My Take on the Movies - THE BROTHERS GRIMM
The Brothers Grimm (2005) is a strange conglomeration of nearly every fairy tale recalled from our collective childhood. There are wolves and toads and gingerbread men, enchanted forests and mirrors and bewitched queens, all woven into a very loosely biographical story of the lives of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, actual brothers who were born in Hanau, Germany in 1785 and 1786, respectively.
Jacob and Wilhelm are played by Heath Ledger (Monster’s Ball - 2001) and Matt Damon (The Bourne Supremacy - 2004). They are portrayed as curse-reversing charlatans who travel the countryside vanquishing bogus witches and fiends for their living. They are aided and abetted in this trickery by Hidlick and Bunst (Mackenzie Crook and Richard Ridings), who have about as much brains as they have heart. On their travels, the crafty Brothers keep notes of all of the regional legends they encounter, which supposedly are then turned into the various translations of The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm.
The Brothers, demon-hunters extraordinaire, are called upon to solve the disappearances of several young girls, in the midst of France’s occupation of Germany. They must contend with the hopes of the German people, and the threat of the French army. All of this takes place while they are being drawn into the final phases of a years-long spell that is nearing its evil fruition.
Angelika , the heroine of this story, is played by Lena Headley (who appeared in the 1997 Mrs. Dalloway and in about a dozen other films since). She also plays the love interest of Jacob, and naturally must double as a princess. Peter Stormare (Constantine - 2005) plays Cavaldi, a wig-wearing buffoon who is put in charge of the Brothers, and many times stands in the way of their progress.
I must admit that half of the time I did not know what was going on, and a quarter of the time it was so dark I could not clearly see what was happening. I suppose this all adds to the atmosphere of the sometimes “grim” stories. Who does not like a good scare, now and then?
The film was directed by Terry Gilliam, who also directed Monty Python (1996), The Fisher King (1991), and one of my favorites, Time Bandits (1981).
Those of you who enjoy children’s literature may like to see this one, just to test your powers of observation — and your memory.
[© 08/28/2005]
Jacob and Wilhelm are played by Heath Ledger (Monster’s Ball - 2001) and Matt Damon (The Bourne Supremacy - 2004). They are portrayed as curse-reversing charlatans who travel the countryside vanquishing bogus witches and fiends for their living. They are aided and abetted in this trickery by Hidlick and Bunst (Mackenzie Crook and Richard Ridings), who have about as much brains as they have heart. On their travels, the crafty Brothers keep notes of all of the regional legends they encounter, which supposedly are then turned into the various translations of The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm.
The Brothers, demon-hunters extraordinaire, are called upon to solve the disappearances of several young girls, in the midst of France’s occupation of Germany. They must contend with the hopes of the German people, and the threat of the French army. All of this takes place while they are being drawn into the final phases of a years-long spell that is nearing its evil fruition.
Angelika , the heroine of this story, is played by Lena Headley (who appeared in the 1997 Mrs. Dalloway and in about a dozen other films since). She also plays the love interest of Jacob, and naturally must double as a princess. Peter Stormare (Constantine - 2005) plays Cavaldi, a wig-wearing buffoon who is put in charge of the Brothers, and many times stands in the way of their progress.
I must admit that half of the time I did not know what was going on, and a quarter of the time it was so dark I could not clearly see what was happening. I suppose this all adds to the atmosphere of the sometimes “grim” stories. Who does not like a good scare, now and then?
The film was directed by Terry Gilliam, who also directed Monty Python (1996), The Fisher King (1991), and one of my favorites, Time Bandits (1981).
Those of you who enjoy children’s literature may like to see this one, just to test your powers of observation — and your memory.
[© 08/28/2005]
posted by A. L. "Toni" Anderson at 12:11 AM
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