OK, I'll be the dissenter here.... I like the change and I'm glad they did it.
A few caveats:
1. I don't have a big personal connection to the original Cinderella.
2. I'm a guy.
First, everyone seems to see the new look as somehow "overly sexy" - I completely disagree.
Compare the
original to the
new version.
I spent quite a lot of time comparing the old to the new to see if I could find what many of you are complaining about and really, the only large difference I see is the hair style (which is modern, but nothing scandalous!). Clothes are almost identical. Accessories are almost identical. Make up - I really don't see the big difference. MAYBE more eyeliner, but certainly not a ton more. The colors in general are bolder, but that's the dress and everything - just a more modern color scheme.
Now I DO understand that some of you have long and fond memories and associations with Cinderella. For those of you who have those memories, I can see why the change would be unwelcome. It always stings to see changes to our memories. (I'm a Wisconsin football fan and I HATED when they changed the old style "W" helmet to a more "modern" "W" style... I get it...)
BUT... I'm glad to see Disney having the foresight and initiative to update their characters. After all Cinderella is not for us (the old folks) as much as it is for the young kids coming up. They have to imaging being Cinderella, and a 2010 girl is just not going to connect as well to a 1950 Cinderella. It just makes sense that she look more modern. I expect in 2050 she'll have to be updated a bit again. Remember, the Mickey Mouse we know today is NOT the original Mickey Mouse (thankfully!)
If we want Disney to remain relevant to people (especially young girls) for years to come, Disney has to walk a difficult and fine line between respecting and acknowledging tradition, staying faithful and true to the spirit of the Disney characters, and STILL connecting those characters to the modern world. Otherwise Cinderella and the rest will end up feeling like museum pieces.
I think a great example of "Disney-modern" is Rapunzel in Tangled. I loved that movie for many reasons, but most of all, because I really loved Rapunzel. She was the model for a modern young "Disney" woman - smart, brave, irreverent, daring, kind-hearted, noble, good, etc. (and [spoiler alert] a spiky short brown hair-do too!) In short, she was a totally modern interpretation of a classic Disney princess - to my mind exactly what Disney should be doing.
To me the bigger question is not whether to update characters now and then (to which I'd say absolutely YES), but rather, is this a GOOD update. And I say Yes! - I think they got it right with "Cinderella 2012". This change is modern yet faithful to the original. It in no way violates the sense of who she is - it's not like she's running around in skinny jeans and green hair.
Same clothes, same accessories, same fundamental style - just perked up a bit with a new "do", some extra-shine on the accessories, and a bolder color scheme.
And - by pure chance - just a few days ago I also ran into the Cinderella dolls at Target (before this came up), noticed the difference, and really liked them! In fact I compared them to Barbie and other dolls and told my wife how much I appreciated a modern take on Cinderella that seemed genuinely nice, appropriate, and "Disney" as compared to the garbage that other toy manufacturers are churning out.
The new Cinderella is not Barbie-ish at all to my eyes, let alone Bratz-ish.