RED SHOES AND THE SEVEN DWARFS
Korea, 2019, 93 minutes, Colour.
Voices of: Chloe Grace Moretz, Sam Claflin, Gina Gershon, Patrick Warburton, Jim Rash.
Directed by Sung-ho Hong.
This is a Korean animated film, computer-generated. It is quite lavish in its style, its landscapes, depiction of characters, situations. It has an American and British voice cast.
As from the title, there are indications of Hans Christian Andersen’s story of the red shoes, the fatal shoes and the dancing heroine. There are also echoes, of course, from the Brothers Grimm’s story of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. And this story has elements of Cinderella (from Charles Perreault).
However, there are some 21st-century sensibilities in style, comic adventures, explosions and conflict…
However, the film is significant in its message of role reversals.
The film has seven princes who defend a Princess from a Dragon but then are cursed by the Queen and become green dwarfs. They can be healed only when there is a kiss from the most beautiful woman in the world. They go on their adventures, camaraderie, led by Merlin (voiced by Sam Claflin) who can sometimes appear as a dashing Prince but then reverts.
The wicked queen, Regina, (voiced by Gina Gershon) takes over the kingdom, turning the king and the little children into wooden dolls. However, his daughter, escapes. She has a pair of red shoes which grow on an Apple tree – and Regina is envious, starts jealous pursuit. She engages the help of the local Prince, Prince Average. He is quite ineffectual in his confrontations, especially with Merlin and the dwarfs.
The main difference is that Snow is a rather pudgy girl. When pursued and wearing the red shoes, she can turn into a beautiful princess. And there are some interactions between herself and Merlin and the various changes.
However, ultimately, with the defeat of Regina, with the king and the little children turning back into their selves, with Merlin appearing as a Prince, Snow retains her real former presence as the overweight girl. She too can be the heroine of a fairytale.
