Thale is a 2012 Norwegian film written and directed by Aleksander Nordaas. The movie stars Silje Reinåmo, Erlend Nervold and Jon Sigve Skard. It is based on the legend of the the Huldra – a seductive forest creature found in Scandinavian folklore (her name derives from a root meaning “covered” or “secret”).
Two crimes scene cleaners discover a mythical tailed, female creature in a concealed cellar. She never utters a word, unable to tell her tale herself, but the pieces of the puzzle soon come together; she’s been held captive for decades for reasons soon to surface. Someone is approaching from outside. They want her back…
Review:
Director (and more or less everything else) Aleksander Nordaas makes the most of his low budget, keeping the film claustrophobic – even the outdoor shots seem oppressive and sinister – and allows the story to develop as a character piece before providing a suitably violent finale. It’s a skilfully handled story and leaves enough untold for us to fill in the gaps ourselves. Only some ropey CGI, thankfully kept to a minimum, lets the visual feel of the story down.”
David Flint, MOVIES & MANIA
Other reviews:
“Loosely based on Norwegian mythology, Nordaas has crafted a smart, stylish little film with minimal resources and a talented cast and crew. Granted it’s probably not saying much, since I not a big fan of modern, remake/plagiarism-intensive horror filmmaking, but so far this is a strong contender for Best Horror Movie of 2012 in our annual recap.” Video Junkie
“Although Nordaas does a competent job directing an ambitious low-budget indie creature feature with very little money, the laughable social commentary, failed boo scares and unbelievably cheesy ending make Thale a mediocre, yawn-worthy disappointment” Dread Central
