HEAVENLY CREATURES (1994) A Film Review by Ted Prigge Copyright 1997 Ted Prigge
Director: Peter Jackson Writers: Peter Jackson and Frances Walsh Starring: Melanie Lynskey, Kate Winslet, Sarah Pierse, Diana Kent, Clive Merrison, Simon O'Connor, Elizabeth Moody
If you've ever seen Jackson's "Dead Alive" or "The Frighteners," you know that his big forte is the comic horror film. So why is he doing a thoughtful study on two girls' obsession with one another? Why is he doing a film where the two protagonists try to kill the one's mother? And why is there only blood at the beginning and end? You'd think Jackson would defintely be the wrong choice for the director of this film...until you see it.
"Dead Alive" put him on the map because his gorefest was flawless, and the best ever filmed. "Heavenly Creatures" put him on the map because it's an amazing character study, filled with great style, and some amazing black comedy. Almost universally acclaimed as one of the best films of 1994, Jackson showed he can make critically-acclaimed art out of film, and not just good arty gore. And it's true that "Heavenly Creatures" is probably one of the best films of the 90s.
The "Heavenly Creatures" of the title are Pauline Parker (Melanie Lynskey) and Juliet Hulme (Kate Winslet, in her first film role), two teenage girls living in New Zealand who meet in their all-girl prep school, and quickly become good friends. But soon they discover they have a lot in common, and are soon becoming totally obsessed with one another. They begin hanging out together during all their spare time, listening to opera singer Mario Lanza, frolicking in their undies, and soon writing medieval fantasy stories of a place they wished they could share together. They are, what they call themselves, the Heavenly Creatures, isolated from everyone else. And, of course, better.
But while their relationship is one of the closest I've ever seen (going far beyond simple lesbianism), they have some obstacles. For one, their parents think they're far too close, and need to be seperated a bit, especially Pauline's mom, Honora (Sarah Pierse), who soon finds that her relationship with her daughter is faltering terribly, especially when they catch her in bed with the live-in worker, Herbert (Simon O'Connor). The parents soon want them to be totally seperated, but they're so close that it's almost impossible to tear them apart.
To answer a particular query, yes, there's a lesbian scene later in the film. It's not gratuitous at all (there's no real nudity), and it's not just like the required lesbo scene: it's a wonderfully directed scene where we see they share far more than it would seem at first. I mean, these girls are so close that when Pauline is having sex with Herb, she's thinking of Juliet, and how she has "betrayed" her.
By the end, there's a murder plot to keep them together, even though it would undoubtedly tear them apart when the facts were uncovered. But to those of you who would bitch about the stupidity of this, it's all done in the spirit of psychology...and in the spirit of the fact that this is a true story. Pauline Parker was writing popular mystery novels under a pseudonym, when she came out to say that she was the Pauline in the famous case of these two, prompting the development of the film. Just an interesting back story.
And what a film it is. Peter Jackson may tone down the gore to a bare minimum (remember, there's a murder to be comitted here), but his style is as outrageous as it always is. He presents a surrealistic world for these two to live in, complete with a bit of morphing and animation for the world that they create and shelter themselves in when things are bad. He presents everything from the two girls' view, even little fantasies (there's a great scene where a priest is talking to Juliet about joing the church, when one of the knights from their fantasy world comes out and hacks him up). Not to mention the sets and colors, which always create the perfect mood for each scene. His direction has never been better.
And the acting is awesome. Melanie Lynskey, native New Zealander, is great as the depressed, mopey Pauline, creating depth in her character. And Kate Winslet is jaw-drop amazing in her performance that even bowed Emma Thompson over (and got her her role in "Sense and Sensibility"). Kate is one of the most talented actresses working now (as well as one of the most attractive), and her performance is full of energy, life, and depth. These two share amazing chemitry, making it believable that they should never be torn apart. Also good is Sarah Pierse as Pauline's strict mother, creating in her a bit of sympathy.
"Heavenly Creatures" is definitely one of the most engrossing and best films of the 90s, and the film that will put Jackson in the history books. If you still haven't seen it, I highly reccomend you get your arse out there and find it.
MY RATING (out of 4): ****
Homepage at: http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/Hills/8335/
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