Sunday 4 December 2011

Film Review - The Innocents


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.

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

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

http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMTQ0MDU4NjIzNl5BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwOTA1NjAzMQ@@._V1._SY317_CR4,0,214,317_.jpg 
 https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3RMKHtL_6pb72R_X6g-idGvvY62ZRhf2FKhkgusPvJx-i90QjNgIaiV_mIzYl7L8DRJuU3aMhyRxaDDfq93v-cFlNnbONDe3BTUHS4bpwxvdpVlHFP7VLFS86oOLTWcmodbmqrCAeLZNm/s1600/the-innocents-martin-stephens.jpeg

 

2 comments:

  1. Hey George - some grammatical stuff for you;

    there/their

    you use 'there' for 'there is' or 'over there', but 'their' as in 'their pasts'

    also, you're missing apostrophes with the effect of losing the sense in your sentences, so:

    'films basic plot' - meaning the basic plot of more than one film or 'film's basic plot' meaning the basic plot of the specific film in question.

    Also - while these reviews are absolutely 'short and sweet' (and in common with your presentations - your personal style is refreshingly pithy) - I'd just like to see you drill more deeply into some of the thematic stuff and go for a more 'content-rich' approach. For example, so much has been written about the systems of meaning in 'Don't Look Now' - so many articles, commentaries and essays etc. - that it would be satisfying to see you being a bit more 'Sherlock' about these reviews and dealing with some proper reading/writing. After all, one of these reviews may form the basis of your Unit 3 assignment - and if you're doing the reading now then you're killing 2 birds with one stone.

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  2. George - with one week to go until crit day, I'm concerned in regard to the complete absence of Unit 3 related work on your blog. It would frustrate me - particularly in light of previous feedback - if suddenly in the final week, you're going to start posting furiously - as this surely defeats the object of you being here. I know previously your other commitments have made it difficult for you to manage your degree studies adequately. I would appreciate an email (upon receipt of this feedback) informing me of any ongoing difficulties you're experiencing and what I can expect come crit day.

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