A Guide to Fairy Tales on Film

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Juliana Alexander
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1 Teacher Notes - Key Stage 1 Key Stage Target Curriculum Links KS1 Literacy Art Design and Technology Music Stories and the telling of stories, are the foundations of human communication and understanding Filmmaker Beeban Kidron OBE Storytelling is one of the oldest forms of communication and there are few more engaging ways to tell a story than through film. Some of the most enduring stories, with the greatest appeal to children, are fairytales; often featuring European folkloric characters and magic or enchantment, these have inspired many great films. To tie in with National Storytelling Week 2014, (February 1st- 8th), we have created two new fairytale themed topics aimed at Key Stages 1 and 2. Each features five hand-picked films, accompanied by teachers notes, discussion questions, recommended activities and a worksheet which can be photocopied for use in class or a school film club. From storyboarding, creating new stories about the characters and making and performing a puppet show, right through to writing their own story, the activities can be used to develop pupils literacy, oral and critical skills and encourage them to delve into their imaginations.

2 The films included in this topic are: Frozen (2013, PG) 108 mins Rapunzel from the Ray Harryhausen: The Early Years Collection (1951, PG) 11 mins Kirikou and the Men and the Women (2012, U) 88 mins Lotte Reiniger: The Fairytale Films Hansel and Gretel (1955, PG) 10 mins Jack Frost (1964, PG) 84 mins Running a film club in your school can enrich the curriculum and allow young people to explore a wide variety of issues, experience cultures beyond their own, and develop their creativity, communication skills and confidence. After watching a film students are encouraged to comment during a post-screening discussion before writing reviews on the website (which has a real audience of other young people) where they can analyse the film and develop their literacy and critical skills. Above all, students and teachers can enjoy the shared experience of watching and discussing a film together. Set up a free film club and enjoy free access to thousands of films and education resources for learning through film and about film. To join or for information visit support@filmclub.org or call

3 Frozen (2013, PG) 108 mins Enrichment Focus This film resource is aimed at age 5+. Suggested subjects for discussion are storytelling, characterisation and friendship. What s this film about? Funny, snow-filled Disney adventure inspired by Hans Christian Andersen s traditional icy fairytale, The Snow Queen. Why this film? Elsa and Anna are two young, beautiful princesses of the snow-capped mountainous kingdom of Arendelle. Once upon a time they were very close until an accident, caused by Elsa s magical snow and ice-making powers, pushed them apart and forced Elsa to suppress her magic. Now soon to become Queen, Elsa s powers are so strong so that she accidentally casts the whole kingdom into eternal winter. With the help of Kristoff, a gung-ho mountain man, and Olaf, the friendliest snowman you ll ever meet, her sister Princess Anna must set out to find Elsa and save the kingdom of Arendelle from the freeze. Frozen is a fun-filled snowy adventure that puts an inventive twist on the fairytale tradition while carrying through the original tale s message of the power of love over evil. What the critics think I thought this was the most magical movie I've ever seen. Film club member Sorcha, aged 10. Frozen may be a nod to the pleasures of vintage Disney and old fairy tales, but there s nothing outdated about it. Stephanie Merry, Washington Post

Before the film: Starter Activity List the types of characters you expect to find in a fairytale? After the film: Discussion Questions 1. Did you like the ending of the film?

4 Before the film: Starter Activity List the types of characters you expect to find in a fairytale? After the film: Discussion Questions 1. Did you like the ending of the film? Did you expect it to have a different ending? 2. Which characters would you describe as good and which characters would you describe as evil? 3. Describe the kingdom of Arendelle. What makes it a fairytale place? Next Steps 1. Get your students voices heard by joining Into Film, running a film club and writing reviews at 2. Give your students the Frozen Activity worksheet. Ask them to cut out the statements and put them in the right order in the storyboard. They can then draw a picture in each large box. 3. Watch the FILMCLUB interview with the producer of Frozen, Peter Del Vecto: and Behind the Scenes visit to the film s set in Hollywood: details/478/frozen Teacher Notes 1. A happy ending is when at the end of the story good wins over bad and the main characters are all happy apart from the villains who are punished for their bad behaviour. Frozen does have a happy ending as the spell is broken, Anna is saved, Elsa and Anna are brought back together and the selfish Prince who is evil to Anna is put in prison. 2. Anna, Kristoff, Sven, Olaf, Hans and Paddie can be described as good characters. Elsa s unkindness is not because she is bad but because she is worried about the strength of her powers and so avoids hurting anyone by being cold and hiding away. In the end it is Elsa s goodness, her love and care that saves Anna. Marshmallow may seem like a thug but he is in fact just strong and protective of Elsa. The Duke of Weselton is the villain of the film. We learn that he is a show-off, selfish and greedy for power. 3. The story is set in the kingdom of Arendelle, a beautiful snowy mountainous place with perfect blue skies and a dreamlike castle making it feel like a magical far-away place rather than a real place.

5 Frozen Activity worksheet 1. Cut out the statements 2. Stick them in the right order in the storyboard 3. Draw and colour in pictures showing what happens in the story. Anna falls in love with Prince Hans. The sisters are friends again Anna freezes when she looks for her sister. Anna gets frozen trying to save her sister. Anna saves her sister and thaws. Elsa says no to the wedding. Their parents die and Elsa becomes queen. Princess Elsa hurts her sister Anna. Storyboard

6 Rapunzel from the Ray Harryhausen: The Early Years Collection (2013, PG) 108 mins Enrichment Focus This film resource is aimed at age 5+. Suggested subjects for discussion are storytelling, characterisation and relationships. Harryhausen Productions What s this film about? Celebrated stop-motion animator Ray Harryhausen turns his hand to the Brothers Grimm fairytale about a beautiful long-haired maiden hidden away in a tower by a terrible witch. Why this film? Better known for science fiction creatures and dinosaurs, Ray Harryhausen developed his animation style on Rapunzel and other adaptations of the fairytales he was told as a child. Rapunzel is the story of a little girl kidnapped by a witch and hidden at the top of the tower. The girl grows up to be a beautiful woman with long blond hair that the witch uses to climb up into the tower, shouting Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair. One day, a handsome prince passes by the tower and discovers Rapunzel and vows to save her but first must overcome the cruel witch. Through his charming and simple animation Harryhausen captures the fairytale spirit while lightly touching on the story s morals of jealousy and revenge. What the critics think The magic about Harryhausen's work is that it's timeless. It feels like a million filmmakers have been inspired by his animations and he truly was a pioneer. Sci-Fi London

7 Before the film: Starter Activity What do you know about the story of Rapunzel? After the film: Discussion Questions 1. Why does the witch kidnap the little girl? Is she right to do this? 2. Describe the tower Rapunzel was put in. Why do you think the witch put her in a place like this? 3. Can you list the uses of magic that take place in the film? 4. Compare the witch to Rapunzel. Why is the witch jealous of Rapunzel? Next Steps 1. Get your students voices heard by joining Into Film, running a film club and writing reviews at 2. Use the Shadow Puppet Theatre Worksheet to create a shadow puppet version of the fairy tale. Here is a link to a simple shadow puppet theatre video: puawsfyh Harryhausen Productions Teacher Notes 1. The witch kidnaps the little girl as revenge on the girl s parents for stealing her radishes. 2. The tower is very tall with no doors, no stairs and one room at the top of it. The witch puts Rapunzel here because she wants to hide her away. Putting her in the tower makes it hard for anyone to see or find her. 3. Lots of magic happens in the film. Examples are Rapunzel s long hair braiding itself, the spell that makes the Prince blind, the tears of Rapunzel that break the spell and allow the Prince to see again and the Prince s touch that makes Rapunzel s hair grow again. 4. The witch is made out to be an ugly person, both in looks and in behaviour. She is old and has a big pointy chin and nose, she is dressed in black with a shawl covering her grey hair. The witch is jealous of Rapunzel because she is young and pretty with beautiful long golden hair. 3. Watch Tangled (2010), PG 7+. How has the story of Rapunzel been changed in this film? Watch FILMCLUB s interview with the cast and crew of Tangled: details/71/tangled

8 Shadow Puppet Theatre worksheet You will need: An empty cardboard box with the bottom cut out A lamp Tissue paper Sticky tape Lollipop sticks, straws or pipe cleaners Printed pictures of fairy tale characters (eg. princess, prince, dragon, witch) Scissors Instructions: 1. Stick two sheets of tissue paper to the bottom of the box. 2. Carefully cut out the fairy tale characters. 3. Stick the fairy tale characters to the end of the lollipop stick with sticky tape. 4. Turn down the lights. 5. Put the lamp inside the box and turn it on. 6. Use the lollipop stick to move your characters around and create a story. 7. Practise your story. 8. Perform your show to an audience or film it. Top Tips You can decorate the box with paper, paint, glitter or whatever you fancy! Try to have the puppets entering from both the left and right side to keep your audience o their toes. Add music to make it more dramatic - you could play some instruments yourself!

9 Kirikou and the Men and the Women (2013, PG) 108 mins Enrichment Focus This film resource is aimed at age 5+. Suggested subjects for discussion are storytelling, characterisation and relationships. What s this film about? A collection of animated African folk tales that follow the adventures of resourceful and heroic Kirikou a small boy living in a mythical village in Africa. Why this film? The third in a series of popular African-set, fairy tale inspired films made by the French animator Michel Ocelot, Kirikou and the Men and the Women is a refreshing alternative to many contemporary animated tales. We follow a small but mighty boy called Kirikou as he saves his village from a number of curses cast by the local witch. Based on the tradition of African legends handed down by word of mouth amongst villagers, each story is bookended by a wise village elder highlighting how Kirikou s kindness and energy wins out every time. Focussing on the relationship between a child and his community, the tales can be watched individually or together in celebration of this oral storytelling tradition, while the striking colours and style offer an enchanting modern twist. What the critics think This film was amazing because Kirikou was helpful. The best part was when they were singing. Film club member Tariq, aged 8 Ocelot, who spent time in Guinea as a child, infuses these tales with a disarming narrative simplicity, while also gently instilling a sense of morality. Boyd van Hoeij, Variety

Before the film: Starter Activity What qualities do you expect the hero in a fairy tale to have? The questions in this resource relate to the section of the DVD from 46:32 to 1:05:06.

10 Before the film: Starter Activity What qualities do you expect the hero in a fairy tale to have? The questions in this resource relate to the section of the DVD from 46:32 to 1:05:06. After the film: Discussion Questions 1. Why does the man in white talk at the start and end of each section? 2. Watch 46:32-1:05:06. How does the griot (storyteller) let people know that she is ready to start telling her story? 3. Why do you think that stories are so important to Kirikou and his village? 4. Why do you think that Kirikou added his own ending to the story of Sundiata? What does this tell us about Kirikou? 5. In what ways is this story similar to other fairy tales that you know? Next Steps 1. Get your students voices heard by joining Into Film, running a film club and writing reviews at 2. Ask your students to create their own story about Kirikou that they can tell to their classmates during circle time. Try to think of a way to start the story. Use the Wise Mountain Story Planner. Teacher Notes 1. The man is a storyteller and is introducing each tale in the film. At the end he explains what the message of it is and how Kirikou helped to save the day. 2. The griot bangs her stick on the ground and she says I recount. The audience replies, we are listening. The griot says once upon a time, and the audience replies thus it was in time before the griot starts to tell her story. 3. Stories are important to the villagers for entertainment because they do not have televisions or radios. Stories of important people such as Sundiata who was a great leader are passed on through storytelling rather than in books; this is called the oral tradition. 4. Kirikou added his own ending because he thought that it was better. This tells us that Kirikou could grow up to become a griot himself. Can you think of any fairy tales whose endings you could change? 5. The film included Kirikou as the hero, Karaba as the baddie and lots of magic like the rose petals that sent the villagers to sleep. 3. Watch Kirikou and the Sorceress (1998, U) 5+, 74 mins. What else do you learn about Kirikou in this film?

11 Wise Mountain Story Planner worksheet 1. Create your own story about Kirikou. 2. Fill in the Wise Mountain Story Planner with ideas for your story. 3. Share your story with your class during circle time. 4. Try to use the same words that Kirikou and the griot used to start off your story, or make up your own! Wise Mountain Story Planner

12 Lotte Reiniger: The Fairytale Films - Hansel and Gretel (1955, PG) 10 mins Enrichment Focus This film resource is aimed at age 5+. Suggested subjects for discussion are storytelling, characterisation and relationships. Primrose Productions What s this film about? German animator Lotte Reiniger uses her unique silhouette animation style to tell the popular Brothers Grimm fairytale of two lost children, a gingerbread house and an evil witch. Why this film? Nibble nibble little mouse, who is nibbling up my house?. Brother and sister, Hansel and Gretel have followed a squirrel and got lost in a deep dark forest. Coming across a house with walls made out of gingerbread, windows made out of sugar and a roof made out of marzipan cakes, they can t help but take a bite! Caught by an evil witch with a magic stick whose house it is, she kidnaps Hansel and Gretel and makes them work for her. With the help of the forest animals, the children must try to escape and break the witch s stick. The delightful soundtrack, gentle narration and black and white colouring tells this classic tale in a bewitching way. What the critics think It was so cool! Film club member Curtis, aged 12. These are fairy tales as they were before Disney got his hands on them - dark, European folk tales with nothing soppy about them. Phelim O Neil, The Guardian

Before the film: Starter Activity List the animals that you would find in a forest. What personality do you think each animal would have? After the film: Discussion Questions 1.

13 Before the film: Starter Activity List the animals that you would find in a forest. What personality do you think each animal would have? After the film: Discussion Questions 1. Can you describe how the film looked? Is it different to other animated films you ve seen? 2. Do you think Hansel and Gretel do anything wrong in the film? 3. Describe the witch in the film. Is she a good or a bad witch? What makes you think this? Next Steps 1. Get your students voices heard by joining Into Film, running a film club and writing reviews at 2. If you could make a house out of sweets what would you use to make the walls, the windows and the roof out of? Draw a house made out of sweets. Primrose Productions Teacher Notes 1. There are many differences here to the types of animation students may have seen before (Disney or CGI animation) Students may spot any of the following: It s in black and white It s made out of silhouettes The movement is in the foreground (the backgrounds are still) and it isn t very smooth. 2. First of all Hansel and Gretel disobey their mother who tells them not to go too far from the house in case they get lost. Later on when they find the gingerbread house they just start to eat it without finding out who it belongs to. 3. Students will use many words to describe the witch. Most will probably think that she is a bad witch because she makes Gretel do lots of work and puts Hansel in a cage with a goose. 3. Use the Hansel and Gretel Activity worksheet to design the costumes for the characters in a live action version of the film.

14 Hansel and Gretel Activity worksheet If you were making a new film version of Hansel and Gretel, what would the main characters look like? 1. Design the costumes for Hansel and Gretel below. 2. Colour them in or stick on real pieces of fabric. 3. Add labels to explain why you chose them. Hansel Gretel

15 Jack Frost (1964, PG) 84 mins Enrichment Focus This film resource is aimed at age 5+. Suggested subjects for discussion are storytelling, characterisation and relationships. Gorky Film Studios What s this film about? Magical, memorable Soviet film based on a Russian folk tale about a boastful guy who is turned into a bear after trying to impress a beautiful girl. Why this film? When you think of movie fairy tales, what will probably come to mind first is the likes of Disney's Cinderella and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. But classic fairy tales can come from other sources too like the wonderful Jack Frost, adapted from an old folk legend. The story here follows the adventures of the boastful Ivan, who meets the beautiful, shy Nastenka in the woods but, after he foolishly tries to impress her, he is turned into a bear. Can the arrogant Ivan win back his real identity and Nastenka too? What the critics think I thought this film was a great story between good and evil. Film club member George aged 10. It was EXTREMELY funny, interesting, and a little bit romantic. I enjoyed every minute of it. Film club member Haydon aged 10.

Before the film: Starter Activity Fairy tales usually feature people who are goodies and baddies. Make a list of all the people that you think are good and bad in fairy tales you know.

16 Before the film: Starter Activity Fairy tales usually feature people who are goodies and baddies. Make a list of all the people that you think are good and bad in fairy tales you know. Does everyone agree? Look out for the goodies and baddies in this film. After the film: Discussion Questions 1. Describe Natenska s step-mother and step-sister. Are they good or bad to Natenska? Why? 2. What does Ivan learn from being turned into a bear? 3. Who is Jack Frost and what does he do to help Ivan and Natenska? 4. Does the character of Jack Frost remind you of anyone? Why? 5. How many types of magic, good and bad, occur in the film? Can you list them? Next Steps 1. Get your students voices heard by joining Into Film, running a film club and writing reviews at Teacher Notes 1. The step-mother is very cruel and treats her own daughter much more favourably than Natenska. The step-sister is rude and selfish. 2. Ivan is very proud, boastful and vain. He learns to stop looking at himself in the mirror and to do good deeds for other people. 3. Jack Frost helps Natenska escape from her selfish family and to marry Ivan. 4. He looks very simillar to Father Christmas, though of course being Soviet Russsia, there is no mention of Christmas at all. 5. Students will be able to list many different types of magic including talking animals, disappearing sorcerers, magic spells, trees that talk and walk, and sleighs that move on their own. 2. Ask students how they think Baba Yaga (Hunchback Fairy) got her moving house. Students can plan a story explaining what happened using the Baba Yaga s House worksheet before telling their story to the rest of their class.

17 Baba Yaga s House worksheet How did Baba Yaga get the moving house? Did she use magic? How does the house feel? Use the planner below to write your story and then tell your story to your class. Once upon a time Then, one day Suddenly Baba Yaga lived happily ever after in her moving house.

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR EXPERIENCE BIG IDEAS. The Meaning of Progress Authentic Balance between nature and technology Original

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR EXPERIENCE BIG IDEAS The Meaning of Progress Authentic Balance between nature and technology Original BEFORE THE PLAY BECOME FAMILIAR WITH THE STORY SYNOPSIS OF ORIGINAL FAIRY TALE