A Movie Fit For A King.....Or Queens, Darlings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                        What a tumultuous June 1 it turned out to be.  Monsieur and I managed to catch the new Disney film, "Maleficent," and I am telling you, it is just so much fun!  Who would have thought Disney would have made a gay movie?  Maleficent was certainly a gay icon when she debuted 55 years ago in Disney's cartoon version of "Sleeping Beauty," but, with the show now all to herself, and played very tongue in cheek by Angelina Jolie, who knows full well to whom this film is directed, this becomes the film you have GOT to see in this, the Month Of Gay Pride!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                             Did you know that several of Angelina's children appear in this?  Several of the adoptees, but their biological daughter (by Brad Pitt) plays a very young (maybe 5 years old, maybe) version of Princess Aurora.  It is a very crucial scene, early on, and you can see the child has Brad's blond hair and fair features, and Angelina's big eyes.  It is fair to guess the child will turn out to be a stunner!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Bet
Angelina is boss of that household!  And she is certainly boss of this movie!

                              It is interesting how the basic "Sleeping Beauty" story, while retained, is reworked.  I will not reveal to much, but let me say, that, when it comes to "Maleficent," the whole thing comes down to social class distinctions; proving once again, that those from the Wrong Side Of The Tracks should never try to pull themselves out of there, because they will never succeed.

                                And it shows here. The Human Kingdom and the Fairy Kingdom are adjacent to one another, but both divided and conflicted.  Maleficent, when first seen, is a sweet little girl with quite a flight span and a propensity for good and humanitarianism.  Fate puts her in an encounter, with Stefan, a young lad, from the Human Kingdom, whom she saves from being mauled by a beast. Grateful, they begin a friendship that seems destined to last.  But it does not. For Stefan reveals he is the son of a farmer, which I think he is ashamed of, and he wants bigger things for himself.  And this turns out to be his downfall. Somehow he manages to work his way into the King;'s good graces, becoming, not just one of his faithful stewards, but the front runner to the heir apparent.  In Sharlto Copley's deliciously malevolent performance can be seen all the corrupt ambition and hatred of everyone, including himself, he harbors.  The King tells his stewards he will not rest until Maleficent has been killed, and that the one who does this deed stands the best chance of becoming his successor.  Stefan takes it upon himself to do this, but, when push comes to shove, he cannot kill her, so he does something comparably bad--removing her wings--which he displays in a glass case to prove he has "killed" Maleficent. But he has not, and, once she recovers from the physical and emotional injury of losing her wings, Maleficent summons her evil energy, and becomes that nasty fairy that all us gay men have loved and dreamed of being, since 1959.  Only, in this context, she has good reason to be nasty.

                              So, when Stefan marries, it is another stab in Maleficent's heart. And when Princess Aurora is born, I think it occurs to her that this could very well have been he daughter.

                                From here, the film becomes familiar. Maleficent appears at the christening, and bestows her gift, maliciously. When I was a child, I used to love to do her speech.  To my detractors, I would say, in best Maleficent imitation, "before the sun sets on your sixteenth birthday, you will prick your finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel....and die!!!!!!!!!!!"   Of course, now that we are all way past sixteen, I can't begin to use this line anymore. Pity!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     Aurora is stowed away by the three fairies--here called Knotgrass, Flittle, and Thistlewit.  They are played by Imelda Staunton, Lesley Manville and Juno Temple, respectively, and are wonderful comic relief.  Prince Philip wanders into the story at the right time, and, true to Disney, both he and the teen Aurora (played by Dakota Fanning's sister, Elle) are about as sexless as Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney sharing an ice cream soda, in "Love Finds Andy Hardy." But that is the Disney way, and it must be preserved.

                                    True love's kiss restores things, but you are in for a surprise, darlings. Stefan gets his comeuppance, and everyone lives happily ever after.  As this film tells, Maleficent had her reason!!!!!!!!!!!!

                                     But, we just LOVE her, and Angelina is having the time of her life, playing her!

                                     Let's face it, we all envy her those horns, that costume, that staff, and the raven!!!!!!!!!!!!!