SNOW WHITE: A TALE OF TERROR

UK/US, 1996, 95 minutes, Colour.
Sigourney Weaver, Sam Neill, Taryn Davis, Gil Bellows.
Directed by Michael Conn.

Snow White: A Tale of Terror bases itself on the Brothers Grimm story rather than on Walt Disney's most popular version. This time, the story is not designed for children, but rather has a great deal of sexual obsession and gory violence.

Audiences will be generally familiar with the story. However, it is set in Germany in the 18th or 19th century with Duke Friedrich Hoffmann as the father (played by Sam Neill). At the opening, his wife is killed and he has to induce the birth of their daughter, Liliana, Snow White. When he later marries the Lady Claudia (Sigourney Weaver), his daughter resents her and begins a conflict with her. When Claudia's son is stillborn, she begins to go berserk, relying on the magic mirror in her room, seeing her other self in the mirror, a bit like Dorian Gray, remaining young and beautiful and controlling the real Claudia. This leads to assassination attempts on Liliana, her fleeing to a shaft where seven miners (not the cuddly dwarfs of the fairy tale) work in the mines. Claudia continues to wreak havoc, crucifying her husband upside down, disguising herself as an old crone with a poisoned apple to kill Snow White, and finally going berserk as the magic mirror goes up in flames.

Audiences will be intrigued by the adult focus of the fairy tale and the contrast with the version for children.

1. The impact of the film? Based on the Brothers Grimm story, a story for adults rather than children?

2. The Czech Republic settings, the castle, the forests? An authentic atmosphere of previous centuries? The musical score?

3. The title, the subtitle of A Tale of Terror? Terror for Liliana, for her father, ultimately for Claudia?

4. The impact of the opening, the coach and the wolves pursuing, the haste, the trees crashing, the overturning of the coach, the death of Lily, the birth of the child?

5. Liliana growing up, the scene of hiding in the cemetery and playing with her nanny? Filling in the background to what happened? Her relationship with her father? His grieving, loving his wife, yet deciding to marry Claudia? The effect on Liliana?

6. The arrival of Claudia, her beauty, regal stature? Her mute brother? Liliana's discussion about the caterpillar, the offer of the gift of the dog, Liliana being rude and running away? The wedding? The celebration? The blessing of the nuptial bed and Liliana throwing the holy water at Claudia?

7. Time passing, Liliana growing older, defying Claudia, the dress for the party? Her being late, defiant?

8. Claudia, her gift of singing, her happiness with Friedrich? Friedrich's happiness? His concern about Liliana, dancing with Liliana, insulting Claudia as she sang, Claudia's pregnancy, the collapse, the stillbirth? Friedrich's grief? Liliana's sorrow?

9. Claudia and her bitterness, getting her brother to rescue the stillborn child from the fire? Her getting her brother to kill Liliana? His pretence after her escape? The heart, serving up the meal, thinking that it was Liliana?

10. Claudia and the mirror, its killing Nanny as she looked at it, the other Claudia, remaining beautiful, controlling Claudia and her behaviour? The resources of witchcraft, the bird, her eyes, following Liliana through the forest? The collapse of the sand in the mine? The leaves and the birds blowing in the forest? The trees collapsing? Her growing more and more vindictive, the disguise as the old crone, offering the apple, transforming Liliana to a perpetual coma? The information about the life of her son, the sexual inducement on Friedrich, crucifying him upside down, his blood, revivifying the child? Poisoning the staff, Ilsa? The final confrontation with Peter, pushing him out the window? With Liliana and Will, enveloped in the cloth, defying Liliana, the smashing of the mirrors, the flames and her death? Sigourney Weaver's tour de force as moving from glamorous and regal to insane and a witch?

11. Liliana, the flight in the forest, meeting the miners, their scars and their resentment against the punishments from the duke and his court? The mine, their physical appearances, her fright, their treatment of her, the gradual welcome? Her going down the mine and the disaster, the miner killed? The trees crashing in the forest and killing others?

12. Will, his standing out from the other miners, the scar on his face, his care for Liliana, falling in love with her?

13. Peter, the doctor, betrothed? The seductive Claudia and his going to find Liliana? Finding her in coma, pronouncing her dead, the burial? Will and his believing she was alive, urging her to life again, her spitting out the apple? The return to the castle, Peter's death?

14. Liliana, the scar on her face from Claudia cutting her, being like Will and the other miners? The social comment of the princess and her alliance with the persecuted and marginalised workers?

15. The happy ending, Liliana and Will, Friedrich regaining his health? The moral of the story? The psychological dimensions? The fairy tale? The sex and violence? The struggle between good and evil, jealousy and honour, life and death, witchcraft and spells?