This was the ultimate advice that could have been given to Hansel and Gretel in last night's episode of Once Upon a Time! Actually, the evil queen did give the children that advice, but I guess candy and sweets are just too tempting for kids. I don't want to give too much away for those of you who haven't seen the episode yet. I will say this much: The blind witch who lives in the gingerbread house is looking better than any storybook witch ever has, and the evil queen gets some awesome Steampunk type outfits. Here's a brief video clip showing some of her stylish clothes:
I've never disliked a character so much, while at the same time wishing I had her wardrobe. It's almost conflicting in a way.
The next clip is a preview for the episode. You can catch a brief glimpse of the blind witch in this:
Didn't they find the most precious children to play Hansel and Gretel? If you would like to watch the entire episode, you can do so here:
Hansel and Gretel episode
Hansel and Gretel is one of those fairy tales that is probably supposed to leave children with a message. It was the original "Don't take candy from strangers" story! Of course, being a Grimm tale meant that it had its gruesome parts. I decided that a story that was grisly enough to involve a witch in an oven deserved a place here. So, I'm going to delve a little further into the story...
In the original Grimm version of Hansel and Gretel (which is probably the one we all know) the children live with their biological parents, who share the blame for abandoning them. I was surprised to learn that they later adapted the story so that the children live with their father and stepmother. From what I've found online, the story was updated in the 1850s. In the updated version, the stepmother would like to get rid of the children and sends them into the woods to fend for themselves. According to Wikipedia...
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm heard "Hansel and Gretel" from Dortchen Wild, and published it in Kinder- und Hausmärchen in 1812. In the Grimm tale, the woodcutter and his wife are the biological parents of the children and share the blame for abandoning them. In later editions, some slight revisions were made: the wife is stepmother to the children, the woodcutter opposes his wife's scheme to abandon the children, and religious references are made.
In both versions of the story, the children end up at the witch's gingerbread house, which lies deep in the woods. The witch plans to eat Hansel and Gretel, but the children manage to outwit the witch and throw her into the oven. In the revised story, the evil stepmother mysteriously dies of unknown causes at the same time the witch is burnt up in the oven. Hmm... Could it be that the witch and the evil stepmother were the same person? In that story, the children and their father live on in the witch's house and enjoy her wealth.
I was reminded of a funny scene from Addams Family Values where Morticia gets a job reading to school children. You'll have to watch a few other scenes first. Morticia's unique take on Hansel and Gretel:
Job Agency Lady: Major?
Morticia: Spells and Hexes
Job Agency Lady: Liberal Arts
If you'd like to learn more about the origins of Hansel and Gretel and related stories from around the world, you'll want to check out this informative web site:
The History of Hansel and Gretel Tales
I invariably covet the evil witch/queen's wardrobe. The good girls just always look so GOOD!
ReplyDeleteOnce Upon A Time is such a good show. I didn't think at first I'd like it as much as I do, but I am glad I gave it a chance!
ReplyDelete"I've never disliked a character so much, while at the same time wishing I had her wardrobe."
ReplyDeleteThat's an awesome quote! It's Oscar Wilde worthy!!! Haha.
Well, you already know that I love this show, and I can't wait to see this episode now!!
I loved 'The Addams Family' clip, of course. The Girl Scout cookie line has always been a favourite of mine. Plus, it's amazing seeing Buffy's "Harmony" so young.
Pensive Pumpkin ~ Yeah! It does seem that the villains always get the best clothes. I'm just thinking about the Disney villains, who I bet the evil queen is designed after. Especially, since Once Upon a Time plays on ABC. Disney owns ABC, so I guess it's no surprise that there's a similarity in style. The evil queen in Disney's Snow White and Maleficent had great cartoon clothing!
ReplyDeleteKweeny Todd ~ I felt exactly the same way. There must have been a bad looking preview for the show or something. It turned out to be a wonderful surprise! Are you watching Grimm too?
Little Gothic Horrors ~ Oscar Wilde worthy! Hey, I'll take that. :) Thank you! I seriously do want her clothes. When she stepped out of her carriage in that hat and jacket, I gasped! She was like an evil Steampunk pirate. I loved her makeup in that scene too. Someone should make a Youtube makeup tutorial for that look.
I can't wait to discuss this episode with you! I definitely want to talk about the last scene. They really know how to leave a good cliffhanger.
Yeah, I thought you might like the Morticia clip! I loved the girl scout cookie part. Christina Ricci could really deliver a good dead pan line for a young girl! She was actually convincingly creepy to me. I thought she was the coolest when I was younger. I wonder what she's up to now? I had to google Harmony, because I didn't remember her from Buffy. Was she introduced later on? I may have quit watching the show by that point.
No, Harmony was there from the very beginning. She was one of Cordelia's mean girl crew, and was turned into a vampire on Graduation Day. For a while she was a love interest for Spike too. Harmony then went on to became a regular on Angel. Mind you, it's all fresh in my mind because I'm re-watching Buffy. :)
ReplyDeleteOooo ~ nice post.
ReplyDeleteWhen I grow up I want to be an Evil Queen!
*mwahahahahaaa!*
I did indeed enjoy this episode. I am surprised by the whole series and hope they continue the twisty story line like something from LOST. The only thing I was a bit let down with was the actual gingerbread house but it was a good show for sure!
ReplyDeleteI am loving Once Upon a Time. I like the switching back and forth between fairytale land and Storybrook. I agree that this evil witch was actually nice looking instead of scary and the evil queen has some awesome wardrobe.
ReplyDeleteWOW! Didn't know anything about this show! Must get caught up on Hulu!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing! :0)
Little Gothic Horrors ~ Hmm... She must have been forgettable to me for whatever reason. I tried to look up clips of Harmony on YouTube to refresh my memory, but all I got was a scene dubbed in French! So that didn't help too much... I could at least tell that she looks like an adult version of the little girl scout in the Addams Family clip!
ReplyDeleteGoth Shoes ~ Haha, well you could at least dress like her. I mean, you're carrying all those cool clothes and accessories in your shop. I'm sure that once in a while you order a few products for yourself. :) Come to think of it, I bet people would respond really well to a Gothic Queen clothing line...
wicKED ~ I know exactly what you mean! They put so much effort into the scenery, and the costumes, and then they give us a computer generated gingerbread house. It looked better when the kids were right next to it, because it looked like someone had built an actual gingerbread wall by that point. From far away it just wasn't cutting it! It's weird that they could create a fantastic castle, yet they dropped the ball on the gingerbread house...
Yes, the plot is very twisty turny. I'd be a little lost if I didn't watch this from the beginning. There are so many details and character histories to keep track of. That's good, though. I like a show that challenges my brain a little!
Adsila ~ Yeah, I think the show handles the transfer from fairy tale world to the modern world really well. It's a little like the way a soap opera is switching plots throughout the hour, only it's the same people in two different plots this time. I've been enjoying the twist on traditional fairy tales and the history behind the characters' relationships with one another.
Yeah, the witch was not only pretty (aside from those cloudy contacts) but sort of nice acting. I mean, she was going to eat those kids but she was kind of sweet about it... That sounded weird, but next to the evil queen she was really nice. :)
Jeanne ~ Oh, I totally recommend the show! I also recommend watching Grimm. If you start watching this online, be sure to begin with the first episode. There are a lot of pieces to put together along the way. I'm sure you'll enjoy the Gothic elements and set design!
Every year when I was in elementary school, we had a marionette show featuring Grimm faiytales; most notabally, Hanzel and Gretal. I still remember sitting in the school auditorium - lights out - watching the marionettes. Really good story, spooky!
ReplyDeleteI love Angelica Huston's Mortica! The red finger nails especially! Color and Goth is a striking contrast!
Matt-o-Lantern ~ How cool! I wish we would have had Grimm marionette performances in grade school! That sounds like such a fun and memorable experience. Have you watched any episodes of the show 'Grimm'? I really look forward to new episodes of that show!
ReplyDeleteYeah, Morticia is so classy. Anjelica Houston portrays her in a real witchy way. Anjelica Houston freaks me out anyway, but she's quietly threatening as Morticia. True! You can't beat black and white with a touch of red.
I keep meaning to watch Once Upon a Time. It looks good.
ReplyDeleteJustime - I found the full episodes of Grimm from your post about fairytales, so I'm good to go! :-)
ReplyDeleteJessica ~ Oh, you should definitely check out the show. Just be sure to start from the very beginning. Otherwise, you'll miss out on lots of necessary details!
ReplyDeleteMatt-o-Lantern ~ Awesome! I forgot posting that link. I'm sure you'll enjoy Grimm. It has the perfect mix of spookiness and humor!
My family has been watching Once Upon a Time and Grimm this year...love them both. Weird how fairy tales are all the rage now in movies and TV. I too, love the queen's wardrobe. I kind of like the queen too...or rather maybe, I like how she plays her part...the actress is great at being mean and making you hate her. Our favorite character is Rumpelstiltskin...ha!
ReplyDeleteI haven't checked out the show Once Upon A Time, I have heard god things about it.
ReplyDeleteLOL @ Morticia! She was so awesome! ^_^ And I still love Christina Ricci, she's so cute.
I totally meant good..
ReplyDeleteWendy ~ Yeah, I've been enjoying both of those shows too. They're totally different, but so great in their own ways! I'm hooked on both, in part because I care about what happens to all the characters. I agree ~ there do seem to be a lot of fairy tale shows/movies now. At first I wondered if some were copies of the others. As it turned out, that's not the case. Even the two Snow White movies that are coming out look really different. It makes sense that there are fairy tale shows now, because a lot of people need to escape into a fantasy. I'm including myself in that. :) I think a little of escapism is healthy!
ReplyDeleteI agree about the evil queen. I think she really is acting, because I saw her on a commercial advertising the show and she seemed really nice on that. Or maybe she was just pretending to be nice? Just kidding. Yeah, I've never disliked a character on TV this much. She has this way of resembling every authority figure who's ever taken advantage of their position. That snide, superior attitude! Eww...
Rumpelstiltskin/Mr. Gold is fascinating. That guy is a great actor. I keep thinking of him in 'The Full Monty' every time I watch him on 'Once Upon a Time'. :) Talk about a different role! Mr. Gold is such a complex character. I find him almost likable in a slimy way. He's almost reptilian as Rumpelstiltskin, with those weird contacts and metallic skin!
Real Queen of Horror ~ Oh, you should check it out! I'm sure you'd like the fashion and scenery in this. It's all very artistically done! Plus the story line is really intriguing. Just be sure you start with the first episode, so it all makes sense.
Yeah, Morticia is pretty cool! I think the modern Morticia has almost a commanding presence. The way she interacts with the "normal" world is so funny. She acts like the other people are the weird ones. :) Christina Ricci was awesome as Wednesday! She's pretty in a really unique way. Like a doll with big eyes. I just found out that she's on that Pan Am show, although I haven't been watching that. She's still recognizable, just more conservative looking than usual. :)