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IMDbPro

The Spirit of the Beehive

Original title: El espíritu de la colmena
  • 1973
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 38m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
19K
YOUR RATING
Ana Torrent in The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
Watch Tráiler [OV]
Play trailer3:40
1 Video
83 Photos
DramaFantasy

In 1940, after watching and being traumatized by the movie Frankenstein (1931), a sensitive seven year-old girl living in a small Spanish village drifts into her own fantasy world.In 1940, after watching and being traumatized by the movie Frankenstein (1931), a sensitive seven year-old girl living in a small Spanish village drifts into her own fantasy world.In 1940, after watching and being traumatized by the movie Frankenstein (1931), a sensitive seven year-old girl living in a small Spanish village drifts into her own fantasy world.

  • Director
    • Víctor Erice
  • Writers
    • Ángel Fernández Santos
    • Víctor Erice
  • Stars
    • Fernando Fernán Gómez
    • Teresa Gimpera
    • Ana Torrent
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    19K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Víctor Erice
    • Writers
      • Ángel Fernández Santos
      • Víctor Erice
    • Stars
      • Fernando Fernán Gómez
      • Teresa Gimpera
      • Ana Torrent
    • 107User reviews
    • 65Critic reviews
    • 87Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 7 wins & 1 nomination

    Videos1

    Tráiler [OV]
    Trailer 3:40
    Watch Tráiler [OV]

    Photos83

    Ana Torrent in The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
    Isabel Tellería and Ana Torrent in The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
    Ana Torrent in The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
    The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
    Ana Torrent in The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
    The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
    Ana Torrent in The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
    Ana Torrent in The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
    Ana Torrent in The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
    Teresa Gimpera and Ana Torrent in The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
    The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)
    Isabel Tellería and Ana Torrent in The Spirit of the Beehive (1973)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Fernando Fernán Gómez
    Fernando Fernán Gómez
    • Fernando
    Teresa Gimpera
    Teresa Gimpera
    • Teresa
    Ana Torrent
    Ana Torrent
    • Ana
    Isabel Tellería
    • Isabel
    Ketty de la Cámara
    • Milagros, la criada
    Estanis González
    • Guardia civil
    José Villasante
    • Frankenstein
    Juan Margallo
    Juan Margallo
    • Fugitivo
    Laly Soldevila
    Laly Soldevila
    • Doña Lucía
    Miguel Picazo
    • Doctor
    • Director
      • Víctor Erice
    • Writers
      • Ángel Fernández Santos
      • Víctor Erice
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Close-Up
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    Close Your Eyes
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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Cinematographer Luis Cuadrado was going blind at the time this film was made. An assistant would take Polaroids of the scenes and Cuadrado would direct the lighting by looking through a magnifying glass at these pictures. In 1980 Cuadrado committed suicide after he went completely blind and the tumor in his brain became too painful to face.
    • Goofs
      When Ana and Isabel first go to the well, there are stones around the base. Ana steps on one to look down into 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 into it.
    • Quotes

      Ana: [unable to sleep] Isabel?

      Isabel: [opening her eyes] What?

      Ana: [whispering] Tell me what you were going to tell me.

      Isabel: [whispering] About what?

      Ana: The movie.

      Isabel: Not now... Tomorrow.

      Ana: Now... You promised. Why did he kill the girl, and why did they kill him after that?... You don't know - you're a liar.

      Isabel: They didn't kill him, and he didn't kill the girl.

      Ana: How do you know? How do you know they didn't die?

      Isabel: Everything in the movies is fake. It's all a trick. Besides, I've seen him alive.

      Ana: Where?

      Isabel: In a place I know near the village. People can't see him. He only comes out at night.

      Ana: Is he a ghost?

      Isabel: No, he's a spirit.

      Isabel: Like the spirit Dona Lucia talks about?

      Isabel: Yes, but spirits have no bodies. That's why you can't kill them.

      Ana: But he had one in the movie. He had arms and feet. He had everything.

      Isabel: It's a disguise they put on when they go outside...

      Ana: If he only comes out at night, how can you talk to him?

      Isabel: I told you he was a spirit. If you're his friend, you can talk to him whenever you want. Just close your eyes and call him... It's me, Ana... It's me Ana...

      [they hear what sounds like ominous footsteps and are silent]

    • Connections
      Featured in Sus años dorados (1980)
    • Soundtracks
      Ojos verdes
      Written by Salvador Valverde (as Valverde), Rafael de León (as León) y Manuel L. Quiroga (as Quiroga)

    User reviews107

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    10/10
    the shadow of the monster on the water and Ana
    What I am most affected each time I see Erice's this movie is his ability to convey the world of a child to us sometimes even without depending on the dialogues. Instead, he prefers creating a beautiful atmosphere and feelings by using the faces, looks, the light and the silence.

    We can give an alternative name to this movie as "the spirit of the house", for the director tries to show what is going on in this house whose windows resemble to honeycombs. Erice deliberately chooses not to give any shots with all members of the family, as there is serious feeling of alienation between father and mother, and total lack of communication and affection between them, and from them towards their children. Under that situation the only person whom Ana could touch with her words, plays and questions is her sister Isabel. Their house looks like a beehive with the queen bee, male worker bee, and child bees performing their duties only by being in the same house without touching to each other.

    When Ana's best friend and her sister played on her trust and fears by deceiving her, she totally turned inward and found the image and the dream of Frankenstein ready for her friendship and to give her feeling of closeness. After she met the wounded Republican soldier, her Frankenstein's image came into being in his existence, who is considered as dangerous and outside the society by adults just like in the original Frankenstein movie. Like the girl in the latter, Ana does not see the fugitive as how adults define Frankenstein, as something to be run away from. Instead, she considers him as Frankenstein who could be her friend. I see the shadow of the "monster" on this movie used beautifully and magically by the director.

    During the 97 minutes of the movie, Erice and his cinematographer Luis Cuadrado both reflect the heart of a child to us with their magical scenes, and skillfully convey the grey feeling of the civil war in the background without straightforwardly pointing their fingers to it.
    helpful•44
    9
    • semratoramanoglu
    • Nov 27, 2006

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    FAQ2

    • The flute/piano music is beautiful. Can anyone tell me the composer or the name of the piece?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • March 14, 1975 (Sweden)
    • Country of origin
      • Spain
    • Official site
      • Official site
    • Language
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Der Geist des Bienenstocks
    • Filming locations
      • Hoyuelos, Segovia, Castilla y León, Spain(Town and exteriors)
    • Production companies
      • Elías Querejeta Producciones Cinematográficas
      • Jacel Desposito
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

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    • Gross worldwide
      • $131,811
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 38 minutes
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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