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| Fig.1 Poster |
The Innocents, released in 1961 and directed by Jack Clayton, is a film based on the novella ‘The Turn of the Screw’ (Henry James, 1898), the film also inspired many supernatural thrillers to come, such as The Others (Alejandro Amenbars, 2001) starring Nicole Kidman. The films basic plot follows a newly appointed governess, Miss Giddens (Deborah Kerr) is sent to a manor to look after a young girl 'Flora' however the weird circumstances that bring home the boy 'Miles' from boarding school, prompt Miss Giddens into finding out what happened in there pasts.
‘Something secretive and whispery and indecent’” (Walters, 2006) The two children in the film, Flora and Miles played by Pamela Franklin and Martin Stephens give brilliant performances, almost to the point where you feel they are insane, where they appear “apparently angelic little children” (Variety Staff,1981) Miles especially brings a sense of evil into the film.
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| Fig.2 |
“Clayton makes full use of camera angles, sharp cutting, shadows, ghost effects and a sinister soundtrack” (Walters, 2006) The films climax scenes especially show the use of sharp cutting, and close up camera angles when the 'spirits' are chasing Miss Giddens around the house as seen in fig.3
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| fig.3 Close up camera |
(On a personal note, I found whilst watching the film that I knew exactly what was going to happen, only to realise that the film was based on the novel ‘Turn of the screw’ which I had studied before.)
Bibliography
List of Illustrations
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