Greenes Please don't spend money on this.

Tedfoldol everything you have heard about this movie is true.

Kaelan Mccaffrey Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

Quiet Muffin This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

lasttimeisaw I didn't conceive a high expectation towards this film, however it turned out to be really bad, maybe it a hint for me to eschew French films for a while? The fairytale of princess Donkey Skin, which I vaguely remember hearing before (of course during my childhood), but in the film, it boldly appropriated an incestuous background to back up the preposition of the flee of the princess under the disguise of the donkey skin, which one could only imagine French people was able to accomplish it. I don't mind the adaptation, but it failed to provide any potent vigor to the film, which is a major blunder. The latter part of the film is a well-worn Cinderella story while shoes are substituted by a more convenient item, a ring, and the process of all the maidens' trial of the ring is rather long and cumbrous, luckily the film only lasts 90 minutes, otherwise, I might not have the patience to finish it. (Nevertheless, the sudden landing of the helicopter in the end of the film is a definite an eye-opener, one could never underestimate the absurd imagination from French.)Let me think harder, at least the costumes and settings of the film are novel at that time, which sadly cannot save the film from a childish and reckless potboiler. My only consolation is that I could watch the marquee Catherine Deneuve in her most splendid time. Finally I have to mention its theme song (trust me, it's a musical film indeed), under an influence after whose multiple and redundant appearances, it has been ironed inside my brain deeply (l' amour, l'amour......); by comparison, I prefer the song by Delphine Seyrig (the fairy-godmother) in the film, who at least gave a more non-wooden and slightly comic performance.

writers_reign This is at once ravishing, enchanting and sumptuous, a fairytale told the way fairy tales should be told with a cast of heavy-hitters led by Catherine Deneuve and featuring Jean Marais, Micheline Presle, Jaques Perrin and Delphine Seyrig. To those who only know him as the top-and-tale narrator of both Cinema Paradiso and Les Choristes Perrin will be a revelation as a handsome leading man, a genuine Prince Charming as called for. As a lyricist Demy made a great director but one can't have everything and banal lyrics are a small price to pay for a gem like this which cleverly contrasts the fabulist setting of the castle - looking strangely like the one in Les Visiteurs du soir - with the Breughel-like crowds in the second kingdom where Deneuve finds work as a scullion. One to own on DVD.

Kara Dahl Russell This is a lovely film of a fairy tale, a french tale that is one of the Cinderella derivations. This one has some dark elements which seem sensible to children, but disturbing to adults, which makes this perfect for film, because it plays on two levels. The production here is aimed squarely at children, and succeeds. The DVD extras tell us that Denueve is still recognized by children as the Princess, and it seems that it remains a favorite experience with most people involved in the making.Adults who have seen Cocteau's BEAUTY AND THE BEAST will recognize many moments of film reference to that story, including the Beast there playing a beastly royal father here. The most magical moment for me in this film is a direct reference to Belle's slow motion run down the stairs. It would have been nicer to see some of these marvelous ideas (the Giant Cat as a throne, the bedspread of grass and flowers) done with a higher budget, and with today's special effects, but children fill in the gaps when they see it, and the cooking scene has a lovely little surprise in the eggs which is charming. The costumes are over the top in the best way, with a special "sky" gown. The castle sets feel a bit cavernous and empty, like, well, sets.Catherine Denueve plays two roles, briefly appearing as her own (re-haired) Mother, and the enchanted Princess. Deneuve was actually a bit old to play a princess, but still exquisitely lovely, and the good fortune here is that by this time in her career her acting has more depth and this benefits her role. She seems to grow up and become more womanly before us. Not a sentimental tale, the ending has some modern surprises which remind us of the timeless nature of the Lilac Fairy, parent child relationships, and unsettling dynamics of relationships. Michel Legrand's dissonant melodies flesh out this feeling. This is lost on the children, of course. So this film is light and pretty, with something for everyone.

Lovekitten I just had to write a correct summary, since the one available was misleading. The movie is about a beautiful princess, which is forced to marry her father. following her fairy godmother advice, she asks her father for unreasonable presents so she could get out of this unholy marriage. first she asks for a dress the color of the sky, but he provides it to her, so she requests a dress the color of the sparkling moon, which he made for her also, and last, a dress made of the sun beams, which surprisingly he's able to provide her too. in her despair, she runs away from the palace, with her three dresses, wearing a donkey skin as disguise and settles in a far off village working as a maid. thats where the love story begins, filled with sweet songs by Cathrine's beautiful voice.