Beneath The Trees: Folktales At DEFA 2 (UK Import) [Region B Blu-ray]

Beneath The Trees: Folktales At DEFA 2 Blu-ray collects five strange, enchanting and phantasmagorical East German folktale films from DEFA, the state-operated film studio of the German Democratic Republic. Drawing from stories by Wilhelm Hauff, Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm, these Märchenfilme remain among the most distinctive works in East German cinema.

FILMS INCLUDED

The Tinderbox (1959)

A young soldier agrees to help a scheming witch retrieve a magical tinderbox guarded by a monstrous dog, only to find himself drawn into a strange fairytale adventure filled with danger, magic and deception.

Snow White (1961)

When a magic mirror declares Snow White the most beautiful in the land, an evil queen orders a hunter to kill her stepdaughter, setting the classic Brothers Grimm story into motion.

Snow White and Rose Red (1978)

Two young sisters encounter a pair of princes transformed into animals by an evil mountain spirit, leading them into a magical tale of courage, kindness and enchantment.

The Frog King (1987)

A princess must face a series of trials to reach the castle of the Frog King and reunite with the prince she once mistreated.

The Robe (1961 / 1991)

In this adaptation of The Emperor’s New Clothes, two weavers arrive in a walled town and are tasked with creating garments for a tyrannical ruler. The film began production in 1961 but was not completed and released until after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Collected in the Masters of Cinema series, Beneath The Trees: Folktales At DEFA 2 presents both beloved DEFA titles and rare discoveries, including the UK Blu-ray premieres of all five films. This limited collector’s edition box set features restored HD presentations, newly translated subtitles, commentaries, interviews, video essay, animated shorts, hardbound slipcase and 60-page book.

1959–1991 / 373 min / German Audio / 3-Disc Region B Blu-ray Limited Collector’s Edition Box Set