Adaptation of the film 'Snow White A Tale of Terror' by Director Micheal Cohn (1997) from the 'Story of Snow White' by Jacob Grimm and Wilhem Grimm (1902)
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Major Theme Analysis:
Unnatural Motherhood
Mentioned the word Snow White and immediately we focus on the wicked and dreadful stepmother. Although there were many versions of Snow White available, in majority of the cases the storyline was linear to the one tailored by Jacob Grimm and Wilhem Grimm in 1902 and the adaptation of the movie 'Snow White- A Tale of Horror was consistent with the writing of both the author. (although more twists, vivid and horrifying details were added in the film)
If you love Gothic genre films, then you will love this movie. Unless you have high hopes that your children might one day join the elite regimen in the commando army, I advise you not to watch this movie with any of them. There's plenty of blood, crime and ...horrifying images. The plot of the story starts with pregnant Liliana (*parallel with the writings) and her husband was attacked by dogs in open snow. The vicious attacks from the dogs left Liliana in unbearable pain and in a desperate attempt to save her baby, Liliana instructed Frederick (her husband) to cut open her belly and save the child. The child was saved and in the movie, Snow White was given the name Lily.
After fade out, Lily was seen in the garden with 'Nanno' (Nanny). Nanno was telling her about a story Lily finished off the story with the quote "A little girl as pale as the snow, as red as blood and as black as frame". (*parallel). Lily went into the living room where she met with her farther and that was the time when her farther announce about his marriage to Claudia. Claudia arrives and in an attempt charm Lily at first impression, she gave Lily a dog named Odo. In her room later, she gave special instruction to the workers to be extremely careful with a specific furniture. She announced that it was her mother's heirloom. Then she introduced to the audience of her brother, Gustav. She said "What would my mother said if she could see me now....the world despise her but embrace me". What I like to mention here is about the use of similar phrase was used in the the film King Henry the VII of England. The distinctive mark was the timing of the phrases. Both were hoping for acceptance when the phrases were uttered after sheer wrongdoings towards others were made.
Frederick and Claudia were married in an orthodox Christian manner and when it was Lily's turn to give her blessing to her father and stepmother, she threw the red wine (representing the blood of Christ in the Christian believes) all over them and ran into the room and hid under the bed. This was a foreshadow of what was to come later and also the reaction that she gave to her farther after watching her father kissing Claudia with curiosity amazement and jealousy and nonacceptance. This also mark the girl's inquisitive nature about sexuality and undivided love for her mother. Nanno died after she encountered with Claudia's unnatural possession while searching for Lily who was hiding under the bed.
After fade out the, Lily appeared as an adolescent who added rebellion to her childhood mischiefs and said that the house "has never been the same home anymore, not for a very long time". She battered herself over her own feeling, more so that Claudia was pregnant and Frederick was praying for a son. Lily's nonacceptance of Claudia was very apparent when Claudia expect Lily to wear her own gown to a ballroom dance but refused and went to the dance in her mother's gown instead. Claudia never seemed to have an ill-heart towards Lily at this juncture. However, an argument with Lily before the dance was probably the reason that Claudia gave birth to a stillborn baby.
Lily, ran away into the forest and Claudia vowed revenge on Lily. That was the time when she found seven miner who was seeking lost gold mines who grudgingly gave her shelter. Their official leader Will, in later events falls in love with her. In her second attempt to kill Lily, Claudia used a raven (through witchcraft). Lily was in the cave where the seven rednecks were working and Claudia cast a spell to bury her alive in the mine. She escaped but one of the men died in the event. Claudia thought she killed Lily but the mirror revealed otherwise. In the image of the mirror Claudia appeared younger and hallucinated that she was getting younger over time. Claudia set her goal and was determined to kill Lily herself this time.
The mirror transformed Claudia into a smooth talking, less than human figure of an old woman. She found Lily and offered her an apple for free. She ate it and fall into a trance. Dr. Gutenberg, who checked on her proclaimed her dead (an espionage for Claudia). The miners then placed Claudia into a class casket, halfway buried in the ground. Will, her boyfriend was too madly in love with her to let her go. He opened the casket lift her up into the air and shook her so hard until the bit of apple that choked made her into the current state came out from her mouth. She began to breathe again.
Will and Lily decided that they need to get rid of Claudia once and for all and headed down into the castle. It was also the time where she managed to interrupt Claudia from slashing Frederick's throat while in an upside down crucified position. (indicating worship of the devil and anti-Christ according to the Christian believes). Will and Lily saned Frederick and called Lily "Phantom". Lily got into a room full of mirror and Lily smashed a lot of them. Claudia came into the room later and said to Lily, "The moment I felt you breath...and it was like a knife in my throat".
She also told Lily that what she did to Frederick (the upside down cruxification) was for her baby. She traded with the devil Frederick's life for the life of her dead baby and showed Lily the fingers of the baby that she held hidden in her arms. Lily was spooked when she momentarily turned herself into an deceiving old woman again.
Both the woman fought and Claudia slash Lily's face with an knife (the slash was similar to the scar on Will's face symbolizing a match) and amid her struggle Lily dropped an oil-lamp and lit the whole room on fire. That was the time when the mirror warned Claudia that her child was in danger from the fire and Lily discovered the mirror that was the source of Claudia's witchcraft and stabs it. Claudia saw herself bleeding from the stab in the mirror and tried to carefully pull out the knife but shattered the whole mirror instead. Shatters of mirrors then stabs Claudia in her face and her body and the fire then consumes her.
Personal Note:
If you have a knack for Gothic genre, consider this movie : The Messenger, Joan of Arc.
Unnatural Motherhood
Mentioned the word Snow White and immediately we focus on the wicked and dreadful stepmother. Although there were many versions of Snow White available, in majority of the cases the storyline was linear to the one tailored by Jacob Grimm and Wilhem Grimm in 1902 and the adaptation of the movie 'Snow White- A Tale of Horror was consistent with the writing of both the author. (although more twists, vivid and horrifying details were added in the film)
If you love Gothic genre films, then you will love this movie. Unless you have high hopes that your children might one day join the elite regimen in the commando army, I advise you not to watch this movie with any of them. There's plenty of blood, crime and ...horrifying images. The plot of the story starts with pregnant Liliana (*parallel with the writings) and her husband was attacked by dogs in open snow. The vicious attacks from the dogs left Liliana in unbearable pain and in a desperate attempt to save her baby, Liliana instructed Frederick (her husband) to cut open her belly and save the child. The child was saved and in the movie, Snow White was given the name Lily.
After fade out, Lily was seen in the garden with 'Nanno' (Nanny). Nanno was telling her about a story Lily finished off the story with the quote "A little girl as pale as the snow, as red as blood and as black as frame". (*parallel). Lily went into the living room where she met with her farther and that was the time when her farther announce about his marriage to Claudia. Claudia arrives and in an attempt charm Lily at first impression, she gave Lily a dog named Odo. In her room later, she gave special instruction to the workers to be extremely careful with a specific furniture. She announced that it was her mother's heirloom. Then she introduced to the audience of her brother, Gustav. She said "What would my mother said if she could see me now....the world despise her but embrace me". What I like to mention here is about the use of similar phrase was used in the the film King Henry the VII of England. The distinctive mark was the timing of the phrases. Both were hoping for acceptance when the phrases were uttered after sheer wrongdoings towards others were made.
Frederick and Claudia were married in an orthodox Christian manner and when it was Lily's turn to give her blessing to her father and stepmother, she threw the red wine (representing the blood of Christ in the Christian believes) all over them and ran into the room and hid under the bed. This was a foreshadow of what was to come later and also the reaction that she gave to her farther after watching her father kissing Claudia with curiosity amazement and jealousy and nonacceptance. This also mark the girl's inquisitive nature about sexuality and undivided love for her mother. Nanno died after she encountered with Claudia's unnatural possession while searching for Lily who was hiding under the bed.
After fade out the, Lily appeared as an adolescent who added rebellion to her childhood mischiefs and said that the house "has never been the same home anymore, not for a very long time". She battered herself over her own feeling, more so that Claudia was pregnant and Frederick was praying for a son. Lily's nonacceptance of Claudia was very apparent when Claudia expect Lily to wear her own gown to a ballroom dance but refused and went to the dance in her mother's gown instead. Claudia never seemed to have an ill-heart towards Lily at this juncture. However, an argument with Lily before the dance was probably the reason that Claudia gave birth to a stillborn baby.
Lily, ran away into the forest and Claudia vowed revenge on Lily. That was the time when she found seven miner who was seeking lost gold mines who grudgingly gave her shelter. Their official leader Will, in later events falls in love with her. In her second attempt to kill Lily, Claudia used a raven (through witchcraft). Lily was in the cave where the seven rednecks were working and Claudia cast a spell to bury her alive in the mine. She escaped but one of the men died in the event. Claudia thought she killed Lily but the mirror revealed otherwise. In the image of the mirror Claudia appeared younger and hallucinated that she was getting younger over time. Claudia set her goal and was determined to kill Lily herself this time.
The mirror transformed Claudia into a smooth talking, less than human figure of an old woman. She found Lily and offered her an apple for free. She ate it and fall into a trance. Dr. Gutenberg, who checked on her proclaimed her dead (an espionage for Claudia). The miners then placed Claudia into a class casket, halfway buried in the ground. Will, her boyfriend was too madly in love with her to let her go. He opened the casket lift her up into the air and shook her so hard until the bit of apple that choked made her into the current state came out from her mouth. She began to breathe again.
Will and Lily decided that they need to get rid of Claudia once and for all and headed down into the castle. It was also the time where she managed to interrupt Claudia from slashing Frederick's throat while in an upside down crucified position. (indicating worship of the devil and anti-Christ according to the Christian believes). Will and Lily saned Frederick and called Lily "Phantom". Lily got into a room full of mirror and Lily smashed a lot of them. Claudia came into the room later and said to Lily, "The moment I felt you breath...and it was like a knife in my throat".
She also told Lily that what she did to Frederick (the upside down cruxification) was for her baby. She traded with the devil Frederick's life for the life of her dead baby and showed Lily the fingers of the baby that she held hidden in her arms. Lily was spooked when she momentarily turned herself into an deceiving old woman again.
Both the woman fought and Claudia slash Lily's face with an knife (the slash was similar to the scar on Will's face symbolizing a match) and amid her struggle Lily dropped an oil-lamp and lit the whole room on fire. That was the time when the mirror warned Claudia that her child was in danger from the fire and Lily discovered the mirror that was the source of Claudia's witchcraft and stabs it. Claudia saw herself bleeding from the stab in the mirror and tried to carefully pull out the knife but shattered the whole mirror instead. Shatters of mirrors then stabs Claudia in her face and her body and the fire then consumes her.
Personal Note:
If you have a knack for Gothic genre, consider this movie : The Messenger, Joan of Arc.
©Copyright Faisal Bawazir Muchtar, UiTM 2008
