An innocent young woman finds refuge from her wicked stepmother (Sigourney Weaver) with seven forest-dwelling outcasts.
If you thought Snow White was only a fairy tale, you’re about to discover the truth, but lock up your children first. The real tale of Snow White, starring Sigourney Waver and Sam Neill, is a tale of relentless terror and unimaginable horror. When young Lillian’s mother dies during childbirth, the father soon re-marries 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 dwarfs – but wait, you think you know the rest of the story? Far from it. Handsome princes and dwarfs cannot always save the day. This movie will prove once and for all that blood is thicker than water; and evil, like an apple, comes around.
This bold movie out-grims the Brothers Grimm, telling their oft-told tale as a horror movie/adventure — and it works. It’s handsomely designed, using real locations and costumes that are never too grand for the setting. Weaver is clearly having a great time as the not-so-wicked stepmother who eventually becomes a vengeful witch. Especially for a fairy tale, the characters are complex and not necessarily always likable; even Lilli (who is never called “Snow White”) has a hard edge, and her “Prince Charming” is a bitter, scarred commoner. It’s a shame this attractive, imaginative film didn’t have any theatrical release in the United States. – NYT
Starring Sigourney Weaver, Sam Neill, Monica Keena, Taryn Davis, Gil Bellows
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Note: Apparently the character of Snow White was based on the life of Margarete von Waldeck, a German countess born to Philip IV in 1533, so in theory that would land thus film in the Tudor era. Not suitable for children.