Fantaghiro
Encyclopedia
Fantaghirò is an Italian
fantasy
film series
based on Italo Calvino
's Fanta-Ghiro the Beautiful
. The series consists of five television movie
s which were released between 1991
and 1996
. It was produced by Reteitalia Productions and directed by Lamberto Bava
, and filmed in the Czech
and Slovak Republics; the musical score was written by Amedeo Minghi
. The series takes place in a fairy tale
and fantasy setting, featuring princess
es, prince
s, witches, wizards and talking animal
s. The series' theme song is Mio Nemico (My Enemy), composed by Amedeo Minghi
.
The cult success of the film series lead director Lamberto Bava
to make a few other television movies in this style, including Desideria e l'Anello del Drago
(Desideria), La Principessa e il Povero (The Princess and the Pauper) and Sorellina e il Principe del Sogno (Princess Alisea). The movie series also led to the creation of an animated television series by BRB Internacional
, also titled Fantaghirò
.
The series has been dubbed
in Czech
, Slovak
, English
, French
, Polish
, German
, Spanish
, Hungarian
, Ukrainian
, Bulgarian
, Sinhala, Georgian
and Russian
.
, is the main character of all five films. She is the youngest princess of three, though she is the leader among her sisters. She is outspoken, headstrong and never retreats from battle. In the first film
, she is an impulsive troublemaker who likes to provoke her father and sisters, but underneath it she has a good heart. By the second film onwards, she is accepted as a fighter who will do whatever it takes to protect her loved ones, even if that means sacrificing her own life. She has is deeply in love with Romualdo, who was previously her kingdom's enemy. They are married in the third film
and adopt the orphaned Princess Smeralda as their daughter. Fantaghirò has long red-brown hair which she cuts into a boy-cut in the first and second film, but in the third film onwards she only has the boy-cut. Fantaghirò tries to befriend all creatures and people she meets, unless they try to harm those she cares about. She is very forgiving and looks past physical appearances. Fantaghiro's castle is really Bouzov Castle
.
Romualdo, portrayed by Kim Rossi Stuart
, is Fantaghirò's husband. After the death of his father, Romualdo seeks to end the centuries-long war his ancestors have waged against Fantaghirò's people by challenging Fantaghirò's father to single combat. He falls in love with her in the first film
and becomes obsessed with finding her. He is shocked when he meets her properly for the first time, as she has chosen to replace her father as Romualdo's opponent, and is disguised as a man. Eventually he learns that she is a princess and the two are bethrothed. They are due to be married early in the second film
, but the ceremony is postponed when the Dark Witch kidnaps Fantaghirò's father. Romualdo becomes the Dark Witch's target, and she bewitches him to fall in love with her. Romualdo eventually regains his memories thanks to Fantaghirò and the White Witch. In the third film
, Romualdo turns into a statue whilst fighting Tarabas' men, and is only revived near the end of the movie, when the pair are finally married. In the fourth film
Stuart did not want to return again for the role, so Romualdo was transformed into the hideously ugly Fiodor, portrayed by Riccardo Serventi Longhi. At the end of the film, Fiodor is transformed back to Romualdo, with stock footage
from the first film being used. Romualdo does not appear at all in the fifth film, except in flashbacks. His castle is really Pernštejn Castle
.
The White Witch , portrayed by Angela Molina
in the first film
and Katarína Kolajová in the second film
, is a good witch and friend of Fantaghirò. She has been instrumental in protecting and guiding Fantaghirò ever since she was a baby, although the princess is not always aware of the White Witch's involvement. The White Witch can transform into various animals, including a goose, a mouse and a cat. She also transformed into the White Knight in order to train Fantaghirò in the art of swordsmanship. In the second film
, the White Witch renounces her powers in order to free Fantaghirò from a magical promise she had made. Although she does not appear in the later films, early in the third film
it is mentioned that she has retired to the country.
Dark Witch, also known as the Black Witch or Black Queen , portrayed by Brigitte Nielsen
, is the evil and perverse counterpart of the White Witch, who first appears in the second film
and wants to destroy Fantaghirò and Romualdo's relationship. She lures them to her kingdom by kidnapping Fantaghirò's father, and then casts a spell on Romualdo to make him fall in love with her. Fantaghirò and Romualdo manage to defeat her, and she is turned to stone and blown up into many pieces. In the third film
her former minions, Bolt and Lightning, put her back together and revive her because Fantaghirò needs her help against Tarabas. Because the Dark Witch does help Fantaghirò, albeit reluctantly, her evil powers are weakened. In the fourth
and fifth films
she constantly tries to get back at Fantaghirò so she can be all powerful again. Her Fantaghiro 2 castle is really Bojnice Castle
and Nielsen said she based her witch role on the character of Grimhilde in Disney's Snow White
.
Tarabas, portrayed by Nicholas Rogers, is a wizard who appears in the third
and fourth
films. He is initially a very powerful villain who is feared by magicians in every kingdom, but he discovers a prophecy that a royal child no older than ten years will defeat him. Tarabas becomes obsessed with learning how he will be defeated, and sends his men to kidnap all royal children, during which the parents of young Princess Smeralda are killed. He crosses paths with Fantaghirò and falls in love with her, eventually asking her to marry him in exchange for reviving Romualdo, who has been turned into stone. In the end, Tarabas lets Fantaghirò free from her promise and the two kiss once before Fantaghirò returns to her true love. He redeems himself with Smeralda by allowing her to see her parents one last time, an act of kindness which fulfills the prophecy of his dark powers' downfall. Tarabas renounces his evil ways and lives in peace until the fourth film
when he is accused of creating a destructive black cloud consuming all in its path. Tarabas reunites with Fantaghirò to track down the source of the black cloud and discovers that it was conjured by his father, Darken. At the end of the fourth film Tarabas decides to renounce his love for Fantaghirò and stay with Princess Angelica of Tohor.
Xellesia, portrayed by Ursula Andress
, is an evil witch and the mother of Tarabas. She is conniving, wicked, and tries her best to keep her son away from all things good and warm. She appears in the third
and fourth
films. By the end of the third film, the reformed Tarabas tires of his mother's evil ways and robs her of her powers. In the fourth film she confesses that she has always loved Tarabas but has had to keep her love hidden from him. She proves this by sacrificing herself so that Tarabas can escape to safety.
Darken, portrayed by Horst Buchholz
, is a cruel wizard so powerful that it is forbidden to speak his name. Aside from being the source of all evil in Fantaghirò's world, he is the father of Tarabas, and wants his son to be just as evil as he is. He appears in the fourth
film as the main villain who creates a black cloud that causes destruction wherever it goes. He is powerful enough to revive Fantaghirò when she dies.
King, portrayed by Mario Adorf
, is Fantaghirò's father and appears in the first two films. He is initially disappointed by Fantaghirò's birth, as he had been expecting a son, who would become his heir. His disappointment worsens when she grows up refusing to be meek and obedient as all women in his kingdom are expected to be. But over the first film
he grows to care for Fantaghirò and accepts her as she is. In the second film
he is kidnapped by the Dark Witch and is hypnotised into becoming the Dark King.
Bolt , portrayed by Lenca Kubalkova, is a magical sprite and sister of Lightning. Introduced in the second film
, she is originally a minion of the Dark Witch, but Bolt betrays her and joins the side of good with Fantaghirò. In the third film
, Bolt says that she and her brother are training to be angels. She can transform into a bolt of lightning and fly in the air. She hates water, and cannot fly if she falls in a river.
Lightning , portrayed by Jakub Zdeněk, is a magical sprite and older brother of Bolt. He starts to rebel against his mistress, the Dark Witch, early in the second film
, and it is he who instigates Bolt to do the same. In the third film
he and Bolt put all the pieces of the Dark Witch back together to revive her, but Lightning keeps the Dark Witch's heart as leverage.
Caterina or Catherine, portrayed by Ornella Marcucci in the first film
and Barbora Kodetova
in the second
and third
films, is the eldest sister of Fantaghirò. She is level-headed, wise and patient. She marries Cataldo in the first film, is pregnant in the second film, and has a son in the third film. She has a non-speaking role in the fourth film when their castle is shrunk to the size of a toy, but her face cannot be seen clearly.
Carolina or Caroline, portrayed by Kateřina Brožová, is one of the Fantaghirò's sisters. She has golden hair, is a hopeless romantic and is well aware of her beauty, traits that usually infuriate Fantaghirò. In the first film she marries Ivaldo, she is pregnant in the second film, and by the third film she has a son. She can briefly be seen in the fourth film, but only at distance, and her face cannot be seen clearly.
Cataldo, portrayed by Stefano Davanzati, is one of Romualdo's closest friends. He appears in the first
and second
films as Romualdo's companion. He's the one who comes up with the idea of holding a swimming competition to reveal Fantaghirò's true gender in the first film. He later falls in love with and marries Caterina.
Ivaldo, portrayed by Tomáš Valík, is one of the Romualdo's closest friends and appears in the first
and second
films. He later falls in love with and marries Carolina.
The Queen of the Elves, portrayed by Aňa Geislerová, is the Queen of the Forest Elves. She is beautiful and wears a gown of red and gold leaves. In the second film
she stops Romualdo and his army who are on the way to the Dark Kingdom. She gives Romualdo three tests to prove his worth, which he succeeds. In the third film
, she is visited by Fantaghirò, who needs help in breaking a curse that has turned Romualdo into the stone. The Queen of the Elves tells Fantaghirò that the wizard she seeks is Tarabas.
Goldeye, portrayed by Karel Roden
, is a minor villain in the second film
. He is a bandit who robs anyone he comes across. Fantaghirò humiliates him at the beginning of the film by beating him in armed combat. Later their paths cross again and Goldeye tries to get his revenge by making Fantaghirò dress up as a belly dancer.
Smeralda or Esmeralda, portrayed by Elena D'Ippolito, is a young princess seen in the third film
. Her parents are killed when Tarabas' clay soldiers attack under his command to kidnap all the royal children of the world. Fantaghirò takes Smeralda under her care and eventually adopts her. Smeralda is playful and headstrong, much like Fantaghirò was in her youth.
Angelica, portrayed by Agathe de La Fontaine
, is the princess of the oriental kingdom of Tohor. She has listened to stories of Tarabas from when he was a dark wizard, and has adored him. When she learns that Tarabas is in her kingdom, she finds him and declares her love for him. Tarabas rebuffs her affections throughout the entire movie until the very end, when he promises to try to love her.
Nameless , portrayed by Remo Girone
, is the villain of the fifth
film. He is an ogre made of enchanted apalicandro wood, which renders him invulnerable to almost all attacks. Animated with the magic of a hundred witches, Nameless was created in order to end a centuries-long war of attrition
, only to rebel against his creators. He travels through different worlds on a flying galleon
in order to become more human by feeding on children. His presence alone is enough to transform food items into deadly monsters.
Cinema of Italy
The history of Italian cinema began just a few months after the Lumière brothers had patented their Cinematographe, when Pope Leo XIII was filmed for a few seconds in the act of blessing the camera.-Early years:...
fantasy
Fantasy film
Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap...
film series
Film series
A film series is a collection of related films in succession. Their relationship is not fixed, but generally share a common diegetic world. Sometimes the work is conceived as a multiple-film work, for example the Three Colours series, but in most cases the success of the original film inspires...
based on Italo Calvino
Italo Calvino
Italo Calvino was an Italian journalist and writer of short stories and novels. His best known works include the Our Ancestors trilogy , the Cosmicomics collection of short stories , and the novels Invisible Cities and If on a winter's night a traveler .Lionised in Britain and the United States,...
's Fanta-Ghiro the Beautiful
Italian Folktales
Italian Folktales is a collection of 200 Italian folktales published in 1956 by Italo Calvino. Calvino began to undertake the project that will lead to the Italian Folktales in 1954, influenced by Vladimir Propp's Morphology of the Folktale; his intention was to emulate the Brothers Grimm in...
. The series consists of five television movie
Television movie
A television film is a feature film that is a television program produced for and originally distributed by a television network, in contrast to...
s which were released between 1991
1991 in television
For the American TV schedule, see: 1991-92 United States network television schedule.The year 1991 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1991.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
and 1996
1996 in television
The year 1996 in television involved some significant events.Below is a list of television-related events in 1996.For the American TV schedule, see: 1996-97 United States network television schedule.-Events:-Debuts:-1950s:...
. It was produced by Reteitalia Productions and directed by Lamberto Bava
Lamberto Bava
Lamberto Bava is an Italian film director, specializing in horror and fantasy films.Bava was born in Rome, Italy, the son of cinematographer/director Mario Bava, and grandson of cameraman Eugenio Bava...
, and filmed in the Czech
Czech Republic
The Czech Republic is a landlocked country in Central Europe. The country is bordered by Poland to the northeast, Slovakia to the east, Austria to the south, and Germany to the west and northwest....
and Slovak Republics; the musical score was written by Amedeo Minghi
Amedeo Minghi
Amedeo Minghi is an Italian singer/songwriter. He has written songs for Andrea Bocelli, Mietta, Mia Martini, Anna Oxa, Marcella Bella, Gianni Morandi and Rossana Casale and composed several sound tracks as for the television film Fantaghirò .*2000: Anita*2002: L'altra faccia della luna*2003:...
. The series takes place in a fairy tale
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
and fantasy setting, featuring princess
Princess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
es, prince
Prince
Prince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
s, witches, wizards and talking animal
Talking animal
A talking animal or speaking animal refers to any form of non-human animal which can produce sounds resembling those of a human language. Many species or groups of animals have developed forms of Animal Communication Systems which to some appear to be a non-verbal language...
s. The series' theme song is Mio Nemico (My Enemy), composed by Amedeo Minghi
Amedeo Minghi
Amedeo Minghi is an Italian singer/songwriter. He has written songs for Andrea Bocelli, Mietta, Mia Martini, Anna Oxa, Marcella Bella, Gianni Morandi and Rossana Casale and composed several sound tracks as for the television film Fantaghirò .*2000: Anita*2002: L'altra faccia della luna*2003:...
.
The cult success of the film series lead director Lamberto Bava
Lamberto Bava
Lamberto Bava is an Italian film director, specializing in horror and fantasy films.Bava was born in Rome, Italy, the son of cinematographer/director Mario Bava, and grandson of cameraman Eugenio Bava...
to make a few other television movies in this style, including Desideria e l'Anello del Drago
Desideria e l'Anello del Drago
Desideria e l'Anello del Drago is an Italian fantasy mini-series directed by Lamberto Bava and starring Anna Falchi...
(Desideria), La Principessa e il Povero (The Princess and the Pauper) and Sorellina e il Principe del Sogno (Princess Alisea). The movie series also led to the creation of an animated television series by BRB Internacional
BRB Internacional
BRB Internacional is a Spanish animation studio which is best known for producing 1980s cartoon hits such as Around the World with Willy Fog, Dogtanian and the Three Muskehounds and The World of David the Gnome....
, also titled Fantaghirò
Fantaghirò (TV series)
Fantaghirò is a 1999 Spanish animated television series that is based on the Italian fantasy movie series Fantaghirò.The series was created by BRB Internacional with animation by Colorland Animation Production, with 26 episodes produced in all. The series is different from the films in that it is...
.
The series has been dubbed
Dubbing (filmmaking)
Dubbing is the post-production process of recording and replacing voices on a motion picture or television soundtrack subsequent to the original shooting. The term most commonly refers to the substitution of the voices of the actors shown on the screen by those of different performers, who may be...
in Czech
Czech language
Czech is a West Slavic language with about 12 million native speakers; it is the majority language in the Czech Republic and spoken by Czechs worldwide. The language was known as Bohemian in English until the late 19th century...
, Slovak
Slovak language
Slovak , is an Indo-European language that belongs to the West Slavic languages .Slovak is the official language of Slovakia, where it is spoken by 5 million people...
, English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
, French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, Polish
Polish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
, German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
, Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, Hungarian
Hungarian language
Hungarian is a Uralic language, part of the Ugric group. With some 14 million speakers, it is one of the most widely spoken non-Indo-European languages in Europe....
, Ukrainian
Ukrainian language
Ukrainian is a language of the East Slavic subgroup of the Slavic languages. It is the official state language of Ukraine. Written Ukrainian uses a variant of the Cyrillic alphabet....
, Bulgarian
Bulgarian language
Bulgarian is an Indo-European language, a member of the Slavic linguistic group.Bulgarian, along with the closely related Macedonian language, demonstrates several linguistic characteristics that set it apart from all other Slavic languages such as the elimination of case declension, the...
, Sinhala, Georgian
Georgian language
Georgian is the native language of the Georgians and the official language of Georgia, a country in the Caucasus.Georgian is the primary language of about 4 million people in Georgia itself, and of another 500,000 abroad...
and Russian
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
.
Fantaghirò (1991)
Fantaghirò is the youngest of three princesses born to a warrior King. Although beautiful and intelligent, she causes many problems for her family because she goes against everything expected for a woman in her kingdom, by being literate, adventurous and rebellious, which makes her father furious. One day, the warrior King receives an invitation from the enemy king Romualdo to a duel that can potentially end the centuries-long war that has been going on between the two kingdoms. The warrior king then learns that only one of his three daughters can win the duel. Fantaghirò sees this as a chance for her to prove herself.Fantaghirò 2 (1992)
Fantaghirò and Romualdo are due to be married, but their wedding is cut short when news arrives that Fantaghirò's father has been kidnapped by the Black Queen. The Black Queen demands that Fantaghirò and Romualdo submit to her rule, but they refuse and Romualdo declares war. He sets out with his army, leaving behind Fantaghirò, who has sworn not to lift another weapon for the rest of her life. However, Fantaghirò finds that she has to break her promise, and secretly sets out on her own to the Dark Kingdom, where she learns that the Black Queen's plan is much more sinister.Fantaghirò 3 (1993)
The evil wizard Tarabas learns that his powerful kingdom will be defeated by a royal child of no more than 10. He becomes obsessed with learning how this will happen, so he orders his clay warriors to kidnap all the royal children of the world. When the children of Fantaghirò's sisters become targets, Fantaghirò and Romualdo protect them from the attacking clay soldiers. However, during the fight Romualdo accidentally falls into a cursed river and turns into stone. Fantaghirò then learns that she has to find Tarabas if she wants to save her beloved Romualdo.Fantaghirò 4 (1994)
A black cloud is travelling through the land destroying everything it touches. When the black cloud consumes Fantaghirò's castle, she teams up with Prince Parsel to track the black cloud to its origins and stop whoever is casting it. Along the way, Fantaghirò is reunited with the wizard Tarabas, who agrees to help them on their quest, and Princess Anjelica, who is in love with Tarabas.Fantaghirò 5 (1996)
Fantaghirò is captured by the Black Queen, who has been unable to perform magic ever since she helped Fantaghirò in the previous films. The Black Queen is about to decapitate Fantaghirò when she is suddenly sucked into an alternate reality where she has to join forces with a scoundrel named Aries in defeating a villain who eats children.Characters
Fantaghirò, portrayed by Alessandra MartinesAlessandra Martines
Alessandra Martines is an Italian-French dancer and actress.-Biography:She is best known for her portrayal of Princess Fantaghirò in the Fantaghirò series and her interpretations under the direction of her ex husband, the French director Claude Lelouch, in several movies Alessandra Martines (born...
, is the main character of all five films. She is the youngest princess of three, though she is the leader among her sisters. She is outspoken, headstrong and never retreats from battle. In the first film
Fantaghirò
Fantaghirò is a fantasy television film produced by Reteitalia, directed by Lamberto Bava and starring Alessandra Martines. It originally aired in 1991 as a two-parter, and hence has been known in certain video releases and airings as double-set of Fantaghirò 1 and Fantaghirò 2. It is the first...
, she is an impulsive troublemaker who likes to provoke her father and sisters, but underneath it she has a good heart. By the second film onwards, she is accepted as a fighter who will do whatever it takes to protect her loved ones, even if that means sacrificing her own life. She has is deeply in love with Romualdo, who was previously her kingdom's enemy. They are married in the third film
Fantaghirò 3
Fantaghirò 3 is the third film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. It originally aired on television in 1993 as a two-parter, and hence is alternately titled as a double-set of Fantaghirò 5 and Fantaghirò 6 in certain...
and adopt the orphaned Princess Smeralda as their daughter. Fantaghirò has long red-brown hair which she cuts into a boy-cut in the first and second film, but in the third film onwards she only has the boy-cut. Fantaghirò tries to befriend all creatures and people she meets, unless they try to harm those she cares about. She is very forgiving and looks past physical appearances. Fantaghiro's castle is really Bouzov Castle
Bouzov Castle
Bouzov Castle is an early 14th-century fortress first mentioned in 1317. It was built on a hill between the village of Hvozdek and the town of Bouzov, 21 km west of Litovel and 28 km northwest of Olomouc, in Moravia, Czech Republic...
.
Romualdo, portrayed by Kim Rossi Stuart
Kim Rossi Stuart
Kim Rossi Stuart is an Italian actor and director.-Career:Kim Rossi Stuart was born in Rome. His father, Giacomo, was also an actor. His mother was a former top model.He began acting at the age of 5...
, is Fantaghirò's husband. After the death of his father, Romualdo seeks to end the centuries-long war his ancestors have waged against Fantaghirò's people by challenging Fantaghirò's father to single combat. He falls in love with her in the first film
Fantaghirò
Fantaghirò is a fantasy television film produced by Reteitalia, directed by Lamberto Bava and starring Alessandra Martines. It originally aired in 1991 as a two-parter, and hence has been known in certain video releases and airings as double-set of Fantaghirò 1 and Fantaghirò 2. It is the first...
and becomes obsessed with finding her. He is shocked when he meets her properly for the first time, as she has chosen to replace her father as Romualdo's opponent, and is disguised as a man. Eventually he learns that she is a princess and the two are bethrothed. They are due to be married early in the second film
Fantaghirò 2
Fantaghirò 2 is the second television film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character, with Kim Rossi Stuart and Brigitte Nielsen in other main roles...
, but the ceremony is postponed when the Dark Witch kidnaps Fantaghirò's father. Romualdo becomes the Dark Witch's target, and she bewitches him to fall in love with her. Romualdo eventually regains his memories thanks to Fantaghirò and the White Witch. In the third film
Fantaghirò 3
Fantaghirò 3 is the third film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. It originally aired on television in 1993 as a two-parter, and hence is alternately titled as a double-set of Fantaghirò 5 and Fantaghirò 6 in certain...
, Romualdo turns into a statue whilst fighting Tarabas' men, and is only revived near the end of the movie, when the pair are finally married. In the fourth film
Fantaghirò 4
Fantaghirò 4 is the fourth film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. The film was released on television as a two-parter, and is known in some releases as Fantaghirò 7 and Fantaghirò 8...
Stuart did not want to return again for the role, so Romualdo was transformed into the hideously ugly Fiodor, portrayed by Riccardo Serventi Longhi. At the end of the film, Fiodor is transformed back to Romualdo, with stock footage
Stock footage
Stock footage, and similarly, archive footage, library pictures and file footage are film or video footage that may or may not be custom shot for use in a specific film or television program. Stock footage is of beneficial use to filmmakers as it is sometimes less expensive than shooting new...
from the first film being used. Romualdo does not appear at all in the fifth film, except in flashbacks. His castle is really Pernštejn Castle
Pernštejn Castle
Pernštejn Castle is a castle located on a rock above the village of Nedvědice and the rivers Svratka and Nedvědička, some 40 km northwest of Brno, in the South Moravian Region, Czech Republic. Pernštejn came to be known as the marble castle because of the marble-like stone used to frame the...
.
The White Witch , portrayed by Angela Molina
Ángela Molina
Ángela Molina is a Spanish actress, and a daughter of Antonio Molina, Spanish singer and actor.Molina studied dance and theater art in the Escuela Superior de Madrid. She rose to international prominence after starring in Luis Buñuel's last movie That Obscure Object of Desire...
in the first film
Fantaghirò
Fantaghirò is a fantasy television film produced by Reteitalia, directed by Lamberto Bava and starring Alessandra Martines. It originally aired in 1991 as a two-parter, and hence has been known in certain video releases and airings as double-set of Fantaghirò 1 and Fantaghirò 2. It is the first...
and Katarína Kolajová in the second film
Fantaghirò 2
Fantaghirò 2 is the second television film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character, with Kim Rossi Stuart and Brigitte Nielsen in other main roles...
, is a good witch and friend of Fantaghirò. She has been instrumental in protecting and guiding Fantaghirò ever since she was a baby, although the princess is not always aware of the White Witch's involvement. The White Witch can transform into various animals, including a goose, a mouse and a cat. She also transformed into the White Knight in order to train Fantaghirò in the art of swordsmanship. In the second film
Fantaghirò 2
Fantaghirò 2 is the second television film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character, with Kim Rossi Stuart and Brigitte Nielsen in other main roles...
, the White Witch renounces her powers in order to free Fantaghirò from a magical promise she had made. Although she does not appear in the later films, early in the third film
Fantaghirò 3
Fantaghirò 3 is the third film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. It originally aired on television in 1993 as a two-parter, and hence is alternately titled as a double-set of Fantaghirò 5 and Fantaghirò 6 in certain...
it is mentioned that she has retired to the country.
Dark Witch, also known as the Black Witch or Black Queen , portrayed by Brigitte Nielsen
Brigitte Nielsen
Brigitte Nielsen is a Danish model, actress, musician and reality television personality who began her career modelling for Greg Gorman and Helmut Newton and several years later made appearances in the 1985 films Red Sonja and Rocky IV and is also known for her marriage to Sylvester Stallone...
, is the evil and perverse counterpart of the White Witch, who first appears in the second film
Fantaghirò 2
Fantaghirò 2 is the second television film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character, with Kim Rossi Stuart and Brigitte Nielsen in other main roles...
and wants to destroy Fantaghirò and Romualdo's relationship. She lures them to her kingdom by kidnapping Fantaghirò's father, and then casts a spell on Romualdo to make him fall in love with her. Fantaghirò and Romualdo manage to defeat her, and she is turned to stone and blown up into many pieces. In the third film
Fantaghirò 3
Fantaghirò 3 is the third film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. It originally aired on television in 1993 as a two-parter, and hence is alternately titled as a double-set of Fantaghirò 5 and Fantaghirò 6 in certain...
her former minions, Bolt and Lightning, put her back together and revive her because Fantaghirò needs her help against Tarabas. Because the Dark Witch does help Fantaghirò, albeit reluctantly, her evil powers are weakened. In the fourth
Fantaghirò 4
Fantaghirò 4 is the fourth film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. The film was released on television as a two-parter, and is known in some releases as Fantaghirò 7 and Fantaghirò 8...
and fifth films
Fantaghirò 5
Fantaghirò 5 is the fifth and final film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines. It was originally aired on television as a two-parter, and hence is known in some releases as Fantaghirò 9 and Fantaghirò 10...
she constantly tries to get back at Fantaghirò so she can be all powerful again. Her Fantaghiro 2 castle is really Bojnice Castle
Bojnice Castle
Bojnice Castle is a castle in Bojnice, Slovakia. It hosts the single most popular museum in Slovakia and has featured in many movies....
and Nielsen said she based her witch role on the character of Grimhilde in Disney's Snow White
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937 film)
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs is a 1937 American animated film based on Snow White, a German fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. It was the first full-length cel-animated feature in motion picture history, as well as the first animated feature film produced in America, the first produced in full...
.
Tarabas, portrayed by Nicholas Rogers, is a wizard who appears in the third
Fantaghirò 3
Fantaghirò 3 is the third film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. It originally aired on television in 1993 as a two-parter, and hence is alternately titled as a double-set of Fantaghirò 5 and Fantaghirò 6 in certain...
and fourth
Fantaghirò 4
Fantaghirò 4 is the fourth film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. The film was released on television as a two-parter, and is known in some releases as Fantaghirò 7 and Fantaghirò 8...
films. He is initially a very powerful villain who is feared by magicians in every kingdom, but he discovers a prophecy that a royal child no older than ten years will defeat him. Tarabas becomes obsessed with learning how he will be defeated, and sends his men to kidnap all royal children, during which the parents of young Princess Smeralda are killed. He crosses paths with Fantaghirò and falls in love with her, eventually asking her to marry him in exchange for reviving Romualdo, who has been turned into stone. In the end, Tarabas lets Fantaghirò free from her promise and the two kiss once before Fantaghirò returns to her true love. He redeems himself with Smeralda by allowing her to see her parents one last time, an act of kindness which fulfills the prophecy of his dark powers' downfall. Tarabas renounces his evil ways and lives in peace until the fourth film
Fantaghirò 4
Fantaghirò 4 is the fourth film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. The film was released on television as a two-parter, and is known in some releases as Fantaghirò 7 and Fantaghirò 8...
when he is accused of creating a destructive black cloud consuming all in its path. Tarabas reunites with Fantaghirò to track down the source of the black cloud and discovers that it was conjured by his father, Darken. At the end of the fourth film Tarabas decides to renounce his love for Fantaghirò and stay with Princess Angelica of Tohor.
Xellesia, portrayed by Ursula Andress
Ursula Andress
Ursula Andress is a Swiss actress and a sex symbol of the 1960s. She is known for her roles as Bond girl Honey Ryder in Dr...
, is an evil witch and the mother of Tarabas. She is conniving, wicked, and tries her best to keep her son away from all things good and warm. She appears in the third
Fantaghirò 3
Fantaghirò 3 is the third film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. It originally aired on television in 1993 as a two-parter, and hence is alternately titled as a double-set of Fantaghirò 5 and Fantaghirò 6 in certain...
and fourth
Fantaghirò 4
Fantaghirò 4 is the fourth film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. The film was released on television as a two-parter, and is known in some releases as Fantaghirò 7 and Fantaghirò 8...
films. By the end of the third film, the reformed Tarabas tires of his mother's evil ways and robs her of her powers. In the fourth film she confesses that she has always loved Tarabas but has had to keep her love hidden from him. She proves this by sacrificing herself so that Tarabas can escape to safety.
Darken, portrayed by Horst Buchholz
Horst Buchholz
Horst Werner Buchholz was a German actor, remembered for his part in The Magnificent Seven and Nine Hours to Rama. He appeared in over sixty films during his acting career from 1952–2002.-Life and work:...
, is a cruel wizard so powerful that it is forbidden to speak his name. Aside from being the source of all evil in Fantaghirò's world, he is the father of Tarabas, and wants his son to be just as evil as he is. He appears in the fourth
Fantaghirò 4
Fantaghirò 4 is the fourth film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. The film was released on television as a two-parter, and is known in some releases as Fantaghirò 7 and Fantaghirò 8...
film as the main villain who creates a black cloud that causes destruction wherever it goes. He is powerful enough to revive Fantaghirò when she dies.
King, portrayed by Mario Adorf
Mario Adorf
Mario Adorf is a German film and stage actor, best known for his lead role in the 1978 film The Tin Drum.-Biography:...
, is Fantaghirò's father and appears in the first two films. He is initially disappointed by Fantaghirò's birth, as he had been expecting a son, who would become his heir. His disappointment worsens when she grows up refusing to be meek and obedient as all women in his kingdom are expected to be. But over the first film
Fantaghirò
Fantaghirò is a fantasy television film produced by Reteitalia, directed by Lamberto Bava and starring Alessandra Martines. It originally aired in 1991 as a two-parter, and hence has been known in certain video releases and airings as double-set of Fantaghirò 1 and Fantaghirò 2. It is the first...
he grows to care for Fantaghirò and accepts her as she is. In the second film
Fantaghirò 2
Fantaghirò 2 is the second television film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character, with Kim Rossi Stuart and Brigitte Nielsen in other main roles...
he is kidnapped by the Dark Witch and is hypnotised into becoming the Dark King.
Bolt , portrayed by Lenca Kubalkova, is a magical sprite and sister of Lightning. Introduced in the second film
Fantaghirò 2
Fantaghirò 2 is the second television film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character, with Kim Rossi Stuart and Brigitte Nielsen in other main roles...
, she is originally a minion of the Dark Witch, but Bolt betrays her and joins the side of good with Fantaghirò. In the third film
Fantaghirò 3
Fantaghirò 3 is the third film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. It originally aired on television in 1993 as a two-parter, and hence is alternately titled as a double-set of Fantaghirò 5 and Fantaghirò 6 in certain...
, Bolt says that she and her brother are training to be angels. She can transform into a bolt of lightning and fly in the air. She hates water, and cannot fly if she falls in a river.
Lightning , portrayed by Jakub Zdeněk, is a magical sprite and older brother of Bolt. He starts to rebel against his mistress, the Dark Witch, early in the second film
Fantaghirò 2
Fantaghirò 2 is the second television film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character, with Kim Rossi Stuart and Brigitte Nielsen in other main roles...
, and it is he who instigates Bolt to do the same. In the third film
Fantaghirò 3
Fantaghirò 3 is the third film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. It originally aired on television in 1993 as a two-parter, and hence is alternately titled as a double-set of Fantaghirò 5 and Fantaghirò 6 in certain...
he and Bolt put all the pieces of the Dark Witch back together to revive her, but Lightning keeps the Dark Witch's heart as leverage.
Caterina or Catherine, portrayed by Ornella Marcucci in the first film
Fantaghirò
Fantaghirò is a fantasy television film produced by Reteitalia, directed by Lamberto Bava and starring Alessandra Martines. It originally aired in 1991 as a two-parter, and hence has been known in certain video releases and airings as double-set of Fantaghirò 1 and Fantaghirò 2. It is the first...
and Barbora Kodetova
Barbora Kodetová
Barbora Kodetová is a Czech actress perhaps best known for her portrayal of Paul Atreides' companion Chani in the 2000 television miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune and its 2003 sequel, Frank Herbert's Children of Dune....
in the second
Fantaghirò 2
Fantaghirò 2 is the second television film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character, with Kim Rossi Stuart and Brigitte Nielsen in other main roles...
and third
Fantaghirò 3
Fantaghirò 3 is the third film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. It originally aired on television in 1993 as a two-parter, and hence is alternately titled as a double-set of Fantaghirò 5 and Fantaghirò 6 in certain...
films, is the eldest sister of Fantaghirò. She is level-headed, wise and patient. She marries Cataldo in the first film, is pregnant in the second film, and has a son in the third film. She has a non-speaking role in the fourth film when their castle is shrunk to the size of a toy, but her face cannot be seen clearly.
Carolina or Caroline, portrayed by Kateřina Brožová, is one of the Fantaghirò's sisters. She has golden hair, is a hopeless romantic and is well aware of her beauty, traits that usually infuriate Fantaghirò. In the first film she marries Ivaldo, she is pregnant in the second film, and by the third film she has a son. She can briefly be seen in the fourth film, but only at distance, and her face cannot be seen clearly.
Cataldo, portrayed by Stefano Davanzati, is one of Romualdo's closest friends. He appears in the first
Fantaghirò
Fantaghirò is a fantasy television film produced by Reteitalia, directed by Lamberto Bava and starring Alessandra Martines. It originally aired in 1991 as a two-parter, and hence has been known in certain video releases and airings as double-set of Fantaghirò 1 and Fantaghirò 2. It is the first...
and second
Fantaghirò 2
Fantaghirò 2 is the second television film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character, with Kim Rossi Stuart and Brigitte Nielsen in other main roles...
films as Romualdo's companion. He's the one who comes up with the idea of holding a swimming competition to reveal Fantaghirò's true gender in the first film. He later falls in love with and marries Caterina.
Ivaldo, portrayed by Tomáš Valík, is one of the Romualdo's closest friends and appears in the first
Fantaghirò
Fantaghirò is a fantasy television film produced by Reteitalia, directed by Lamberto Bava and starring Alessandra Martines. It originally aired in 1991 as a two-parter, and hence has been known in certain video releases and airings as double-set of Fantaghirò 1 and Fantaghirò 2. It is the first...
and second
Fantaghirò 2
Fantaghirò 2 is the second television film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character, with Kim Rossi Stuart and Brigitte Nielsen in other main roles...
films. He later falls in love with and marries Carolina.
The Queen of the Elves, portrayed by Aňa Geislerová, is the Queen of the Forest Elves. She is beautiful and wears a gown of red and gold leaves. In the second film
Fantaghirò 2
Fantaghirò 2 is the second television film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character, with Kim Rossi Stuart and Brigitte Nielsen in other main roles...
she stops Romualdo and his army who are on the way to the Dark Kingdom. She gives Romualdo three tests to prove his worth, which he succeeds. In the third film
Fantaghirò 3
Fantaghirò 3 is the third film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. It originally aired on television in 1993 as a two-parter, and hence is alternately titled as a double-set of Fantaghirò 5 and Fantaghirò 6 in certain...
, she is visited by Fantaghirò, who needs help in breaking a curse that has turned Romualdo into the stone. The Queen of the Elves tells Fantaghirò that the wizard she seeks is Tarabas.
Goldeye, portrayed by Karel Roden
Karel Roden
Karel Roden is a Czech actor, known for his roles in Hellboy and The Bourne Supremacy.Roden's father and grandfather were also actors. After studying theatrical art in Prague he has played many roles in theatres and movies. First, he graduated school of ceramic, then he was admitted to the Academy...
, is a minor villain in the second film
Fantaghirò 2
Fantaghirò 2 is the second television film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character, with Kim Rossi Stuart and Brigitte Nielsen in other main roles...
. He is a bandit who robs anyone he comes across. Fantaghirò humiliates him at the beginning of the film by beating him in armed combat. Later their paths cross again and Goldeye tries to get his revenge by making Fantaghirò dress up as a belly dancer.
Smeralda or Esmeralda, portrayed by Elena D'Ippolito, is a young princess seen in the third film
Fantaghirò 3
Fantaghirò 3 is the third film from the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines as the title character. It originally aired on television in 1993 as a two-parter, and hence is alternately titled as a double-set of Fantaghirò 5 and Fantaghirò 6 in certain...
. Her parents are killed when Tarabas' clay soldiers attack under his command to kidnap all the royal children of the world. Fantaghirò takes Smeralda under her care and eventually adopts her. Smeralda is playful and headstrong, much like Fantaghirò was in her youth.
Angelica, portrayed by Agathe de La Fontaine
Agathe de la Fontaine
Agathe de La Fontaine is a French actress. Her film roles include Train de vie , which shared the 1999 Sundance World Cinema Audience Award with Run Lola Run, and Love in Paris, the sequel to 9½ Weeks...
, is the princess of the oriental kingdom of Tohor. She has listened to stories of Tarabas from when he was a dark wizard, and has adored him. When she learns that Tarabas is in her kingdom, she finds him and declares her love for him. Tarabas rebuffs her affections throughout the entire movie until the very end, when he promises to try to love her.
Nameless , portrayed by Remo Girone
Remo Girone
Remo Girone is an Italian film and stage actor. He is best known for the role of Tano Cariddi in the epic TV mini-series La Piovra , about the Mafia. As a Mafia leader, Tano's chief enemy was Commissario Corrado Cattani.- External links :...
, is the villain of the fifth
Fantaghirò 5
Fantaghirò 5 is the fifth and final film in the Fantaghirò series. It is directed by Lamberto Bava and stars Alessandra Martines. It was originally aired on television as a two-parter, and hence is known in some releases as Fantaghirò 9 and Fantaghirò 10...
film. He is an ogre made of enchanted apalicandro wood, which renders him invulnerable to almost all attacks. Animated with the magic of a hundred witches, Nameless was created in order to end a centuries-long war of attrition
War of Attrition
The international community and both countries attempted to find a diplomatic solution to the conflict. The Jarring Mission of the United Nations was supposed to ensure that the terms of UN Security Council Resolution 242 would be observed, but by late 1970 it was clear that this mission had been...
, only to rebel against his creators. He travels through different worlds on a flying galleon
Galleon
A galleon was a large, multi-decked sailing ship used primarily by European states from the 16th to 18th centuries. Whether used for war or commerce, they were generally armed with the demi-culverin type of cannon.-Etymology:...
in order to become more human by feeding on children. His presence alone is enough to transform food items into deadly monsters.