Blanche-Neige : Le Plus Horrible des contes

Here's something to check out if you're not too into the "Disneyfied" version of the classic Grimm brothers fairy tale. While the Disney adaptation wasn't free from dark and spooky elements itself, this one takes those elements and runs with them, all the way. It's definitely a Snow White for the adults in the family, presented as a 1990s update of a Hammer type Gothic horror film.

Monica Keena is Lilli Hoffman, a young woman whose mother died in childbirth (after a bad roadside accident). Her father Frederick (ever reliable Sam Neill) ultimately remarries, to the seemingly well meaning Lady Claudia (a vampy Sigourney Weaver). When the Lady miscarries the child that she would have born Frederick, she decides that Lilli, who never really warmed up to her, is responsible, and vows to destroy her. When the first attempt fails, Lilli is soon lost in the wilderness of the Black Forest, where she encounters a sextet of scruffy characters.

People should know right up front what they're getting into. Hell, it's right there in the title: this is NOT a movie for kiddies, with a decent amount of gore and the playing up of some sexual elements. It's appropriately moody, and gloomy, with vivid on location filming in the Czech Republic, a passable effort at emulating the period, and cinematography by Mike Southon that is wise to never, ever get too bright or colorful.

People familiar with the animated take on the tale will be amused to note the differences in this version. For one thing, among the seven "dwarves" is only one actual little person.

The acting is mostly sturdy. Keena is fairly appealing. Neill is good as always, and Gil Bellows gives his part of Will some depth. Brian Glover is fun as Lars, another of the seven forest dwellers. Sigourney takes the opportunity to do some welcome - and not exactly inappropriate - scenery chewing.

Atmospheric and darkly humorous at times, "Snow White: A Tale of Terror" should be interesting entertainment for horror fans.

Seven out of 10.

One word of warning, this isn't the Disney film of "Snow White" and it would be wise to think twice before letting the children watch it.

The tensions between "Snow White", here named Lilli Hoffman (Played by Taryn Davis as a child and then by Monica Keener as a teenager) and her step-mother Claudia (Sigourney Weaver) are quite well-drawn. Claudia is not completely unsympathetic and Lilli is not quite as innocent as in some versions of the story. Also the dwarfs are presented as a group of scarred, bitter outlaws.

The film sustains a wonderful medieval atmosphere and has some very good performances, particularly from Sigourney Weaver. However it suffers a lot from an unevenness of tone. It's far too dark and violent for children, but then it's not quite scary enough for adults.

That being said, horror and fantasy fans may find it quite enjoyable.

A wealthy man (Sam Neill) remarries years after his first wife dies during childbirth. However, the new wife (Sigourney Weaver) despises her stepchild and the daughter (played by the lovely Monica Keena) is forced to flee into the woods where she befriends seven miners (not dwarfs). Will the stepmother get away with her wickedness? My friend Jason had been suggesting we watch this film for a while and I couldn't bring myself to do it. With the movie being based on Snow White and the silly cover photograph, this just didn't seem like a decent horror film. And I know Sam Neill makes some decent horror appearances, but Sigourney Weaver? Come on! Then when I saw Monica Keena was in it (who I know from "Dawson's Creek" but many horror fans will know her from "Freddy vs. Jason") I couldn't get the DVD in the slot fast enough.

This film comes from director Michael Cohn, whom I've never heard of and I suspect neither have you. And despite his relative obscurity (ten years later and I still haven't seen anything else he's done) he can weave a very well-visualized tale. The man has a knack for the realm of fantasy.

This really is the film's strength. We are treated to a land of fantasy with witches and magic mirrors, but there is no silliness about it. This is not a kid's tale like "Labrynth" or "The Dark Crystal", but something much more adult and terrifying. There is even a scene where -- dare I say it -- we get hints of rape.

All the acting is strong, which should come as no surprise. Keena is great, and Sam Neill really cannot do a bad job acting even if he wanted to as far as I can tell. The effects were fine, the music was alright, and there was a scene where a horse did a back-flip, which was pretty intense. Don't be discouraged like I was about the title, this is a horror film worth seeing and a nice change of pace from the usual modern-day fare.

At first glance this looks like a corny B movie. If you look beyond the the cover and cheesy title you'll find a decent movie. I actually rolled my eyes when my cousin insisted on putting in the dvd Thanksgiving 3 years ago but from the opening scene I was hooked.

I have never really been a fan of the disney classic Snow White. It just wasn't a fairy tale that stood out to me. I have to say after seeing this movie I like it a little more. I am not quite sure whether they were honestly trying to turn this into a horror movie or not. For one thing this is not a scary movie, I don't remember one scary moment. If anything it's a dark drama. I really loved how they tried to put more realistic elements in it.

The romance aspect (what little of it there is) is pretty dull. I was really left wanting more but you really wouldn't be able to without drawing away from the story so i'm content.

I think what I like best about this movie is that there isn't anything else like it. It's so completely different that it's practically in a category of it's own. I don't know if I would say it's a great enough movie to buy or watch a dozen times but it is at least worth the one time watch if at the most just so you can see something different. This morbid dark take on the fairy tale classic is a good movie night watch that may not be for everyone but something everyone should see.

7 out of 10 stars.

Trying to rent a "known" horror movie is somewhat of a Herculean task at 7:30 PM on Halloween night, and as such, I was down to the "slim pickins" on the horror shelf at the local video outlet, so I was surprised to see this movie still on the shelf, what with the star power attached to it and attractive video box. I'd never heard of it!

What a surprise to find a genuinely creepy and atmospheric horror story contained within, and a PERFECT movie to watch on Halloween night. The cinematography is sumptuous and lush, especially during the scenes in which the evil Lady is casting spells on Lilliana and her various compatriots. The story itself, though, is a little muddy and hard to follow (not much time is spent on character development, presuming the characters will all be familiar to you in an alternate-Disney-universe sort of way) and thus the film isn't as good as it could be. But all the actors and filmmakers make the best out of what they have, and the result is a genuinely creepy, and at some points disturbing (I challenge anyone to stay calm during the Lady's final confrontation with Lilliana) re-telling of a classic fairy tale. I highly recommend this movie as one to spring on one's friends, unaware ... in the dark.