I had not heard of this film until my daughter who teaches drama, gave me a DVD for my birthday. I think other posts have adequately covered most of the key issues involved with the piece, but for me it was more about the overall concept and the degree of cinematic art, and I don't use that expression lightly, that blew me away. For example, the evil stepmother can send more chills through your bones with a look or false smile than any amount of dialog. Everything about this movie is crafted like a hand made suit.It just works at so many levels. The story is mostly dark but that is how the original Grimm brothers stories were if you drill down through them,it was Disney who made them more soft. But it has everything; greed, evil, love, revenge, redemption and hope. On first viewing the ending left me somewhat baffled. But on second viewing I think I got it. The scene where the young bullfighter Carmen puts her x on the contract is pivotal to the final scenes IMHO. She is still not free from others greed, but there may be a future of love and hope. Perhaps love from unexpected places. This is also one movie, at least on DVD, where it might be useful to watch the special features first. It was designed to be shown without sound with a live orchestra and musicians fronting the auditorium. Whatever, if you are a free thinking person on what cinematic art might be about put this in your collection.
Review of Blancanieves
