Jane Eyre - Cinematic Surprise of the Year

 

It's a woman thing. Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Pride and Prejudice. Love, romance; the dominant male to be won over by the affectionate charms of the wily attractive younger woman. I've never truly watched any of the many TV programmes with these period dramas with well known characters nor have I read the books which I know are classics and it is remiss of me.

But I relented and I went to watch Jane Eyre at Cineworld in Hull last night and I am a convert. Not necessarily to the author or the story which in truth was fairly simple but for the sheer stunning brilliance of this production. I kid you not, I was blown away by this BBC produced film with truly exceptional acting, incredible sets and atmosphere you could cut with a knife. How many more positive adjectives can I use with this.

Jane Eyre, a young girl cast aside by her adoptive parents is brought up in the school of hard knocks - her "tale of woe," to come out of the other side as a governess in the household of Mr Rochester. The scenes as a young girl are truly harrowing without in any way being graphic.

You would expect a BBC production to have good values and this indeed did, but I have to admit, it is undoubtedly better on the big screen and that's where the atmosphere comes from - the richness of the colours, even in the darkness of the stately home and the subtle sound effects which gave it a rather supernatural feel at times is second to none.

The locations were excellent, bleak and beautiful, rural and isolated.

The part of Jane Eyre as a young girl was played by Amelia Clarkson - look out for this one - she was excellent but the Jane Eyre young woman was Mia Wasikowska - this was an Oscar performance from her.

Michael Fassbender, who some might remember from X-Men as the young Magneto was a ruggedly handsome Rochester who is living, unbeknown to everyone, through a dark secret. His performance was also absolutely riveting. The cast was ably supported by Dame Judi Dench, the housekeeper who as an actress I find underplays everything and comes out much the stronger for it.

I can't say enough good things about this film; my plea to you is to go and see it before it leaves the cinema. Two hours long and rated PG (for a nude painting on the wall) this is a must see film.

Just as an aside and not as exciting, I did my second mediumship demonstration at John Street Spiritualist Church in Hull on Thursday afternoon at their service with my good friend Shirley Ann Chessman and it went so very, very well.

I hope you have a good weekend.

Chat soon

Ta-ra