FULL CIRCLE
Strange Little Girl
RELEASED OUT NOW! 1978 | 15 | Blu-ray (4K/standard)/ download Director Richard Loncraine Cast Mia Farrow, Keir Dullea, Tom Conti, Robin Gammell
The latest obscurity dusted off for the BFI’S Flipside range is this restrained British chiller. Adapted from Peter Straub’s 1975 novel Julia, it saw Mia Farrow’s return to horror a decade on from Rosemary’s Baby. She plays Julia, who separates from her husband after their daughter Kate’s death.
Moving into an opulent Kensington residence, she’s haunted by glimpses of a blonde-haired girl. Could it be Kate? Her investigations uncover an alternative explanation, related to a historic murder.
Firmly situated in an uppermiddle-class milieu, it’s a classy, old-fashioned ghost story, the sort that spares the tomato sauce and sends its heroine rifling through old newspapers in the British Library. Peter Hannan’s cinematography is moody and stylish, Colin Towns’s pretty score redolent of the Radiophonic Workshop. It also features a parade of familiar character actors, such as Eastenders’ Anna Wing, Sherlock Holmes’ Edward Hardwicke and Last Of The Summer Wine’s Peter Sallis.
However, as director Richard Loncraine notes, the film is difficult to make sense of. A sprinkling of calamitous deaths, no doubt added to ride the coattails of The Omen, muddy the waters, contradicting the novel’s explanation of what is going on. In Loncraine’s words, “nearly good”.
Extras On the commentary, Full Circle uberfan Simon Fitzjohn helpfully prompts the director’s memories of a shoot so stressful he recalls waking up some days and crying. He also fronts a locations tour (15 minutes), and talks through his lobby cards collection (13 minutes). A Kim Newman talking head (25 minutes) is instructive on changes from the book. Of five cast/crew interviews (totalling 78 minutes), Loncraine’s is worthwhile, but composer Colin Towns rambles, while child actor Samantha Gates and producer Hugh Harlow add little of value. Plus: stills and ephemera gallery; booklet.
Director Richard Loncraine’s other big claim to fame is designing an iconic executive toy: the Newton’s Cradle.