I'm a big fan of Fairy Tales. Always have been. I can remember going on a family vacation to Texas to visit my Aunt and Uncle and stopping and buying the Complete Collection of Grimm Fairy Tales. It was magical! Since then my love for these enchanting stories has grown, and nowadays, fairy tales are growing more and more popular. Disney has made a fortune from taking these stories and making animated (and now live-action) films! But Disney isn't the only corporation cashing in on the oppurtunity; everyone today is riding the Fairy Tale Train. From comics to video games, and tv to juvenile literature, modern adaptations to fairy tales are everywhere! And I eat it UP!!! What I love even more is that they aren't just telling the same old story. In some instances it's just small twists, but in most of the adaptations that are being made the creators and making some big changes, and it's in a good way! They're making the lore their own by piecing together whole like a puzzle, or even tossing the script and making something new and exciting. It's wonderful! So, without further ado, my list of:
The 5 Best Modern Adaptations To Fairytales
5) Sisters Grimm. This is a series of children's books that centers around 2 sisters. (From Wikipedia) "Sabrina and Daphne Grimm have gone through a series of foster homes after their parents disappear. They have been treated as maids, servants, and other things that children shouldn't be. They've even been abused and ignored. This is mostly because they have a harsh and uncaring caseworker, Ms. Smirt, who is supposed to help find a safe new home for them. After all of their trouble, they end up in the care of their long-lost and supposedly dead grandmother whom Sabrina believes is crazy. They soon find that they are living in a town of Everafters, live characters from fantasy and fairy tales. Their family business is working as detectives, who solve mysteries that might be connected to the disappearance of their parents. Unluckily for them, an evil group of Everafters, called The Scarlet Hand, are determined to find a way out of the barrier created by a witch and take over the world; they also have to deal with Puck the fairy boy that lives with them. This barrier stops the Everafters in Ferryport Landing from leaving. The only way to destroy the barrier is if all the Grimms leave the town or if they all die." I started reading this series in Jr. High and LOVED IT! And I hated reading then. The problem was that the series wasn't finished; I believe they were only up to book 6. The series is published by Abrams Books, but Michael Buckley is the author, and he has done a fantastic job of taking the classic tales and weaving together a beautiful and yest still mysterious series, that could honestly be enjoyed by anyone if any age. The series is complete now, so I've gone back and started re-reading them on my Kindle. You should DEFINITELY check out this series!
4) Grimm. "There once was a man who lived a life so strange, it had to be true. Only he could see what no one else can—the darkness inside...the real monster within...and he's the one who must stop them. This is his calling. This is his duty. This is the life of a Grimm." That's the opening line from this NBC series. (From Wikipedia) " Homicide investigator Nick Burkhardt of the Portland Police Department learns he is descended from a line of 'guardians' known as 'Grimms', charged with keeping balance between humanity and the mythological creatures of the world called Wesen, the German word for being or creature (pronounced 'vessin'). Throughout the series, he must battle against an assortment of dangerous creatures, with help from his reformed Wesen friend Monroe, and his partner Detective Hank Griffin." The show is similar to the Sisters Grimm series of books in the sense that the main character's are descendants of the Brother's Grimm, who is very widely regarded as the Father's of Fairy Tales. But, this show is different because it's more of an adult setting. There is more of a gritty feel to the show. It's much darker, because many of the vessin's are murdering people. I don't want to give anything away, however, so I'll just say that you Definitely need to check out this show!
3) Fables. Now we're getting to the good stuff! (From Wikipedia) "Fables is a comic book series created by writer Bill Willingham, published by DC Comics's Vertigo imprint beginning in 2002. The series deals with various characters from fairy tales and folklore – referring to themselves as 'Fables' – who have been forced out of their Homelands by 'The Adversary' who has conquered the realm. The Fables have traveled to our world and formed a clandestine community in New York City known as Fabletown. Fables who are unable to blend in with human society (such as monsters and anthropomorphic animals) live at 'the Farm' in upstate New York." In the series, we have Sherriff Bigby Wolf, who is actually the infamous Big Bad Wolf, trying to keep order in the community, but because of his past in the Homelands, it's sometimes difficult for him to do his job. Snow White is the deputy mayor of the town, which often means that all of the work is dumped on her. Then there's just so many other characters, I couldn't name them all in this post. You have GOT to check out this series. When I said that Grimm was gritty and dark, then Fables is ruthless and chilling. It's great! Warning though, this series is meant for older, more mature readers. Check it out!
2) The Wolf Among Us. (From Wikipedia) "The Wolf Among Us is an episodic graphic adventure video game based on Bill Willingham's Fables comic book series. It is developed and published by Telltale Games and distributed by Vertigo and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It is canon with the comic book universe and is set as a prequel to the comic book." This video game is amazing! It's interactive, has amazing graphics, and has a good story that will keep you wanting more and have you depressed when you've finished. But, the beauty of it being put out by Telltale Games is that you can go back and make different decisions, there by playing a completely different game! It's epic! And it can get extremely explicit, so it isn't for everyone. You've been warned! But the game is centered around a series of mysterious murders that Bigby and Snow have to inestigate. Trust me when I say that the further you investigate, the weirder it gets, and the more you'll get sucked in. Eventually you'll be all, "Wait, WHAT?!?" I promise! So go get the game now!
& finally, my favorite modern adaptation to Fairy Tales has Got to be
1) Once Upon A Time. This series is Amazing!!!!! (From Wikipedia) "The series takes place in the fictional seaside town of Storybrooke, Maine, in which the residents are actually characters from various fairy tales and other stories that were transported to the 'real world' town and robbed of their original memories by the Evil Queen Regina (Lana Parrilla), using a powerful curse obtained from Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle). The residents of Storybrooke, where Regina is mayor, have lived an unchanging existence for 28 years, unaware of their own lack of aging. The town's only hope lies with a bail bonds-woman and bounty hunter named Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), the daughter of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas), who was transported from the Enchanted Forest (which was also called Misthaven) to our world as an infant before she could be cursed. As such, she is the only person who can break the curse and restore the characters' lost memories. She is aided by her son, Henry (Jared S. Gilmore), with whom she has recently reunited after giving him up for adoption upon his birth, and his Once Upon a Time book of fairy tales that holds the key to ending the curse. Henry is also the adopted son of Regina, providing a source of both conflict and common interest between the two women.
Episodes usually have one segment that details the characters' past lives which, when serialized, adds a piece to the puzzle about the characters and their connection to the events that preceded the curse and its consequences. The other, set in the present day, follows a similar pattern with a different outcome but also offers similar insights."
I know that some of you are thinking, "Hey, I've seen that and it's a chick show full of drama and blah blah blah." The thing is, it isn't just a chick show. Yes, it'd full of drama, but so are the original stories. Show White is all about the anger of a woman who finds out that someone else is prettier than her. The Wizard of Oz is about two women fighting over shows! Once Upon A Time is excellent because they weave all of the famous stories into one big story. It's also great about adding depth and getting you emotionally invested in once overlooked characters. You'll root for the bad guys, cry when the good guys get temporarily thwarted, and want to go back and watch every Disney movie ever made! It's fantastic. Check out Once Upon A Time every Sunday night on ABC at 8:00 p.m..
But that's my list! These are by far the greatest most splendiferous most amazing modern adaptations of fairy tales (OK, maybe I exaggerated a bit there haha.) What do you guys think?? Anything I left off, or anything I should've added? Please let me know in the comments below. And as always, may the geekery forever be in your favor!
1) Once Upon A Time. This series is Amazing!!!!! (From Wikipedia) "The series takes place in the fictional seaside town of Storybrooke, Maine, in which the residents are actually characters from various fairy tales and other stories that were transported to the 'real world' town and robbed of their original memories by the Evil Queen Regina (Lana Parrilla), using a powerful curse obtained from Rumplestiltskin (Robert Carlyle). The residents of Storybrooke, where Regina is mayor, have lived an unchanging existence for 28 years, unaware of their own lack of aging. The town's only hope lies with a bail bonds-woman and bounty hunter named Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), the daughter of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas), who was transported from the Enchanted Forest (which was also called Misthaven) to our world as an infant before she could be cursed. As such, she is the only person who can break the curse and restore the characters' lost memories. She is aided by her son, Henry (Jared S. Gilmore), with whom she has recently reunited after giving him up for adoption upon his birth, and his Once Upon a Time book of fairy tales that holds the key to ending the curse. Henry is also the adopted son of Regina, providing a source of both conflict and common interest between the two women.
Episodes usually have one segment that details the characters' past lives which, when serialized, adds a piece to the puzzle about the characters and their connection to the events that preceded the curse and its consequences. The other, set in the present day, follows a similar pattern with a different outcome but also offers similar insights."
I know that some of you are thinking, "Hey, I've seen that and it's a chick show full of drama and blah blah blah." The thing is, it isn't just a chick show. Yes, it'd full of drama, but so are the original stories. Show White is all about the anger of a woman who finds out that someone else is prettier than her. The Wizard of Oz is about two women fighting over shows! Once Upon A Time is excellent because they weave all of the famous stories into one big story. It's also great about adding depth and getting you emotionally invested in once overlooked characters. You'll root for the bad guys, cry when the good guys get temporarily thwarted, and want to go back and watch every Disney movie ever made! It's fantastic. Check out Once Upon A Time every Sunday night on ABC at 8:00 p.m..
But that's my list! These are by far the greatest most splendiferous most amazing modern adaptations of fairy tales (OK, maybe I exaggerated a bit there haha.) What do you guys think?? Anything I left off, or anything I should've added? Please let me know in the comments below. And as always, may the geekery forever be in your favor!
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