Snow White A Tale of Terror / Deerskin By Robin McKinley

I was automatically reminded of McKinley's Heroine Lissar while I was watching the film "Snow White A Tale of Terror" There are several things wrong with this retelling. I dont mean wrong in the generic cookie cutter Disney way but the symbolism has managed to make the film weird. (FYI The father is the guy from The Tudors!) First of all Lilly's mothers name was Liliana (Lilly is obviously short for this) What I find strange the most about the dynamic of Lilly and her father's relationship is that through the eyes of the child the relationship seems to go beyond the realm of father and daughter. When her father is kissing her new stepmother she looks absolutely terrified as if she were some jealous or devistated lover. Also Lilly throws the contents of her cup on her stepmother when it comes time to bless their marriage bed. If that doesnt scream 'I dont want you with my man' I dont know what does.

Also theres the fact that Lilly looks exactly like her mother, Deerskin Is based on Donkey Skin by Perclautt. I enjoyed this revision even if it was creepy. The dwarfs being lecherous older men was a nice touch and fed into the idea of Snow White living with the seven of them as odd. (Made the same point in class. I didnt really feel sorry for the Stepmother though, everyone seemed to be in their own little bubble.Lady Hoffman just wanted to replace Lilliana which technically happened already when her father remarried. The two Lilliana's seem to intermingle though, because you have the wife and the daughter their relationship is close except there is no sex involved. I feel as though the love her father had for Lilliana was a threat to Lady Hoffman. It is probably the reason she wanted to have a child by him and had such a passion to see her dead.

Beauty and sexuality as well as memories seem to be themes in the story. I do have to wonder if the Mirror talking to Lady Hoffman was just her going crazy or if it was actual magic because there was a moment I saw her as she was and then her reflection was talking to her. Lady Hoffman's anger towards Liliana when she arrives wearing her dead mothers dress is understandable, she looks just like her mother and shes wearing her mothers dress, she is competition to take her mothers place. I do think that the miscarriage was a bit over dramatic but I suppose that drives the point home that when it comes to competition there only room for one at the top. Lady Hoffman attempts to isolate Lilly's father. I found it strange that Sam Neill's character seemed clueless to what was really going on. When Lady Hoffman was told to 'steal his seed' while they are having sex I felt like she was using her sexuality to control her husband. The whole sex scene seemed to boarder on rape.
I can understand why people feel bad for the Stepmother, she has lost the ability to have children, lost her baby, gone insane and is being overshadowed by her daughter even with this I find her evil and strongly believe that the competition between them may have been in her head.

In the case of Lissar In Deerskin She is competition for her mother. Her parents are both noted as attractive and respected while she is looked at as an after thought.Her mother was in fact so obsessed with her outward appearance that she commissions a painter after she becomes ill. Her painting is a symbol of who she once was and before she dies she makes her husband promise that he will not remarry unless the woman he remarries is as beautiful as her. Ironically the only woman that can measure up to this is his own daughter.