Film: The Woman in Black (12A)
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds, Janet McTeer
Director: James Watkins
This film is a master class in atmosphere, scariness and fine acting. From the moment the film starts you will be on the edge of your seat, braced for something terrifying, flinching at every sound, every shadow. The lighting and the scenery are on equal terms with the actors and the plot in telling the story, and I have never been in a cinema where everyone is screaming and covering their faces with spread fingers. The man next to me dropped his baccy tin and the whole audience shrieked. Daniel Radcliffe was superb and utterly believable as the troubled and bereaved young Kipps. And I thank God for the invention of electric light. A masterpiece of proper, old-fashioned ghost-story-telling.
On your reliable recommendation I have dispatched a small aeroplane to Hollywood to fetch the necessary reels and shall have the film shown immediately it arrives, in both the house and the estate cinema. If the staff live through the experience I shall order it shown in the village too.
I saw Reservoir Dogs at the public cinema when it came out – also the only film I’ve ever seen to see where the whole audience just stayed in their seats at the end in a stunned silence, a reaction to the violence and everyone in the film dying. Yuck, give me Bambi (almost) any day.
Not the most flattering image on the cover of Mr Radcliffe that I have ever seen – there he looks rather like some pheasant who has forgotten to put his teeth in.
I’ve seen The Woman in Black a couple of times at the theatre and absolutely loved it, if practically having the life scared out of you can be considered enjoyable! I was rather unsure about seeing the film, as film versions of stage productions are not always that great – and vice-versa. However, if you recommend it, I think I need to go and see it. I’ll let you know how I think it compares to the theatre.
I haven’t seen it yet, but my son was not impressed. He kept thinking of “Harry Potter”, he said, and DR’s acting didn’t do anything to convince him otherwise. I obviously have to see it for myself, but I’ll probably wait until I can rent the DVD from Redbox. Do you have Redbox in the UK?
Daniel Radcliffe was superb. He is a grown man and once the film had started I didn’t think of Harry Potter once. Maybe your son should have seen ‘Equus’ Marie, that would have shocked him out of any thoughts of teenage wizards!
Do we have Redbox? I don’t think so, but we do have Amazon’s ‘Love Film’.
Bunty: I saw this on the stage in London about 25 years ago and it was jolly scary in a theatre too. I’ve also read the book and the film stands up for itself very well indeed.
Owl Wood: Let me know what you think. I would advise against showing it to the villagers though; when you see it you’ll know why. The proletariat are so impressionable and they may turn on you if you ever appear to be acting strangely.