Fresh
It's a film that transports us back not just to the sights and sounds of childhood but to a core of sweet innocence and sometimes ignorant bliss.
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
The Spirit of the Beehive
1973 · 1h 39m · Not Rated
Drama, Fantasy
Directed by
Víctor Erice
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The Spirit of the Beehive
Overview
In 1940, in the immediate aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, a young girl living on the Castilian plain is haunted after attending a screening of James Whale's 1931 film Frankenstein and hearing from her sister that the monster is not dead, instead existing as a spirit inhabiting a nearby barn.
Director and cast
- Víctor Erice Director
- Ana Torrent as Ana
- Fernando Fernán Gómez as Fernando
- Teresa Gimpera as Teresa
- Isabel Tellería as Isabel
- Laly Soldevila as Doña Lucía
- Miguel Picazo as Médico
- José Villasante as Frankenstein
- Juan Margallo as Fugitivo
- Estanis González as Guardia civil
- Ketty de la Cámara as Milagros, la criada
Critics on Rotten Tomatoes
Top critics, in their words
93%
Tomatometer
Fresh
This is a modest marvel of grace and framing that unfolds with the patience of a cloud and is driven more by wonder than pure emotion.
Wesley Morris, Boston Globe
Fresh
Those who haven't seen it since the '70s may find themselves amazed all over again by its lyrical potency and grace; those who have never seen it may wonder how it can be that a film this great isn't shown somewhere all the time.
Terry Lawson, Detroit Free Press
Fresh
Screening in a new print so pristine you forget that this film is 33 years old, Spirit of the Beehive sweeps you into its quiet world.
Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times
Fresh
Takes place at the particular intersection of reality and fantasy defined by youthful moviegoing.
A.O. Scott, New York Times
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