I love this film! I’ve seen it half a dozen times. With the costumes, the rich setting, the new take on an age old fairytale, an ‘evil’ queen the viewer can relate to, played by Ms. Legend herself, Sigourney Weaver, and a hot love interest for Snow White who isn’t a prince, what’s not to like?
Frederick Hoffman’s (Sam Neill) wife is killed tragically in a carriage accident right at the start, and he remarries the beautiful Claudia (Weaver), but his daughter Lilli (Monica Keena) doesn’t take too well to the new woman in her life, who in all fairness does try to get along with her at first. Lilli grows up to be beautiful and quite rude to her stepmother. The spiteful Lilli even upstages Claudia when she’s singing in front of her kingdom, by prancing in wearing her dead mother’s wedding dress. Bitch! No wonder her stepmom has issues with her.
Claudia can’t help but notice Frederick’s adoration for his daughter who resembles his dead wife, and his total lack of attention for her musical performance. She becomes quite upset, and soon after goes into premature labour. Her son is stillborn, leaving her devastated, and it’s her wicked mirror that offers comfort, laying all the blame on the spoiled stepchild. Everything is Lilli’s fault, of course, and so begins the traditional tale of Snow White heading off into the woods, running for her life from the huntsman (in this case, Claudia’s brother), fleeing to freedom and finding refuge in a house in the middle of the forest. The seven men who live in the house are not too happy to return to find her sleeping in their home, and one or two of them have a seedy gleam in their eye when they gaze upon the princess. Will (Gil Bellows) immediately stands out as a potential love interest for Lilli.
Snow White: A Tale of Terror is a story for grown ups. It’s darker than the original fairytale, and much better than the recent adaptation with Kristen Stewart (in my opinion anyway). You may recognise Lilli from Dawson’s Creek. She played wild Abby who fell into the creek one episode after one too many drinks with Jen. The handsome Will played Billy in Ally McBeal, but he is much, much more attractive in Snow White. The spark between Will and Lilli is instant, but he’s not that into spoiled, prissy princesses, and Lilli doesn’t like dirty savages. Never fear; they get over these qualms in time.
I like my fairytales a little darker, and this does the job nicely. *****
Anyone seen this one?
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Emma's Ramblings on Supernatural Fiction 
I LOVE this film!! So happy you loved it, too, Emma! 🙂 (great review!)
Thanks, Silvia. I was thinking about it after I went to see Snow White and the Huntsman, and thought it was time I watched this old gem again.
When you said Sigourney Weaver in Snow White, I thought, I don’t remember this, then I read on and it flooded back. It is indeed a great film, loved it, and what a cast it had.
The cast was great. Thanks for stopping by Karl.
I haven’t seen it yet, but it’s on my Netflix instant queue. Your review is making me bump it up in front of some of the other movies on there. In fact, I might watch it tonight! Thanks for the review. 🙂
Did you end up watching it? It probably seems a bit dated now. Think it was shot in 1997. Sigourney Weaver was so good in it.
I did watch it. It was an awesome movie!
I have never even heard of this movie, but I’m going to put it into my queue as soon as I leave this comment. I like my fairytales dark or shiny, as long as they end happily ever after. Even if they don’t as long as the bad guy gets it in the end, then I’m okay.
I’m glad I brought it to people’s attention. Don’t worry, Tameri. As dark as this film gets, it does end with a happily ever after.
I’ve never heard of this film but I’m so going to look it up now! Great review.
Hope you like it Trish.
Oooooh, I had no idea this existed! Thanks. 🙂
You learn something new every day, Becky. 🙂
Glad I’m not the only one who has never heard of it..but I’m going to make an effort to find it, because it sounds really good! It’s hard to believe that something with Sigourney Weaver and Sam Neill didn’t get advertised. Thanks for the review. Always looking for something different to watch. 🙂
I know; the cast was really great ,yet this film flew under the radar. If you get around to watching it, let me know what you thought, Kristy.
Never saw this one! I’ll have to check it out 🙂
Haven’t seen this one. With Sigourney Weaver in it, sounds like a winner. Thanks
Hope you get the chance to check it out.
Thanks for the review. I will have to check this one out. I completely skipped Snow White and the Huntsman because a friend told me it was so bad.
I came across this movie title when I was doing a little research for my book and I thought, “Didn’t Emma just write a review on this?” I had never heard of it, but after watching the trailer and reading your review, I am definitely going to Netflix this.
Hope you enjoy it. Sigourney is great in it.
Did anyone notice the door of the evil closet closing at the end of the movie. The door seemed to shut close upon the final scene of Will, Lilli and Frederick. I have searched to see if anyone else noticed. My curiosity is, are they inside the closet (the mirror), trapped without knowing. Seems to me that the director may have left this as a possibility for the audience to make its own choice. If anyone is still watching this blog I would be interested to here your opinion.
I can’t remember that – I’ll have to go back and watch it. I never would have thought of that. I suppose I just wanted a happy ending after all the darkness.