Before Peter Jackson got into showing us how good a movie maker he was with the Lord of The Rings trilogy, he had made a very good movie 10 years ago, called Heavenly Creatures, an ironic title, as the people that we meet here are anything but 'Heavenly'. This is a truly unbelievable movie, as it shows two very unique friends, and how far they would go, to keep from being separated.
Heavenly Creatures paints a vivid and disturbing portrait of two teenage schoolgirls whose obsessive friendship leads to an unspeakable crime. This hypnotic thriller chronicles the story of Juliet Hulme and Pauline Parker from the moment they meet during the 1950's in New Zealand. Unhappy with their lives, the girls withdraw deep into a bizarre fantasy world of their joint creation. But when faced with a devastating separation, the notorious pair plots a horrifying and violent solution to stay together.
I want to give great praise to director, co-producer and writer of Heavenly Creatures, Peter Jackson. He made a very intelligent movie, putting great emphasis on every minor detail. His direction for this film does many things that I like, such as showing off many great scenic views of New Zealand. With every movie I see of Jackson's, I get the feeling that I would not mind going to New Zealand for a look. Then to keep in sink with the story, Jackson beautifully recreates a time that was undoubtedly very very conservative. Then to finish it all of, we get some remarkable special effects from Jackson, that show what a weird world these best friend's allow themselves to imagine and escape to.
But without a well written story, this movie would not have been as great as it was. Helping Jackson with the screenplay was Francis Welsh. I very much like how the movie opens for us, as we get the impression that something strange has happened, but we are not sure what. While the ending of the film is also very confronting, as it shows what these girls plan to do and how they do it. Then to have the story retold to us via the diary entries of Pauline was great, as you could the true feeling of what life was like for these girls and how much they cherished each other.
Other interesting themes in this story include how the film deals with the issues of homosexuality, an issue I am sure people in the 1950's would have not liked to confront. It was also good to see the mental issues surrounding both Pauline and Juliet. It was clear to me that Pauline was suffering from some sort of depressive illness, showing herself to be a very mixed up and crazy person. The scenes with Pauline at the psychiatrist are great as we get a true insight into what sort of person she really is.
This leads me to the great performances by the two leading ladies of Heavenly Creatures. Pauline Parker (Melanie Lynsky) was a very interesting character watch unravel before me. Firstly she seemed a very quiet shy person, but after she meets Juliet (Kate Winslet), she certainly starts to change, as they share common interests, like tenor Mario Lanza and movie star Orson Welles.
What I like about Lynsky's performance is her look, especially the camera shots from above her head, where she has this scathing look on her face, of pure hatred, just brooding inside of her. Winslet, in her first major role is quite superb as this girl who seems very easy-going and hyperactive. Her change in character was also great, as she could be so 'bright' and bubbly, and then look so sad and unhappy. It was as if she was a chameleon, able to change her way at the drop of a hat
The supporting cast here is also good. The roles I like the most, include Honara Parker (Sarah Peirse), Pauline's mother, a woman who is very good to her daughter, but is treated appallingly back. The other performance is Juliet's father, Henry Hulme (Clive Merrison), who alerts the Parker's that something bad could be developing between the two girls, as they grow closer as friends.
As I was watching this movie, I started to remember a movie I watched last year which also showed another unspeakable crime. That movie was the controversial 'Bully', which showed another view of teenage sexuality, and how evil young people can be. In fact the 'plan' to trick a person into a vulnerable situation in Heavenly Creatures, was almost a carbon copy of Bully. I recommend both movies if you are yet to see them. The fact that this movie is based on true life events, makes it all the more poignant for me, because a crime such as this committed back in the 1950's would have been a huge scandal, but in today's society could construed as common place.
Peter Jackson has made a great movie and presented a story that obviously he thought needed telling. I am glad he did. I also want to commend the casting people for their choices, as the wrong actors playing Pauline and Juliet would have made this a bad movie to watch, but they got it right. Finally it was interesting to read, that the character of Juliet Hulme, is in real based on person by the name of Anne Perry, now a British crime novelist. From my research, this woman seems like a good person, and is still puzzled by the fact that she could help commit such an atrocity all those years ago, that this movie shows. All of us we be of that mind set after we have watched this movie, because I know I am!
CMRS gives 'Heavenly Creatures': 4.5 (Very Good - Brilliant Movie)
Heavenly Creatures paints a vivid and disturbing portrait of two teenage schoolgirls whose obsessive friendship leads to an unspeakable crime. This hypnotic thriller chronicles the story of Juliet Hulme and Pauline Parker from the moment they meet during the 1950's in New Zealand. Unhappy with their lives, the girls withdraw deep into a bizarre fantasy world of their joint creation. But when faced with a devastating separation, the notorious pair plots a horrifying and violent solution to stay together.
I want to give great praise to director, co-producer and writer of Heavenly Creatures, Peter Jackson. He made a very intelligent movie, putting great emphasis on every minor detail. His direction for this film does many things that I like, such as showing off many great scenic views of New Zealand. With every movie I see of Jackson's, I get the feeling that I would not mind going to New Zealand for a look. Then to keep in sink with the story, Jackson beautifully recreates a time that was undoubtedly very very conservative. Then to finish it all of, we get some remarkable special effects from Jackson, that show what a weird world these best friend's allow themselves to imagine and escape to.
But without a well written story, this movie would not have been as great as it was. Helping Jackson with the screenplay was Francis Welsh. I very much like how the movie opens for us, as we get the impression that something strange has happened, but we are not sure what. While the ending of the film is also very confronting, as it shows what these girls plan to do and how they do it. Then to have the story retold to us via the diary entries of Pauline was great, as you could the true feeling of what life was like for these girls and how much they cherished each other.
Other interesting themes in this story include how the film deals with the issues of homosexuality, an issue I am sure people in the 1950's would have not liked to confront. It was also good to see the mental issues surrounding both Pauline and Juliet. It was clear to me that Pauline was suffering from some sort of depressive illness, showing herself to be a very mixed up and crazy person. The scenes with Pauline at the psychiatrist are great as we get a true insight into what sort of person she really is.
This leads me to the great performances by the two leading ladies of Heavenly Creatures. Pauline Parker (Melanie Lynsky) was a very interesting character watch unravel before me. Firstly she seemed a very quiet shy person, but after she meets Juliet (Kate Winslet), she certainly starts to change, as they share common interests, like tenor Mario Lanza and movie star Orson Welles.
What I like about Lynsky's performance is her look, especially the camera shots from above her head, where she has this scathing look on her face, of pure hatred, just brooding inside of her. Winslet, in her first major role is quite superb as this girl who seems very easy-going and hyperactive. Her change in character was also great, as she could be so 'bright' and bubbly, and then look so sad and unhappy. It was as if she was a chameleon, able to change her way at the drop of a hat
The supporting cast here is also good. The roles I like the most, include Honara Parker (Sarah Peirse), Pauline's mother, a woman who is very good to her daughter, but is treated appallingly back. The other performance is Juliet's father, Henry Hulme (Clive Merrison), who alerts the Parker's that something bad could be developing between the two girls, as they grow closer as friends.
As I was watching this movie, I started to remember a movie I watched last year which also showed another unspeakable crime. That movie was the controversial 'Bully', which showed another view of teenage sexuality, and how evil young people can be. In fact the 'plan' to trick a person into a vulnerable situation in Heavenly Creatures, was almost a carbon copy of Bully. I recommend both movies if you are yet to see them. The fact that this movie is based on true life events, makes it all the more poignant for me, because a crime such as this committed back in the 1950's would have been a huge scandal, but in today's society could construed as common place.
Peter Jackson has made a great movie and presented a story that obviously he thought needed telling. I am glad he did. I also want to commend the casting people for their choices, as the wrong actors playing Pauline and Juliet would have made this a bad movie to watch, but they got it right. Finally it was interesting to read, that the character of Juliet Hulme, is in real based on person by the name of Anne Perry, now a British crime novelist. From my research, this woman seems like a good person, and is still puzzled by the fact that she could help commit such an atrocity all those years ago, that this movie shows. All of us we be of that mind set after we have watched this movie, because I know I am!
CMRS gives 'Heavenly Creatures': 4.5 (Very Good - Brilliant Movie)