The Spirit of the Beehive (El Espíritu de la colmena) (1973)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Bob S

  
  If only they had better monster makeup. I jest - wonderful film.

• Drew S

  
  A young person learning about death is universal, but here in Spirit of the Beehive it's filtered into a very specific situation: a girl coming to grips with mortality in the shadow of the Spanish Civil War, through a viewing of James Whale's Frankenstein. Perhaps not the… More
  A young person learning about death is universal, but here in Spirit of the Beehive it's filtered into a very specific situation: a girl coming to grips with mortality in the shadow of the Spanish Civil War, through a viewing of James Whale's Frankenstein. Perhaps not the most relatable set of circumstances, Victor Erice renders it accessible for all audiences by his austere visual style and cute-as-a-button Ana Torrent. A bit ponderous and maybe sort of de-oxygenated (why so many pauses?), but potent at the end of it all.

• Jan Marc M

  
  Symbolically critical of post-civil war Spain, The Spirit Of The Beehive is a Victor Erice work that features young Ana and her curiosity. Gorgeous cinematography. Graceful performances. Exceptional.

• Michael S

  
  Slow and somber film with gorgeous cinematography and one of the most captivating performances by a child I've ever seen (Ana Torrent). "The Spirit of the Beehive," ripe with symbolism, plays less like a standard film than it does a reflection or meditation on many… More
  Slow and somber film with gorgeous cinematography and one of the most captivating performances by a child I've ever seen (Ana Torrent). "The Spirit of the Beehive," ripe with symbolism, plays less like a standard film than it does a reflection or meditation on many subjects, most of all the impressionistic vulnerability of a child. Each shot takes it's time, and each scene is a feast for the senses. It's not really a completely cohesive narrative (neither is life), but that wasn't really Erice's intention; he wanted to observe these characters in a specific place, in a specific time so everything not being neat and tidy is understandable. A moving, beautiful film, "The Spirit of the Beehive" isn't a perfect "movie," but it is a masterpiece in it's own right.

• Ken S

  
  Beautifully shot and acted, this dreamy lyrical story unfolds almost poetically. That said, the film did little for me personally. Perhaps it was my mood when watching it, but I had to struggle to pay attention.

• Tim S

  
  An absolutely gorgeous film. Some of the shots in this film are like works of art you could stare at for hours. It also features some of the most naturalistic performances by children that I have ever seen. A must for any Malik fans, considering many know Erice as the Spanish version.… More
  An absolutely gorgeous film. Some of the shots in this film are like works of art you could stare at for hours. It also features some of the most naturalistic performances by children that I have ever seen. A must for any Malik fans, considering many know Erice as the Spanish version. You could watch this thing on mute and it's still breathtaking.

• Rubia Carolina .

  
  After watching James Whale's "Frankenstein", a little girl living in a small rural town in Spain, gets fascinated by the monster. "Why did he kill the girl, and why did they kill him after that?", she asks her older sister that says he hasn´t been killed,… More
  After watching James Whale's "Frankenstein", a little girl living in a small rural town in Spain, gets fascinated by the monster. "Why did he kill the girl, and why did they kill him after that?", she asks her older sister that says he hasn´t been killed, first because everything in the movies is fake and second because Frankenstein is a ghost/spirit who lives close by. Even more impressed, Ana tries everything to meet the spirit and goes deep into her own world of reality and fantasy. <br> <a href='http://img19.imageshack.us/my.php?image=anak.png'><img src='http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/6470/anak.png' border='0' alt='Image Hosted by ImageShack.us'/></a> I think Ana Torrent was the cuttest kid ever with those beautiful and sad eyes! <br>

• Saskia D

  
  Beautiful movie about the thin line between fantasy and reality. It's so endearing to see how open and innocent the girls are, there world isn't limited by grownup's rules yet. It's almost as if the two girls 'play' themselves, that's how natural… More
  Beautiful movie about the thin line between fantasy and reality. It's so endearing to see how open and innocent the girls are, there world isn't limited by grownup's rules yet. It's almost as if the two girls 'play' themselves, that's how natural and effortless they seem to play their role. <div style="width:513px;"><a href="http://www.flixster.com/servlet/embed/photo/link/11347237"><img src="http://www.flixster.com/servlet/embed/photo/11347237.jpg" border="0"/></a><div style="text-align:center;font-size:10px;"><a href="http://www.flixster.com">

• Robert C

  
  There are aspects of the film that I feel are truely exceptional and some that left me totally frustrated. Mainly because I feel like it could have been brilliant, but fell short. I must say that I've never been opposed to having to think things through on my own or… More
  There are aspects of the film that I feel are truely exceptional and some that left me totally frustrated. Mainly because I feel like it could have been brilliant, but fell short. I must say that I've never been opposed to having to think things through on my own or "fill in the blanks", when it comes to film. As a matter of fact I'd much rather be "left to my own devices" then spoon fed or made to feel like I'm being pandered to. So I'd like to think that I'd be an ideal audience for this film. That said I felt that there were entirely too many unanswered questions when the film ended. Not that I feel like everything must be tied up in a little bow when a film ends...there were just too many continuity and "timeline" issues for my liking. Perhaps it is a case of "lost in translation"? I know that much can be lost via subtitles. I'm interested to discuss it further with others who enjoyed it, but will refrain from doing so here as to avoid any possible "spoilers" for those who have yet to see it. A very slow (in a good way) and visually intriguing film, it is definately worth seeing if you enjoy thought provoking films.

• Pierluigi P

  
  Beautiful, magical, dreamy allegory about discovery. the young Ana Torrent perfectly embodies the tenderness, innocence and boundless imagination of childhood.

• Stella D

  
  lyrical story of two little girls searching the spanish plains for frankenstein's monster. wonderful performance by ana torrent

• Elvira B

  
  El Espiritu de la Colmena is a mid-70s film by the pretty obscure Spanish director Victor Erice. Not Saura, not Almodovar. His masterpiece has a purity and an innocence all its own. The cinematography is beautiful, and the tones are mostly clear honey. Ana and Isabel live in a… More
  El Espiritu de la Colmena is a mid-70s film by the pretty obscure Spanish director Victor Erice. Not Saura, not Almodovar. His masterpiece has a purity and an innocence all its own. The cinematography is beautiful, and the tones are mostly clear honey. Ana and Isabel live in a little town in Castilla during the Spanish Civil War. One day the town auditorium is host to a screening of Frankenstein. From then on, the beautiful wide-eyed children incorporate the spirit of the monster into their lives in a fascinating way. Subtly, Erice shows us their awareness of the "presence" of the creature. Ana waits for him, tries to hear his footsteps, tries to catch a glimpse of him from the corner of her eye. It's charming, and magical, and above all mysterious. Ana Torrent's performances as Ana is unbelievable. She is not a child acting as an adult, she is not a mischievous child or a laughing child. She's a child dealing with serious issues, and props go to Erice for helping her deliver that credibility and that charm. Ana and her sister must face the shadows of a familly about to dissolve and a war taking place not far from home. Confronting the unknown, the monster on the screen :) The audio on my copy was terrible, as that of the majority of Spanish films. So if you're considering to buy this masterpiece, you should probably get the Criterion edition even in spite of what may be the price. It's definitely worth it.

• Cindy I

  
  Beautiful film, and the child playing Ana was amazing. If Guillermo Del Toro was not profoundly influenced by this film I'll eat a bee. I felt like I was watching Devil's Backbone all over again. However, I can't give it a higher ranking because I got lost along the way… More
  Beautiful film, and the child playing Ana was amazing. If Guillermo Del Toro was not profoundly influenced by this film I'll eat a bee. I felt like I was watching Devil's Backbone all over again. However, I can't give it a higher ranking because I got lost along the way -- didn't understand some key scenes. I'll give this another 1/2 star if someone will explain to me what the **** it was really about. I've never been very good at symbolism, and I'm sure I'm missing something here. But even for the literal-minded like myself, still a film well worth seeing.

• Walter M

  
  [font=Century Gothic]"Spirit of the Beehive" is set in a small village in Spain in 1940 where the children are excited at the latest movie to come to town, "Frankenstein." Afterwards, young Ana(Ana Torrent) is troubled by the movie, especially one scene. Her… More
  [font=Century Gothic]"Spirit of the Beehive" is set in a small village in Spain in 1940 where the children are excited at the latest movie to come to town, "Frankenstein." Afterwards, young Ana(Ana Torrent) is troubled by the movie, especially one scene. Her sister Isabel(Isabel Telleria) tells her that the monster is alive as a spirit at an abandoned farm.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Spirit of the Beehive" is a unique coming-of-age story where the children are being exposed to thoughts of mortality for the first time. Death lives at the fringes of their existences where the Spanish Civil War is dying down. The movie is evocative but is too lackadaisical in its pacing to be considered much of a success.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Spirit of the Beehive" is a forerunner to "Pan's Labyrinth" but pales in comparison. The more recent movie has a tighter story structure; is more political(which would not have been possible in 1973) and it draws its imagination from books instead of movies which is preferable with children.[/font]

• Lesley N

  
  Just beautiful.

• William G

  
  Understated tale of young girl's blend of fantasy, reality in the wake of war.

• Robert F

  
  While it houses one of the greatest performances by a child actor ever, it was often too heavy and gradual to sustain my interest.

• Quinto W

  
  This film will be in my head for days and days after seeing it. Simple and slow, but deeply moving and captivating.

Read all 18 featured audience ratings