Cinderella's Curse

If there’s one thing that is certain is that you can mess with a classic fairytale and not ruin it. You can play with it and move stuff around for fun, but the fundamental structures are strong enough to handle any sort of rough treatment.

Cinderella’s Curse does try to add something around the edges with a spell book and, a curse. Though director Louisa Warren and writer Harry Boxley (who has form with weird fairytale adaptations) don’t deviate too far from the evil stepmother and stepsisters, put upon Ella, princes, kings and queens. Though they do lob in an interesting twist that allows Warren to pile on the horror, even if it is a little derivative of Carrie.

Ella (Kelly Ryan Sanson) is downtrodden bullied by sisters Hannah (Natasha Tosini) and Ingrid (Lauren Budd) and taunted by stepmother (Danielle Scott). But when the king and queen with Prince Levin (Sam Barrett) arrive for a visit, Ella is pleasantly surprised to be invited to an upcoming ball.

However a nasty incident forces Ella out until the fairy godmother (Chrissie Wunna) arrives on the scene with a book and a proposal that Ella takes, letting her go the ball. Which she soon regrets.

The film is vaguely comedic mostly because many of the cast are looking to ham things up, whether by design or not, it’s hard to tell. Its oddly off putting and pinnacles during the ballroom sequence which is filled with plenty of weirdos.

The original story has horror tropes that Warren has doubled down on with plenty of blood and violence, even hardened watchers may cringe at one point. The effects here are pretty good and complement what is a fine-looking film made on a tight budget.

The cast are ok with some not new to horror having had parts in the two recent Winnie the Pooh abominations, as did the director. This production doesn’t have that couldn’t give a toss total disrespect for the source material approach trying to engineer horror where there isn’t any in the first place.

That’s mainly because Cinderella is at its core a horrible tale of abuse with elements of horror and is so much easier to build on in that respect. It doesn’t quite work but it’s a sturdy attempt to do something different with a very familiar story.

Cinderella’s Curse received its UK premiere at London Pigeon Shrine FrightFest, August 2024.