Wuthering Heights

[GCAcademic]

Anyone planning to see this? From the trailer I was expecting it to be marmite and not in any way a straight adaptation of the novel, but the reviews I've seen so far are universally uncomplimentary. I'd already booked to see it, so will go in with an open mind!

Yes he was magnificent as Heathcliff… passion was conveyed in his very expression.

What channel was it on?

I couldn’t agree more with your review.

I'm a literary purist but I see what she means. The symbolism of the set and costumes work well if you don't think about the book. Rather like Lucy's OTT outfits in Bram Stoker's Dracula.

I do think there was no call whatsoever for the Joseph and Zillah scenes however. They were totally misrepresented. The passion that isn't explicitly in the book I can go with. But not making a character 45 years younger to enact a BDSM scene? Now I wonder why Fennell changed Joseph's age and didn't have a 65 year old man and a young maid having BDSM sex? Funny that.

'The visuals are stunning - particularly the section of the film when Cathy arrives at Thrushcross Grange and the sets and costumes become surreal and symbolic'

Completely agree and I don't get why more reviews haven't mentioned the stunning visuals and incredible costumes. Margot's dresses reminded me of Vivienne Westwood or Alexander McQueen designs. And the long dining table that was just groaning with food that looked like jewels 😍 it was a feast for the eyes

@GCAcademic I agree with your review too, you’ve summed up perfectly what I thought of the film (but couldn’t articulate as well as you have).

NRTT, so it could have been mentioned.
The 2011 version was on TV recently, brilliantly acted, especially by the younger versions of Heathcliff and Cathy.

The 1939 film was on tv the other afternoon, such a fabulous cast, Laurence Olivier as Heathcliff ( glowering and gorgeous, that man knew how to wear a pair of riding boots), Merle Oberon as Cathy, Flora Robson as Nelly, David Niven being noble as Edgar, Geraldine Fitzgerald as Isabelle , Leo G Carroll of all people as Joseph ( didn’t recognise him!) Hugh Williams as Hindley (worth looking him up as he has some surprising connections! ) OK, it was filmed in the US and there were huge bits cut out, but it kept me gripped as tight as those mastiffs on poor Cathy’s leg. Perfect wet winter afternoon entertainment.

The opening scene was ridiculous and pointless. Just included for sensationalism. I think she'd muddled up the book with A Tale of Two Cities.

I thought the execution scene set the film up well - the film's audience was also there to be entertained by an event / story that is dark, violent and shows the worst of human nature. It also foregrounded the connected themes of sex and death, though I admit that point was not made with subtlety.

I missed it! What channel was it on?

I just thought it was exceedingly dull.

DP, who hasn't read the book, summed up the plot in three lines and he's right. Nothing happens. It's not true to the book and even using the book as a broad outline, the film ends about half way.

OK, well maybe I will go and see it.

Can’t remember as I was scrolling through and got lucky! Might have been Sky Art.

I’m going now!

I like that the film has given me a lot to think about. One thing it is not is a bland 'it's OK'. Unfortunately, I am finding that the more I think about it, the less I like it.

I hope that it does well though. I love going to the cinema and any successful film will help keep my local cinema open. Plus, some people clearly love it and that is great.

I think this thread reflects the global reviews. Very few sitting on the fence!

@GCAcademic your summary review completely summed up my experience of watching it.

My DS’s friend watched it at the weekend, I asked him to ask what her rating was, she gave it a 4/10, I gave it a 10!

I think this thread reflects the global reviews. Very few sitting on the fence!

Yep, it seems my initial post / instinct was correct - definitely marmite!

I absolutely agree with this. It was so boring. WH is my favourite book of all time, but the EF film was so unimaginative; there was no plot. I know people feel that the sets etc were effective but I thought they were cliched and boring too.

Robie and Elordi were both wooden and unconvincing. There were far too many moments that were desperately clawing to provide some edgy, shock value. They didn’t. All they did was underline what a tawdry attempt this was.

Don’t get me started on what she did to Isabella!

I think there are films where ‘stuff happens’ and you get that distinct beginning/middle/ending and a neat sense of closure at the end.

Then there are films where the ‘journey’ is the point - the heightened emotions from situation to situation are the ride, and the ending is deliberately left open or dissatisfying as it’s not supposed to be tidy and ordered.

I don’t really see it as ‘Wuthering Heights’ the book, more a kind of fever dream of how people might imagine the specific romance between Catherine and Heathcliff. It just focuses on that 1 strand, and I think it did it well. I didn’t get the lack of chemistry thing, I could really feel the passion and the BDSM scene was less about the participants and more about the sexual tension between C and H as they viewed it.

Agree with all you have said. I found it really dull and, as you say, very clichéd & try hard.

I hated the scene with Heathcliffe & Isabella when she was chained up like a dog. I get we are supposed to assume she was complicit and it was all very clever etc but I hated it & hated that people in the cinema laughed at it.
Ditto the silly opening scene.

But I think the marmite split is perhaps age related with younger people liking it more than older ones? 🤷‍♂️

DP complaind that it rained all the time, and he thought Heathcliff's accent was annoying 🤣

He mumbled so much! It was so hard to hear him.
And the rain did get annoying - maybe because it was art imitating life at the moment! 😂