Switched to Fairie Tale Theatre while I started posting Hilary and the Beasts at my writing blog. (I'll finish it tomorrow. It's a lot longer than I realized!) Shelley Duvall herself appeared as "Rapunzel" in an early first-season episode. She's a bit old for the role of a sweet girl who learns more about men than she ever wanted when a prince (Jeff Bridges) climbs up her long hair and into the tower. Gena Rowlands is better as the witch who keeps her locked away.
Headed out early to have lunch and run errands before the after-school program began. I was probably the first person at Crust N' Cravings on Collings Avenue in West Collingswood, about five minutes from Thomas Sharp Elementary School. Because I was so early, it took them a few minutes to bring out my slices of cheese and mushroom pizza...but it was worth the wait. Oh yum! Tons of cheese and the softest crust I'd ever tasted.
After lunch, I hurried across the street to the Speedy Mart. This small convenience store boasts two types of food that WaWa doesn't - fried chicken and bagels. I haven't tried the chicken, but I got their bagels earlier in the year, and they were excellent. I got four for lunch tomorrow, on Saturday, and next week. Even with lunch and the stop, I was still 20 minutes early for work when I arrived at the school and ended up riding around the block until it was time to lock up my bike and head inside.
In all honestly, I wasn't really expecting a huge crowd today. It's the first day of the school year. Many kids may still be on vacation with their families or doing other things. I think we had 15 kids, 9 of whom were pre-school age. At least they all behaved pretty well, especially once we took them outside. It was too nice of a day not to go outside! Though it was warmer and more humid, and I saw heavy clouds on the horizon, at 2 PM, it was mostly still sunny and breezy. One of the teachers even brought a speaker, so we could blast "Happy," "Can't Fight This Feeling," and "Uptown Funk" for the kids while they played.
By the time we got back in, only three younger kids remained. There was so little to do, they let me go early. I stopped at CVS to use the bathroom and get a second dry erase board. I want to write down my goals for the month along with my schedule. In this case, my goals for September are to help settle the kids into the after-school program, get at least half-way through Maplepunzel by the time I leave for vacation on the 27th, and get ready for vacation.
Posted more of Hilary and the Beasts while watching an earlier TV version of "Rapunzel" on YouTube. Shirley Temple's Storybook Theater was an early 60's predecessor of Fairie Tale Theatre. Same idea, only the less wispy adult Temple does the narrating here. Agnes Moorehead is the witch in this version, who discovers that Rapunzel and Prince Peter's love is stronger than either pity or her trying to hypnotize the girl into staying at the tower.
Watched College Holiday after "Rapunzel" ended. I go further into this unique tale of college kids and comedians putting on a show to save a California resort at my Musical Dreams Movie Reviews blog.
Switched to working on Maplepunzel next. Pavla turns up at the tower three days later with a fancy mint green gown. She intends to present Maple at court in Berliania soon, as she's betrothed her to Berlania's financier and one of her top advisors. Maple wants nothing to do with the frilly and cutesy dress or any suitor, until Pavla hypnotizes her into it again.
Just minutes after she leaves, Maple hears what she thinks is Pavla's voice again, calling to climb her hair...but this person climbs faster and far more awkwardly, and their Czech accent is atrocious. It's not a woman at all, but a tall, balding man with a commanding presence in a navy uniform. He introduces himself as Prince Victor of Wennaria. He's the "surprise" Scott mentioned. He hired Scott to help him find his lost brother Jeffery. Jeff vanished searching for his fiancee Queen Hilary after the invasion of Hope Springs. Princess Betty had been Victor's fiancee, but while he liked the girl, he spent most of his time leading his armies and barely knew her.
Maple is thoroughly besotted with the courtly, chivalrous, noble Victor. The more she listens to him and talks to him, the louder her voice gets, and the quicker the fog left by Pavla's hypnosis lifts. She spends the entire night listening to his stories of Wennaria, his parents, and his long search for his missing brother. The night goes so quickly, she's barely noticed how late it is. Victor promises to return at dusk, after Pavla leaves, and tell her more about Wennaria and his travels.
Watched Match Game Syndicated while writing and eating dinner. We started off with the last two episodes of the week with McLean Stevenson, Janelle Allen, and Debralee Scott. Deb stuck around for the next week, where she was joined by Fred Travalena and his dozens of voices.
Finished the night with two Disney soundtracks on CD, one more recent, one older. Tangled is Disney's version of "Rapunzel." To be honest, though it's a cute movie that's been successful enough to inspire a theatrical short and a TV show based on it, it's a little too goofy to be a huge favorite of mine. The ballad "I See the Light" was the hit, but I like the hilarious "I've Got a Dream" for Rapunzel and the goons at the Snuggly Duckling Bar and "Mother Knows Best," Mother Gothel's chilling villain song. (Donna Murphy, who did the voice of Mother Gothel, played a very different kind of villain in the second season Remember WENN episode "Behind Every Great Woman.")
Cinderella was a far bigger hit in 1950. In fact, it was such a smash, it would help to fund most of Disney's projects for the rest of the decade, including Disneyland. The collector's edition CD I found in Philly last year includes a pile of songs written for the film but not used, along with familiar favorites like "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes" and "Bibbidi-Bobbdi-Boo." Of the cut numbers, my favorites are the charming comic ditty "I'm In the Middle of a Muddle" as Cinderella wishes she had more help and the sweet waltz "The Dress My Mother Wore."
Oh, and though the game was delayed by a thunderstorm (and one Eagle got ejected for spitting on the Cowboys quarterback before the game even began), the Eagles did finally overcome the Dallas Cowboys to win their first game of the season 24-20.
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