Anna Bowman is a senior English and telecommunications major and writes 'Film Annalysis' for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily agree with those of the newspaper. Write to Anna at aabowman@bsu.edu.
With its supernatural castle and scarring love story, “Crimson Peak” takes a fairy tale concept and twists it almost beyond recognition.
Although the movie falls into the horror genre, it has strong fable-like tendencies, beginning with the opening of a book as the introduction and continuing with the ubiquitous plot line of a lady being swept up by a dark prince. Waltzing into a romantic tailspin, she soon marries this mysterious figure and discovers an ominous secret that threatens their relationship. This genre is further demonstrated by the frequent use of iris slow swipes, or circular transitions, that are often found in Looney Tunes or early black and whites films.
However, writer and director Guillermo del Toro describes his film as a Gothic romance, which makes a lot of sense, especially considering its striking Bronte influence. In fact, del Toro cites Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre as primary sources of inspiration. Without giving too much away, the relationships and conflicts of “Crimson Peak” heavily mirror that of Jane Eyre and that’s not just because it, too, stars the incomparable Mia Wasikowska.
Indeed, with a résumé that includes Tim Burton’s adaptation of “Alice in Wonderland,” “Stoker” and the morbid drama, “Restless,” the role of fearless writer Edith Cushing fits Mia Wasikowska like a glove. Likewise, Tom Hiddleston’s almost-sinister good looks and commanding voice showcase an even darker character than his role as Loki in the “Thor” franchise. Jessica Chastain was so good in her role that I’m afraid you’ll never look at “Interstellar’s” Murphy the same way again.
Yet the person I find most fascinating is the minor character of Holly, played by Burn Gorman. Although the audience barely sees him, this actor was made for the role of seedy sycophant detective—so much so that he’s played the same crooked toady in several other movies as well, such as “Penelope,” “Bleak House” and “The Dark Knight Rises.” With his unique facial features and squeaky, manic voice, Gorman is an unsettling and brilliant asset to “Crimson Peak” and will not soon be forgotten.
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When you enter Allerdale Hall, you don’t just enter a house, you enter a whole new world. In a recent interview with del Toro conducted by Daniel Krupa, he said he wanted the backbone of the film’s horror to come from the atmosphere—not the ghosts. With deep reds, blues and golds brought out by tungsten lighting, he moves away from the typical cold and dark tones in most scary movies and lures the audience into a false sense of security with warmth and vividness. The spiky hallways, intricate staircases and menacing doors add to the overall feeling of fantasy and deception that is present throughout the film.
Del Toro also uses visuals to his advantage by color-coding everything related to ghosts with red and communicating his Gothic intentions by using icons like keys, candles and grand pianos frequently. In fact, the set of Allerdale Hall is so powerful that Universal Orlando Resort is going to feature it in its annual Halloween Horror Nights, calling it the “Maze of Madness.”
In addition to set design, special effects also play a large role in revealing the twisted universe of “Crimson Peak.” While we soon find out that ghosts are not the main focus of the movie, their appearance is a masterpiece in the field of special effects. Unlike any ghosts seen before, these mangled and smoky figures slip in and out of scenes with a mark of true inventiveness that is rarely seen in scary movies today. If that isn’t enough, entomologists will be thrilled to see so many insects take center stage, acting as both metaphors and creepy reminders that the house is anything but safe.
The portrayal of women as the main players is a path not many horror directors have taken yet, but this is no mistake for del Toro. His choice to put Edith in the shoes of both the hero and victim gives her character so many more layers than the traditional female in scary movies and provides the story itself with unparalleled depth.
Filled to the brim with forceful imagery and haunting characters, “Crimson Peak” will not just terrify you—it will transport you to a time and place only del Toro could create.
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