Little Red Riding Hood (film)
Encyclopedia
Little Red Riding Hood is a 1997 black and white short movie
(12 minutes long). Written and directed by David Kaplan
and with cinematography
of Scott Ramsey, it features then-teenage Christina Ricci
in the title role and is narrated by Quentin Crisp
.
The movie was awarded at the Avignon Film Festival
1998 (Prix Panavision award to David Kaplan), at the Avignon/New York Film Festival (Vision Award to Scott Ramsey) and at the Williamsburg Brooklyn Film Festival 1999 (Certificate of Excellence to the Best Cinematography
- Scott Ramsey).
" is a sort of black comedy. The black-and-white scenario shows the forest of the tale and a narrator
is the only speaking character.
A wolf — clearly a man in disguise — tries to trick the girl. He successfully eats the grandmother, and then tries to eat the girl. However, the girl tricks him in turn and survives. She is clever enough not to need any huntsman
. She does not "rescue" the eaten grandmother at all. In fact she eats her flesh as well, even after being warned by the cat. Combined with the teasing of the wolf after she escaped to make him follow her this short movie presents an image of "Little Red Riding Hood" that is mildly put: "not entirely innocent."
As such the movie is clearly based on one of the earliest version of the Little Red Riding Hood fairytale, known as "The False Grandmother."
Short subject
A short film is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. No consensus exists as to where that boundary is drawn: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all...
(12 minutes long). Written and directed by David Kaplan
David Kaplan
David Kaplan is the name of:* David Kaplan , American film director* Dave Kaplan, American Mixed Martial Artist* David Kaplan , American philosopher* David Kaplan...
and with cinematography
Cinematography
Cinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
of Scott Ramsey, it features then-teenage Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci
Christina Ricci is an American actress. Ricci received initial recognition and praise as a child star for her performance as Wednesday Addams in The Addams Family and Addams Family Values , and her role as Kat Harvey in Casper...
in the title role and is narrated by Quentin Crisp
Quentin Crisp
Quentin Crisp , was an English writer and raconteur. He became a gay icon in the 1970s after publication of his memoir, The Naked Civil Servant.- Early life :...
.
The movie was awarded at the Avignon Film Festival
Avignon Film Festival
Avignon Film Festival is also known as the Rencontres Cinématographiques Franco-Américain d'Avignon. The festival used to be called the French/American Film Workshop.The festival took place in Avignon, France every year and was devoted to promoting Film...
1998 (Prix Panavision award to David Kaplan), at the Avignon/New York Film Festival (Vision Award to Scott Ramsey) and at the Williamsburg Brooklyn Film Festival 1999 (Certificate of Excellence to the Best Cinematography
Cinematography
Cinematography is the making of lighting and camera choices when recording photographic images for cinema. It is closely related to the art of still photography...
- Scott Ramsey).
Credits
- David KaplanDavid Kaplan (filmmaker)David Kaplan is the writer/director of several films based on fairy tales and folklore, including the feature film Year of the Fish , which premiered at the 2007 Sundance Film Festival and was released theatrically in 2008....
: Director and writer - Rocco Caruso and Jasmine Kosovic: Producers
- Scott Ramsey: Cinematographer
Plot
This version of the classical story "Little Red Riding HoodLittle Red Riding Hood
Little Red Riding Hood, also known as Little Red Cap, is a French fairy tale about a young girl and a Big Bad Wolf. The story has been changed considerably in its history and subject to numerous modern adaptations and readings....
" is a sort of black comedy. The black-and-white scenario shows the forest of the tale and a narrator
Narrator
A narrator is, within any story , the fictional or non-fictional, personal or impersonal entity who tells the story to the audience. When the narrator is also a character within the story, he or she is sometimes known as the viewpoint character. The narrator is one of three entities responsible for...
is the only speaking character.
A wolf — clearly a man in disguise — tries to trick the girl. He successfully eats the grandmother, and then tries to eat the girl. However, the girl tricks him in turn and survives. She is clever enough not to need any huntsman
Deus ex machina
A deus ex machina is a plot device whereby a seemingly inextricable problem is suddenly and abruptly solved with the contrived and unexpected intervention of some new event, character, ability, or object.-Linguistic considerations:...
. She does not "rescue" the eaten grandmother at all. In fact she eats her flesh as well, even after being warned by the cat. Combined with the teasing of the wolf after she escaped to make him follow her this short movie presents an image of "Little Red Riding Hood" that is mildly put: "not entirely innocent."
As such the movie is clearly based on one of the earliest version of the Little Red Riding Hood fairytale, known as "The False Grandmother."
See also
- The fairy taleFairy taleA 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...
story of "Little Red Riding HoodLittle Red Riding HoodLittle Red Riding Hood, also known as Little Red Cap, is a French fairy tale about a young girl and a Big Bad Wolf. The story has been changed considerably in its history and subject to numerous modern adaptations and readings....
" in the Randal KleiserRandal KleiserJohn Randal Kleiser is an American film director and producer, perhaps best known for directing the 1978 musical film Grease.-Life and career:...
directed, full length experimental filmExperimental filmExperimental film or experimental cinema is a type of cinema. Experimental film is an artistic practice relieving both of visual arts and cinema. Its origins can be found in European avant-garde movements of the twenties. Experimental cinema has built its history through the texts of theoreticians...
entitled Red Riding Hood. - The animated cartoonCartoonA cartoon is a form of two-dimensional illustrated visual art. While the specific definition has changed over time, modern usage refers to a typically non-realistic or semi-realistic drawing or painting intended for satire, caricature, or humor, or to the artistic style of such works...
"take off" of "Little Red Riding HoodLittle Red Riding HoodLittle Red Riding Hood, also known as Little Red Cap, is a French fairy tale about a young girl and a Big Bad Wolf. The story has been changed considerably in its history and subject to numerous modern adaptations and readings....
" in the short film entitled Red Hot Riding HoodRed Hot Riding HoodRed Hot Riding Hood is an animated cartoon short subject, directed by Tex Avery and released on May 8, 1943 by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. In 1994 it was voted #7 of The 50 Greatest Cartoons of all time by members of the animation field...
.