Cinderella (2000 film)

Cinderella (named Zezolla) and her family live mid 20th century, where fashion is practically everything. As her father is won over by a selfish woman named Claudette, Cinderella must keep her new step-mother from murdering the only family she has left. Add in an anti-social mermaid literally living in a cave, a bored prince with an ear for rock n' roll, and the glamour of the 1950s and one'll find that this story can't grow old.

• Kathleen Turner as Claudette
• Katrin Cartlidge as Goneril
• David Warner as Martin
• Jane Birkin as Mab
• Lucy Punch as Regan
• Leslie Phillips as Felim
• Sharon Maughan as Queen Seraphina
• Gideon Turner as Prince Valiant
• Marcella Plunkett as Cinderella (Zezolla)
• Grant Ibbs as Warner
• Hosh Kane as Marco (as Hosh Ibrahim)
• Nickolas Grace as First Minister
• Jenny Tomasin as Cook[4]
• Tamara Wall as a dancer

Cinderella has been released on several formats. In 2000, Cinderella was released in the UK on videocassette by 4Learning.[5] 4Learning's video comprised the film in three parts, followed by a documentary The Many Cinderellas, in a total of four 30 minute programmes.[6] The film on videocassette was viewed in schools for educational purposes and activities.[7] In 2002, Educational Media Australia also released the film on videocassette.[8] In 2005, Cinderella was officially released in Taiwan on VCD and DVD by Gull Multimedia International.[9][10] The DVD has audio in English with removable Chinese subtitles and is packaged with an accompanying booklet in Chinese. In 2006, the film was released in Japan on VHS and DVD (rental only and retail versions) by Transformer,[11][12][13] and in Australia on DVD by educational resources distributor VEA Group (including Classroom Video).[14][15] Of these physical media, all releases by Transformer currently remains available for consumer purchase (under the translated Japanese title, ジェーン・バーキン in シンデレラ).[12] In 2018, the film was released in the United States and U.S. territories as a streaming online video by Amazon Prime,[16] and in the United Kingdom on DVD by Simply Media.[17]

In 2000, Cinderella was one of Channel Four International's top selling programmes of the year.[1] The film has received positive reviews. Television critic Kevin McDonough described the film as "a smashing new adaptation of Cinderella," in which he praised Kathleen Turner's performance as "wickedly good" and concluded, "Cinderella features stunning cinematography, fabulous costumes, and the best role for Ms. Turner in years."[18] Julie Salamon of The New York Times described the film as an "amusing, overheated pop version of the fairy tale" that "combines the romantic overtones of gothic thrillers...with fanciful music-video imagery. The evil stepmother (Kathleen Turner) wears fabulous neon clothes with exaggerated shapes..." Salamon also said, "This film has many virtues."[19] Authors Elizabeth Ford and Deborah Mitchell of The Makeover in Movies called the film "visually exciting" and that "natural images dominate the tale...The expressionistic use of fantastic color, light and plenty of watery distortion create a magical mood. Its setting suggests a cross between Finland and Disney-world".[20] Mike Davies of Birmingham Post called the film "ambitious" and stated, "Best of all, though, was the re-emergence of Kathleen Turner, chewing the scenery as gold-digging Claudette..." [21] USA Today described Cinderella as "a true pleasure that's filmed with visual style and verbal wit."[22]

Cinderella has been released on UK DVD by Simply Media.

• Cinderella on IMDb
• Cinderella educational website (film notes and activities) - Channel4Learning.com
• Cinderella at Projector Pictures