities in both specific scenes and themes. I'm not about to write an essay here, but here are a few examples. The scene with Char and Ella at the giants party sitting across from each other and getting to know one another is identical to the scene in Ever After of Danielle and Henry at the gypsys' place. They both have their first kiss there. Danielle and Ella both challenge their princes' political views and make them want to do more for the people in the kingdom. They both have a friend that reluctantly helps them and has career dreams that are outside their station.
Ever After is actually much more like Ella Enchanted the book, at least in terms of its style and tone. The first time I saw it on TV, I caught it in the middle and thought for a second that they'd made a movie of Ella Enchanted, haha.
I must say though, Carey Elwes (idk how to spell his name), seemed to be having a lot of fun playing the over the top villain. Really everyone in the movie just seems to be having fun with it and not taking it too seriously.
Ok so, Terrance, did not mention 1 interesting little thing I noticed about the uncle that I am sure many others did. He is basically the villain from Disney's anthropamorphic version of Robin Hood.
I love this book. The movie was my first taste of adaptation disappointment. The book makes the Cinderella story so much more interesting. If you like this book, I recommend The Two Princesses if Bamarre. Written by the same author, it's a more original fairy tale. It was really good for me to read as an introverted young girl and I just am almost grateful that they didn't try to adapt it because if Ella Enchanted is any indication, it would not have turned out nearly as good. I also recommend the other, much shorter collection of stories written by Gail Carson Levine. They're all wonderfully written. As for the movie.... It was so JARRINGLY different for me that I had to double check my ticket stub when I went to see it. As a fan of the book... It was just disappointing.
This is one of my favorite LiA’s because you get the pain I felt as a kid seeing this movie. The book was compelling and deep. You have 3 dimensional characters that feel real and tangible, but exist in a world of fantasy. You feel Char’s and Ella’s love bloom and grow as they write and talk to each other. I cried at her having to turn him away in her fake letter. I cried at Lucinda learning her lesson because it was needed, but the cost is too high. It was written in beautiful prose that just sucks you in and challenges you to think and learn. Then this movie just ripped it apart. People are cardboard cutouts. Tropes are everywhere. I have stepped in a drop of water on a flat floor, and it was deeper than this movie. I was honestly livid. So thank you for showing everyone the truth.
in regards to the "in name only" thing, I would love to see you do The Seeker, adapted from Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising but uses only the setup. How everything happens changes, the ending changes, relationships change, etc etc etc.
Ooooh yeah, I remember those books. When I saw they had a film based on it I remember I wanted to see it, even if it was different...sooo was the film suuuper bad or just kinda meh? XD
it's that bad eh? I loved The Dark is Rising books as a child and was extremely put off by the trailers for the movie that I have still to this day not watched it
loopeymire I got Princess of Barramere as a kid, and have always wondered why no one else ever seemed to remember it. I thought it was a sweet and surprisingly mature story at the time I read it. I'll need to dig it up and see how it's aged.
Aubrey Hallman I remember getting Ella Enchanted and that book as a two-fer from the Scholastic Book Fair as a kid. I remember liking Ella more, but, like you said, that one deserves another read.
That was as soothing as a back massage. Thank you so much for this! I actually read the book as a child and loved it so much that try to re-read it at least once a year. I remember seeing a promotional photo for the film when I was in the 6th grade and a tiny little doubt began to nibble at the back of my head that the film wouldn't be good. Because I was young and innocent, I stupidly ignored it, only to be thoroughly betrayed by the adaptation. It was the first time I learned the harsh lesson of not getting too excited to see a book you love get the silver screen treatment. And to add to the "Anne Hathaway"effect, I actually hard my own term for the film and why it came out the way it did. It's something I lovingly/hatingly refer to as the "Shrek" effect. When Ella Enchanted came out, the Shrek movies were super popular as well as gaining steam. You can tell that the people who made the movie were trying to capitalize off of the Shrek popularity. Like, hmm this Shrek movie is super popular. I wonder if we could do the same thing with another property that is in a vague medieval, fairytale setting and modernize it to hilarious effect. It's kind of obvious that mindset was in the forefront over making a faithful adaptation. If I had the time or the money, I could do a whole damn video on the "Shrek" effect on films...especially this one. The Dom/Terrance didn't mention this, but since the book is a YA novel, it's actually a really quick read so find it and check it out. It usually takes me a good a day or two to read it depending on how busy I am.
Given it came out 3 years after Shrek, it's likely they wanted the adaptation to follow the formula that made Shrek and its knock-offs so popular- pop culture references, parodying pop culture and itself, aware of how shitty it is, covers of oldies songs, a clever and cursed princess who kicks arse, etc.
I watched the movie when I was younger and liked it pretty well thinking it was just kind of a silly loose retelling of Cinderella. Later in high school I found out there was a book it was based off of, and since I needed a book to read so I could meet the reading requirements my school had I gave it a read. I really liked it and ended up preferring it to the movie by a lot. Now I just prefer to see the book and the movie as two completely different stories.
Also on a side note! From what I hear it is possible to poison a wearable object such as a crown or clothing, it's just the poising/killing effect would take much longer and require a decent amount of wear time.
It's also a trope that's older than feudalism - Heracles was killed by a poisoned shirt. Anyone who's had a close encounter with stinging nettles is familiar with the idea of things that can poison you on contact...
FINALLY SOMEONE WHO AGREES WITH ME!!! I almost cried with joy! I love the Ella book and the movie isn't bad on its own but it's so different and the book deserves a better adaptation!
I'm glad you're keeping Terrence around! I enjoy watching 'him' just as much as you and was hoping he'd have more than just Harry Potter cameos after Deathly Hallows. :)
I know that I am three years late but THANK YOU *sobbing in the background* this was one of my first adaptation heart breaks as I had LOVED the book beyond all reason
There have been several versions of dating back to the early days of cinema, though. The earliest sound version stars Charles Laughton as Quasimodo. The one constant is that none of the adaptations I've seem want to keep the books ending.
Popcultureguy3000 Except for the recent French musical, are there any adaptations that even keep Frollo as a priest? I don't care about Esmeralda or Quasimodo living half so much as I do about defrocking the most interesting character, thus running away from probably half the book's themes.
Ella Enchanted was the most formative book of my childhood, and I still re-read it every few years. And just to emphasize how long I've been re-reading this book, I first read it the year after it was published ...in 1998. I was both furious and devastated when I saw the movie.
HATTED the film. Ella Enchanted was the first real book I read more than once. I immediately fell in love with the characters, and the complex story. The film... well I almost walked out. It's not just a poor adaptation, but an insult to the book.
I've watched this movie many times over the years and never made the connection that she ordered herself in the mirror to break the curse XD I just assumed she broke it through sheer will and love for Char lol
I've never been a fan of "princess stories" but I genuinely loved this book growing up. I read it so many times I can practically recite it. I almost cried when I saw the movie.
A few notes on the book 1. Char didn't have the slippers custom made for Ella, they found them in a gardening toolbox while exploring the old castle 2. Another reason Ella was ordered to end her friendship with Areidia (?) was because it was making her happy 3. Char isn't the one holding the 3 balls it was his parents, he confesses to Lela/Ella during the third night that he has renounced never to marry
I'm glad I watched this review, not only because it is so entertaining, but because I had no idea there was a book to begin with! I just finished reading it, and while I enjoyed the movie when I first watched it, this is such a good story that idk if I could ever enjoy the movie again. Thanks for recommending it!
I read Ella Enchanted only because of this video. I watched the video before reading the book, but it was so worth it! It is now one of my favorite books. Thank you The Dom and Terrence :D
Thank you for covering this book and film! A friend bought me a copy of the book for Christmas 2004, and I adored it. When I finally saw the film, I almost cried. Nothing against Anne Hathaway, but this movie should have been titled, "Clueless Gets Magically Medieval". It would have been more honest. I would love for some other film studio to take a crack at the novel, except that they actually, you know, respect the source material?
Sweet crap I am glad I never saw the movie of this. We read the book in middle school and I really liked it (I am in the same boat as you regarding not realizing it was Cinderella until like the glass slippers or something), and I thought it getting a movie was cool, but that was clearly not the movie it should have gotten.
I remember reading this for school. I barely remember it, but I don't think I hated it. I remember hating the movie, which I also barely remember. I was never a fab of Anne Hathaway and those costumes are just baffling. Aquamarine made me so much madder though. I loved the book, but the movie was absolutely nothing like it and destroyed everything that made the book great. They changed it to a teen girl movie instead of an interesting story about a mermaid and a human that helps save her.
Kelefreak The book was great! Waaaay different from the movie. She wasn't even your typical "pretty"mermaid in the book. She had blue/green skin and scales all over that were flaking off. She was dying in the book and a teenage boy helped her. It wasn't a romance either, just a cool summer story at a public pool.
ShinobiSora I didn't know Aquamarine was a book and I still couldn't stand the film. It annoyed me on so many levels,including the fact that Emma Roberts and the actress who played Aquamarine were the single most annoying actors I've ever seen.
The first time reading Ella Enchanted I did not catch on that it was a Cinderella story at all! I was a kid, but how the story builds up and then the climactic scene where the stepmother says "that's not Ella, that's Cinders, our servant" I was so excited and needed to know what was gonna happen next I didn't even notice that bit. I remember it vividly now, because my *second* time through that was the moment it clicked, "ohh! Cinders + Ella = Cinderella!!" I mean I got it when I was like 10 or something, but I loved the book enough, knowing it was a Cinderella story didn't affect my love for it one bit. ♥️ I enjoy being able to also see your older videos Dom, thank you for leaving them accessible 🙂
Same. I read this closer to when it was published in 1998, before there were SO MANY fairy-tale retelling novels. I just assumed it was a generic fairy-tale-like fantasy book, so I was pleasantly surprised when it came together as a Cinderella story. Nowadays there are a ton of retellings, so it's probably less of a "twist" to new readers.
@@MegaKhelditia not necessarily canon, but definitely not in the same year (since Harry's entire year is named in TPS), and all of the known Boots who attended Hogwarts were Ravenclaws (two of them founded the Ilvermony houses of Thunderbird and Wampus, but they never attended Hogwarts), so it's pretty unlikely (since it seems that the reasons for House placement are based on attributes and values drilled into them by their families as small children, which is why family members usually - not always, but usually - end up in the same house). Not impossible, but you'd think it'd be noteworthy if there was a random Hufflepuff in the family tree.
I saw this when I was a kid, and it was my first ever experience watching a movie that was based on a book I read and loved growing up. I was SO confused, I thought that there was a mistake because of how different it was, that there must have been a different but similar book also titled Ella Enchanted that they had adapted instead.
Wow, they even ripped off Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer with that "elf wants to have a super normal job but is forced to do elf-stuff instead" thing. Nice going movie.
Why doesn't her mom just order her to be free, be herself and make her own decisions? The curse is an interesting form social standards (good girls are obedient and so on). Also an explanation for the whole "female acts crazy for reasons". Better than just the old emotions motivation.
well in the book both her and her mom was sick the cook made them soup with unicorn hairs, but the mom pulled them out to give to ella. She died shortly after.
Heather McAlister I think they worried that a minder might be a tip to others of her problem and her mother was worried that if anyone found out it would be unbearable for child Ella. Older Ella had the unfortunate predicament that she was never in the care of someone who knew about her curse and had the power to hire her a minder.
In the book, the last order gave to her is the one that took effect. The curse didn't have anything to do with her being a girl. The curse is about a CHILD being obedient, which is normally viewed as a good trait to have in both girls and boys. If we're talking strictly about the medieval time period, then the obedient curse would be MORE 'useful' on a prince to make sure that he fallows the kings lead, studies, look and act like royalty. The curse would of also be just as valid on knights and servants. The fairy that gave Ella the curse wasn't very bright and didn't think ahead to how Ella would be affected in adulthood, since it was meant to make her the perfect CHILD.
Melody Clark No, because she's given the curse at birth, years before her stepfamily even comes into the picture at all, and Lucinda specifically says it's to make her a perfect child. The _female_ part is not included there, but it's not too much of a stretch to imagine that Lucinda probably gives that, ahem, "blessing" more to girls than boys, since boys are typically supposed to be brave and strong and bold in pursuing their goals, while girls are typically supposed to be kind and docile and well-mannered. What I love about Ella is that trying to force her to be docile actually just helps her become more strong, brave, and bold in pursuing her goals. XD
Ella Enchanted is one of my favorite books of all time. The movie has been a source of aggravation for so long. Your review makes me feel so satisfied! Subscribed!
/me raises a hand sheepishly Of course, I've never read the book, but it sounds like one of many adaptations where the first thing to do in preparation for watching it is to forget as much about the book as possible (I made the mistake of rereading LotR between the releases of the Jackson movies of Fellowship of the Ring and the Two Towers - so I spotted things like them making Theoden into a complete idiot for the sake of getting major characters to Helm's Deep). But, yeah, I like the film, and it sounds like I'd like the book, but for very different reasons.
The biggest issue with the movie is when it was released. Shrek had just taken over the world, and every kids' movie suddenly had to be full of pop culture references and modern inventions in medieval times.
To be fair, Hoodwinked is actually pretty damn hilarious. The whole whodunnit take on fairy tales was unique enough for me to think it wasnt ripping off shrek
"Shrek had just taken over the world" are the exact words with which the sci-fi romance novel which I am currently writing starts and ends
Emo Duck spoilers
emo duck how even does that work
trequo
It kinda sounds like they took more inspiration from Shrek than from the actual book.
Oh my God, that's it! I knew there was something about this film, something I couldn't put my finger on, but that is genuinely it! This movie's a Shrek knockoff! The pop culture references! The cartoony villain! The not so subtle attempts to subvert genre tropes and stock character motivations! THE ENDING IN THE CHURCH!!! OH MY SWEET BABY JÉSUS, IT'S TRUE!!! *THIS IS A SHREK RIPOFF!!!!*
Now that it's mentioned I can't help but notice the donkey/ dragon and elf/giant relationship parallel!
Shrek came out in 2001, while Ella Enchanted came out in 2004. So the assumption that Ella Enchanted (at least the movie version) copied a lot from Shrek is no coincidence and is pretty much valid.
Considering that Shrek 2 came out around the same time, I can see the producers wanting to capitalize on the zeitgeist
@@bul13ts Now I can't help but think they modeled the king after katzenberg the same way he modeled Farquad after Eisner
I mean both Katzenberg and the king are ~petty assholes~
The part in the book where she breaks the curse is actually much more significant. He doesn't just propose to her, he tells her to marry him and it comes off as an order, and she finds the power to resist. It's so impactful. I enjoyed this video, thank you
I think one of the things I loved most about the book was that there was no immediate danger to Char like Prince Edgar, it was simply the inevitability of that danger that gave Ella the determination to break her curse. She loved him so much she wasn’t even willing to risk the possibility of hurting him. It’s such a powerful moment and it feels so earned when she breaks it.
Who is Prince edgar?
@@erikbihari3625 the evil uncle in the film. I may have gotten his name wrong, it’s probably King Edgar but I wasn’t sure. Cary Elwes’ character lol 😂
@@congreve_cap. Ok I didn't see This movie in basically never. And given those Shrek leanings maybe it's for the Best! Anything else?
The same author wrote a really great take on the Snow White story called "Fairest" set in the same world. Ella's friend in finishing school is from the kingdom where "Fairest" takes place. And it's the same as Ella Enchanted in that you don't make the connection until late, in this case when she eats the poisoned apple.
And her friend is the sister of the "Snow White" character so the two are more connected. The "evil queen" is also from Ella's kingdom.
You know... I feel really dumb. Fairest has been one of my top five favourite books for the last 11 years. I’ve read it a half a dozen times, and I never put together that it was supposed to be Snow White.
Wow
HHHHHHHHOOOOOOLLLLLYYYYYY fucgkin shit i didnt know that was the same author i read fairest like 5 years ago but never read ella enchanted only watched the movie wtttfffff
I loved fairest. I read it over and over until the cover wore out.😂
Fairest is incredible. I love that the Snow White stand-in isn't classically beautiful within the story
I met Gail Carson Levine (the author) at a signing and she said that she thought the movie was dumb but really liked Anne Hathaway as Ella.
That's hilarious, the movie is rrally camp though
I can see where she is coming from
@@ForrestFox626Who even directed it to become so?
I'm glad my feeling on the movie is the same as the authors XD
Hearing a male acknowledge Ella Enchanted as a damn good read is so amazing, it makes me like him as a reviewer all over again.
I'm a firm believer in the idea that is a book/movie/show is really good, then people can enjoy it even if they aren't the intended audience.
JustAPrayer I get the same feeling when a male says he likes Princess Tutu.
As a male, just let me say I think this book is awesome.
The book never felt like it was for girls to me. But the movie has that goofy rom-com feel so I can get dudes not liking it
I like when people are so certain of their masculinity and all and all badassness to admit that they like something that might be considered feminine. This is why The Iron Bull is one of my favorite characters in DAI.
Good on you, Dominic
I noticed two mistakes you made about the books: Char didn't have the shoes custom made for Ella, they found them under a bench; Dame Olga wasn't 'shocked and hurt' that the father only married her for her money. She was upset because she was under the impression that he was super rich, and then she found out he had nothing. Funny story: I listened to the story countless times growing up, and I never made the connection that it was the Cinderella story. My mum had to tell me.
Jerusha French I was also confused about that part ("did he have them made and then hide them under the bench?"), especially because it took me a few reads to get the Cinderella thing. I think maybe I read a review on the back of the book and was like OHHHHH!
Are you saying you think he had them made and then hid them under the bench?
Jerusha French no way. I was describing my confusion when they talked in the video about Char having them custom-made. I had a bit of doubt in my memory of the book, and literally went searching for a comment like yours to reassure myself that I was remembering correctly. (As in, Char really didn't have those shoes made.)
Oh, yeah, that makes sense. I wan't sure whether that was just your thought-process while watching it or whether it was what you thought. Thanks for clearing that up!
Jerusha French Same. I noticed a few more mistakes too. Like Lucinda spending one month each being a squirrel and being obedient. It was 3 months each. And "The next day", Char came to find her. No, it was that night. She rushed home to disguise herself before he could get there.
so the Ella Enchanted book is basically Cinderella but better?
It is SOOOO good!
Yeah!!
Yes its better
Mm, it's a good re-imagining, like almost all re-imaginings, at least of fairy tales.
WAYYYYYY better.
"Now freakishly happy about being cursed" lmao
It's kinda creepy how the curse allows people to tell her what to think/believe additional to telling her how to act
Imagine if some even less...savoury or let's say..more perverse people would have found out...
An order is an order, no matter it’s nature.
If someone says, “You should be happy all the time!” In the right tone, it’s an order.
If someone in a guilt-tripper way says, “You aught to feel sorry for me!” You WILL feel as they have said to. Though thankfully you can hide emotions, the way the spell works requires that a literal carrying out of the order said directly to her must be done. Wording is key here, I think.
This is basically the geass but backwards
Instead of giving an order that no one can disobey no matter what you cannot disobey an order anyone gives you no matter what
Makai Ridah huh that show sounds interesting
@@kylecampbell565 you should watch it is on Netflix
Pretty good show
Exactly how I felt. I had to read this book for Middle School English class and dreaded it because I hated the film, but once it got going I surprisingly enjoyed it and loved the book.
Personal favorite part is Ella finding and exploiting loopholes in orders like when told to speak up she'd scream everything and when told to quiet down in response she'd mumble. Book Ella thoroughly loved to fuck with people whenever she was able to.
YES!
It really made you love her more as a character
Makes me wonder how exactly the loopholes work. (Havent read the book or seen the film so idk bout the exact phrasing) but when the giants tell her not to run away my first thought was.. "just walk then. Or crawl. Or fo cartwheels. Anything but run?"
I kept thinking of Jessica Jones, except that instead of a character with the power to make anyone do anything, you have a character who has to do anything she's told. Man, there are some dark places you could go with that premise...
@@negatjazzy idk about in the movie, but in the book the ogres tell her to "stop" and "don't run away" which is moreso an expression for "don't leave"
The different names for calling out Char's uncle's evilness is giving me life right now...literally laughing so hard...
@Knock Out They probably ripped it straight off the cover. Along with a lot of fiona's appearance...
@Knock Out when she isn't an ogre I mean.
I love it too! 😂👌
To quote MST3K,
‘We put our faith in Blast Hardcheese!’
Uncle That Guy From Lazytown Bu More So is *chef’s kiss*
Mind you, I think the book is miles better but there's a reason for Ella not lifting the curse herself before that point in the movie. It's because Lucinda ordered her to remove it herself if she hates it so much, thus giving Ella the capability to do so. I'm still not sure why she didn't remove it *immediately after Lucinda said that*, though. Probably for dramatic effect.
I guess you could argue that being forced to kill the prince upped the hate level for the curse. It couldn't be an after the fact moment where the curse is merely a pain in the ass. It has to be in a moment where she truly hates what it's doing to her.
I actually considered this but thought that she must have hated it already by that point in the movie, since she'd already been given the order to kill the prince. But I think you're probably right, actually having to almost go through with killing him was probably the last drop :)
Kaja Miletic Sh*t! I've seen this movie so many times! How have I never caught that Lucinda gave her the order, thus letting her brake it?! I feel so dense!
Maybe she didn't realize she could do it until that very moment. Than she tried it, and it worked.
Problem is, she follows every other order right away. The only way it works is if "if you hate it so much" means she can only do it when she hates it as much as she describes. But then that means she would have had to have exaggerated when she was trying to get Lucinda to break the spell.
It could work, but I'm not sure it works with the movie we were given. Maybe some changes in wording would make it work better: "If you hate doing what you're told more than anything, why don't you just remove it yourself?" And then have some indication that she's following orders when she actually does it.
You missed a few points in the latter half of detailing the book's plot. For example, Char didn't propose to Ella's masked alter-ego (in fact, he expressly stated that he intended to remain single for life), and the reason Hattie removed her mask was because she thought that 'Lela' was disfigured beneath it and wanted to shame her. Also, Lucinda 'gifted' Ella's dad and Dame Olga with 'a gift that nobody could possibly dislike' which was everlasting love; the reason Ella's dad GTFO was because he still hated her despite his new and permanent love for her -- by that same token, Dame Olga loved Sir Peter despite his moneygrubbing, and the reason she enslaved Ella was because she loved her husband too much to take it out on him. Furthermore, Lucinda was a squirrel and then a child for a respective 3 months each. And the shoes were discovered in an abandoned part of an old castle, and they fit because they were fairy-made. The fake Hattie-letter said that Ella never got Char's proposal letter because she had despaired of Char ever popping the question, and so had gone for her Plan B in the form of the aforementioned old guy to get a quick fortune since the queendom didn't seem to be in the bag.
Thank you for this comment! I seriously rewound the part about the shoeslike 3 times to make sure I heard him right lol
Yes! But you could argue that a proposal implied and interrupted by Hattie? He says, "Marriage is supposed to be forever, but friendship can be forever, too. Will you....?" And then Hattie rips off her mask, making Ella flee.
@@madelinejane9413 "...write to me when you go home to Basque?". That seems like the likely end to Char's speech. He made it clear he had no intention of marrying and is only looking for friendship
I've never seen it, but at least it looks like Cary Elwes was having a blast playing Uncle Obviously Evil. Or he may have been drunk the whole time.
Carl Rood who wasn't?
It's a role so over-the-top that I bet it was a blast to play.
I was in genuine denial that that was Cary Elwes. I know his career began with Princess Bride and ended with Men in Tights, but still! It actually kinda hurts to see him in something that looks like an ironic kickstarter project.
Poirot's Mustache Ended with Men in Tights? Cuz, yeah, Twister and Saw never happened...
And he totally was Baron Humbert Von Gikkigen in two Ghibli movies or anything - giving me seriously weird feelings about a cat-man statue in a white suit with an English accent.
I would blame Shrek on what happened to the Ella Enchanted movie I wouldn't be surprised if this project had started out to be closer to the original text but the success of Shrek caused Studio heads to demand alterations to be closer to that type of movie resulting in what was released
Oddly enough, that was exactly what happened.
Yep, that makes sense.
Fun fact: The author visited my school once. I didn't read it because I thought it was a girl book, but I remember she said she complained about the changes but they didn't listen
Or at least I think she did, I was in fourth grade back then, hard to remember.
Lucky bastard.
Ah too bad, that book was my favorite as a kid, I wish I could've met her then haha
You met Gail Carson Levine? Lucky!
LUCKY. Ella enchanted and the two princesses of bammare were favorites of mine. Def not Disney princesses. Lol too much depth and fear and it's really fucking good. It isn't too much for young readers but has enough I still smile when I revisit it today and I'm fucking thirty. Won't spoil the story for you but it's well written. Like really well written. No wasted word.
Her work is far underrated.
That is the most well laid-out Cinderella Story I have ever heard. It literally gives a reason for everything that happened in Cinderella like the magic ending at midnight and the shoe and everything like that. I love the way they told it in this one
"because she said no they can now get married"
I love this show, it's my new favorite and i'm going to subscribe and tell all my friend both real and imaginary
The most vivid memory I have of the book is Ella triumphantly opening the window and yelling out "I want everybody to know that I shan't marry the prince!," rejoicing in her ability to finally say "No" to something, and then realizing with even greater joy that it means she can actually give an honest "Yes!"
Such a good book.
This movie was my first introduction to "Somebody to Love" and thus began my love of Queen so I'll always appreciate it for that
Ella Enchanted's book outfit reminded me of Princess Fiona's.
I love her‼️
I dressed as Ella from the book when I was 9 for Halloween and everyone kept thinking I was Fiona. I even carried around a large book and wore a nice little simple necklace. I also added a small flower tiara. But people kept assuming Fiona.
Well both females kickass in my book‼️
+Mandi ... whow, you'd think "princess" with a book should at least have been associated to Belle, shouldn't it? :D
GET OUTTA MY SWAMP
They actually found the fairy made shoes together while dicking around in the gardens of the old castle at a party neither of them wanted to be at. It was awesome.
i love that scene so much.
I thought it was a sweet interaction
@@nopenope5561so just slightly diffrent but still snow white esque?
@@shannonkane296How mutch on a scale of one to ten?
I didnt know this was based off a book, and enjoyed when I was younger, now I dont know if i can enjoy it without thinking how much better it could be
same here, I had no clue there was a book until now.
I bought it at a book fair after I saw the movie. I remember thinking the book was so, so good, but the movie was just too much fun for the age I was at for me to ever hate it, even with its faults. Plus, it introduced me to "Somebody to Love" by Queen which I love to this day
Lol... I did not realise there was a movie adaptation of this book I quite enjoyed as kid. I don't think I missed much.
The world Gail Carson Levine has created in her books is one of my favorites.
I am right there with you on that.
"Uncle Jafar-meets-Goldfinger"
"Uncle that guy from lazy town but more so"
I'm dead 😂
Uncle Satan-the-lord-of-darkness-called-even-he-thinks-you're-overdoing-it is my favourite
Uncle seriously-just-look-at-him
Kinda wish there'd been an "Uncle Prince-John-and-Sir-Hiss" because holy shit, am I the only one who saw the resemblance?
Don't worry, Dom! I didn't realize it was a Cinderella retelling either until I got to the end of the novel.
Then again, I was six or seven when I first read it, so...
Omg same!! SUCH a good book!
I would have described the uncle king as “Evil Westley from The Princess Bride” alongside your other descriptions Dom
AAAhh I can't believe I just noticed that was Cary Elwes!!!
Did anyone pick up on the similarity between the uncle and his snake and Prince John and Hiss from Robin Hood???
That and the weird way they designed the crown makes it look too big for his head. Like it fits, but it encompasses his head rather than resting on top of it.
Chikoritababy15 Yeah I did, so I was surprised Dom didn't make that joke but instead called him Jafar.
His crown looks the same too. I doubt it is an accident.
Michael Travis true :)
Yes that, and the guy who plays the uncle (Cary Elwes) also plays Robin Hood in Mel Brooks's "Men in tights".
Ella and Char's long time friendship in the book is honestly one of my favorite love stories
Remember that scene where Sir Edgar made Ella "shake her booty" right in front of him?
That's another scene from my childhood that has a lot more unfortunate implications now.
Fascist Whale is it basically rape?
No, but it is perverted.
More along the lines of sexual harassment, he (thankfully) didn't ask her to do it with him.
Thank you so much for making this! Ella Enchanted was a book I absolutely adored as a child, I read it over and over I loved it so much. So you can imagine my disgust and horror when I saw what the movie did with such a brilliant and memorable story. It made a joke out of it, which really hurt. Ella Enchanted deserved so much better, it deserved to be an epic and unique fairytale movie. This movie is trying to be Shrek, and it's completely insulting to Gail Carson Levine's work.
I remember being sooooooo disappointed in this film, because the book holds such a special place in my heart. I've read it so many times. The book has this sort of maturity to it, and it felt like the production wanted to change it to a happy, funny, family film, so they completely transform the plot. I was disappointed about the change of politics, the dumbed down characters, and the tongue and cheek, awkward humor that took away any dignity the book had. Even disappointed with some of the direction, not the actors. I was really excited about Anne Hathaway playing Ella, after seeing her role in "Becoming Jane", thinking that if she played Ella like Jane, it would be perfect. I was even disappointed in Cary Elwes direction, since his performance was too goofy, and uncomfortable, even when comparing previous roles. The two things I was most disappointed about was: 1: The ogre scene/subplot. My favorite f***ing part about the book, because it is so badass. 2: They changed the believable relationship of Char and Ella into a cliche 3 day romance. If you do the math, from the moment they met to the moment Ella broke her curse and accepted Char's proposal, it is roughly 15 months. And they don't officially fall for each other until the last 4-5 months of that timeline. It felt genuine. On it's own, the movie is "okay" but claiming that the movie is an adaptation of the book is like saying "Frozen" is loosely based on "The Snow Queen": Laughable.
Yep
I had to write an essay on this book for school, and one of the options was comparing it to the adaptation. I was horrified when I watched the movie, and that horror was strongly expressed in my paper. I’m still upset at how they turned the elves from such a cool and unique society to a song and dance number.
I honestly think the movie is a whole lot better… But i get it
In the book he never proposed to her at the ball. He told her (as Lela) will never marry (because he only loved Ella).
So lowkey I love the movie and the book, I know the movie was ridiculous and is terrible but it's the sorta thing that's so ridiculous that it's awesome, sort of like Sharknado I guess 😂 idk, I liked it
BanditGirl I agree! I love both dearly.
Makes sense
Yeah same here,
*SPOILERS*
I had no idea that it was a Cinderella retelling until the last couple chapters, as I thought every fairytale element related to Cinderella was a common fairytale trope. It wasn’t until the climax of the story that these tropes only pertained to a very specific fairytale.
Same here!
Same! I thought the slippers were just a fun fairytale Easter egg and that Hattie and Olive were references/tropes like you said. I think when they forced her to be a servant in her own house I started to pick up on it, but the dress transformation stuff was what tied it all together for me lol
@@congreve_capAren't most of the things from Disney's adaptation? I seen shimsala grimm and hungarian folk tales deliver quite diffrent takes from it.
@@erikbihari3625 The fact that the shoes only fit Cinderella's feet and that she was used as slave labor by her stepmother and stepsisters is the core of the story that has spread through various cultures. The shoes being made of glass and the existence of fairy godmothers are indeed specific to the version that inspired the Disney film, though.
@@greyscaleanon7551Ok.
Excellent review! Ella Enchanted was my favorite book when I was little and I was so bummed when the film came out and it was.. well.
Slight correction in the summary: Char didn't have the glass shoes made, they found them while exploring the castle hosting Olga and the father's wedding; Ella's clothes for the ball were her mother's; and they didn't technically fall in love again at the ball, Char had no intention of finding a wife so soon after having his heart broken by Ella and had only decided that "Lela" was an excellent friend i.e. how they acted when they first met at the start of the book. Also I think Lucinda spent 3 months each as a squirrel and a kid, idk
So they adapted a very nuanced and interesting adaptation of the Cinderella story that seeks to make every event and motivation in the tale to make sense and that includes a very mature and rational depiction of love and villainy, to a hollywood flick that completely removed all the nuances that made this story unique?
Yeah...Talking about de-evolution of culture...
I must be under some sort of curse. You said the book was good, I stopped the video, read the book, and came back to watch the rest. Thanks, it was good!
This movie sparked so much rage in me. I absolutely LOVED the book. I read it so much it literally fell apart. I was so happy when I heard it was becoming a movie. I was so angry when I saw what it became. R.I.P. Ella enchanted
This author actually has a second book set in the same universe called Fairest. Once again, it's a fairy tale that you don't realize is a fairy tale until the end, this one being based off of Snow White. I absolutely adore this book. Ella Enchanted and Fairest are actually connected, albeit loosely, because Ella is friends with the little sister of the main character of Fairest when she's at finishing school, Char is sent to Aythora (the kingdom where Fairest takes place) in Ella Enchanted, and Ella's father stays in the inn owned by the main character's family. The two books don't need to both be read to understand the stories, but it's fun re reading each one and picking up little Easter eggs like those... I don't know where this is going, but I just wanted to point this book out as another great read for people who liked Ella enchanted
I think the book is way better, but the movie doesn't bother me. I saw the movie first as a kid and enjoyed it. I read the book a few years later when I recognized the title and was kinda surprised at all the changes the movie made. I still really like both, but the movie is kind of a guilty pleasure.
WOW Thanks so much for talking about this book!!! It's one of my favorite childhood books of ALL TIME because *basically the story being Cinderella is the twist that sets up the third act, which is pretty freaking tight*
The second book Fairest (not sure whether it's technically a sequel or a spinoff) is also a phenomenally nuanced and subversive take on a fairy tail--in this story, Ella's Ayorthian friend's sister, Aza, is a recontextualized Snow White who is the subject of both immense praise (for her exceptional singing talent, which is culturally significant to Ayorthians) and intense mockery (due to her large size and her appearance, which is inconsistent with Ayorthian beauty standards), making her very insecure. These books are singularly sophisticated fairy tales and I love them with my whole heart.
My sister hasn't read Ella Enchanted and doesn't understand why I hate the movie so much lol
i'd been waiting for this one. the greatest disappointment i've ever felt about an adaptation because i love the book so much.
Yes! I've seen the movie twice. The first time was in theaters where i got my heartbroken at being failed by the film studios for the first time in my life. The second, was a few years later after my temper had settled a bit. I was hoping that maybe I could like it a little since time had passed, but it only made me more mad.
@@emmajochum8682I know i am 6 years late… But why do you dislike the movie?
@@victorlolxd7347 because it was such a a horrible adaptation from a good book. It was very clearly a "wow Shrek is popular... Is there another fantasy property we can make modern and hip for the kids?" Adaptation rather than telling a good story. Which I know is a common kind of thing... Now... But back then, that was the first book to movie adaptation as a child where it was turned into something completely unrecognizable. And you never forget your first😂
@@emmajochum8682I think the movie is much better than the book BY MILES
But i totally get where your coming from… They left out some big chunks of storyline
I LOVED this book as a child and was super excited for the movie. My best friend and I literally left the theater and burned our tickets and a picture of the book as some weird funeral. We were so discussed with this movie. I like to pretend it doesn't exist...
stiches6749 umm...well I understand the disappointment of something you love bend turned into a 'in name only' adaptation, did you attempt to view the movie as a separate piece? I understand the changes they made can be detrimental to how it all comes down and that the book was indeed better but I highly doubt it warrants burning something you could have just thrown away without wasting matches or lighter fuel or whatever you used to incinerate the tickets
Titilayo Aderemi-Williams of course I can view them as two totally unrelated things. But I don't think it was a waste of matches or paper. This adaptation could have been beautiful, and they pooped on it.
@Vee Kee honestly, after 3 years I can understand the mindset.
@Vee Kee well I get notifications no matter how long ago my comments were. It's a blessing and a curse
@ I have a lot of comments I'm not proud of from years ago that I have no way of deleting, so getting notifications on my old comments is like a game of russian roulette for me
Dude, the story in the book is SO realistic to real life. So many girls are brought up to be obedient bc it’s convenient for the parents at the time and/or bc of gender roles, and that really does become a curse in adulthood. It stings even more when those same girls are criticised for what happens to them after being manipulated or pushed around by others. It’s taken me years to try to undo the curse of being a people-pleaser and I’m still in the process of practising being assertive enough to just uphold my own identity.
You should do the Chronicles of Narnia. The first one is a fair adaptation, but then they all get farther and farther away from the source.
TardisFan99 K
I like the first two, the first one is a good adaptation, the second is just a good movie imo, the third one is meh.
Omg that third ******* film made me want to start flipping tables. Hollywood had their dirty fingerprints all over it so clearly, they couldn't even try to frame someone else.
The BBC did adapt those three along with Silver Chair quite faithfully. They’re pretty old though I still enjoy them.
"Her curse gives her the power to ...invent Queen" BEST LINE
i love the book art so much i couldnt stop admiring it. the dress looks like velvet and she looks like a portrait of an actual girl. the curtain/not-curtain background is so cool. just a great cover overall.
I was out to lunch with the author shortly after the movie came out (she was a guest at my university and I graciously volunteered to buy her food before her afternoon schedule) and asked how involved she was involved in the adaptation. She said she had the right to say “this screenplay is nothing like the book” and because of consulting rights, they didn’t have to change it. She did enjoy some of the originality as you mentioned.
Welp. At least Cary Elwes looked like he was having a blast! Watching this review was absolutely depressing, and I was grateful for the copious amounts of Uncle "It's Obvious if You Look at Him" sprinkled throughout to keep me alive.
Despite all the awful shit Ella had to go through on top of her father being a dick, I have a keen memory of reading that scene at the end of the book where she's asked to marry Char again and she's fighting the enchantment and I'm sitting there practically yelling at her to just say, "Yes!" 💖
Gail Carson Levine has written a delightful number of retold fairy tales that make for wonderful reads. Sonora and the Long Sleep and The Fairy's Mistake were two of my favourites, but Cinderellis and the Glass Hill was another brilliant retelling of the Cinderella story with a male Ella, and it is honestly charming. God damn, the entirety of her work is truly singular in how clever, personable and well-told the stories are. Ella Enchanted is longer than the ones I mentioned. These three are pretty quick, but very wonderful reads. I strongly encourage going through them. :)
Ella Enchanted Book = Original
Ella Enchanted Movie = Ever After for kids.
Ella Enchanted has almost nothing to do with Ever After.
First off, they're both cinderella stories so they're inherently similar. Second off, they have similarities in both specific scenes and themes. I'm not about to write an essay here, but here are a few examples. The scene with Char and Ella at the giants party sitting across from each other and getting to know one another is identical to the scene in Ever After of Danielle and Henry at the gypsys' place. They both have their first kiss there. Danielle and Ella both challenge their princes' political views and make them want to do more for the people in the kingdom. They both have a friend that reluctantly helps them and has career dreams that are outside their station.
Actually, it seems like the movie is more trying to be live action Shrek. Just my observation.
I fucking love ever after for kids. HBO was my shit back in the day
Ever After is actually much more like Ella Enchanted the book, at least in terms of its style and tone. The first time I saw it on TV, I caught it in the middle and thought for a second that they'd made a movie of Ella Enchanted, haha.
I adored the movie when I was a child so I can’t bring myself to say anything bad about it because it reminds me of a lot of fond memories.
I must say though, Carey Elwes (idk how to spell his name), seemed to be having a lot of fun playing the over the top villain. Really everyone in the movie just seems to be having fun with it and not taking it too seriously.
Ok so, Terrance, did not mention 1 interesting little thing I noticed about the uncle that I am sure many others did. He is basically the villain from Disney's anthropamorphic version of Robin Hood.
I love this book. The movie was my first taste of adaptation disappointment. The book makes the Cinderella story so much more interesting.
If you like this book, I recommend The Two Princesses if Bamarre. Written by the same author, it's a more original fairy tale. It was really good for me to read as an introverted young girl and I just am almost grateful that they didn't try to adapt it because if Ella Enchanted is any indication, it would not have turned out nearly as good. I also recommend the other, much shorter collection of stories written by Gail Carson Levine. They're all wonderfully written.
As for the movie.... It was so JARRINGLY different for me that I had to double check my ticket stub when I went to see it. As a fan of the book... It was just disappointing.
Rathdrgnknight the two princesses of bamarre was my absolute favorite as a child!
i loved that book!!!
Fairest is a pretty good as well. Same author but taking the Snow White story and making it her own. It's set in the same universe.
This is one of my favorite LiA’s because you get the pain I felt as a kid seeing this movie. The book was compelling and deep. You have 3 dimensional characters that feel real and tangible, but exist in a world of fantasy. You feel Char’s and Ella’s love bloom and grow as they write and talk to each other. I cried at her having to turn him away in her fake letter. I cried at Lucinda learning her lesson because it was needed, but the cost is too high. It was written in beautiful prose that just sucks you in and challenges you to think and learn. Then this movie just ripped it apart. People are cardboard cutouts. Tropes are everywhere. I have stepped in a drop of water on a flat floor, and it was deeper than this movie. I was honestly livid. So thank you for showing everyone the truth.
in regards to the "in name only" thing, I would love to see you do The Seeker, adapted from Susan Cooper's The Dark is Rising but uses only the setup. How everything happens changes, the ending changes, relationships change, etc etc etc.
Still waiting on World War Z, the ultimate in name only adaptation.
Tyler Bioshock R I'd have to disagree, Cirque Du Freak is the ultimate in name only film
I've heard about that one, yeah it sounded pretty bad as well.
Ooooh yeah, I remember those books. When I saw they had a film based on it I remember I wanted to see it, even if it was different...sooo was the film suuuper bad or just kinda meh? XD
it's that bad eh? I loved The Dark is Rising books as a child and was extremely put off by the trailers for the movie that I have still to this day not watched it
I also did not realize it was CinderElla until towards the end. Love the book!!
Ray-chel TLynn It gets worse, “Charmant” means “charming” in French. They literally nameda character “Prince Charming.”
I loved the movie, even if it is what it is. But I never knew it was a book first. I seriously need to fish up this book somewhere
Frigg Fluff is a good book but nothing like the movie. I read the book but do like the movie for what it is
I highly recommend the library, and while you are there I recommend another book by the author, The Two Princesses of Barmarre.
I'm the same way. Now I'll have to obey my curse and pick it up. :3
loopeymire I got Princess of Barramere as a kid, and have always wondered why no one else ever seemed to remember it. I thought it was a sweet and surprisingly mature story at the time I read it. I'll need to dig it up and see how it's aged.
Aubrey Hallman
I remember getting Ella Enchanted and that book as a two-fer from the Scholastic Book Fair as a kid. I remember liking Ella more, but, like you said, that one deserves another read.
Clearly the purpose of the movie is to increase your surprise that the book would turn out to be a retelling of Cinderella.
That was as soothing as a back massage. Thank you so much for this! I actually read the book as a child and loved it so much that try to re-read it at least once a year. I remember seeing a promotional photo for the film when I was in the 6th grade and a tiny little doubt began to nibble at the back of my head that the film wouldn't be good. Because I was young and innocent, I stupidly ignored it, only to be thoroughly betrayed by the adaptation. It was the first time I learned the harsh lesson of not getting too excited to see a book you love get the silver screen treatment.
And to add to the "Anne Hathaway"effect, I actually hard my own term for the film and why it came out the way it did. It's something I lovingly/hatingly refer to as the "Shrek" effect. When Ella Enchanted came out, the Shrek movies were super popular as well as gaining steam. You can tell that the people who made the movie were trying to capitalize off of the Shrek popularity. Like, hmm this Shrek movie is super popular. I wonder if we could do the same thing with another property that is in a vague medieval, fairytale setting and modernize it to hilarious effect. It's kind of obvious that mindset was in the forefront over making a faithful adaptation. If I had the time or the money, I could do a whole damn video on the "Shrek" effect on films...especially this one.
The Dom/Terrance didn't mention this, but since the book is a YA novel, it's actually a really quick read so find it and check it out. It usually takes me a good a day or two to read it depending on how busy I am.
Given it came out 3 years after Shrek, it's likely they wanted the adaptation to follow the formula that made Shrek and its knock-offs so popular- pop culture references, parodying pop culture and itself, aware of how shitty it is, covers of oldies songs, a clever and cursed princess who kicks arse, etc.
I watched the movie when I was younger and liked it pretty well thinking it was just kind of a silly loose retelling of Cinderella. Later in high school I found out there was a book it was based off of, and since I needed a book to read so I could meet the reading requirements my school had I gave it a read. I really liked it and ended up preferring it to the movie by a lot. Now I just prefer to see the book and the movie as two completely different stories.
Also on a side note! From what I hear it is possible to poison a wearable object such as a crown or clothing, it's just the poising/killing effect would take much longer and require a decent amount of wear time.
It's also a trope that's older than feudalism - Heracles was killed by a poisoned shirt.
Anyone who's had a close encounter with stinging nettles is familiar with the idea of things that can poison you on contact...
FINALLY SOMEONE WHO AGREES WITH ME!!! I almost cried with joy! I love the Ella book and the movie isn't bad on its own but it's so different and the book deserves a better adaptation!
I'm glad you're keeping Terrence around! I enjoy watching 'him' just as much as you and was hoping he'd have more than just Harry Potter cameos after Deathly Hallows. :)
I know that I am three years late but THANK YOU *sobbing in the background* this was one of my first adaptation heart breaks as I had LOVED the book beyond all reason
New subscriber here! Love your work, and I ask you to do an episode on "Hunchback of Notre Dame"
Alicia Donovan yess!! please the dom do it!!
yes that be amazing
Oh yes yes yes please! Dom please do this!
There have been several versions of dating back to the early days of cinema, though. The earliest sound version stars Charles Laughton as Quasimodo. The one constant is that none of the adaptations I've seem want to keep the books ending.
Popcultureguy3000 Except for the recent French musical, are there any adaptations that even keep Frollo as a priest? I don't care about Esmeralda or Quasimodo living half so much as I do about defrocking the most interesting character, thus running away from probably half the book's themes.
Ella Enchanted was the most formative book of my childhood, and I still re-read it every few years. And just to emphasize how long I've been re-reading this book, I first read it the year after it was published ...in 1998.
I was both furious and devastated when I saw the movie.
RIP Hugh Dancy, I was sobbing profusely through the whole movie part of the review
HATTED the film. Ella Enchanted was the first real book I read more than once. I immediately fell in love with the characters, and the complex story. The film... well I almost walked out. It's not just a poor adaptation, but an insult to the book.
I've watched this movie many times over the years and never made the connection that she ordered herself in the mirror to break the curse XD I just assumed she broke it through sheer will and love for Char lol
I've never been a fan of "princess stories" but I genuinely loved this book growing up. I read it so many times I can practically recite it. I almost cried when I saw the movie.
I'm so glad Terrence from Ravenclaw is back, I was afraid he wouldn't come back after harry potter was over
This film was SO overlooked when it came out! A great satire on the whole fairytale storyline.
A few notes on the book
1. Char didn't have the slippers custom made for Ella, they found them in a gardening toolbox while exploring the old castle
2. Another reason Ella was ordered to end her friendship with Areidia (?) was because it was making her happy
3. Char isn't the one holding the 3 balls it was his parents, he confesses to Lela/Ella during the third night that he has renounced never to marry
I'm glad I watched this review, not only because it is so entertaining, but because I had no idea there was a book to begin with! I just finished reading it, and while I enjoyed the movie when I first watched it, this is such a good story that idk if I could ever enjoy the movie again. Thanks for recommending it!
"A man so cartoonishly evil that he couldn't even enjoy a boiled egg unless he could drag the hen in and make her watch."
I read Ella Enchanted only because of this video. I watched the video before reading the book, but it was so worth it! It is now one of my favorite books. Thank you The Dom and Terrence :D
"that guy from LazyTown" is called Robbie Rotten you pleb
I love how on the book cover, the background gives the illusion of wings. It's such a clever visual
Thank you for covering this book and film! A friend bought me a copy of the book for Christmas 2004, and I adored it. When I finally saw the film, I almost cried. Nothing against Anne Hathaway, but this movie should have been titled, "Clueless Gets Magically Medieval". It would have been more honest. I would love for some other film studio to take a crack at the novel, except that they actually, you know, respect the source material?
My mom read this book to me while I was little so it has a special place in my heart.
Sweet crap I am glad I never saw the movie of this. We read the book in middle school and I really liked it (I am in the same boat as you regarding not realizing it was Cinderella until like the glass slippers or something), and I thought it getting a movie was cool, but that was clearly not the movie it should have gotten.
I remember when I was in like primary school I was obsessed with this movie. I avoided the book at the library, but always checked out this DVD.
The writer of this book came to my old school a few years back!
you could have handled him a letter o apology for this movie, someone have to...and some chocolates.....and a check.
It's a reference to Nostalgia Critic, particularly the Master of Disguise Review, it's hilarious.
I used to like the movie, but I realized how stupid it is before I saw this video. Now I really want to read the book.
I remember reading this for school. I barely remember it, but I don't think I hated it. I remember hating the movie, which I also barely remember. I was never a fab of Anne Hathaway and those costumes are just baffling. Aquamarine made me so much madder though. I loved the book, but the movie was absolutely nothing like it and destroyed everything that made the book great. They changed it to a teen girl movie instead of an interesting story about a mermaid and a human that helps save her.
ShinobiSora I didn't even know that there was an Aquamarine book! That would be a great one to review.
Kelefreak The book was great! Waaaay different from the movie. She wasn't even your typical "pretty"mermaid in the book. She had blue/green skin and scales all over that were flaking off. She was dying in the book and a teenage boy helped her. It wasn't a romance either, just a cool summer story at a public pool.
ShinobiSora I didn't know Aquamarine was a book and I still couldn't stand the film. It annoyed me on so many levels,including the fact that Emma Roberts and the actress who played Aquamarine were the single most annoying actors I've ever seen.
The first time reading Ella Enchanted I did not catch on that it was a Cinderella story at all! I was a kid, but how the story builds up and then the climactic scene where the stepmother says "that's not Ella, that's Cinders, our servant" I was so excited and needed to know what was gonna happen next I didn't even notice that bit. I remember it vividly now, because my *second* time through that was the moment it clicked, "ohh! Cinders + Ella = Cinderella!!"
I mean I got it when I was like 10 or something, but I loved the book enough, knowing it was a Cinderella story didn't affect my love for it one bit. ♥️
I enjoy being able to also see your older videos Dom, thank you for leaving them accessible 🙂
Same. I read this closer to when it was published in 1998, before there were SO MANY fairy-tale retelling novels. I just assumed it was a generic fairy-tale-like fantasy book, so I was pleasantly surprised when it came together as a Cinderella story. Nowadays there are a ton of retellings, so it's probably less of a "twist" to new readers.
Dom u should make a Hufflepuff Character and Have him be Terrence's Brother
Someone who's loved by all exepect for Terrence!
Camime you realize that the character Dom's playing is Terry Boot, right?
Nieru but its still a pretty good idea.
@@RabblesTheBinx Is it canon there isn't a HuffleBoot?
@@MegaKhelditia not necessarily canon, but definitely not in the same year (since Harry's entire year is named in TPS), and all of the known Boots who attended Hogwarts were Ravenclaws (two of them founded the Ilvermony houses of Thunderbird and Wampus, but they never attended Hogwarts), so it's pretty unlikely (since it seems that the reasons for House placement are based on attributes and values drilled into them by their families as small children, which is why family members usually - not always, but usually - end up in the same house). Not impossible, but you'd think it'd be noteworthy if there was a random Hufflepuff in the family tree.
I saw this when I was a kid, and it was my first ever experience watching a movie that was based on a book I read and loved growing up. I was SO confused, I thought that there was a mistake because of how different it was, that there must have been a different but similar book also titled Ella Enchanted that they had adapted instead.
The book was AWESOME!!
The movie was... okay.
Wow, they even ripped off Rudolph the Rednosed Reindeer with that "elf wants to have a super normal job but is forced to do elf-stuff instead" thing. Nice going movie.
Why doesn't her mom just order her to be free, be herself and make her own decisions? The curse is an interesting form social standards (good girls are obedient and so on). Also an explanation for the whole "female acts crazy for reasons". Better than just the old emotions motivation.
well in the book both her and her mom was sick the cook made them soup with unicorn hairs, but the mom pulled them out to give to ella. She died shortly after.
Pretty sure the curse isn't about being a good girl or female but having to serve her step family.
Heather McAlister I think they worried that a minder might be a tip to others of her problem and her mother was worried that if anyone found out it would be unbearable for child Ella. Older Ella had the unfortunate predicament that she was never in the care of someone who knew about her curse and had the power to hire her a minder.
In the book, the last order gave to her is the one that took effect.
The curse didn't have anything to do with her being a girl. The curse is about a CHILD being obedient, which is normally viewed as a good trait to have in both girls and boys. If we're talking strictly about the medieval time period, then the obedient curse would be MORE 'useful' on a prince to make sure that he fallows the kings lead, studies, look and act like royalty. The curse would of also be just as valid on knights and servants. The fairy that gave Ella the curse wasn't very bright and didn't think ahead to how Ella would be affected in adulthood, since it was meant to make her the perfect CHILD.
Melody Clark No, because she's given the curse at birth, years before her stepfamily even comes into the picture at all, and Lucinda specifically says it's to make her a perfect child. The _female_ part is not included there, but it's not too much of a stretch to imagine that Lucinda probably gives that, ahem, "blessing" more to girls than boys, since boys are typically supposed to be brave and strong and bold in pursuing their goals, while girls are typically supposed to be kind and docile and well-mannered.
What I love about Ella is that trying to force her to be docile actually just helps her become more strong, brave, and bold in pursuing her goals. XD
Ella Enchanted is one of my favorite books of all time. The movie has been a source of aggravation for so long. Your review makes me feel so satisfied! Subscribed!
"I'm sorry film fans." What film fans?
Michelle Li my little sister.
/me raises a hand sheepishly
Of course, I've never read the book, but it sounds like one of many adaptations where the first thing to do in preparation for watching it is to forget as much about the book as possible (I made the mistake of rereading LotR between the releases of the Jackson movies of Fellowship of the Ring and the Two Towers - so I spotted things like them making Theoden into a complete idiot for the sake of getting major characters to Helm's Deep).
But, yeah, I like the film, and it sounds like I'd like the book, but for very different reasons.
My husband, who was thoroughly confused when I HATED it, since I read the book as a child.
I had a friend who liked it, because her name was in the title...
I read the book, but I really love the movie.
I never read this book, and when you mentioned the glass slipper the first time I was like oh, they're just going to rip off Cinderella like that?
"That guy from LazyTown but even more so"
Only just watched this and I properly laughed out loud at “…couple of notes”