2012 saw a surge of Snow White films, but there might be one that you missed. The Spanish, silent film Blancanieves is a retelling of the classic fairy tale set in 1920s Seville. Based on the packaging, you might confuse the film with a new Criterion release, but the conspicuous “C” (squared instead of round) is for the Cohen Media Group. Yet this unique, beautiful film could easily be part of Criterion’s curated collection.
Innocent little Carmencita (Sofia Oria) is no princess, and her father (Daniel Gimenez Cacho) is no king. Instead, he is a famed bullfighter who is “gruesomely gored” in a high profile bullfight. His nurse, Encarna (Maribel Verdu), manipulates him into loving her and taking her as his new wife. She soon dispatches of her invalid husband and sends her driver to strangle her now-older ward Carmen (Macarena Garcia). Carmen is soon saved by 6 bullfighting dwarves who...
Innocent little Carmencita (Sofia Oria) is no princess, and her father (Daniel Gimenez Cacho) is no king. Instead, he is a famed bullfighter who is “gruesomely gored” in a high profile bullfight. His nurse, Encarna (Maribel Verdu), manipulates him into loving her and taking her as his new wife. She soon dispatches of her invalid husband and sends her driver to strangle her now-older ward Carmen (Macarena Garcia). Carmen is soon saved by 6 bullfighting dwarves who...
- 9/11/2013
- by John Keith
- JustPressPlay.net
Pacific Rim | Monsters University | The Deep | Blancanieves | Trap For Cinderella | The Moo Man | We Steal Secrets: The Story Of Wikileaks | Citadel | Cleopatra | Play | Les Invisibles | Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
Pacific Rim (12A)
(Guillermo del Toro, 2013, Us) Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi. 131 mins
You can boil this sci-fi spectacle down to Transformers vs Godzillas, but with Del Toro at the helm it's the thinking person's big, dumb blockbuster: an unironic, city-stomping smash-up mixing state-of-the-art effects with curiously antiquated action-movie dynamics. There's just enough human interest to sustain it, but this is all about giant machines, giant aliens and deafening destruction.
Monsters University (U)
(Dan Scanlon, 2013, Us) Billy Crystal, John Goodman. 110 mins
Animal House for pre-schoolers? The college setting is questionable and the originality scarce, making this an acceptable, colourful prequel rather than another Pixar triumph.
The Deep (12A)
(Baltasar Kormákur, 2012, Ice) Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Jóhann G Jóhannsson. 93 mins
Visceral but unsensational...
Pacific Rim (12A)
(Guillermo del Toro, 2013, Us) Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi. 131 mins
You can boil this sci-fi spectacle down to Transformers vs Godzillas, but with Del Toro at the helm it's the thinking person's big, dumb blockbuster: an unironic, city-stomping smash-up mixing state-of-the-art effects with curiously antiquated action-movie dynamics. There's just enough human interest to sustain it, but this is all about giant machines, giant aliens and deafening destruction.
Monsters University (U)
(Dan Scanlon, 2013, Us) Billy Crystal, John Goodman. 110 mins
Animal House for pre-schoolers? The college setting is questionable and the originality scarce, making this an acceptable, colourful prequel rather than another Pixar triumph.
The Deep (12A)
(Baltasar Kormákur, 2012, Ice) Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Jóhann G Jóhannsson. 93 mins
Visceral but unsensational...
- 7/13/2013
- by Steve Rose
- The Guardian - Film News
Following on from Mirror Mirror and Snow White and the Huntsman, there seems to be a trend in cinema at present to bring the treasured fairytale to the big screen. Thankfully – and unlike previous efforts – Pablo Berger’s unique adaptation Blancanieves offers a completely different twist on the original story, presenting his tale in the form of a black and white silent movie, as we delve into 1920′s Spain.
Following notorious bullfighter Antonio Villalta’s (Daniel Giménez Cacho) life-threatening accident , his wife is rushed into labour for the birth of their first child. When she tragically passes away during childbirth, and with Antonio confined to a lifetime in a wheelchair, the surviving daughter Carmencita (Sofía Oria) is raised by her grandmother. However she is eventually taken in by her father and her belligerent and unwelcoming step-mother Encarna (Maribel Verdú). Treated with hostility, Carmencita (played as an adult by Macarena Garcia) finally manages to escape,...
Following notorious bullfighter Antonio Villalta’s (Daniel Giménez Cacho) life-threatening accident , his wife is rushed into labour for the birth of their first child. When she tragically passes away during childbirth, and with Antonio confined to a lifetime in a wheelchair, the surviving daughter Carmencita (Sofía Oria) is raised by her grandmother. However she is eventually taken in by her father and her belligerent and unwelcoming step-mother Encarna (Maribel Verdú). Treated with hostility, Carmencita (played as an adult by Macarena Garcia) finally manages to escape,...
- 7/10/2013
- by Stefan Pape
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
By Nick Day
An orchestra quickly tunes up, and then brief silence before the music begins. The film opens with the image of a closed red curtain, some nameless theater, a bit of symbolism that signifies that this particular theater is in fact all theaters, as this film is meant for any and all audiences familiar with the tale of Snow White. Director and writer Pablo Berger is, by way of mis-en-scene, giving you a proper invitation to his particular world, and it would be a shame to pass it up.
Blancanieves is a stunner, at times alarmingly beautiful. It retains enough of the Grimm tale to feel familiar, but finds an altogether original way to interpret the material. Heartfelt and heartbreaking, this film is a celebration of cinema, of Spain, and of the human spirit.
And so, the red curtain opens and Blancanieves begins.
It is important to note that the film is dialogue-free,...
An orchestra quickly tunes up, and then brief silence before the music begins. The film opens with the image of a closed red curtain, some nameless theater, a bit of symbolism that signifies that this particular theater is in fact all theaters, as this film is meant for any and all audiences familiar with the tale of Snow White. Director and writer Pablo Berger is, by way of mis-en-scene, giving you a proper invitation to his particular world, and it would be a shame to pass it up.
Blancanieves is a stunner, at times alarmingly beautiful. It retains enough of the Grimm tale to feel familiar, but finds an altogether original way to interpret the material. Heartfelt and heartbreaking, this film is a celebration of cinema, of Spain, and of the human spirit.
And so, the red curtain opens and Blancanieves begins.
It is important to note that the film is dialogue-free,...
- 4/30/2013
- by Nick
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
After screenings in Toronto, Rotterdam, and BFI's London Film Festival among many others, the U.S. release of the silent, black-and-white Snow White fable (Spain's official Oscar submission last year) "Blancanieves," is right around the corner. In anticipation of the release we have an exclusive video interview with the film's director, Pablo Berger. Infusing the classic Brothers Grimm story with the feeling of 1920s European melodramas, the film has received countless praise at festival appearances, with Indiewire's Boyd Van Hoeij calling it the "year's most daringly original adaptation of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale," in his review. "Blancanieves" stars Macarena Garcia in the title role, moving her from the original story's setting to early 20th century bull-fighting rings, with Maribel Verdu as the step-mother plotting against her after marrying her paraplegic father. The interview finds the director discussing the film with Movies at Yahoo! Contributing Editor Thelma Adams on...
- 3/26/2013
- by Cameron Sinz
- Indiewire
Title: Blancanieves Director: Pablo Berger Starring: Macarena Garcia, Maribel Verdu, Angela Molina, Daniel Giménez Cacho A loving tribute to European silent films of the 1920s, writer-director Pablo Berger’s “Blancanieves” repurposes the classic Brothers Grimm fairy tale of Snow White, telling the tale of an oppressed daughter of a great toreador who runs away with a circus to find her destiny. The Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award submission from Spain (its intertitles come in subtitled Spanish), Berger’s fetching film is a reminder that cinema need not be constrained by words — that there is a universality to images, and stories can just as readily be told via a skillful ordering of [ Read More ]
The post Blancanieves Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
The post Blancanieves Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.
- 1/20/2013
- by bsimon
- ShockYa
Writer/Director: Pablo Berger
Featuring: Maribel Verdú, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Ángela Molina, Sofia Oria, Macarena Garcia
Blancanieves, Pablo Berger's silent, black-and-white adaptation of "Snow White," is everything Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters is not: funny and poignant by turns, equal parts grotesque and romantic, visually enthralling, with a sting in the tail. There's passion and magic in every crisply composed 1:33 frame. Forget CGI witches, leather jerkins and steampunk pistols, this is the way a Brothers Grimm fairy tale should be brought to the screen.
In this iteration, Snow White is Carmen, born as the only child of a champion bullfighter and a beautiful flamenco dancer in 1920s Andalusia. A dramatic accident in the arena leaves her mother dead and her father, Antonio (Daniel Giménez Cacho), comatose. Enter Encarna (Maribel Verdú), an ambitious nurse who sets her sights on becoming the bullfighter's next wife. She bullies him into...
Featuring: Maribel Verdú, Daniel Giménez Cacho, Ángela Molina, Sofia Oria, Macarena Garcia
Blancanieves, Pablo Berger's silent, black-and-white adaptation of "Snow White," is everything Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters is not: funny and poignant by turns, equal parts grotesque and romantic, visually enthralling, with a sting in the tail. There's passion and magic in every crisply composed 1:33 frame. Forget CGI witches, leather jerkins and steampunk pistols, this is the way a Brothers Grimm fairy tale should be brought to the screen.
In this iteration, Snow White is Carmen, born as the only child of a champion bullfighter and a beautiful flamenco dancer in 1920s Andalusia. A dramatic accident in the arena leaves her mother dead and her father, Antonio (Daniel Giménez Cacho), comatose. Enter Encarna (Maribel Verdú), an ambitious nurse who sets her sights on becoming the bullfighter's next wife. She bullies him into...
- 1/16/2013
- by Karina Wilson
- Planet Fury
Each year, while I struggle to keep up with the foreign film submission charts and my sisyphean effort to find screenings or screeners of the 50 to 70+ films each year, Oscar's Foreign Film Nominating Committe cuts me off at the knees in my efforts. They always axe the bulk of the submissions and narrow the field to nine just as I've begun to make headway. Each year, I struggle to understand why nine? Ten (or more) would surely be easier to take for the finalists who did not find themselves Oscar nominated the following month. They could content themselves with a 50/50 chance, and consider it a toss of the coin misfortune rather than 'Nah, we don't like you so much!'
"Kon Tiki", Norway's most expensive movie ever, is an epic adventure about explorer Thor Heyerdal. The Weinstein Co will handle Us distribution.
The finalists, a surprisingly chilly bunch whether through...
"Kon Tiki", Norway's most expensive movie ever, is an epic adventure about explorer Thor Heyerdal. The Weinstein Co will handle Us distribution.
The finalists, a surprisingly chilly bunch whether through...
- 12/21/2012
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Mumbai, Oct 13: Spanish film "Blancanieves", the country's official entry for the Academy Awards, will bring the curtains down on the 14th Mumbai Film Festival to be held here Oct 18-25.
The black-and-white silent drama, directed by Pablo Berger, tells the story of Carmen (Macarena Garcia), a beautiful young woman, whose childhood was tormented by her terrible stepmother, Encarna (Maribel Verdu).
Running from her past, Carmen, undertakes an exciting journey accompanied by her new friends - a troupe.
The black-and-white silent drama, directed by Pablo Berger, tells the story of Carmen (Macarena Garcia), a beautiful young woman, whose childhood was tormented by her terrible stepmother, Encarna (Maribel Verdu).
Running from her past, Carmen, undertakes an exciting journey accompanied by her new friends - a troupe.
- 10/13/2012
- by Shiva Prakash
- RealBollywood.com
As the city's most eagerly awaited cultural event, the 14th Mumbai Film Festival, presented by Reliance Entertainment and American Express and organized by the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (Mami) draws closer, it has been revealed that this edition of the festival will conclude with the screening of Blancanieves as its Closing Film. Blancanieves, a 2012 black-and-white silent Spanish drama film directed by Spanish auteur Pablo Berger is the official Spanish entry for the Best Foreign Language film at the 85th Academy Awards in 2013. Having premiered at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival, the film won the Special Jury Prize and an ex-aequo Best Actress 'Silver Shell' Award for Macarena García at the 2012 San Sebastian International Film Festival. Mumbai Film Festival is the third film festival where the film is set to be showcased. Blancanieves is set in a romantic vision of 1920's Andalusia and depicts the original story in a new and culturally specific context.
- 10/13/2012
- by Bollywood Hungama News Network
- BollywoodHungama
14th Mumbai Film Festival will close with the screening of Blancanieves (Snow White), a black-and-white silent Spanish drama film directed by Spanish auteur Pablo Berger.
The film is the official Spanish entry for the Best Foreign Language film at the 85th Academy Awards in 2013.
Having premiered at the prestigious Toronto festival, the film won the Special Jury Prize and an ex-aequo Best Actress “Silver Shell” Award for Macarena García at the 2012 San Sebastián International Film Festival. Mumbai Film Festival is the third only film festival where the film is set to be showcased.
Having earned praise at the two international film festivals, Blancanieves is set in a romantic vision of 1920’s Andalusia and depicts the original story in a new and culturally specific context. The film inspires a strong sense of cinematic nostalgia and has been rumored to be a tribute to 1920’s European silent films, liberally mixing humor and melodrama.
The film is the official Spanish entry for the Best Foreign Language film at the 85th Academy Awards in 2013.
Having premiered at the prestigious Toronto festival, the film won the Special Jury Prize and an ex-aequo Best Actress “Silver Shell” Award for Macarena García at the 2012 San Sebastián International Film Festival. Mumbai Film Festival is the third only film festival where the film is set to be showcased.
Having earned praise at the two international film festivals, Blancanieves is set in a romantic vision of 1920’s Andalusia and depicts the original story in a new and culturally specific context. The film inspires a strong sense of cinematic nostalgia and has been rumored to be a tribute to 1920’s European silent films, liberally mixing humor and melodrama.
- 10/13/2012
- by NewsDesk
- DearCinema.com
Pablo Berger - 60th Annual San Sebastian Film Festival - "Blancanieves" ("Snow White") Photocall - Kursaal Palace - San Sebastian, Spain © Solarpix / PR Photos Macarena Garcia - 60th Annual San Sebastian Film Festival - "Blancanieves" ("Snow White") Photocall - Kursaal Palace - San Sebastian, Spain © Solarpix / PR Photos Macarena Garcia, Maribel Verdu, Sofia Oria - 60th Annual San Sebastian Film Festival - "Blancanieves" ("Snow White") Photocall - Kursaal Palace - San Sebastian, Spain © Solarpix / PR Photos Macarena Garcia - 60th Annual San Sebastian Film Festival - "Blancanieves" ("Snow White") Photocall - Kursaal Palace - San Sebastian, Spain © Solarpix / PR Photos Imma Cuesta - 60th Annual San Sebastian Film Festival - "Blancanieves" ("Snow...
- 10/2/2012
- by M&C
- Monsters and Critics
Francois Ozon's In the House (Dans La Maison), a playful examination of fact and fiction as seen through the prism of a student/teacher relationship, took away the top prize at San Sebastian Film Festival last night.
The director, whose film recently scooped the Fipresci award at Toronto, was awarded both the Golden Shell and the jury prize for best screenplay.
The Silver Shell for best director went to Fernando Trueba for his black and white study of a sculptor's reinvigorated lust for his work in The Artist And The Model (El Artista y la Modelo). The ceremony at the Kursaal auditorium marked a good night for black and white film, as Pablo Berger's silent film Snow White (Blancanieves) (about which, more here) took home the special jury prize, and saw it's young star Macarena Garcia share the Silver Shell actress honours with Foxfire's Katie Coseni.
The Silver.
The director, whose film recently scooped the Fipresci award at Toronto, was awarded both the Golden Shell and the jury prize for best screenplay.
The Silver Shell for best director went to Fernando Trueba for his black and white study of a sculptor's reinvigorated lust for his work in The Artist And The Model (El Artista y la Modelo). The ceremony at the Kursaal auditorium marked a good night for black and white film, as Pablo Berger's silent film Snow White (Blancanieves) (about which, more here) took home the special jury prize, and saw it's young star Macarena Garcia share the Silver Shell actress honours with Foxfire's Katie Coseni.
The Silver.
- 9/29/2012
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Madrid -- Spain has selected the silent, black-and-white movie "Blancanieves" (Snow White) by director Pablo Berger as its entry for Best Foreign Language Film at next year's Oscars.
Based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, it tells the story of a young woman who suffers a tormented childhood at the hands of her stepmother and flees her past by joining up with a traveling band of bullfighting dwarves.
Chosen Thursday by the Spanish Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences, it stars Spanish actresses Maribel Verdu, Angela Molina and Macarena Garcia.
The U.S. film academy will select finalists for the Oscar next January with the awards announced a month later.
The film will also represent Spain in Mexico's Ariel prizes.
Spain has won four Oscars for best foreign language film.
.
Based on the Brothers Grimm fairy tale, it tells the story of a young woman who suffers a tormented childhood at the hands of her stepmother and flees her past by joining up with a traveling band of bullfighting dwarves.
Chosen Thursday by the Spanish Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences, it stars Spanish actresses Maribel Verdu, Angela Molina and Macarena Garcia.
The U.S. film academy will select finalists for the Oscar next January with the awards announced a month later.
The film will also represent Spain in Mexico's Ariel prizes.
Spain has won four Oscars for best foreign language film.
.
- 9/27/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Forget “Mirror, Mirror” and “Snow White and the Huntsman” — this year’s most daringly original adaptation of the Brothers Grimm fairy tale is “Blancanieves,” from Spanish director Pablo Berger (the porn comedy “Torremolinos 73”). Shot as a silent film (Weinstein brothers, take note) and set in the 1910s and 1920s in Andalusia, this movie casts the evil stepmother (Maribel Verdu, the hot mamacita from “Y tu mama tambien”) as a plotting nurse who marries the paraplegic father of Snow White (Daniel Gimenez Cachio), a former toreador who was gored in the arena, and throws in seven bull-fighting little people and a serious dose of flamenco-inspired music for good measure. Newcomer Macarena Garcia, with a short black ’do, impresses in the title role. Though perhaps a tad long, this gorgeously shot black-and-white extravaganza has the cojones to think outside the box and comes out on top. Criticwire grade: B+ [Boyd...
- 9/13/2012
- by Boyd van Hoeij
- Indiewire
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