The Woman in Black (2012)

A young lawyer travels to a remote village where he discovers the vengeful ghost of a scorned woman is terrorizing the locals.

Director:

James Watkins

Writers:

Susan Hill (novel), Jane Goldman (screenplay)

Stars:

Emma Shorey, Daniel Radcliffe, Ciarán Hinds

2 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Emma Shorey	...	Fisher Girl
Molly Harmon	...	Fisher Girl
Ellisa Walker-Reid	...	Fisher Girl
Sophie Stuckey	...	Stella Kipps
Daniel Radcliffe	...	Arthur Kipps
Misha Handley	...	Joseph Kipps
Jessica Raine	...	Nanny
Roger Allam	...	Mr. Bentley
Lucy May Barker	...	Nursemaid
Indira Ainger	...	Little Girl on Train
Andy Robb	...	Doctor
Ciarán Hinds	...	Daily
Shaun Dooley	...	Fisher
Mary Stockley	...	Mrs. Fisher
Alexia Osborne	...	Victoria Hardy

Storyline

In London, lawyer Arthur Kipps still grieves the death of his beloved wife Stella on the delivery of their son Joseph four years ago. His employer gives him a last chance to keep his job, and he is assigned to travel to the remote village of Cryphin Gifford to examine the documentation of the Eel Marsh House that belonged to the recently deceased Mrs. Drablow. Arthur befriends Daily on the train and the man offers a ride to him to the Gifford Arms inn. Arthur has a cold reception and the owner of the inn tells that he did not receive the request of reservation and there is no available room. The next morning, Arthur meets solicitor Jerome who advises him to return to London. However, Arthur goes to the isolated manor and soon he finds that Eel Marsh House is haunted by the vengeful ghost of a woman dressed in black. He also learns that the woman lost her son drowned in the marsh and she seeks revenge, taking the children of the scared locals.

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Plot Keywords:

village | house | lawyer | marsh | ghost | 

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Taglines:

Do you believe in ghosts?

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic material and violence/disturbing images

Details

Official Sites:

Official site Official site [jp]

Country:

UK Canada Sweden

Language:

English

Release Date:

3 February 2012 (USA)

Also Known As:

La dama de negro

Filming Locations:

Osea Island, Essex, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$17,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$20,874,072 (USA) (3 February 2012)

Gross:

$54,322,273 (USA) (27 April 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cross Creek Pictures, Hammer Film Productions, Alliance Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital Datasat SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Adrian Rawlins --who played Daniel Radcliffe's father in the Harry Potter series-- played the same character in the 1989 version as Radcliffe plays in this film.

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Goofs

Kipps travels by train, with Antimacassars showing N&CR. This can only be Newcastle & Carlisle Railway, but this was absorbed into the NER in 1862, 40 years before the film's setting. Also, the locomotive is a Southern U class, which did not venture that far north.

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Quotes

Daily: Don't go chasing shadows, Arthur.

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Connections

Version of The Woman in Black (1989)

User Reviews

Life in Perspective

People have complained that this is a horror movie filled with horror movie clichés. But how could it not be? I mean is it suppose to be a horror movie at the local shopping mall? No, of course it is in a haunted house, were else would it be? As much as this movie drew on the horror standards, I found it refreshingly different from most horror movies. Part of what I want from a movie is something different, not more of the same, and I think in that respect, all things considered, this movie delivered.

While it did make use of the standards like jump scares, I really felt the suspense of this movie. I mean, at least for me, this movie was wound very tight. The suspense was ratcheted to the limit.

While I'm still not past Daniel Radcliffe's voice, I still hear Harry or Daniel, his face and body language were spot on, and greatly added to the tension of the movie.

In the end, it is what it is, a suspenseful horror movie that gets the job done. This isn't a genre noted for 'Academy Award' performances. But as suspenseful horror movies go, I was very satisfied with this one, and thought they did have a new approach to an old genre.

Steve B