Cinderella III: A Twist in Time
Encyclopedia
Cinderella III: A Twist in Time is the second direct-to-video
sequel to the 1950 Walt Disney Pictures
animated classic Cinderella
. Canonically
it is a continuation of the original Cinderella, rather than Cinderella II: Dreams Come True, though due to its unusual chronological sequencing it acknowledges the events of Cinderella II: Dreams Come True
by using some of its characters. The film was released on February 6, 2007 and rated G by the MPAA
. The film is directed by Frank Nissen and features the voices of Jennifer Hale
and Susanne Blakeslee. For the UK release of the film, it was simply titled Cinderella: A Twist in Time, without mention of it being a sequel. It made its world television premiere on Toon Disney
on December 3, 2007.
Lady Tremaine uses the wand to go back in time with her daughters to the day the Grand Duke fitted the glass slipper on Cinderella. As before, Cinderella is locked in the attic with Jaq and Gus fighting Lucifer over the key. Lady Tremaine uses the wand to expand the slipper to fit Anastasia, and they are taken to the palace just as Cinderella emerges. Lady Tremaine breaks Cinderella's other slipper, her only alibi, and warns her to keep away from the palace. But Cinderella doesn't give up, and sneaks into the palace with Jaq and Gus.
Understandably, Charming claims Anastasia was not the girl he danced with at the ball, but Lady Tremaine alters his memory with the wand and he accepts her as his bride. Jaq and Gus see this from afar and inform Cinderella that Lady Tremaine has the wand. Cinderella poses as a maid to get into the Tremaines' room, but she is spotted by Lady Tremaine as the mice run away with the wand. Unfortunately, the palace guards catch Cinderella before she can restore Charming's memory. Cinderella briefly touches Charming's hand and he begins to recognise her, but Lady Tremaine orders Cinderella placed on the next ship out of the kingdom. The mice find Charming and explain the whole story to him, and he rides off to intercept the ship just as it leaves the port. Charming embraces Cinderella and his true memories return. He promptly asks her to marry him, again, and she accepts.
Charming brings Cinderella back to the castle and explains everything to the King and the Grand Duke. The King orders the Tremaines arrested, but they escape using the wand. The King declares the Tremaines as outlaws and orders a manhunt for them. However, Lady Tremaine does not give up, and as Cinderella is preparing for the wedding, she emerges with Anastasia, magically transformed into a doppelgänger of Cinderella. Before Cinderella can act, Lady Tremaine transports her, Jaq and Gus into the castle grounds, where they are to be taken to their deaths in a twisted pumpkin carriage with Lucifer as its human driver, but they manage to defeat Lucifer and escape, leaving Lucifer stranded in the woods.
Cinderella races to the castle as the vows are about to be exchanged. However, at the last moment, Anastasia's conscience gets the better of her and she turns Charming down, to Lady Tremaine and Drizella's fury. They emerge into the open and the King orders them arrested, but Lady Tremaine uses the wand to fend off the guards. As she prepares to curse Cinderella and Anastasia, Charming deflects the beam back at Lady Tremaine and Drizella with his sword and they are turned into toads and transported to the castle cellar. Cinderella uses the wand to restore the Fairy Godmother and return Anastasia to her real form. Ashamed, Anastasia returns a prized shell the King gave to her earlier on, but he allows her to keep it, on the basis that everyone deserves true love. The Fairy Godmother offers to reverse the timeline to its original state, but Cinderella and Charming decline. Once again, they are married and live happily ever after.
As punishment for their crimes, Lady Tremaine and Drizella are forced to work in the castle as scullery maids.
, which was mostly made in Japan (that studio also closed shortly after completion of Cinderella II), Cinderella IIIs animators were given meticulous model sheets and extensive live-action sequences for animation reference.
performed the end credits song, "I Still Believe," and a music video was created as a DVD bonus feature. An official soundtrack has yet to be released.
on January 31, 2008.
Features
Bibbidi-Bobbidi Game
Cinderella's Ballroom (DVD-ROM)
"I Still Believe" Music Video By: Hayden Panettiere
Backstage At Disney Cruise Line's "Twice Charmed"
First Look At The New DVD, "Disney Princess Enchanted Tales"
, who gave it a 67% rating. However, some fans of the original Cinderella are unhappy with this third installment of the series, and the film scored only 45% among users at Rotten Tomatoes. However, it was still well-received compared to its predecessor, Cinderella II: Dreams Come True, which scored 0% positive reviews with critics and 36% with users.
Slate magazine writer Dan Kois uses Cinderella III to defend the merits of Disney's straight-to-video sequels, after Disney announced they were eliminating production of any more sequels.
Kois points out that in Cinderella III, the wicked stepsister (Anastasia) - originally an "oafish caricature" - finally becomes a fully fleshed-out character, and some of the absurdity of the original film
is gently mocked.
Many have noted numerous similarities between the film's premise and that of Twice Charmed: An Original Twist on the Cinderella Story, a Broadway-style stage musical created by Walt Disney Creative Entertainment
that currently runs on the Disney Cruise Line
.
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
sequel to the 1950 Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
animated classic Cinderella
Cinderella (1950 film)
Cinderella is a 1950 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the fairy tale "Cendrillon" by Charles Perrault. Twelfth in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film had a limited release on February 15, 1950 by RKO Radio Pictures. Directing credits go to Clyde Geronimi,...
. Canonically
Canon (fiction)
In the context of a work of fiction, the term canon denotes the material accepted as "official" in a fictional universe's fan base. It is often contrasted with, or used as the basis for, works of fan fiction, which are not considered canonical...
it is a continuation of the original Cinderella, rather than Cinderella II: Dreams Come True, though due to its unusual chronological sequencing it acknowledges the events of Cinderella II: Dreams Come True
Cinderella II: Dreams Come True
Cinderella II: Dreams Come True is the first direct-to-video sequel to the 1950 Disney film Cinderella. It was made in 2001 and released on February 26, 2002. It was followed by Cinderella III: A Twist in Time in 2007...
by using some of its characters. The film was released on February 6, 2007 and rated G by the MPAA
Motion Picture Association of America
The Motion Picture Association of America, Inc. , originally the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America , was founded in 1922 and is designed to advance the business interests of its members...
. The film is directed by Frank Nissen and features the voices of Jennifer Hale
Jennifer Hale
Jennifer Hale is a Canadian-born American actress and singer best known for her voice over work in video games like Grandia II, the Mass Effect trilogy, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Tales of Symphonia, the Metroid Prime trilogy, the Metal Gear Solid games, Brütal Legend, and Disney's...
and Susanne Blakeslee. For the UK release of the film, it was simply titled Cinderella: A Twist in Time, without mention of it being a sequel. It made its world television premiere on Toon Disney
Toon Disney
Toon Disney was an American cable television channel owned by The Walt Disney Company. A spinoff of Disney Channel, it mostly aired children's animated series and some live action programming. Its format had similarities to those of Cartoon Network and Nicktoons...
on December 3, 2007.
Plot
On the anniversary of Cinderella and Prince Charming's wedding, the Fairy Godmother surprises them, Jaq and Gus with a picnic in the woods. However, nearby is Cinderella's old mansion, where Anastasia and Drizella are bitterly doing Cinderella's old chores. While wandering off to avoid work, Anastasia stumbles across the Fairy Godmother's wand, which she had dropped, and in the ensuing struggle, Anastasia accidentally turns the Fairy Godmother to stone. Lady Tremaine and Drizella arrive to see what is happening, and Lady Tremaine becomes fascinated with the wand's power and revels at another chance to ruin Cinderella's life.Lady Tremaine uses the wand to go back in time with her daughters to the day the Grand Duke fitted the glass slipper on Cinderella. As before, Cinderella is locked in the attic with Jaq and Gus fighting Lucifer over the key. Lady Tremaine uses the wand to expand the slipper to fit Anastasia, and they are taken to the palace just as Cinderella emerges. Lady Tremaine breaks Cinderella's other slipper, her only alibi, and warns her to keep away from the palace. But Cinderella doesn't give up, and sneaks into the palace with Jaq and Gus.
Understandably, Charming claims Anastasia was not the girl he danced with at the ball, but Lady Tremaine alters his memory with the wand and he accepts her as his bride. Jaq and Gus see this from afar and inform Cinderella that Lady Tremaine has the wand. Cinderella poses as a maid to get into the Tremaines' room, but she is spotted by Lady Tremaine as the mice run away with the wand. Unfortunately, the palace guards catch Cinderella before she can restore Charming's memory. Cinderella briefly touches Charming's hand and he begins to recognise her, but Lady Tremaine orders Cinderella placed on the next ship out of the kingdom. The mice find Charming and explain the whole story to him, and he rides off to intercept the ship just as it leaves the port. Charming embraces Cinderella and his true memories return. He promptly asks her to marry him, again, and she accepts.
Charming brings Cinderella back to the castle and explains everything to the King and the Grand Duke. The King orders the Tremaines arrested, but they escape using the wand. The King declares the Tremaines as outlaws and orders a manhunt for them. However, Lady Tremaine does not give up, and as Cinderella is preparing for the wedding, she emerges with Anastasia, magically transformed into a doppelgänger of Cinderella. Before Cinderella can act, Lady Tremaine transports her, Jaq and Gus into the castle grounds, where they are to be taken to their deaths in a twisted pumpkin carriage with Lucifer as its human driver, but they manage to defeat Lucifer and escape, leaving Lucifer stranded in the woods.
Cinderella races to the castle as the vows are about to be exchanged. However, at the last moment, Anastasia's conscience gets the better of her and she turns Charming down, to Lady Tremaine and Drizella's fury. They emerge into the open and the King orders them arrested, but Lady Tremaine uses the wand to fend off the guards. As she prepares to curse Cinderella and Anastasia, Charming deflects the beam back at Lady Tremaine and Drizella with his sword and they are turned into toads and transported to the castle cellar. Cinderella uses the wand to restore the Fairy Godmother and return Anastasia to her real form. Ashamed, Anastasia returns a prized shell the King gave to her earlier on, but he allows her to keep it, on the basis that everyone deserves true love. The Fairy Godmother offers to reverse the timeline to its original state, but Cinderella and Charming decline. Once again, they are married and live happily ever after.
As punishment for their crimes, Lady Tremaine and Drizella are forced to work in the castle as scullery maids.
Production
This film was Disney Australia's final feature (the studio was closed and equipment auctioned off once Cinderella III production completed in July 2006). Unlike the previous sequel, Cinderella II: Dreams Come TrueCinderella II: Dreams Come True
Cinderella II: Dreams Come True is the first direct-to-video sequel to the 1950 Disney film Cinderella. It was made in 2001 and released on February 26, 2002. It was followed by Cinderella III: A Twist in Time in 2007...
, which was mostly made in Japan (that studio also closed shortly after completion of Cinderella II), Cinderella IIIs animators were given meticulous model sheets and extensive live-action sequences for animation reference.
Voice cast
- Jennifer HaleJennifer HaleJennifer Hale is a Canadian-born American actress and singer best known for her voice over work in video games like Grandia II, the Mass Effect trilogy, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Tales of Symphonia, the Metroid Prime trilogy, the Metal Gear Solid games, Brütal Legend, and Disney's...
as CinderellaCinderella (Disney character)Cinderella is a fictional character and is the main protagonist from Disney's twelfth animated film Cinderella and its two sequels. In the original film she is voiced by the late Ilene Woods... - Susan Blakeslee as Lady Tremaine
- Rob PaulsenRob PaulsenRobert Fredrick "Rob" Paulsen III , sometimes credited as Rob Paulson, is an American voice actor, best known as the voice behind Raphael from the 1987 cartoon of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Yakko Warner and Dr...
as Jaq/The Grand Duke/The Bishop - Corey BurtonCorey BurtonCorey Burton is an American voice actor, perhaps best known as Count Dooku, Ziro the Hutt and Cad Bane in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Brainiac in the DC animated universe and Spike Witwicky and Shockwave in the Transformers universe...
as Gus - C.D BarnesChristopher Daniel BarnesChristopher Daniel Barnes , also known professionally as C.D. Barnes and C.B. Barnes, is an American actor. He is best known for providing the voice of Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the 1990s Fox television series Spider-Man: The Animated Series, and for his portrayal of Greg Brady in the films The...
as Prince Charming - Tress MacNeilleTress MacNeilleTress MacNeille is an American voice actress best known for providing various voices on the animated series The Simpsons, Futurama, Tiny Toon Adventures, Animaniacs, Disney's House of Mouse, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Rugrats, All Grown Up!, Chip 'n Dale Rescue Rangers, and Dave the...
as Anastasia Tremaine - Russi TaylorRussi TaylorRussi Taylor is an American voice actress. She is the current voice actress of Disney's Minnie Mouse character. She has held this role since 1986, longer than any other voice actress...
as The Fairy Godmother/Drizella Tremaine - Andre StojkaAndre StojkaAndre Stojka is an American voice actor. He is best known for his role as Owl in Winnie-the-Pooh projects beginning with The New Adventures of Winnie-the-Pooh, inheriting the role from Hal Smith. He was also the voice of the horse Starlite in all of the animated Rainbow Brite productions...
as The King - Frank WelkerFrank WelkerFranklin Wendell "Frank" Welker is an American actor who specializes in voice acting and has contributed character voices and other vocal effects to American television and motion pictures.-Acting career:...
as Lucifer - Holland TaylorHolland TaylorHolland Virginia Taylor is an American actress of film, stage and television. Her notable television roles include Ruth Dunbar in Bosom Buddies, senator's wife Margaret Powers on Norman Lear's The Powers That Be, Judge Roberta Kittleson in The Practice and Evelyn Harper in Two and a Half...
as Prudence - Tami Tappan as Cinderella (singing voice)
Soundtrack
The original songs contained in the body of the film, including "Perfectly Perfect," "More than a Dream" and "At the Ball" were written by frequent Disney songwriters Alan Zachary and Michael Weiner. Hayden PanettiereHayden Panettiere
Hayden Leslie Panettiere is an American actress and singer, best known as cheerleader Claire Bennet on the NBC television series Heroes. She began her acting career by playing Sarah Roberts on One Life to Live , and Lizzie Spaulding on Guiding Light , before starring at age 10 as Sheryl Yoast in...
performed the end credits song, "I Still Believe," and a music video was created as a DVD bonus feature. An official soundtrack has yet to be released.
Release
Cinderella III: A Twist in Time was released on February 2007 and went back to the Disney VaultDisney Vault
The "Disney Vault" is the term used by Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment for its policy of putting home video releases of Walt Disney Animation Studios's animated features on moratorium...
on January 31, 2008.
Features
- Games and Activities
Bibbidi-Bobbidi Game
Cinderella's Ballroom (DVD-ROM)
- Music and More
"I Still Believe" Music Video By: Hayden Panettiere
Hayden Panettiere
Hayden Leslie Panettiere is an American actress and singer, best known as cheerleader Claire Bennet on the NBC television series Heroes. She began her acting career by playing Sarah Roberts on One Life to Live , and Lizzie Spaulding on Guiding Light , before starring at age 10 as Sheryl Yoast in...
- Backstage Disney
Backstage At Disney Cruise Line's "Twice Charmed"
First Look At The New DVD, "Disney Princess Enchanted Tales"
Reception
Cinderella III received a mostly positive response among the five critics compiled at Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, who gave it a 67% rating. However, some fans of the original Cinderella are unhappy with this third installment of the series, and the film scored only 45% among users at Rotten Tomatoes. However, it was still well-received compared to its predecessor, Cinderella II: Dreams Come True, which scored 0% positive reviews with critics and 36% with users.
Slate magazine writer Dan Kois uses Cinderella III to defend the merits of Disney's straight-to-video sequels, after Disney announced they were eliminating production of any more sequels.
Kois points out that in Cinderella III, the wicked stepsister (Anastasia) - originally an "oafish caricature" - finally becomes a fully fleshed-out character, and some of the absurdity of the original film
Cinderella (1950 film)
Cinderella is a 1950 American animated film produced by Walt Disney and based on the fairy tale "Cendrillon" by Charles Perrault. Twelfth in the Walt Disney Animated Classics series, the film had a limited release on February 15, 1950 by RKO Radio Pictures. Directing credits go to Clyde Geronimi,...
is gently mocked.
Many have noted numerous similarities between the film's premise and that of Twice Charmed: An Original Twist on the Cinderella Story, a Broadway-style stage musical created by Walt Disney Creative Entertainment
Walt Disney Creative Entertainment
Walt Disney Creative Entertainment is the theatrical and technical live entertainment production division of Walt Disney Imagineering, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Walt Disney Company.-Background:...
that currently runs on the Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line is an American cruise line company owned and operated by Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, a division of The Walt Disney Company and is headquartered in Celebration, Florida. The business is run by President Karl Holz. Disney Cruise Line operates the Disney Cruise Line Terminal,...
.
External links
- Cinderella 3 DVD Official Disney Website
- Director Frank Nissen on Cinderella III: A Twist in Time