Turn of the Screw by Benjamin Britten (2004) (TV)

User Rating:

6.1/10   

Director:

Katie Mitchell

Writer:

Myfanwy Piper (libretto)
(more)

Genre:

Horror | Music

Plot Keywords:

Opera | Ghost | British | Governess | Based On Novel

Cast

Lisa Milne	...	Governess
Mark Padmore	...	Quint
Diana Montague	...	Mrs. Grose
Catrin Wyn Davies	...	Miss Jessel
Nicholas Kirby Johnson	...	Miles
Caroline Wise	...	Flora
Liz Kettle	...	Mother
Felicity Cutting	...	Maid

Directed by
Katie Mitchell

Writing credits
Myfanwy Piper		(libretto)
Henry James		(novella) uncredited

Produced by
David M. Jackson	....	executive producer
Fiona Morris	....	producer

Cinematography by
Nic Morris		(director of photography)

Production Design by
Alison Chitty

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Kiaran Murray-Smith	....	second assistant director
Carrie Rodd	....	first assistant director
Rachel Stone	....	third assistant director

Camera and Electrical Department
Vernon Connolly	....	best boy (as Vernon Connelly)
John Kolthammer	....	grip
Piers Lello	....	assistant camera
Piers Lello	....	focus puller
Kay Rudin	....	assistant camera

Music Department
Richard Hickox	....	conductor

Other crew
Tim Faulkner	....	location manager
Mark Hayden	....	production runner

Production Companies

• BBC Wales

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (2004) (UK) (TV)
• Opus Arte (2005) (worldwide) (DVD)

Other Companies

• The City of London Sinfonia  orchestra
• Boosey and Hawkes  music published by (as Boosey & Hawkes Music Publishers Ltd.)

Runtime:

UK:117 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Company:

BBC Wales

A disappointing rendition.

As a filmed opera, I thought the choice correct to not attempt to "impose" cinema on the score, but rather to use the film as a sort of "slide show" accompaniment to the singing. This succeeded well, with the beautiful but haunting English countryside confirming the ambiguous atmosphere of the drama. Sadly, Benjamin Britten's score, while musically sophisticated, is just not "interesting": there are no melodies one is going to remember after the performance. This is especially unfortunate because the story itself, originally by Henry James, really is a classic thriller. Those who particularly enjoy children singing should be advised that the children's roles are small and unimpressive, and Nicolas Kirby Johnson was not up to even those modest vocal demands. There are so many truly outstanding trebles around, and many of them in U.K., that I'm not sure how he got the part.