Erendira is a dark fairy tale covered in the blanket of magic realism that has become Gabriel Garcia Marquez`s trademark. The story itself unfolds like a bizarre daydream that follows a 14 year old Erendira as she is plagued by the "wind of her misfortune." It is this wind that causes Erendira to burn down her grandmother`s lavish villa. Upon seeing the ruin and ashes the Grandmother informs Erendira that "it would take a lifetime to back the debt you owe me." And so begins the young girl`s life of prostitution. In order to earn back her money, the Grandmother sells Erendira to countless men, day and night. It is only when Erendira meets angelic Ulysses that her tortured life seemingly begins to change. Perhaps the most brilliant aspect of this movie is the role of the Grandmother. She is continually seated upon a throne-like chair, is incredibly fat and gaudy and devours cake by the handful; all while dispensing cryptic advice to Erendira. The power that the Grandmother has over the life of Erendira is shocking yet morbidly interesting, as is she. This strong presence is the reason that her character commands the most attention in the story. Her greed and voracious appetite for life are quite possibly representative of the many corrupt and powerful organizations and politicians that are present in Latin America and throughout the world. Erendira is a compelling story to say the least. It is funny yet eerie, intriguing yet grotesque, and I thought it was amazing. Every piece of description and every word of dialogue work together to create the web of magic realism that dominates story line. If you like slightly dark stories of Latin American culture that have a magical twist, then Erendira should be your first choice.