User Reviews

I'm sure not too many people have heard of this version of the classic tale as I don't believe it was widely publicized, but this version, set in modern times, is a fascinating re-telling. The main story, which is sandwiched/bookcased between live-action sequences, is stunningly portrayed by puppet animation. The relationships between between the characters is interesting, making it a bizarre sort of love triangle with Roderick being the focal point; they are the deep friendship between himself and "E" (the friend he implores to come) and Medline's possessiveness towards Roderick and her jealousy that someone else seems to have come between her and her brother. The Fonsecas have created a house in the midst of an empty outside and an interior world that draws the viewer in like a spider's web (or perhaps a Venus Fly-Trap would be a better example), and the animated figures move fluidly enough, but it's the soft vocal performances and gentle music score that make this a memorable re-telling.