Little Red Riding Hood

If you're titillated by the gothic possibilities of The Fairytale but find Powell and Pressburger too leaden or Tim Burton too twee, then this stellar example of short-filmmaking will knock you sideways. Exactingly executed from first frame to last, this short reinterprets the Riding-Hood story along the lines of an ancient French variant and blows the lid off the long-repressed sexual subtext. Ricci is caught at (I hope not) the peak of her dark craft, as an archetype of knowing femininity; Bourtasenkov, in beautiful counterpoint of form, dances (yes, literally) an aching helplessness. Quentin Crisp's delivery of the witty script is a dry delight, and the entire piece is constructed so perfectly alongside Debussy's 'Afternoon of a Fawn' that Allegro Non Troppo won't ever quite satisfy you again. See this masterpiece and never forget it.

This quite short film is a little masterpiece of a fairy tale. There are only three characters. The scene opens with a very sexy-looking wolf stalking Red Riding Hood through the wood on her way to dear Grandma's cottage. By the time she reaches her destination the wolf has already digested Grandma apart from a few entrails which he has reserved in a bowl for little Red Riding Hood. The wolf with lathering lips waits expectantly in bed for the innocent young maiden. "Take off your clothes" he murmurs "Throw them in the fire. You won't be needing them any more". Puzzled she complies and then into bed beside the hairy body.

Quentin Crisp's oily voice seems just right for the narration...very persuasive, very sexy. We are held in suspense waiting for the wolf's next move. Poor little Red Riding Hood, we think, she is only a little girl and completely at his mercy. How can she possibly outwit this monster?

But this Red Riding Hood, bred and brought up in the country is no simpleton. Her big round eyes have seen many things and she has learnt from Nature. She soon realises that all is not as it seems. The conclusion to the film is as interesting as its beginning and the music selected adds a lovely freshness to the scenes.

I must say this film is gorgeous. Contrasted with a divine line of mediums. Truly worth the search, especially for an independent film collector. Although its short it has what is needed to be brilliantly eye pleasing and beautiful. By all means possible, I say see it.

You know this is going to be different the moment it starts. Every step of the way you are surprised by the daring take on this classic tale, the mastery of the adaptation lies in the fact that nothing of the original story is changed on the surface, it's what's unspoken but suggested between the lines that turn the tale on its head. Beautifully shot in black and white, with Afternoon of the Faun playing in the background, it's a fairy tale for the grown ups.

Not a moment nor a note is wasted in this little ditty shown two years ago at the Chicago Film Festival. As an English teacher, I have seen and read many versions of this tale and have used some for critical analysis in my classes, but this piece is something quite extraordinary (though not quite intended for small children). I long to possess it in my library and to show to everyone I know and meet its evocative imagery and disquieting premise: woman is not as vulnerable and naive as we are led to believe nor man so forceful and ugly. Debussy's work could not have been more aptly interpreted onto the screen. The cinematography is breathtaking.