CINDERFELLA -- Movie Review by Porfle

 

Originally posted on 8/7/16

 

1960's CINDERFELLA, as you might guess, is a gender-reversed take on the famous fairytale "Cinderella" with Jerry Lewis as the gentle soul ("Fella") harrassed by a wicked stepmother out to steal his inheritence (Dame Judith Anderson, giving the film much added class) and two hateful stepbrothers played wonderfully by exploitation film mainstay Henry Silva and Robert Hutton of THE MAN WITHOUT A BODY and THE SLIME PEOPLE.

As those familiar with the original fairytale will already know, Fella's life is one of thankless drudgery and constant belittlement as he scrambles to perform every menial task given him by his pampered, arrogant stepmother and stepbrothers (and which Jerry, as usual, manages to milk for laughs).

But when Dame Judith hosts a ball for a visiting European princess (cute Anna Maria Alberghetti), Fella's fairy godfather Ed Wynn appears and makes it possible for him to attend and steal the young girl's heart.

 

The lavish ball sequence is best known for Jerry's amazing first-take strut down the massive staircase and also includes some genuinely charming choreography as he and the princess enjoy a spirited dance together. 

(There seems to be a scene missing before this, however, since we never see his goldfish being turned into a chauffeur or his bicycle into a limosine, or find out why he must flee the ball at the stroke of midnight, leaving behind one of his Italian loafers.)

Much of the rest of CINDERFELLA is of the "charming" variety, yet there's plenty of the old Lewis hilarity to enjoy as well.  The film is directed by Frank Tashlin (of the superb Martin and Lewis hit ARTISTS AND MODELS as well as other of Jerry's solo ventures) and thus we get to see where some of Jerry's own directorial influences came from.

 

There's a musical pantomime bit that foreshadows the one in the following year's THE ERRAND BOY, and one great sequence which has Fella trying to eat his own supper at the end of a mile-long fancy dinner table while also scrambling to serve as waiter for his stepmother and stepbrothers. 

The sets and costumes are opulent, and, like the later THE NUTTY PROFESSOR, CINDERFELLA is in dazzling Technicolor.

Not every comedy bit or attempt at pathos comes off as well as it's meant to, and some scenes tend to drag a bit. But overall, CINDERFELLA is one of those colorful, frenetic Jerry Lewis classics that will delight his fans. It came out while Jerry's post-Martin and Lewis solo career was still young, and helped establish him once and for all as one of our great comic film stars.


Read our review of the "Nutty Professor" 50th Anniversary Collection

CINDERFELLA -- Movie Review by Porfle

Christmas in May? Tis The Season With This Top 10 Christmas Themed Binge-Watching Guide

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas!  If you notice your neighbors turning on their holiday lights in May, no need to panic — you haven’t lost track of time while sheltering in place…it’s just a cheerful trend that appears to be gaining momentum as Americans have started putting up their holiday lights early to try and spread some joy during this time.

Don’t feel like putting up the full display just yet? Well, have no fear, as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment is dedicating this week’s Top 10 Binge Watching Guide to the most wonderful time of the year to lift your spirits and make you feel jolly!

Check out our holiday themed list below that will warm your heart and bring the magic and spirit of the holidays into your home!

Please check out the behind the scenes clip from our Top Pick above. All titles are now available to own at major digital retailers; including iTunes, Amazon Prime, VUDU and GooglePlay!

#BingeWatchWednesdays

All photos are courtesy of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment





TOP PICK OF THE WEEK

Break out the mistletoe and holly and get ready to sing and dance in your living rooms!

A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish

Brimming with overtones from the classic fairytale, this contemporary musical follows Katherine “Kat” Decker dreaming of becoming a famous singer-songwriter. Her reality, however, is suffocated by her conniving and cruel stepfamily and a demoralizing job working as a singing elf at billionaire Terrence Wintergarden’s Santa Land. When she starts to fall for Nick, the handsome new Santa at the tree lot, things begin to look up. Unfortunately, when her stepmother and stepsisters realize Kat has been invited to the prestigious Wintergarden Christmas Gala, they’ll stop at nothing to procure their own invitation and keep Kat from attending. With the help of her attentive dog, a true friend, and a little bit of holiday magic, Kat may just make it to the gala, discover the true identity of Nick, and experience the true meaning of Christmas.

The enchanting original movie stars Laura Marano (Disney’s Austin and Ally) as Kat Decker, Gregg Sulkin (Marvel’s Runaways, Faking It, Wizards of Waverly Place) as Dominic Wintergarden, Barclay Hope (Riverdale) as Terrence Wintergarden, three-time Leo® Award winner and Hallmark Channel favorite Johannah Newmarch (When Calls The Heart, Garage Sale Mystery franchise) as the cruel stepmother Deirdra Decker, Isabella Gomez (One Day at a Time) as Kat’s best friend Isla, and evil-stepsisters Joy and Grace are played, respectively, by Lillian Doucet-Roche (The Miracle Season) and Chanelle Peloso (Syfy’s Deadly Class). This is the fifth installment in the A Cinderella Story movie series, and first one with a Christmas theme. Other titles include A Cinderella Story (Hilary Duff), Another Cinderella Story (Selena Gomez), A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song (Lucy Hale) and A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits (Sofia Carson).

Please check out above clip from the bonus content featurette titled “The Mic & The Stage, “ and get a glimpse into the production of this heartwarming musical as you go behind the scenes with Laura Marano and Director/Writer Michelle Johnston to see how the magic was created!

(You can also read HK and Cult Film News' own review of the film HERE.)



Other Holiday Titles To Consider:
 

Christmas of Many Colors: Circle of Love

Dolly Parton's Christmas of Many Colors - Circle of Love continues with the story of young Dolly Parton as the Parton Family experiences a true Christmas miracle drawing the Partons closer together than ever - with deepened faith and love for one another. The film delivers Christmas joy and peril as an unexpected blizzard threatens the Parton family while Dolly’s father (and his kids) make sacrifices to raise enough money to finally buy his loving wife the wedding ring he could never afford. Meanwhile, an important person in little Dolly’s life begins to see that her amazing voice and musical gift might just be made for something bigger than rural Tennessee.

 Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas
 
Elf: Buddy's Musical Christmas tells the story of Buddy the elf, and his quest to reunite with the human father he never knew existed. While Buddy's sincerity and idealism are commonplace at the North Pole, these attributes are rejected in cynical New York City. But through song, dance, and relentless good cheer, Buddy rekindles the spirit of Christmas for the entire city. This stop-motion animated holiday musical movie combines the humor and spirit of the beloved holiday film Elf with songs from the Broadway hit Elf: The Musical to create an all-new retelling of Buddy’s delightfully absurd yet heartwarming story.


Teen Titans Go! Holiday Collection

From Warner Bros. Animation, it’s the return of Robin, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy and Cyborg in all-new comedic adventures. But these teen super heroes have more than just super powers — they have super-sized chores to do and they’re unsupervised! So get ready for pizza parties and pranks as the teens totally annoy one other, in between fighting crime. Unless there’s something good on TV….

A Charlie Brown Christmas

In this Emmy® and Peabody Award winning classic, Charlie Brown is upset by how commercial the Christmas holiday has become. To coax him out of his holiday blues, Lucy suggests he direct the school’s Christmas pageant and decorate a glorious tree. Charlie Brown concedes. The tree he finds however, is puny, prompting everyone to ridicule him. 


A Christmas Story Live!

A live musical event inspired by the perennial holiday movie favorite and the Tony Award-nominated Broadway musical production, A CHRISTMAS STORY LIVE! follows nine-year-old Ralphie Parker, who dreams of finding a genuine Red Ryder Carbine Action BB Gun under the tree on Christmas morning. The over-two-hour TV movie stars Maya Rudolph, Matthew Broderick, Jane Krakowski, Chris Diamantopoulos, Ana Gasteyer and talented newcomer Andy Walken as Ralphie. This winter-wonderful extravaganza features stunning choreography on massive sets and family-friendly songs with music and lyrics by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, lyricists of La La Land’s Academy Award®-winning* song, “City of Stars.” Get ready to sing and dance along to your new favorite holiday tradition!

How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Magnificently narrated by Boris Karloff (Frankenstein, The Mummy) and directed by animation genius and cartoon legend Chuck Jones (Looney Tunes, What's Opera, Doc?), How the Grinch Stole Christmas! tells the story of the miserable Grinch, who wants to sabotage Christmas for all the Whos in Who-ville. The Grinch thinks that by stealing the Whos Christmas trees and presents, he’ll succeed in stealing their joy. However, when Christmas morning arrives, the Grinch is taken by surprise when he notices the Whos greet the day joyously singing Christmas carols regardless of the fact that their village has been completely stripped of holiday gifts, decorations and treats. The cheerful attitude of the Whos prompts the Grinch to ponder the true meaning of Christmas and he slowly comes to realize the spirit of the season is not generated by material possessions. Will the Grinch have a change of heart and consider returning the Whos’ Christmas gifts?

Tom & Jerry Nutcracker Tale

In an empty opera house, Jerry wishes for a chance to perform -- and magically his dream comes true. The little mouse is whisked away to an enchanted kingdom where anything is possible: candy forests, singing snowflakes, even the toys spring to life! Jerry has a great time with his new friends, and when Jerry dances with the music box ballerina, he is as happy as happy can be. Unfortunately, alley cats led by Tom crash Jerry's party, kidnap the music box ballerina and wreak havoc in the holiday kingdom. It's up to Jerry to set things right -- and with help from a fellow mouse named Tuffy and more newfound friends, Jerry just may win the day!


The Year Without a Santa Claus

Mrs. Santa Claus tells the story of the year that Santa Claus, feeling ill and unwanted, decided to take a holiday. But when the elves show Santa all the toys they are preparing--and the children eagerly awaiting Christmas--Santa dons his red suit and drives his gift-laden sleigh for his annual rounds in this stop-motion animated family special.


Frosty’s Winter Wonderland

The world's favorite snowman, Frosty, has lots of young friends, still he's lonely for another snow-person. The children build him a wife named Crystal, but jealous, cold-hearted Jack Frost plots to keep Frosty and Crystal from finding happiness together in this musical, animated family special.

Christmas in May? Tis The Season With This Top 10 Christmas Themed Binge-Watching Guide

Break Out The Mistletoe As Your Holidays Just Got Merrier With "A CINDERELLA STORY: CHRISTMAS WISH" -- See Trailer HERE!

Relive the Beloved Timeless Tale of Cinderella with a Modern-Day, Holiday Twist

"A CINDERELLA STORY: CHRISTMAS WISH"

Bring Home the Music & Magic
October 15 on Digital, October 29 on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack & DVD

BURBANK, CA (August 14, 2019) – Break out the mistletoe and holly and get ready to sing and dance as Warner Bros. Home Entertainment releases A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish on Digital beginning October 15, and on Blu-ray™ Combo Pack and DVD on October 29. The enchanting all-new original movie stars Laura Marano (Disney’s Austin and Ally) as Kat Decker, Gregg Sulkin (Marvel’s Runaways, Faking It, Wizards of Waverly Place) as Dominic Wintergarden, Barclay Hope (Riverdale) as Terrence Wintergarden, three-time Leo® Award winner and Hallmark Channel favorite Johannah Newmarch (When Calls The Heart, Garage Sale Mystery franchise) as the cruel stepmother Deirdra Decker, Isabella Gomez (One Day at a Time) as Kat’s best friend Isla, and evil-stepsisters Joy and Grace are played, respectively, by Lillian Doucet-Roche (The Miracle Season) and Chanelle Peloso (Syfy’s Deadly Class).

WATCH THE TRAILER

 
A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish will be available on Blu-Ray™ Combo Pack for $24.98 SRP ($34.97 in Canada) and DVD for $19.98 SRP ($24.99 in Canada) as well as on Digital for $19.99 SRP. The Blu-ray Combo Pack (and Blu-ray in Canada) include a digital version of the film.

Brimming with overtones from the classic fairytale, this contemporary musical follows Katherine “Kat” Decker dreaming of becoming a famous singer-songwriter. Her reality, however, is suffocated by her conniving and cruel stepfamily and a demoralizing job working as a singing elf at billionaire Terrence Wintergarden’s Santa Land. When she starts to fall for Nick, the handsome new Santa at the tree lot, things begin to look up. Unfortunately, when her stepmother and stepsisters realize Kat has been invited to the prestigious Wintergarden Christmas Gala, they’ll stop at nothing to procure their own invitation and keep Kat from attending. With the help of her attentive dog, a true friend, and a little bit of holiday magic, Kat may just make it to the gala, discover the true identity of Nick, and experience the true meaning of Christmas.

“The Cinderella fairytale is iconic and has captivated audiences for many generations," said Mary Ellen Thomas, WBHE, Vice President, TV Marketing, Family & Animation. ”We are delighted to bring a fresh, new spin to this timeless fairytale just in time for holiday gift giving!”

This is the fifth installment in the A Cinderella Story movie series, and first one with a Christmas theme. Other titles include A Cinderella Story (Hilary Duff), Another Cinderella Story (Selena Gomez), A Cinderella Story: Once Upon a Song (Lucy Hale) and A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits (Sofia Carson). A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish is written and directed by Michelle Johnston (Nickelodeon’s Blurt), who directed the last installment of A Cinderella Story after choreographing the first four and serving as a producer on the past three. Dylan Sellers (The Giver, St. Vincent, both Agent Cody Banks films), keeper of the A Cinderella Story franchise, returns for his fifth turn as producer. Trygge Toven (Captain Marvel, Avengers: Infinity War, Trolls) and Toko Nagata (Shaft, The Predator, Pitch Perfect 3) serve as the music supervisors. Production Services were provided by Front Street Pictures Inc. The film is produced in association with Blue Ribbon Content for Warner Bros. Home Entertainment.


BONUS FEATURES

    The Look and Costumes of ‘A Christmas Wish’ (New Featurette)
    The Mic and The Stage (New Featurette)



DIGITAL DISTRIBUTION ELEMENTS
On October 15, 2019, A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish will be available to own in high definition and standard definition from select digital retailers including Amazon, the Apple TV app, FandangoNOW, PlayStation, Vudu, Xbox and others. On October 15, 2019, A Cinderella Story: Christmas Wish will be made available digitally on Video On Demand services from cable and satellite providers, and on select gaming consoles.

ABOUT MOVIES ANYWHERE
Movies Anywhere is a digital movie platform that enables movie fans to discover, access, and watch their favorite digital movies in one place. Movies Anywhere brings together a library of nearly 7,500 digital movies from Sony Pictures, Twentieth Century Fox Film, The Walt Disney Studios (including Disney, Pixar, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm), Universal Pictures (including DreamWorks and Illumination Entertainment) and Warner Bros., and will continue to expand the consumer experience as more content providers, digital retailers and platforms are added. By connecting participating digital retailers that include Amazon Prime Video, the Apple TV app, FandangoNOW, Google Play, and Vudu, movie fans can now bring together their digital movie collections (whether purchased or redeemed) in one place and enjoy them from the comfort of their living rooms, and across multiple devices and platforms, including Amazon Fire devices; Android devices and Android TV; Apple TV, iPhone, iPad and iPod touch; Chromecast; Roku® devices and popular browsers. Movie fans can also redeem digital codes found in eligible Blu-ray and DVD disc packages from participating studios and enjoy them through Movies Anywhere. Movies Anywhere – your movies, together at last.


ABOUT DIGITAL
Digital movies or TV episodes allow fans to watch a digital version of their movie or TV show anywhere, on their favorite devices. Digital movies or TV episodes are included with the purchase of specially marked Blu-ray discs. With digital, consumers are able to instantly stream and download movies and TV shows to TVs, computers, tablets and smartphones through retail services. For more information on compatible devices and services go to wb.com/digitalmoviefaq. Consult a digital retailer for details and requirements and for a list of digital-compatible devices.


BASICS
Street Date: October 29, 2019
Order Due Date: September 24, 2019
BD and DVD Presented in 16x9 widescreen format
Running Time: Feature: Approx 93 min
Enhanced Content: Approx 33 min

DVD
Price: $19.98 SRP
1 DVD
Audio – English (5.1), French, Latin-Spanish, German
Subtitles – French, German, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Romanian

BLU-RAY Combo Pack
Price: $24.98 SRP
1 BD and 1 DVD
Audio –DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 – English, French, Latin-Spanish
Subtitles – French


About Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Inc.
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) brings together Warner Bros. Entertainment's home video, digital distribution and interactive entertainment businesses in order to maximize current and next-generation distribution scenarios. An industry leader since its inception, WBHE oversees the global distribution of content through packaged goods (Blu-ray Disc™ and DVD) and digital media in the form of electronic sell-through and video-on-demand via cable, satellite, online and mobile channels, and is a significant developer and publisher for console and online video game titles worldwide. WBHE distributes its product through third party retail partners and licensees.

About Blue Ribbon Content
Formed in 2014, Warner Bros. Television Group’s Blue Ribbon Content (BRC) develops and produces live-action series for digital platforms, tapping the creative talent already working at the Studio while also identifying opportunities for collaboration with new writers and producers. In addition to live-action programming, BRC produces animated content and also experiments with emerging platforms such as virtual reality. Live-action BRC programs include the movies Daphne and Velma for Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and The Banana Splits for Warner Bros. Home Entertainment and SYFY, comedy series Beerfest: Thirst for Victory for CW Seed, horror/comedy series Critters: A New Binge for Shudder, SpringHill Entertainment’s basketball documentary series Best Shot for YouTube Red, and the following upcoming projects: the second season of the UNINTERRUPTED comedy series Now We’re Talking, comedy series Golden Revenge and the feature-length comedy Good Girls Get High. Animated BRC programs include Constantine: City of Demons and Freedom Fighters: The Ray for CW Seed, as well as Ginger Snaps for ABC Digital.

Break Out The Mistletoe As Your Holidays Just Got Merrier With "A CINDERELLA STORY: CHRISTMAS WISH" -- See Trailer HERE!

"Cinderella: Anniversary Edition" On Digital and Movies Anywhere June 18 and on Blu-ray™ June 25 -- See Trailer HERE!

“Cinderella: Anniversary Edition”, the newest release in the Walt Disney Signature Collection

On Digital and Movies Anywhere June 18 and on Blu-ray™ June 25


In honor of its upcoming 70th anniversary, the timeless animated classic “Cinderella” waltzes into the highly celebrated Walt Disney Signature Collection and the hearts of a whole new generation.

The enchanting tale, which showed us that dreams really do come true — and inspired countless fans to reenact the Royal Ball and Cinderella’s infamous midnight dash — arrives home Digitally in HD and Movies Anywhere on June 18, and on Blu-ray™ and DVD on June 25.

WATCH THE TRAILER



The Anniversary Edition of “Cinderella” offers two all-new extras: “Cinderella” trivia and fun facts, hosted by Ruth Righi and Ava Kolker from Disney Channel’s “Sydney to the Max,” and “In Walt’s Words: Enhanced Edition,” a special edition of “Cinderella” featuring fascinating production details, original storyboards, archival photos, thumbnail sketches and transcripts throughout the feature film.

Hours of classic bonus material celebrates the masterful animation, memorable music and long-lasting impact of “Cinderella,” showcasing Walt Disney’s core group of animators, the art of Disney Legend Mary Blair, the original demo recording of the film’s title song and Cinderella’s iconic glass slipper.

"Cinderella: Anniversary Edition" On Digital and Movies Anywhere June 18 and on Blu-ray™ June 25 -- See Trailer HERE!