Much like A. A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh, the character of Cinderella has recently entered the public domain. This means that creatives can use Cinders in their work without fear of being sued or having to pay a hefty licence fee. Just as with Winnie-the-Pooh, the immediate wave of Cinderella stories have a horror angle, and whereas placing the creatures of 100 Acre Woods into the genre seems strange, Cinderella feels like a story that could be enriched by a bloody edge. Earlier this year, Andy Edwards released Cinderella’s Revenge, which saw Cinderella’s Fairy Godmother influence her to violence. Next to turn Cinderella to the evil side is Louisa Warren with the film Cinderella’s Curse.
Warren’s version of Cinderella is a long way away from that of the Disney classic that children grow up watching. This is a far darker and gorier affair that shares more in common with Carrie than it does Disney. In Cinderella’s Curse, Cinderella (Kelly Rian Sanson) is thrown through the emotional wringer as she finds herself the unknowing pawn in a game orchestrated by one of her stepsisters, Ingrid (Lauren Budd), and the dashing Prince Levin (Sam Barrett). In the aftermath of their wickedness, Cinderella calls upon her Fairy Godmother (Chrissie Wunna) and unleashes bloody vengeance.
Where Cinderella’s Curse excels is in the first half of the film. Writers Harry Boxley and Charles Perrault take time in building up Cinderella’s situation. Unlike the popular cartoon, the wickedness of her stepsisters and stepmother is not immediately over-the-top. The trio instead unleash their malice in bitchier and more subtle ways. There is the occasional moment of brutality, but even these are not aimed directly at Cinders. Instead, the group coerces her into being an active participant in the episodes, leaving her to deal with her guilt. At the same time, the plotting for Cinderella’s humiliation is underway, and this heavy strand of Carrie inspired torment is an unexpected treat.
Unfortunately, it is in the aftermath of Cinderella’s embarrassment that the wheels begin to come off. Pure fury is released and the body count mounts rapidly, but once the violence is unleashed, it becomes hard to get back to the story. As blood and body parts fly, it is difficult to follow who is being punished and events quickly turn into white noise that is easily tuned out. Amidst this bloody retribution though is the Fairy Godmother and her minions, and it is safe to say that the character has never looked quite like this before. Appearing like a cenobite from an unreleased Hellraiser film, she is a devilish, skinless, jumble of flesh that certainly leaves an impression. It’s a cool rendering of the beloved character that completely spins her on her head, and the film is screaming for more of her presence.
Whilst the Carrie treatment and ghastly Godmother visage are a welcome addition to Cinderella lore, there sadly isn’t enough of either here. A strong first half is let down by a frazzled second, which drops the story in favour of gore galore. The overwhelming amount of murder and mayhem loses potency and leaves Cinderella’s Curse falling flat without the happy ending it deserves.
Cinderella’s Curse
Summary
Cinderella gets the Carrie treatment in this bloody retelling of a classic fairy tale.
Cinderella’s Curse was reviewed at Pigeon Shrine FrightFest 2024.
