The Spirit Of The Beehive
1973
Taking place in 1940's Spain; a country dealing with the aftermath of a divisive civil war, THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE is a haunting tale of life as seen through the eyes of a child. A travelling cinema comes to a small Spanish village to screen James Whale's film FRANKENSTEIN. A small girl, Ana, becomes entranced with Boris .. Read more
| Starring | Ana Torrent, Isabel Telleria, Fernando Fernan Gomez, Teresa Gimpera |
|---|---|
| Director | Victor Erice |
| Genres | Drama, World Cinema |
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The Spirit Of The Beehive
Taking place in 1940's Spain; a country dealing with the aftermath of a divisive civil war, THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE is a haunting tale of life as seen through the eyes of a child. A travelling cinema comes to a small Spanish village to screen James Whale's film FRANKENSTEIN. A small girl, Ana, becomes entranced with Boris Karloff's monster in the film, and has a burning desire to meet him. When she cannot find the monster she transfers this desire into looking after a wounded army deserter.
| Starring | Ana Torrent, Isabel Telleria, Fernando Fernan Gomez, Teresa Gimpera |
|---|---|
| Director | Victor Erice |
| Studio | OPTIMUM HOME ENTERTAINMENT |
| Run time | DVD: 1 hr 33 mins |
| Certificate | |
| Genres | Drama, World Cinema |
| Language | Spanish |
| Subtitles | English |
| Released | DVD: 27 Oct 2003 Production year: 1973 |
| Format | DVD |
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Critics' reviews (5)
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Set in 1940, Victor Erice's remarkable debut is a controlled assault on the indolence into which Spain slipped under Franco, and a biting allegory on the evil of which the seemingly benevolent state could be capable. A vision of trust and gentleness, Ana Torrent is enchanting as the small girl who watches Frankenstein and becomes fascinated by the monster, mistakenly believing that its spirit is embodied in the fugitive soldier she has befriended. It is her way of trying to alleviate the misery of life in her post-Civil War village. Told with a disarming realism and simplicity, this charming film is one of the gems of Spanish cinema.
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"...Exceptional and atmospheric - an audacious critique of the ruinous legacy of the Spanish civil war..." (David Parkinson)
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Most helpful member's review
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12 out of 13 people found this review helpful
Avoiding Franco
This film avoids using too many words to say something important about innocence and imagination in Franco's Spain. Made two years before Franco died, the film uses a story about children and their relationship with a beekeeping father to contrast totalitarianism with childhood. Might seem a bit slow if you're not into symbolism! Watch for child actress Ana Torrent (see Amenebar's 'Tesis' to see more of her as a grown up, not to mention an engaging film)
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Most recent members' review
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8 out of 9 people found this review helpful
Haunting and enigmatic
I've really no idea what this film was about but don't care. The sense of time and place (1940's rural Spain) is superb and the performances - especially the two girls - riveting. What starts as a fairly lighthearted dissection of a bygone age gradually gets much darker, even supernatural, by the end.
One of those films that stays in the mind for a long time afterwards, raising questions about the nature of relationships, reality and growing up.
Highly reccomended. -
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Taking place in 1940's Spain; a country dealing with the aftermath of a divisive civil war, THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE is a haunting tale of life as seen through the eyes of a child. A travelling ... -