The Woman in Black (2012)

Running Time: 1 Hour 35 mins
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Estimated Budget: $17, 000,000
Estimated Gross: $127, 730,736 

Director: James Watkins
Writer: Susan Hill (Novel) Jane Goldman (Screenplay)
Stars: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds, Janet McTeer

My Rating: 8/10

Hammer, the studio synonymous with Horror in the 1950's and 60's with classics like The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), Horror of Dracula (1958) and countless more opened its doors again to terrify a whole new generation of audiences. It's chosen subject; The Woman in Black a novella written by author Susan Hill in 1983 well known for scaring multitudes of readers with its ghostly subject matter. If that wasn't enough for curious cinema-goers already intrigued, it happened to be the first post-Potter film for Daniel Radcliffe and this had people turning out in droves to see if the film would triumph or sink.

The Woman in Black novella is a chilling read, I recommend no solitary reading and daylight is essential, read after dark at your own risk. It has been written in the style of a traditional Gothic Horror piece and certainly delivers. The movie has been adapted by Jane Goldman who has previous success with screenplays for Starust (2007), Kick Ass (2010) and  X-Men: First Class (2011). There are small changes made but the premise remains the same. A young father and widower Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe) is sent by his London firm to order the affairs and paperwork for the selling of Eel Marsh House an estate in a small country village. On the train he befriends a native of the village Sam Daily, but on his arrival at the inn he is staying at he receives a very cold reception. Everyone he meets in the town is hostile and weary of his presence there is obviously more going on here than meets the eye; a town secret they intend to keep. Nobody seems keen on Kipps getting to Eel Marsh house, but determined he pays to be taken across the remote causeway that cuts the estate off from the rest of the world by a changing tide and dangerous marsh land.

The house itself is in a state of disrepair, depressing and haunting it's isolation makes it an ominous place to be left alone. Once inside Arthur starts his work only to be stopped by noises around the house, looking out of the window he sees the figure of a woman completely in black in the grounds, when he looks back she has disappeared. He goes outside and hears voices in distress out in the mist of the causeway, searching he sees nothing until suddenly his driver appears through the fog. The longer Arthur stays in the town the more distressed the villagers become and tragic things begin to occur. The death of a child seems to confirm everyone's worst fears but Kipps is still fairly in the dark about the house and it's inhabitant.

He finally learns about the woman in black, Jennet, a mother mentally unstable and unable to take care of her son, when her relatives take the boy and he suddenly dies in the marsh she kills herself and vows to seek vengeance. Her victims; the children of the residents, whenever she is seen. Her child was taken from her so she will take the children of others. It is now clear why the town were so adamant against Arthur's coming, they knew that he would glimpse the ghostly vision and one of their children would die a violent death. Through a spiritual drawing Arthur is given a haunting message; the woman is after his son. Arthur tries to send a message to his son's nanny who is bringing him on the train reuniting him with his father for a weekend holiday. However the telegram office has been destroyed in a fire, Arthur has only one choice; try and rid Eel Marsh house of the woman haunting it. With the help of Sam he discovers Jennet's son's body and reunites him with his mother. He thinks this will give her closure and she will rest in peace, he is however, mistaken. She never forgives and she will never forget.

Daniel Radcliffe is surprisingly good as Arthur Kipps, there is no hint of the bespectacled boy wizard and he is thoroughly believable as a young dad. More impressive though was his portrayal of loss and dealing with that pain. He is a man not dealing with his grief but drowning in it, he is not with the living but stuck in a past that he cannot get back to, this is painfully apparent to his young four year old son, who can see quite clearly his father's distance and unhappiness. This link to death already for the young father is I feel what keeps him in the house despite what he knows and sees of the violent occupant; a morbid curiosity about life after death. The supporting cast; mainly Ciaran Hinds and Janet McTeer as the Daily's; a couple in a state of grief and denial over the loss of their own child years before and dealing with Mrs Daily's fragile state of mind, are vital to the realism and believability of the film. They are fundamental to creating the world that the audience are visiting, with horror especially it is important to believe the characters are real and down to earth. Without that you cannot invest in them, and if you don't care about the characters the scares lose their edge.

The cinematography, lighting and set design in particular remind me very much of another great British horror film; The Innocents (1961)  Like that film the look of this feature is so important to the atmosphere which is being created, it is obvious the film-makers were incredibly thorough and detailed in this department. The sets where so gothic and period dressed that you immediately feel you have been transported to that Victorian era. The lighting here is critical to creating the best scares, however they are not that obvious in design. Like The Innocents a lot of the structure of the film is the build of tension and suspence in the audience; administering the thrills only when least expected. There are numerous dark over the shoulder shots, where you assume something is going to appear, but cleverly director Watkins chooses these moments to simply build the suspense, leaving the audience to simmer over a scare that is overdrawn in its appearance. Suddenly when you least expect it, the scare is delivered. This technique is used to great success throughout.

An integral part of any horror picture is the music and with The Woman in Black there is no exception, the tone is chilling, ghostly children's music boxes added to an eerie score. This sets the mood for the entire film, this is so important for horror films especially. You can experiment with any horror film; watch a normally terrifying scene without the sound and see the difference it has on you. It falls flat, proving that the image is nothing without the sound that accompanies it. Even in the silent era it was never truly silent; there was always a small orchestra or piano accompanying the film.

There is a bitter-sweet ending to The Woman in Black without giving anything away, it is a shock for those expecting a resolved ending. However I think the final scene is acceptable due the protagonists disposition from the beginning. On the other hand in today's modern, franchise world the studio was naturally hoping for a hit so they could expand the story, there are many places to go with this supernatural tale. As proved by The Woman in Black: Angel of Death the anticipated sequel due in theatres February 2015. Set 40 years later during world war 2 Eel Marsh house sees a collection of evacuated children take up residence and unfortunately wake up the spectre who never left.

Whatever you may have heard, The Woman in Black is a very effective horror film, creating an entertaining and thrilling atmosphere. If this is what we can expect from a revitalised Hammer Studios then we are in for some exciting treats.