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6.9/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 6.9/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Poor Cinderella remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
Honestly, watching Poor Cinderella today is a bit like looking at a fever dream from the 1930s. It’s the only time you get to see Betty in full color, and it’s surprisingly vibrant, even if the colors feel a little bit like they're vibrating off the screen. 🎨
The story is exactly what you think it is. Fairy godmother shows up, does some magic, and Betty goes to the ball. But the way she moves? It’s all that classic Fleischer squash-and-stretch that feels almost liquid. It’s mesmerizing in a way that modern CGI just can’t replicate. You can practically hear the ink scratching on the cells.
There’s this one sequence where the kitchen utensils start dancing around, and it’s just pure, unadulterated chaos. I found myself wondering how many drawings that took. Probably thousands, right? The effort just to make a broom look like it’s having a breakdown is absurd.
It’s not as dark as some of the stuff from that era, like Hard Knocks and Love Taps, which had a totally different vibe. But there is still this weird, frantic energy. Everyone is constantly wiggling. Nobody in this movie can just stand still for more than half a second.
The prince character is… well, he’s a bit of a dud. He mostly just stands there while Betty does all the heavy lifting. The shoe-fitting scene is funny because of how much they exaggerate the struggle. It’s not elegant; it’s a slapstick brawl with a slipper.
It’s a short, weird little time capsule. If you appreciate animation history, you’ll love the textures. If you just want a coherent story, you might find the bounciness a little distracting. But hey, it's Betty Boop in color. That alone feels like a special occasion.
It’s not a masterpiece, but it’s definitely not boring. It has a charm that feels dusty but alive. If you’re bored on a Tuesday night, give it a whirl. It’s way better than watching another CGI-fest that looks like a video game cutscene. 💃✨
