Branca de Neve

The professional reviews for this were so ecstatic that I may have been a bit over-hyped, and felt a twinge of disappointment in seeing it, which is not to say I didn't enjoy it

Entertaining and beautifully made, this is another modern black & while silent film, this one an adult re-telling of the Snow White myth. There's no denying the technical virtuosity on display, and the ways that film-maker Berger finds to update the tale to Spain in the 1920s, center the story around bullfighting, and still stay true to the original story are clever and sometimes very amusing.

What was missing for me was a deeper layer of emotion, I appreciated and respected the film, but it was too much a fairy tale for me to believe in it, yet too real for me to be carried away into a fantasy. That said, it's good enough that I will gladly re-visit it.

Although The Artist, the first Best Picture winner I've agreed with in a long time, took the mainstream by storm of its silent film renaissance style, Blancanieves is a similar revivial, if not as self-referential, and is on par with The Artist. Silent cinema in the modern age feels like it offers a brand new way of expressive cinema and Blancanieves is oozing with expression. With textured black and white shots and energetic editing, it's a rush of raw inspiration, making full use of the frame. With such a timeless story, there's a risk of it being a complete retread, but Blancanieves tells it in such a refreshing and unpredictable way in which I was constantly looking for the famous plot points and then pleasantly surprised me when it's revealed which character is playing what role. It's a film with such a warmth for the characters and builds their relationships in a great archetypal way. With its great pace, it hits story beats efficiently and I was never bored and always caught off guard with its reinventions, with the bullfighting angle implemented seamlessly. The highlight is the fantastic score, which also rivals The Artist, with its variety of styles, the best parts being when it has flamenco influences. Blancanieves is a very entertaining and tragic rendition of a great story that avoids sentimentality all the way. Although it winds down a little in the last third where it's run out of steam too much to develop the seven dwarfs fairly, its highs are still strong. One of the best the year has to offer and rivals Disney's own Snow White.

9/10

Beautifully shot , memorable roles and wonderful cinematography mark this special adaptation ¨Snow White¨ , being realized in ¨The artist¨ style . It is set in 1920s Seville . On the day Carmen was born , her father named Antonio Villalta (Daniel Gimenez Cacho) suffered a Toreo accident, and her mummy named Carmen De Triana died (Imma Cuesta) in childbirth . Her dad bullfighter quickly remarries a nurse , Encarna , (Maribel Verdú came aboard in 2006 after a conversation with Berger and stuck with it) , but the little girl is rejected by her father . Raised by her grandmother (Angela Molina) during her early years, Carmen went to live with Encarna while a teenager , but her Stepmom treated her as a slave . Many years later , the daughter meets her wheel-chaired and disabled daddy . The Stepmom/Stepdauther battle increases and the unbalanced and wrathful Stepmom orders her lover (Pere Ponce) Carmen's death . Carmen (Macarena Garcia) escapes and a group of bullfighting dwarfs save the life of young girl with amnesia . Only she's rescued by seven outcast dwarfs living in a carriage and acting by means of bullfighting spectacles .

Sensitive silent film full of good feeling , haunting mood-pieces , wonderful scenes and sense of wonder . This is a special adaptation of the Grimm Brothers fairy tale about the fairest them all . A twist on the Snow White fairy tale that and centered on a female bullfighter and definitely puts the grim in the Grimm Brothers version of the fairy tale . Colorful picture though filmed in Black and White , including marvelous frames , being mostly filmed at Sevilla, Andalucía, Aranjuez, Madrid, Pedraza , Segovia, Vilanova i la Geltrú, , Mataro , Barcelona, Catalonia , including sunny outdoor scenes . This extraordinary flick spells through intricate patterns of images , sets , sound and photography . In addition , a magnificent main cast as Maribel Verdu , Daniel Gimenez Cacho , Macarena Garcia and splendid support cast of known and prestigious players as Pere Ponce , Imma Cuesta , Ramon Barea , Angela Molina , among others . Splendid , luxurious photography with juicy atmosphere by Kiko De La Rica , it was shot on color film stock and desaturated to black & white in post-production . Moving and emotive musical score by Alfonso De Vilallonga who replaced Alberto Iglesias when he proved unavailable due to prior commitments.

There are other versions about this marvelous tale , as the classic animated rendition was ¨Snow White¨ (1937) , being the definitive rendition by Walt Disney ; ¨Snow White¨(1989) by Michael Berz with Diana Rigg , Billy Barty and Sarah Patterson , plus ¨Snow White a tale of terror¨ (1997) by Michael Cohn with Sigourney Weaver , Sam Neill and Monica Keena . The best adaptations result to be ¨Snow White¨ by Walt Disney and this ¨Blancanieves¨ or Snow White by Pablo Berger .

This touching picture will appeal to Spanish films buffs ; being deservedly the official submission of Spain to the Best Foreign Language Film of the 85th Academy Awards 2013, and won European Film Award , Best Costume Designer to Paco Delgado and several Gaudí Awards . Furthermore , achieved Goya prizes as Won Goya : Best Actress , Maribel Verdú , Best New Actress , Macarena García , Best Costume Design , Best Cinematography , Kiko De La Rica , Best Original Score , Alfonso de Vilallonga , Best Screenplay , Pablo Berger , Best Original Song , Best Make-Up and Hairstyles , Best Production Design , Best New Actor, Emilio Gavira , Best Special Effects : Reyes Abades , Ferran Piquer , Best Production Manager , Josep Amorós , and Best Director .

The motion picture was perfectly produced and stunningly directed by Pablo Berger , a very good Spanish movies director . Director Pablo Berger developed the project for eight years before being able to shoot it. Pablo is a well recognized filmmaker both nationally and internationally, and in proof of it he won many prizes in several Festivals , as his previous picture titled ¨Torremolinos 73¨ , as this ¨Snow White¨ or ¨Blancanieves¨ . Rating : Above average , essential and indispensable watching .

Blanca Nieves, or Snow White, is a variation on the old fable, with bullfighting being a major thematic difference. A great matador is seen praying in front of a statue of the Virgin Mary, as he awaits is battle with el toro. He enters to a worshippig crowd, which includes his pregnant wife cheering him on. Of course, things go horribly wrong and he ends up in a wheelchair and his better half has a difficult childbirth. A daughter is born and she winds up at an estate with a wicked stepmother, as in the original tale. This is all in black and white and it is also a silent film. I was reluctant to watch it, but once I got used to the placards used for dialogue, I was carried along by the story. Carmen, the little girl, grows up and circumstances bring her to a group of; you guessed it, seven bullfighters. They are little people, in keeping tradition with Grimm's book. I won't give away the ending, but I was thoroughly entertained by Blanca Nieves. The cinematography is beautiful and the acting excellent throughout. Be open minded, as far as watching a silent movie is concerned, and you will not be disappointed.

Blancanieve (Snow White) is in every sense one of the best films of 2012. Coming directly in the footsteps of Oscar winner The Artist, this is another film that proves that Silent Film is not a derogatory term but rather leaves us to bring more not less of ourselves to what is a stunning film.

Where Blacanieve triumphs is in its storytelling, its acting, and yes, its melodrama, which here works and makes us feel like we are really watching a Spanish film from the birth of Spanish cinema - the casting of the extras, and the attention to detail just adds to this sensation - and it really is a good watch from beginning to end.

I used to watch films all the time, now I find most are so generic, uninspiring, and just plain dull, that I have almost lost the desire - but then you see a film like this and it restores your faith - a simply excellent film about love, passion, jealousy, and sadness.