The Woman in Black (2012) Channel 4 9pm

I’ve always meant to read this novel. Now I’ve spoiled it and watched the Hammer House of Hokum directed by James Watkins, with the screenplay by Jane Goldman, first. I’ve always liked a bit of Gothic. The name Arthur Kipps immediately makes me think of Pip and John Mills.  I suppose we make do with the boyish Daniel Radcliffe as the man that is sent to settle the estate of the late Mrs Alice Drablow. Drablow is a Dickensian sounding name and Kipps’s boss warns him before he goes—this is his last chance, his employers have been more than fair giving him a day off to attend his own wife’s funeral, but he’s got to pull his weight, or else…Drablow, of course, does not live in a cosy part of England. There’s something of du Maurier’s factional Manderley about the Drablow house, separated by a causeway from the village of Crythin Gifford. Then again there’s something of a hissing Dracula and the house on the hill. The villagers shun young Kipps when her first arrives. He may be a gentleman, but he doesn’t know what he’s dealing with.  Luckily for him (Ciarán Hinds) as the local squire Daily is on hand to say stuff and nonsense to such hoo-ha and to help Kipps. Unluckily for Daily his wife’s been touched by the Woman in Black and their son taken. Kipps is actually an infectious disease. It’s not really his fault. Any time he sees the Woman in Black a child must die. That’s the equation. The film lasts an hour and half, any longer and half the children in Wales would have been wiped out. The problem with showing such representations of such a diabolic creature is that they are never diabolic enough. You can crank up the music as much as you like, but when we actually see the Woman in Black we think ho-hum. Anyway Arthur Kipps knows how to deal with her. A fresh wooden stake through the heart. Stuff her mouth full or garlic. Cut her head off. Burn her body. Raze the town of Merthyr Tydfil. I need to lie down.  I’ve been watching too many documentaries about the trenches and the Great War.   

Comments

Well CM you have put me off that movie if it ever comes round again. Mind you I still plan to read The Lady in Red by Chris de,..oops I have got the title wrong what I plan to read sometime is The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. All I know is that it scandalised 19th century America because Hester Prynne, the central character is a Bad Woman. I think she gives birth before marriage the naughty, naughty..         Elsie

yeh, elsie can't remember much about Hawthorn's Scarlett Letter, a sign burned into the body, a whodunnit and creeping Jesus who doesn't claim paternity. There was also a film, I think with Demi Moore. I'm rubbish at remembering.

 

I recommend going to hypnosis to wipe your memory of the film and read the book.  Thoroughly understand the ho-hum when you see the aforementioned woman. Makes you want to stick your tongue out and say 'Give me the best you've got, you pale faced freak.' 

 

that's an idea Vera, but I don't need hypnosis to forget things. I'm quite good at that myself. I'd probably need hypnosis to forget to remember.

 

This remembrance of times forgot, well I don't know. I used to be indecisive; these days I'm not entirely suresmiley
 

Don't worry c-man the film is nothing like the book. The book I really like, lots of descriptions of skies and marshes and howling wind. Not a lot happens, but the hints and the anticipation is nice. And it's short as well. Check out Harry Potter's dad as Arthur in the BBC adaptation from 1989. Again it's not quite the same as the book, but it is a bit less not the same. Pretty frightening in places, which is probably why Susan Hill didn't like it.

 

shit. shit. shit. I was in the library today and forgot to look for the Susan Hill book.
 

 

Harry Potter and The Woman in Black.  'nuff sed!  Dreadful film.