Disney animations are known for their solid storylines and happy endings, bringing dreams and hope not only to children but also to adults. Disney films are mostly based on fairy tales, often boldly deleting or altering parts that are not suitable for children. The deleted content often starkly contrasts with the warm and beautiful stories we know from the animations. Here, we take a look at the original versions of Disney animations, which are often horrifying and merciless, earning them the nickname ‘cruel fairy tales’.
The Little Mermaid
In ‘The Little Mermaid’, the witch offers Ariel to exchange her voice with the condition of giving her a pair of human legs. On the condition that if Ariel does not receive a true love’s kiss from Prince Eric within three days, her soul will be bound. Ariel eventually becomes human and marries Prince Eric, and the story ends happily. In the original version when the witch takes the mermaid’s voice, she cuts off the mermaid’s tongue, and when the mermaid gets her legs, she feels as if she has been stabbed with a knife.
Mulan
Based on the story of Huamulan by an unknown author from the Northern and Southern Dynasties of China, ‘Mulan’ is about a woman who disguises herself as a man to go to war in place of her sick father, achieves a great victory, and becomes a war hero. In the original version, Mulan flees home after losing the war. Her father has already passed away, and a heartbroken Mulan eventually chooses to commit suicide resulting of a tragic ending.
Beauty and the Beast
‘Beauty and the Beast’ is the first animation to be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture. Belle, the protagonist of ‘Beauty and the Beast’, enters the Beast’s castle to save her father, falls in love with the Beast, and eventually the Beast transforms back into a human form after receiving a kiss filled with Belle’s true love with a happy ending. However, in the original version, Belle’s sister, after seeing Belle covered with jewels, attempts to send Belle back to the Beast to obtain her jewels. The Beast becomes enraged after finding out the truth and eats Belle.
Pinocchio
Released in 1940, ‘Pinocchio’ showcases Disney’s efforts in creating adorable and lovable characters and using innovative technologies of the time in animation production. Pinocchio, after hearing the fairy’s words that he can become a human if he does good deeds, saves his grandfather Geppetto from danger and becomes a human. In the original version, Pinocchio is a bad wooden puppet who steals things, and he ends up being hung from a pear tree and killed by a fox and a cat who held a grudge against him.
Pocahontas
‘Pocahontas’, based on the story of the real Native American Pocahontas, falls in love with John Smith, who crossed over to England to pioneer the land where she lives, and they live happily ever after. However, in reality, Pocahontas was captured by the English and forcibly converted to Christianity. She married an Englishman named John Rolfe and never saw her family in America again.
Sleeping Beauty
‘Sleeping Beauty’ was a project that attracted attention for its highest production cost in Disney’s history. The protagonist, Princess Aurora, pricks her finger on a spindle cursed by a witch and falls under a curse of eternal sleep but eventually wakes up from a kiss from the prince. However, the original story is entirely different. While Aurora is in a deep sleep, she is sexually assaulted by the king and becomes pregnant.
Cinderella
‘Cinderella’ is mistreated by her wicked stepmother and sisters, but with the help of her fairy godmother, she meets the prince at the ball. She loses her glass slipper at the ball, but the prince comes to find Cinderella, ending the story happily. In the original version of Cinderella written by the Brothers Grimm, the stepsisters cut off their toes and heels to fit into the lost glass slipper, and birds appear and peck out the stepsister’s eyes.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ is the first feature-length animation produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios. The ending of Snow White varies in different versions. The most famous ending is Snow White marrying the prince and killing the queen by making her wear hot iron shoes. Another ending is that the dwarfs who attended the wedding find out that the queen was planning to kill Snow White, so they make her wear the hot shoes as revenge.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’ centers around Quasimodo, a bell-ringer who lives hidden in Notre Dame Cathedral, the gypsy woman Esmeralda, Phoebus who falls in love with her, and the cruel Judge Claude who is Quasimodo’s legal guardian and harbors lust for Esmeralda. The story deals with their conflict and reconciliation. In the original version, Esmeralda marries a man other than Phoebus, is framed for murder, and is eventually executed. Quasimodo dies lying next to Esmeralda’s corpse.
Rapunzel
Rapunzel lives in a high tower that no human can reach, due to a witch’s curse. One day, a prince hears Rapunzel’s singing and discovers her, falling in love, and the story is about escaping from the high tower. In the original version, the witch cuts off Rapunzel’s hair and sets a trap that causes the prince to fall from the tower and go blind.
By. Hye In Oh
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