Gretel and Hansel is based on the Brother's Grimm fairy tale published in 1812, which means copyright law is no longer applicable and the film's writer Rob Hayes had carte blanche to reinterpret and reimagined the story any way he saw fit to choose. He made the film's narrative feminist, Gretel in this version is much older than Hansel, of about several years, and as such oversees her brother as he loyally follows behind her. Its is a coming of age from childhood to womanhood both symbolically and by the maturation of the films inevitable conclusion. The Director, Oz Perkins is a relative newcomer to cinema, Gretel and Hansel mark's his third film.
What make Perkins a stand out is the scenery, and the cinematography. The framing of the shot is mostly centered giving space all around the focal object or person, giving a sense of isolation and uneasiness. The color scheme is just fantastic because Perkins chooses to film his subjects relatively close as the camera lens appears fully extended wide so you see the landscape and the changing of colors in the fall, and the colors of the ground and the mud or dirty or water stream with a level of tree trunks and branches all of which giving a completely different horizon of hue of color, though all but perfectly layered. Cinematographer Galo Olivares, had just come off work With Alfonso Cuaron's Roma as a camera operator and cinematography collaborator and the experience he gained from working closely with Alfonso is shown here in Gretel and Hansel, the movie plays almost hypnotically to its viewing audience.
The Premise - Gretel and Hansel have been kicked out of their home by their insane mother a widow or single mother; there was a severe economic down turn and she cannot support her children, In brother Grimm fashion the mother tells Gretel to take Hansel and go out and dig two graves as they will surely die out in the wilderness, and if either should return back she will chop them up with her axe. Gretel had tried to find work, but their perspective and wealthy employer would have implied intentions on her maidenhood. So forced to be on their own in the woods the duo meet a woodsman who gives them shelter one night and gives them a food and directions, but warns of the dangers in their journey. Ultimately the children arrive at the home of Holda who invites them to eat her over abundance of food and provides refuge, Gretel offers her services of work in exchange of the their temporary room and board. Gretel begins to have visions and senses things are not as they seem with Holda, while coming into her own as a woman. There is a childhood fable that Gretel tells Hansel that comes to light and the visions begin to ramp up all around Gretel and Hansel.
Its a slow burn, with a single jump scare, the gory and graphic nature of the film is relatively subdued for a more focus with the mood of a scene, and how the score by Robin Coudert gives the film its incredibly intense uneasiness. It was one of the first films to be released in January 2020, and in time Gretel and Hansel could possible have a cult like following.
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