Day 1: The 2007 Wisconsin Film Festival  E-mail this post
Remember me (?)   The Spirit of the Beehive (Spain, 1973) * * *
* D: Victor Erice  I'm seeing more movies at the Wisconsin Film
Festival this year than in any previous year, but it was only
today that I realized I'm seeing a curious amount of films from
the 1970's. Most people go to film festivals to see new films,
but I always end up gravitating toward the revivals. Some of my
fondest WIFF memories over the last couple of years involve
revivals--A Hard Day's Night with a Roger Ebert-hosted
discussion afterward, Au Hasard Balthazar, and even Giant Spider
Invasion. The Spirit of the Beehive I've seen before, but only
on a battered old VHS tape from Four Star Video; the film had
been unavailable for many years until Criterion's recent DVD
release. To see it on the big screen--or, at any rate, the
Cinematheque's screen--elevated my already high opinion of the
film. This film is also one of those that undoubtedly gets
richer upon each viewing. Set in a po