I remember watching this movie as a child and being totally enchanted by it, even the obvious English dubbing didn't detract from the quality of the story. It's such a surreal piece, and though a children's fairy tale, often it came across as more of a dark fantasy produced for an older audience, similar in tone to the American film 'Return to Oz', Gerda's stay at the witch's house, and the later scene where she is abducted were rather frightening. As for the snow queen herself, she is depicted as beautiful but more than human powerful female, the stuff of nightmares! Not long after I read the original Hans Christian Handerson tale, and although I enjoyed it I felt the movie to be superior, so if you ever get the chance to see this Finnish masterpiece don't pass it up!
3 Reviews
remarkable
Kirpianuscus23 December 2017
After many adaptations of Andersen fairy tale, it seems not real posible for a new film to give something new. but "Lumikuningatar" does that. in admirable manner. first virtue - the actors and theirs good performances. the second - the landscapes. not the last - the cultural references. and the tension. and, sure, the Snow Queen, remembering Kabuku theater. a film who gives new sparkles to a well known story. in delicate, precise, convincing manner. and this defines this film who preserves the flavor of old text, proposing its individuality as the inspied way for enrichi the universe fascinating generation by generation. it is not easy to say than is the best adaptation or a memorable one. it is enough to define it as remarkable. because this is the right word for this real beautiful film.
Strangely amateur dramatics like, but sumptuous colour take on old HC Anderson tale
Bofsensai6 December 2018
Warning: Spoilers
This film is of note to its production country as it won its nation's equivalent of the Oscar (the 'Jussi') back in its release time, but seen now (recently remastered re- released etc.) strikes as either some sort of amateur dramatics children's theatrical production, or a sort of surreal oddity, and probably may be far better experienced if one's senses have been somehow, ah, heightened ....: as the colours are indeed striking, but, o lor' the pacing and production are just so, er, well, weird.
The eponymous Snow Queen - Satu Silvio under a sort of Bowie / Kemp era Kabuki play like make up - herself dosen't feature as much as the titling would lead you to expect, and when she does turn up, mostly gesticulates in a sort of early Kate Bush dancing style. Instead, this story, adapted from famed H.C. Anderson's tale by director Paivi Hartzell - (although plus with a coupla others) - mostly focuses on two children's odyssey of loss and reconciliation over a music box (stumbled (fallen!) upon in the coastline sand dunes), with some indeterminately magical buttons (?) - so mostly features a young Outi Vanionkulma in apparently her only starring role as Kerttu, along with less featured Sebastion Kaatrasalo as her abducted by the titular Snow Queen for strange crown wearing powers, heroic boyfriend, Kai. (then just c.13*)
The oddity is that despite presumably similar aged (*c.10-12 or thereabouts?), throughout Kerttu (Outi) is rather disconcertingly, adultly-like face make-upped (e.g. shiny lipsticked, eyelashes highlighted etc.) that at times it makes you wonder, if not who this was aimed at - that's a given: it's a children's film - then what sort of viewership it might have latterly somewhat uncomfortably acquired as a sort of notoriety appeal to ... ! (Somewhat akin to those notorious US toddler pageant shows that so pervesrely, ah 'age inappropriately', doll them up.) Since not only that, but latterly Kai (Sebastion) is even clad out in upper torso quasi S&M gear (courtesy of costume designer Reija Hirvikoski) that would seem to have taken a subliminal (as surely, no doubt, quite unintended!) inspiration from fellow countryman Touko Laaksonen (who? = aka notorious gay icon 'Tom of Finland'!)
Not only that, but at times the writing and story are just borderline odd: e.g. as when Kerttu is abducted by a band of plunderers - just incidentally including one of the same nation's most notorious singer-songwriters for weird transgressive lyrics, too; Ismo Alanko - whose leader (the Prince? Paavo Westerberg, I believe) although at first also menacing her, latterly beds down with her (to sleep! = "Go to sleep" he demands) but along with the reassurance of: "You're a nice little Princess. I'll see they don't marry you unless you vex me." What?
But credit where credit is fairly due to Reija as costumer and production designer, for some great theatrical styling costuming (guardians of both the Snow Queen's domain and Witch's boys creepily 'stand' out), but if also of her, similarly the make up, too e.g. to the baddy women (three of 'em, not including the titular Queen) in particular as e.g. Tuula Nyman as the 'Witch' especially, all panto theatrical melodramatic menacing eye-rolling, and for whom its presumably target audience of youngsters, comes across as most suitably fearful; and so for those innocent with their uncritical eye, such baddy portrayals are delivered in quite a thrilling frightening way, so that along with the sumptuous colour pallettes on display, reminds of sort of like the notorious equally supposedly innocent 'Singing Ringing Tree' German children's TV programming from the late fifties, also similarly so disconcerting in all its unintended meancing weirdness.
Which means, today, if your senses are somehow, ere, augmented, this could come across as visually stupendous: otherwise, on its own though, just a tad 'what was all that' plain weird.
The eponymous Snow Queen - Satu Silvio under a sort of Bowie / Kemp era Kabuki play like make up - herself dosen't feature as much as the titling would lead you to expect, and when she does turn up, mostly gesticulates in a sort of early Kate Bush dancing style. Instead, this story, adapted from famed H.C. Anderson's tale by director Paivi Hartzell - (although plus with a coupla others) - mostly focuses on two children's odyssey of loss and reconciliation over a music box (stumbled (fallen!) upon in the coastline sand dunes), with some indeterminately magical buttons (?) - so mostly features a young Outi Vanionkulma in apparently her only starring role as Kerttu, along with less featured Sebastion Kaatrasalo as her abducted by the titular Snow Queen for strange crown wearing powers, heroic boyfriend, Kai. (then just c.13*)
The oddity is that despite presumably similar aged (*c.10-12 or thereabouts?), throughout Kerttu (Outi) is rather disconcertingly, adultly-like face make-upped (e.g. shiny lipsticked, eyelashes highlighted etc.) that at times it makes you wonder, if not who this was aimed at - that's a given: it's a children's film - then what sort of viewership it might have latterly somewhat uncomfortably acquired as a sort of notoriety appeal to ... ! (Somewhat akin to those notorious US toddler pageant shows that so pervesrely, ah 'age inappropriately', doll them up.) Since not only that, but latterly Kai (Sebastion) is even clad out in upper torso quasi S&M gear (courtesy of costume designer Reija Hirvikoski) that would seem to have taken a subliminal (as surely, no doubt, quite unintended!) inspiration from fellow countryman Touko Laaksonen (who? = aka notorious gay icon 'Tom of Finland'!)
Not only that, but at times the writing and story are just borderline odd: e.g. as when Kerttu is abducted by a band of plunderers - just incidentally including one of the same nation's most notorious singer-songwriters for weird transgressive lyrics, too; Ismo Alanko - whose leader (the Prince? Paavo Westerberg, I believe) although at first also menacing her, latterly beds down with her (to sleep! = "Go to sleep" he demands) but along with the reassurance of: "You're a nice little Princess. I'll see they don't marry you unless you vex me." What?
But credit where credit is fairly due to Reija as costumer and production designer, for some great theatrical styling costuming (guardians of both the Snow Queen's domain and Witch's boys creepily 'stand' out), but if also of her, similarly the make up, too e.g. to the baddy women (three of 'em, not including the titular Queen) in particular as e.g. Tuula Nyman as the 'Witch' especially, all panto theatrical melodramatic menacing eye-rolling, and for whom its presumably target audience of youngsters, comes across as most suitably fearful; and so for those innocent with their uncritical eye, such baddy portrayals are delivered in quite a thrilling frightening way, so that along with the sumptuous colour pallettes on display, reminds of sort of like the notorious equally supposedly innocent 'Singing Ringing Tree' German children's TV programming from the late fifties, also similarly so disconcerting in all its unintended meancing weirdness.
Which means, today, if your senses are somehow, ere, augmented, this could come across as visually stupendous: otherwise, on its own though, just a tad 'what was all that' plain weird.
See also
Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews
