The Juniper Tree (1990)

How sad is this?

Brilliant and touching

Absolutely the worst movie.

Fun premise, good actors, bad writing. This film seemed to have potential at the beginning but it quickly devolves into a trite action film. Ultimately it's very boring.

I can't believe I had never heard of this movie until I happened to see it in the $3 used pile at my local video store. Being a casual Bjork fan I figured it would be an entertaining 90 mins with maybe a few decent songs.Wow, was I surprised. First of all, there aren't any Bjork songs although the soundtrack does contain some haunting vocalizations that might be her (sounds a lot like the Volta album), but I can't be sure. Secondly, although Bjork is indeed the lead character, the movie is so much more than just her.It's definitely a very artsy film, so if the phrase "artsy film" scares you, you might want to move along. If, on the other hand, you don't mind long, wordless, gorgeous b&w shots of the landscape and other photo-worthy images, read on.If I had walked into a cinema that was playing this movie, I might think it was a Bergman film or something by Carl Theodor Dreyer or Robert Bresson. It has that same dreamy, haunting quality and careful attention to visuals. This is the kind of movie that you could take a snapshot of at any minute, hang it on your wall, and people would say 'ooh cool photo'. Bjork is particularly beautiful (in a Keebler elf sort of way), the locations are breathtaking, and the authentic sets add to the film's credibility. The exteriors were shot in rural Iceland, and the interiors were shot in various Icelandic historical museums. Everything we see transports us back to a timeless, legendary world.You might have heard that this is based on a Grimm's fairytale of the same name, but the similarities end there. The Grimm's fairytale is a pretty straightforward, predictable moral lesson, whereas this adaptation is a complex and poetic experience that will linger in your mind for a long time. Also don't be misled by the DVD description; while witchcraft is a main component, the movie is not necessarily supernatural but instead shows us how belief can bend perception and influence outcomes.I have to admit it took me a while to get into this film, and many others might also have some difficulty due to its unconventional presentation and heavy pacing. But it really gets interesting in the 2nd half, and I found the ending to be unexpected and provocative.If you're a fan of the aforementioned directors as well as Jean Cocteau ("Beauty & the Beast"), Bela Tarr ("Werckmeister Harmonies"), Hiroshi Teshigahara ("Woman in the Dunes") and other surrealist masters, I think you'll really enjoy this. Oh yeah, it also has Bjork in it. How cool is that!

Before I watched it, I was not expecting a huge goal. However, it just finished and now I want to watch it again and again.I really like Björk, maybe that is why I cannot be objective. I also loved "the dancer in the dark" too much. Either she knows how to choose interesting stories for casting in or she is really lucky. This movie is much more naive than what the spoilers and reviewers said. The movie does not contain blatant thoughts and dialogs. I can only say that you should see. and I strongly recommend you to watch "Bachelorette" afterward."One day I found a big book buried deep in the ground. I opened it, but all the pages were blank And to my surprise, it started writing itself; 'One day I found a big book buried deep in the ground' "

I find it sad that the only recognition this movie gets is Bjork'sinvolvement in it. While I do admit that she's an asset to it (shelooks peculiar and is talented), I also think that the movie hasqualities of its own.The eerie mood of the film is heightened by a lot of silence and aslow pace. Put that against a rocky landscape in black and white,and add a beautiful raw score, and you get a nice result. I wish itwere a little longer. The setting (architecture) and costumes reallytake the viewer to another time and place.I definitely recommend this movie, keeping in mind that it's not anaction movie, nor a horror movie. It's full of earth and soul.

I originally bought the movie because I was a huge Björk fan. But after watching it several times, I see that the movie stands on its own and would be almost as good without Björk (not quite though). The plot was a little hard to follow at first, but after seeing it around 5 times I think I've caught everything. This movie is by no means a blockbuster or high budget. In fact, it's more like something you'd see on the Independent Film Channel. Juniper Tree is based on a Brothers Grimm tale and was filmed in Iceland. The scenery is rather barren (unlike some really beautiful landscape I've seen in books about Iceland) and the black and white photography doesn't help much to brighten the mood. All of this, however, adds to the film and the plot.I agree that this movie will appeal to a very small percentage of the public, but if you fit into that category, you may have just found what you're looking for.