Hansel & Gretel

Marionette films are relatively rare, and this 2009 presentation by the Salzburg Marionette Theatre of Engelbert Humperdinck’s 1892 fairy tale opera deserves attention for putting a delightful new spin on the timeless classic. This is not the first time that puppetry was used to bring Humperdinck’s work to the screen—a 1954 stop-motion animated film adaptation was a TV and home entertainment perennial for years—and the unmoving faces of the marionettes offer a greater challenge to the filmmakers in their interpretation of an emotionally-charged work that is rich in danger, fear, captivity, and the threat of cannibalism. The puppet designs by Pierre Monnerat are charming, while the staging and production design by Hinrich Horstkotte is richly inventive, especially when the sets rotate to speed along the scenes. The introductory dance by the title characters offers an astonishing display of marionette artistry, which is maintained up through the witch’s demise in her stove and the liberation of the children who were turned into gingerbread cookies. Kristina Naudé sings the role of Hansel and Annette Dasch is Gretel, and while their voices are a little too similar, they both exude a sense of pluck and determination. And Giedré Povilaityté is a formidable witch, creating the right sense of horror without going overboard. It is hard to say whether today’s CGI-focused young viewers would have patience for a marionette film, but grown-ups will savor this unique production. Presented in stereo, this is recommended. (P. Hall)