“Every new life calls for a life to be lost……..are you willing to accept the risk?”

What’s it about?

Nightmarish intermingling of three medieval fairy tales for grown ups and their sadist friends….but not their children. Not anyone’s children.

Who’s in it?

Salma Hayek, Vincent Cassel, Toby Jones, Bebe Cave, Jonah & Christian Lees, John C. Reilly, Hayley Carmichael and Stacy Martin

Why should I watch it?

+ Impressive performances all round – not easy when almost every character is a main one
+ With Basile’s The Enchanted Doe, The Flea and The Flayed Old Lady thrown together, you’re actually watching three stories in one picture. Efficiency wins
+ Beautifully shot with dreamlike characters and history book looking scenery
+ Toby Jones will make you believe that a flea is a man’s best friend. Forget your dog.Sell your dog
+ Vincent Cassell can keep a straight face while saying the most ridiculous things
+ He is also excellent at playing a perv
+ Consistent themes of royalty, family and obsession in the three neighbouring Italian kingdoms of Selvascura, Roccaforte and Altomonte. Are they real places? Don’t know
+ The gore is phenomenal if you are into that. Salma Hayek even eats a monster heart- RARE! with the blood and everything
+ This is perverse! You will laugh and cringe simultaneously throughout the whole thing (or wasn’t I supposed to laugh?)
+ Seen Gomorrah? Take a look at what Garrone does with this completely different setting
+ This film completely runs away with your imagination for about two hours
+ Ogres need love too (maybe?)
+ Everything is surreal, I feel like there were drugs involved in the production process
+ They probably spent a fortune on those costumes
+ Cliffhanger ending = more later?

Why shouldn’t I watch it?

– The three stories aren’t connected enough so the plot appears to jump around at times
– Not for everyone, admittedly it’s weird from the word Go
– A bit slow at the beginning. Not ideal If your impatience is on level 1000 like mine

Anything else?

Matteo Garrone makes a bunch of 16th century fairy tales seem not only credible but also captivating enough to hold an adult audience. Most of Tale Of Tales is entirely irrational but I fully went for it, I think you might too. It’s daring, grotesque and imaginative, a brilliant Cannes Film Festival entry. Horrific and hilarious, often in the same scene. I suggest you go and see this.

8/10

You might also like:
Reality
The Brothers Grimm
Mr Holmes

Hey! This is Charlene, pretending to be Diego while he is away pretending to do important stuff. A little bit new at reviewing but no rookie at watching. Check out Reel Reviews on my new site charoflondon. I’ll help you spend your movie popcorn cash properly. Also write and do book reviews. And some other things.