Tag: witch

Categories
Uncategorised

The Love Witch (2016)

Anna Biller’s second feature, The Love Witch is a film I have been eager to watch for a while now. Since its release in 2016, The Love Witch has gained a cult following and become a firm favourite of modern horror thanks to its modern interpretation of 60s horror. The film follows witch, Elaine Parks (Samantha Robinson) who moves to a small town after suffering a breakdown due to the death of her ex-husband. The films acts as an ode to 1960s horror films as well as a technicolour fantasy and is definitely a passion project for Biller who serves as director, writer, producer, editor and composer. If that alone doesn’t impress then the final result is sure to please. Much like the film’s protagonist, The Love Witch is impossible to put into a box. It stands on its own two feet as a brilliant feminist piece that subverts the rules in the filmmaking book to create one of the most original films this century.

Biller’s vision is fully realised thanks to her impeccable direction and writing. The choice to make the actors perform in a presentational style plays in perfectly with the nostalgic side of the film. Also, Biller’s genius use of natural colouring to give the film a technicolour aesthetic is innovative and unique. The dedication Biller put into this film is phenomenal and she is definitely a filmmaker to watch. Her script is among the best original scripts of this century hands down and I am shocked it wasn’t up for some major awards. It’s a shame that this film didn’t receive a wide release because it’s a wonderful representation of women in film. This is very much Biller’s film and its empowering to see a woman take the helm at so many roles in the filmmaking process.

To say Samantha Robinson is hypnotic as Elaine is an understatement. From the first shot when we see Elaine driving to her new home we hear her story in the voice over, it’s clear that the weight of the film lies on Robinson’s shoulders and she carries with ease. Elaine is a tragic character, desperate to find love and will do anything to get it but faces drastic consequences. To write her off as a weak character would be a huge mistake as there is a strength to Elaine that becomes evident as the film unfolds. Unafraid and aware of her sexuality, Elaine tries to find her place in a patriarchal world that has never cared for her. This is a fantastic breakout role for Robinson and proves that she has a promising career as a leading actress. Even when she isn’t onscreen, her presence can be felt because she is so affectice in her role. As Elaine begins to succeed in her quest for love, the mask begins to slip as her self-absorbed nature and lack of empathy leads to her downfall. It soon emerges that maybe Elaine isn’t as naive as we are led to believe. This is thanks to the presentational acting which Robinson pulls off flawlessly.

Biller’s score is inspired by Medieval and Renaissance music injected with synthesised sounds to give it a modern feel. Much like the rest of the film, the score is unpredictable and deeply original. There are so many standout pieces throughout the film but the track playing when Elaine and interior designer, Trish go for tea is a particular highlight. The music numbers really enhance the film and create blur in genres as it flits from horror to musical to comedy in the score alone. There are also pieces that feature childlike singing which I think exemplifies the naivety of the film’s characters and is played at pivotal moments and the transition of naivety to realisation. I really hope that Biller continues to score her films because she perfectly encapsulates the originality of her film.

Overall, The Love Witch is one of the most original films I have seen in a while. Its unique take on nostalgia mixed with the strong female gaze makes it a strong win in my book. Biller’s talent as a filmmaker and visionary is evident from the opening shot and it’s clear that she is a force to be reckoned with. This has quickly become a firm favourite of mine and I can see myself rewatching this many times as it’s a film rich in subtext. I am really looking forward to seeing her next film Bluebeard.

What do you think of The Love Witch? Let me know in the comments below!

Categories
Uncategorised

Robert Eggers: Double Feature

In my series where I look at the emerging directors this century, it was only matter of time before I discuss the work of horror director Robert Eggers. Usually associated with his A24 cohort Ari Aster, Eggers’ two films are psychological studies of its characters with a darker colour palette than Aster’s work. His 2015 debut The VVitch was an instant success and a major talking point among the film community on release. There hadn’t been a film quite like it and it’s unapologetic take on the breakdown of a family. His 2019 film The Lighthouse couldn’t be more different. Whereas The VVitch was full of female empowerment and the emergence of a strong young woman finding her place in the world, The Lighthouse is heavily masculine and becomes a double character study rather than the spotlight being on a single character. The overall style of Eggers’ films is a perfect mix of gritty realism with a hint of fantasy and magic. Despite the unrealistic elements, the films are definitely grounded in their realism and the audience reaction is unaffected.

Both of his films were distributed by A24 and are currently discussed alongside Ari Aster’s films Hereditary and Midsommar as they are A24 and horror as well but Aster and Eggers have completely different angles. If anything, each film is a great example of how horror has becoming the best genre to look at current topical issues. I have written on Aster which can be read here and recommend watching his films but here are my mini reviews for Robert Eggers’ films The VVitch and The Lighthouse.

The VVitch (2015)

Eggers’ debut was talked about a lot on release because of its unrelenting dismantling of the family home. Following Thomasin (Anya Taylor-Joy), a young girl on the verge of womanhood struggling with her place in the family home after they are banished to fend for themselves after rejecting a Puritan colony. The family are then convinced there is a witch causing mayhem and won’t stop until the entire unit is killed. Starting with the baffling disappearance of her baby brother, Samuel after playing peekaboo with him, Eggers isn’t afraid of tackling taboos that even classical horrors don’t dare venture. Critics were more favourable towards the film whereas audiences weren’t as convinced although it was still a success at the box office. I think that because it was marketed as a straightforward horror, audiences weren’t expecting the many layers that this film has. It is more about Thomasin’s characterisation than the gruesome death scenes or jump scares. Taylor-Joy is nothing short than spectacular as Thomasin and brings that juxtaposition between childlike innocence and the more adult curiousity. She feeds into the fear to her twin brother and sister innocently at the beginning but then the more sinister intentions underlying the film begin to creep out. It’s definitely a horror film for the 21st century and helped to pave the way for more horrors that have intricate character studies. The VVitch could be viewed as a film exploring female empowerment and rejecting the traditional patriarchal society.

The Lighthouse (2019)

One of the most anticipated films of 2019, The Lighthouse stars Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe as warring lighthouse keepers, Winslow and Wake, respectively, who are stranded on an island during the storm. It’s not a horror in the traditional sense but the rising tension and characters’ waning sanity are the perfect combination to making one of the best horrors in recent years. Pattinson and Dafoe are pretty much the only characters for the majority of the film with Valeriia Karaman making an appearance as the Mermaid who seduces Winslow. The Lighthouse is a film unlike any other nevermind a horror film unlike any other. FIlmed in black and white 1.19:1 aspect ratio, the film is reminiscent of a claustrophobic vintage horror, reflective of the era it is trying to portray. Loosely based on the short story “The Light-House” by Edgar Allen-Poe, Eggers and his brother Max Eggers worked the script to a late 19th century setting and wanted to keep the focus on the deterioation of its male protagonists. I have written a more in-depth review of The Lighthouse which can be read here. Every aspect of this film is perfect from the casting to the writing to the set design. It was nominated for one Academy Award for Best Cinematography which was very well-deserved but I really feel that it should have been nominated for more, especially Willem Dafoe for Best Supporting Actor. Dafoe consistently brings his A game and the fact that The Lighthouse is among his best says a lot.

Eggers is currently working on his upcoming project The Northman which will star mega stars like Nicole Kidman and Alexander Skarsgard as well as reuniting the director with Anya Taylor-Joy and Willem Dafoe so needless to say there are high expectations. From what I can tell, this new film will be the first Eggers film not to be distributed by A24 as 20th Century Studios have locked it in which shows the faith the big budget studios have in him. Hopefully the studio will give him the freedom to follow his vision through like A24 do. There is no doubt that Eggers has a hugely exciting future ahead of him in the film industry and it will be interested to see what else he comes up with.

Which Robert Eggers is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below!

Categories
Uncategorised

The Lighthouse (2019)

Robert Eggers’ follow-up to 2015’s The VVitch is a mind-bending mesh of chaos, insanity and broken masculinity. Starring Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe as two lighthouse keepers who are stranded on the island after a storm hits, The Lighthouse shows the men’s mentality break and crumble in a fashion never before seen on film. Co-written by Eggers and his brother Max Eggers and inspired by the unfinished short story “The Light-House” by Edgar Allan Poe, The Lighthouse is a brilliant look into madness and mayhem from the outset as the protagonists drink themselves into oblivion when a storm hits. Distributed by the illustrious A24, the film has become instantly iconic for it’s beautiful cinematography, brilliant screenplay and magnetic performances. It is a film that commands attention from the outset and despite it’s simple plot, it is sublimely complex and groundbreaking. Eggers has proven yet again that he is a filmmaker to watch. More like his contemporary Ari Aster (Hereditary and Midsommar), Eggers is bringing a new perspective on the horror genre. His films are not afraid to be gory and disgusting in a different way while also bringing in dark humour and aspects of magic realism. Incorporating sea folk such as mermaids and sea monsters in a space where they are clearly fantasy to begin with but slowly slip into the reality and getting to the point where their existence could be argued.

Robert Pattinson proves that he is on a promising streak of strong performances following his stellar turn in Claire Denis’ erotic sci-fi High Life (you can read my review here). Pattinson plays Ephraim Winslow, a newbie to the lighthouse keeping game who is put to strenuous tasks by the elder Thomas Wake. When he finds a mermaid ornament hidden in his mattress, Winslow becomes fascinated by the eroticism that the sea has and becomes sexually obsessed to the point where his fantasies and realities collide. Even he doesn’t know what is real by the end of the film. The events in the film act as an awakening for Winslow as well as proving to be his demise. He’s a character who never feels settled and is clearly out of place in the job. His inability to understand why what they do is important and Wake’s reluctance to allow him to see the light actually prove to be motivators for Winslow as he doesn’t allow the job to overwhelm him. Pattinson’s character is manic, quiet and calculating at the same time and I think this film is solid proof of how far he has come from his Twilight days. Considering he found fame in a mainstream franchise and will be starring as the titular character in the new Batman film, I think starring in indie films like The Lighthouse shows Pattinson’s passion and his desire for good characterisation and artistic growth.

Williem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson in director Robert Eggers THE LIGHTHOUSE.

Willem Dafoe gives a flawless performance as is expected. Undoubtedly one of the best working actors today, Dafoe’s portrayal of the elderly Thomas Wake is a revelation. He is boisterous and unafraid to stand his ground, having no trouble delegating all the hard work to his companion. At the same time, there are many moments when Wake will change his stories and claim that the stories haven’t changed at all. It’s a role that requires fearlessness which is something that Dafoe has in spades. Known for his controversial roles and ability to play any character to perfection, Dafoe manages to reach yet another career best which is amazing considering the performances he has pulled off the past few years, particularly his turn in The Florida Project. What differs with his performance in The Lighthouse, however, is that this role feels more fantastical and removed to how we usually see Dafoe and the result is immense. I firmly believe that he was deserving of Supporting Actor nominations through awards season but it wasn’t to be as The Lighthouse was shut out from most categories. I think what Dafoe does brilliantly is challenging himself and showing time and time again just how much range he has as a performer. Wake is a despicable man who takes advantage of his protegee and yet he is captivating, incomprehensible and misunderstood.

The score by Mark Korven marks his second collaboration with Eggers after providing the eerily fantastic music for The VVitch. Created in a similar vein to the aforementioned, the score for The Lighthouse is clearly inspired by old maritime songs and merged with traditional horror tones. The result is a suspense filled mesh of mayhem that stands out clearly against the black and white backdrop of the film. It feels timeless and yet not suited for any time with its standoffish tone. There are many jarring string pieces that are like the tempting siren but then contrasting with the stormy surrounding and building tension as the relationship between the protagonists becomes more unbearable. Looking back, this has been a fantastic year for movie scores and even among all the best soundtracks, The Lighthouse proves to be equally simple yet effective, heightening the viewing experience.

lighthouse2

I think this is a film that has the potential to go down as a horror classic. It feels experimental and brave, pushing the boundaries on film-making through the use of its contrast between simplicity and complexity. It’s a horror in many ways from its gore to its mental abusive nature and the inability to trust in its lonely characters makes it a nail-biting experience. I think it’s a real shame this was locked out of almost all categories but glad that Jarin Blaschke was recognised for his phenomenal cinematography. The Lighthouse has proven to be a marmite film among film lovers but it is a deeply rewarding experience and the vision is executed beautifully. It’s a film that I look forward to viewing again and again as I think I’ll notice even more elements that I admire. It makes me keen to see where Eggers’ career will take him next and eager to see if he continues with his great collaborations.

What did you think of The Lighthouse? Let me know in the comments below!

Categories
Uncategorised

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

With the hype of awards season in full swing, I thought I would take a look back at some older favourites of mine. Inspired by the Judy Garland biopic, Judy, what better way to connect the current awards season with a favourite classic of mine and discuss the wonderfully magical The Wizard of Oz (1939). Commonly seen as the film that propelled Judy Garland to stardom at the tender age of 16, cementing her legacy in Hollywood for years to come. The film is adored by fans of all ages and a regular watch at Christmastime. Following Kansas teen Dorothy Gale who is whisked away in a tornado along with her dog, Toto and landing in the mysterious land of Oz. Dorothy must team up with the unlikeliest of friends and find the great Wizard to find her way home. The film was mainly directed by Victor Fleming who left the production to direct Gone With the Wind and the remaining work was taken over by King Vidor. The screenplay was written by Noel Langley, Florence Ryerson and Edgar Allan Woolf and based on the classic children’s book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, The Wizard of Oz is a masterclass in classic Hollywood cinema.

Judy Garland is absolutely breathtaking as Dorothy. Probably one of the most perfect casting choices in film history. From her brilliant expressions and sheer talent for being an all-rounder, it’s hard not to feel moved by Garland’s performance, particularly when she sings “Over the Rainbow”. Garland’s background and the tragedy behind her experience filming this is well-known. The trauma Garland went through during the filming was sure to have had a lasting effect on her for the rest of her life. This makes the performance even more heartbreaking watching in retrospect. Dorothy has enough bravery and courage to face her enemies and stand up for herself but there is still vulnerability there and a maturity that makes her seem older than her years while at the same time bringing in that childlike innocence.

In terms of the supporting cast, the most iconic comes in the form of Margaret Hamilton’s brilliant turn as the Wicked Witch of the West. She’s just a plain nasty character and her only motive is ensuring that Dorothy doesn’t succeed in her quest. Hamilton’s voice and characterisation is a performance of legend and has resulted in one of the most identifiable villains in film history. Whether it is one of her trademarks such as “I’ll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too” to the iconic melting scene in which we see the Wicked Witch defeated after Dorothy throws a bucket of water over her. Out of the three friends, my favourite is the Cowardly Lion (Bert Lahr), mainly because I love the costume design so much and his performance of the song “If I Were King of the Forest”. It’s a film that is rich in distinguished characters that, although simple, does a good job of giving them enough screen time to be distinguishable.

I don’t know where to begin to talk about my love for the use of colour in this film. Aside from being iconic thanks to its amazing switch from black and white to brilliant technicolour with the simple opening of a door. There is so much to look into beyond Kansas representing the normal and dreary everyday and Oz being somewhere completely different. The location and setting for Kansas is natural with realistic looking prop whereas Oz is crammed full of fake creations. Munchkinland in particular is the epitome of the Oz aesthetic. It makes for a fantastically striking entrance into the land of Oz. Maybe it’s because we’re adjusted to the black and white set up that makes the colour pop out the screen even more, the design of Oz is truly spectacular. Also, the use of colour for the characters is beautifully done. From the contrast between the ruby red slippers that Dorothy wears with the Wicked Witch’s green skin and the metallic hue of the Tin Man’s paint with the Cowardly Lion’s golden mane. Oz is a land that although entirely built from imagination, also includes a multitude of texture.

I’ve already touched on the music before but it deserves a section on its own. The film is crammed full of brilliant songs that have stood the test of time. Undoubtedly, “Over the Rainbow” is the most popular but most people would also be able to sing or hum along to the likes of “Ding-Dong! The Witch is Dead” and “If I Only Had a Brain”. It is undeniable that Garland’s voice is beautiful and flawless, striking the perfect amount of emotion in her songs. Looking through the soundtrack, it is amazing to think that so many songs have gone down in cinema history as classics. A lot of the legacy from The Wizard of Oz comes from its Academy Award winning score by Herbert Stothart. Not to forget that “Over the Rainbow” also won the Oscar for Best Original Song for Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg. It’s a whimsical soundtrack that allows its audience to escape to Oz with Dorothy.

I am sure given that I love films like Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and The Red Shoes that I am just as fond of this one. The Wizard of Oz is an outstandingly beautiful cinematic achievement and a prime example of a film that is suitable for all ages and all cinematic tastes. It is a film that combines drama, comedy and musical while also not fearing to delving into themes of loss and friendship. Dorothy is ultimately on a journey to finding out who she is and discovering her place of belonging. It’s this relatability that makes the film so identifiable with audiences around the globe.

What do you think of The Wizard of Oz? Let me know in the comments below!

Categories
Uncategorised

“Got invited to the Christmas party by mistake”: The Rise of the Unconventional Christmas Film

There are many certainties at Christmas. An extensive wish list that is left unfulfilled, copious amounts of mulled wine is consumed and the never-ending debate of “Is Die Hard a Christmas film?” is discussed in a ridiculous amount of detail. The long-endured debate has been discussed by fans, critics, even cast and crew from the blockbuster as they puzzle whether it is a Christmas film filled with action or if it is an action film that just so happens to be set during the festive season. One thing is for sure, it has become one of the most popular flicks to put on during the darker months as we see its inclusion among films such It’s a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol (and A Muppet’s Christmas Carol if you’re me). It begs the question: how does a film qualify as a Christmas film? After all, Die Hard isn’t the first Christmas film where the festivities take a back seat. Tim Burton’s Batman Returns is another one often watched and follows a similar trend in that it is action focused. Even the most loved seasonal family films like Home Alone and Gremlins have splashes of Christmas but again the action and plot outweighs the Christmassy elements. However, this doesn’t reduce the Christmassy feeling that these feelings bring and thus begs the question: if a family action film set at Christmas can qualify as a Christmas film, then why can’t an adult action film also fall under the same snowy umbrella? And what about films set at Christmas but don’t revolve around Christmas? Do they qualify also?

A good example of the latter would be Stanley Kubrick’s swansong Eyes Wide Shut (1999). Starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman as married couple Bill and Alice who are living the high life in New York City with their daughter, Helena. After Alice reveals her sexual fantasies to Bill, Bill sets off to find his former college friend, Nick, who he had seen earlier that evening. One thing leads to another and Bill ends up decked in a hooded cloak and Venetian mask in an affluent mansion witnessing a mass orgy taking place in every room in the house. The film is famed for this sequence which is one of the intense and terrifying scenes you can encounter in this film, purely because you don’t know anyone except Bill. It doesn’t sound very festive and yet it has become somewhat of an underdog Christmas film due to the festive season timeline and numerous decorated sets. It’s the ultimate anti-Christmas Christmas film. This film brings in the argument that you can have a very adult film, surrounded by Christmas but rejecting the values as we see this family spending the festivities apart from each other – poor Helena is stuck with the babysitter constantly. Kubrick subverts those traditional morals of the festive time and questions the concept of the Christmas film. This film is a visual and literal antithesis of It’s a Wonderful Life. Where It’s a Wonderful Life shows love, family and kindness, Eyes Wide Shut gives sex, language and violence in abundance. The only similarity the two share is that the patriarch is thankful to live and grateful for what he has but the journeys to get there couldn’t be more different.

ews

Where Eyes Wide Shut rejects the morals of Christmas and family values, Todd Haynes’ modern masterpiece Carol does everything it can to uphold them. Set in 1950s New York and following department store sales assistant, Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara). Therese is an aspiring photographer, has a great social life and a boyfriend who wants to marry her and take her to Paris as soon as possible. I have written a fuller review on Carol which you can read here. Everything is wonderful, conventional and seems to have everything you could want in a traditional Christmas film. Where Carol seems to differ is the moment when Therese, geared up with a Santa hat and working her shift glances over and sees a well-dressed woman staring back to her. This woman is Carol Aird (Cate Blanchett) and the moment I just explained can only be described as love at first sight. What subsequently follows is a heart-wrenching story of two women who long to be together in a society that wishes to draw them apart. Carol has become a phenomenon in the LGBT+ film world and with good reason. It is a perfect example of a modern Christmas film. The Christmassy music, the warm colour palette and the natural way Blanchett and Mara portray the blossoming love between the women has all the makings of a classic Christmas film. In fact, I would argue that Carol the perfect example of a modern Christmas film. It keeps those traditions from earlier Christmas films but is subtly progressive at the same time.

Lastly, there are films that give the feeling of Christmas without actually presenting any festive connection. A prime example would be The Wizard of Oz (1939) which has become a regular during Christmastime for many families. The use of dreamy technicolour, traditional family morals and Judy Garland’s voice is the perfect combination for a festive treat that is perfect for those who like Christmas films and those who don’t. It’s the perfect good vs. evil story as Dorothy finds herself from black and white Kansas to the colourful land of Oz. To get back home, she has to defeat the Wicked Witch of the West with the help of the mysterious Wizard. If we are willing to include films like The Wizard of Oz to the roster of Christmas films then does that suggest that it is the tone of the film rather than the setting of the film that qualifies it? The Wizard of Oz certainly argues this. Of course what the film also has in its favour is the decades of Christmas day showing on TV since its release. It has become a staple for many families and their descendants. It would be interesting to see what modern films become the equivalent in the future.

Naturally, it will always come down to individual taste and opinion but it is interesting how the rules differ dependant on the film itself. Whether its the themes, tone or Christmas setting that decides it for you, there is a trend that sees modern films subverting the more traditional festive tropes that you see in classics like Miracle on 34th Street (1947). I think this is in part due to Die Hard sparking this debate as there is an increase in more self-aware Christmas films over the past 30 years. Regardless of whether you think that films like Eyes Wide Shut deserve a place on the list of Christmas films, it looks like unconventionality is here to stay.

Categories
Uncategorised

Adapting Roald Dahl

There are few people who manage to capture the imagination of a global audience in the way that Roald Dahl does through his stories. Over the years we have seen numerous adaptations in a wide variety of mediums and genres through the eyes of a huge spectrum of visionaries. From directors including Danny DeVito and Tim Burton and genres stemming from Mel Stuart’s musically charged classic to Wes Anderson’s progressive stop-motion animated masterpiece. The scope of adaptations made to date only adds to the genius of Dahl’s creativity and highlights the strength of the imagination the man in the shed conjured. Watching the 1971 adaptation, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory feels just as timeless as Tim Burton’s take in 2005 despite the films bringing a polar opposite aesthetic to the novel.

Originally, I was going to try and list my favourite adaptations but much like the films of directors such as Kubrick or Paul Thomas Anderson, each one is unique for particular reasons and I found it impossible to come up with a reasonable list that sums up my love for Dahl’s stories. Netflix announced in November 2018 that they were going to adapt a number of his works and the excitement and hype ever since has been astrominical. Anne Hathaway is rumoured to have been cast as the Grand High Witch (who was brilliantly played by Anjelica Huston in the original film) in their production of The Witches. This particular remake is being directed by Robert Zemeckis to boot showing the demand around these projects.

Dahl wrote both children and adult books but is probably more known for the former. However, it was his experience and openness to discuss an array of topics (including his autobiographies Boy – Tales of Childhood and Going Solo) that allows him to approach his writing with a fearlessness, bringing a new and exciting perspective to literature. Even when creating his own universes and language, Dahl never patronises the reader and I think this is what has translated so well into the film adaptations such as Nicolas Roeg’s The Witches (1990) and Danny DeVito’s Matilda (1996). Both are great examples of films that are primarily aimed at children but are perfectly suitable for adults as well. No one is excluded from a Dahl tale. Also, the nostalgic draw also undoubtedly contributes to the hype as adults of today probably read his books as children. Dahl has become synonomous with Western (particularly British) childhoods.

I am hugely excited to see what these Netflix adaptations bring as they promise to show a more faithful and darker side to the Dahl bibliography that perhaps has been left out in previous adaptations. Not that has is a bad thing as each adaptation has brought something unique in the way that Dahl has in each of his books but it’ll be interesting to see The Witches with its original ending and a Charlie and the Chocolate Factory with the right balance of book loyalty and darkness (the Tim Burton one slightly overdoes it in my opinion). I am mainly looking forward to The BFG however as that is the one that captured me most as a child. I found the giants absolutely terrifying and I am looking forward to seeing how Netflix adapt it. I enjoyed both adaptations but I feel that the Steven Speilberg take was a bit sillier than it needed to be (although I completely appreciate that The BFG as a character is rather silly). I would probably say that if pushed to choose, my favourite films adaptations would be either Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971), The Witches (1990) or Matilda (1995) which is odd because none of the films are 100% faithful but the final cut doesn’t compromise Dahl’s vision and that is the most important thing.

Which is your favourite Roald Dahl book and/or film adaptation? Let me know in the comments below!

Categories
Uncategorised

Unpicking the Witch: Suzy and Rose in Retrospect

When watching Dario Argento’s horror classic Suspiria (1977) and its thematic sequel Inferno (1980), it’s understandable that the mind would instantly capture the bright cinematography and bloody violence that occurs throughout the film. What Argento doesn’t receive credit for, however, is the portrayal of its female protagonists, Suzy Bannion (Jessica Harper) and Rose Elliot (Irene Miracle). Both characters are artists with Suzy a student a prestigious ballet school and Rose an aspiring poet. Both find themselves living within the confines that house demonic and powerful witches who create darkness and chaos and delight in killing and torture. I love both of these films (I have written reviews on both which you can read here and here) with both leaving a lasting impact on how I view horror films. The writing is fantastic and the cinematography is highly creative but it was the portrayal of these women thrown into impossible circumstance and their determination and strength that stood out to me. Compared with the trend of horror films at the time where we see women portrayed as the damsel in distress and in need of a man to save them, Argento omits men almost entirely in Suspiria and the protagonist, Mark in Inferno is far from the traditional “strong men” that you tend to see in films.

Starting with Suspiria, Argento’s big breakthrough into English-language horror was a technicolour masterpiece filled to the brim with fake blood and guts. Following aspiring dancer Suzy, a new student at a prestigious dance school, as she begins to investigate mysterious disappearances of other students and staff alike. We first see Suzy leaving the airport in Freiberg into a torrential storm. The cuts and use of music when the automatic doors of the exit are opening and closing brings that otherworldly atmosphere to the film. Her introduction to the staff sees her intervene in an interview with the police when they enquire about a missing girl. What transpires is an environment in which Suzy becomes even more of an outsider than before as her bids to fit in make her stand out to the witches that run the academy. Naturally, Suzy is reluctant to believe the stories that her friend Sara tells her but as people begin disappearing one by one, Suzy becomes resourceful and finishes the mission that Sara started. Suspiria only has a handful of male characters with the bulk of the cast being made up of the female staff and students.

Rose Elliot in Inferno is much like Suzy in her ways. The film opens with her reading about The Three Mothers, three witches who use their dark powers to control the world. She is warned off the subject by a male antiquarian but she goes ahead with her investigation regardless. What follows is a fantastic scene in which Rose dives into a pool to retrieve a lost necklace. Upon swimming into a corpse, she is understandably frightened but still pushes on with her investigation and writes to her brother Mark, asking him to return to New York to help her. Rose’s mission doesn’t end happily and Mark ends up getting the credit but his findings are based on his sister’s research without whom he wouldn’t have figured out the mystery. Rose’s contribution to the film can be felt throughout despite her absence in the second half. Her character also seems more developed and intriguing than Mark which is odd for a genre that (at the time) excluded strong women from their narrative.

inferno_01.jpg

Both women are also artistic as discussed before and their talents not only add to their character development but these skills assist them in desperate times. Suzy’s curious nature inspires the witch to attempt a physical injury by inflicting a hemorrhage on her during class causing her to become bedridden. This fails to slow down her investigation, however, and the loss of best friend Sara inspires her to get to the bottom of things. The same could be said of Rose whose love of books and research adds to her observant nature and her ability to attune her focus on figuring out who owns the building.

I really enjoy both performances because the characters don’t come across as reliant even when they ask for help. They are indifferent to the male heroes we see in horror films. Argento also doesn’t sexualise the protagonists  which is refreshing to see as women in horror are usually subject to appearing in demeaning scenes such as unnecessary nudity and rape scenes. There’s a reason why his films are timeless and even watching now they feel current and progressive, showcasing his real talent for filmmaking.

What do you think of Argento as a filmmaker? Which film of his is your favourite? Let me know in the comments below!