This document analyzes the stylistic elements and cultural influences of three films - The Princess Diaries, Bride & Prejudice, and Fish Tank. It discusses how each film represents different cultures through aspects like costumes, locations, dance, and views of marriage. For example, Bride & Prejudice represents Indian culture through Bollywood-style musical numbers, while Fish Tank offers a gritty portrayal of British teenagers growing up in a rough background. Overall, the document examines how these films adapt fairy tale tropes and influence within their unique cultural contexts.

1. ‘The fairy tale is a global narrative form regardless
of culture’
All of these film have female protagonist. The
ladies who are main characters find themselves in a
similar situation of finding happiness. I want to find
out how different cultures adopt fairy tale within
their culture and genre.
Nusuri Bibi

2. The Princess Diaries
2001
• Directed by Gary
Marshall
A socially awkward but very
bright 15-year-old girl being
raised by a single mom
discovers that she is the
princess of a small European
country because of the recent
death of her long-absent
father, who, unknown to her,
was the crown prince of
Genovia. She must make a
choice between continuing the
life of a San Francisco teen or
stepping up to the throne.
While Mia makes up her mind,
she's pressed into taking
princess lessons from her
grandmother.
Bride & Prejudice
2004
• Directed by
Gurinder Chadha
A Bollywood-style update of
Jane Austen's classic tale, in
which Mrs. Bakshi is eager
to find suitable husbands for
her four unmarried
daughters. When the rich
single gentlemen Bal-raj and
Darcy come to visit, the
Bakshi’s have high hopes,
though circumstance and
boorish opinions threaten to
get in the way of romance.
Fish Tank
2009
• Directed by
Andrea Arnold
Everything changes for
15-year-old Mia when
her mum brings home a
new boyfriend.

3. Genre Influence
In the mise-en-scene there were obvious costumes, locations, set design and
lighting to give the connotations of a fairy-tale. At first the royal them didn't come
through as much because the queen/grandmother had come to San Francisco.
However the audience could identify the royal household when we see security
guards, butlers and a PA . On the day of the ball we see the queen, Mia and their
guests wear expensive gowns and tiaras. This is the conventional costume for a
queen and a princess. We could argue that "Disney princesses never really did
have much to offer.”R.,L., Cosslett. (2013) Disney's makeover of its brave princess
is cowardly. The Guardian, May, 1-2. This is because Mia was "a combination of
Cinderella's dreams and hopes and sleeping beauty's waiting for a kiss that will rock
her world . A renovated firehouse stands in place of Hansel and Gretel's house in
the woods.” Collier, A. (2002) Journal of Feminist Family Therapy [eBook]. The
Haworth Press. This clearly demonstrates that The princess diaries had
intertextually been adapted from other Disney stories, which makes the narrative
predictable.

4. Also, in the mise-en-scene, as part of one location we saw a castle. This is a
conventional house for a royal like a princess.
As part of costumes the tiaras and gowns played a big part in the film as this
demonstrates a false portrayal of women. As this encourages little girls to be an ideal
princess and princesses give the connotation of a perfect appearance and a perfect
life. "When I was six, all I wanted was to be a princess”. R.,L., Cosslett. (2013) Disney's
makeover of its brave princess is cowardly. The Guardian, May, 1-2. However the
queen in this film says to Mia ‘’People think to be a prince you have to marry a princess
and live happily ever after but it’s so much more than that.” This dialogue from the
queen argues that being a princess Is a real chore and it’s not always about dressing
up and meeting your prince; as fairy tales in the past would usually perceive it.

5. Cultural Influence
Dancing has played a big part in my chosen films. It’s either a tradition or a hobby.
In The Princess Diaries the characters are doing their traditional dance whilst Bride
& Prejudice characters are also dancing, this is because Bollywood films are
musicals however the first dance scene in Bride & Prejudice was inspired by Jane
Austin's Pride and Prejudice where they are dancing regency dance style. This was
a way of socialising and finding a life partner. In Fish Tank the character Mia; grew
a passion for urban dance. This type of dance is practised by anyone regardless
their background and it’s also dance form which is supposed to be practised on
streets, parks, parties, schools and raves. However Urban dancers usually have
working class backgrounds and this was clearly demonstrated on Fish Tank.

6. Culturally marriage is important in India, the importance had been clearly demonstrated in
Bride & Prejudice by showing 4 weddings in one film. The love story within this film has a
‘’context in which marriage is understood to be driven by considerations other romantic
love.’’(Teen Film )
Marriage is also important in Disney as a typical fairy-tale story would be about the
princess waiting for her prince. This fairy tale narrative was also seen in The Princess
Diaries, the princess finds her prince because he fancied her even when she was
‘invisible’ but due to Mia being young and only 16 she didn’t marry and that’s what the
film series are there for. Marriage in Fish Tank however didn’t quite portray the ‘princess
and prince’ but did slightly touch on themes of marriages and love. Research states that
around 49% of single mothers have never married, 51% are either divorced, separated or
widowed. Mia’s mum in Fish Tank was a single parent who became a mother at teenager.

7. Stylistic Elements
Due to my films being from different genres and countries , the stylistic elements are
different as they will be according to the culture of films. Bride & Prejudice is an
International Bollywood film and therefore it’s a musical representing the Indian culture.
The Indian culture was represented through mise-en-scene such as costume and
locations. This film ‘s studio is both English and American, the purpose of this film having
and English/ American studio could be because the language is Both Hindi and English
making the mass audience an accepting audience towards other cultural influences. The
film is also a postmodern film as it’s a hybrid of Bollywood, Hollywood and British.

8. In the Princess Diaries, the stylistic elements were also shown through costumes and
location. This was evident thorough out the full film.
In the cinematography there were varies of shot angles to give connotations of a certain
feeling and mood at that time. In the princess diaries when Mia had been crowned
princess there was a medium long shot of the queens and princesses back with all the
guests looking at them .
This camera angle shows the guests happiness and
appreciation in the new princess. The composition of
the queen and princess at front shows how important
they are.
• Queens dialogues;
• “I think you would make a very fine princess”
• “People think to be a prince you have to marry a
princess and live happily ever after but it’s so much
more than that.”
• “Eat, sleep, talk, walk, dress like a princess”

9. Fish Tank is a gritty British film, the stylistic elements differ to my other chosen films
because, it’s a British independent film about a British teenager. The genre of this film is
drama and has no fairy-tale elements. However I believe that the narrative is fairy-tale
inspired as Mia struggles to follow her passion and with her naive personality falls in love
with her mums boyfriend. Princess’s always have obstacles such as horrible family
members, and traditions, for Mia, her obstacle was her mum and her rough background
limiting her from fulfilling her dreams. I can also argue that fairy tale's always have a
happy ending, and this film did end happily because Mia had left home with her new
boyfriend, she was happy to be finally leaving her obstacles.
The portrayal of British teenagers from a rough background was evident in the film. Mia’s
costume was track suit bottoms and vest/tops. Although this isn’t a stereotypical fairy-tale
costume it still gives the message that anyone can have obstacles no matter where
you’re from. Princess Amelia from the Princess Diaries had issues of her before
becoming a princess, this proves that you don’t have to be rich to be a princess and nor
have a decent lifestyle.