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RED RIDING HOOD (2011): Love Child of Twilight and Sleepy Hollow

April 21st 2011 09:21

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An updated version of a well-known Brothers Grimm fairytale, Red Riding Hood was directed by none other than Catherine Hardwicke, of Twilight fame. Hardwicke certainly does have some affinity for the dark woods, mysterious mists and monsters hiding in the shadows as well as romantic virginal panting. To heighten the déjà vu effect she also invited some of Twilight’s cast along for the ride, like Billy Burke (better known as Bella’s dad). Actually, the cast is rather impressive and features Gary Oldman (Dracula, Harry Potter movies) and Lukas Haas (Witness, Brick, Inception) as a couple of priests (this alone is worth the admission price in my view), Virginia Madsen (Sideways, Dune) as Red’s mother and Julie Christie (Don’t Look Now, Finding Neverland, Away From Her) as Grandma – who wouldn’t want to have her as their grandmother? All these good genes!

Red Riding Hood Billy Burke Julie Christie Virginia Madsen

Billy Burke, Virginia Madsen and Julie Christie in Red Riding Hood

Red Riding Hood herself however, portrayed by the mercurially attractive big eyed, long-haired Amanda Seyfried (Mamma Mia, Jennifer’s Body) is a piece of work. Better known as Valerie, she is head strong, independent, doesn’t mind killing bunny rabbits and generally seems uninterested in making the “good girl” cut. She is popular with the boys too: promised to the thoughtful and rich son of a blacksmith, Henry Lazar (Max Irons, yes the son of Jeremy Irons and Sinéad Cusack, and he looks it too) who is smitten with her, she would rather play with axes and run off with bad boy woodcutter Peter (Shiloh Fernandez, strangely reminiscent of a younger Joaquin Phoenix). But then her sister gets killed by the wolf, becoming just another victim in the long line of bodies left behind by this bloodthirsty menace of the village.

Red Riding Hood Max Irons and Shiloh Fernandez

Red's two Romeos: Max Irons and Shiloh Fernandez plus some rather phallic lookig fencing, wonder what's that about?

The medieval setting of the story is complete with thorny trees, quaint wooden cottages covered in snow, bonfires, dysfunctional family relationships, prejudice, a village idiot and all. Oldman, as the all-knowing Father Solomon, arrives into this isolated village much like the circus, with an entourage of exotic black warriors and an ominous elephant-shaped furnace, camping it up in purple velvet while clearly not having quite yet dropped his Transylvanian accent from Dracula. He freelances as a righteous witch-hunter and the village people are in for a rough time until the beast can be found.

Gary Oldman and Lukas Haas in Red Riding Hood

Gary Oldman and Lukas Haas being priestly in Red Riding Hood

Films like these are certainly enjoyable on a dark thundery night; low on dialogue, high on visuals, twisted macabre details and Halloween-style art direction, steeping you in a mysterious fantasy world vaguely remembered from childhood nightmares. We love fairy tales for their archetypal themes relevant to everyone’s lives, where tough choices need to be made, bravery shown in the face of apparently insurmountable adversity, love pitted against economic interest and social norms, and the ever present threat from a dark, outer force that is really hiding within and must be unearthed, conquered and slain - so the inner hero can be revealed.

Red (Amanda Seyfried) on her way to Grandma’s cabin in Red Riding Hood

How this gothic revamp (sorry, can’t resist a bad pun) of a classic fairytale is ultimately resolved might not be to everyone’s liking, but a truly effective new twist on an old tale is really hard to manage, so let’s not let overblown expectations spoil the toothy fun, again.