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TheInnocents

Figone

Thisisoneghoststorythatwillgiveanymanwomanorchildashiverdownthe

spine.AsA.Pulverstates,Asaghoststory,itworksperfectly-throughits

restraintasmuchasanythingelse,(A.Pulver)whichbuildsupalotoftension

throughoutthefilmwhichallgoodghoststorysneed.

TheFilmbuildsthistensionwithwhattheviewercansee,andwhattheviewer

cannotseeandthen,whenthetwocombine,thetensioncomestoitsclimaxand

createsafeelofuncertainty.WhichB.Waltersexplains,Thestory'sprofound,

unsettlingambiguityisperfectlyservedbyGeorgesAuric'ssoundtrackoflaughs

andwhispersandtheconstrictingorfleetingformsattheedgesofFreddie

Francis'sB&W'Scopeframe,(B.Walters)whichbuildsontheviewersfearsand

tensionwithwhattheviewershouldbeabletosee,yetnotbeingableto.Then

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withwhatisvisiblyright,yetoneknowssomethingisnotquiteright,that

somethingiswrongwithwhattheycanseetoberight.AsB.Waltersstatesabout

thechildren,They'repolite,ofcourse,tothepointofbeingpatronising('my

dear,'theycallher),andtheirdark,placideyesdefysuspicion,butthere's

somethingunsettlinginhisself-possession,macabreinherdelights('Oh,look,a

lovelyspider.Andit'seatingabutterfly!'),(B.Walters)whichatfirstglance

seemsfinebutthereisthefeelofuncertaintythatsomethingisnotquiteright.

Figtwo

ThroughoutthefilmitisuncertainwhetherDeborahKerrisjustplainmadorif

shereallycanseetheseghosts.Hercharacteristhekeyofuncertainty,thereare

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signsthatevensheisuncertainonmanythings,M.Atkinsoncallsher,sexually

straitjacketedgoverness,(M.Atkinson)whichalsobringsupsignsandthoughts

thatsheherselfistheonepersistandistheonethathasdonesomethingwiththechildren.Thiswasverymuchshowninthescenewhensheconfrontsthe

littlegirlandbecomesphysicallyviolent,thenagainattheendofthefilmwhere

sheforcesthelittleboytofacewhatevershewasseeing.Thistobegsthe

questionof,ifhewastheonewhomneededtocometotermswithwhatwas

happeningorher.

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Bibliography.

A.Pulver,TheGuardian,2006,(accessed30Nov11)+++++++http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2006/jun/02/horror.thriller

B.Walters,TimeOutLondon,2006(accessed30Nov11)========

http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/76028/the_innocents.html

M.Atkinson,TheVillageVoice,2005(accessed30Nov11)======

http://www.villagevoice.com/2005-08-30/screens/resurrecting-an-unsung-horror-gem/

Illustrations

PosterartFigureone

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRyR434gG_RTtmiRwIfGxP3IHjtieoiRM73rVbKIDBVZRy-wR8npQ4wEOVO

SupportingstillFiguretwo

http://www.classichorrorcampaign.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/innocents-boy-black-and-white.jpg