Directed by:
Matteo GarroneCinematography:
Peter SuschitzkyComposer:
Alexandre DesplatCast:
Salma Hayek, Vincent Cassel, John C. Reilly, Stacy Martin, Shirley Henderson, Toby Jones, Alba Rohrwacher, Guillaume Delaunay, Bebe Cave, Giselda Volodi (more)VOD (3)
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Selected for Official Competition at the Cannes Film Festival, Tale of Tales is an epic vision of cinema from Matteo Garrone (Gomorrah), inspired by the Italian fairytales of medieval Naples. From the bitter quest of a jealous Queen (Salma Hayek) who forfeits the life of her husband, to two mysterious sisters who provoke the passion of a King (Vincent Cassel), to a King obsessed with a giant Flea leading to heartbreak for his young daughter, these stories weave the beautiful with the grotesque, creating a stunning and unique work of gothic imagination. (Madman Entertainment)
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Reviews (8)
The only thing keeping it from perfection is a more expressive musical score and more spectacular set design. Script-wise, it's quite bold and coolly avoids schematic fairy tale narratives, which I definitely applaud. There is some tasteless nudity here and there (slightly evoking East German porn of the 80s), but it's probably worth noting that this depiction actually fits the overall decadent concept quite well. Original and self-conscious, quite non-mainstream, and wacky. Still, quite watchable.
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Watching Tale of Tales, I couldn't help but think of German Romanticism, the tales of the Brothers Grimm's or the texts of E.T.A. Hoffmann. Matteo Garrone's film is an evocative audio-visual spectacle with many wonderful locations and costumes that take the viewer back to a time long past, to a fairy tale world of kings, servants and various creatures. Each of the three stories appealed to me for its fantastical rawness and unpredictability. Despite its innocent title, this is definitely not a film for the youngest of audiences, children would quite possibly struggle with nightmares after the screening. A truly noteworthy film that, despite its "adult" treatment, retains its fairytale wisdom and lessons, like the struggle between good and evil, boundless selflessness, (un)safe love or the superficial judgement of "a book by its cover".
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The return of great Italian filmmaking, with some of the most famous faces of world cinema? At first glance, I thought it would be a cheap affair without any originality, but this is beautifully visually executed, with the essence of real fairy tales, or rather horror stories, that people have loved and still love. Quite a surprise!
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This fairy tale that is one of the best has an obvious (and thanks to Desplat also in terms of voice) potential to become another annual regular Christmas favorite movie. However, exclusively on Czech TV art channel, because the slow-paced local settings carefully follow the style of the originals of even today well-known fairy tales, which certainly were neither too kind nor easy to watch. And it is exactly this true (dark) not glamorized and horror-like side that is as fascinating (especially with regard to the amazing visual qualities) that makes it really hard for a conservative family to gather and watch it together without any harm.
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(50th KVIFF) A unique spectacle. A beautifully narrative film with breathtaking visuals, where in one moment you’ll be so surprised and dazzled by the beauty captured on screen that you won’t be able to look away. At times a cracking comedy that made the whole theatre burst in laughter, at times a brutal and scary horror flick. I don’t know which of the three stories I liked best because each one has something going for it. The Neapolitan fairy-tales are quite something. 85 %
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