Ella Enchanted, Lost in Adaptation ~ The Dom

The Dom delegates the task of comparing Ella Enchanted to the book it was based on. Do they have ANYTHING in common?

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[JustAPrayer]

Hearing a male acknowledge Ella Enchanted as a damn good read is so amazing, it makes me like him as a reviewer all over again.

[ztslovebird]

The biggest issue with the movie is when it was released. Shrek had just taken over the world, and every kids' movie suddenly had to be full of pop culture references and modern inventions in medieval times.

[thexell]

It kinda sounds like they took more inspiration from Shrek than from the actual book.

[abigailbecker]

The same author wrote a really great take on the Snow White story called "Fairest" set in the same world. Ella's friend in finishing school is from the kingdom where "Fairest" takes place. And it's the same as Ella Enchanted in that you don't make the connection until late, in this case when she eats the poisoned apple.

[jacqchic]

The part in the book where she breaks the curse is actually much more significant. He doesn't just propose to her, he tells her to marry him and it comes off as an order, and she finds the power to resist. It's so impactful. I enjoyed this video, thank you

[congreve_cap]

I think one of the things I loved most about the book was that there was no immediate danger to Char like Prince Edgar, it was simply the inevitability of that danger that gave Ella the determination to break her curse. She loved him so much she wasn’t even willing to risk the possibility of hurting him. It’s such a powerful moment and it feels so earned when she breaks it.

[dumbdude]

Exactly how I felt. I had to read this book for Middle School English class and dreaded it because I hated the film, but once it got going I surprisingly enjoyed it and loved the book.
Personal favorite part is Ella finding and exploiting loopholes in orders like when told to speak up she'd scream everything and when told to quiet down in response she'd mumble. Book Ella thoroughly loved to fuck with people whenever she was able to.

[Haleyessie]

I met Gail Carson Levine (the author) at a signing and she said that she thought the movie was dumb but really liked Anne Hathaway as Ella.

[kajamiletic]

Mind you, I think the book is miles better but there's a reason for Ella not lifting the curse herself before that point in the movie. It's because Lucinda ordered her to remove it herself if she hates it so much, thus giving Ella the capability to do so. I'm still not sure why she didn't remove it *immediately after Lucinda said that*, though. Probably for dramatic effect.

[michelleli]

"Now freakishly happy about being cursed" lmao
It's kinda creepy how the curse allows people to tell her what to think/believe additional to telling her how to act

[iferlyf]

so the Ella Enchanted book is basically Cinderella but better?

[LaraCrafford]

The different names for calling out Char's uncle's evilness is giving me life right now...literally laughing so hard...

[nupadia]

I noticed two mistakes you made about the books: Char didn't have the shoes custom made for Ella, they found them under a bench; Dame Olga wasn't 'shocked and hurt' that the father only married her for her money. She was upset because she was under the impression that he was super rich, and then she found out he had nothing. Funny story: I listened to the story countless times growing up, and I never made the connection that it was the Cinderella story. My mum had to tell me.

[thefairybug]

You missed a few points in the latter half of detailing the book's plot. For example, Char didn't propose to Ella's masked alter-ego (in fact, he expressly stated that he intended to remain single for life), and the reason Hattie removed her mask was because she thought that 'Lela' was disfigured beneath it and wanted to shame her. Also, Lucinda 'gifted' Ella's dad and Dame Olga with 'a gift that nobody could possibly dislike' which was everlasting love; the reason Ella's dad GTFO was because he still hated her despite his new and permanent love for her -- by that same token, Dame Olga loved Sir Peter despite his moneygrubbing, and the reason she enslaved Ella was because she loved her husband too much to take it out on him. Furthermore, Lucinda was a squirrel and then a child for a respective 3 months each. And the shoes were discovered in an abandoned part of an old castle, and they fit because they were fairy-made. The fake Hattie-letter said that Ella never got Char's proposal letter because she had despaired of Char ever popping the question, and so had gone for her Plan B in the form of the aforementioned old guy to get a quick fortune since the queendom didn't seem to be in the bag.

[BP-dnnv]

Fun fact: The author visited my school once. I didn't read it because I thought it was a girl book, but I remember she said she complained about the changes but they didn't listen

[thomashamilton]

I would blame Shrek on what happened to the Ella Enchanted movie I wouldn't be surprised if this project had started out to be closer to the original text but the success of Shrek caused Studio heads to demand alterations to be closer to that type of movie resulting in what was released

[carlrood]

I've never seen it, but at least it looks like Cary Elwes was having a blast playing Uncle Obviously Evil. Or he may have been drunk the whole time.

[inuyasha]

23:32 I always interpreted this part of the movie as surely Mandy and her mother tried at one point telling her that she will no longer be obedient, but it never worked; my thought is that it only worked once Lucinda specifically gave Ella the command: "If you don't like it, remove the curse yourself then" therefore granting her the ability to remove her own curse through that command.

[alize]

Ella Enchanted's book outfit reminded me of Princess Fiona's.

[GamerGirlLom]

"Uncle Jafar-meets-Goldfinger"
"Uncle that guy from lazy town but more so"
I'm dead 😂