MUBI

Whats up everybody? I’m taking it back to my old myspace blog days to talk about a movie that i use to always bring up on there. I just got back from my second trip to Barcelona, and realized i haven’t written about any Spanish films on my blog yet. When i first read about ‘The Spirit Of The Beehive’ described as “Tarkovsky for kids” on John Cribb’s (thepinksmoke.com) old myspace blog, coupled with the fact that this was released through the criterion collection, i was pretty much sold on this film. Then after watching it for the first time a few years ago, i realized that brief description by John might be one of the greatest tag lines/summaries for a movie ever (shoulda been quoted on the DVD cover if you ask me). ‘The Spirit Of The Beehive’ is the perfect example of how one can learn a little bit of history and (Spanish) culture from films without necessarily reading a book. So the next time someone makes an empty generic statement like; “you cant get that from a movie” or “you cant learn anything from a movie”, just use the spirit of the beehive as an example.
Now, tarkovsky isn’t the only filmmaker/style that this film can be compared too. ‘The Spirit Of The Beehive’ shares many similarities with Terrance Mallick’s earlier work (‘badlands’ and ‘days of heaven’). The use of similar looking landscapes (specifically tall grass and fields of weeds), the cinematography, the atmospheric music, the lighting and the fact that all three movies (beehive, days of heaven and badlands) are all told from the perspective of a young main character (sissy spacek in ‘badlands’, Linda Manz in ‘days heaven’ and Ana Torrent in ‘Spirit Of The Beehive’) . These early films of the 70’s eventually went on to influence and inspire more recent stuff like; ‘Ratcatcher’ (director Lynne Ramsay actually used music from ‘Badlands’ in ‘Ratcatcher’) and ‘George Washington’ (its a well known fact that David Gordon Green is very much inspired by Terrance Mallick). When you place pictures and stills from ‘Bandlands’ or ‘Days Of Heaven’ next to ‘Spirit Of The Beehive’, they almost look like they come from the same film. And too take it even further, directors; Victor Erice (the spirit of the beehive), Terrance Mallick and even Lynne Ramsay are all very elusive, and don’t release films as often as your average director.
‘The Spirit Of The Beehive’ is a film with 2 different levels. On one level, you have a film about a young girl who becomes overly fascinated with ‘Frankenstein’ after seeing it for the first time at a local cinema. Eventually, after being told a lie about the movie by her older sister, she not only becomes fascinated with Frankenstein, but with the idea of ghosts & spirits as well.
On another level, we have a film that symbolizes the rule of Franco in Spain (like most Spanish films did during that time). This is why ‘Beehive’ and ‘Cria Cuervos’ will always be associated with one another. And the fact that both films starred Ana Torrent when she was young isn’t the only reason. Both films have lead children characters who are supposed to symbolize the “new” (non-Franco) Spain. Or to put it simply: “The Future” (what better way to represent the future than with children?). ‘The Spirit Of The Beehive’ is the perfect example of “coming of age” (along with just about every other film mentioned in this blog). And what makes the coming of age aspect so profound in the film is that its told through such young eyes. Generally, coming of age films ranging from ‘small change’ and ‘400 blows’ to ‘ratcatcher’ and ‘george washington’ are usually told from the eyes of kids aged; 8-16 or so. But the main character of ‘spirit of the beehive’ is only 6 years old, which makes the perspective of the film even more fresh, untainted, and pure. One of the most famous scenes of the film shows the 2 sisters watch a train whiz by them as they almost zone out and stare at it pass by, almost as if they’re frozen. Many people view this scene as a metaphor of the old Spain ruled by Franco passing them by (the train) or coming to an end, leaving behind the “new” Spain or “the future” (represented by the 2 young sisters).
Frankenstein obviously plays a major role in ‘Beehive’ also. As mentioned earlier, Ana becomes very fascinated with the film, specifically with the scene where the young girl, totally oblivious to the fact that she is standing next to an actual monster, sits down and becomes friends with it. Later on in ‘Spirit Of The Beehive’ after Ana comes to a serious revelation (something a normal 6 year old wouldn’t usually deal with), she runs away from home, and eventually hallucinates/dreams that shes meets the monster from Frankenstein while she’s hiding out in the woods. For a 6 year old, Ana shows an amazing maturity through out the film.
There’s so many great things about ‘The Spirit Of The Beehive’. Its one of the best executed ‘coming of age’ films to date. Through out the film we see Ana experience a lot of “firsts” (obviously a key elements for a coming of age films). Her first movie at the movie theater, experiencing death for the first time, realizing that she’s been lied to for the first time (by her sister). There’s also an interesting comment that Victor Erice makes about "family’. In ‘Spirit Of The Beehive’, never at any point do we see Ana, her sister, her father or her mother in same shot/frame at the same time. Lots of clever and subtle things in this film. Its not for everyone, especially people who bore easily. But i personally think its amazing.

First of all, i wanna said thank you to Victor Erice, for making this visually breathtaking film. Without this film, i guarantee there will be no Pan’s Labyrinth. It is clear cut that Guillermo Del Toro borrows this film as his main inspiration for Pan’s Labyrinth. From the theme of the story, and the visual aspect of it.

But to be completely honest, aside from being an influental film, this film has little to offer to my emotion. I didn’t get into the world of the little girl Ana.And unlike Pan’s (forgive me to keep comparing this with the Del Toro’s masterpiece. a lot of similiarity obliged me to do so ) which offers many interesting, chilling, and imaginative moments, Beehive is rather slow and occasionaly boring.

Absolutely loved the imagery in this film. I watched it last night and can’t stop thinking about it. A couple of scenes have been imprinted in my psyche: Isabel strangling the cat, Isabel jumping over the fire and Ana walking in her night gown towards the moonlit balcony… I couldn’t give it a full five stars because of one scene that in my opinion is completely dispensable: the awkward chat between the mother and the Dr. The explanation the Dr gives mom about Ana’s condition is totally uncalled for since one of the staples of this film is the beauty of silence. Apart from that the film is a jewel!

Watching this movie will take you back into your childhood. Your fascination with movies and monsters. You can’t really decipher what all the symbolism and the actual plot is all about, but the way it is filmed is beautiful and poetic. It almost reminded me of Ingmar Bergman’s Fanny & Alexander. We experience the whole movie from a little 5 year old girl named Ana who watches “Frankenstein” There are scenes in this movie that stick into your subconscious, the kids running into the fire, putting their ears to the traintracks, trying to shave their imaginary beards, and putting blood as lipstick. Something about the final ending shot that haunts me…I can’t really explain it.

Elegant cinema that captures the innocence of childhood

I recommend everyone to watch it multiple times.

8.5 out of 10

This film is by now a major classic of international cinema. But there is something else about this film that transcends even that label. It’s a film about a little girl’s childhood told with remarkable simplicity. She is fascinated by Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein which she sees projected one morning at the cinema of her village and loves the monster and calls to it in her heart and her mind. The film also deals with the stories of her parents who have a steady marriage even though they are privately alienated individuals.

Erice’s film is set in Spain just after Franco’s seizure of power and the use of Frankenstein allows him to subtly criticize the community that passively accepted a dictatorship making a world unwelcome for outsiders and curious children. The music is wonderful and the two girls are magnificent.

I can never stop watching this film. Each time I watch it, I see more things. It starts with The film Frankenstein coming into town. And this to me is one of it’s masterful ideas. It STARTS with the film, so we, the viewers have absolutely no idea what the two main characters-Ana and Isabelle-were like before. We ASSUME Ana was a quiet and innocent child, but was she? And what about Isabelle. The film seems to have almost turned her evil. But has it? Has it really? We will never know. The film contains many examples of this type of thing. We don’t really know what is up with the father who is shown writing strange passages on paper about a beehive. Or what about the music watch. In a way, it makes us feel like Ana. We are innocent and confused. We understand the whole of the movie, but not all the little bits. It helps us understand Ana, and oddly, also Isabelle. We see her do strange things, but she isn’t evil. We know she isn’t. Perhaps this is because we look at her with the innocent lens the film hands us. We find try to find the good in her. This is just my reason for loving the film. I’ve read others reviews, and they have different reasons. To me, that is the sign of a great film. This is a work of art that can be viewed on many, many different levels. It’s just wonderful.

This film tells the story of two children growing up in a turbulent time in history at the end of the Spanish Civil War under the regime of Franco. The characters in the film are all trying to escape reality in their own way. It’s a very mysterious, magical and intense experience watching this film. When I first saw it I was very impressed by the way the film was shot. The sound effects are impressive too. An unforgettable film.

There is something mystical about this Spanish film that meshes talk of beehives with traintracks, Frankenstien, & wild mushrooms, and weaves it altogether in a golden hue.

Never know what I felt while watching it, but I know I felt something strong, & afterward I never know how to explain the feeling, perhaps because that mysterious mood it sets is one of wonderment, the curious bliss of innocence we’ve all grown so far away from.

Incredibly engaging. This is one of the few films where I’ve experienced a state of timelessness wherein the duration of the film played zero part of the story. What felt like twenty minutes passed by in fifty.

Also, I went into this film blindly hearing and seeing nothing of it other than it appearing on numerous favorites lists of critics and filmmakers. It was very enchanting and subtly eerie.

I’m excited to see what appears when I peel back the layers of the film on subsequent viewings.

This film is fairly new to me, but has already become one of my all time favorite films. Beehive is a haunting film…life seen through the eyes of a young girl growing up in spain during the end of Franco’s regime. One of the most beautiful films visually that I’ve ever seen. Some critics over the years seem to have a problem with the storyline, saying that this film makes little or no sense. I have to say that if you watch the film with the open mind of a child it makes perfect sense. I’ve never gotten the feeling, while watching the film, that Erice is trying to fool us in anyway with his techniques. I can see why people may feel the need to overthink such a emotionally complex film, but personally I don’t feel such scrutiny is necessary here. One thing that people may miss, especially people unfamiliar with the Spanish Civil War, is just how political this film really is. Erice’s not so in your face methods of talking about politics is really refreshing, even if he used these methods as a last resort. ‘The Spirit of the Beehive’ is essential viewing.

Beautiful cinematography and absolutely natural and convincing performances from the children. Erice certainly captures the awe and wonderstruck innocence of childhood. Undeniably the work of an artist.
BUT
I fell asleep 3 times trying to get through this piece. I hate saying that when the film is so highly regarded. I’m sure I need to see it a few more times but I really was bored to tears sitting through it once. I don’t mind movies that move at a slow burn but I do want my payoff.

The visual delicacy of the film is enchanting, held above a darkness which drives the characters: the mother’s strangeness, the father’s misanthropy, Isabel’s perversions, Ana’s grim, mature brooding. I loved it for the things it didn’t say- the mute civil war rages outside, the silence of the (supposed) supporter of the Republic who is killed in the night, the sorrow of the state Ana’s parents are in when compared to their young smiles in photographs. This film doesn’t say so much as it leaves you in a confused calm with questions, or maybe just with an inexplicable ache. The casting couldn’t have been more perfect either.

I did not care for the film the first time I saw it, but after a second viewing I can understand the claim of it being called a masterpiece. This has been the case for me with many films, including Once Upon a Time in the West and most of Antonioni and Bresson’s films. Spirit of the Beehive shows a village under the thumb of the Franco regime, but mainly concentrates on a fractured family. Both the mother and father have a lifeless marriage and live in their own worlds. Ana has been greatly affected upon viewing Frankenstein and listening to the suggestions of her older sister that the spirit of the Frankenstein monster does exist and will appear when she calls upon him. After the soldier whom Ana thinks is the spirit of Frankenstein has disappeared, Ana believes it is her father’s fault. Indeed, Ana’s world has been taken away from her by adults, just like those who opposed Franco’s regime (including Ana’s parents) have had their hopes and dreams shattered as well. The ending is seemingly hopeful however, as the mother is seen showing affection towards her husband and Ana still believes that the spirit will appear again if she calls him. She has not lost her innocence yet. This is all handled very subtly and the film demands repeat viewings to unravel it’s great power.