I decided to read the book before seeing the film so the film review will follow, but I hope the film lives up to expectations set up from the book as I really really enjoyed the book. Not a very long book but full of suspense, a real gothic novel and well worth a read.
After reading the film synopsis I can tell that it strays well away from the story in the book so can only assume (before I see the film that it is only loosely based on the book). The book tells the story of Arthur Kipps a London solicitor who when spending Christmas with his family after an evening of ghost story telling, decides to write down the experiences he had in Crythin Gifford as a young man.
Arthur is sent to the funeral of the reclusive Mrs Drablow on the east coast of England (I'm thinking this is the East Riding somewhere between Hull and Scarborough but the book gives few clues as to a specific spot - I was intrigued over the place coming from a few miles north of Scarborough originally) and to wind up her affairs and bring her paperwork back to London.
From the moment of his arrival in the area and whilst still on the train he finds people very reluctant to talk to him and finds they clam up totally when he reveals his reason for being there. On the train he does meet Samuel Daily, a local landowner, who befriends him. Staying at the local coaching inn, Arthur settles and begins to enjoy the freedom and fresh air away from London but that doesn't last too long. The following morning he attends the funeral of Mrs Drablow and sees, for the first time, the Woman in Black - disturbed but at this point unaware of who she is and what lies ahead for him, he proceeds to Eel Marsh House, the home of Mrs Drablow. Eel Marsh House is separated from land by a causeway and so he decides he will stay at the house to complete his work, making it easier and quicker to undertake his task.
It is here that Susan Hill excels in her description of the brooding, oppressive house, surrounded by the deadening marshes and it is here that the Woman in Black begins to haunt Arthur. Slowly as he works his way through the paperwork, he begins to piece together the story of Mrs Drablow, her sister and Nathaniel the son. The haunting and danger for Arthur get worse as he reveals the story and he is eventually rescued from Eel Marsh House in a state of collapse by Mr Daily. You feel that maybe he has broken the curse (which I'm not revealing here so as not to spoil the fun) when he leaves Crythin and returns to London to marry his fiance, but the story has a sting, a huge sting in the tail and left me a little shocked, so a good (if not very sad) ending.
A great book, very enjoyable, well written and atmospheric - it really kept me turning those pages on the kindle and so now looking forward to seeing the film very much. I would recommend this book especially on a cold, wet, misty night if you want a little bit of a fright!!
And so to the film - again BEWARE SPOILERS!!
This was the first really scary film I have taken Jamie too and whilst he was scared - scared enough at the end of the film to say that he thought he may have peed his pants (he hadn't!!) - he loved it. I thoroughly enjoyed it too - although it bore only a passing resemblance to the story in the book above!! The screenplay was written by Jane Goldman (Mrs Johnathan Ross) and it was well written and very enjoyable.
Daniel Radcliffe was very good and I did manage to forget that he was Harry Potter despite the odd well why doesn't he just get his wand out and sort it out gag. This story differs in that Arthur Kipps has already lost his wife and he is bringing up his son with the help of a nanny. He is also struggling at work and is sent on a last chance job to the north east to wind up the estate of Mrs Drablow. Committed to the task he leaves his son at home and is single minded in his task, befriended by Samuel Dailey but ignored and ostracised by the rest of the community he begins his task. Very quickly the film builds up the tension with one shock after another. Jamie and I were regularly jumping out of our seat and nearly spilling the popcorn. The story progresses and concludes differently to the book but I will leave that for you to find out.
It is an enjoyable film, with many quite suspenseful moments, you are drawn into the story and jump and squeal with horror at regular points during the film, which in itself if fun. Overall I found the ending much weaker than the story in the book and the tension and suspense is not quite ramped up as effectively but a great film and if your nerves and heart can manage it well worth a watch - we will be looking forward to it coming out on DVD so we can give it another watch!!
Ciao
Sue
Reading challenge 4/20 - currently reading on Kindle Tower of Silence by Sarah Rayne and in print Drop Dead Beautiful by Jackie Collins
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