June 15, 1994 may have very little significance to anyone but it is the day that The Lion King opened in the United States. It is probably one of my favorite of all of the Disney films because of the opening. Watch it again... Don't worry... I'll wait... I will likely watch it again with you...It is so AWESOME!!! (Charlotte tells me that the translation of the beginning is "it is a lion... there look a lion" or some such plain language. It is amazing that this song one of the most beautiful songs Disney has ever had in a movie can start in such a way. I still LOVE it!!)
When you hear the first notes of the opening, where does it take you? What do you think of? For me, the opening brings me to a place before I was married and had children. I was planning my wedding and dreaming of someday having children. It was a time of new beginnings. A time of wonder. A time of unknowns. A time of dreams. All of the Disney movies are really great about allowing the characters to have and follow their dreams. For me, The Lion King was the first one that touched me and allowed me to have the dream. Not because of the story line but because of the opening song.
Anyone who knows me, knows that I am all about Cinderella. I LOVE the story! I have many renditions of the movie. I have many Cinderella stories from many cultures and countries. I LOVE the story! By far, my favorite Cinderella story is The Rough-Faced Girl. Maybe it is a New England thing. Maybe it is the amazing storytelling that Rafe Martin captures. I don't know...but I adore this story! I urge you to check this one out if you haven't already. Oh and by the way I also have in my Cinderella collection, Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters; The Persian Princess; Princess Furball; Cendrillon: a Caribbean Cinderella; Bigfoot Cinderella; Cinderella Skeleton; Cinderella, the Dog and Her Glass Slipper; Cinderlily; Cindy-Ellen: a Wild West Cinderella; Prince Cinders and probably more that I can't find in my memory but there are a lot and I add to my collection when I can.
Anyway, back to The Lion King and why this blog was originally being written - James and his amazing way to put a new spin on things! The kids were watching a movie on our trip and the previews came on. I heard the familiar music start and started to go to my happy place of dreaming of the possibilities with a new adventure until I heard James groan. Apparently he wasn't in the mood to watch the preview for The Lion King because this was his reaction: "Oh Great...It's an epic story about a baby that is useless!" Really James! I need to go now and read The Rough-Faced Girl and find my happy place. PEACE
Anyone who knows me, knows that I am all about Cinderella. I LOVE the story! I have many renditions of the movie. I have many Cinderella stories from many cultures and countries. I LOVE the story! By far, my favorite Cinderella story is The Rough-Faced Girl. Maybe it is a New England thing. Maybe it is the amazing storytelling that Rafe Martin captures. I don't know...but I adore this story! I urge you to check this one out if you haven't already. Oh and by the way I also have in my Cinderella collection, Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters; The Persian Princess; Princess Furball; Cendrillon: a Caribbean Cinderella; Bigfoot Cinderella; Cinderella Skeleton; Cinderella, the Dog and Her Glass Slipper; Cinderlily; Cindy-Ellen: a Wild West Cinderella; Prince Cinders and probably more that I can't find in my memory but there are a lot and I add to my collection when I can. Anyway, back to The Lion King and why this blog was originally being written - James and his amazing way to put a new spin on things! The kids were watching a movie on our trip and the previews came on. I heard the familiar music start and started to go to my happy place of dreaming of the possibilities with a new adventure until I heard James groan. Apparently he wasn't in the mood to watch the preview for The Lion King because this was his reaction: "Oh Great...It's an epic story about a baby that is useless!" Really James! I need to go now and read The Rough-Faced Girl and find my happy place. PEACE
