My post today is about: Shrek (first installment)
Shrek is my favourite animation and although it’s a parody on typical fairy-tales, it is still a fairy-tale, a funny and modernized one at that.
We have a beautiful princess – Princess Fiona – who is under a curse (she becomes an ogre come nightfall and turns back into a pretty lady at dawn) and who waits for her rescue in a tower (a nod to Rapunzel )– in fact, she is waiting for a knight in shining armour and when he comes (although not in the form she expects) she even pretends to be asleep and purses her lips in anticipation of his kiss (a nod to Sleeping Beauty). There is also a dragon, protecting the tower so that the princess may never escape.
The Prince is not exactly a prince, although he has the role of one – Fiona’s rescuer is Shrek, a giant, green ogre. And Fiona and Shrek are proof that beauty is in the eye of the beholder and that true love doesn’t stem from looking at a pretty face, which is a really nice message.
There is an actual nobleman involved and it is Lord Farquaad, a funny, short and ugly man who wants Fiona for his wife. He made the choice with the help of his magical mirror, which is another fairy-tale element, and this lord is a meanie. There are also talking animals (most notably the chatty Donky), well-known princesses (Snow White, Cinderella), the Gingerbread Man and others, and of course, a happily ever after...of sorts.
I think this is a really great animated movie for all of us who like fairy-tales and a good laughter at that.
6 comments:
Shrek is hilarious, isn't it?! I love Donkey!!!
My 8th graders love Shrek and they see it as a fairy-tale too. Although I have seen Shrek with my grandson's I never really stopped to analyze all the many references to other fairy tales, but now that you pointed out some of them I can see lots more that were added into the sequels too.
Have I told you just how much I love these posts!
@Becky: I just LOVE Shrek and Donkey is one of the best elements of the animations. I love his relationship with Shrek and his funny comments.
Jan: Now a sort of analysis has been made.:) Thanks for the lovely comment!
I do prefer the 2nd Shrek for all of its pop culture references and the addition of Puss (who looks a little bit like my cat) but I like your analysis here.
I love SHrek, and when the evil guy tortures the gingerbread man, lol
Nice sshare
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