How do I love Shrek. Let me count the ways:
1) An ogre for a hero;
2) Eddie Murphy as Donkey;
3) the way it spins every fairy tale trope on its head;
4) that Love’s true form is an ogre; and
5) while the princess has to be rescued at the get go, she kicks ass all the way back.
On so many levels, it is a truly exceptional story. And, as I’ve been arguing, a good story has to have an exceptional villain. Lord Faarquaad. The man hates fairy tales and can’t be bothered to rescue his perfect princess himself. He loves order and perfection and fairy tale characters can get a bit messy.
Its his pursuit of perfection, and his perpetual need to prove himself worthy (he can only be king if he marries a princess, not on his own merit) that makes him both accessible and hateful. The quest for perfection seems to be a common evil genius goal. The borg want a perfect society, Blofeld wants to wipe it clean and start all over. Villains definition of perfection is a personal and narrow, and neglects the beauty of difference and diversity.
That’s another reason I love Shrek. It’s a love fest celebrating imperfection, making Faarquad’s obsession with perfection, shine a bright light on the beauty of an ogre.
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You really nailed what’s great about these movies, much better than I could! I think what’s best is how they show beauty is not about outward appearance. I mean, kids need to hear that, especially in the social media generation.
Thanks. Great observation. That’s another reason I love Shrek, its one of those movies that speaks to all ages, and pushes the right values. We can tell children over and over again that inner beauty matters most, but they have to see it. And in most media, they see that outer beauty is what seems to be valued.