A film of incredible beauty, sadness and love for the monster: Victor Erice’s magical 1973 film, Spirit of the Beehive. Think of this as the prelude to Guillermo del Toro’s films, especially The Devil’s Backbone. How the unimaginable horror of war seems to the unfathoming innocence of a child. There aren’t enough movies that awe on a visual level that aren’t simply candy-colored assaultive spectacles. This understated tale of a young girl’s fascination with Karloff’s iconic creature will amaze you.

As always, drop by Todd’s blog for a round-up of all the overlooked A/V.