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  • 10review Black Narcissus

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    Emily Clarkson
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    Black Narcissus is a film concerning the lives of five nuns as they are sent to the to set up a school and an infirmary. The story is based on a novel by the film adaption directed by and and released in. Sumptuous matte paintings result in scenes that are so realistic that in the eyes of a reviewer sets and backdrops that this was a film shot on rather than one that was cobbled together at pinewood studios.

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    10Review Black Narcissus

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    Black Narcissus is a film concerning the lives of five nuns as they are sent to the to set up a school and an infirmary. The story is based on a novel by the film adaption directed by and and released in. Sumptuous matte paintings result in scenes that are so realistic that in the eyes of a reviewer sets and backdrops that this was a film shot on rather than one that was cobbled together at pinewood studios.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    204 views4 pages

    10review Black Narcissus

    Uploaded by

    Emily Clarkson
    Black Narcissus is a film concerning the lives of five nuns as they are sent to the to set up a school and an infirmary. The story is based on a novel by the film adaption directed by and and released in. Sumptuous matte paintings result in scenes that are so realistic that in the eyes of a reviewer sets and backdrops that this was a film shot on rather than one that was cobbled together at pinewood studios.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 4

    BlackNarcissus(1947)

    Image1 BlackNarcissusisafilmconcerningthelivesoffivenunsastheyaresenttothe Himalayastosetupaschoolandaninfirmaryandthesubsequentturnofevents astheytrytoadjusttounfamiliarsurroundings;someprevailandothersfail withdramaticconsequences.ThestoryisbasedonanovelbyRumerGodden. ThefilmadaptiondirectedbyEmericPressburgerandMichealPowelland releasedin1947. Intheearlyperiodoftechnicolourfilmproductionandlittlewithregardsto visualeffectsavailable,thefilmmakersofBlackNarcissususedwhattheyhadto theiradvantage.Gloriouslyexpansivesceneryachievedthroughsumptuous mattepaintingsresultinscenesthataresorealisticthatintheeyesofaFilm4 reviewerthesetsandbackdropssuggest[ing]thatthiswasafilmshotonlocation, ratherthanonethatwascobbledtogetheratPinewoodStudios.Italsolentitself tocreateoneofthemosticonicandtensescenesincinemahistory.Image2 makesitclearjusthowamattepaintingcancreateanincrediblystrongmood andthisbecomesarecurringthemethroughoutthefilm.

    ThecinematographybyJackCardiffisquiteincredibleduetoituseofangles, shadowandlightandmostnoticeableofallcolour.Inscenesofcalmand collectednaturetheenvironmentandthenunsappeartobeverywhiteand serene,butyetassoonasthereisahintoftensionofthelustfulortempting variety,aflashofredcanbeseen.AshasbeenspottedinanarticlebyEmpire,A slashofredlipstickclasheswiththebleachedwhiteofanunshabittosaysomuch aboutrepresseddesires.(Empire,2007)(Image3)Thisuseofcolourwasoneof manywaysinwhichfrowneduponsubjectssuchaslustandsexualitywereable tobetoucheduponwithoutexplicitlydoingso,althoughwithscenessuchas Image3,itdoesbecomeratherobvious.

    Image2

    Toemphasizetheerratic,declineofsanityofthecharacterSisterRuth(playedby KathleenByron)thereseemstobeanincreaseinthenumberofshotsofherin extremelighting.Peeringoutoftheshadows,theferventeyesofasexstarved womanarelit,becomingbesottedwithastrappingmaleagentnamedDeanwho frequentstheconventasanaidtotheGeneralandtheSisters.(Image4)

    Image3

    Image4 WhencomparedtotheSisterSuperiorCharacter,(SisterClodagh,asplayedby DeborahKerr,)SisterRuthisdescribedasaviolentcauldronofconflicting desiresandactsasamirrortoSisterClodaghsrepression.(DC,2005)Itwould appeartheisolationofthenewfoundconventandtheunwantedbutnecessary presenceofDeanisstirringupmemoriesofsisterClodaghslifebeforejoining theorder,whereitisclearshehadaloveinterest.Butyetshefocuseswithsteely determinationonhervocation,allthewhiletheotherNunsappeartobeginto fallapartintheirduties.Theclearairandthealienationofthevillagersthey weresenttohelp,clearlytakesitstoll. Asistobeexpectedwithanylovetriangle,thestoryculminatesina confrontationofsorts,howeverBlackNarcissusseesthesituationresolvedin themostdramaticofsequenceseverseenincinema.Itbecomesafightfor survivalbetweenthecompletelyberserkSisterRuth(oncerejectedbyDean) andSisterClodagh,Thefilmisdefinitelyworthawatch.Itsincrediblescenery, filmstyleandsymbolismsubconsciouslycommunicateswiththeaudienceofthe psychologicalunrestanddesires,asfivewomentrytodotheirbestinsome extraordinaryconditions.

    Bibliography

    Film4(2012)BlackNarcissus http://www.film4.com/reviews/1947/blacknarcissus# Empire(2007)BlackNarcissus http://www.empireonline.com/reviews/ReviewComplete.asp?FID=11330 DC(2005)BlackNarcissus(1946) http://www.timeout.com/film/reviews/67935/black_narcissus.html

    Pictures Image1:IMDb(2012)BlackNarcissus(1947) http://www.imdb.com/media/rm749641216/tt0039192 Image2:MoviePictureDatabase(2010)BlackNarcissus1947 http://www.moviepicturedb.com/picture/519828c7?qid=2 Image3:GlamourDaze(2012)1940sMakeup:ThefamousLipstickSceneinBlack Narcissus http://glamourdaze.com/2012/09/1940smakeupthefamouslipstickscene inblacknarcissus.html

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