While Matteo Garrone‘s "Tale Of Tales" made a starry debut on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival last spring, it didn’t seem to bowl over critics. While we called it "engrossing and entertaining," we also noted it was more of an in-the-moment pleasure. Still, with this cast and what look to be some unforgettable visuals, the picture looks like one that’s still worth tracking down.
The latest from the director of "Gomorrah" is based on the 17th-century fairy stories of Giambattista Basile, with Salma Hayek, John C. Reilly, Vincent Cassel, Shirley Henderson, Stacy Martin and Toby Jones starring in the wildly fantastical film. Here’s the official synopsis:
Sea monsters, monarchs, ogres, and sorcerers: Salma Hayek and John C. Reilly star in this breathtaking Baroque fantasy from the visionary director of Gomorrah. Based on three spellbinding stories of magic and the macabre by 17th-century folklorist Giambattista Basile, Tale of Tales unleashes a barrage of mind-bogglingly gorgeous and fantastical imagery as it brings to life the (mis)adventures of three kings: in the kingdom of Darkwood, the King (Reilly) and his Queen (Hayek) attempt to conceive a child through very unusual means; meanwhile, in Highhills, the none-too-bright monarch (Toby Jones) marries off his daughter to brutal ogre while developing a strange obsession with breeding a giant flea; and, the sex-obsessed crown of Strongcliff (Vincent Cassel) is in for a shock when the woman he falls in love with is not quite what she seems. Overflowing with surreal, dazzling surprises, this intoxicating cinematic spectacle is a delirious excursion into the dark heart of fairy tales.
"Tale Of Tales" is now available on DirecTV and will open in limited and On Demand on April 22nd. Watch the new U.S. trailer below.
While Matteo Garrone‘s "Tale Of Tales" made a starry debut on the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival last spring, it didn’t seem to bowl over critics. While we called it "engrossing and entertaining," we also noted it was more of an in-the-moment pleasure. Still, with this cast and what look to be some unforgettable visuals, the picture looks like one that’s still worth tracking down.