MovieChat Forums > Snow White: A Tale of Terror (1997) Discussion > Anyone else rooting for Sigourney Weaver...

Anyone else rooting for Sigourney Weaver's character?

posted 15 years ago by broken_tourniquet_2010
44 replies | jump to latest

I was. With a heroine like the one they saddled with this movie, you have no choice but to root for the villain. I can't think of a time when I loathed a protagonist as much as I loathed Lillian. She was whiny and the epitome of the spoiled brat/overly-rebellious teenager stereotype, which in most cases would actually be a stereotype, but in her case, it fit perfectly.

What irritated me most about her character was how she treated Claudia when they first met. She, Claudia, was nothing but nice to her, and put up with a lot from Lillian. I know she turns out to be evil, but Lillian had no right to treat her that way.

The point of the hero of a story is that you're supposed to relate to them or feel sympathy for them through their struggles. If the writers intended the audience to feel sorry for Lillian through her escapes with death, they should have made her a more likeable character.

[–] mikeyjj418 15 years ago

I definitly agree with you. I happen to always root for villians (especially when they're vain, beautiful witches: those are my favorite types of characters), but in this adaptation, there was NOTHING about Lilliana that would make you want to be on her side. She had absolutely no redeeming qualities.

"You should learn not to compete with me; I always win!"

[–] mistyfoxy 14 years ago

Dangerous, vain, beautiful, slightly crazy older women/witches. Yeah, definitely with you there.

Of course, I've been rooting for Sigourney Weaver ever since she stripped down to her vest and panties in the escape pod at the end of Alien. And I love the crazy demented whirling dance she does in this movie.

We can't stop here. This is bat country.

[–] brianinnh 14 years ago

Not to mention the teddy in Working Girl!! I could have just thrown the leg cast to one side and eaten my way up the signatures!!

[–] marilynnewman 10 years ago

I fell in love with Sigourney after "Galaxy Quest", beautiful and tough, playing a dumb actress. I never liked horror pictures, because they never horrified me, just bored me, but her comedy timing was great. I haven't see this film, but just the "Tale of Terror" part turned me off totally. I prefer comedy, real stuff, Sci Fi. I think I've seen every WWI & WWII movies, made from the "Dawn Partrol" to the "High and the Mighty", between 12 and 18, and now I prefer spy stories, like "Shining Through" and of Course James Bond.

[–] thereseuphemiaabernathy 12 years ago

I'm with the majority of you; I felt much, much sorrier for Claudia--who was a far more interesting person, anyway. There was very little for me to like about the irritating Lilli.

And the "evil magic mirror driving the stepmother mad" twist was intriguing, as opposed to the portrayal of the mirror as either neutral or good. She didn't start off as a bad, crazy person. The tragic loss of her son, of course, led her to snap...

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[–] fosthoff 15 years ago

The thing is, Lillian had a pretty strong Oedipal complex (she was really attached to her dad), so she got offended at the idea of someone taking his affections. It doesn't make her likeable of course, but that's a big theme of fairy tales - the hero or heroine starts off with an Oedipal complex of some sort, then gradually shifts and matures until they get over it.

[–] jjackfam5 15 years ago

I took Sigourney's side. Liliana was a rude b*****. I mean she did apologize, but it was eight or nine years late. Sigourney was trying to be this loveable mother figure. She gave her a dog and so far we know dresses, but on her wedding night Liliana threw water in her face, I did not hear a thank you come out of her mouth, and she wanted to make her stepmother pay by wearing that dress. So I applaud and salute Sigourney Weavers character.

[–] esther-eisenhauer 15 years ago

Meh, anyone would have that kind of complex after growing up with just a dad (I don't count nurses and servants to be "family" though they certainly can come awful close).

I'm not psycho, just a little loopy.
*~me~*

[–] stentor7 12 years ago

You need to study up on your ancient stories. Electra complex is what Lily had, the analogous one for boys is Oedipal complex which is mother-son, Electra is father-daughter.

[–] punkrockhottie37 15 years ago

She treated Claudia that way only after she saw her freaky mirror kill her nurse. Really, is she supposed to be sweet after that? Lol. Personally I was simply rooting for the guy she ended up with.

Weaver's character was really nice at the beginning but went psycho after she lost the baby. That wasn't Lillian's fault. I was rooting for the stepmother and Will to be murdered. I didn't like Lillian much either, but her attitude was somewhat right for the time.

It wasn't about feeling sorry for her, they failed at being historically accurate, but it was just about giving a different perspective and adding a little bit of realism to the tale. Such as the peasant/lord-princess aspect.

[–] mark-hansen11 12 years ago

It's cute that you think the tale of Snow White is history and not just an old folk tale xD. "historically accurate" hahahahahahahahaha

[–] cgraves04 10 years ago

No she didn't. She threw the wine in her stepmother's face BEFORE the mirror killed her nurse. Also, she mistreated her nurse in the first place. She made an old woman chase after her all the time, and she went snooping in her stepmother's room where she didn't belong, which resulted in her nurse finding the mirror and dying.

[–] rc1990 7 years ago

Same here. Liliana knew there was something wrong with Claudia from the beginning. (When she was making out with her father while young Lily was watching for exemple).

[–] esther-eisenhauer 15 years ago

Kinda, yeah... but at the same time, kinda not really. Hard position to be in when you've seen a sh!t ton of variations of the same fairy tale(s) and being an actress at the same time - you learn what to do to make yourself believable and whatnot. Yeah, Lilly was a pain... but aren't all little girls who only grow up with an extremely doting father? That's a genuine question by the way.

I'm not psycho, just a little loopy.
*~me~*

[–] 15 years ago

[deleted]

[–] kpn3 14 years ago

Yes, Lilly was the most annoying character. For one thing she stumpy, and annoying looking, and a complete brat and wanted to bang her dad. Claudia was nice to her and tried hard, Lilliana was a stupid bitch, I don't know who could like her.

"I swear in the days still left we'll walk in fields of gold.."

[–] palletizer 14 years ago

I felt the same way as many here. I can understand Lilly having difficulty adjusting to her new living situation, but throwing water (or whatever was in that flask) at her new step-mom just makes her look like a brat. Especially considering that Claudia was very kind to her. Then pitching a fit about trying on a dress. I mean, I just started watching this - never even heard of it before, but a friend sent me the link - and I was expecting right off the bat to root for "Snow White", but very early on I didn't like her or her attitude. I'm guessing it was a conscious decision by the film's creators, but it strikes me as very odd. When she starts encountering horrors and hardships, I'm thinking "That's what you get!" I'm not sure if that's supposed to be the desired reaction.

[–] LadyN1 14 years ago

Thats the point though we the audience are SUPPOSED to root for Claudia however theres a point where her actions become unredeemable. I mean she killed her brother and attempted to kill her husband and stepdaughter through use of black magic and violence. Lillian wasnt a saint either but you can argue it was because of a lack of a mother and her priveleiged background. She was born into wealth so she was a bit of a brat but at least she changed throughout the story. She becomes more aware of reality and becomes more caring for others so you actually sort of root for her. I think we are meant to sympathise with both characters. You can understand why Claudia goes off the rails but I think Claudia's insecurity was always there, Lillian just fueled the fire. So both women are to blame for their own and for the others fates /actions that happen to them.

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[–] cgraves04 10 years ago

I think you hit the nail on the head.

[–] Dream_Demon 14 years ago

I personally think that Lili was just a small influence in Claudia being evil. A bigger influence would have to be the death of her still born child and the fact that she can't have another kid again, but the biggest influence of them all would have to be that evil mirror. Honestly, that was the one thing that absolutely corrupted her and the thing that killed her when Lili stabbed into it. It made me feel sorry for the woman she once was.

Welcome to my Nightmare- Freddy Krueger

[–] barcardimike 14 years ago

I think that is why they named her Lilly. Like a flower, she wilted after too much exposure to the elements. In this case, her father. To take the metaphor to its extent, Lilly saw Sigourney's character as a bee trying to pollenate her and invade her privacy. It's all very obvious. NOT