NEWS
EVENTS
The Awakening
Wednesday 9th November 2011 | Osh
Back to basics horror film goes searching for the supernatural in post-World War I Britain.
Rebecca Hall, Dominic West and Imelda Staunton add weight to a surprisingly old-fashioned ghost story in The Awakening. Tired of watching static camera shots in the hope that a door will close á la Paranormal Activity? Of course you're not, but Nick Murphy's chilly yarn does provide a nice break from found-footage horror films, providing some extremely tense sequences without the implausibility of its main characters lugging a camera around.
Set in post-World War I Britain, Hall plays skeptical author and investigator Florence Cathart. Smart, quick-witted and comfortable in her beliefs (or lack thereof), she's sought after by Robert Mallory (West), a history teacher whose school is experiencing some supernatural activity. Cathart pays a visit to the school and - using her charmingly archaic ghost-hunting kit, including tripwires, chemical powders and electromagnetics - aims to disprove Mallory's theories. However, it isn't long before Cathart starts questioning her own beliefs after a particularly grisly encounter leaves her cold. With lush cinematography and a wonderfully dramatic score, The Awakening may be late for the Halloween rush but was undoubtedly worth the wait.
Rebecca Hall, Dominic West and Imelda Staunton add weight to a surprisingly old-fashioned ghost story in The Awakening. Tired of watching static camera shots in the hope that a door will close á la Paranormal Activity? Of course you're not, but Nick Murphy's chilly yarn does provide a nice break from found-footage horror films, providing some extremely tense sequences without the implausibility of its main characters lugging a camera around.
Set in post-World War I Britain, Hall plays skeptical author and investigator Florence Cathart. Smart, quick-witted and comfortable in her beliefs (or lack thereof), she's sought after by Robert Mallory (West), a history teacher whose school is experiencing some supernatural activity. Cathart pays a visit to the school and - using her charmingly archaic ghost-hunting kit, including tripwires, chemical powders and electromagnetics - aims to disprove Mallory's theories. However, it isn't long before Cathart starts questioning her own beliefs after a particularly grisly encounter leaves her cold. With lush cinematography and a wonderfully dramatic score, The Awakening may be late for the Halloween rush but was undoubtedly worth the wait.
