Memoirs of an Evil Stepmother (2004)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Cherien Dabis

Writer:

Cherien Dabis (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Short

Tagline:

It's time the world heard her side of the story.

Plot:

A modern play on the Snow White fairytale as told from the evil stepmother's point of view.

Plot Keywords:

Stepmother | Insanity | Desperation | Murder Plot | Actress

Cast

Jane Lynch	...	Blanche Monroe
Shaina Fewell	...	Valerie Monroe
Jacob Vargas	...	Vincent Enano
Ursula Brooks	...	Loretta Jenkins
Daniel Graves	...	Michael Glass
Jeff Graham	...	Plastic Surgeon
Ann Lippert	...	Woman in bandages
Eric Offin	...	Student Director (as Eric J. Offin)
Steve Fox	...	Guard

Directed by
Cherien Dabis

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Cherien Dabis		writer

Produced by
Cherien Dabis	....	co-producer
Peter Phillips	....	co-producer
Lisa Thrasher	....	producer

Original Music by
Steven M. Stern

Cinematography by
Alison Kelly

Film Editing by
Cherien Dabis

Production Design by
Jenn Bastian

Art Direction by
Melanie Hubbard

Costume Design by
Michael Gardner

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jamar Hawkins	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Eric LaBonte	....	set dresser
Iris Shih	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Lee Ascher	....	boom operator
William Cooke	....	sound designer
Andrew Gohn	....	sound mixer
Greg Miller	....	sound re-recording mixer

Camera and Electrical Department
Harris Charalambous	....	gaffer
Jeff Clark	....	Steadicam operator

Other crew
Chelsea Krebbers	....	script supervisor

Production Companies

• Alfrobel Productions

Distributors

• Alfrobel Productions (USA)
• Power Up Films (2004) (USA) (DVD)

Runtime:

18 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Filming Locations:

Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Alfrobel Productions

Cute and clever, a little off-balance

Cherien Dabis sold her first script, "Little Black Boot," to the nonprofit lesbian filmmaker's collective, POWER UP, in 2001. But at the time, POWER UP would not permit writers to also direct their work. Subsequently, Dabis wrote "Memoirs of an Evil Stepmother" -- which became her directorial debut.

This film is a clever updating of the Snow White fairy tale, only this time the evil stepmother is a has-been soap opera actress whose daughter is taking her place. It's clever, but the film never quite manages to find its footing. Really witty updating of the main elements of the fairy-tale story are lacking. The film would have benefited from a bit more character development of Snow (the suddenly pretty, breast-implanted stepdaughter) as well as a the importation of a few more updated fairy-tale elements. For example, at one point, Blanche wears a red cape. Why not incorporate some Little Red Riding-Hood elements into the script?

I was completely blown away by the film's stupendously inventive, creative and funny opening credits. The film's editor and art directors deserve real kudos for coming up with this wonderful tribute to tabloids and Hollywood -- which also serves to set up the story and advance the narrative.

Jane Lynch ("Best in Show," "A Mighty Wind") is superb. But the rest of the cast is given little to do, and doesn't rise much to the occasion.