Kiwi brings new twist of Screw
The Turn of the Screw
(M, 88 mins) Directed by Alex Galvin Reviewed by
It’s after 11pm, but Julia’s (Greer Phillips) night is only just beginning. While the flight delay gave her more time to work on her lines, this is still the only chance she’ll have to run through the play before tomorrow’s opening night. Most of the stage crew have already gone home, as have two of the actors, but director Richard (Ralph Johnson) is convinced this will give his leading lady a chance to get a real feel for this production of Henry James’ The Turn of the Screw.
After a warning about the theatre’s new total immersion sound system, Richard assures Julia that the actress she’s replacing is ‘‘doing well and hopes to make a full recovery’’. When pressed by his inquisitive star, he admits she had a breakdown and, yes, the rumours that she was the second actress to drop out are true.
‘‘We’ve had a bit of bad luck, but let’s just focus on this being a big break for you,’’ Richard says, as the lights dim and Julia and the empty auditorium are transported back to 1890s England.
Now more than 120 years old, James’ conceit still has the power to chill, no matter how it’s presented or adapted, as last year’s season of Netflix’s The Haunting of Bly Manor demonstrated.
Viewers’ familiarity with that version is a blessing and a curse to writer-director Alex Galvin’s (Eternity, When Night Falls) movie, robbing it of some of its surprises and highlighting how much more effective the story can be when stripped back to its essentials.
The modern-day frame-tale is inventive and effectively delivered, with the production’s staging brought to life by some nifty camerawork, direction and terrific lighting.
And yes, as the publicity suggests, it does remind one of Lars
Von Trier’s Dogville or a filmed National Theatre production.
If the acting is a little uneven, there are two standouts.
Phillips (TVNZ’s How to Murder Your Wife) is an effective cipher for the audience, her confusion and discomfort palpable, while young Ella Olssen (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey) is convincing as the youngest member of the household, Flora, who may or may not be manipulating proceedings.
While the M Night Shyamalanesque ‘‘twist’’ won’t be to everyone’s liking, there’s a lot to like about this ambitious and clever take on a classic tale that has already earned accolades at film festivals around the globe.