HOWE: A vengeful ghost, a haunted mansion and a bloody nice English bloke who goes by the name Daniel Radcliffe: What more do you need in a movie?
TAYLOR: How about some originality, momentum and given the fact that this is supposed to be a horror movie, some scares?
Set in the early 20th century, Woman In Black, is Radcliffe’s featured return to the big screen after spending time away on stage, which seems to have developed him into a better actor.
He plays Arthur Kipps, a young lawyer, father and grieving husband, whose wife had passed away four years earlier.
Kipps is sent to a remote coastal town in the north east of England to finalise the paperwork of Marsh House, belonging to the late Mrs. Drablow. Even before setting foot in the old mansion, he is told by the local villagers to leave before it is too late, but too late for what?
The townspeople are suspicious and odd, leering at Kipps from dirty windows, denying him lodging. They have their reasons: Over the years numerous children have died most horribly and always in the presence of the Woman in Black. Through spending the night in spooky Marsh House, (going through Mrs. Drablow’s paperwork,) Kipps starts piecing together the puzzle of the Woman in Black and what is happening to the children.
We say: “See it if you like old-fashioned thrillers.”
HOWE: The pacing is slow, with spurts of ghostly images, strange noises and close ups of sinister looking dolls. In today’s market of hack and slash horror movies, this is a welcome relief. It reminds me of my childhood when I used to go to the seaside and go on the haunted house rides they would have. With their loud bangs, creepy images and pop up scares, this film feels like that. It’s a good ol’ thriller chiller.
TAYLOR: You’re right about old. If this film was made in the ‘50s, it would have set the standard for today’s horror formula. The problem is, it wasn’t. This film was shamefully predictable and laughable in its conclusion. However, if you like movies that startle rather than scare, this one made me jump, more than once.
HOWE: Radcliffe has evolved into a fine actor, his emotion he put into the part of Kipps feels realistic, but I found the camera too much in his face, which I imagine will appeal to some people.
TAYLOR: It is good news that Radcliffe can act, I had absolutely no problem with him in this role. Unfortunately, he’s not enough to transform a silly film.
HOWE: I loved the way it was filmed, the beautiful shots of the rolling landscape, the gloominess of the mist covered coastline and the wonderful weather England has. Rain.
TAYLOR: Cinematography was great. Victorian dolls never looked scarier. This was the darkest movie I’ve seen since The Crow. Everything was black!
Note: The Powerhouse Theatre begins its performance of The Woman in Black April 25.
Howe gives the film version of Woman in Black 2.5 flickering candles out of 5.
Taylor gives it 2 muddy footprints out of 5.
The film is currently screening at Galaxy Cinemas in Vernon.
–– Brian Taylor and Peter Howe are both film buffs living in Vernon.
