Once upon a time, there was a little girl who never knew her mother. She learned the art of her father, a famous bullfighter, but was hated by her evil stepmother. One day she ran away with a troupe of dwarfs and became a legend. Set in southern Spain in 1920s, Blancanieves is a tribute to silent film. –TIFF
Proof that silent film can be just as effective, if not moreso, as talkies. A beautiful experience from start to finish.
The Artist was a good homage to the silent era, but Blancanieves fully embraces that cinema and captures its spirit, despite Berger's utilization of modern camerawork and editing. A refreshing, empowering remodel of the Snow White story (with bullfighting!). Wonderful music that deftly weaves together a traditional style silent score with Spanish rhythms. Imaginative, charming, offbeat, and unexpectedly affecting.
Sure, let's ignore the fact that during the first half of the movie an under-aged girl is being followed by a stubborn cock and let's concentrate on the midget toreadors. In other words, this film is so brilliantly random, it's hard not to love it.