What a strange film.
I’m still trying to deduce what I’m supposed to get out of it. I know some people have found it to be a wonderful uplifting film, I on the other hand find it really creepy.
The film begins with a priest visiting a young girl who is sick in bed. Everyone is going to a feast and she is sick in bed. He decides to tell her the story of Marcelino over her parents objections.(I’m not sure why they object other than it’s a weird story)
The story of Marcelino takes place in the wake of war. Much of the area was ravaged and is now being rebuilt. There is a fort like area that was destroyed but left in ruins. Some monks ask to be allowed to build a monastery on the site, and permission is granted. After the monastery is built a baby is left on the door step. The monks fall in love with the baby, which they name marcelino. However they know he can’t stay and they try to find the baby a good home but there are no takers. Realizing that there is no other choice they decide to raise the child themselves, more so when the richest man in the area, and a foe of the monks ask for the child. Five years on the Marcelino goes through life around the monks. There is still antagonism with the rich guy, but mostly things go on.
One day after recovering from a scorpion sting Marcelino ends up going into the attic where he becomes fascinated with a large life size Christ on a cross. One day he offers it bread and watcher and it comes down and takes it.
Things get weirder from there, with an ending that is really creepy.
Far be it for me to make judgments but I wouldn’t want anyone telling my kid this story, it’s one of scarier films I’ve seen all year and it’s not a horror film. In all honesty I can’t see what many people see in the film, nor could I understand the chatter on some message boards of people looking for this film. What is it that they click with?
For most of the film as Marcelino goes through life things are fine, it’s once he starts talking to Jesus that things go sideways. Sure Jesus is a sweet guy but his solution for bring on the mother and child reunion is well… not right.
I don’t know what to say.
If you want to see one of the stranger things I’ve seen in 2011 see this film, just be prepared for weirdness.
I saw this movie as a child. It was on TV and my parents were going out for the evening, but allowed my brothers and sisters and I to stay up late to watch it.
ReplyDeleteIt moved me so deeply that I have thought about it from time to time, for almost 50 years.
There is certainly nothing wierd about it, it is sad to think anyone would not want their children to see such a movie, but alas, todays children are treated like little princes and princesses. Seeing a film in black and white, about love, lonliness, faith, Jesus and the intense desire to be loved and cherished by a mother doesn't meet the needs of kids brought up in our Godless society.
You want to talk about scary? Listen to the news, read the papers and get online. The realities of today are scary, almost as scary as a parent not wanting their child to see such a beautiful movie.