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Spain in the 1920’s and Don Antonio is a great bull fighter, tragically cut down in his prime. At the same time as he is injured his wife dies in child birth and he cannot bring himself to look at the child. The young Carmencita is sent away to live with her grandmother, but when she too dies the child is returned to the family home, only to discover that the nurse, Encarna , employed to care for Antonio has not only stolen his affections, but also controls the house and Carmencita is forced to work as a scullery maid... Blancanieves (B&W - 2012 - 1 hr, 40 min, 29 sec) is a Spanish reimagining of Snow White, written and directed by Pablo Berger. The film won an impressive thirty-three awards. The movie is silent with English titles. When Carmencita (Sofía Oria) is finally returned home she discovers that her father, Antonio (Daniel Giménez Cacho), is being held as a virtual prisoner by the wicked nurse, Encarna (Maribel Verdu), who he has married. How do we know she is wicked? Well throwing water in his face when he says he is thirsty, is a bit of a giveaway, not to mention the S&M sex service she appear to be running with the chauffeur. On top of that she attempts to feed the child her own pet chicken. Reunited once more with Antonio, he teaches his daughter all that he knew about bull fighting, but when Carmen (Macarena García) grows to a young woman Encarna cannot wait any longer and pushes Antonio down the stairs, Carmen escapes and is rescued but a group of seven midget bull fighters. There seems to be an odd revisionism in cinema today. Not content to push the format forward, 3D, being the only new innovation in recent memory, cinema has turned in on itself with a reliance on films based on established franchises, remakes of old films and an increasing harkening back to a simpler time in cinemas history with the increasing number of silent, black and white films being made. Whether, this move to an increasing number of silent films is a rediscovery of an old art form, only time will tell. There is much to be said for silent film, not least because you have to concentrate on what is happening. I found myself far more engaged with this film and in doing so gained a lot more enjoyment from the experience. There is only one problem with the film. Although the speech cards have been translated into English, when a character is reading a play bill or a newspaper the text is still in Spanish. It’s not a great problem, but one that might pull a few viewers away from the experience. That is not to say that the black and white films produced are direct copies of silent films, even from a technical standpoint. The language of film developed through the silent era and into the talkies. The earliest films had static cameras and as time went on tracking shots, the close up and the general visual language of film was developed. The film is presented in a 4:3 aspect reminiscent of its predecessors, but the composition is distinctly modern. The opening shots and many set ups through the film are almost photographic in their composition. The use of particular shots and clarity of the print attests to the fact that this is, in fact, a modern film. So why make it as a silent film? Because the whole thing becomes more delightfully magical. There was something magical about the best of the silent films and so, if you’re going to rewrite the story of Snow White why not present it in a magical way. We have seen how Hollywood has presented its last two fairy tales, Jack the Giant Slayer (2013) and Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters (2013) as brash, CGI filled, extravaganzas, good to look at but there was a vacuous gap at their heart. So, a silent film feels like the way to go for this story. This film has real heart driving its narrative. The film comes with audio options for either 5.1 Dolby Digital or 2.0 Stereo, as were just talking about the musical score either works just fine. There are only two extras on the disc, a Making of Blancanieves (28 min, 55 sec) with the writer/director discussing why he made a silent film. There are contributions from the producer, director of photography, costume designer and the cast. The piece is in Spanish with English subtitles, but well worth a look to enhance your appreciation of the film. The only other extra is the Trailer (38 sec). It’s a real treat of a film, relying on the actors abilities to portray their characters without the crutch of a script. 8 Charles Packer Buy this item online
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