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The Juniper Tree More at IMDbPro »
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| Index | 17 reviews in total |
11 out of 12 people found the following review useful:
Beautiful film, 22 October 2006
Author:
blakepatrick91 from Brisbane, Australia
The Juniper tree is a tale based on whether or not witchcraft exists,
and its also based on a tale by the same title written by the Brothers
Grimm. It's a pretty nifty little movie, unknown by many, found by only
Björk fans most likely, but its really good, and a great insight into
Icelandic living. In fact, it was Bryndis Petra Gradadóttir who told
director Nietzchka Keene that this movie captured pure and realistic
Iceland culture.
Its a film about two daughters who flee their homeland after their
mother is stoned and burnt for being a witch. Margit (Björk) and Katla
(Bryndis Petra Gradadóttir) find a man by the name of Jóhann (Valdimar
Örn Flygenring) and casts a spell on him that will make him fall in
love with Katla. Jónas (Geirlaug Sunna Þormar), the son of Jóhann gets
suspicious that Katla is a witch, and thinks Katla is trying to destroy
the everlasting spirit of the deceased mother to Jónas spirit inside
Jóhann. Meanwhile Jónas befriends Margit, and Margit is seeing visions
of her mother's ghosts. Trust me, if the names were like John and Beth
it would be a lot more coherent than what I just wrote.
Performances from the entire cast are great, well not astonishing but
good enough for such a low budget film. Björk, Bryndis and Jónas
particularly do great performances, of course the lovely Björk is a
little weird in this movie, but isn't she always in real life too? So
there is no difference between reality and this film when it comes to
Björk's personality. Which is funny, because when asked about this she
says it was much of a dream because she was just two weeks after
pregnancy with Sindri, and her "out of it" self at the time works well
with her character of Margot. So her character is somewhat incidentally
made into a mysterious young, kind hearted witch because she was so
deluded at the time.
It is also really well written, not so much the pacing but dialogue and
characters are well placed in the film. I like the simple lines used
when the entire cast has conversations with one another, as they are
simple and atmospheric lines, and Björk does a great job on making her
sad lines sound as they are supposed to "She didn't mean to hurt him,
let her go" which is pretty eye watering.
The tale, in a way, ends in tragedy, but it doesn't leave you
completely bleak. It is a confusing movie, it took me three viewings
before I completely understood this film, but I love it either way.
It's a bit muddled mainly because we as the western world are so
unfamiliar to such culture and witchcraft like this. Either way, the
movie is very good and works well with what it orbits around.
Although this is a quite film and its only recognition is Björk, it is
a great movie, although will bore some with it's slow pace movement,
but it is a very beautiful country it is filmed in, Iceland, and
deserves everlasting shots on such a wonderful country. I highly
recommend this film to anyone who likes Björk, because whether or not
you're bound to like it with her acting.
6 out of 6 people found the following review useful:
Beyond Bjork, 30 July 2003
Author:
msultan from uiuc
I find it sad that the only recognition this movie gets is Bjork's
involvement in it. While I do admit that she's an asset to it (she
looks peculiar and is talented), I also think that the movie has
qualities of its own.
The eerie mood of the film is heightened by a lot of silence and a
slow pace. Put that against a rocky landscape in black and white,
and add a beautiful raw score, and you get a nice result. I wish it
were a little longer. The setting (architecture) and costumes really
take the viewer to another time and place.
I definitely recommend this movie, keeping in mind that it's not an
action movie, nor a horror movie. It's full of earth and soul.
6 out of 7 people found the following review useful:
This One Has Me Sitting On The Fence......, 17 August 2003
Author:
BillDP from New Jersey
......which usually means that I'm going to need a second viewing to make up my mind as to whether or not I liked this film or not. I happen to have a fondness for slow paced films because a lot of times that slow pace is essential for character development and for the building of certain emotions whether it be sadness, happiness, action, scares or whatever. With "The Juniper Tree", I came away from it's slow and at times snail-like pace feeling rather empty and void of specific emotions. I don't see this as a film for everyone and I can certainly see where many will really dislike it but even though I cam away empty there is something about it that made me glad to have seen it and wanting to see it again sometime in order to see if I "get it". Now, all that being said, the film does have some good things going for it. The black and white photography and the Icelandic locations are astounding and make you feel like your in another time and place. The ambient sounds and the simple music score add to the overall feeling as well. It's a sort of brooding tale with a couple of bizarre moments but I certainly wouldn't classify it as a "horror" film or an out-and-out tale of witchcraft. It pretty much plays as a drama with some mystic overtones. The movie is probably known to some for the mere fact that it stars Bjork, and she is quite good, but there is more to it then just that. I just wish I knew what it was. I'll give it another watch because I think there is something here that I'm missing and that something is probably the one thing that in the end, will have me giving this film the thumbs up.
4 out of 4 people found the following review useful:
Great movie, 14 November 1998
Author:
Todd Rose from Waverly, Ohio
I originally bought the movie because I was a huge Björk fan. But after
watching it several times, I see that the movie stands on its own and would
be almost as good without Björk (not quite though). The plot was a little
hard to follow at first, but after seeing it around 5 times I think I've
caught everything.
This movie is by no means a blockbuster or high budget. In fact, it's more
like something you'd see on the Independent Film Channel. Juniper Tree is
based on a Brothers Grimm tale and was filmed in Iceland. The scenery is
rather barren (unlike some really beautiful landscape I've seen in books
about Iceland) and the black and white photography doesn't help much to
brighten the mood. All of this, however, adds to the film and the plot.
I agree that this movie will appeal to a very small percentage of the
public, but if you fit into that category, you may have just found what
you're looking for.
2 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
Excellent Art-House Cinema!, 6 June 2001
Author:
ggdva from Chicago
This movie was quite surprising in its quality and originality. It starts off slow but eventually starts to unravel and become a haunting tale of revenge and witchcraft. Bjork, who was absolutely mesmerizing in "Dancer in the Dark" is very strong in this film as well. She carries the movie as the vulnerable little sister who sees visions of her dead mother and reaches out to the little boy she is living with.
2 out of 2 people found the following review useful:
an involving, beautiful tale, 24 March 1999
Author:
dann own dempsey (dann@goto.com) from Los Angeles, CA
Katla and her little sister Margit must flee their hometown after their mother is stoned to death for witchcraft. Katla's spell to find a husband nets them a new place to live, but comes with the emnity of the new husband's son. An independent American film shot in Iceland, the Juniper Tree is a beautiful interpretation of the brothers Grimm story of the same name. Fine performances, good costumes, and stunning landscapes bring this tale to life.
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
You numbskulls, why didn't anyone tell me how great this movie is?, 31 January 2011
Author:
rooprect from New York City
I can't believe I had never heard of this movie until I happened to see
it in the $3 used pile at my local video store. Being a casual Bjork
fan I figured it would be an entertaining 90 mins with maybe a few
decent songs.
Wow, was I surprised. First of all, there aren't any Bjork songs
although the soundtrack does contain some haunting vocalizations that
might be her (sounds a lot like the Volta album), but I can't be sure.
Secondly, although Bjork is indeed the lead character, the movie is so
much more than just her.
It's definitely a very artsy film, so if the phrase "artsy film" scares
you, you might want to move along. If, on the other hand, you don't
mind long, wordless, gorgeous b&w shots of the landscape and other
photo-worthy images, read on.
If I had walked into a cinema that was playing this movie, I might
think it was a Bergman film or something by Carl Theodor Dreyer or
Robert Bresson. It has that same dreamy, haunting quality and careful
attention to visuals. This is the kind of movie that you could take a
snapshot of at any minute, hang it on your wall, and people would say
'ooh cool photo'. Bjork is particularly beautiful (in a Keebler elf
sort of way), the locations are breathtaking, and the authentic sets
add to the film's credibility. The exteriors were shot in rural
Iceland, and the interiors were shot in various Icelandic historical
museums. Everything we see transports us back to a timeless, legendary
world.
You might have heard that this is based on a Grimm's fairytale of the
same name, but the similarities end there. The Grimm's fairytale is a
pretty straightforward, predictable moral lesson, whereas this
adaptation is a complex and poetic experience that will linger in your
mind for a long time. Also don't be misled by the DVD description;
while witchcraft is a main component, the movie is not necessarily
supernatural but instead shows us how belief can bend perception and
influence outcomes.
I have to admit it took me a while to get into this film, and many
others might also have some difficulty due to its unconventional
presentation and heavy pacing. But it really gets interesting in the
2nd half, and I found the ending to be unexpected and provocative.
If you're a fan of the aforementioned directors as well as Jean Cocteau
("Beauty & the Beast"), Bela Tarr ("Werckmeister Harmonies"), Hiroshi
Teshigahara ("Woman in the Dunes") and other surrealist masters, I
think you'll really enjoy this. Oh yeah, it also has Bjork in it. How
cool is that!
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
I loved it, not because it is a short movie, but because it has a long lasting effect, 14 January 2010
Author:
teziltugsan from Turkey, Istanbul
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
Before I watched it, I was not expecting a huge goal. However, it just
finished and now I want to watch it again and again.
I really like Björk, maybe that is why I cannot be objective. I also
loved "the dancer in the dark" too much. Either she knows how to choose
interesting stories for casting in or she is really lucky. This movie
is much more naive than what the spoilers and reviewers said. The movie
does not contain blatant thoughts and dialogs. I can only say that you
should see.
and I strongly recommend you to watch "Bachelorette" afterward.
"One day I found a big book buried deep in the ground. I opened it, but
all the pages were blank And to my surprise, it started writing itself;
'One day I found a big book buried deep in the ground' "
1 out of 1 people found the following review useful:
Interesting... very interesting, 9 March 2009
Author:
treescanbegreen from New Zealand
It was 2 weeks before my birthday. I was looking for possible gifts
then I stumbled across this film and I was intrigued. It arrived on my
birthday and I was over the moon. The first five minutes were
interesting, then when the film progressed it became very interesting.
Björk was wondrous as the role of Margit, the other actors not as much,
but still good.
Now being a fan of Björk, here comes my Björk rant. After watching this
I had to listen to Vespertine (one of her best albums) and then Medúlla
(her best album.) If you enjoyed this film I suggest you check out
Dancer in the Dark and the albums Medúlla, Vespertine and Homogenic.
2 out of 3 people found the following review useful:
"My Own Private Branch of this Tree", 10 April 2002
Author:
bjorgy2000
Bjork shines in this film. I cannot say that for the rest of the actors. The setting is great and moody. I love the black and white film stock. Everything is so atmospheric and beautiful, even though it does not conform at all to Hollywood narrative and aesthetic. A must see for all Bjork and Grimm's fairytale fans. See Bjork's video "Isobel," it's a beautiful manifestation of the seed planted here.
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