My boyfriend was leaning towards gay romantic dramas. I was feeling action flick. What's the compromise? A puppet fairy tale told in stop-motion animation! How lucky we were to stumble on Kongjul & Patchui, a Cinderella variation with one nasty stepmother, one narcoleptic stepsister, and one heaven-sent helpmate with magical powers. The Korean fable also incorporates a sinister shaman, a talking lotus, and a band of good-natured animals as skilled as gymnasts as they are as an orchestra. These additions aside, the basic rags-to-riches story remains the same as the Grimms' "Little Ash Girl," right down to the magic slipper.
Like her princess-in-waiting counterpart, Kongjul is faced with Herculean tasks that get accomplished thanks to four-legged friends: When stepmomma insists she plow a field full of rocks, a telepathic bull materializes out of nowhere to get the job done. When that same stepmonster orders Kongjul fill a huge jar despite its sizable crack, a suicidal frog jumps to her rescue. Beyond this furry support system, Kongjul also has a powerful ally with supernatural powers. (Exit Fairy Godmother. Enter Buddha's emissary.) I was pretty sure a happy ending was ahead but like the claymation mouth of Kongjul's step-sibling Patchui, this movie felt like it could go anywhere.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment