The first time I saw it, I was seriously scared, and to my surprise, they managed to scare me this time too :-D
If I remember correctly, this movie was received with delight as a true Grimmesque retelling and as something seriously different from the cutie-pie Disney versions. There is a point when one isn't quite sure if anyone survives...
This is yet another Snow White where I like the Evil Queen/Stepmother most. Claudia was the most faceted personality, and her motivation was made very clear. As she was treated by both her stupid husband and his bratty daughter, I wish she had managed to bring her son back to life. Now, that would be an interesting story…
It doesn’t harm that the queen is played by Sigourney Weaver. I just adore her. I can’t decide if she is beautiful or not… because she can be the most beautiful woman just as well as quite ugly. Her Old Woman is wonderful, and reminds me of the Old Hag from Disney’s Snow White. So she chats, giving the harmless idea, one can imagine the old hag as a young woman… and the whole time I KNOW it’s Sigourney! But, she’s so good I forget her, and see the old woman as a young girl, playing around with boys, being witty and cute…
I felt sorry for Sam Neill for having such a horrible role to play :-D I think half of his lines were [groaning]. And the other half was mostly stupid.
As Snow White’s love interests, we see both David Conrad as doctor Gutenberg, and Gill Bellows, as Will, and outlaw. I know David from Ghost whisperer, where he plays Melinda’s husband, and Gill from Ally McBeal. Good looking fellows.
18-years-old Monica Keena plays Snow White, and does a good job in portraying a bratty teenager. And I have to give her that she plays well a scared young woman too.
The manuscript isn’t very good. There's things happening in the movie that are there for the effect, but are not explained satisfactory, like the wolves in the opening scene and the zombie maid? Or is she just imagination? Or what? Also the dialogue is rather stupid. But it was revolutionary 1997. :-D
Director Michael Cohn, has made only three feature length movies, but he’s starting a new project, Sacrifice, with Forest Whitaker’s production company.
Here's another review, from last year's Fairytale Fortnight
1 comment:
I noticed that the other review is more favorable, but that's how it is -- people's tastes vary and nobody likes everything the same. At least this movie gets the Grimm part correct in that the tales were meant for little kids but for adults, and even then they could cause nightmares.
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