Cinderella (Blu-Ray): Review

The Film

It would be nearly impossible to find anyone who does not know the story of Cinderella, and who has not seen at least one or two of the films, based on this age old fairy tale, and now, the much talked about Disney film is available for purchase and viewing at home.

A story that needs no introduction, the tale of a young girl who loses both parents, and is so badly mistreated by her step-mother and two horrid step-sisters, only to meet The Prince, go to the ball with the help of her Fairy Godmother, and win the heart of the kingdom.

Carrying the honour of title role as Cinderella is Lily James (learning the way of elegance in Downton Abby, no doubt). She absolutely excels in the role, supported by Richard Madden as The Prince. Cate Blanchett takes up the role of Cinderella’s step-mother, bringing a much sought background and history to the character. The quirky Fairy Godmother brings with her a dash of humour, and played by non-other than Helena Bonham Carter.

Cinderella is a delightful tale that is bound to bring a smile to any adult, and joy to any child. We all know the story, but this is a wonderful presentation of an age old tale.

Disc And Bonus Features

As with all Disney discs, and as it should be, the disc is encoded at a high bitrate, with no visible artefacts on screen. The image is saturated with colour, and clear.

The soundtrack is presented in a 7.1 mix, engulfing the viewer, and drawing them even deeper into the magical on-screen world.

There are several bonus features on the disc, including the short film Frozen Fever, with the much loved characters from the award winning Disney hit Frozen.

Other features include…

A Fairy Tale Comes To Life: a short look at how this version of the film came into being.

Costume Text Run: A montage of video of the cast during their costume tests. There is no insight to the costumes here, merely a series of clips, set to music.

Staging The Ball: looks behind the scenes at the iconic royal ball, and the dance between Cinderella and The Prince, and some insight into the creation of the huge ballroom.

Alternate Ending Ella’s Childhood: introduced by director Kenneth Brannagh, we are presented with some deleted footage, dropped from the final film release.

Ella’s Furry Friends: gives us a brief look at the creatures, both big and small, that helped make the movie what it is, and how they were trained and handled on-set.

With the many additional features that Disney always has on its discs, the ones presented with Cinderealla feel a tad lacking. We have grown so accustomed to many, long features on these discs, that one comes to expect a much longer list. These features, however, are a great addition and top quality.

Cinderella is available now, in South Africa, to purchase on disc.

By Andrew Germishuys

Founder of SAMDB | Actor | Armourer | Tech Enthusiast With over two decades in the film industry, I'm a seasoned actor and skilled armourer. I hold numerous certifications in acting and filmmaking, complemented by degrees and diplomas in IT and technology, giving me a unique blend of creative and technical expertise. When I'm not on set or in the workshop, you'll find me immersed in the world of gaming and VR, fuelling my passion for cutting-edge technology. Connect with me: X / Twitter Facebook Instagram Mastodon Threads Explore my work on SAMDB IMDb

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