By Kirsten Scott
If you're anything like me, you grew up on a steady diet of princesses and princes. I don't know if it was these stories that led me to romance novels, or perhaps I was just born a romantic, and my fascination with fairy tales was evidence of that. Either way, I've had a long love affairs with happily ever after, beautiful princess and dashing princes.
My favorite Disney movie has always been Sleeping Beauty. Like all the princesses, Aurora is beautiful beyond compare, kind and sweet. But it's really not about her, is it? No...it's all about Prince Phillip.
You've got to admit he's hot. He tears around the forest on his white horse, has a baritone to die for, and best of all -- he slays dragons. He's TOUGH. He's wielding the Sword of Truth. You can't beat this guy. (Did I mention he's hot? Yeah, I know he's a cartoon, but he's hot, okay?)
In later years, Disney tried to change the message a little and came up with Beauty and the Beast. Here's a heroine we modern, liberated women can appreciate. She's smart, fiesty, and ready to sacrifice anything to prot
ect her daffy dad. And sweet and kind and all that, too. But I have to admit that it's a bit tough to fall in love with the beast, because he's, well, a beast.I must admit, the later Disney movies don't move me quite as much. I do love the songs, especially the ones from the Little Mermaid. But the princes just don't do it for me. They're cool and all, but not quite...um...alpha enough. Is that it? Are the Disney men of today just too enlightened?
Tell me -- am I the only one who still loves her Prince Phillip? Who's your favorite Prince? Prince Charming (Cinderella)? Robin Hood (okay he's a fox, but he still beats most human men, hands -- er, paws -- down)? Do you like the new style of Disney movies, like Beauty and the Beast and the Little Mermaid, or are you still stuck in the days of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White?
Haha - ok, so... not yes to all the questions. I still like Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, etc. Lion King. (Not going there for the last one.) It's the newer Disney movies that lost me. Hunchback - I didn't see... Pocahontas, Hercules, etc.
ReplyDeleteJust not the same - though I do like the pixar films. Oh and I saw Mulan - cute.
I love the idea of the princes, I suppose, more than the Disney renditions. (Haha, I don't know if I'd say he/they were "hot.")
I love the heroes though - the princes, and the grand stories and rags to riches. Nowadays I guess it's more twisted fairy tales. And... "modern" Cinderella stories.
Wait, lime, you don't think Prince Phillip is hot? Seriously? Okay, I'm ordering you to watch Sleeping Beauty. Go watch that man burst on the scene with his beautiful voice, "...you'll love me at once, the way you did once upon a dream..." and tell me he's not hot.
ReplyDeleteI'll be waiting...
Oh, and I agree -- I haven't seen all of the newer Disney movies start to finish, including the ones you mention, but I've seen bits and piece, and they were just okay. Not the fairy tale I wanted.
ReplyDeleteGreat topic, Kirsten! I love Disney movies and always pretend that I'm sacrificing to take my grandchildren, tee hee.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is Beauty and the Beast. Sure, he's a beast, but that's what makes his character so interesting, the transformation from a selfish prince to a beast and back to a human through the redemptive love of the heroine.
Kirsten, lovely post! As a bona fide carrier of the fan of fairy tales fan club, I applaud your words!
ReplyDeleteWould you believe I've never seen the Disney Sleeping Beauty? Or Cinderella, for that matter. Did see Snow White but the prince is a bit of a non event in that. But the Beast? Oh, yeah, me loves the beast!!!! A man who makes mistakes and then, hey, learns from them? What a hero! By the way, do you know the local production of BATB played just around the corner from where I worked for months. And would you believe Hugh Jackman played Gaston? AND I NEVER TURNED UP TO SEE IT!!!!! Honestly, I still kick myself over that!
Wow, Limecello, I thought Hunchback was just weird. Way too "adult" even though it's geared towards kids. I kept cringing and was glad the kids didn't "get it."
ReplyDeleteAnd well you should kick yourself for that, Mz Fo! Hugh Jackman as Gaston? What a kick!
ReplyDeleteOh man, I live for Disney movies. My daughter is only 10 so we're still firmly emeshed in the cartoon groove.
ReplyDeleteMy all-time fave hottest prince? The Beast. He's just... well, so melty when he change back to the prince. I think it might be because he has that reformed bad boy thing going on. Or because he's got longer hair and I always think that's sexy LOL.
Fo said: By the way, do you know the local production of BATB played just around the corner from where I worked for months. And would you believe Hugh Jackman played Gaston? AND I NEVER TURNED UP TO SEE IT!!!!! Honestly, I still kick myself over that!
ReplyDeleteNooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey Jo -- what a dutiful grammy you are, taking the kids to all those Disney movies! Ha! So you say Beauty and the Beast, huh?
ReplyDeleteHave you seen Prince Phillip?
Anna anna anna....
ReplyDeletefirst of all, never seen Sleeping Beauty? I think we're going to have a mandatory viewing at the next RWA conference.
Next, what's this about HUGH as Gaston? Oh man, what fun that would have been! I can't believe you missed it!
Tawny, I'll give you that the Beast is hot at the end. He's got a great head of hair, no doubt. And he's all growly and mean, but loving...that's pretty seductive.
ReplyDeleteNow, what about Robin Hood?
Any votes for Prince Charming? Or what's the name of the prince in Snow White. Is he Prince Charming too?
ReplyDeleteI KNOW - I can hardly believe it myself. Especially as I tend to go to most of the musicals around the place. And seriously, I'm talking I walked out of work and THERE WAS THE THEATRE!!!! And everybody said how good he was in it too - it wasn't like it was a secret.
ReplyDeleteI love fairytale movies, Kirsten. I'll happily sit through SB with you next conference! They used to release the Disney classics in the cinema on a cycle here and I just missed those two. Saw Jungle Book and Snow White and Mary Poppins. Don't think I saw Pinnocchio either.
Oh, Anna -- Mary Poppins and BERT! Now that's sexy! Those long legs, that voice...
ReplyDelete(just wait -- Susan will come along with her Bert obsession before too long.)
Noooo! Anna, really?? You passed up Hugh as Gaston? :(
ReplyDeleteAnd Tawny, that's my pick, too--the Beast, definitely :) Some of the other newer princes are a little too... beta?
Jo - I agree 150% the "hellfire" song, I sat there like "O_O" the entire time. (I... think I was in high school? :X Middle school? I have no idea. lol)P
ReplyDeleteKirsten lol - ok... if I get a chance, I will re-watch the movie. :D Maybe it'll play on cable soon.
Kirsten - I don't remember Prince Phillip - sorry. I remember Sleeping Beauty and thorns and the castle - but not the prince. Now I'll have to watch it again. I'm intrigued.
ReplyDeleteFo - Can't believe you missed the chance to watch Hugh Jackman. That time-travel movie was on the TV the other day - the one with Meg Ryan? ...Kate and Leopold, That's it. Had to sit down and drool over Hugh in his tight breeches.
Favorite disneys? I'd vote for Enchanted (grin). Okay, it's not animated - well most of it isn't - but I really liked how that did that movie, and I prefer the real life heros to the animated ones. THe animated ones remind me of Ken dolls. Not pleasant.
Congrats limecello have fun with him
ReplyDeleteI love the post Kirsten I love the Disney movies and I loved Sleeping Beauty although it is a while since I have seen it my favourite is The Beast as well I agree with everything Anna said you gotta love him. We have I think just about all of the Disney movies on DVD (my daughters have collected them over the years) and I watched them with my kids and now and loving re watching them with the grandkids. Jayden is 3 1/2 now and he is not into the Prince and Princesses at the moment but Hayley is 2 and very soon I am going to get to watch them all again with her and looking forward to it.
Anna how could you have missed Hugh Jackman as Gaston maybe if we are lucky he will do it again and then you won't miss it and I wouldn't either.
Have Fun
Helen
Donna, I loved Enchanted. Loved that scene in Central Park where he's being all curmudgeonly and then she turns it into a scene from one of the big old Hollywood musicals. Magic!
ReplyDeleteFedora, another vote for the Beast? Man, I am so outnumbered!
ReplyDeleteBut yes, they are getting a bit too beta. Sigh. I appreciate it for my daughter's sake -- Belle is a far better role model than dopey old Snow White -- but I do miss a good, bossy alpha prince. ;-)
Oh Donna, great call with Enchanted! I saw that one a few months ago and just loved it. But that's because of Prince McDreamy, of course!
ReplyDeleteI hope you do go see Sleeping Beauty. It's just so fabulous.
Hi Helen! It sounds like you've got a lot of princes in your future. I guess I am just hopelessly outnumbered on the topic of the beast. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou're enjoying a long weekend, right? Hope you're getting in a lot of reading!
Anna, I completely agree -- that sound is the best.
ReplyDeleteHee! Yes, Kristen, I do agree that I like the heroines being a bit more confident and self-directed, but the heroes I'd personally like with a little more oomph :)
ReplyDeleteI still go for the older Disney movie,like Snow White or Sleeping Beauty. I guess I just don't like change that much! Of course I have not seen a Disney movie in years. But I still go for the happy ever after!
ReplyDeleteYes! Enchanted! I LOVE that movie! Especially the curtains... those poor curtains. The dress she makes from them is so pretty, though, so it's not a total waste. But seriously, the man candy in it? *siiiiiiigh* James Marsden and McDreamy, both so delicious!
ReplyDeleteI didn't grow up watching Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, or Snow White. I didn't see any of those until I was about eight, and by then my heart was already lost to the Beast and, mainly, to Aladdin. I liked the Beast on principle, but Aladdin... man, he was hot! I actually had a discussion about this with one of my girlfriends in tenth grade and we decided that Aladdin was the hottest hero Disney ever made. But I digress.
I think the other reason I'm not too fond of the princes in SB, Cindy, and SW is my temperament. I swear that I came out of the womb a feminist. You can ask my parents or childhood friends - by the time I was three I knew that anything boys could do, girls could do better. (I still think that's true, btw. Well, not anything, but most things.) The point is that it wasn't until hormones kicked in that I started to see any type of alpha behaviour from a male as decent, let alone attractive. By the time I would've liked the alpha princes, I was already way past Disney age and on to romance novels.
I love the story of Beuty and the Beast, just not the Disney version so much.
ReplyDelete98 Degrees with Stevie Wonder True To Your Heart
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1yQQDzI55vc
Tarzan - Strangers Like Me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc3MnoSS5Hw&feature=related
Kirsten asked: Now, what about Robin Hood?
ReplyDeleteThe Disney animal version? *g* He was kinda... oh yeah, wait for it... foxy.
LOLOL
Beauty and the Beast- Celine Dion & Peabo Bryson
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8hjGTOan7k
Disney's Robin Hood - The Phony King Of England
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37bbj8HbM5I
Hi Kirsten...
ReplyDeletePrince Charming from Cinderella is definitely the guy for me. I grew up watching Disney films at the drive-in in the back of my dad's VW Squareback. Great memories!
Bibbity-Bobbity-Boo!
Jen :)
Hi Kirsten,
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about Prince Phillip. It's nice to see a Disney hero actually in action and using his sword. I do have a soft sport for Beast. I love the scene where he and gives Belle his library.
Great post, Kirsten. I'm a big Disney fan - love the fairy tales! I do like Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty best; I saw them years ago in Tehran - dubbed into Farsi, except for the English songs!
ReplyDeleteMy fave heroes, other than the princes, are Tramp (from Lady and the Tramp) and O'Malley (from the Aristocats) - I don't know if it was the voies or the twinkle in their eyes, but those two really stuck with me. Bad boys both *g*.
Can't remember Robin Hood much - will have to check out the fox.
Oh and I agree about Enchanted! Donna was the one who convinced me to watch it and it's a firm favourite. My favourite scene is the one Donna told me about, where she sings out and gets the animals to help her clean out the apartment! Except it's roaches and rats and pigeons! LOL.
*high five* It's most definitely all about Prince Philip! :D Hee hee hee! Best. Disney prince. Ever. *happy sigh* And wasn't kiddie Prince Philip adorable when he peeked into Aurora's cradle? If I had to pick a prince from the newer movies, it'd be Prince Eric, no contest. The dimples killed me. And that whole shipwrecked ship steering(ooh, say that five times fast) feat was pretty impressive. :)
ReplyDeleteOh, forgot to mention...Robin Hood? Great character but well, I was never really all that big with an all animal cast so that took the love down several notches. :D
ReplyDeleteTawny - The Disney animal version? *g* He was kinda... oh yeah, wait for it... foxy.
ReplyDeleteBwa ha ha! Oh, I nearly spewed a mouthful of tea.
I like the older Disney movies too. And the funny thing is, if you ask my 6 year old grandson what he wants to watch Disney wise he will pick the older ones. Oh he loves Cars but I think his favorites are Pinnochio (spelling ?),Snow White,Sleeping Beauty and The Fox and the Hound. My vote also goes for Prince Phillip, he was very alpha for a cartoon character. Beauty and The Beast was not one of my favorites. Liked the supporting characters more than I liked the main ones.
ReplyDeleteVirginia -- yea! I get one vote for the oldies! :-) I think when it comes to my escapist literature and movies, I don't like much change either, LOL.
ReplyDeleteCome to think of it, I still miss my old Johanna Lindsey and Catherine Coulter books. Tony Mallery anyone?
Lynz, I am so glad to hear from a true feminist! Rar! :-) You are awesome -- now I have to say that I do love Aladdin. I think the animation is a little too cutsey for me to fall head over heels for him, but he's got that fabulous bad-boy, hurt man thing, and I do like Jasmine. She's got a great story and real character development. The old Disney princesses didn't get that.
ReplyDeleteMinna -- I agree! I have an old picture book of Beauty and the Beast that I have had since I was a kid and I adore it. It's just the Disney version that didn't move me as much. Hm. Interesting.
ReplyDeletePink -- a vote for good old Prince Charming! Can you tell us more about your favorite guy? What attracts you about him? I seem to recall he's got great posture. Very royal. And big square shoulders, too. And he's a great dancer.
ReplyDeleteAm I right?
Jane said: "It's nice to see a Disney hero actually in action and using his sword."
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'm sorry, this is a family blog and I won't even comment.
But, you know? ;-)
OH, and thanks Jane! Another vote for Prince Phillip the brave! :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna, what a crazy thought -- Prince Phillip in Farsi! I'm glad they didn't mess with his singing voice. That's half of what makes him so dreamy.
ReplyDeleteNow you bring up some fantastic examples of Disney bad boys. I was just watching the Aristocats last weekend (a live action version, staring our friend's little girl!) and I thought about how well Disney captured that universal story -- boy from the wrong side of the tracks and pampered princess. I love O'Malley and oh, I SWOON for Tramp. Absolutely swoon.
On the other hand, I'm not particularly interested in the pampered princesses in those tales. Again, it's all about the prince.
Pissenlit! I finally have a comrade who knows the truth! YES, he is adorable when he peeks in the cradle. And how about, "No carrots!" Do you remember that line?
ReplyDeleteHmm, I haven't seen Prince Eric in action for a while, but you're right -- he does get to leap into action there at the end. That is pretty hot, isn't it? :-)
BWAHAHAHAHAHAH! Thanks Tawny!
ReplyDeleteLinda, thanks for weighing in on the Prince Phillip side! :-) Now, what do you like best about our prince? His voice? His bravery? His devotion to his princess?
ReplyDeleteAnd since you brought up Fox and Hound -- I haven't watched that movie since I was a kid, mainly because I remember it as being horribly sad. Is my memory right? Isn't it a total tearjerker?
Kirsten wrote: (just wait -- Susan will come along with her Bert obsession before too long.)
ReplyDeleteAnd here I am, right on schedule! Oh, yes. Bert. Mmmmmm. I have watched the movie version of MP so many times I may be a little too close to the material, but I stand firm that there's a great deal of latent sexual tension between Mary & Bert, especially during the Jolly Holiday with Mary song, when Mary is praising Bert's gentlemanly manners.
I mean, come on. She sings, "You'd never think of pressing your advantage/forbearance is the hallmark of your creed." And the whole time, Bert's looking more & more crestfallen, like he was considering making his move but after that little tribute? No way.
I chuckle every time & my kids are baffled. Which is, I believe, a good thing. :-)
In terms of my favorite fairy tale prince, though? I'm not sure I have one. I tend to fall in love with supporting characters. You all know of my abiding love for Robin Hood's Lady Cluck. The main characters have to be so good, you know? But Little John & Lady Cluck? Now THERE'S a party. :-)
Okay, Kirsten, I have to agree with the other beast-lovers. Beauty and Beast was my favorite Disney movie. If my boys wanted me to take a break and snuggle with them (this was many years ago), all they would say is "we can watch Beauty and the Beast." And they knew I'd be there.
ReplyDeleteOMG! Prince Phillip is my absolute favorite prince and Sleeping Beauty by far my favorite Disney movie! He is a true hero! One of my favorite scenes is when the animals have made an "imanginary" dance partner with some of the clothes of the prince they found in the bushes. When he slips into the arms of Aurora, I always heave a huge sigh. Whew, I need to go watch that movie again!
ReplyDeleteBeast all the way for me! He's just less fairytale like in character. Has more personality than the others!
ReplyDeleteHey, Kirsten! I adore Disney movies...my favorite hero...
ReplyDeleteCartoon? Robin Hood. Yeah I have a thing for foxes!hehehe
But my all time favorite hero from Disney is the young guy on the Greek Island in MoonSpinners with Haley Mills. mmmmmmmmm
For me it wasn't a book, it were the 2 Beauty and the Beast animations I saw as a kid. I think one of them was actually made in Soviet Union...
ReplyDeleteLeningrad Cowboys & Russian Red Army Choir - "Kalinka" / "Gimme All Your Lovin'"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE8Vj3OzbGQ&feature=related
Kirsten
ReplyDeleteYes it has been raining here and is still raining so I have been reading lots I love it but today I have all the family coming over to celebrate my baby's 23rd birthday so I will have my 3 princes and 1 princess here all day and I am going to love it,but when they all go home peace and quiet for more reading LOL. We were going to go on a picnic but the weather has stopped us.
I do love Robin Hood too a great fox prince very foxy as Tawny says.
Have Fun
Helen
The Disney versions are great, I
ReplyDeletewould not have wanted my daughter
to have missed them. She and I do
concur on our favorite princely
fellows. We prefer Vincent, of the
CBS version of Beauty and the
Beast, and Wesley of Princess
Bride. As a teen, she would go
to sleep watching Princess Bride
every night!
Pat Cochran
Kirsten, Prince Phillip is more alpha male than most of the Disney heroes, at least I think so. And when he looks at the princess when she is a baby it is very cute. The Fox and The Hound isn't too sad. Of course his mother gets killed right off the bat, typical Disney thing (Bambi). But it is actually a beautiful story of friendship between two unlikely animals. It's well worth watching again if you haven't seen it in a while.
ReplyDeleteSusan, there is no doubt in my mind that Bert and Mary had a little thing goin' on the side. She's far too professional to let the kids know...
ReplyDeleteAnd I am also fond of Lady Cluck. Yee-haw!
Christie, I was on such a roll with the lovers of Sleeping Beauty! Ah well, that's okay. You're in good company loving the Beast! :-)
ReplyDeleteSherrinda, you nailed my absolute favorite part of the movie! When he comes into her song, takes her into his arm...ah...it's one of the most romantic movie moments of all time, if you ask me.
ReplyDeleteOkay, Tiff, I have to give you that the Beast has a great personality. My Prince Phillip is less...um...flawed.
ReplyDeleteBut the man knows how to wield a sword. Which is really quite important, you know. LOL.
Oh Suz, I have such a thing for robin Hood. I'm glad I'm not the only one. LOL.
ReplyDeleteNow I'l have to try to find that Haley Mills movie. Have you seen Mama Mia? Lots of lovely Greek boys in that one!
Hey, Pat, what a great addition -- I do love me that Princess Bride -- and Wesley is so pretty. And he does that quirk of the lips so well.
ReplyDeleteOkay Linda -- I'll have to give the Fox and the Hound a go. But I'm skipping the beginning. I hate that obligatory Disney "mother must die at the beginning" scene. Pah!
ReplyDeleteHelen, I hope you enjoyed the birthday and the quiet that followed! I wouldn't mind a little of that myself. Maybe when my babies turn 23 I'll get it. LOL.
ReplyDeleteKristen,
ReplyDeleteHe wasn't Greek. He was English and a spy!! Apparently my love for James Bond type heroes started early!
I no longer enjoy fairy tales. Wether it be movies or books, my writer's brain can't switch off. I spend the whole time picking the story apart - finding plot holes, complaining about bad writing, rewriting the ending the way I like it. It's a curse.
ReplyDeleteMy first movie I remember seeing was Sleeping Beauty, so yeah, I've always, always loved Prince Phillip. He was the IT prince.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I *LOVED* Beast from BATB. I did not like him when he turned back into a prince though; I preferred him as a beast...he was far more endearing as a beast than when he learned his lessons. *LOL*
I'm hoping the Princess & the Frog movie is good.
And yes, Disney has beta-fied their heroes--but you have to admit, even our romance novel heroes have been beta-fied. Find a romance novel from 30 years ago--and it's an eye opener! Holy cow! Now romance heroes all have an understanding in human psychology--all of them! *LOL* Understanding and sensitive, even when they're being jerks. *LOL*
Just found your blog in a google search and wanted to say that I'm such a big Sleeping Beauty/Prince Phillip fan that I dressed my boyfriend up as him to match my Briar Rose costume at Dragon*con this year!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.acparadise.com/cosplayers/14489/14489-31436-2.jpg
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He's such a trooper, he even let me put make-up on him to make him as pretty as men on TV in the 1950s-60s! ;D