Original post can be found at GoodTrash Media
This week’s Back to the Movies is going off script as we ditch the planned Pete’s Dragon review in favor of a bit of a wild card with the Netflix release of The Little Prince. Arthur and I talk about our experience(or lack thereof) with the original 1943 children’s novella. The original novella is the fourth most-translated book in the world and was voted the best book of the 20th century in France. It’s been translated into more than 250 languages and has sold more than 140 copies worldwide. Its popularity is so big, in fact, we’re a bit surprised it took this long to make it to the big screen.
The film was originally slated for release through Paramount in March, but was mysteriously dropped from distribution less than a week before its scheduled opening. Thankfully, Netflix came to save the day of another classic from the trenches of obscurity.
The Little Prince‘s film adaptation is a sort of quasi-sequel to the novella that follows the crashed pilot in his old age. It sports a killer cast including Jeff Bridges, Rachel McAdams, James Franco, Benicio Del Toro, Paul Giamatti, Ricky Gervais, and Albert Brooks. It’s partially animated as a stop motion picture which leads to some of the most beautiful visuals you’ll see all year. It even sports some surprisingly anti-corporate sentiments which isn’t something we usually see in studio filmmaking.
It has all of the makings of a classic that GoodTrash is all about. Arthur and I weigh in to decide how well the film works and whether the final product was cheapened by its streaming release. Does it live up to it’s rich cultural history? Tune in!
Caleb Masters 