Cinderella Blu-ray Review
“Cinderella” isn’t Disney’s finest hour, but it’s an undeniable classic.
As I’m sure you all know, ”Cinderella” is the classic rags to riches fairytale story of a fatherless girl (Cinderella) who lives a life of servitude with her cruel stepmother and her 2 wretched daughters. Even with this dreadful lifestyle, however, Cinderella remains optimistic about her life and her dreams. The story then cuts to the Grand Duke who wants to see his son (The Prince) married. He decides to throw a ball for his son and invites every single woman in the kingdom with the hopes of finding a wife for him. When Cinderella hears this news, she is thrilled to have the opportunity to attend something for a change. With the help of her mice friends and the Fairy Godmother, Cinderella is prepared to go to the ball despite the fact that her stepmother is trying to prevent her from attending. Can Cinderella go to the ball and woo the Prince or will her life be further ruined by her “family”?
“Cinderella” is certainly not a perfect movie. Much of the first half of the film is devoted to the antics of Lucifer (the bad kitty) and the mice which certainly detracts from the main story overall. That’s not to say that these characters are not personable or charming (they are), but they shouldn’t be the focus of the story. The main issue I have with these filler moments is that it leaves less room for character development (especially for the Prince who is barely even a character here).
Problems aside, however, there’s no denying that this movie has many magical moments that are so deeply engrained in pop culture. The pumpkin coach, the glass slippers, and the songs “The Work Song” and “Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo” are all iconic Disney animated moments. Simply put, there’s just a certain artistry to this film that has connected with audiences young and old ever since the film’s release in 1950.
Video/Audio:
“Cinderella,” which is presented in 1.33:1 1080p, is yet another hi-def transfer that will wow you. The colors are simply so striking here especially if you compare the picture quality to the DVD version. This looks even more impressive than some of the latest Disney Blu-ray classics I have reviewed lately.
The movie has never sounded better than it does with this 7.1 DTS-HD audio track. The songs in particular seem to have more life in them with this new hi-def audio track.
Extras:
* Introduction by Diane Disney Miller.
* DVD Copy.
* Disney trailers and ads.
* “Tangled Ever After”- A new “Tangled” animated short film about Rapunzel and Eugene’s wedding and the adventures their wedding ring goes on.
* “Behind The Magic: A New Disney Princess Fantasyland”- A featurette about the new Walt Disney World Fantasyland expansion. I have to say this sounds pretty impressive.
* “The Real Fairy Godmother”- A featurette that talks about the inspirations for the character as well as some behind-the-scenes stories about the character.
* “Personalized Digital Storybook: Bibbidi-Bobbidi-You”- An interactive storybook.
* 3 deleted scenes and an alternate opening sequence.
* “Cinderella Title Song” demo recording and a whopping 7 unused songs.
* 2 radio program excerpts and a “Scouting The Stars” radio show.
* “Classic Backstage Disney”- 8 extras from the DVD edition titled “From Rags To Riches: The Making Of Cinderella,” “The Cinderella That Almost Was,” “From Walt’s Table: A Tribute To The Nine Old Men,” “The Art Of Mary Balir,” “Storyboard-To-Film Comparison: Opening Sequence,” “1922 Laugh-Grams: Cinderella,” “Excerpt From The Mickey Mouse Club,” and “Theatrical Trailers.” The 2 must see extras here are the fascinating making of and the informative “The Cinderella That Almost Was” that explores concepts that were originally considered for the film.
* “The Magic Of The Glass Slipper: A Cinderella Story”- An odd animated/live-action combo short film focusing on shoemaker Christian Louboutin.
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Robert Ham
dmanderson
Andrea
nicklyons1
DVD Corner 
Thanks for the review. My favorite part of Cinderella is her relationship with her furry friends. Every time I watch it with my nieces I think I giggle more than they do. Having seen the original made me question whether seeing the film again on Blu-ray was necessary, but coworkers of mine from DISH who know my love for Disney movies have said the Blu-ray version is worth seeing. My passion for buying movies is sweet and sour like the drama behind the camera; I love the smell of a new Blu-ray, it’s an addicting, but expensive habit. The decision to start renting from Blockbuster @Home has given me the freedom to save a lot of money, but the best part is that I’m watching a lot more movies than before. If Cinderella turns out to be all everyone says it is, I might have to make an exception this one time.