Tinker Bell The Movie

Character of Tinker Bell is based on J.M.Barrie's famous play Peter Pan. Disney made their own version of the story in 1953. Disney's Peter Pan however hasn't ever been my favorites. I personally think that overall character of Disney's Tinker Bell being such a Disney icon has done lots of damage for the way modern people see fairies (tiny with wings, child like creature). In mythologies and folklore around the world fairies were originally very different and way more dark creatures. Within last centuries fairies have been "prettynized" especially in the Victorian England. Wings were originally given by the first children book illustrators in the 19th century. 

In 1953 movie Tinker Bell is an active side-character. She is envies Wendy because she gets to spend so much time with Peter. In 1953's movie Tinker Bell doesn't speak but she is very expressive an sometimes comical character.

Tinker Bell the movie appeared in 2008 and it is computer high quality CG I animation created by DisneyToons Studios. There are also several sequels made for the movie. 

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​Plot

Tiny baby is laughing in the cradle. Wind blows flower seeds across the skies and space all the way to Never-Never Land and into Pixie hollow. Little fairy girl called Tinker Bell is born from the laughter. All fairies of the Pixie hollow are there to welcome the new arrival. 
Each new fairy must enter the magical ring and find out what their magical power will be. Tink tries to avoid the fairy hammer but the magic is too strong. Tink becomes one of the Tinker fairies.

She makes friends with tinker fairies Bobble and Clank. They tell her stories about the human world an Tinkerbell becomes obsessed about traveling to the human world. However tinker fairies aren't allowed to travel there only nature fairies can.

Tinkerbell meets nature fairies called Silver-mist (water fairy) Rosetta (Garden fairy) Iridessa (light fairy) Fawn (animal fairy) and Vidian (wind fairy). Vidian is one of the best flyers in Pixie hollow. She is selfish and doesn't like Tinkerbell who she thinks is attention seeker.

Tinker Bell tries to find her own path and always gets into troubles. After one disaster she escapes to the beach and finds a broken music-box. She fixes the music box and her fairy friends tell her that being a tinker is her true talent. Tinker Bell refuses to believe it. She wants to travel to the human world. She manages nature fairies to teach her their talents. Soon she finds out that she hasn't got what it takes to be a water fairy or create rainbows. Last hope she asks Vidian to teach her fly fast. Vidian tricks Tinker Bell to catch all the thistles but as a result Tinker Bell manage to destroy all Pixie hollow's spring reparations. 

Tink decides to leave Pixie hollow. Then she meets Terrence, Fairy who guards the fairy dust. He manages to convince Tinker Bell how all work is important. Tinker Bell returns to the fairies and this time she has her self-designed equipment's with her to speed up the spring reparations. 

Queen Clarion is impressed by Tink's determination and grants her and other tinker fairies permission to visit human world. Tinker Bell's first task is to return the music box to it's rightful owner, which is little girl in London. Her name is Wendy Darling.

Tinker Bell

I really like this Tinker Bell-Movie Tinker Bell. Same way as Tinker Bell in the 1953 movie this Tinker Bell is stubborn and mischievous young fairy maiden. I've never really got grasp to Tinker Bell in 1953 film. It might because she doesn't say a word and that she doesn't have a lot screen time. Tinker Bell the Movie takes place time before Tink met Peter Pan and that makes movie interesting. Tinker Bell in this newer movie is also more sympathetic and softer character.   ​

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​​Tinker Bell's appearance is of course 3D version of 1953's Tinker Bell. CGI Tinker Bell has more rounder eyes where as 1953's Tinker Bell has more "cat eyes". 3D Tinker Bell's dress is bright green and 1953's Tinker Bells dress is light green. 

Already in Disney's Peter Pan we can see Tink's talent to work with her hands. I think there was a scene where she get's locked into Wendy's drawer and tinkers the lock to get out (It's been a while since I watched Peter Pan). Determination of the character can also be seen in Tinker Bell the movie the way she starts desperately to look new talent for herself so she can visit human world.

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Animation

Animation style and quality of animation in Tinker Bell the movie is absolutely breathtaking. Movie is filled with colors. There are all four seasons in Pixie hollow because fairies also bring seasons to the human world. I was very impressed by the details of the fairy houses and homes also the big fairy tree where the queen lives and where fairy dust is kept. Animation of fairy dust and how it fall down like a waterfall is magical.

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​​I really liked the scenes showing Pixie hollow at night time and all mysterious lights showing up. They reminded me Disney's light experiences in Fantasia in the Nutcracker Ballet - episode.
Peter and Wendy

Strange enough during whole movie I kept waiting for Peter Pan to show up but he didn't. I was also bit surprised by the end of the film when Tinker Bell took the Music-box to Wendy. Because in the movie Peter Pan Tinker Bell is always jealous of Wendy and is quite mean to her. I have heard theories that Tink would be in love with Peter. I believe that this theory was started by the year 1991 movie Hook where Robin Williams played adult Peter Pan and Julia Roberts played Tinker Bell. In Hook Tinker Bell did said to Peter that she loves him.

In Disney's Peter Pan Tinker Bell is more afraid that instead of going to adventures with her Peter is going  away with Wendy.

Most likely movie makers thought it would tie movie better with the world of Peter Pan. I was personally bit surprised by the end knowing Tinker Bells attitude towards Wendy. 

​Music

There is really great music in the movie. I was surprised when I heard that one of my favorite singers Loreena McKennitt was performing some songs in the film. McKennitt is Canadian musician and does lots music based by Celtic folk music. Film begins her singing song To the fairies they draw near. There is also Irish and Celtic folk music in the movie.

Fairy Mythology

Like I mentioned in the beginning Tinker Bell is probably the most famous fairy ever existed. Popularity of Disney's Tinker Bell and image of her has partially created one-dimensional idealism that modern people have towards fairies.
English word Fairy covers all kinds of magical creatures that are connected to nature.

I was positively surprised how much accurate fairy mythology and folklore knowledge there was in this movie. The way fairies are born when children laugh, flowers open to bloom for the first time, sun rays touch the grass and morning dew shimmers. 

There are several different fairy species all around Europe and many times each countries and areas have their own as well (for example in Scandinavian mythology there are gnome like creatures Nisser and Älvan creatures that are more similar with human size Lord of the rings elves with pointy ears and all). 

Tinker Bell is part of the flower fairy realm (and I guess Tinker fairies are one race of flower fairies). Traditionally flower fairies are tiniest fairies with wings and are born from flowers and laughter of children. Also in ancient times people did believe that change of the seasons was created by different nature spirits. They would paint the autumn leaves and snow sprites would  blow winter winds.

Conclusion
I never thought I would ever like Tinker Bell's character but after seeing this film this has happened and I'm now a Tink fan! I really like the way Tinker Bell's character grows in the movie. She learns to understand and appreciate herself. I think my favorite scenes were those where she tinkers all kinds of things. I find Vidian's character very interesting. I think her despise towards Tinker Bell was bit too obvious. I hope there will be more depth in her character shown in the next Tinker Bell movies and maybe Peter appears at some point as well.