Snow White: A Tale of Terror (1997)

In this dark take on the fairy tale, the growing hatred of a noblewoman, secretly a practitioner of the dark arts, for her stepdaughter, and the witch's horrifying attempts to kill her.

Director:

Michael Cohn

Writers:

Tom Szolossi (screenplay) (as Tom Szollosi), Deborah Serra (screenplay)

Stars:

Sigourney Weaver, Sam Neill, Gil Bellows

Nominated for 3 Primetime Emmys. Another 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Sigourney Weaver	...	Claudia Hoffman
Sam Neill	...	Frederick Hoffman
Gil Bellows	...	Will
Taryn Davis	...	Little Lilli
Brian Glover	...	Lars
David Conrad	...	Peter Gutenberg
Monica Keena	...	Lilli Hoffman
Anthony Brophy	...	Rolf
Frances Cuka	...	Nannau
Chris Bauer	...	Konrad (as Christopher Bauer)
John Edward Allen	...	Bart
Miroslav Táborský	...	Gustav (as Miroslav Taborsky)
Andrew Tiernan	...	Scar
Bryan Pringle	...	Father Gilbert
Dale Wyatt	...	Maidservant Ilsa

Storyline

This movie is based somewhat more authentically on the Grimm Brothers' story of a young woman who is unliked by her stepmother. When young Lillian's mother dies during childbirth, her father soon remarries the well-intentioned Lady Claudia. However, Claudia's heart is ruled not by her husband, but by an evil mirror with the power to make Claudia Queen over all living things - until they are dead. A failed attempt to murder young Lillian leaves her wandering lost in a deep dark forest where she comes across seven ruffian gold miners. This movie takes place at the time of the Crusades, and depicts the attitudes of the wealthy and the peasant classes toward each other.

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Plot Keywords:

miner | mirror | apple | necromancy | woods | 

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Taglines:

The fairytale is over.

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Genres:

Fantasy | Horror

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some horror violence and a scene of sexuality

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 May 1997 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Snow White

Filming Locations:

Barrandov Studios, Prague, Czech Republic

Box Office

Budget:

$26,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Polygram Filmed Entertainment, Interscope Communications

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was originally slated for theatrical release but wound up debuting on Showtime in the U.S.

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Goofs

The tree Lilli picks the apple from near her mother's grave is in fact an oak tree.

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Quotes

[Will is having a nightmare]
Lars: He dreams of fire. They tied him to a stake, then burned his family while he watched. And then they placed a red-hot cross of iron across his face, because he would not repent.
Lilli: What was his crime?
Lars: He would not fight for their cause.
Lilli: Who were they?
Lars: Crusaders for the Church. Men of God.
[pause]
Lars: My face, it frightens you?
Lilli: Yes.
Lars: Scares me, too.

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Connections

References Sleeping Beauty (1959)

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Soundtracks

Cum Doctorum
Performed by Karen Hart

User Reviews

Flawed, but still excellent

When I picked this up, I wasn't sure I wanted to see it. I thought it looked kind of interesting, and I guess for five bucks in Wal-Mart, why not? I tend to like bad B movies, so what's the harm?

And despite my initial misgivings, I thought it was excellent.

The story wavered from the Grimm's version, but that's part of what makes it original. The portrayal of the era wasn't perfect, but then that didn't hurt the story much either. I thought the acting was done pretty well, especially Sigourney Weaver. She worked well with a character that was pretty weirdly written. I loved her as the old woman in the forest and in the final scene. Very eerie. Very cool.

The scenes with Lilliana and the dwarfs were a bit choppy in parts--first Will threatened her, then he saved her, then he yelled at her, then...yadda yadda yadda--but Monica Keena played the sheltered damsel well and Gil Bellows was good at the whole "tortured but sincere" act. I was definitely left imagining what the screenwriters should have put in the holes, but all in all I thought that storyline was sweet.

Definitely not a movie for children, but then the title and rating suggest so. Again, some of the story needed to be filled out and explained more, but in total, I loved it. Creepy and cool and fun.