FairyTale: A True Story ★★½ Illumination 1997 (PG) Discovery of hope and fantasy in bleak reality when two girls in 1917 war-torn England claim to have photographed fairies in their garden. Skeptical debunker Harry Houdini (Keitel) and spiritual believer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (O'Toole) show up to investigate the photos of cousins Elsie (Hoath) and Frances (Earl). The issues of science and spiritualism are profusely debated between the two men, getting a little in the way of the girls and their story. Tries to appeal to both adults and children, which may leave both feeling a bit unsatisfied. Perky pixies flitting about throughout picture, courtesy of special f/x wizard Tim Webber, are bound to delight even hardened audience skeptics. Don't blink for Mel Gibson's cameo as Frances' father. This same true story, known as the Cottingley Fairies, is also part of the plotline in the surreal British film "Photographing Fairies." 99m/C VHS. Harvey Keitel, Peter O'Toole, Florence Hoath, Elizabeth Earl, Paul McGann, Phoebe Nicholls, Bill Nighy, Bob Peck, Tim (McInnerny) McInnery; Cameos: Mel Gibson;
Director:
Charles Sturridge;
Writer:
Ernie Contreras;
Writer:
Michael Coulter;
Cameo:
Zbigniew Preisner.
