The Swan Princess (1994): Why Derek is a walking RED FLAG 🚩

Today is my reaction to The Swan Princess, and our so-called hero (Prince Derek). Is his pursuit of Odette is driven by love or lust? Get ready for a fresh, critical take on a classic film. The Swan Princess was based on the ballet Swan Lake. It was released theatrically on November 18, 1994, and grossed $9.8 million against a $21 million budget, becoming a box-office bomb, partly due to struggling competition with a re-release of The Lion King (1994). The film later became popular through home video releases and has since been followed by a series of sequels starting in 1997.
insta: serena_sky1_
tiktok: serenaskybourne
patreon: / serenaskybourne
OTHER VIDEOS FROM ME
My Gilmore girls playlist:
kzbin.info?list...
Desperate Housewives playlist:
kzbin.info?list...
Euphoria (Cassie Howard analysis)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyIha...
The Big Bang Theory:
• The Big Bang Theory Is Sexist (but i ...
The Idol:
• The Idol: 10x More Dangerous Than Eup...
Pretty Little Liars:
• PRETTY LITTLE LIARS
Skins:
• Skins
Thankyou to my editor Georgia!
WHAT I WORE
In this video I wear and recommend:
○ Sephora foundation brush (vegan) EU bit.ly/3JbC9IF USA bit.ly/3qnapbd
L'Oreal Paris Telescopic Mascara UK bit.ly/3qpQfx9 USA bit.ly/3sEhIxQ
○ Revolution Imogenation eyeshadow palette UK bit.ly/3JqQuky EU bit.ly/3Jg0GMI
○ Essence contouring duo palette UK bit.ly/3JdntIR EU bit.ly/3qpK0cO USA bit.ly/3Jgbs5h
○ Maybelline dream radiant foundation UK bit.ly/3H7KUS3 EU bit.ly/3qr4MJj USA bit.ly/3swBX0s
○ Sephora lip liner 'the red' EU bit.ly/3mtcmBG USA bit.ly/32msTRe
my lipstick in today's video:
Gosh Velvet Touch Matt Lipstick - 028 Matt Lilac
/MY RECORDING EQUIPMENT
○ Canon EOS 250D
○ Canon EF 50 mm f/1.8 STM UK bit.ly/3HcJGVQ EU bit.ly/3mrupIr USA bit.ly/3qqdPde
○ lapel microphone BY-M1 Omnidirectional UK bit.ly/3mrt0BF EU bit.ly/3svaLze USA bit.ly/3st4ap2
Disclaimer: links included in this description are affiliate links. If you purchase a product/service with the links that I provide, I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you! Thank you for supporting my channel
key tags (ignore :)
Michelle Nicastro as Princess Odette
Liz Callaway as Princess Odette (singing voice)
Adrian Zahiri as Young Princess Odette
Howard McGillin as Prince Derek
Adam Wylie as Young Prince Derek
Jack Palance as Sir Rothbart
Lex de Azevedo as Sir Rothbart (singing voice)

[@saragrimbaum6428]

They set Derek up for a moral lesson about judging people by their character, and then forgot to give it to him

[@Aelffwynn]

At the end he says he has always loved her kindness and courage. But when was that established? 😂 At best, he grudgingly acknowledged she was cleverer than him.

[@dawnwinter-wi4ps]

​@@Aelffwynnwell she was kind and courageous when she helped the animals and when she tried to escape Rothbart and how she denied him no matter what.

[@Aelffwynn]

@dawnwinter-wi4ps ...yeah. she was. But HE was never shown noticing it or caring. When he said he "always" admired her personality, it was bullshit.

[@Olha_Koshil]

"You should write a book "How to offend a woman in 4 syllables or less" - my iconic king

[@SerenaSkybourne]

he is our king

[@OzmaOfOzz]

I love him so much 😂

[@breezy3392]

Why is the butler always the best 😂

[@matthewhedrichjr.5445]

@@breezy3392his sarcasm. Lord Rogers is the name of the butler, but also takes his duties as musician advisor to Derek.

[@TexasPoonTappa11]

He was NOT drawn hot enough to be talking to her like that fr

[@SerenaSkybourne]

💀💀💀😂

[@Olha_Koshil]

I was so irritated that they literally put a plot turn in the movie where Derek had the perfect opportunity to get a character development and "go beyond the looks", to guess that it wasn't Odette, that it was a trap and WASTED it completely, like boy, you still understand NOTHING

[@lucyl4603]

It’s such a common problem when adapting something and changing the ending. Take the little mermaid, a story about how making sacrifices for a man *will kill you* . A lot of ballet and opera is focused on “men make terrible decisions that ruin everyone’s lives”.

[@taylorspeed3334]

“Why derek is a walking red flag 🚩” me: now THIS IS THE CONTENT I WANT!

[@SerenaSkybourne]

💅💅

[@Spicie95]

I watched The Swan Princess about five years ago, and a thing that really annoyed me, is that Derek is like 5-years-old when Odette is born, but then she magically catches up to him in age 🙃

[@immyc4483]

Even as a kid I was annoyed she forgot so quickly how upset she was when he said ‘what else is there’ about her appearance! When she ditched him first I was like - yesss

[@SerenaSkybourne]

she has short term memory loss

[@OzmaOfOzz]

​@SerenaSkybourne she's self gaslighting as if it isn't important, I think.. we have all brushed off some red flag at some point I feel like 😭

[@SerenaSkybourne]

@@OzmaOfOzzI don’t know why I’m judging her tbh, I’ve done the same thing myself so many times

[@lucyl4603]

I might’ve been too young when I first saw it, cause I went, “yeah, what else is there?”. Could’ve avoided her father’s death 💅🏼 On a serious note, she’s a) been groomed to like Derek by literally everyone around her, b) had been kidnapped for months, so a life with a doofus in a warm castle is not a bad alternative.

[@OpticalSorcerer]

And the fact that he couldn't articulate his feelings when confronted about it made it worse.

[@OzmaOfOzz]

By time someone talked about this, his infamous line of what else is there still bothers me after so many years 😤 Odette deserved better

[@SerenaSkybourne]

gives me nightmares for real

[@Aelffwynn]

Tbh I think this line was the reason I used to be skeptical of ANYONE who called me pretty. My husband had to be very careful about which compliments he gave me when we first dated, because I did NOT accept "pretty" for a long time.

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Rogers is wayyyy too good to be in this movie, and I demand that he gets his own spinoff show

[@greenrangeralex]

Him n the queen go to Europe

[@SerenaSkybourne]

i would be so obsessed with this show it's not even funny@@greenrangeralex

[@zane3947]

It was always wild to me that the beginning shows them having such a rich history together to found their relationship on and then it has no impact on their relationship or the plot

[@abstractsamm]

Confession: I cry when the “Far Longer Than Forever” scene happens, still.

[@SerenaSkybourne]

…. Same ngl

[@magicnz0420]

Something I also wish is that Odette had at least one female friend or close female relationship. I mean she didn’t have a mom around and all her friends are guys. The only other prominent female character is Uberta but she is mainly associates with Derek and Chamberlain. I guess there’s also Bridgette but she’s an antagonist that doesn’t speak.

[@OpticalSorcerer]

Great review! A couple things: 1. They should've just had Derek be a nice guy from the start. It makes the romance SUPER easy, but it's reasonable since they grew up together, and removes problematic elements. 2. The "beauty is on the inside" message could've been done well if Rothbart kidnaps Odette and leaves Odile (disguised as Odette) in her place. Working for Rothbart, her personality is repulsive, and drives home the "beauty is on the inside" message and Derek could reject her on this basis, proving he loved the real Odette. 3. I think it's hard to give the "beauty is on the inside" message, even in this day and age. Conventionally attractive people can feel unattractive, but when they develop self-love, everyone is cynical: "that's easy for you to say; you're gorgeous. Who wouldn't love you?" And if a person who isn't conventionally attractive gives this message, people may view it as patronizing or say "that's nice, but I still want to look different or be different from how I am now."

[@poeticbodynoheart]

he is a red flag but I'm such a sucker for enemy's to lovers but they went to lovers way to quickly and i wish there more songs

[@504ever4]

I completely forgot that Odette's dad died in this movie! The reason why I forgot is because it had absolutely no effect on the rest of the movie lol

[@matthewhedrichjr.5445]

Her father was assassinated by Rothbart

[@gravity-arbor]

I don’t remember this version but strangely do remember a little of a Barbie animation of swan lake.

[@dawnwinter-wi4ps]

Yeah he was upset Odette didn't want to be with Derek I alwayd thought the king was so wrong for that 😭 he wasn't angry vut disappointed that she wanted self-respect and not to be valued just for the physical.

[@carriesnaps3508]

I'm lowkey obsessed with this video! Like, I've never actually watched the movie (although the story itself sounds familiar), but when you said Derek was more worried about Odette than with her father literally dying in front of him, I lost it 😂 Nice to see a Disney prince being (rightfully) dragged instead of the usual 'Is [insert princess name] feminist?' analysis video (which I like but it's nice to watch smth different).

[@SerenaSkybourne]

I’m sick of Disney princess critique sometimes as well; it’s nice to focus on the issues with the princes for once

[@BeautifulBrittany18]

Swan Princess was one of my favorite films growing up, which is weird because I didn’t relate to the story or characters which is usually why I like stories. I just genuinely enjoyed the film. I especially liked the fact that Derek and Odette actually had a relationship, I always found that so much more romantic than love at first sight. I agree that the film would have been leagues better if Derek had been genuinely in love with Odette from the beginning and that his issues came from him being in denial about how much he actually cares for her, then the moments where he would sense the swan was Odette and the assistant wasn’t could’ve been moments of him realizing that he truly does love her, and not for the reason he originally tried to tell everyone, including himself.

[@viridianacortes9642]

Ooh. Maybe they could have made Dereck a Secondary villain. He only cares about looks, so he constantly almost gets Odette killed and almost causes her death with the curse. In the end he ends up marrying the old witch and ends up with an “ugly” wife. Odette on the other hand finds love with someone else. I mean in the original tale, Derick does cause Odette’s death because he was taken in by someone else’s looks (through trickery and magic but still).

[@moritzmartini4132]

I think they did the ball scene and the forest/hunt scene the way they did it bc they wanted to be as close to the original story as possible. In the original story Siegfried (yes, that´s the actual name of the prince) goes hunting and almost kills Odette but she just turns into a human int he right time. When Odile (the evil wizards daughter) dances with Siegfried, Siegfried actually declares his love for Odile (who he thinks is Odette) which causes Odette to "die" or at least getting weak. But they still could´ve made it different yet similar. I think the hunting scene is fine. For the ball scene: Derek and Odile dance, Odette tries to stop it. While dancing Derek gets a weird feeling but Odile pressures him "gently" to declare to everyone his love for "her". Derek does this but still feels off and the moment he declared his "love" he immediately is like "but wait. It can´t be you. It´s not YOU. Who are you!" or he is like "I love Odette" and then turns to Odile "but not you" or sth like that.

[@Nightwing-Gemini]

I literally thought I imagined this movie! 😭 I thought I was crazy

[@Snudru]

SAME!

[@chansfeet2500]

It feels like a fever dream, but it exists by some chance

[@Esmeralda2diamon]

I loved the movie growing up. Later though when I was older and rewatch it along with the first two sequels. I discovered how shallow Dereek were through all the three movies and he might changed a bit in the third one but I still can’t stand him nowadays. Before when I was little he was okay but so bland. 🙄

[@Joy_Dabih]

In the Ballet, Swan Lake, which the movie is based on, the prince fails to recognize that woman in the black dress isn’t really Odette, which leads to her dying from the curse. He then takes his own life. So I believe in the movie they wanted to still tell that story but give Derek a chance at redemption. Too bad he’s a little dense 😂

[@thingscarlaloves]

This is legit like one of my favourite movies, especially when Odette calls Derek out (though gutted how easily she forgives him) but I love when the towns people are super excited because they're hoping there'll be less taxes and stuff.

[@therotryzit]

The movie could be a decent deconstruction on the whole "Love at First Sight" Trope on Derek's end. If you think back to the original Disney Princess (from which movie heavily borrows) it's always the princes who first start crushing on the heroine, but most of the time you don't get the sense that these Princes get to know the Princesses that well and it seems they just fall in love with them because they're pretty (or different from the others). As we see with Derek who never made an effort to get to know Odette on a deeper level and only started to show attraction when she started looking pretty. Shame the movie pretty much abandons this theme when it could have lend itself to the later plot of the Impostor Odette (slightly miffed that Odile's charater is pretty much exiled from the film) if Derek had to get to know Odette more in-between he could have noticed that she wasn't acting by herself.

[@M.N_2_3.]

"They lose all their personality because they're hot now." 😀 My favorite line in this video XD

[@cupofcozy708]

Okay, now you have to do the 90's thumbelina movie!

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Best idea ever it’s now on the list

[@andrear4954]

I loved Prince Cornelius so much he was actually one of my first animated crushes 😅 Also the songs were so good! I wish people wrote more songs like that, especially songs like Soon and Let me be your Wings

[@tonichan89]

The film died with King William, let's be real 😔

[@SerenaSkybourne]

May he rest in peace

[@greenrangeralex]

Real ones know its a re upload lol

[@SerenaSkybourne]

only the real ones know sshhhh its a secret

[@potatobang]

having watched nearly all the sequels, it's clear that richard rich's favorite character is uberta. I dont know why he even bothered writing other characters into these films, since, they pretty much just get in the way of ubertas "storylines". its laughable and sad. I wonder what goes on in that mans mind.

[@t.r.s.5129]

The music by Tchaikovsky and the ballet came before the movie. It has always been a dark story, as in Odette dies at the end of it because the prince doesn't realize that he's got an imposter in front of him rather than the real one. Rothbards curse kills Odette in the end.

[@melenatorr]

They had to have him deceived at the ball, since they're loosely following the main story beats of "Swan Lake" and Siegfried is taken in by Odile in the ballet. It's a little unfair to expect anything different here.

[@eeveequeen25]

I've been binging all your videos in the last 2 weeks. Thank you so much for analysing one of my favourite childhood films! ❤

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Anything for you :)

[@Olha_Koshil]

19:18 it's like my third comment but why does nobody talks about her magical dress here, like it rocks 🔥

[@bethbaxter2922]

I don’t know why they changed to the 3d animation in later movies, it’s just looks wrong

[@SerenaSkybourne]

It’s ghastly I don’t know what they were thinking

[@RollingOnFire]

I loved this film analysis video!!!❤ I had no idea there were sequals tho I really need to see them!!!!

[@shepard6280]

I always found the mom so weird too in the last scene, where she just...didn't recognize Odette. She kept going like who is she. It can't be, could it? I know she's believed to be dead, but it's clearly...Odette. Another thing about that scene cause you mentioned Odette was so bland that no one really noticed a personality shift when she was being impersonated, I just found it funny that the imposter was wearing red and black and in a nineties kids movies( where red and black is considered villain colors) and even that wasn't commented on like oh you're not wearing your traditional swan white dress that you're literally wearing the entire time i've known you as an adult, odette. Like at least that would show some level of perception.

[@loveart429]

Before I start watching, I'm obsessed with your top!

[@SerenaSkybourne]

this makes me so happy because i grabbed a random scarf from my wardrobe and tied it around my neck lmao

[@wlk3607]

agreed it looks so cute!

[@lucyl4603]

I think the problems ppl have with this movie boil down to: - characters are written as average real people, which *isn’t my idea* for kid’s media since the messages need to be loud and clear; - the original ending is changed so it screws with the original message; - now, in order for the changed ending to work, Derek needs to have half a brain cell; Siegfried gets a pass cause he saw Odette like one time; - the passing of time is derived solely from context clues (Odette having made friends, “Practice” and Queen not believing odette could be alive at the ball); - so many intentions, so little time is why we usually have very strong fans or haters. I disagree on the adult Odette. As a kid I loved her the most out of all the princesses because she just wouldn’t quit. It’s pretty much the Odette show. Also, whether or not she knows of her father’s fate is up for discussion. I think an interesting essay idea would be the social dynamics and gender norms within the kingdoms and royal families that left the heirs with low expectations and zero understanding of relationships.

[@Arabella391]

These are really good points, great analysis! I think it’s always a fine line between realism in films and over the top characters, but especially in animated movies. Sometimes the most realistic choices characters make or things that they say in movies/TV come across as unrealistic because it doesn’t fit the tropes or narratives we are familiar with, but when you re-examine it, it’s like “yeah that is what a regular person would do.”

[@dawnwinter-wi4ps]

What else is there? Personality, kindness, compassion.

[@StephanieMT]

In the third movie, when odette finds out he didnt get rid of the magic from bad guy in first movie. She gets upset and what he says pisses me off. I cant remember but you should go watch.

[@kyreelegendary5450]

Love your channel!

[@DinosaurClubTV]

Can you pleaaase do videos on Twilight? Those books/movies were so big for me in my tween years and it's so fun to look back on them, they're so wild ❤

[@wlk3607]

i’ve never seen this movie but now i really want to!

[@jordynnachbaur3415]

A scene in the movie that I finally understood and laugh about now that I am older is when Derek is playing chess with Bromley. Bromley says: “You lost your queen Derek.” And Derek replies with: “That’s twice in one day.” 😂

[@zainmudassir2964]

Good video. Also your dress is amazing 👍

[@SerenaSkybourne]

thankyou so much

[@Echo-mg5em]

Regarding Odette’s seemingly immediate forgiveness of Derek’s shallowness: we should keep in mind that it only happens after she has been kidnapped (which coincided with the murder of her father) and just how truly that must have been, even if they don’t really show her expressing it. She very suddenly finds herself orphaned, alone, and in the clutches of a treacherous predator. She’s in a constant state of fight or flight, and she can really only fly so far because of the spell. It’s no surprise that she would suddenly lean on Derek, romanticize him as her one true love-in addition to being her rescuer (especially in an era when the only way she could escape a man like Rothbart was through marriage to another man), he was also one of the only constants in her life. That level of sudden instability might have made her more dependent on him than she would have been otherwise. Breaking the spell literally depended on it. Basically, her choices in the end were Derek, Rothbart, or death. Rothbart may have hoped she would develop some kind of Stockholm Syndrome feelings for him, but instead she poured all of that emotion and energy into hoping that Derek would save her.

[@annamcfarland492]

Good thoughts! First time watching your channel! If you think Derek is bad now, I think hes a little worse after he marries Odette!

[@SerenaSkybourne]

I agree 100%

[@annamcfarland492]

@@SerenaSkybourne I mean forgetting your anniversry! Promising to make it up to her than don't. Putting everything else first. Keeping info from her and not listening to her concerns?? Real husband material there!

[@iri02802]

Swan princess was favourite a childhood film of mine. I prefer it over barbie's Swan Lake. I actually find it funny that the characters have more personality in the opening song than in the rest of the movie. Rodger's "You should write a book How to offend women in 4 syllables or less" has me laughing every time I see it. The first part of the movie has such a lovely message. Not only beauty counts. But than in the rest of the movie it's forgotten. She has forgotten why she did not want to marry him.

[@meganjaime7728]

Never seen the movie, but love the ballet. This movie isn’t close to the original story of the ballet at all. It only takes how Rothbart transforms her into a swan. I guess they didn’t think the story of the ballet compelling enough for tv. It’s got a tragic ending though which would make it so different from other movies. I’m always dreaming of a ballet themed movie of swan lake that represent the actual ballet narrative. 😄😊

[@slashermaster28]

This is why this film really doesn’t hold up. After the great, shockingly realistic opening sequence, it shoots itself in the foot by completely forgetting the arc they set up for Derek and the reason Odette left him.

[@MaricaAmbrosius]

I think you're right. Most of the resentment in the song seems to be about being pressured to marry each other. Not that I blame her for not wanting to spend the whole summer with someone who's a jerk to her.

[@jadeisland1455]

There’s a theory that the assistant is actually a bird but in a human body like a reverse odette

[@oliviayoung-tb7jk]

Rothbart gives "uncles friend" vibes

[@EleanorTate-pv1fk]

Why did he say she was always such an ugly duckling? She looked kind of pretty.

[@dawnwinter-wi4ps]

I know you're right in the original story these things happen too. He tries to shoot the swan and doesn't recognize her at the ball.

[@emoandangsty]

omg loved this movie 😭😭😭

[@StephanieMT]

My favorite annimated library is in beauty and the beast. Second favorite is this movie

[@Jay.T4NA]

He liked her as teens too! Derricks friend said “I think you really sorta like her fessup” and Derrick is giving her an Anthony Bridgeton face Also “What else is there” 😬😬😬😬😬 also I love non Disney animated musicals! This, Anastasia and Furngully

[@briannaobrien4419]

Gawd I loved this movie as a kid, I need to do an adult rewatch I guess!

[@VillagerCometh]

Actually I never watched this movie but Derek sounds like a real jerk. I think this was common for old films (?) where adults just lose characters because they're just seen as either male or female stereotype character.

[@matthewhedrichjr.5445]

Good film but this is to show character development to Derek and in the second film. Even Lord Rogers stole the entire movie and should have had a spin off on why he became Uberta’s butler, being in his twenty’s when he would be a redhead.

[@howtoaca7504]

💝💝

[@bleeka325]

I don’t understand the thumbnail

[@SerenaSkybourne]

Neither do I tbh

[@bleeka325]

@@SerenaSkybourne 😂😂

[@bgcrp2005]

Please repulsed the 90210 one

[@SerenaSkybourne]

I've got it on my list to refilm it! and then posting again

[@memelord3193]

To be fair what did Odette expect Derek to say?? He barely had any conversation with her before so how could he have been attracted to her for anything other than her looks (I mean there is also her money and title I guess?? But I don't think that would have been a much better response lmao). Realistically Derek honestly did too much for someone he barely knows tbh

[@sweet-co]

Thank you for another great feminist take on a movie. I convinced myself I remembered this movie incorrecctly, cause I remember the first part (esp. them as kids) so vividly, but yeah turns out the middle/end truly was uninspired an paint-by-numbers... Thanks for jogging my memory and giving me so much to think over when it comes to set-up and pay-off! 🦢 I imagine Odette was raised/encouraged to be active, and outspoken and not to fixiated on beauty (almost as if she were a boy) and Derek was clearly raised to believe girls are different than boys (maybe more precious?)...