Customer Reviews

Snow White: Tale of Terror [VHS]

5 star:		(58)
4 star:		(30)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

The cutesy Disney cartoon this ain't. Although the BASIC story structure remains, SNOW WHITE: A TALE OF TERROR is an interpretation that is much closer in tone and mood to the original somber tale by the Brothers Grimm, and in many ways it is actually even darker. Instead of a kiddie flick, then, what director Michael Cohn and crew serve up is a top-notch gothic horror film.

In this gloomier version of the famous fable, many of the familiar elements are wryly skewed. For example, the seven men who house the heroine (here called Lilliana, or Lilli, rather than Snow White) during her sojourn in the forest are not cutsie dwarves--although one is actually dwarfish--but are instead a bunch of grubby, ruffians who earn their living working mines. At first they want to use the girl to obtain a ransom from her wealthy father, but they soon develop a sort of fatherly affection for her. Another clever twist occurs when the hero revives Lilli after she has fallen comatose from eating the cursed apple. Instead of awakening her with an enchanted kiss, he repeatedly pushes on her midriff out of desperation, thereby dislodging the piece of fruit with a sort of primitive version of the Heimlich Maneuver. Such changes in narrative and characterization are perceptively clever and make the tale much more realistic and believable than its animated ancestor. However, despite this deliciously sardonic tweaking, remaining at the story's core is its familiar and enduring moral, to wit, that basic goodness will always triumph over hatefulness and vanity because the latter are ultimately self-destructive.

In the role of the wicked stepmother (as well as her evil mirror's reflection), Sigourney Weaver delivers a superbly malevolent performance as she schemes to destroy her beautiful stepdaughter. The lovely Monica Keena--most recently seen by horror fans playing the buxom Lori Campbell in 2003's FREDDY VS. JASON--does a very affecting job as the object of Weaver's disdain (i.e., Lilli), and Gil Bellows is very convincing and interesting as the hero and tacit love interest. Sam Neill does a fine job as the heroine's mostly clueless father, and the film's realism is further bolstered by outstanding supporting performances from talents like Brian Glover, Frances Cuka, David Conrad, Anthony Brophy, Christopher Bauer, and numerous others.

With SNOW WHITE: A TALE OF TERROR, director Michael Cohn and scripters Tom Szollosi & Deborah Serra recreate the tenebrous tone of the Grimm Brother's original story while, at the same time, they subtly thumb their noses at the saccharine, white-washed Disney interpretation. Mike Southon's beautiful cinematography is deliberately on the warm side of the spectrum, generating a autumnal ambiance perfectly suited to the plot. And the creative art direction by Peter Russell, outstanding pseudo-medieval production design of Gemma Jackson, and clever "period" costume designs from Marit Allen and Charles Knode add detail to the film that greatly enhances both the spooky ambiance and the fairy-tale quality of this twisted fable.

The DVD from Universal Studios Home Video offers a clean, crisp digital transfer in the original widescreen aspect ratio of 1.85:1. (Alas, it is only letterbox widescreen and not anamorphic, but it still looks beautiful.) The only real bonus feature is a trailer for the film, which curiously identifies it using one of its numerous alternate titles. The disc is very reasonably priced, though, so fans of old-fashioned gothic horror or grim Grimm fairy tales are hereby advised to add SNOW WHITE: A TALE OF TERROR to their collections.

This version of the classic story stars Sigourney Weaver and Sam Neill and is far from the cheery animated version you may be familiar with..

Sam Neill plays Lillian's father. After the death of his wife he marries Sigourney Weaver. Things are fine at first but the aging Weaver begins to feel jealousy towards her step-daughter. She feels she is in competition for her husband's affections. With the help of her mysterious magic mirror (a frightening piece of furniture if I ever saw one) she begins making plans to be number one.

But as Weaver makes her plans she also begins to sink into deeper and deeper madness as she eliminates the servants, her step-daughter and even her brother. But Lillian manages to survive and meets a band of outlaw miner's hoping to find a rich strike. She manages to win their hearts in time and eventually returns to challenge her step-mother.

This is a very dark telling of the Snow White story. It is more tragic than many tellings in that the step-mother is mad and not evil. The girl who plays Lillian is excellent. Her ability to show powerful emotion with a single look really adds to the atmosphere of this dark film.

If you are interested in seeing a good dark tale then Snow White could be just what you are looking for.

This film is easily one of my top ten favorites. The whole movie is amazing, with brilliant cinematography, beautiful lighting, and breath-taking scenery and use of color. The costuming is excellent. The film follows the Grimms' Snow White fairytale, but the story is told from a much more sinister point of view. This film pulls no punches and has a very dark, gothic atmosphere. Not a cute little Disney fairy tale. Some really good acting from Sigourney Weaver, and Monica Keena makes an excellent Snow White. (She is absolutely gorgeous! ) Lots of scenes shot on location in Czech forests, castles, churches, etc. Takes place during the late Middle Ages. A very exciting film with superb visuals and a very chilling atmosphere. Don't miss it!

Snow White as horror movie, it sounds preposterous, but in fact it is quite a good idea. Grimm's fairytales can get pretty gruesome too. The creators of this movie made something special of it. Sam Neill is a bit insipid as the father, but Sigourney Weaver as the stepmother plays one of her best parts ever and obviously enjoys being evil. The whole atmosphere of the movie is very gothic and it looks great. It may seems somewhat degrading for horror fans to watch a movie named Snow White, but as the posters say: The Fairy Tale is Over! It is, but what we get in return is a lot better. Personally I am not much of a horror fan, but in this case I could watch this movie time and again.

I wasn't "terrified" by this movie, but I do love it for what it is. The setting and costumes are charming and artistic, the casting very appropriate. The dark tone to the film is somewhat haunting, and yet at the same time there is an enchanting elegance to it. The native forest scenery is particularly breathtaking, and the castle presents itself as both lovely and ghastly.

The movie is altogether a welcome change from cloying animated fairy tales. I'm proud of this movie for going in the Grimm Brothers direction, and asserting that a story like "Snow White" is not necessarily meant exclusively for children, if at all.

Some may think Sigourney Weaver as the stepmother was over the top, or rather that the character was written to be too over the top. However, the viewer must remember that this is a fairy tale--it's meant to be over the top (particularly when madness is involved!). Fairy tales are defined by their use of magical elements in telling a story. This telling of the story manages to employ especially the use of the supernatural as a means of illustrating, with horrific hyperbole, the dangers of obsessive vanity and jealousy, emphasizing the versatility of fairy tale motifs.

I highly recommend this film for lovers of authentic fairy tales. Don't watch it expecting to be scared, but rather creeped out in a Grimm Brothers sort of way. Also, don't expect to be awfully surprised--there are plenty of plot twists in this movie that some find surprising, and others find contrived. However, in the end, you don't need to be surprised when you're watching a fairy tale, for these are stories nearly as old as time. A fairy tale newly told is more an experience of one person's artistic interpretation than a new story, and this movie is an admirable example of such.

For people that think this movie is a little too dark, just remember this: when fairy tales were originally told, they were meant to be scary. They were intended to teach moral lessons too children. Then Disney came along and candy coated everything to make it more easily digestable. This movie is definitely not candy coated. It is dark, and violent, but it is also very beautiful. This is the way Grimm's stories were meant to be told!!!

Retains the flavor of the actual folktale. If you think otherwise, do yourself a favor and find a copy of the original tales of the brothers Grimm that hasn't been butchered to make the stories 'suitable' for our fragile children...

I am amazed this movie didn't hit it big. I suppose that just goes to show the stupidity of the populace..... But this movie is wonderful. Everything about it was fantastic. I am a rough movie critic, but I must admit it had great costumes, a magical setting, fantastic actors.... The skill of these is evident as you begin to notice the slight changes in the facial features of the Queen, for example, as she begins to resent her stepdaughter. This is no conservative fairy tale. And I must say, Snow White, called Lilyana in the film, is the most beautiful girl I've ever seen. I hope to see her more in future films. If you cannot buy this film directly, at least rent it. It is truly a work of art.

This is a great turn on the whole "poor-little-princess-lost-in-the-woods-with-seven-little-men-who-just-take-her-in-with-no- questions-asked" thing.In this delightful movie, the seven dwarves arent small and cute at all! They are all scar riddeled men, who have been unjustly punished by those in power, and are hiding in the woods to excape execution. Snow Whites step Mother tries to be nice, and generally is, untill a stillborne baby makes her go phyco, and her magic mirror warps her mind into thinking she can get the baby back by going on a killing spree. Prince Charming, is a nieve goody two shoes, who is sleeping with the Evil step mother, but yet dosen't smudge his poor little choir boy image. Snow White ends up falling in love with one of the seven "dwarves" (he's realy hot) and after he saves her from her early apple induced coffin, they both go and rescue her father, while the evil queen goes down in flames, her creepy little resurected baby by her side! This movie is A*W*E*S*O*M*E !

Sigourney Weaver makes a wicked stepmother that would scare even Hannibal. This is a role that she clearly had fun with. She is a convincingly evil and complex villain who paves the way for a very dark fairy tale. She is human - and some of her impulses are all too understandable - what woman wouldn't want to give a child to a husband she loves (in the age she lived in)? Then again, she is also a witch.

The performances of younger actors, Snow White and her darling, are not as wonderful - they seem to be there mostly for the scenery. Then again, this movie is mostly about scenery, of particular kind: blood, guts, hearts, and poisoned apples (how could I forget about that!)

It's a good, well-executed horror movie that is only on the surface rooted in an innocent children's tale. I recommend it as a quirky, original change of pace. If nothing else, it's the definition of unusual.