2012 the Year of the Fairy Tale? Part 1

2012 the Year of the Fairy Tale?

Next Year marks the 200^th anniversary of the Brothers Grimm’s first publication of the ‘Childhood and Household tales’. But 2012, is more than just the anniversary of one of the most influential books, it looks like it’ll be a bumper year for fairy tales all over.

Hollywood, for instance, has taken fairy tales by the hand. March 2012 sees the release of Mirror Mirror, an adaption of Snow White starring Julia Roberts. June 2012 sees another reincarnation of Snow White, with the release of Snow White and the Huntsman (Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth and Charlize Theron)

Later on, we have director Bryan Singer’s ‘Jack the Giant Killer’, starring Nicolas Holt. Before the summer out, along pops Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters starring Gemma Atherton. Then, if you thought that Hollywood may have had their fill of Fairy Tales, how about the new Chinese thriller set to hit cinemas, titled ‘Perfect Fairy Tale’; with a tag line of ‘A fearless cop is appointed to investigate a series of puzzling murders which resemble Fairy Tales.’

It’s not just the movies - 2012 should be good for fairytale literature too.

In February we have the publication of Melissa Marr’s ‘Fairytales and Nightmares’ anthology, which if it anything as good as her Wicked Lovely series should be a great read.  

The first three months of 2012; January, February and March, the UK will see the publication of the US bestselling YA Trylle trilogy by Amanda Hocking. The first book ‘Switched’ is published in January and is a contemporary fairy tale about a troll, or ‘Trylle’, community who switch infants for their own children. This is fast, funky and above all true to fairy tale genre - dark and un-compromising.

We should also see the publication of the paperback version of Jackson Pearce’s Hansel and Gretel inspired YA novel ‘Sweetly’.

An finally, thereare rumours that Phillip Pullman is working on his own version of the Brothers Grimm tales. Could this possibly be out in time to benefit from the anniversary I wonder? 

I’ve watched some of the trailers, and although the still shots are beautiful, especially in Snow White and the Huntsman, the trailer of Mirror Mirror doesn’t distil much hope that Hollywood understands fairy tales. It appears, at a glance, to replace depth with comedy.   The books, I’m working through, and I’ll post up any comments I have once I’ve read them.

So in summary then, yes 2012 will definitely be a year of Fairy tales, but whether it will be a year for good well written and produced fairy tales is another matter entirely. Can Hollywood and authors preserve the authentic properties of fairy tales? Or will their messages, mortal learning, and darker natures be lost in translation?

Roll on 2012!!!

My Image of 'The Girl in Red Shoes'