This morning “Tinker Bell and The Lost Treasure”, the second story in the Disney Fairies franchise, was screened exclusively for Disney Fairy fans and their families at Cineworld in Liverpool. And we were invited (squeal!).
Littlest has been excited about it all week. “Tinker Bell and The Lost Treasure” isn’t out on DVD until November but we must have watched the first story, “Tinker Bell”, at least a billion times since last Christmas (no I am not exaggerating!). “Tinker Bell” is such a magical film, giving the back story to how Tink got her name and about her accepting her given talent. There are nods towards the whole “Peter Pan” story, but it’s clever and Tink is such a loveable character (with faults, hooray!).
Anyway, at 6:30am this morning, Littlest was dressed in her Tinker Bell outfit, complete with butterfly tights and silver sparkle heels. She was ridiculously excited. We left before 9am and drove over to Liverpool. Cineworld had goodies for all the kids and lots of activities going on, including a scary clown who made Middlest a frog from a blue balloon (my life is often surreal!).
The film was everything we hoped it would be. The thing that appeals to me so much about these fairy films is that they both carry such strong moral messages. They’re about purity, innocence, about having the strength to be yourself and about friendship . In the words of the wonderful “Tinker Bell and The Lost Treasure”:
‘the treasure of true friendship will never lose its glow’.
I love the innocence that Disney evokes, away from our world where children are often exposed to nastiness far too early.
I left the cinema smiling. Then I drove home, through Liverpool and past the open day for Liverpool University. The campus was swarming with students. I remembered back to when I first came here and I felt a little tearful (and that’s exactly when Littlest told me that she wants to be a fairy when she grows up).
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
This is a lovely little story. Made me feel very nostalgic for when I was younger. Of course, I never wanted to be a fairy, but often wished I could disappear into magical worlds and have adventures, like Alice in Wonderland.
Another thought that came up while reading this is just the beauty of stories, especially those for children, and the good feelings they bring into our lives. Sometimes I wonder why all the critics just can’t enjoy them for what they are, instead of criticizing them for spreading christian propaganda (C.S. Lewis) or anti christian propaganda (JKR) or maligning women/minorities (Enid Blyton/Disney). I have never felt that storybooks, Disney cartoons or Harry Potter influenced me in anyway but good. It was always the real world that brought in the nastiness, and disillusionment.
Twitter: @CafeNirvana
awww- that’s such a gorgeously sweet story…
Twitter: @madpoetuk
Caroline, my teen loved the first TInk movie! She no longer dons fairy wings, but she loves all things magical & fantasy-related. Thanks for sharing your story!
Twitter: @ClaireCaterer
Oooooh! I wanted to go see this but it wasn’t premiering anywhere within an hour’s drive of us! *sulk* I’ve tagged you over at Chez Aspie. x
Twitter: @djkirkby
A lovely story, the innocence of children is wonderful and to be cherished. I am sure littlest will be a beautiful fairy.
And why not – I can think of worse things to be! I think I wanted to be a Charlie’s Angel when I was littlest’s age!
Twitter: @janettejones
So what did Mum wear did you have your fairy wings on too:0) I love the fact that Tinkerbelle gets it wrong in that falible human way but her faerie heart rescues her. Something about wishes and belief is so often sneered at by critics who left behind childlike acceptance a long time ago sadly. Disney is in the business of making money so Tink is merchandised within an inch of her life which disturbs me a little but can’t fault the faerie for mans greed:0) Wonder when Disnet will do the Tinkermadam movie, ha-ha.
CafeNirvana – I still love Alice in Wonderland. When I was a child, I wanted to dress as Alice for a fancy dress party. So my mum dressed me up in my most favourite dress and gave me a bottle to carry that said, ‘Drink this and your hair will turn black’!
Many people are fast to criticise Disney, but I honestly believe the company excites young minds in a way that is fresh and innocent. The moral codes, the strong messages and the helping children to find themselves – that all appeals to me as an adult and as a mother. I just wish I could always keep my children in a Disney bubble.
Elliott Rodgers – awww thank you!
Claire Caterer – Tink sprinkles her magic dust over generations!
DJ Kirkby – we drove 45 minutes to see it. It has made Littlest very happy.
sheepish – I think she will be too
Janette Jones – now we know how you dress in your spare time
D-W – oh yes, of course! Tink gets things wrong, makes huge mistakes and then accepts her faults. She’s lovely. Tink has been merchandised but that’s because so many of us do connect with her and do want to buy things with her on it… I say typing this wearing my Tink pjs and slippers
A Tinkermadam movie … are you after a part?