El espíritu de la colmena (1973)

A sensitive seven-year-old girl living a small village in 1940 rural Spain is traumatized after viewing James Whale's "Frankenstein" and drifts into her own fantasy world.

Director:

Víctor Erice

Writers:

Víctor Erice (screenplay), Víctor Erice (story),

Stars:

Fernando Fernán Gómez, Teresa Gimpera, Ana Torrent

7 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Fernando Fernán Gómez	...	Fernando
Teresa Gimpera	...	Teresa
Ana Torrent	...	Ana
Isabel Tellería	...	Isabel
Ketty de la Cámara	...	Milagros, la criada
Estanis González	...	Guardia civil
José Villasante	...	The Frankenstein Monster
Juan Margallo	...	The Fugitive
Laly Soldevila	...	Doña Lucía, the teacher
Miguel Picazo	...	The Doctor

Storyline

In Castile c.1940, a travelling movie theatre brings James Whale's b/w film classic "Frankenstein" (1931) to a village. (Admission 1 peseta for adults, 2 reales for children.) Two young girls, Isabel and Ana, determine to find the Monster.

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Plot Keywords:

village | little girl | fugitive | spanish civil war | anatomy lesson | 

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Genres:

Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

Spain

Language:

Spanish

Release Date:

5 January 1977 (France)

Also Known As:

The Spirit of the Beehive

Filming Locations:

Hoyuelos, Segovia, Castilla y León, Spain

Box Office

Gross:

ESP 43,269,044 (Spain)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Elías Querejeta Producciones Cinematográficas S.L., Jacel Desposito

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The deserted building next to the well was actually an abandoned sheep-shed.

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Goofs

When Ana & Isabel first go to the well there are stones around the base. Ana steps on one to look down in to the well. When she returns later there are no longer any stones so when she looks in to the well she is much too short to see down in it.

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Quotes

[last lines]
Isabel: It's me, Ana... It's me, Ana...

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Connections

Featured in Los pasos perdidos (2001)

User Reviews

gullible youth

Erice's film about a young girl who sits through a screening of the l931 classic Frankenstein with her older sister moves slowly along but has some startling moments that unexpectedly bubble up. The girl (Ana Torrent) has a face that would melt anyone's heart and gives a terrific performance for a child (or anyone). The older sister (Isabel Telleria) also terrific, likes to lead her little sister along, and convinces her that Frankenstein exists in the here and now and can be easily found in an abandoned farm or by simply closing your eyes. The farm is a much more compelling setting and seeing the little girl alone there gives you the chills because you know one day someone might actually show up and while it probably won't be Frankenstein, it could be someone dangerous. Her inevitable disillusionment is dramatically presented when she runs away from her home. Her adventure takes the viewer along on a emotional ride especially when we see our little friend sitting down beside the toxic mushrooms that her father told her and her sister never to eat. Set in the seemingly endless Spanish countryside in 1940 and nicely filmed in color, it is a quiet little film with a big dramatic impact.