Leaburn O
A brilliant retelling of Snow White set in 1920s Andalusia. We can still make great silent cinema it would seem but only if a director is daring and talented enough. Bought in DVD and finally watched after a year or so.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
09/21/23
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Danny C
A Silent movie with a wonderful take on Snow White. One of my all-time favorite movies. It's not only a silent film but it is filmed in glorious black and white. It's just beautiful all around!
Rated 5/5 Stars •
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
08/14/23
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david l
Beautifully shot in gorgeous black-and-white cinematography that is also quite advanced in its techniques and featuring an eclectic mix of orchestral pieces and lively Spanish tunes in its score, Blancanieves is this incredible homage to silent cinema that is also very much contemporary, especially in its darker elements that made it easily distinguishable from countless other Snow White adaptations. The Spanish culture elements are wonderful here as was the terrific acting from its talented cast. Blancanieves represents European arthouse cinema at its finest.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
William L
Breathing new life into a classic fairy tale with a revised setting and a culturally adapted storyline, Blancanieves has all the charm of an early silent film - the whimsy, the tragedy, and the simplicity - rendered with a more modern standard of clarity and technical sophistication, but accented by sweeping operatic accompaniment and creative use of angles and lighting. The premise at first seems ripe for pretension, adapting already dated material with a stylisitic form that passed from vogue a century or so ago, but Berger demonstrates that there is plenty of power in the medium that has not aged with time.
Perhaps the film's most substantial deviation from the norm is not its unusual aesthetic, but actually alterations to the base story. Despite the presence of so many other classic narrative pieces - the pure-of-heart protagonist, the evil stepmother, the struggle against adversity - Berger's adapted script surprisingly ends the film in sorrow and tragedy, creating a moment that lands with force thanks to its unexpectedness.
Easy to get caught up in, Blancanieves is a love letter to classic cinema but also a quality piece of entertainment in its own right, though audiences may have to adjust their expectations of what the film can be. (3.5/5)
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
10/17/21
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Audience Member
Full review on my blog max4movies: Blancanieves (international title: Snow White) is a drama with fantasy elements that is inspired by the fairy tale Snow White by the Brothers Grimm. It's set in the early 20th century in Seville, Spain, and focuses on a young girl who grows up with her evil stepmother and her paraplegic father. The movie imitates the style of silent films of that era, e.g. with black and white cinematography and title cards for dialogues. In addition, it introduces an elaborate backstory to the characters and the element of bullfighting, which is popular in Spain. Because of its visual style, the coherent plot, and the mostly great acting, the movie is highly memorable. All of this makes for a unique viewing experience and a thrilling retelling of the well-known fairy tale.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
02/21/23
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kyle v
Reviewed 10.11.19. A wildy original, black-n-white silent film version, of the Brothers Grimm's tale of Snow White. It took writer/director Pablo Berger eight years to secure funding for this passion project. Set in an aggrandized version of the Andalusian region of Spain during the pre-war years, the source material is only periodically recognizable, and worlds away from the seminal Disney version. You know that generic westerner's vision of Spain you can't deny is in your head? Bullfighting, flamenco dancing, passion.....yes, all that. Berger knew this, and preceded to expose its dark underbelly. He didn't use Spain to tell a story about Snow White. He used Snow White to tell a story about Spain. Which is probably why, along with the success of another silent movie (The Artist) that preceded its release, it didn't get the international love it deserved. But back home, it won 10 Goya awards, including best film and actress (Maribel Verdu). No punches are pulled, no miracles to be found. Just truth and hard-earned wisdom. It's a visual treat, and even silly at times. Yet at its core it carries the deeply seeded struggles of a multiplicious Spain, both past and present. As is common across the Spanish art spectrum, the theme of painfully earned wisdom (sometimes referred to as 'positive tragedy) is writ large. Thankfully it imbues the emotionally wrought ending with deeper meaning. I must admit, the blind American optimist in me desired a tidy finish. But as creative movies do it led me to further reading, in this case on Spanish culture and art. Which, to the discerning viewer, is the true gift of Bolger's bold recreation. An old tale, spun anew, through Spanish eyes. If only this level of cunning could be applied to the current American retreads of film classics. A wiser world it would be indeed.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
03/31/23
Full Review
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