I had heard of this film through various 'Top 100 Kids Shows' and other such cheaply produced shows shows that were all the rage about a couple of decades ago. Y'know, the stuff where talking 'celebs' and vox pop tried to say funny or snarky stuff about the shows they were counting down. I know that the dwarf character scared many so I hoped I would get around to seeing it and forming my own opinion. Once again, browsing CEX in Tonbridge I came across the ‘Tales From Europe’ boxset for £5 which contained ‘The Singing Ringing Tree’ and ‘The Tinderbox,’ and so I bought it. Again, it sat on my pile of shame for about 4 years and I've only just got around to watching it due to no WiFi and the ongoing pandemic.
The sets are lavish and the artistry is show is excellent for a 1957 production.
'The Singing Ringing Tree' is a 1957 fairytale of a young Prince who sets out to find the eponymous tree in order to win the love of a beautiful but conceited princess. He finds it in a fairytale garden which ruled by an evil dwarf. The dwarf and Prince strike a deal whereby the prince can have the tree on the condition that he wins the princess' love before nightfall; if he fails, he will turn into a bear. Things don't go to plan and the Prince is transformed. The Princess is taken to the Kingdom and she turns from an arrogant, conceited woman into one who is kind and considerate. Her outer beauty is matched by her inner beauty. The story is not one I know but is familiar with echoes of ‘Beauty and the Beast’ (with the Stockholm Syndrome) and pretty much any fairy tale, fable or tale where true love conquers all. It’s all pure escapism.
The set are beautiful with vibrant colours and the costumes are lush and detailed. It looks like an expensive production and thus lavishness extends to the special effects, which may look laughable now but at the time I'm sure were impressive. The film has little dialogue so the German vocal track shouldn’t detract non-German speakers as it can be seen without any talking at all, or with an English narrator or a French vocal track. Looking at the story now with no nostalgia for it at all, I can say that I thought the story reminded me of Jim Henson’s The Storyteller series which also presented many European tales with a dark edge to them.
The DVD I purchased has few extras but did include an interview with the actress who played the Princess from 2003 which is insightful as we learn that this was her first role and she was still in school.
It also contains production and promotion stills which I have to say is really quite beautiful.
Overall, I thought that the film was wonderful and is well worth a look.
LINK- Jim Henson’s The Storyteller
LINK- The Secret Garden (BBC)- Cult TV Review
LINK- Dead of Night: Cult TV Review
LINK- Children of the Stones: Cult TV Series Review
LINK- The Stone Tapes: Cult TV Review
LINK- Tom’s Midnight Garden: Cult TV Review
LINK- Children of the Dogstar: Cult TV Series Review
LINK- Day of the Triffids (1981 BBC): Cult TV Series Review