Wonderfully filmed, this is a surreal take on the Snow White children's tale set in 1920 Spain. It's made as a silent movie in black and white, and right there, that would be enough to turn off the average modern day viewer. But if you stick with it, you'll be struck by the creativity involved in reconstructing the story in an entirely different framework from the original Grimm Fairy Tale. One can quickly empathize with the fate of young Carmencita (Sofía Oria), shunted aside by the evil stepmother who steps into the life of the crippled Antonio Villalta (Sofía Oria) following a tragic bullfighting accident. Carmencita is forced to endure menial tasks while being denied access to her father's quarters on the second floor of their palatial mansion. When the grown Carmencita is left for dead by stepmother Encarna's (Maribel Verdú) lover, she's discovered by a band of bullfighting dwarves who nurse her back to health and take her under their wing. When she shows proficiency at bullfighting due to daily secret meetings with Don Antonio, she becomes the main attraction of 'Los Enanitos Toreros'.
While I did enjoy the story as it unfolded, I must admit that the eventual fate of the adult Carmen (Macarena García) left me troubled and confused. Successful as a matador in a major arena in Seville, Carmen's stepmother sought revenge by offering her a poisoned apple. For a moment, it appeared that Carmen would be distracted by the cheers of the crowd to take a bite of the apple, but eventually she does and it proves fatal. What happens next is a sordid take on the original story, as Carmen becomes an attraction at a carnival freak show, with customers paying for the opportunity to revive her with a kiss. The whole concept here bothered me a lot, and I had to wonder why the film makers applied this ominous twist to the story. Especially when the coffin in which Snow White was laid to rest was rigged to simulate her coming alive, enough to scare the bejesus out of an unsuspecting patron. On a somewhat more solemn note, a kiss by a handsome dwarf evoked a tear in the eye of the departed Carmen, but by then I was a bit overcome by the bizarre treatment given this classic children's tale.
While I did enjoy the story as it unfolded, I must admit that the eventual fate of the adult Carmen (Macarena García) left me troubled and confused. Successful as a matador in a major arena in Seville, Carmen's stepmother sought revenge by offering her a poisoned apple. For a moment, it appeared that Carmen would be distracted by the cheers of the crowd to take a bite of the apple, but eventually she does and it proves fatal. What happens next is a sordid take on the original story, as Carmen becomes an attraction at a carnival freak show, with customers paying for the opportunity to revive her with a kiss. The whole concept here bothered me a lot, and I had to wonder why the film makers applied this ominous twist to the story. Especially when the coffin in which Snow White was laid to rest was rigged to simulate her coming alive, enough to scare the bejesus out of an unsuspecting patron. On a somewhat more solemn note, a kiss by a handsome dwarf evoked a tear in the eye of the departed Carmen, but by then I was a bit overcome by the bizarre treatment given this classic children's tale.