"Crimson peak": reviews of critics and viewers, reviews, actors, content, plot

In late 2015, one of the most unusual and discussed paintings was a gothic mystical horror film "Crimson Peak". Reviews and reviews on it filled the media. The fact is that the screen for a long time did not leave a picture with such an amazing visual series and perfectly accurately selected cast. So, the "Crimson Peak". Reviews, content, the history of creating an extraordinary tape - the focus of our article.

Director of the picture

If you do not know in advance the name of the author of the gothic horror tape, it is almost impossible to guess who worked on creating it. The director of the film "Crimson Peak", critics' reviews about which were overwhelmingly supportive, is famous for his unusual works in the cinema of Guillermo del Toro. His paintings are distinguished by a special visual style. Perhaps this is due to the fact that at the dawn of his career in film he worked as a make-up artist for 10 years. Del Toro is a controversial director. In Hollywood, he has a large credit of trust, although his work is caused by ambiguous assessments of critics. He is considered one of the most inventive directors of America - he creates large-scale paintings, filled with impressive effects, but they blame the weak disclosure of the characters' characters and too complicated for the audience's perception of the plots of his outstanding work.

The long road to the film

Scenario of the future painting "Crimson Peak", reviews of the audience about which were positive, appeared in 2006. Why did the realization of the director's plans come true only after 9 years? Guillermo del Toro himself explains this by the fact that the picture for him has become something very personal, because he is a big fan of Gothic romance. Therefore, he did not want to hurry with the beginning of filming and how to prepare everything. During this time, the director removed the legendary "Faun's Labyrinth", the second part of Hellboy's adventures, "The Pacific Frontier" and co-authored a trilogy of novels, on which the series "Stamm" was shot. But all these years he continued his preparatory work for the gothic horror film "Crimson Peak", the first reviews of which were enthusiastic. He could create the tape only when he received firm guarantees that he could fully realize his idea.

Filming

In April 2014, Guillermo del Toro began work on the painting "Crimson Peak". Actors (critics' reviews of the composition of the performers were more than favorable) for the main roles by that time were already selected.

The main place of filming is the Canadian city of Kingston. The film was shot in record even for del Toro terms - for 2 months. Given that over his idea the director worked for 9 years and wrote 12 versions of the script, he was filmed simply swiftly.

An interesting fact: in order to help actors enter their roles and imbue with the atmosphere of the XIX century, Del Toro offered to read to them the Gothic novels of those times.

Entourage paintings

Enthusiastic reviews of the "Crimson Peak" are associated primarily with the stunning design of the picture: the magnificent scenery and costumes of the characters. Visually the movie looks amazing. The director chose the style of the XIX century not by accident - this is the era when many houses were built according to his dear heart the Gothic canons. In the picture everything is symbolic, and even the costumes of the heroes emphasize this. So, the actresses Jessica and Mia, who played the main roles in the picture, the shoulders of the outfits are decorated with details that resemble a moth and a butterfly. More details about why we need these elements of the costumes of heroines in the picture, we will tell further.

Actors and roles

Performers for the movie "Crimson Peak", reviews in the world about which were positive, were chosen carefully. But the original cast was changed radically. Perhaps this only worked. For the role of the main male character, Benedict Cumberbatch was initially chosen, and Emma Stone was to embody one of the heroines on the screen. But the actors soon left the project because of their busy schedule. Del Toro had to urgently tackle the selection of another team of performers. He specifically revised the script for actor Tom Hiddleston, and he could not abandon the promising role. The problem was different - Cumberbatch and Hiddleston are friends for many years, and the latter was embarrassed to "take away" the role of an old friend. He asked permission to shoot with Benedict, and he replied that he did not see another actor in this role.

Edith Cushing - Mia Wasikowska

This actress is familiar to many in the magnificent adaptation of Carroll's fairy tale "Alice in Wonderland." She is 26 years old, originally from Australia. Although she intended to devote her life to ballet, at the age of 15 Mia was invited to film. So began her career in the cinema. The films, in which she participated, did not have much success, and for a long time the actress remained in the shadow of her more successful colleagues. Luck smiled at her in 2010, when she was invited to play Alice in Tim Burton's painting. The film "Crimson Peak" (the plot, reviews and opinions of critics will be further in the article) became another lucky ticket to the world of big cinema, the inherited actress.

Critics have responded well about Vasikovski's play in the film, especially appreciating the fact that most of the dangerous tricks she performed herself. In one scene (when she was pushed down the stairs) she fell from a 12-meter height. According to the actress, she was very scared to perform the trick, but then even liked to fly down from the height of the 4-storey building.

Thomas Sharp - Tom Hiddleston

The 34-year-old British actor became incredibly popular after the release of the fantastic action movie "Thor", where he brilliantly acted as the antagonist of positive characters - the god Loki. Before this role, the actor had about 15 films, but they did not bring him much fame. After the deafening success of the "Thor", the proposals fell down like a horn of plenty. From this moment the pictures with Hiddleston's participation do not go unnoticed. He played three more scenes in the comic book universe of Marvel, in a fantastic drama about vampires "Only lovers will survive" and the historical tape "Henry V".

Those who watched the "Crimson Peak" (reviews of the picture are presented below), will confirm that Guillermo del Toro was not mistaken, having chosen to play the role of Thomas Sharp Hiddleston. The protagonist of the picture - insanely attractive, but at the same time a dark hero, mysterious and dangerous. He is not at all innocent, and the director wanted to show on his example whether a person who violated the laws of morality, true love, is worthy. In the opinion of Del Toro, Tom Hiddleston is ideally suited for the role of the protagonist of the "Crimson Peak" - it simultaneously combines danger and vulnerability. This is exactly what the director Thomas Sharpe represented.

Now the actor is involved in several interesting projects. He is shot in one of the most anticipated films of 2017 - the third part about the Torah. He will also be seen in the picture of King Kong, where Hiddleston will play the main role.

Lucille Sharp - Jessica Chestane

For her 38 years, the actress has acted in more than 30 films, but success did not come to her immediately. For the first time on the screen, she appeared in the series "Dark Shadows". In 2008 she finally took part in the filming of the full-length picture. Success in the actress came in 2011, after the release of two pictures immediately on the screen, which received high ratings of critics - "The Tree of Life" and "Reckoning." For Chestane "Crimson Peak", critics' reviews about which were positive, not the first picture in the horror genre in the filmography. In 2013, she starred in a dramatic film with elements of horror "Mama", where she played a guitarist, who incidentally had to take custody of her two young nieces of her boyfriend, who lived alone in the forest for several years.

Of the latest most successful works of the actress, mention should be made of such tapes as "Interstellar" and "Martian".

Guillermo del Toro was delighted when he learned that Jessica Chestane had agreed to participate in his film. In his understanding, Lucille is not an unequivocal villain, she is characterized by ambivalence (duality). He believes that it was in the character of the heroine that attracted Jessica.

Reviews of critics about the film "Crimson Peak" were largely positive due to her brilliant game. She looked amazingly in the role of a stylish graceful Lucile, hiding a terrible secret. The works of Jessica Chestane are always highly appreciated. She is called a gifted actress, who can breathe life into any role, and the game of a gifted performer is sometimes compared to "live wire".

Alan McMichael - Charlie Hannem

The actor got a relatively small but important role of the friend of the heroine Vasikovski, in love with her. Hannam is known to the viewer for another picture of Del Toro - a fantastic action film "Pacific Frontier", in which he played a major role. In the arsenal of the actor not so many films. Hannam explains this by saying that he does not want to take on any of the roles he proposed. He takes his acting reputation seriously and understands that the choice he has made will in the future determine the course of his career in the cinema.

The mansion is a separate participant of what is happening on the screen

The director gave special attention to the generic nest of brother and sister Sharpov. Do not look for the map of Canada mansion Allarddale - the house was completely rebuilt on the set. Actually, 9 long years were needed to the director in order to prepare everything thoroughly and make sure that the budget of the picture will allow the construction of the whole house. He did not want to make a film just in some abandoned building, he needed a place that would also be an active participant in the events. Del Toro sought the desired effect - according to his idea, the viewer had to understand that the house has its own, ulcerated face. He, like its inhabitants, was left to the mercy of fate and slowly dies.

The mansion lives its own strange and frightening life. It expires red clay, like blood, through a huge hole in the roof inside falls snow and fallen leaves. The house slowly withers and dies, like the aristocratic family of its owners.

The interior of the rooms of the mansion was also thought through to the smallest detail. Central oak staircase, portraits on the walls, long corridors, an old bath - everything was real. Even the floorboards creaked beneath the feet of the actors, as it would be in a real abandoned house.

Unfortunately, the magnificent mansion was demolished after the shooting.

"Crimson peak" - reviews and reviews of critics

The film received mostly positive reviews - more than 70% of reviewers liked it. In the first place, critics noted the magnificent visual beauty of the film. The scenery, the costumes of the characters - everything was thought out to the smallest detail, and this played a role in the positive perception of the picture. Separately, critics noted the brilliant camera work.

Positive reviews about the film "Crimson Peak" critics - the result of a long and laborious work as a director, and the entire crew. Del Toro managed to create a beautiful terrible fairy tale in which the ghosts turn out to be envoys, foreshadowing trouble and warning that it is necessary to fear not the otherworldly forces, but people.

The film "Crimson Peak": reviews of the audience

Gothic horror del Toro was widely covered in the press before the show. As always, the abundance of advertising led to the fact that the expectations of the film were somewhat inflated. But the picture received a generally positive response from viewers.

Particularly interesting is the opinion of the picture of those who have an art education. One of the viewers compared the film to the paintings of Rembrandt, where there is the same play of light and shadow and a subtle drawing of details. He got aesthetic pleasure from every frame thanks to the thoughtfulness of the composition, the costumes of the heroes and the scenery.

It should be understood that in the picture of Del Toro are mixed several genres, but in general it is a gothic drama about love. Ghosts play a secondary role here, they are victims of people's actions. Those viewers who went to the premiere in the hope of seeing a classic horror film with an abundance of blood were disappointed. The film is more or less focused on the female audience. It shows the story of the tragic love of two characters created for each other, but who did not have a joint future.

I like the movie and lovers of Gothic and various fantasy worlds. As for the general audience, she will first of all appreciate the insane, although somewhat theatrical beauty of the picture.

The plot of the picture

Guillermo del Toro made a film about cruel anti-romantic love. He showed the viewer two categories of lovers: moths and butterflies. Moth (Lucile Sharp became his avatar) is a predator eating his own kind. Butterfly (Edith Cushing) is a gentle and vulnerable creature. To emphasize what type of heroines belong to, their dresses were decorated with elements resembling the wings of a butterfly and a moth.

The action in the painting takes place at the beginning of the XIX century. Edith Cushing is the daughter of a famous industrialist from Buffalo. She dreams of becoming a writer and wrote a novel that she tries to publish. But the publishers advise her not to waste energy on the book in the mystical genre, and switch to writing love stories. The girl twice in her life encountered the ghost of a mother who died when Edith was still a child. Otherworldly forces warn the heroine, advising her to fear the Crimson Peak.

One day, when she comes to her father, she meets the visiting baronet Thomas Sharpe, who is looking for finance to create his invention - a device for extracting red clay, from which England makes excellent bricks. Clay deposits are located on the territory of the patrimonial estate of the Baronet and his sister. But Sharpe gives the industrialist a vague suspicion, and he hires a private detective. In the morning Carter Cushing is killed. The Baronet supports the girl in her grief. Soon she marries him, and the couple goes to the estate Allarddale.

An ancient house produces a frightening impression on Edith. It is dilapidated and literally falls apart, from the broken roof directly to the hall falls the snow, and the red water flows from the faucets because of the deposits of red clay, which are located directly under the house. But the strongest shock awaits the heroine in front - she learns that because of the red clay that is all around it, locals call the estate "Crimson Peak".

At this time in Edith's homeland, her friend Alan, a doctor by education, begins his own investigation into the death of her father. He has strong suspicions about the circumstances of his death, and he does not believe that it was an accident. He goes to the detective, who received an order from the murdered industrialist to find out more about the Sharps family. The young man learns the secret of the baronet and his sister and is hurriedly poisoned in England to Edith.

The newly-made Baroness at this time is subjected to one more test - the horrors of childhood are returning to her. Edith again begins to see the ghosts, who no longer warn her of danger, but pursue. Suspicion of the girl starts to cause and the elder sister of her husband, who finds many excuses not to give the keys to all the premises of the mansion. Edith decides to find out what secret Lucille is hiding from her, and why her sister and brother insistently warn her from descending into the cellar of the mansion where the red clay mine is located.

Disadvantages of the picture

Part of the audience did not like the slow pace of the film's narrative. They were waiting for the action and were disappointed by the tightness of the tape. It is worth recalling again that the "Crimson Peak" is a film intended for the same admirers of Gothic novels as del Toro. In his film, the influence of the work of Edgar Poe, "Sleepy Hollow" and another film directed by the director, "Ridges of insanity" is traced. For all these works the action is not typical. He is present only at the very end, before the denouement.

Predictability of the plot is another of the drawbacks of the picture, according to some viewers. But the plot is far from the main thing that del Toro was interested in. He wanted to show love in its two manifestations - destructive and healing and trace the development of the feelings of the heroes. Therefore, there was no need for a dashingly twisted storyline with an unexpected denouement. Everything is predictable from the very beginning, and this makes it even more sad that two people who have only found each other can not be together.

Conclusion

"Crimson Peak" del Toro - an incredibly atmospheric picture with a magnificent visual series and an excellent cast. Even if she does not scare the audience to death, she will be remembered for a long time.