☆ Entry 016: Snow Queen

[michilovesyou]

Let Winter Rule Always


Rating:


It's been a while since my last review and I have missed it. I thought carefully about what I wanted to write about and I decided to write about one of my favorite movies as a child, Snow Queen. It is a movie adapted from Hans Christian Andersen's story of the same title. He has been my favorite author since I was young, so it probably doesn't come to a surprise that I've seen it. At first I was going to do a comparison of the original story and the movie, but the two stories are so different. They have a few things similar like the names and probably a bit of the flow, but I can't help but want to separate the movie completely and watch it as it is. It would not be fair to compare it to the original since they didn't really follow the same flow at all.

Looking back, I remember I was worried at first about what they would do to the story. I had been afraid that the story would take a route similar to that of Twlight which is more on the romance than the journey itself. I was also afraid that it would go on a too teeny-bopish route too. It did, but not in a way that made it feel cringing.

I loved the cinematography and the costuming. I think that it is an impressive production for its time. The movie was done very prettily and I have a weakness for pretty things. I also like the actors fine and believe that they are well-cast. I especially like the Gerda because she does have the perfect look of the girl I pictured the innocent Gerda. The OST could have been better maybe. I didn't hate the OST, but I think it was my least favorite aspect of the movie.


Gerda and Kai

I will begin with the lovely Gerda. From the very beginning, I was taken by her looks and yes, I am that shallow at times. At first I had been worried because she had barely changed her expression. I was afraid that she would be a repeat of Kristen Stewart. As the story continued, she changed that and began showing more presence. It doesn't hurt that she looked beautiful in any outfit you put on her. Whether it is a beautiful ballgown or stolen peasant clothes. Is she memorable? I thought so. I haven't seen this movie for many years and yet I can never forget her in this movie.

Kai was definitely cute. I couldn't believe he was 18, but I don't think he is a miscast. I thought he played the character of Kai very well. He played different faces and it couldn't be easy to do. My favorite part was when he skated inside the hotel while Gerda was watching. It made me laugh and it showed the boy-next-door charm that I think the movie was aiming for.


The Snow Queen

The name Snow Queen had always been attractive to me. I watched Chronicles of Narnia because I saw how beautiful the Tilda Swinton was as the White Witch (Snow Queen in some versions). I have always respected Bridget Fonda. The first time I watched this movie years ago was because I saw her name on the cover. She was a gorgeous Snow Queen. I found no flaws in her acting-wise. She was seductive, coy, mean and cold at all the right moments. I think Bridget Fonda did a very good job.

There are four other characters that I feel that I should mention. These are the three other seasons aka sisters of the Snow Queen and my favorite character in the movie, the Wandering Conjurer.


The Spring Witch

As a kid, the Spring Witch had been my favorite character. I loved her dollhouse and her pretty clothes. Back then, I would have been more than happy to stay with her if I had been Gerda. It is funny that now that I am older, I do see that she is a bit strange. The first time I saw this, my first impression was that she was probably lonely. That had not changed and it made me wish that there was a way I could help her feel less so.


Summer Princess

This probably won't come to much of a surprise, but the Summer Princess is definitely my my present favorite season. It isn't just because of the obvious luxury of her kingdom but I find the fact that they can project dreams like a movie is interesting. Then again, since recently I have been dreaming about zombies and survival it might not be the best thing to project.

I found the Summer Princess very beautiful, so I later began to do research on her actress. Her name is Kira Clavell and she is a model. It was a surprise to read that she has not only a mix of different Spanish and Asian blood. One of them happened to be Filipino.


Autumn Robber

Since I do not approve of killing and robbing, I was not too fond of the Autumn Robber. Like all the seasons, I found her beautiful and I do like her for being so caring to her own daughter. I do see that she is a good person, but out of the three I have to say that she is my least favorite.


Chang, the Wandering Conjurer

I adore Chang. He is the little boy/magician that Gerda rescued from inside his magical box during the Summer Princess Arc. It was easy to tell that he care about Gerda and I found it very sweet that he helped her escape despite the fact that he might never be able to perform at the Summer Palace again because of the act of treason he committed. Maybe he is one of those characters that was older than he looked or acted. Until there is a confirmation, my impression of Chang is that he an absolutely adorable and brave young boy.

For many people, this movie might be a bit too long since it runs for almost three hours. While watching it, even I had to pause it to stretch my legs a few times. If you are looking for a good fantasy movie adaptation, this is a good watch. However, if you can't stand long periods of talking or movies with very minimal action scenes then this is not the movie for you. This is for those who love classical literature, happily-ever-afters, fairy tales or maybe wish to see a timeless classic told in a different light.