When it comes to comparing the original Hansel and Gretel fairy tale to the MGM film, there's a lot to look at. There are a lot of changes, but it isn't so drastic as to affect the story or the message of the tale. Probably one of the biggest changes is what the film directors have done to the mother character. In the Grimm version, the mother was very evil and wanted to get rid of the children so that she and her husband would not starve. She's actively angry when the children show up again at their house. "You wicked children!" In the film, she's not like this, she loves her children but is worried for her family's survival. When the children accidentally spill all their milk the mother gets upset at them and tells them to go into the forest and not come back without any berries. She strongly regrets this later when her husband comes home. "What have I done? My children!" In the Grimm version, the parents take the children out in the woods and leave them there, promising them to come back. This change was likely made as to not make the motherly figure out to be the villain. Another major change was the inclusion of the father's job and their money problems being more focused on and eventually solved. At the beginning of the film, we see the father delivering firewood to the baker and being scammed. Later he stands up for himself and demands the money that is owed to him. We also see a kind neighbor give some milk to the family as thanks for what their father did for them. None of this is seen in the Grimm version, the family is only shown to be starving and poor. I am unsure as to why the filmmakers decided to include this as it doesn't add anything but to make the family less poor. The witch's demise, at the end of the film, is slightly less horrific than the Grimm tale as she is turned into a dessert through magic, rather than being cooked alive. This is done for obvious reasons as it would be too violent for and children watching.
No comments:
Post a Comment