"The Woman In Black" Psychological Horror Film

Friday 10th of February 2012 was the UK's opening day of the movie "The Woman In Black" and we made our trip from college to Covent Garden Odeon Cinema to join the other students and viewers and watch the film.






The movie is based on a 1983 horror fiction novel written by Susan Hill. However the british directer James Watkins has changed some of the novel in his second place box office movie The Woman in Black.


The Woman in Black is a Psychological horror movie staring Daniel Radcliffe as it's lead actor and was screened in US and Canada one week earlier than it's home country UK, with a successful earning of $20 on it's first opening weekend.

The movie is about a young lawyer Kipps, who leaves his four-years old son behind with his nanny in London, traveling to a haunted village in north east where he investigates the case of Alice who has lost her sister and son.


Kipps meets Alice's husband Sam, and they go to Eel Marsh house, an spooky desolated mansion, distant from main village which is connected to main road by a fretted marshy passage. While staying at Marsh house overnight, Kipps is sorting through some letters of the two sisters and learns about Nathaniel being Jennet's real son.   Kipps sees ghosts of children screaming with the woman in black watching them in fogs. Once he sees her coming out of the swamp in the front of the Eel Marsh house with a cross on top, this is the place where Nathaniel is drowned and buried.


Sam tells Kipps of the suicides in village and on their way back to town, they come across a burning house. Kipps goes inside as he tries to rescue the girl trapped in basement, and he sees the woman in black persuading the girl to set herself on fire.


Alice has left Eel marsh with her husband to another house in town but she still communicates with her sister's ghost when abruptly draws images of a woman hanging her self or Kipps child Joseph. Kipps realised about his son being in danger, and asks Sam to help him with excavation of Nathaniel body from the swamp. Then they lay the child's body in Jennet's grave to rest in peace with his mother. Kipps then rushes back to train station to Joseph and his nanny who have come there to accompany Kipps back to London. 

On the train station as Sam and Kipps are bidding good buy, Joseph sees the woman in black and jumps onto the rail tracks, as the train is approaching, Kipps tries to rescue his son and they both get run over. Joseph sees the spirit of her mother behind them, the family is reunited in death.

      Film review with the directer James Watkins

We got the chance to sit with James Watkins at the end of the show and ask him our questions about the movie. He was friendly and warm and answered all our questions. 

                                              Analysis of the movie

The Woman in Black and element of horror:

The film is a psychological horror and has used ghost and children as its most frightening tool.

scary dolls playing instruments

Children in horror films
Ghosts
Startling shots and sudden shocking sounds
isolated haunted house, creepy children 

The movie is more imagery rather that dialogued, like old-school style gothic horror movies

boggy marshes
scared town people
revenge taking

interesting protagonist 

dark house with contrasting lights
twist ending




story of 100 to 150 years ago, back in time with no electricity, using telegraph as the way of communication, which makes it more scary and difficult to get in touch, therefore harder to seek rescue.