The best adaption of Turn of the Screw
Added 4/30/2007
Although updated to the 1960s, this 1992 film version of the classic Henry James ghost story is close to the book. Furthermore, this adaption of the Turn of the Screw does an excellent job at conveying James' ambiguity over when the ghosts are real or imagined. I put this version as one of my favorite movies.
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stylishly shot and skillfully acted, but much boredom
Added 6/9/2006
This is a stylish updating of Henry James's TURN OF THE SCREW. Released in 1992, the film is set in the mid-1960s. During the first ten minutes, the prospective governess is interviewed in a very "swinging London" setting. Then we shift to Bly House and it may as well be 1930 or 1920 or 1900 or 1990.
Some stylish shots in that first ten minutes, and good work by Julian Sands in a cameo, but this film doesn't hold up. I was bored the first time I saw it, extremely bored the second time. That's rare for me; most horror films grow on me, so it's a bad sign when I lose interest.
Other than the time-shift, this is a mostly faithful retelling of the James novella (which bored me as well). Good work by Patsy Kensit, but I can only take so much of "did she see ghosts or is it her imagination?"
Some much better ghost films include the original THE HAUNTING (1963), as well as THE LEGEND OF HELL HOUSE, THE CHANGELING, THE SIXTH SENSE, and GOTHIKA. Even HAUNTED and GHOST STORY were more interesting films.
This 1992 TURN OF THE SCREW is nicely shot but boring adaptation of a boring book.
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