The Innocents 1961

The Innocents 1961

The moment I read that the movie is listed in Martin Scorsese’s list of top Horror movies, it became inevitable for me to not watch it and as a result I am writing this review.

I have always been a huge fan of horror, not that I am haunted in real but its fun to believe in the possibilities of paranormal. The innocents although made in 1961, was way ahead of its time considering the Goosebumps I got several times during the movie.***I watch that shit alone in my apartment***

The movie is in black and white but the brilliance lies in the lighting and sound effects.There are no disturbing scenes of blood or violence just a believable tale of haunted house and its people.

Starring Deborah Kerr, the movie is based on Henry James’s short story The Turn of the Screw.The movie begins with a governess, Miss Giddens (Deborah Kerr) being given a charge of the responsibility of taking care of two young children, Miles and Flora, as their warden, their uncle, is busy with his playboy life in London. The children live in a posh palace with a few caretakers of the property ,miss giddens  is charmed by kids ,Miles and Flora, but grows uneasy as she senses that the two children may be somehow under the spell of the spirits of the children’s warden’s valet, Peter Quint, and the former governess, Miss Jessel both of whom had died in the grounds of house, The spirits seem to have a dangerous power over the children, causing them to be mischievous and treacherous. The house has a history of tormented souls.

What gives you the creeps is Miles’s disturbingly adult behaviour also there are moments of absolute serenity accompanied with gothic images, for example a picturesque side of lake and suddenly a disturbing image of dead miss Jessel is coupled.

Fear condescends into you as the movie approaches its end, without using many props just through the way characters weave into each other. If you are a true horror fan, you must not miss this one.

Here is a spooky recitation from Miles

“What shall I sing to my lord from my window? What shall I sing for my lord will not stay? What shall I sing for my lord will not listen? Where shall I go when my lord is away? Whom shall I love when the moon is arisen? Gone is my lord and the grave is his prison. What shall I say when my lord comes a calling? What shall I say when he knocks on my door? What shall I say when his feet enter softly? Leaving the marks of his grave on my floor. Enter my lord. Come from your prison. Come from your grave, for the moon is a risen. Welcome, my lord.”

PS : Do not watch alone.